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The Mountain's Range by The Passionate Admiral
 Books » A song of Ice and Fire Rated: M, English, Adventure & Suspense, Daenerys T./Dany, Jon S., Gregor C., Dacey M., Words: 854k+, Favs: 3k+, Follows: 3k+, Published: Sep 9, 2016 Updated: Nov 21, 2018 2,034Chapter 11: Priorities
Note: Well, I survived my midterms! Plus, the deadline of my project report got pushed back another two weeks. So I was able to devote some time to this after all. This update will mostly be another buildup chapter, but the next chapter will focus more closely on one of the missions of the Legion without Banners. We'll also see more chemistry between Gregor and Dacey, so never fear!
Gregory Welch had gone back to his hometown of Seattle a few times after he joined the CIA, but for the last six years of his first life, his officially town of residence was Fairfax.
Then again, he had only spent about twenty-three months of that time in Virginia. For the remaining forty-nine he was elsewhere.
During his days as a Special Agent, Gregory had been all over the United States. At some point or other, he had visited all fifty of them, including Alaska and Hawaii. He had also been in Mexico, Canada, and several countries in Europe and Asia. He rarely stayed in any one place for very long. Oftentimes he felt like a nomad. Even so, he enjoyed the lifestyle. Although the main reason for the traveling was to solve the problems of others, they did not come without recompense. He got to see more of the world and have his own adventures on the sideline.
That was why he formed the Legion without Banners as he did. His frequent travels around Westeros had the same purpose as his operations in the CIA, and they came with the same benefits. He was able to protect the realm and fulfill his thirst for adventure simultaneously.
Reading about Westeros was one thing. It was entirely another to see it firsthand. In the span of its 2,000-plus miles, there were glaciers, mountains, swamps, grasslands, forests, and deserts. All those landscapes could be found in the United States, too, of course, but not all in such a small distance.
Gregor was aware that the terrain of the Seven Kingdoms was supposed to be modeled after that of England, the terrain of the Free Cities was modelled after France and Italy, and the terrain of Slaver's Bay was modeled after the Middle East. He had been to all of those countries as Gregory Welch, and he could verify firsthand that the sizes and shapes were the only things they really had in common with Westeros and Essos.
Still, despite the other dissimilarities, he had to appreciate this world. It was huge, it was exhilarating, it was gorgeous, and it was breathtaking.
The same could be said for the first female member of the Legion without Banners.
Dacey Mormont became accustomed to the Legion with little difficulty. That was not to say Gregor's decision to recruit her had faced no disapproval. Of course, he had anticipated that.
In this male-dominated society, the concept of a person wielding a sword without having been born with one did not sit well with many men. That did not bother Dacey in the slightest. After all, Gregor himself authorized her entry. With his approval, no one could reject her. That did not prevent them from voicing their opinions, though.
The Northmen and the Dornishmen presented no opposition whatsoever to Dacey's enrollment. The Valemen, the Ironborn, the Stormlords, and the Riverlords only put up a little protest. The Westerlords, the Crownlords, and the Reachmen were the most vocally opposed. Some went so far as to challenge her competency with a blade. That was a grave error on their part.
They did not provoke Dacey into lashing out, but they did encourage her to challenge their skills in turn. She managed to defeat Robert Brax, Godry Farring, and Axel Florent in a three-on-one duel. After that, overall opinion of Dacey's participation in the Legion was strongly directed in her favor.
There were still some men who did not acquiesce with her being among them. At the very least, all the men respected her now. Dacey and Gregor were pleased by that.
That was the beginning of something grand.
Dacey demonstrated her abilities many times over in the Legion. She was deadly with any weapon, be it axe, sword, or any blunt object. She could kill a man as easily as charm him, and she was a superb rider. After just three months of service, she became one of Gregor's top lieutenants.
Through her actions, Dacey became an inspiration to women all over Westeros. Her involvement in the Legion incited many other women to enter in the Legion, as well.
Two of them were Obara Sand and Nymeria Sand, Oberyn Martell's eldest bastards. Interestingly, the Red Viper himself enlisted alongside his daughters.
Given how daring, venturesome, and infamously impulsive Oberyn was, Gregor was hardly surprised that the Dornish prince opted to partake in the largest free company west of the Narrow Sea. Gregor vaguely recalled reading somewhere that Oberyn had once served in one of the free companies of Essos. Most likely the Second Sons, seeing as how he was a second son by birth. The Red Viper was always one to add a touch of irony in things.
On the subject of irony, Gregor formed a quite unexpected friendship with Doran Martell's younger brother whilst the latter was in the Legion.
In the original universe, Oberyn Martell would have died (and did) for the chance to slaughter the Mountain. Of course, he had done that because the original Gregor Clegane had brutally assaulted and murdered Elia Martell and her children. Since the Gregor Clegane who had once been Gregory Welch had risked everything to save Oberyn's sister, niece, and nephew, Oberyn harbored no hostile feelings towards the massive knight. They would not be fighting a skirmish to the death anytime soon.
Still, Gregor wondered who would actually win in a fight: him or Oberyn? He was the younger by seven years, and he was also far larger and stronger. All the same, Oberyn was quicker, more agile, and adept with just about any weapon. All factors considered, both men stood an equal chance of besting the other.
Gregor decided not to risk finding out the hard way who was the better warrior. Not if he could help it, at any rate. If Oberyn offered to spar with him, Gregor would not refuse him. But only out of courtesy and to test his own skills. However, he partly hoped that Oberyn would not suggest a duel. Much of Gregor's influence was attributed to the belief that he was unbeatable. So long as that was the established norm, he would be recognized as a symbol of might and awe.
With that in mind, it would not do well if the soldiers of the Legion discovered that their supposedly indestructible leader could be knocked on his back by an older man who stood two feet shorter than him.
To Gregor's good fortune, aside from their friendly bouts in Moat Cailin's training yard, Oberyn never asked to spar with him. However, the Red Viper did express some interest in getting Gregor on his back in another sense of the term.
By this point in time, Ellaria Sand had already become Oberyn's paramour. She had accompanied the Red Viper on his journey north. When she arrived at Moat Cailin, she was riding near the front of Oberyn's company. She was ahorse at the time, but she only held her gelding's reins in one hand. In the other, she had been cradling an infant girl close to her chest. That was her and Oberyn's first daughter, Elia Sand.
Ellaria had not come to sign up in the Legion; she was just there in "service" to the prince. She tended to provide those services to him quite often. Several times a day, matter of fact.
It was worth noting that apart from the canal and the harbor, several new buildings had been built around Moat Cailin. They included a sept for those in the Legion that worshipped the New Gods, a vault for all the revenue the Legion had earned from their endeavors, a library for those who desired to further their knowledge of the world, a couple inns for anyone passing through the area, a small village for those of the Legion whose families had come with them, and a brothel… for those who needed some respite after an assignment.
Oberyn and Ellaria tended to spend much of their leisure time in the brothel. Within a month of their arrival, Gregor was certain they had sampled every gigolo and whore in that establishment. After that, they broadened their horizons.
There were plenty of soldiers in the Legion that were willing to bed Oberyn's paramour. However, Ellaria only accepted those of them that would accept Oberyn, as well. While that criterion severely limited their options, the two of them managed to find at least one man from each of the nine regions of Westeros who enjoyed intimate company with both sexes.
There were even a few whose interests were exclusively in Oberyn. One of them was Ser Lyn Corbray. Despite the fact that Ser Lyn had killed Oberyn's uncle, Ser Lewyn Martell of Aerys' Kingsguard, at the Battle of the Trident, the Valeman and the Dornishman got along famously. It appeared as though the Red Viper did not hold a grudge without justifiable foundation.
At any rate, while Gregor and Oberyn had a great friendship with each other, there were times when the latter vied for it to become more than that. Oberyn still did not propose a duel between them. However, every now and then, when they were alone together, Oberyn put forth the idea that he and Gregor could test each other's prowess in a less physical but equally invigorating manner.
Oberyn assured him the affair would be behind closed doors. The level of secrecy did little to sway Gregor's mind, but Oberyn was persistent. He was subtle about it at first. Then his motto may as well have been "subtlety be damned."
Gregor tried to decline his proposition as gently as possible, but Oberyn did not seem willing to accept refusal. Oberyn argued that it would simply be a new type of experience. Gregor countered by claiming that he had never been stabbed in his life, but if he ever had to get stabbed, he preferred that it would be with a knife first.
Ultimately, Oberyn agreed to respect Gregor's wishes, and he ceased his efforts to seduce the massive knight. All the same, he informed Gregor that should he ever change his mind, the Red Viper would be more than pleased to acquaint him with a form of pleasure he had not yet experienced.
Then again, Gregor Clegane's experiences with the traditional form of pleasure were not many, either.
He did not even know whether or not he was a virgin.
Gregory Welch had not been a ladies' man, but he had slept with half a dozen women. He actually lost his virginity when he was in his freshman year of college. He was not even nineteen when that happened.
Gregor Clegane was now past his twenty-first name day. He had yet to caress a woman's bosom.
It was not as though he was blind to the charms and appeal of the opposite sex. He was too busy upholding law and order to get laid.
Or that was he told himself at least. It was probably just an excuse he had invented.
Still, all the talk about intimacy with Oberyn got Gregor to thinking about the future of his own romance life.
He wondered if he should begin to search for a wife. Most lords and their heirs at least had a marriage contract arranged for them by the time they reached his age.
His parents had considered betrothing him to Lady Alysanne Lefford. They never broached on the subject with Lord Leo, though. He and his daughter belonged to the second wealthiest house in the Westerlands, as well as the holder of the largest portion of the Westerlords' fleet. An offer of marriage from a very young knightly house could have been viewed as an insult.
Ser Tarrence and Lady Daliah had investigated other prospective marriage contracts for their eldest child, but they rarely discussed them with him. That was primarily because he had been away from Clegane's Keep so often. Typically, he was out administering Lord Tywin Lannister's justice instead.
Now that Gregor had been cut off from his parents, the duty of finding a bride was left solely up to him.
Due in large part to his newfound fame and his noble reputation, he had a number of prospective candidates. Some would say he had too many. Be that as it may, picking one might not have been as hard as it seemed.
Gregor had noticed something peculiar. Beauty and strength were almost inversely proportional to each other with regards to Westerosi women. Nearly all of the most attractive and beautiful women in Westeros – such as Sansa, Cersei, and Daenerys – had no combat prowess whatsoever. Whereas all the tomboyish and strong warrior women – such as Arya, Brienne, Meera, and Asha – had absolutely no sex appeal.
There were some exceptions, of course. The first female member of the Legion was one.
Dacey Mormont was neither the most beautiful nor the strongest woman in the Seven Kingdoms. But she possessed a wondrous combination of both qualities.
Gregor was not so shallow as to believe that splendor and vigor were the only things that mattered in a woman. His parents in both of his lives had raised him better than that.
Strength and beauty were not Dacey's only positive attributes. She was also very quick-witted, and she was a brilliant tactician. She also had a broad sense of humor, which everyone enjoyed.
Gregor found that the more time he spent with the warrior woman, the more he appreciated her company. From what he could tell, she seemed to reciprocate those feelings.
After a while, he wondered if those feelings would develop into something more intimate.
Gregor knew he would have to marry someone at some point in time. In this world, the sooner he got wed, the better.
The main reason for all the haste was because every lord wished to ensure that his family line would endure. Considering how dangerous Westeros could be, they were obligated to begin making trueborn heirs as soon as possible. After all, they ran the risk of not being around long enough to do so.
While Gregor could understand the wish to continue one's lineage, he could have done without the ever-present demand to further it. Gregory Welch's parents had never pressured him for grandchildren. He had never been married or engaged. He did not even have time for a girlfriend during his years in the CIA.
Then again, he had grown up in a country that had almost never practiced arranged marriage. The only exceptions were when the ceremony coincided with one's religious beliefs. Here in Westeros, he would have to find a wife whether he wished to or not.
He knew that few arranged marriages involved love at the beginning, but all the same, Gregor would have preferred it if he and his future bride actually had some feelings of affection toward each other before they were bound together. Eddard Stark and Catelyn Tully had come to love each other. Under the right circumstances, Robert Baratheon and Cersei Lannister could, as well.
Currently, Gregor's relationship with Dacey was nothing more than a friendship. But it could certainly grow into something more.
From a political viewpoint, Dacey presented his best option. She could garner great respect and love from the other members of the Legion, she was capable of defending herself unaided, and she was very astute in matters of war and diplomacy.
Plus, House Mormont was one of Winterfell's most devoted vassals. A marriage between Gregor and Dacey could strengthen the bond between him and the Starks. That would be especially useful when the Long Night finally arrived.
Their most notable dissimilarity was the difference in age. At the time of their first meeting, Gregor was twenty-one, and Dacey was sixteen. In his first life, Gregory would never have dared to lay a hand on any female younger than eighteen. Not only because it was illegal, but also because it was immoral.
Whereas in Westeros, age of consent laws were practically nonexistent. Having lived in the country for two decades had somewhat lessened Gregor's rigid twenty-first century American views on the topic. He still thought it was disturbing that girls were deemed of eligible as soon as they had their moon's blood for the first time. One of his sisters had gotten her first period when she was only eleven.
In any case, Gregor would take his time in his pursuit of finding a bride. He would also keep his options open until he was more certain about his relationship with Dacey. He would wait a while before he even mentioned the concept of marriage to her. He would hate to address it too soon. He could handle rejection, but not when it ruined a perfectly healthy friendship.
Furthermore, Gregor had greater concerns than getting hitched. His top priority was still his objective to unite Westeros.
By this point, he had already done a fair job of bringing the Seven Kingdoms together. The process was still in its preliminary stages, but he was witnessing some progress with every passing week.
As he anticipated, Gregor did encounter some setbacks. For instance, some in Westeros were more willing to bond than others. That was reflected in the ratios of the peoples who came to Moat Cailin.
Of the nine regions of Westeros, the Ironborn composed the smallest percentage of the Legion without Banners. So far, no one especially prominent from the Iron Islands had entered the organization. Most of them were bastards, peasants, and former thralls. There were some retainers from Houses Harlaw, Botley, and Goodbrother that had signed up, as well.
At first, Gregor was unfazed by the low turnout of the Ironborn. After all, based off the canon content in the franchise, they were basically a civilization (if you could call them civil) of people who thought themselves too good to enter an alliance. Robb had approached Balon Greyjoy with the offer of a coalition, and how did he reply? He all but said "fuck you" and attacked the North.
Gregor had often wondered why the rest of Westeros had not banded together to wipe out the Iron Islands. More to the point, how had the Ironborn even survived this long? They lived on a cluster of desolate rocks, they resorted to raiding rather than trade, and they were too proud to form a friendship with any of the other cultures in Westeros. Even the masters of Slaver's Bay were not so reprehensible. While he did not condone genocide, Gregor personally believed that the Ironborn were a nuisance that the rest of Westeros could do without.
All the same, the Iron Islands could be useful in their own way. He was holding out hope that at least some of the Ironborn were wise enough to see the benefits of a united Westeros. Surely some of them had that much sense. Some of them must have been with honor.
It turned out they did. In the third year after the Legion without Banners was founded, there was an incident that even Gregor had not forecasted.
During the eighth month of that year, a lone ship sailed up the Cut (that was the name that had been given to the canal). When the on-duty lookout spotted the ship from afar, Gregor was promptly summoned to the gate.
From the top of the gate, the Mountain peered down the canal through a far-eye (that was what telescopes were called in this world), and he focused on the vessel as it approached.
Straightaway, he recognized it as an Ironborn ship. That was rather quaint. The Iron Islands were located off the western shores of Westeros. The Cut opened up onto one of the eastern banks. Any Ironman who wished to get to the canal would have had to either travel through the Riverlands or go all the way around the southern end of the continent.
Either route would have expended a great amount of time and resources. Whoever was currently traversing up the Cut must have been determined to reach Moat Cailin.
Gregor's eyes widened when they fell across the name printed on the side of the ship. It was the Iron Victory.
Victarion Greyjoy was coming. For what reason, Gregor could not fathom.
Gregor's council and the top officers of the Legion had joined him at the gate. They concentrated on the large vessel apprehensively, as well.
"What are your orders, my lord?" Ser Rodrik Cassel inquired.
Gregor stood thinking for a minute. Then he lowered the far-eye and proclaimed "When the ship nears… open the gate."
That command stunned several of the people present.
"My lord?" Gerion Lannister remarked, perplexed.
"Trust me, Gerion," Gregor asserted, "If Victarion intends to storm the moat, we can easily overpower him."
"Why even give him the opportunity?" Allard Seaworth, second son to Ser Davos, debated.
"Because I do not believe seizing Moat Cailin is his objective," Gregor observed, "If it was, he would have brought more than one vessel. However, as a precaution, we should account for the whereabouts of all the Legionnaires from the Iron Islands. Make a note of where they are, but do nothing to give the impression that something is aloof."
"It will be done, Ser," Polliver pronounced.
The Mountain's men-at-arms still tended to refer to him as "Ser," even though he had been a lord for over two years, and lords generally outranked knights in terms of status. There were some landed knights who stood higher than minor lords, but Gregor certainly was not a minor lord. Still, he allowed his men to continue addressing him by the title of "Ser."
Most of Gregor's companions went to locate their Ironborn colleagues and keep track of their movements. Oberyn Martell, Rodrik Cassel, Sylas Vikary, and Dacey Mormont were among those who remained with the Mountain.
When the Iron Victory reached the end of the canal, the gates were opened and it was granted entrance. Every person on the waterfront eyed the vessel warily as it came into the harbor. The entirety of the ship's crew was armed, but most of them did not have their weapons brandished.
The dockhands guided the ship into port. Once a gangplank was set up between the bridge of the Iron Victory and the closest dock, the vessel's captain and his senior officers swiftly disembarked onto the waterfront.
Gregor and his associates had already climbed down from the gate. They arrived on the dock at approximately the same moment as Victarion and his men. That was when he and Gregor met face-to-face for the first time.
Back when he was just a fan of the series, Gregor had thought of Victarion as the one Greyjoy who was even remotely likeable. Asha and Theon had their own redeeming characteristics, but apart from his traditional Ironborn ideals and the ruthless murder of his third wife, Victarion had nothing he had to redeem. He was only marginally more intelligent than Gregor's men-at-arms, but he commanded more authority and respect from his men than almost any other military leader in Westeros.
In terms of stature, Victarion was a brute of a man, just as the books entailed. He still stood nearly a head shorter than Gregor, but even Dacey had to tilt her head upwards at him.
One of the men standing next to Victarion had a gash in his face. It had opened his lips, rendering his front teeth visible, even when he closed his mouth. That must have been Dagmer Cleftjaw.
Gregor knew that Dagmer had served the Greyjoys for most of his life in the original universe, but he could not recall if the Cleftjaw had ever served under Victarion directly.
If he had not, then what reason could he have for being there with Victarion now?
Whatever Dagmer's reason, it must have been the same as Victarion's reason for coming in the first place.
The only way to find out the reason was to ask.
After an interval of intense silence, Gregor cordially declared "On behalf of Robert Baratheon and the Seven Kingdoms, I bid you welcome, Captain Victarion."
"Iron Captain Victarion," Dagmer Cleftjaw corrected him.
Victarion gestured for the Cleftjaw to hold his tongue, and then he turned to Gregor and pronounced "Your greetings are noted, but needless."
Evidently, Victarion was not one for Smalltalk. Gregor decided to cut right to the point. He folded his arms and inquired "What brings you to Moat Cailin? You're not here for conquest, I gather."
"If I was, you and I would be clashing steel right now," Victarion bluntly remarked, "As for why I'm here… why does anyone come here?"
Gregor could not tell if that was a rhetorical question or if it was an actual query. He raised an eyebrow and muttered "I beg your pardon?"
"You heard me, Mountain," Victarion grimly mumbled. He looked around at Dacey, Oberyn, and Ser Rodrik, and he murmured "What reason do they have for being here?"
"They're members of the Legion without Banners," Gregor responded straightforwardly
"There you have it," Victarion said drily, "My men and I will soon join their ranks."
It was then that Gregor knew what was going on. "You plan to enlist in the Legion?"
"We're going to enlist in the Legion," Victarion contended.
"Lord Gregor has the final say on who enters this company," Dacey Mormont interjected.
"He would be a fool to reject us," Dagmer Cleftjaw gruffly observed, "Then again, he may be one already, if a woman must speak for him."
Oberyn looked disgusted by that slight, and Ser Rodrik grimaced angrily. Dacey merely scoffed. She had put up with sexism long enough that it no longer bothered her. Especially when it came from maritime savages like Dagmer Cleftjaw.
Gregor retained a calm facial expression, but he sternly stated "This 'woman' is one of my most trusted officers. She has fought by my side for months and never once has she let me down. On any given day, I would pick her over the lot of you."
"Then you are a fool," Victarion commented.
Gregor abruptly stepped forward, gripped Victarion by the clasp of his cloak, and pulled him closer. Dagmer and the other Ironborn reached for their swords, but before they could be drawn, they were surrounded on all sides by armed Legionnaires.
The Ironborn tentatively stood down, but they kept their hands around the hilts of their blades.
Gregor stared Victarion down intently. Then he mumbled crossly "I've heard it said that you'd beat a man to death for calling you a fool. I do not tolerate that sort of insolence here. But unlike you, I do not reassert my authority through killing. I am not one to hold a grudge, either. So I will allow you that one slight. But so long as you are here, you will treat me and your future colleagues with due respect. Understood?"
Although Victarion retained his scowl, he lightly nodded his head. Gregor then released him and stated wryly "Good. We just may get along, Iron Captain."
Gregor and his companions then led Victarion and his crew back to the moat. On their way there, Gregor came up with a few possible hypotheses on why the Iron Captain had chosen to enlist in the Legion without Banners. He was fairly certain it was not out of conscience. He doubted any Ironborn had ever done anything out of conscience.
He may have been drawn by the incentives Gregor had included in the first advertisement he had used to promote the Legion. Among them were wealth, fame, glory, and universal adoration. Those were practically the Ironmen's calling in life.
When Gregor, Victarion, and their associates got to the Mountain's solar, he discovered the Iron Captain's true motive.
Despite how dim-witted he was, Victarion was not blind to how the world saw him and his people. He was very much aware that most Westerosi hated the Ironborn. He saw the Legion as a unique opportunity for him to begin repairing his people's reputation.
Of course, there was no telling how much damage the Ironborn had inflicted over the ages. Some would say they had caused too much suffering. But Gregor was willing to give them a chance. After all, if he was going to unify Westeros, he would need others who shared similar interests.
So on that day, Victarion Greyjoy, Dagmer Cleftjaw, Nute the Barber, Longwater Pyke, Burton Humble, Rymolf Stormdrunk, Wulfe One-Ear, Tom Tidewood, Ragnor Pyke, Steffar Stammerer, and the rest of the crew of the Iron Victory became official members of the Legion without Banners.
At long last, the Iron Islands were adequately represented in the Legion.
Shortly after Victarion and his men became Legionnaires, Gregor began concentrating on some of his long-term plans.
So far, the primary reason he had been able to improve Westeros was because he had an advantage no one else possessed: he knew the actual timeline of the world.
Of course, his meddling in the affairs of the realm complicated matters. Gregor was not blind to the repercussions of his actions. He was well-aware that every change he inflicted – even the smallest – would yield vastly different changes in the outcome of the future.
Luckily, Gregor had the means to compensate for those changes. Those means could be found in his mind.
Gregory Welch's job at the Central Intelligence Agency had heavily involved scenario analysis. In other words, he was tasked with determining all the possible ways a situation might end, as well as subsequently devising appropriate strategies to counter or follow up on each outcome.
He was very proficient in that line of work. He could look at any dilemma – any dilemma – and envision all its possible endings in his head. If any unforeseen hindrances cropped up along the way, he could easily account for them as well and compensate for them.
Thanks to Gregor's interference thus far, Westeros was already turning into a better place. For the present, it was more or less at peace. But that peace would not be permanent. Sooner or later, some individuals who would shatter it for their own personal gain.
One of Gregor's top priorities was to deal with those individuals accordingly.
Like Arya Stark, the Mountain had compiled his own hit list (or shit list, considering the people on it). Several times a day, he thought the following:
Petyr Baelish… Roose Bolton… Euron Greyjoy… Walder (and almost any other) Frey… Tywin Lannister… Janos Slynt… Ramsey Snow… Ludd Whitehill…
He could handle Euron during the Ironborn Rebellion. He had planned on that, even before Victarion joined the Legion. Now that Victarion was on his side, his goal to kill the Crow's-Eye would be all the easier.
Ramsey, he could put down before he was even grown. That would be the only time in his life when he would have no qualms about killing a child. Once Ramsey was dead and Domeric Bolton's survival was guaranteed, Roose Bolton might remain loyal to the Starks. If not, his death would be easy enough to stage as an accident. If Domeric proved more loyal than his douchebag father, Gregor might not even have to contend with Ludd Whitehill.
Littlefinger and Janos Slynt could be eliminated quietly and discreetly. Slynt would have to be taken out in case Gregor ever needed to seize King's Landing. But overall, he was the least of Gregor's worries.
Baelish, however, was a class-A risk. Littlefinger had yet to gain any influence in King Robert's court. In the long run, he was primarily responsible for the downfall of the Starks. Gregor was determined to make him suffer for that.
He would have to be careful about Walder Frey; that ancient weasel had a habit of outliving far more honorable men. Plus, staging his death without drawing attention would be complex. Then again, he had more of a personal hatred towards the Late Lord Frey. He would not allow his personal feelings to cloud his judgment, but if at all possible, he was going to ensure that Walder Frey did not live to see the Long Night.
The only true problem was posed by Tywin Lannister. He was King Robert's goodfather and the liege lord of the Westerlands. There was also a strong possibility that the Targaryens would be endeavoring to return to power sometime in the future. As long as his daughter was Queen, Lord Tywin would never consent to that.
Regardless of who needed to be eliminated, Gregor knew that time was a luxury he could not afford. As such, he figured that he may as well begin narrowing down his list while he was still ahead in the game.
Gregor realized he could never share the full extent of his knowledge of Westeros with anyone. Even so, he knew he could never accomplish his objectives without aid. He would undoubtedly need some assistance.
Consequentially, Gregor formed his own inner circle. It was composed of nine Legionnaires; one from each of the nine regions of Westeros.
Specifically, they were Dacey Mormont of the Northmen, Brynden Tully of the Riverlords, Victarion Greyjoy of the Ironborn, Osmund Kettleback of the Crownlords, Lyn Corbray of the Valemen, Allard Seaworth of the Stormlords, Gerion Lannister of the Westerlords, Garth Hightower of the Reachmen, and Oberyn Martell of the Dornishmen.
Other than Ser Brynden, none of those people were more than ten years Gregor's elder. They had all been in the Legion for various amounts of time, but Gregor had come to trust all of them. All of them brought something special to the table. They all had principles, but they were willing to go to great length to preserve the people they loved and the values they believed in.
In the tenth month of the 286th year after Aegon's Conquest, Gregor summoned all nine of those people to the council chambers. He arrived about fifteen minutes after the rest of them. All of them were already seated around the large circular table.
After taking up the main seat at the head of the table, Gregor gazed around at the others. Then he asked them "Did you tell anyone you were coming here?"
"No, my lord," the nine of them chorused in unison.
"Good," Gregor muttered in approval, "After we leave this room, you will not address anything that was discussed here with anyone else. Not even each other. These meetings will be kept strictly confidential."
"There will be other meetings, Lord Gregor?" Dacey Mormont assumed.
"Yes, Dacey," the Mountain affirmed, "This is just the first of many."
"Well, why all the secrecy, my lord?" Allard Seaworth enquired.
"You're about to find out, Allard," Gregor said ambiguously.
Gregor sat up straight in his chair and professed "As you all know well, the primary function of the Legion without Banners is to uphold the peace and security of Westeros. We do this in a variety of manners. Our most prominent method involves rounding up all the country's criminals and subjecting them to the King's justice. That is a fairly straightforward operation. A crime is a crime. However… suppose we encounter someone who has not committed a crime, but will in the future?"
"The answer to that is simple, my lord," Garth Hightower debated, "Conspiracy to commit a crime is almost always just as grave as committing the crime itself."
"I'm not talking about conspiracy, Garth," Gregor disclosed, "I'm talking about people who have the capacity to do horrible things. These people may seem harmless or passive at a glance. But underneath their façade, they are striving to make their own lives better. If given the opportunity, they would do just about anything to fulfill their ambitions. Even if their prosperity comes at the misery of others."
"There are several people I know who meet that description," Brynden Tully commented slyly.
"I fancy I know some of them as well, Ser Brynden," Gregor told the Blackfish frankly.
"Does this conversation have a point, Lord Gregor?" Victarion Greyjoy mumbled impatiently. His mood had not improved much since he joined the Legion but at least he did not talk down to the Mountain anymore.
"Nothing I do is pointless, Victarion," Gregor asserted, "That includes this. So I will make my point now. In my time as Master of Order, I have investigated the entirety of the realm. In my searches, I have discovered that there are more than a few people who – when presented with the chance – would go so far as to see the whole realm suffer for their own gain."
"That sounds like mere speculation," Lyn Corbray noted.
"At times, speculation is all we have to guide us," Gregor contended. He looked around at his colleagues again and professed "I have never harmed an innocent in my life. The people I speak of are by no means innocent. They are amoral, unscrupulous, selfish, and borderline inhumane. Some of them may not have done any wrong in their life before, but they would have no qualms about doing so in the future."
"Do these individuals have names, or are they purely theoretical?" Gerion Lannister asked rhetorically.
"Oh, they're real," Gregor declared, "I have assembled a short list of them."
"Who are these supposed individuals?" Osmund Kettleback inquired.
"To preserve the integrity of this procedure, I will not divulge all of them at the same time," Gregor disclosed, "Instead, I will share with you one name at each meeting. The name will be given at the very beginning of the meeting. After that, the remainder of the meeting will be devoted to discussing what should be done with that particular individual."
"And by 'what should be done,' you mean…?" Oberyn Martell began.
Gregor Clegane announced in a solemn tone "We will exterminate them. One at a time."
The others were alarmed at how serene and stoic Gregor sounded when he made that statement.
Had he been a lesser man, most of them would have walked out on the meeting right then. But they had been following Gregor long enough to know that he was a just and honorable man. He was a man they could all respect and follow through any trials or tribulations.
It did not take long for Gregor to ascertain that he had the full support of the nine people before him. He was certain that one or more of them would have reservations about these operations somewhere down the line, but he could not blame them. After all, he was asking them simply to trust in him. He had to prove to them that this "pest control" was indeed the right thing to do, and that he was just not simply being paranoid about the future of Westeros.
Once he did, Dacey Mormont inquired in interest "Who will be the first target?"
The eight other men leaned forward and waited eagerly for a reply. After ten seconds of absolute quietness, Gregor gave them one. He said firmly "Petyr Baelish."
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