Just Like the Serrett Family

The warhorse grazed nearby, occasionally glancing at the man and woman on the grass.

Alec glanced in the direction of her home. If it weren't for the fear that her children might suddenly come outside, she truly wouldn't want to stop.

Blackstone's face was swelling on both sides, the result of Alec's slap.

Alec began to put on her dress.

"You're a knight of the Mountain that Rides now?" Alec didn't use any honorifics, referring to Gregor by the infamous title of 'Mountain that Rides.'

"Yes."

"Let's sell the armor and sword, and head south."

"I've sworn allegiance to the Mountain."

"He'll kill you when he's not happy."

"He won't."

"You believe in the Mountain?"

"I've sworn an oath."

"We have the warhorse for travel, and we can sell the sword and armor to get some capital. We'll head to the Riverbend in the south and start a small shop. The land in the south is more fertile than the West."

Alec tied her skirt and started getting dressed.

"The sword, armor, and the warhorse are all mine. They're not the Mountain's." Blackstone said.

Alec paused, looking at him in confusion.

"The horse, sword, armor, helmet, they're all our personal property." Blackstone said, smiling. "I swore allegiance to the Mountain, but these things are gifts from him, not issued by him."

Alec resumed dressing, but now more quickly.

"Then selling them won't be illegal. Let's sell them and leave as soon as possible."

"How much can we sell them for?"

"I don't know, maybe seven golden dragons. Plus the one the Mountain gave us last time, we'll have quite a bit of money. We can find a noble in the south to sponsor us, and it's safer than staying here."

Blackstone grabbed a pair of undergarments, shook them out, and coins jingled inside.

Alec's hands stopped again as she noticed the weight of the coins.

Blackstone tossed them to her.

Alec caught them. They were heavy, and when she dug inside, she pulled out several golden dragons. There were even more in the pouch. She counted them, ten in total.

A large sum of money, enough to live comfortably for many years.

"Where did all this money come from?" Alec's voice had changed.

"The Mountain compensated us for the losses we suffered when we were growing poppies."

Alec stood still, staring at Blackstone, her mind in a daze.

"He really gave us money?" Her voice felt hollow, as if she were dreaming.

"Yes. The Mountain gave ten golden dragons to each of the eleven households in our village."

Alec was stunned, her eyes locked on Blackstone's as if she couldn't comprehend what he was saying.

"The Mountain really compensated us?" she asked again, her voice barely audible.

"Yes. He gave us each ten golden dragons, for all eleven families." Blackstone said, quickly dressing. "And there's salt, pure white salt. I've tasted it. You can eat it straight with rice; it's delicious, not bitter at all, and has no grit."

Salt was a rarity for Alec.

"Where is the salt?" Alec asked, already starting to rummage through Blackstone's bag.

Brown parchment wrapped several pounds of white salt. Alec stared, wide-eyed.

No matter how rich the nobles in the West were, most of the common folk were still poor.

Alec had seen salt sold in the big city of Lannisport, a pale yellow salt that was bitter and often had stone grains mixed in. But this, this was the purest white, finer than sand. Alec had never seen anything like it.

She touched a bit of salt, put it in her mouth, and her face twisted with surprise, it was incredibly salty, but so tasty.

"This salt came from the Mountain?" Alec added honorifics to the title, calling him 'the Mountain.'

"Yes."

"Where did this salt come from?" Alec had never seen anything so refined.

"I heard from the scribes and Maesters that the Mountain took the salt he purchased and used secret methods to refine it. Only the people of our land, Faircastle, have this salt."

"The Mountain is selling salt at Faircastle?"

"This salt is not for sale. The Mountain only gave it to Lord Tywin, and then to the people of Clegane. He promised us we will get this fine salt for free from now on. Maester Harry said his teacher, Master Pycelle, told him that Lord Tywin even named it 'snow salt.'"

"The Mountain is giving us snow salt for free?" Alec could hardly believe it.

"Yes! Not only is the Mountain giving us snow salt, but he also swore in front of the Seven Gods to protect us. From now on, if anyone from other lands or nobles bullies us, the Mountain will demand justice. Just like Julie from Thomasson's family, even though she's from the Serrett family, she will not be violated."

How could such a great lord be the infamous the Mountain? Alec had always been worried, afraid that one day the Mountain might burst into her home with a group of ruthless men and assault her. Her little daughter was four now, and Alec had been raising her with constant anxiety in her heart.

"We know about Julie." Blackstone continued. "People from nearby lands are gossiping, saying that Julie now carries the Clegane name, but she hasn't yet sworn her oath in the temple under the Maesters' guidance."

"Julie will swear her oath soon." Blackstone replied.

"Really?"

"Yes. Maester Harry is in charge of inviting Lannis' craftsmen to build a Seven Gods temple in Faircastle. From now on, we'll have a place to pray for harvests, health, our children's growth, and victory in battle. We won't have to go to another lord's temple anymore."

"That's wonderful!" Alec was excited.

"There's even better news."

"What is it?"

"The Mountain plans to build a village for us, Clegane's Keep, outside his castle. When the houses are finished, all eleven of our families will move there. We won't have to pay for the construction; the Mountain is covering the cost. The village will have wells, animal pens, chicken coops, stables, underground storage, firewood houses, and walls. Our stone houses will be twice the size of these thatched cottages."

Alec stared at her husband, her mouth agape in surprise.

"Alec, do you still want to run to the south?" Blackstone asked, finishing his clothes, putting on his armor, and strapping the sword to his horse.

"Will the Mountain still, will he still..." she hesitated, the words hard to speak.

"Will the Mountain harm women?" Blackstone asked, a reassuring smile on his face. "The Mountain swore in front of the Seven Gods that he would protect only the people of Faircastle, regardless of age or gender. If anyone from another land or any noble bullies us, they will regret it."

"Just like the Serrett family." Alec said, her face slowly brightening.

"Yes, just like the Serrett family."

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