Silverhill, once known as Silverhill City, is located at the southeastern foot of the Silverhill, which stretches across the eastern side of Clegane's Keep.
Silverhill is rich in silver and gold mines, most of the land belonging to Silverhill. Just a few dozen miles beyond the small forest behind Serrett's family estate lies the famous Silverhill.
The head of Silverhill is Tyger Serrett, a noble from the Westerlands with significant power.
The Serrett family's coat of arms features a proud peacock with its tail spread, perched on a cheese-colored background. Their family motto, Unbeatable, is well-known. The Serrett family is extremely wealthy, thanks to the abundance of silver and gold mines.
In the southern part of the Westerlands, three major noble families guard the southern border. The coastal family of Clegane's Keep resides on the Searoad, their fortress situated in the middle of a two-hundred-mile stretch of primeval forest.
The Searoad connects the capital of the Westerlands, Casterly Rock, with the capital of Riverlands, Highgarden. Highgarden belongs to the Tyrell family, and Casterly Rock to the Lannister family.
About a hundred miles east of Clegane's Keep lies the Swyft family's stronghold, Cornfield. Known for its vast fertile plains, the Swyft family excels in farming corn, rice, and wheat.
The eastern border of the Swyft family is the Silverhill.
The only large noble family controlling Silverhill is the Serrett family of Silverhill, formerly known as Silverhill City.
A golden highway runs alongside Silverhill, connecting the capital of the Westerlands, Casterly Rock, with the Seven Kingdoms' capital, King's Landing.
The Serrett family is the noble house that guards the critical Gold Road in the Westerlands.
The three major noble families defending the southern borders of the Westerlands, from west to east, are: Clegane's Keep's Clegane's Keep family, guarding the Searoad; Cornfield's Swyft family, guarding the primeval forest; and Silverhill's Serrett family, guarding the Gold Road. These three families form a line of defense along the Westerlands' southern borders.
Of these families, the Serrett family of Silverhill is the wealthiest, with seven sons among the most talented knights of the young generation in the Westerlands, known for their martial prowess. The Swyft family has the richest harvests, while the Clegane's Keep family boasts the strongest military.
During this long summer of peace, common folk either tend their crops or work as miners to earn a living.
Small families under petty nobles like Gregor Clegane, long oppressed by his tyranny, have fallen into poverty. These impoverished folk, unable to grow rice, corn, or wheat under Gregor's command, are forced to cultivate poppies, which are not food. The best option for the adult men of these eleven families is to work as miners.
Mining for a month allows them to buy enough food to feed their families for two months.
The nearest mine to Clegane's Keep is Silverhill.
Thomasson's youngest son also went to Silverhill to mine.
Staying at home would mean starvation, as the poppies in the fields don't require much labor from the young and strong. The old and women can watch over the poppies as they grow.
All the men in the eleven families of Clegane's Keep are working at Silverhill, mining to support their families.
…
"What's the girl's name?" Gregor asked.
"Julie," Thomasson replied.
"How old is she?"
"Thirteen."
"Has she gotten her first menstruation?"
"…Yes… milord…"
Having had her first menstruation means she's a woman now. Thirteen years old is an acceptable marriage age in this world.
"Thomasson, do you know how to care for horses?"
"Yes, milord."
"Good. You'll take care of my horses. I'll pay you twenty-one copper stars a month."
"...As you wish, milord…"
Gregor nodded and turned to his scribe, Raff the Sweetling, executioner Dunsen, and his fanboy Polliver, giving one last glance at the Maester Harry, and thought, "I'll catch Tyger Serrett, the Lord of Silverhill, and extort a few hundred gold dragons from him. But taking action over a poor girl from a peasant family isn't quite right, and it wouldn't earn old Tywin's support. But does the deadliest scoundrel in the Seven Kingdoms need to make sense of anything? Just act."
When nobles argue over commoners, if it's a case of murder, for example, if a noble kills a commoner in another noble's territory, compensation is usually about a few dozen gold dragons. This money isn't for the victim's family, but goes to the lord, who might then take a few more gold dragons from his coffers to comfort his people.
Though this violates the kingdom's laws, commoners can still go to a major lord to complain and demand justice. Privately, nobles usually settle such disputes with money, an unspoken rule.
If a dispute arises between two nobles, as long as there's no murder, they often resolve it with money behind the scenes. If one noble captures another's kin, and it's not a blood feud, they will usually demand ransom rather than death. This is a common practice in all of the Seven Kingdoms, not just the Westerlands.
Gregor is too poor, and he knows he needs to make money. To do so, capturing Tyger Serrett is the best way to earn from the Serrett family. Roughly speaking, three hundred gold dragons shouldn't be a problem.
Three hundred gold dragons. A fortune.
By logic, Gregor, as a noble, shouldn't be going to war with the Lord of Silverhill over a poor peasant girl like Julie.
Although Gregor is invincible, Serrett's mine guards number in the thousands, and his family soldiers are even more numerous. If war breaks out, Serrett can quickly raise an army of three thousand or more.
The rich never lack manpower for war. Most of Serrett's guards are mercenaries.
Moreover, Tyger Serrett has seven sons, all young knights with fierce temperaments.
If Gregor doesn't rely on Tywin Lannister's guard, plus his "Four Big Titans," he can only muster ten soldiers from his own estate at best.
Charging into battle with brute force was Gregor's old way of doing things, brave but unthinking.
"Tonight, we move. We'll attack Silverhill and capture Tyger Serrett," Gregor said calmly. "Thomasson, you take care of my horses. Raff the Sweetling, gather the men and sharpen the swords, daggers, and steel spikes, everything must be sharp. We leave tonight."
This was more in line with Gregor's character.
He doesn't care about the noble rules. Kidnapping a little girl might be a serious crime, but the nobles don't take such things too seriously.
This is a world of noble privilege, a society based on noble rights.
But Gregor knows he's the deadliest villain in the Seven Kingdoms. Ruthless and violent, with a giant sword in his hand, he doesn't need to reason with anyone. Besides, this time, he has a legitimate reason for his actions, supported by the laws of the land. Though noble customs may override legal statutes.
Raff the Sweetling and the other "Four Big Titans" grinned with excitement. Attacking Silverhill, extorting ransom, just what they loved.
Maester Harry's eyes narrowed slightly.
Tyger Serrett's title is above Gregor's. Gregor is only a knight, while Tyger is a lord. Moreover, Tyger helps Tywin Lannister defend the southern Gold Road and is an important ally of Tywin.
A poor girl from a peasant family, or a powerful southern noble like Tyger Serrett? Which is more important?
Thomasson, the old man, was startled. If Gregor kills Tyger Serrett, or if Gregor himself gets hurt, his entire family is doomed.
Tywin Lannister would certainly hold him responsible and have his entire family killed.
"...Please, milord... my daughter... she might come back in a few days... It's my fault... milord..." Thomasson stammered.
"Thomasson, feed the horses now, or I'll chop off your head first," Gregor barked, furious.
Thomasson trembled in fear.
Gregor glared at him.
The old man lowered his head, his face pale, not daring to speak further, and shakily went to tend to the horses.
"Milord, to save Julie, you could send someone with a letter to Lord Tyger. Once he receives your letter, he won't dare refuse," Maester Harry said hesitantly.
This was also what Thomasson had hoped for in his heart.
With one letter from Gregor, he could get the girl back.
"Harry, tonight we will attack Silverhill. You'll come too. We don't have enough hands, and I'll give you a sword!"
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