Chapter Fifteen: The Joining

Naturally, Gregor and Dacey were both ecstatic about their upcoming nuptials. Be that as it might, they did not wish to overly sensationalize the matter. They would have preferred things to be simple. In fact, had it been their decision, they would have just held a small, private ceremony with only their families, their dearest friends, and their most trusted allies in attendance.

Alas, for a variety of reasons, a modest ceremony was quite impossible. It could only be done if they somehow withheld the knowledge of their engagement from everyone else in Moat Cailin. If only the two of them knew of it, that may have been possible. However, Lady Maege Mormont had no intention of keeping quiet about the affair, much to her daughter and soon-to-be goodson's dismay.

Fortunately, before long, Dacey and Gregor decided they could put up with a lavish wedding, and that such an event might actually be beneficial to all persons involved. They figured they may as well give their fellow Legionnaires a chance to share in their joy, as well as an opportunity to celebrate. Gods knew there were few enough of those already.

An hour after Lady Maege gave her blessing, Gregor had the staff of Moat Cailin and the top officers of the Legion without Banners assemble in the main courtyard of the moat. There he and Dacey stood on a platform overlooking the area, and they officially announced their engagement.

Unsurprisingly, this news was met with energetic cheering and applause. Once Gregor and Dacey came down from the platform, they took the time to shake the hands of everyone who wished to personally congratulate them. Once again, Oberyn Martell wanted to offer more than a simple handshake. He argued that if the two of them were going to be bound together and no other for life, they may as well have a little "enjoyment" beforehand. As politely yet directly as possible, Gregor and Dacey turned down the Dornishman's offer. "Tempting" though it was, they claimed.

Many times throughout that day, Gregor and Dacey were approached by soldiers of the Legion and people in the towns adjoining the moat who also wished to congratulate them. That involved plenty more handshakes. As well as some raising of flagons and claps on the back. Gregor was used to receiving this much attention, but Dacey was quite unaccustomed to it. To her, it was all a little overwhelming. Luckily, he was able to help her endure it.

In the early evening, Gregor had Maester Kennick compose three letters; one to Winterfell, one to King's Landing, and one to Clegane's Keep. He intended to notify Eddard Stark, Robert Baratheon, and Tarrence Clegane respectively of his wedding.

Eddard was now Gregor's liege lord, and Dacey's family had been a loyal vassal of the Starks for eons. Logically, the wolf lord should be aware of what marriage contracts his bannermen were involved in.

Robert needed to be informed for a similar reason. Not only was he the King, but Gregor also held a very prominent spot on the Small Council. By marrying into the North, Gregor would be strengthening the domain of the crown.

Most of all, Gregor's own family had to be told of the engagement. Dacey's family would know soon enough, as would every other Northern house. But unless Robert decided to tell the whole of the realm (which was unlikely), it was uncertain that any houses south of the Neck would be apprised of the wedding without Gregor's notice. Nevertheless, Gregor was determined to have some of his relations present at the ceremony. So he dispatched his fastest, most resilient raven to his father's keep.

Within the next week, Gregor received a reply from all three parties. Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon merely acknowledged the union of House Clegane of Moat Cailin with House Mormont of Bear Island. They also bade him congratulations, along with many years of happiness and good health.

The letter from Clegane's Keep was sent by Gregor's mother, Lady Daliah Clegane. She expressed her upmost delight on her son's engagement. Apparently, she could not properly convey on paper just how enthusiastic and proud she truly was.

That aside, Dalish told her son that his father was too preoccupied with other matters to appear at the wedding, but since she was available, she would make every effort to be there. She claimed that by the time he received her letter, she would already be riding north for Moat Cailin. She also mentioned that she would be bringing Sandor and Ellyn along.

Gregor was enraptured by that development. He had not seen any member of his family in almost three years. He had written to them at least thrice a month, and they had always written back, but other than that, they had kept very little correspondence. He found that he missed them all dreadfully.

It soon occurred to Gregor that since his mother and siblings were travelling by land, they would have to cross the Green Fork at some point. He could not imagine why they might choose to ford the river as he and his company had done when he first relocated to Moat Cailin. With that in mind, the only way they would get across in time for the wedding was if they used a certain bridge. This particular bridge happened to be infested with weasels.

Gregor hoped Walder Frey would not hinder his mother and siblings. If the Late Lord knew what was good for him, he would let them pass without incident.

The Cleganes of Clegane's Keep were still relatively minor in terms of status. Thus, it was unlikely that Walder Frey would attempt to extort a marriage contract out of Lady Daliah. Despite the fact that her eldest son was one of the most influential people in Westeros, the Cleganes of Moat Cailin had no exclusive connections with the Westerlands outside of blood.

As much as Gregor hated Walder Frey and his overpopulated house, he did not wish to give the old weasel grounds to unduly harbor a grudge or resentment towards him. Lord Walder had always given the Legionnaires free passage whenever their services were required anywhere west of the Trident. But that was mostly just because the Legion were acting in the king's interests, as well as the interests of the realm. Anyone outside of the Legion was usually still forced to pay a toll for access to the bridge.

Apart from that, Gregor Clegane had not been spared Walder's ongoing ambitions to expand the reach of his house. In the three years he had been Lord of Moat Cailin and Master of Order, Gregor had received offers for a number of potential marriage contracts from all over Westeros. Walder Frey had sent more than anyone else. Gregor had assured everyone else that he would give their offers some consideration. He had made that claim to Walder, too, but in actuality, he had burned all the messages from Lord Frey in his fireplace. Of course, Walder never knew that, but Gregor could imagine he was very displeased that the Mountain had chosen a Northern beauty over his homely daughters.

As luck would have it, when Lady Daliah arrived at the Twins, Walder Frey had decided (for maybe the first time in his overlong life) to be chivalrous, and he allowed her and her company to cross without tolling them. Gregor would find that out later, and afterwards, he made sure to write a short message to Lord Walder, thanking him for being so "courteous" to his family. He did that mostly out of obligation instead of genuine gratitude.

A fortnight after the marriage pact was broadcasted, a small band of riders was spotted coming up the Kingsroad. Their banners bore the image of three hounds on a yellow field. The sigil of the Cleganes of Clegane's Keep. Gregor was promptly summoned to the southern gate, along with his intended and her mother. They observed the approaching company from afar.

Lady Daliah Clegane herself led them. She had never been very fond of horseback riding, but to properly portray the strength of her house, she opted to ride a horse all the way up the Causeway rather than sit in a carriage or a wagon. As it happened, she rode her courser with considerable grace.

Sandor and Ellyn rode on either side of her. Ellyn was mounted on an average-sized palfrey. She enjoyed horseback riding substantially more than her mother, but she still lacked the confidence to ride anything bigger or wilder than a palfrey.

Sandor, on the other hand, had already become an expert rider. He was astride a large, fierce-looking black destrier. That stallion must have been a young Stranger If not, he had to be either his father or brother. Gregor made a note to inform the stableboys to be mindful of that beast.

As the Clegane procession was granted entrance into the moat, Gregor, Dacey, and Maege made their way down to the courtyard. They met up with his family at the stables. Gregor was able to warn the stableboys in time. His timing was perfect; the stableboys were tasked with handling the unruly animal just a few seconds later.

Dacey and her mother were almost as eager to see Gregor's family as he was. They was hardly surprising, given that they would all soon be related by law. At any rate, Gregor was all too pleased to oblige them.

Gregor gave his family a warm greeting. He kissed his mother on the cheek, patted his brother on the back, and hugged his sister affectionately. A few words were exchanged, mostly along the lines of "I missed you so much."

After this reunion, he introduced the Mormonts and the other Cleganes to one another. The six of them spent the entire day together.

Gregor's fiancée took a quick liking to his younger brother and sister, and they to her. Interestingly, Sandor and Dacey were approximately the same age. They were roughly the same height, as well. Gregor wondered which of them would make the better warrior.

They must have wondered the same. Around midday, the two of them went a few rounds in the training yard with each other. Gregor knew what to expect from Dacey, but he had not seen Sandor fight in three years.

Evidently, the younger Clegane boy had not neglected his brother's teachings. He had practiced them and improved upon them greatly. It appeared Ser Wallis Peckledon had taught him a few more advanced techniques, as well.

It turned out Sandor and Dacey were equally proficient combatants, just as Gregor and Lady Maege were. That was an intriguing outcome. If either of them sparred with his future mother-by-law, Gregor would technically know if their skills were superior, inferior, or equal to his.

Sandor was not the only one who had changed. Ellyn had grown more than either of her brothers had in the last three years. She had to be the tallest girl of ten Gregor had ever seen. Six more inches, and she would have towered over Lady Daliah. Her feminine features were starting to come in, as well. She still bore a child's face, but she would not have a child's body for much longer.

While he was happy for his sister's forthcoming transition into womanhood, Gregor was a little stunned that it was happening so early in her life. It could have just been a product of her Clegane genetics, but still…

Why is everyone so damn precocious in this universe?

He could not be blamed for thinking that. Ever since the first book, he had noticed that the children in the franchise grew up very quickly. Dany married at thirteen, pregnant at fourteen. Jon joining the Night's Watch at fourteen. Robb being crowned King of the North at fifteen. Sansa having her moon's blood at twelve. Arya killing a boy at nine. Bran able to climb a tower at seven.

Then again, in order to survive in a world like this, children would have to mature faster than they would in Gregor's first life. So maybe there was more realism in their early rise into adulthood than there initially appeared to be. As it happened, Dacey was not yet seventeen. But in every aspect other than age, she was a woman already.

In the fortnight before Gregor's family reached Moat Cailin, Lady Maege Mormont had been primarily responsible for making all the preparations for the wedding. In the fortnight after, Lady Daliah assisted her greatly. The two women shouldered the burden in equal amounts.

Food and drink were not major concerns. Moat Cailin was stocked well enough to feed an army on a regular basis (and did). Of course, they would need more than the Legion's standard rations to satisfy the wedding guests. Luckily, the moat was stored with enough provisions to last the current occupants an entire decade. Furthermore, many of the guests would be bringing dishes of their own to the feast.

Providing accommodations for all the guests was a little more challenging. By this point, eleven of the moat's towers had been rebuilt, bringing the total up to fourteen. Even so, most of the new rooms were currently occupied by the Legionnaires. Either some of would have to share lodgings, or the guests would have to take up residence in the towns or camp outside the walls. It was considered rude to force a guest to sleep outside, so Maege and Daliah were leaned towards the former option.

The decorations and entertainment were relatively modest. The banners of House Mormont and House Clegane (both of them) would be hung from many of the walls. A few elaborate tapestries would be put up, too. Additionally, a score of singers had offered to provide musical accompaniment for the feast. After interviewing them, Daliah and Maege selected the five most talented among the twenty and hired them for the occasion.

The hardest detail was the ceremony itself. Specifically, which faith it would be done in.

Like all Northern families (except House Manderly of White Harbor), the Mormonts were devout followers of the Old Gods. Gregor Clegane, however, had been raised to believe in the New Gods. Despite the Mountain's relocation to the North, he still practiced his faith of the Seven. Publically, at least. Privately… he had never really followed them.

Although Gregor was a recognized practitioner of that faith, he had never really admitted any belief in it to himself. To him, the hardest thing to grasp about this world was all the different religions. Of course, he was aware that religion would always been a sensitive subject in every world.

In his previous life, Gregory Welch had been a Catholic, but he had still accepted and respected all other religions and those who practiced them, as well as atheists. All throughout elementary, middle, and high school, he had been a firm believer in his family's religion. After he left home to start college, his beliefs had begun to diminish. Being in a new environment certainly had that effect on people.

During the final years of his life, Gregory had considered himself more of an agnostic. He still liked to entertain the idea of a higher power, but he had put more conviction in science and discovery. Even so, in the back of his mind, he never lost his faith.

Gregor was unsure if he still believed in God in this life. In any case, some divine being must have been responsible for bringing him to this universe. Because if not that, who or what else could have been responsible?

Strictly speaking, if there was a god of this world, it would most likely be George R.R. Martin himself. With that in mind, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss may have been lesser gods.

Regardless of who the real god or gods may have been, Gregor was just glad they had allowed him to form a union with someone as marvelous as Dacey Mormont.

After discussing the issue with their mothers, Gregor and Dacey decided to have a ceremony that mixed both of their faiths. It would be conducted by a septon, but it would take place before a heart tree. That way, the marriage would be legitimate in the eyes of both the Old Gods and the New.

During the first year of his occupation of Moat Cailin, Gregor had planned to give the moat a godswood. Growing one naturally would have been impossible. So Gregor had a group of Northern Legionnaires go to the Isle of Faces and uproot a cluster of weirwood trees. The trees were then replanted in the eastern section of the moat. One of them was a fully grown heart tree.

In order to conduct the ceremony properly, Gregor would need a cloak bearing the sigil and colors of his House. Obviously, he could not use the cloak Ser Tarrence had draped over Lady Daliah's shoulders at their own wedding. That cloak belonged to the Cleganes of Clegane's Keep.

Daliah Clegane took the time to make a new cloak for her firstborn son. He could have commissioned a team of seamstresses for the job, but his mother insisted on doing it herself.

Lady Daliah started with a large piece of purple cloth (Purple was the color that represented prosperity. For that reason, Gregor had adapted it as the official color of his own house). After fashioning the material into a cloak, Daliah had sewn the image of a large mountain on the back of it. She reproduced the image exactly as it appeared on Gregor's banners, right down to the nine small figures at the base of the mountain.

The final product was absolutely stunning. He spent ten whole minutes praising his mother's handiwork. The sight of the cloak made Gregor long for the moment when he would wrap it around Dacey's shoulders.

At last, the much-awaited day arrived.

Five hundred guests had come for the wedding. The godswood of Moat Cailin was large enough to hold eighty of them. So the only ones who witnessed the actual ceremony were family members, close friends, and highest-ranking Legionnaires. Which was what Gregor and Dacey would have desired in the first place.

In the early evening, those eighty individuals were packed into the moat's godswood. There was no room for chairs, so everyone had to remain standing. No one seemed bothered to do so, thankfully.

The guests stood in two groups composed of eight rows of five. All of them were facing the heart tree.

Gregor stood immediately before the heart tree. He looked very much the lord he was.

He was freshly-bathed and clean-shaven. His usual odor of sweat had been replaced by the scent of soap.

He was clad in a doublet of boiled leather, which he wore over a plain white tunic. They were complemented by a pair starched woolen breeches and his most formal pair of boots. All of his apparel was tinted slightly purple. Over his shoulders, he loosely wore the cloak his mother had made. The cloak of House Clegane of Moat Cailin.

Two other men were standing nearby Gregor. One of them was the septon of Moat Cailin, Septon Norvin. He was the minister of the ceremony. He stood in front and a little to the right of Gregor.

The other man stood opposite the Mountain. This man was almost as tall as Gregor and eleven years older than him. He was clad mainly in green, and he wore the sigil of his house on his own doublet. The sigil was a bear standing on its hind legs with its claws and fangs bared. He was Lord Jorah Mormont of Bear Island.

As the head of House Mormont, Jorah would be the one to give Dacey away.

He was not the only new Bear Islander in attendance. Lady Maege had brought her other daughters – Alysane, Lyra, and Jorelle – to the ceremony. They were all in the very first row on the left side. Likewise, Lady Daliah, Sandor, and Ellyn were in the first row on the right side.

Jorah's first wife, Lady Blinda of House Glover, was still living, but she had been too ill to travel. As such, she had remained behind at Bear Island. Gregor was very understanding. After all, he knew that Blinda Mormont's days were numbered.

Gregor stood in place, tapping his fingertips together anxiously. Anyone could plainly see that he was very eager for the ceremony to begin.

In his previous life, some of Gregor's married friends had gotten cold feet on the day of their weddings. He knew that men in this world could suffer the same apprehension. Some of them seemed pleased with the unity of marriage at first, but when they actually got to the altar, the magnitude of their commitment fully sank in.

Gregor had avoided experiencing any such qualms so far. Even so, he did feel the same worries every conscientious bridegroom felt. Would he make Dacey happy? Would he be happy? Would they raise a strong, healthy family together? Would their marriage survive the trials to come?

When he thought on that closely, Gregor could not help but scoff. Ever since he first came into this world, his foremost concern had been to preserve the realm and save as many people as possible. Now he was fretting on his ability to be a good husband. He really was a full-fledged resident of Westeros now.

Although there were eighty other people present, the groom felt strangely alone.

That feeling was expunged ten minutes later, when the bride finally arrived.

Dacey entered the godswood alongside her mother. When Gregor first set his eyes on her, he could actually feel them widen. She was a vision of beauty.

The Bear Island girl rarely wore dresses. She made an exception for the wedding. And what an exception it was.

Dacey's gown had been designed by three of the best seamstresses in Westeros. It was made of exquisite Myrish lace and Lyseni silk. The hemline went all the way down to her ankles. A small pattern of brown bears was embroidered along the bodice. The dress's hue was a blend of many shades of green. Dacey wore the green cloak of House Mormont around her own shoulders.

Her long black hair was done up in the traditional Northern style. It was braided in some places; smooth in others. There was not a blemish to be seen anywhere on her normally pale face.

As she walked down the aisle, all eyes were on Dacey, particularly Gregor's.

She looks just as amazing in a dress as she does in armor.

Lady Maege Mormont accompanied her eldest daughter all the way to the heart tree. Then she lightly kissed Dacey on the forehead and went to join her other daughters in the congregation.

Gregor flashed a small smile at Dacey as she approached him. She smiled back as she moved to stand beside Jorah.

Once all heads were turned towards Norvin, the septon cleared his throat and pronounced "Who comes before the gods?"

Dacey took a step forward, folded her hands beneath her cloak, and responded with "I, Dacey of House Mormont, Lady of Bear Island."

Septon Norvin then glanced over at the tallest person there and stated "Who comes to claim her?"

Gregor gazed down at the older man and declared "I, Gregor of House Clegane, Lord of Moat Cailin and Master of Order."

The septon then looked back to the bride and questioned "Who gives her?"

Jorah firmly announced "I, Jorah of House Mormont, Lord of Bear Island."

Septon Norvin nodded and told Gregor "You may now cloak the Lady Dacey and take her under your protection."

Dacey looked over at Jorah. The bear lord grinned at his cousin and swiftly removed the House Mormont cloak from around her shoulders. That marked the moment she was officially released from the protection of her house.

With her back turned to Gregor, the Mountain approached his intended, slid the cloak of House Clegane off his shoulders, and carefully draped it over Dacey's. After that, he took her hand in his, and the two of them stepped up to Septon Norvin.

Norvin got out a long ribbon dyed green and purple. He wrapped it around the couple's interconnected hands. After that, he held their hands in his own, and he proclaimed "In the sight of the Old Gods and the New, I hereby seal these two souls, binding them as one. Now and for eternity."

After untying the ribbon, Septon Norvin backed away and instructed them "Look upon one another and say the words."

Gregor and Dacey turned to face each other, and they took each other's hands softly. With the lightest trace of a smile on her lips, she solemnly swore "I am his and he is mine, from this day until the end of my days."

He grinned gently down at her, and he declared with every bit of confidence he could muster: "I am hers and she is mine, from this day until the end of my days."

At that, the Septon raised his arms and announced "Let it be known that Dacey of House Mormont and Gregor of House Clegane are one flesh, one heart, one soul, now and forever. Cursed be he who would seek to tear them asunder."

Norvin lowered his arms and wordlessly gestured for the couple to complete their vows. Neither of them needed any more encouragement.

"With this kiss, I pledge my love," Gregor avowed. He slowly leaned forward, closed his eyes, and pressed his lips against Dacey's. In that kiss he put every bit of love he had. She shut her own eyes and kissed him back with just as much love.

All around them, the congregation erupted into enthusiastic applause. The cheering in the godswood was so loud, it was almost deafening.

When Gregor and Dacey finally came apart, they turned to face the attendees and smiled down on them. Gregor held Dacey's left hand in his right, and together, they proceeded back up the aisle towards the entrance of the godswood. All the while, they kept their interconnected hands high in the air.

Straight after the ceremony came the wedding feast.

None of the moat's towers had any rooms large enough to hold all five hundred guests. The courtyard was insufficient in size, as well. So the feast was held just outside the northern gate of the fortress. There was no shortage of space there. Guards were posted on all sides of the camp, so there would be no threat of unwanted company or interruptions.

A dais had been erected in the center of the feasting grounds. Gregor and Dacey stood in the seats of honor. His family sat to the immediate right of them; hers to the immediate left. The other seats were occupied by their close friends and the top officers of the Legion without Banners, such as Gerion Lannister and Oberyn Martell.

Four courses were served at the feast. All of them were composed primarily of dishes that were Northern or Western in origin. However, each course included some smaller dishes from the other seven regions of Westeros. So there was food that everyone would find appealing.

Even so, a lot of the attendees were inclined to sample some cuisine from outside their homelands. There was a great deal of sharing of tastes that night. Lord Gregor was pleased by that; it was a sign that the unification of Westeros was underway. He was just changing the people's eating habits now, but it was still a step in the right direction.

Many toasts were raised, more of them to Gregor and Dacey than anyone or anything else.

Plenty of songs were sung, as well. Among them was The Bear and the Maiden Fair. When played at a wedding, the title characters were generally supposed to be the groom and the bride respectively. Ironically, the bride was both characters in this scenario.

That song and several other classics were played at the feast. There were a few original pieces, too. Hamish the Harper performed a work he entitled The Flood That Never Was.

From what Gregor could gather, this song was about the Sack of King's Landing, and how he had singlehandedly prevented it from becoming a slaughter. One could almost classify it as a follow-up to the Rains of Castamere. But whereas that song was based around dismay and fear, The Flood That Never Was had a much more uplifting theme. It was essentially a type of praise meant to cherish Gregor's deeds at the end of Robert's Rebellion.

Later on, Bethany Fair-Fingers and Aemon Costayne performed a duet they had composed together. It was called The Bear That Roamed The Mountain. It was a song about how Gregor had formed the most effective fighting force in recent Westerosi history, but he himself had been incomplete until Dacey enlisted in the Legion. At the same time, it implied that Dacey had gained a similar type of fulfillment from working alongside Gregor. In his mind (as well as hers), that was a fairly accurate assessment.

Some of the lyrics about certain events were exaggerated, but Gregor, Dacey, and all those present found them touching and enjoyable all the same. Bethany and Aemon had their personal thanks for writing that number, and they would ultimately leave Moat Cailin with a great deal more coin than when they arrived.

After the fourth and final course was served, Greatjon Umber rose from his chair, lifted his goblet into the air, and shouted boisterously "Shall we bed them?"

The grounds fell totally silent at that. Everyone collectively turned to the dais. Gregor and Dacey had been the center of attention all night, and up until now, it had been pleasant. Now they both felt some desire to vanish into thin air.

Bedding ceremonies were not a custom in the North. However, Gregor was from the south, and the wedding ceremony had been done in a way that it would honor the New Gods as much as the Old Gods. So the option of a bedding ceremony was not out of the question.

Gregor had not officially announced whether or not there would be a bedding ceremony before the feast. Now, he would have to make up his mind.

The Mountain turned to his new wife and whispered "If you want, we can forgo the bedding ceremony. I would hate to make you so uncomfortable."

Dacey sat thinking for a few seconds. Then she shrugged and muttered "Everyone's in a good mood. I find there're a lot more agreeable that way. So we may as well give them something to liven up their spirits."

"Are you sure?" Gregor enquired.

"Yes," Dacey responded. Then she grinned wickedly, reached behind her chair, and pulled out one of her daggers. She balanced it in her hand and proposed "But, just to be safe, we can 'manage' their actions."

Gregor smirked at that idea. He drew one of his own daggers, stood up, and proclaimed "I give my consent for the bedding ceremony to commence."

There came a round of applause and cheers from the assemblage. Several of the guests started rising from their seats.

"But…" Gregor hastily put in. That got everyone to halt in place. The Mountain then held up his dagger and pronounced "If there is any groping, caressing, or grabbing of private areas, I can assure you that whoever does it will not do it again."

At that, a few of the guests sat back down. But only a few. The vast majority of the people who planned to be involved in the bedding ceremony continued making their way over to the dais.

At that moment, Lady Maege Mormont escorted her other daughters away from the scene, as did Lady Daliah Clegane with her daughter Ellyn. Sandor was permitted to linger, but he was only there to ensure that the male participants did not mishandle his new sister-by-law.

Gregor and Dacey were taller than just about everyone there. But by working together, a dozen of the guests were able to lift each of them off their feet. Once that happened, the newlyweds were carried back into the moat.

On the way to the Lord's Tower (one of the eleven that had been rebuilt), they were stripped out of their garments.

This experience was certainly a unique one. Being mobbed and undressed by friends and strangers in anticipation of him making love to his new wife… that never happened in his first life. Then again, he had never been married as Gregory Welch, either.

Gregor and Dacey kept their knives brandished to remind the participants what would happen if they got too frisky. That helped to lessen the awkwardness. It also made the experience less unpleasant. The ceremony was still far from enjoyable, and it still felt degrading, but at least it was not as licentious as Gregor had envisioned it would be.

Soon enough, the crowd arrived outside Gregor's bedchamber in the Lord's Tower. The door was pushed open and Dacey was deposited inside first. Gregor went in shortly after. Both of them were clad in only their smallclothes.

Dacey held her free arm over her exposed breasts. Her other hand was still clasped firmly around her dagger.

Gregor held on to his own dagger, as well. He turned back to the door, placed his hand on it, and told the people on the other side "Thank you. Your services are no longer needed. In other words, 'get the fuck out, if you please.'"

Then he slammed the door shut and locked it. He was certain at least some of them would stay behind to eavesdrop on what happened next, but that mattered not to Gregor.

The Mountain then turned to the Bear Islander. She was no longer trying to cover up her breasts. She shamelessly displayed them for her new husband. All the while, she retained a mischievous smirk.

For the first time, Gregor got to admire her whole body. He took full advantage of that opportunity. The longer he gazed at Dacey, the more he could feel his manhood rising beneath his smallclothes.

The sight of Dacey naked – complemented by the knowledge that she was now joined with him – was enough to purge any desire Gregor had to remain abstinent.

"Shall we, my lady?" Gregor suggested cheekily, gesturing to the bed.

"We shall, my lord," Dacey replied teasingly.

They tossed their daggers onto the adjoining nightstand. Then they approached the bed. Before they laid down, Gregor took Dacey in his arms and kissed her passionately. She wrapped her own arms around him and kissed him back.

They both remaining standing at the foot of the bed for nearly five minutes. For the first two, all they did was kiss. In the third minute, they allowed their hands to begin exploring each other. Gregor caressed Dacey's cheek and neck at once, touching her as gently as he would a fragile object. At the same time, she squeezed his arms, allowing her hands to brush the length of his large biceps.

Before very long, Gregor allowed his hands to wander below the waist. He slipped one beneath Dacey's smallclothes, and he pressed it against her womanhood. She gasped softly, but her surprise turned to arousal right away.

Gregor continued rubbing her clitoris for twenty seconds; he rubbed very slowly, letting the pleasure gradually increase. Then, he extended one of his fingers and inserted it into her moist opening. Dacey moaned in even greater enjoyment.

Gregor slid his index finger back and forth inside of Dacey. He elicited a series of erratic moans from her.

Soon, he inserted another finger. Her moans became louder and more frequent.

A third finger quickly followed the first two. By then, Dacey was moaning so hard and so much that she almost could not catch her breath.

Gregor kept the pleasure going for seven whole minutes. He could have gone much longer than that, but he figured Dacey was getting tired of mere teasing. So he stuck his fingers into her as far as they could go. Seconds later, Dacey let out a yell of relief as she hit her climax. Gregor felt the three middle fingers of his already moist right hand get soaked by her juices.

Dacey's knees were buckling, as though she was going to collapse. Gregor held her close to ensure that she would not. As she struggled to catch her breath, he withdrew his hand from his wife's smallclothes and found it covered in her secretion. Out of deviousness and curiosity, he licked his fingers.

She tasted like honey. Rather appropriate for a Bear Islander.

Within a minute, Dacey regained her composure. It was then that she decided to return the favor. She lowered her hand below Gregor's smallclothes and grasped his manhood.

Now it was Gregor's turn to moan in arousal.

When Gregor entered the bedchamber, his cock had been about six inches long. But it had been growing ever since he saw his wife naked for the first time. Currently, it was ten inches in length, and it was steadily getting bigger.

Dacey continued stroking his member for two minutes. It was pressed firmly against his smallclothes, as though it was struggling to get free.

Very soon, Gregor decided that they had had enough foreplay.

He reached down, took ahold of Dacey's wrist, and told her sternly "No more playing."

She grinned and fondled his cock a little more. Then she removed her hand and said cheekily "Alright, time to get serious."

Gregor and Dacey hastily got out of their smallclothes and tossed them aside. Then they laid onto the bed together. First they were just cuddling and kissing. Then their activities became much less innocent.

Dacey crawled on top of her husband and embraced him tightly again. She gazed lovingly into his eyes and placed an elongated kiss on his lips.

After that, Dacey giggled a bit and observed "Now the Bear conquers the Mountain."

Gregor chuckled at the jape, and he made one of his own: "This bear is welcome to go anywhere she pleases on this mountain."

Dacey smirked at that. She peered down at her husband's lower body, and she noticed his erect cock. She looked back at his eyes, grinned wickedly, and proclaimed slyly "In that case, I think I'll settle on this summit."

Oh, please do. I left my sword there. It needs a sheath.

Dacey positioned her body so that her cunt was directly over Gregor's cock. She slowly lowered herself onto it. As he entered her, he could feel the tip of his manhood making contact with her intact maidenhead. In one swift movement, he broke through it. She groaned in pain, but only for a moment Once he was all the way in, he began to thrust.

Dacey was no longer groaning or moaning. Now she was flat-out screeching in primal excitement. The pleasure she had experienced from Gregor's fingers was trivial in comparison to this new sensation. She started bucking her hips in response to her husband's thrusting. Soon enough, their hip movements were synchronized to each other's perfectly.

They continued this pace for over twenty minutes. Every minute felt more blissful and delightful than the one before it. In that interval, Dacey experienced no fewer than three more orgasms. Gregor still had yet to hit his peak, but it was coming up on him rapidly.

Finally, Gregor gripped Dacey by her backside and shoved the full weight of his lower body up against hers. That was when she had her last orgasm. This time, he came with her. When he did, he let out a roar of triumph; a roar that sounded eerily like a battle cry. Indeed, this was like a victory, only a different type of battleground had been used.

Gregor remained inside his wife for a minute longer. He could actually feel his seed being spilt inside of her. She must have too; when her husband pulled out, she snickered playfully and scratched her abdomen.

Despite all the energy they had expended, Gregor and Dacey were only a little fatigued. They were large people; they both had an immense libido to match their stature. So they were not even close to calling it a night.

It was well after midnight when they finally exhausted themselves. They managed to go five more rounds. Somehow, each one had ended more spectacularly than the one before it. That really said something about Gregor and Dacey's prowess. They were just as strong and resilient in the bedroom as they were on the battlefield.

Needless to say, the marriage had been consummated.

When they were spent, Gregor pulled some blankets over them. He held Dacey close to him. She nuzzled him affectionately and kept one arm around his body.

Gregor pecked her on the top of her head and commented "Now the Bear settles down on the Mountain."

Dacey smiled up at him again, and she remarked "Yes, and I'm sure the Bear can rely on the Mountain to keep her warm."

He smiled back and kissed her again.

Yes, she can. He always will.

Soon after that, Lord Gregor Clegane and Lady Dacey Clegane drifted off into a peaceful slumber.