In the year 287 of the Aegonian calendar, Renly Baratheon was born in Storm's End and turned twenty years old.
Inside the palace, Renly was widely recognized as the most elegant gentleman who knew how to dress himself best. Even some noble ladies would ask Renly for advice on dressing tips and color matching for makeup.
Renly entered the hall first, his captivating smile drawing the attention of the nobles and ladies. Tall and handsome, he exuded charm, his long, black hair flowing to his shoulders, so neatly styled it shone. His chin was clean-shaven, his face gleaming. He was a young man who never grew a beard.
A suit of glazed green armor adorned Lord Renly Baratheon, with a pair of solid gold antlers on his helmet. His appearance instantly made him the center of attention in the hall, stealing the spotlight from King Robert and Queen Cersei.
However, once Lanli opened his mouth, it wasn't so pleasant.
"Nephew Joffrey, I heard you were beaten by a little girl and a butcher's son, and that a little girl even took your lion's teeth? Is that true?" Renly laughed heartily.
Joffrey's face immediately turned bright red.
Cersei's face turned pale, and she said coldly, "Lord Renly, are you mocking your nephew like this? That little wolf girl and this damned scoundrel ambushed Joffrey, along with a direwolf the size of a hound."
"Oh, that's terrible," Renly laughed. "Is this the little guy the hound caught that attacked the prince? Wow, he's so dirty, get him out of here."
"Get him out of here, I'm going to cut off his head!" Joffrey said decisively.
"Oh, oh, oh, our prince doesn't need to do the beheading," Renly laughed. "Sir Ilyn Payne, the Royal Inspector, is here too. He's a man who knows nothing but beheading."
King Robert roared, "Ranley, if you spout any more nonsense, I'll throw you out!"
"Oh, I'm sorry, Your Majesty…" Renly was not afraid of his beloved brother and wanted to say something more, but King Robert said in a deep voice, "Ser Barristan Selmy."
As soon as Captain Barristan of the Kingsguard entered, he quickly stepped forward and knelt on one knee. Ser Manden Moore and Ser Marin Tran, who were with him, immediately knelt on one knee to pay their respects to the King.
The Kingsguard's sole sworn allegiance is to the King and the Royal Family. The highest honor among knights is to be a Kingsguard, and in addition to the high requirements for martial arts, they are also forbidden from marrying. Because they have access to the private secrets of the Royal Family, the requirement of loyalty surpasses even the selection criteria for martial prowess.
When the Royal Enforcer, Ilyn Payne, entered, he did not kneel before the King. He merely gave a half bow and then stood behind the King, looking down arrogantly at everyone present.
The king roared, "Ser Barristan, Ser Mandon, Ser Marin, throw Lord Renly out!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Three Kingsguard guards, as fierce as wolves, immediately grabbed Duke Renly and forcibly took him away.
The Mountain paid no attention to Renly Baratheon; he was focused on Ilyn Payne.
Ilyn Payne is the king's sword, the executioner, responsible for beheading nobles who disobey the king and the laws of the kingdom.
But this killer is a Westerlander, a vassal of Lord Tywin Lannister. House Payne is one of the many minor noble families sandwiched between the Clegane Territory and House Swiffer.
He looked extremely haggard, with a cold expression, his face covered in black pockmarks, and not a single beard on his face or chin. Unlike Duke Renly, who shaved his beard, Ilyn Payne never grew one.
His eyes were almost entirely white, with no other color in the irises—a chilling pair of dead fish eyes. His cheeks were sunken, and he was bald, somewhat like Polliver, one of the Mountain's henchmen, but not exactly the same. He wasn't completely bald; behind his ears, from the top of his head to above his neck, he had a half-circle of hair, as long as a woman's, draped over his iron-gray chainmail.
His chainmail was dirty and tattered, but he didn't care. A dirty leather hilt of a sword protruded from his left shoulder, because his two-handed greatsword was too long to be worn at his waist, so he carried it on his back.
Ser Ilyne served as Tywin Lannister's Hand of the King, King Aerys II. He was Tywin's Captain of the Guard. He was stripped of his tongue by the Mad King Aerys after someone informed on him that "Lord Tywin is the true ruler of the Seven Kingdoms."
Ilyn Payne is now unable to speak. Of course, if he can befriend Bernie, the bartender who works for the Mountain, Bernie can teach him the skill of speaking with his stomach.
During the War of the Usurper, Lord Tywin Lannister chose sides at the last moment, helping Robert capture King's Landing. Robert ascended the Iron Throne and became King. After marrying Cersei as Queen, he appointed Ser Ilynn as Lord of the Kings in an attempt to curry favor with Lord Tywin, as compensation for the tongue Ilynn Payne lost while serving the Lannisters.
Ser Ilyne was a highly competent executioner, clean and efficient, never allowing an execution to become awkward. He was forced to remain silent because he had lost his tongue, but this silence only added to his imposing presence; the kingdom had rarely found such a suitable enforcer.
Ilyn Payne's dwelling in the Red Keep was notoriously filthy and chaotic. He was single, abstinent from women, and had admired and been loyal to Lord Tywin Lannister since childhood. His usual pastime was sharpening his two-handed greatsword in his hut. The Mountain knew that Ilyn Payne's sword was exceptionally sharp.
In the entire kingdom, there are only two people who dare not kneel before His Majesty the King: one is the Mountain, and the other is Ilyn Payne.
The Mountain suddenly felt a pang of sorrow for King Robert. This 'good-natured' man's vigilance and political acumen were truly appalling; even the swords he used to kill were from the Westerlands. Those closest to him were almost all Lannisters. Even if he wasn't killed by a boar soon, he would be easily killed by the Lannisters.
Bernie, standing beside the Mountain, also paid special attention to Ilyn Payne. While other nobles spoke, Ilyn Payne remained silent, standing behind the King from the moment he entered. This presented Bernie with a challenge, as the Mountain had tasked him with listening to and memorizing the voices of those present – his mission.
From the king to the queen, from the prince to the courtiers, Bernie listened carefully to their voices and made a point of memorizing them. Even without conscious effort, Bernie had an uncanny memory, but at some point he developed a strange, almost obsessive, closeness and adoration for the Mountain—in other words, he quickly became a devoted fan of the Mountain—and carried out the Mountain's orders meticulously.
Those ruthless, wicked, and eccentric individuals who follow the Demon Mountain soon become his devoted fans, drawn to his unbridled 'wildness' and unable to restrain themselves. The Demon Mountain becomes the catalyst for their 'liberation of their true nature,' successfully transforming them into his most loyal followers! — This may be the Demon Mountain's inherent demonic nature; once the little devils find their Demon King, the growth of his devoted followers becomes unstoppable.
Bernie touched the Mountain's giant hand, his eyes indicating that he couldn't understand Ilyn Payne's voice. Bernie was careful and discreet, but the Mountain was unfazed: "Bernie, Ilyn Payne has no tongue; he can't speak!"
Ilyn Payne glared at the Mountain with his deadpan eyes upon hearing this, and the Mountain returned the gaze with disdain. Their eyes met, and neither of them was willing to look away.
This eye contact, a battle of wits, is like a confrontation of swords, full of threatening implications.
Finally, Ilyn Payne slowly looked away. He was cruel, but the Mountain was even more ruthless and possessed a domineering presence that could crush him.
Renly Baratheon, who had been forcibly dragged out by the Kingsguard, reappeared at the gate: "Your Majesty, I will not speak any more nonsense, I will not say another word, may I be allowed to enter?"
Robert snorted.
So Renly entered very elegantly and politely.
Cersei said, "There was someone present when Joffrey was attacked by the wolf girl and the butcher's son. Sansa Stark, Hound, go and bring Sansa Stark here. Question her in front of all these nobles, and the matter will be clear. I don't have the patience to wait for the Starks to arrive before I start interrogating them."
Ilyin Payne immediately stepped forward, gave Her Majesty the Queen a half-bow, and then strode out.
He was more eager to capture Sansa Stark than the Hounds!
In the original timeline, it was Ilyn Payne who beheaded Eddard Stark.
King Robert shouted, "Sir Ilyin, don't frighten the little girl!"
The Mountain knew that Sansa would be terrified at the mere sight of Ilyn! Torturing and intimidating the weak and beheading others were Ilyn's two great pleasures, much like King Robert's two great pleasures: fine wine and women.