The Mountain of Ice and Fire

As Sansa entered, she felt a sudden darkness, followed by a suffocating mixture of smoke and dust.

In the darkness, a hand reached out and grasped her trembling one.

"Come with me!" It was the Imp's voice.

Sansa felt like she had a thousand words to say, but she couldn't utter a single one.

The Imp was a Lannister, why would he save me?

This was different from being a thug threatening the King under Joffrey's command; this was tantamount to treason.

He would be beheaded!

Sansa stumbled after the Imp through the narrow, dark passages, having to turn sideways to get through some places.

Through the walls, the sounds from some of the rooms were clearly transmitted to Sansa's ears. The Maidenvault was home to many noblewomen and ladies-in-waiting, waiting to attend Sansa and Tyrion's wedding tomorrow.

Many nobles and ladies hadn't slept; Sansa could hear their laughter, conversations, even a soft hum.

If someone stood quietly and motionless in the cracks of these walls, they could learn of any secret plots being hatched in the rooms without anyone knowing.

This suddenly made Sansa feel a chill run down her spine.

The Maidenvault was such a terrible place.

Her missing father, the vanished Varys, had they disappeared in the same way she was now?

Her father had disappeared in the dungeons, and there had been no news of him since; Varys had disappeared from his small stone house, and Queen Regent Cersei had used all the resources of the city, but still found nothing. Varys had flown away like a bird.

The Red Keep was a suffocating place with too many secrets.

Lost in her thoughts, Sansa felt the Imp stop. There was a dim light ahead, coming from underground: they had reached a downward passage. Two rows of iron rungs, disappearing into the darkness, were embedded in the stone walls of the passage. At the end of the rungs, a red light was lit.

"Don't be afraid, it's easy to climb down," the Imp said in a low voice.

Sansa's heart was pounding, and she nodded.

The Imp climbed down the rungs, his movements clumsy. His short legs and arms weren't quite long enough to reach the rungs below. His efforts looked comical. He finally succeeded, stood on the iron rungs, and made room for Sansa to descend.

"My lady, if a dwarf like me can do it, you certainly can."

These words gave Sansa some strength. Sansa came to the entrance of the passage and looked down. She couldn't see the bottom, and the light seemed to be in an endless abyss, making her dizzy and her heart pound as if it would burst out of her chest.

"Don't look down, my lady," the Imp's voice was extremely gentle.

"Yes!" Sansa took a deep breath, reached out and grabbed the iron rungs, closed her eyes, and tentatively stretched one foot down to touch the rungs below. She felt it, stepped firmly, and then the other foot.

"You're doing great, hold on tight, and follow me."

"Yes!"

She didn't know how long it took, but Sansa finally felt her feet on the ground. She almost fell.

The Imp stood in front of her. She didn't know when, but the suffocating air had disappeared, and a cool breeze was blowing on her face.

"We have to move forward, and quickly," the Imp held a torch in his hand.

Sansa staggered forward. The rungs had felt endless, and she had used almost all her strength. Her back was soaked.

"Why are you saving me?"

This was a spacious underground tunnel, and Sansa could stand up straight. The light of the torch diffused, and Sansa realized it was very wide on both sides.

"My father is an evil man. He thought he could control everything about me, but he was wrong!" The Imp smiled. "I don't want his plan to succeed."

Sansa didn't know how to respond for a moment.

Fortunately, the Imp spoke, as he was a very talkative person: "To be honest, I was forced."

"Who could force you?"

"There are many people who can force me, a mercenary, a grumpy old man, a big guy, or a… whore."

The Imp's eyes flashed with Shae's resentful gaze.

When she learned that the Imp was going to marry Sansa, Shae looked at him with an unbearable gaze while she was on top of him. His lovemaking was interrupted, and their rare moments of happiness were filled with bitterness.

The Imp realized he had fallen in love with Shae, which was a very dangerous sign, because Shae was a real whore, she was different from Tysha.

The thought of Tysha made the Imp feel like a thorn was pressing deeper into his heart, causing him to frown in pain.

After that unbelievable gang rape of Tysha by the entire camp, the Imp didn't give up. He wanted to find Tysha and ask her a question, but he searched all the brothels in the Westerlands and couldn't find Tysha's shadow.

Did Father have her killed to silence her?

Rape and then kill?!

The Imp didn't ask the Mountain about Tysha's final fate. He could roughly guess his father's methods, and he didn't want to dig any deeper, it was too painful. No matter what Tysha's fate was, from then on, Tysha completely disappeared from the Westerlands, but the echo she left in this world had never disappeared… Now the echo was coming back… and the sound was getting louder and louder…

Whether it's good or evil, in this world, there will always be echoes coming back, sooner or later!

"Where are you taking me?" This was the question Sansa had always wanted to ask. If Gracelyn Tyrell hadn't kept persuading her to leave, she wouldn't have had the courage to follow a Lannister.

"My lady, the Blackwater Bay, there's a ship waiting for you."

"Blackwater Bay?" Sansa's heart jumped. "I heard that the Mountain resumed patrolling the Blackwater as soon as he returned. Warships patrol the Blackwater waters all night long, cracking down on pirates going up the river." Sansa's voice trembled. She was afraid of being caught by the Mountain.

"Yes, that demon is indeed terrible, but my people are the best smugglers in this world, my lady. And we can't turn back."

"Where will I be sent after I get on the ship? White Harbor?"

White Harbor, the fifth largest port city in Westeros, White Harbor in the North.

"Yes, White Harbor," the Imp said.

But Sansa saw the slight hesitation in the Imp's words, he was lying.

Sansa was frightened. Where would the Imp send her? Who would be on the ship? Who would come to pick her up? Would the Imp go with her? Although her father had escaped the Red Keep's dungeons, he was still missing and his fate was unknown.

Sansa stopped: "Ser Tyrion Lannister, you're not sending me to White Harbor."

Tyrion stopped: "Sansa, I was forced to save you."

"Who forced you? Where are you really sending me?"

"Sansa, do you choose to come with me, escape the Red Keep, or choose to stay here, marry me, and face the meanness, evil, deceit, and treachery in the Red Keep every day; those ruthless killers, sweet liars, sunny schemers, noble betrayers, which one do you like?"

After a brief silence, Sansa said: "I'm sorry, Ser Tyrion, I'll go with you."

*

At the break of dawn, Gracelyn Tyrell hurriedly opened the door and ran in small steps to the guards in the corridor: "Quick, quick, Miss Sansa… she's gone…"

The guards looked at Gracelyn with suspicious eyes, who was about to cry, but after only two heartbeats, he reacted, he immediately followed Gracelyn into the room, looked around, and was dumbfounded, Miss Sansa was gone.

In the next bedroom, Shae and Annie were still fast asleep!

"I have to report to the commander," the guard said.

Soon, Ser Osney Kettleblack, the commander of the Queen Regent's Kingsguard, arrived, and with a command, the three maids were arrested, their hands tied, and they knelt on the ground.

Four guards guarded the door, and four guards guarded the three trembling maids.

Queen Regent Cersei was interrupted during her lovemaking with her cousin Lancel when the door was knocked. She put on her clothes, got out of bed, and opened the door barefoot. Her commander Osney stood at the door.

Soon, Queen Regent Cersei, Lancel, and Osney came to the Maidenvault, and other guards went to the Tower of the Hand to inform Lord Tywin.

Queen Regent Cersei came to Cersei's room and saw the three maids kneeling on the ground, trembling.

"Release Gracelyn Tyrell," the Queen Regent ordered.

Gracelyn Tyrell was her person, she had followed her for a long time, and the Queen Regent trusted her.

"Tell me what happened," the Queen Regent walked slowly around the room, Gracelyn followed her, weeping as she said she didn't know anything.

Cersei stopped and her eyes fell on the fireplace.

She remembered Grand Maester Pycelle being shot in the Tower of the Hand, and the mechanism under the stone bed in Varys's house. The secret passages under the Red Keep were connected to the Maidenvault?

This was terrible.

There were many noblewomen and ladies living in the Maidenvault. Margaery Tyrell and the Queen of Thorns also lived in the garden of the Maidenvault.

The Maidenvault was built by King Baelor, who built the Great Sept of Baelor, with the purpose of abstinence, to prevent himself and his three sisters and wives from doing things they shouldn't do. He locked his three sisters in this slate-roofed fortress, piously believed in the Seven Gods, abstained from desires and cultivated his mind, and became a generation of 'God King', and spent a lot of money to build the Great Sept of Baelor.

"Lancel, go and look at the fireplace." There was also a fireplace in Maegor's Holdfast, but it had been sealed off by Cersei.

"Yes, Your Grace."

Lancel drew his short sword and walked over, carefully tapping every inch of the fireplace with his short sword.

A hollow echo sounded quickly.

"Smash it open," Queen Regent Cersei said.

*

The sky began to show a glimmer of dawn.

Tower of the Hand.

Duke Tywin had already gotten up and was carefully arranging his formal attire, and then pinned the Hand of the King badge on his lapel. He could have used a maid to serve him and make himself more comfortable, but since his wife died in childbirth, he had never used a maid to help him dress and bathe.

The bedroom door was knocked politely.

"Come in."

Captain Varly Lannister pushed the door open and entered, followed by a trembling red-robed guard.

"Lord Hand, Miss Sansa of the Maidenvault, last night, disappeared!"

Tywin, who was looking at himself in the mirror to see if the position of the Hand of the King badge needed to be adjusted, suddenly turned his head, and his green pupils shot out a terrifying light.

Tywin, who had always been as calm as the sea, had his scales touched.

"Her Grace the Queen Regent has already led people to investigate!" The guard said, lowering his head, with no confidence in his voice.

"Raise your head, look at me, and tell me everything you know." The Duke's voice miraculously didn't have anger, but was calm.

"Lord Hand, I came from Maegor's Holdfast to report, I don't know what the situation is at the Maidenvault."

There was a heart-stopping silence in the bedroom, no one spoke.

"Go back and tell Her Grace the Queen Regent, I'll be there soon, don't let go of any of Sansa's close maids."

"Yes, Lord Hand." The red-robed guard retreated out of the room first, and only dared to turn around when he got outside the door, and left in a hurry.

Varly Lannister held the hilt of his sword and looked at the Hand.

The Hand narrowed his eyes slightly: "Send someone to the stables to bring Tyrion over."

Varly Lannister hesitated slightly: "Lord Hand, Tyrion Lannister went back to his own rented house yesterday."

"Hmm?!"

Varly Lannister's palms immediately broke out in cold sweat: "Lord Hand, you approved his return, he promised to marry Sansa, and quit drinking, gambling, and… whores."

"Oh?"

"Lord Hand doesn't need to worry, I sent two guards to follow him."

Tywin took a deep breath secretly. All the nobles of the Crownlands, most of the nobles of the Stormlands, many nobles of the Reach, most of the nobles of the Westerlands, the nobles of other places, wandering princes, knights, and great merchants were gathered at the Red Keep to attend today's wedding, he personally sent the invitations, however, the Stark bride was gone…

"Send someone to call Tyrion Lannister to see me at the Maidenvault immediately."

"Yes, Lord Hand."

"Inform Addam Marbrand to close all the city gates, any carriages, oxcarts, and people wearing headscarves leaving the city, must be strictly checked. If you encounter a noble-looking woman, detain her, I will send someone who knows Sansa to identify her soon."

"Yes, Lord Hand."

"Inform the Mountain to block all shipping lanes on the Blackwater, any ships leaving the sea, must be checked. Let the Mountain send someone who knows Sansa to board the ships and inspect them one by one."

"Yes, Lord Hand."

"Inform all the guards to assemble, a hundred-man team guards Maegor's Holdfast, a hundred-man team guards the Great Sept, a hundred-man team guards the Maidenvault."

"Yes, Lord Hand."

"Send someone to inform Kevan Lannister to see me at the Maidenvault immediately."

"Yes, Lord Hand."

"Alright, go!"

Varly Lannister ran out quickly.

It was not easy to become the captain of Lord Hand Tywin's guards. Lord Hand often issued many orders at once, and not a single order could go wrong, otherwise, your head might be stuck on the tip of a spear.

*

When Tyrion Lannister arrived at the Maidenvault wearing the standard groom's attire, it was already dawn. The Maidenvault was not as chaotic as he had imagined. Bronn and Podrick were protecting him with short swords and daggers close to his body, and two Lord Hand's guards accompanied him.

Tyrion's hill tribesmen had already prepared to eat a big feast with the soldiers in the plaza outside Maegor's Holdfast. Shagga and Conn's hill tribe warriors could not enter the big feast in Maegor's Holdfast.

Tyrion Lannister came to Sansa's floor, and the corridors were full of Lord Hand's and Queen Regent's guards. The noblewomen and ladies were politely blocked by the soldiers at the stairwell and were not allowed to come in to visit Sansa.

Tyrion reached the stairwell. The guarding soldiers released their crossed spears, and Tyrion entered with Bronn, Podrick, and two Kingsguard.

In the corridor were Lancel, the Captain of the Kingsguard Loras Tyrell, the Hound, the commander of the Queen Mother's red-cloaked guards, Osney Kettleblack (Tyrion's informant), and several of the Queen Mother's handmaidens. They looked at Tyrion Lannister in his groom's attire with strange, indescribable expressions… Tyrion's groom's attire was adorned with flowers, and his self-designed golden lion coin sigil gleamed with golden light…

Tyrion entered Sansa's room and saw Cersei, her expression a mix of gloating and cold solemnity; his father, his face as calm as still water; and his uncle Kevan, his face very heavy and serious… and two handmaidens kneeling on the floor: Shae and Anne.

Gracey Tyrell stood behind Queen Mother Cersei, tearfully glancing at him—that bitch had escaped this calamity and wasn't afraid of wasting tears as she started crying… but Shae and Anne, who had slept in the adjacent bedroom last night and done nothing, were about to suffer…

Tyrion suddenly realized there was a flaw in their plan. Although Shae and Anne wouldn't know exactly what had happened, they knew that this matter was related to Gracey Tyrell. If his father used severe torture…

A chill ran down Tyrion's spine!

"What's going on? Where's Sansa?" Tyrion raised his head, his strange little eyes moving from Cersei to Tywin, from Tywin to Kevan, and then landing on the kneeling Shae.

Shae, who had given him so much joy and happiness during this time! He realized there was a stinging pain in his heart. Damn it, am I really in love with a whore?

No one answered him. Cersei's condescending gaze revealed contemptuous pity.

"How many people know Sansa?" Tywin suddenly spoke, his tone calm.

"We all know her," Cersei said, uttering a seemingly unintelligent remark.

"Most nobles have not seen Sansa," Kevan replied.

"You two, raise your heads," Tywin said to Shae and Anne.

The Queen Mother's handmaiden immediately leaned down and softly told Shae and Anne that the Hand of the King ordered them to raise their heads.

Shae and Anne raised their heads.

Shae's expression was calm; she had seen the world and had courage. Anne, on the other hand, was tearful, her face covered in tears.

Both women were good-looking! Two little beauties!

"Which one is the handmaiden from the North?"

"The one crying," the Queen Mother said, a hint of extreme contempt on her lips.

"Have someone wipe away her tears, put on makeup, and dress her in a wedding gown. She is Sansa Stark."

Cersei, Kevan, Tyrion, Shae, Gracey, Anne, and the others were completely stunned.

"Everyone in Maegor's Holdfast knows Sansa. Joffrey and Margaery Tyrell, Lady Olenna, they all know Sansa."

"You take care of your Joffrey," Tywin said calmly. "The wedding will proceed as planned. Cancel the revelry after the grand feast and the bedding ceremony tonight. Sansa is sick. Have her wear a veil during the wedding."

The entire room was silent; no one answered.

"Sansa's original handmaidens will stay by her side. In addition, arrange five more handmaidens for her, making a total of seven. During the wedding, no other noble ladies are allowed to approach Sansa to give gifts. The Hound will be responsible for guarding Tyrion and Sansa's wedding throughout, and no one is allowed to approach to offer toasts to the bride and groom."

"I have my own guards, Father," Tyrion said.

"Your men plus the Hound. It's almost time. Help Miss Sansa with her makeup," Duke Tywin concluded.