The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Late at night, the Red Keep.

The Mountain straddled Red Smoke, Brienne and Tyrion rode together, Alyn led the way, Zelli followed behind Jeyne's carriage, adopted son Landon Flowers and squire Koerm Warner followed beside the Mountain, and the Clegane's most elite hundred-man guard surrounded Jeyne's carriage.

The Mountain quietly gave the order to depart, and the group headed towards the Red Keep's bronze gate.

The sound of horses' hooves echoed far in the silence of the night.

The Red Keep was asleep!

High tower shadows, dark walls, and although there would be a torch illuminating a section of the road, the night was still hazy.

Houses, towers, and forests made some sections of the road difficult to see, shrouded in darkness.

"Who goes there? Stop!" A patrol team emerged from the small woods on the left, two gold cloaks.

These two might be Queen Cersei's men, or perhaps the Hand's men, or Littlefinger's men, or perhaps just two ordinary soldiers of the City Watch.

Alyn, leading the way, did not answer.

The generals and soldiers were all vigilant, each with a small round shield on their back, hands on their sword hilts, all in battle-ready state.

"Password!" The two soldiers saw a large group of people vaguely approaching, and when no one answered, they sensed something was wrong and shouted.

Suddenly, the wind rustled, and a fierce and evil man darted out from the shadow of the tower, as fast as lightning, the ice greatsword in his hand slashing towards their chests, carrying a sharp, cold wind.

Suddenly, the greatsword froze, inches from their chests: "Lead the way! Go to the bronze gate."

The two soldiers were immediately frightened out of their wits—it was the Mountain, as huge as a giant!

Just now, if he hadn't stopped the sword, the two of them would have been cut in two!

The fierce and evil Red Smoke, its two eyes shining brightly in the shadows of the night, looked like the bloodshot eyes of a death god from hell.

The two gold cloaks surrendered their longswords and obediently joined the Mountain's ranks!

After walking several hundred meters, a patrol of six soldiers ahead saw this team.

The squad leader blocked the way: "Who is leaving the Red Keep? Do you have an order?"

The Mountain and Alyn did not answer, rushing out to the left and right, two swords pointed at the patrol, several guards followed up and surrounded them, disarming the gold cloaks.

The six gold cloaks were speechless, and finally obediently joined the Mountain's ranks.

Along the way, any soldiers patrolling who bumped into the Mountain's team were coerced, their longswords confiscated, to get out of the bronze gate first.

Tywin was a decisive and ruthless person.

Once he knew that the Mountain was leaving, free as a bird to fly in the sky, he would definitely order a hunt for the Mountain and the Clegane army.

Within King's Landing, there were 20,000 Westerlands troops and 20,000 Crownlands troops, plus 40,000 troops from the Reach, the Royal Guard and Kingsguard, the Queen Mother's guard, and many other forces.

To hunt down the Mountain, the Mountain's legion, which he had worked so hard to build up, would have only one result: complete annihilation!

Even if the three thousand poison arrow archers of the Claw Isle killed several times their number of enemies, they would be unable to save the situation.

This was bound to be a war with mountains of corpses and seas of blood, but Lord Tywin could definitely do it.

In the end, the one who would completely lose his foundation would be the Mountain!

Therefore, to be cautious, the Mountain captured all the patrolling soldiers he encountered along the way to travel with him.

No one knew if there were any of the Hand's spies among these soldiers.

As long as one of them was the Hand's sentry, and the news was leaked, and the Mountain had not yet left the Red Keep, then the risk was too high!

Breaking up that night, leaving that night, the Mountain's actions could not be any faster.

Tywin was decisive, and the Mountain was equally unambiguous.

Both sides were decisive and ruthless people, never showing mercy!

This split was destined to be endless!

*

The Mountain rushing into the Tower of the Hand and killing Tywin was also an option, but the result would be an attack by all the noble armies of King's Landing and the Crownlands, killing until there were mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and in the end, there would only be one outcome: losing the hearts of the people, destroying the political capital painstakingly accumulated in the Battle of the Blackwater, and running out of options.

Even if he controlled Joffrey, he would be an unpopular rebel.

The noble armed forces all respected their own troops, valued their territories, and based themselves there.

With Joffrey's prestige, without Tywin's alliance and political assistance, even if he issued a royal edict, he would not be able to mobilize or command any great nobles.

At that time, the surrounding nobles, the internal courtiers, and military generals would not obey the Mountain.

Without Tywin in charge, they would not even obey King Joffrey, let alone the Mountain.

The Mountain's name was not correct, his actions were rebellious, and looking around, he was surrounded by enemies.

His generals, such as Jacelyn Bywater and some Westerlands knights and soldiers, would inevitably be distracted, and the Mountain would successfully commit self-destruction.

The Mountain taking the initiative to rise up, unless he was desperate and wanted to die together, would be a suicidal act that would gain little support.

The Mountain and Jeyne still had a chance, and they would not choose to commit suicide!

But Tywin, as long as he noticed that the Mountain had a tendency to leave, would definitely move against him.

Tywin did not need any righteous excuses or reasons to encircle and suppress the Mountain, but the Mountain, wanting to turn over and sing, could not suddenly attack Tywin!

The world was so unfair!

And it always had been!

*

The group arrived in front of the bronze gate.

The torches of the Red Keep's bronze gate shone like daylight.

The gold cloaks guarding the gate saw everything clearly.

The squad leader and soldiers looked surprised and uncertain.

According to the principle of acting officially, they perfunctorily asked some painless questions, and then the bronze gate creaked open, and the Mountain and his party left the Red Keep unhurriedly.

The Mountain and his guard were leaving the Red Keep, with unkind faces, fully armed, everyone with their hands on their sword hilts.

Who among the twelve-man duty guard dared to say 'no'?!

No one dared!

Besides, the Mountain had already detained and disarmed more than a dozen of their comrades!

Under such circumstances, whoever was blind would die!

Once the Mountain came out of the Red Keep, he looked back at the Red Keep's high walls, and heaved a sigh of relief in his heart.

Even if Tywin received the news now, it would be impossible to issue an order to stop him in a very short time.

"Brothers of the City Watch, I'm sorry, I've offended you."

The Mountain dismounted Red Smoke with the dignity of a duke and stood on the ground.

"Captain Alyn, give me the swords."

Alyn dismounted, holding a dozen swords in his hands.

The Mountain returned the swords one by one to each soldier.

The more than ten City Watch soldiers who were surprised and uncertain took the swords, trembling with fear, not daring to breathe.

"These are two gold dragons, a small token of my, the Mountain's, invitation to the brothers for a drink, and also an apology to the brothers.

The Mountain was forced to be rude tonight."

The dozen or so City Watch soldiers repeatedly said they dared not, and the Mountain's politeness and respect made the fear in their hearts gradually disappear.

The Mountain's military prestige in the Battle of the Blackwater was invincible, and he killed Stannis with his sword, his prestige was at its peak, and he was deeply respected by the people and soldiers of King's Landing.

He apologized with the dignity of a duke, and all the dozen or so City Watch soldiers were terrified, and in the end, they all felt that they were actually wrong.

Tyrion watched the City Watch soldiers leave one by one, while he was still riding with Brienne.

Brienne did not let him off the horse.

"Beauty, I'm getting married tonight.

If you don't let me go back to my wedding night, don't tell me you've taken a fancy to my chastity!"

Brienne glared at Tyrion, unable to speak.

She was honest, and when she met an old rogue like Tyrion who spoke glibly, she really didn't know how to answer.

Her sword spoke better than her mouth.

"The soldiers have all been released, and the Mountain has also hypocritically deceived the hearts of the people.

It's time for you to let me go, beauty."

Brienne still did not answer, her face as black as iron.

"Mountain, tell your girl to let me down."

The Mountain flipped onto Red Smoke: "Alyn, lead the brothers to protect Lady Jeyne to the Mud Gate, and pass on my order, all legions to board ships at Blackwater Bay harbor and attack Dragonstone."

"Yes, my lord."

"Tyrion, let's go!" The Mountain squeezed his legs slightly, and Red Smoke galloped out.

Brienne immediately followed with Tyrion.

Tyrion opened his mouth wide: "Where are we going?"

No one answered him!

Alyn gave the order, leading a hundred riders, surrounding Lady Jeyne's carriage, and galloped on the streets of King's Landing in the dark night.

At the street corner, the Mountain turned north, and Alyn turned south.

"Hey, Mountain, I'm not your hostage," Tyrion said.

"If our father wants to do something to you, it's useless to hold me."

"Tyrion, you don't have to worry about Cersei killing you now.

Your father wants to use you and fake Sansa to seize control of the North, he won't let you die so easily, understand?"

"Then where are you taking me?"

"You only need Bronn and Podrick to protect you now.

You don't need Shagga and Con of the Stone Crows, but I do."

Tyrion was stunned for a moment, and cursed at the Mountain.

"Wait until you grow taller before you say these harsh words!"

The quick-witted Tyrion choked with anger!

"They won't go with you, I guarantee you," Tyrion gritted his teeth, cursing.

"Really, I didn't need you to come along in the first place.

I just wanted to show you whether they would listen to me or you."

Tyrion suddenly felt his small body getting hot: "Mountain, we agreed that you would let me go as soon as we left the Red Keep."

"Yes, I'm taking back those words now, is it too late?" The Mountain laughed.

Tyrion choked again: The Mountain was actually playing tricks on him, and he had wholeheartedly hoped that he and his father would restore a good relationship.

The group quickly arrived at Iron Gate Street.

The Mountain reached out and lifted Tyrion from Brienne's mount, as if he was grabbing a small cloth doll.

"Brienne, notify Chiswyck immediately, break camp and board ships at Blackwater Bay harbor for a night attack on Dragonstone."

"Yes, my lord," Brienne rode away.

Chiswyck's camp was at the Iron Gate, a large camp of two thousand Clegane infantry.

The Mountain took Tyrion on a detour, with only two riders beside him: adopted son Landon Flowers and squire Koerm Warner.

Boom!

A loud noise.

The door of Shay's courtyard was kicked open by Red Smoke, and the door panels flew into the courtyard, overturning several benches and chairs.

Shagga's voice suddenly rang out from the second floor: "Who's there?"

Conn silently jumped out of the room, naked, carrying a heavy axe in his hand, walking unsteadily, obviously drunk.

Today was Tyrion's wedding, and few generals were not drunk.

The soldiers also found an excuse to drink.

The Clegane army would get drunk, and so would the City Watch, the Westerlands army, and the Reach army.

This was the best time for the Mountain to leave suddenly.

It was basically impossible for Tywin to suddenly mobilize troops to encircle and suppress him in the middle of the night.

The tribal warriors drilled out of the rooms one after another, mostly barefoot, mostly naked, and a few cultured ones only wore small underpants that covered nothing.

"All get up, you've joined the Clegane army, follow me to attack Dragonstone, kill, set fire, and rob merchant ships," the Mountain shouted.

Shagga and Conn sobered up immediately, the words kill, set fire, and rob merchant ships were worth more than a bucket of cold water poured over their heads.

The Mountain had dealt with too many rogue bandits and knew the interests and hobbies of the mountain people.

It could be said that these people, following Tyrion, had no battles to fight, no robberies to commit, and could only gamble a little, with little money, not to mention how depressed they were.

The Mountain threw Tyrion on the ground, with a thud, Tyrion landed on his back.

"Your patron Tyrion is here, tell him, who do you choose to follow?"

Conn and Shagga were already so excited that they didn't care about Tyrion's existence.

Shagga had been both fearful and worshipful of the Mountain in the Green Fork: "Lord Mountain, when are we leaving?"

"Leave immediately, tell the brothers to put on their armor immediately, take their weapons, those who are timid and afraid of death don't come, just follow Tyrion."

"Who's willing to follow a half-man, even killing someone in a gambling game will get you locked up in the black cells!" Shagga cursed, "That guy cheated, he cheated all our money, the bastard!"

"I hate the officials here," a sturdy man roared, "We have to give way to them every time we walk on the street, and if we don't, we get whipped.

The half-man tells us to be patient, we're not slaves."

"Let the officials and the half-man die!" a thin man cursed.

…………

Tyrion stared at the beasts putting on armor in the courtyard.

They usually ate his, lived in his place, used his things, and drank his things, but now they turned their backs on him, without any affection.

He wanted to curse… but he held back.

He silently walked among the noisy mountain tribe warriors, went up to the second floor, the third floor, and came to the empty bedroom where he and Shae had been gentle, opened the window, and looked down at the demons dancing in the courtyard.

"Mountain, you've occupied Dragonstone, are you planning to be a pirate?"

The Mountain had just said that he would let the mountain people kill, set fire, and rob merchant ships.

"Dragonstone has a lot of stones, Tyrion, you can't let my brothers starve, can you?

Please tell our father, if he doesn't let the Reach transport food to me, and Littlefinger doesn't give me cloth and ironware, I have the right to board and inspect all merchant ships entering and leaving King's Landing.

Don't forget, I'm the Master of Ships!"

"Hehe, a very good threat, brilliant."

"Our father is even more brilliant," the Mountain said with irony to the word 'our father'.

He deliberately raised his voice and emphasized his tone when he mentioned the word father.

"If Father doesn't take away your empty title of King of Claw Isle, and lets you hang the name of Lord of Claw Isle, and lets you have the power to govern Claw Isle, can we reconcile?"

"Who the people of Claw Isle choose to follow is not up to our father to decide.

But I am always waiting for Father's call.

As long as Father reconciles, I will reconcile."

The root cause was not in Claw Isle, the root cause was that Tywin wanted to take the Mountain's head to exchange for Dorne, and at the same time, the Mountain was too strong, uncontrollable, and Tywin didn't like it and couldn't tolerate it.

“I dare not believe a word you say.” The Imp looked at the Stone Crows, who had abandoned him without a shred of mercy, still clinging to the delusion that this might all be a dream.

“Is that so? Then you wouldn’t want to know about Jaime?”

Telling the Imp about Jaime was one of the bargaining chips to get him to agree to participate in Sansa's rescue.

“Say it if you want, but don’t bother if you don’t. I don’t dare trust you anymore. My sister wants me dead, my father thinks I’m a useless disgrace to the Lannister name, but even they never thought of taking my people. You’ve stolen my people, the Mountain!”

“Jaime will not be harmed; he will be safe. The Starks are not like the Lannisters. Stone Crows, you are no longer needed.” The Mountain smiled. “When you need me, perhaps I will appear. Please relay my words to your father: I am the Master of Ships, the Duke of Dragonstone, and I can board and inspect any merchant ship entering or leaving King’s Landing at any time. I also have the right to return to the Small Council meetings whenever I wish.”

“Mountain, by doing this, you’ve angered Father. Aren’t you worried about the people of Clegane's Keep, and all that wealth from the saltworks, milk processing plants, and noodle factories?”

“Tell Lord Tywin,” the Mountain decided, resolving never to call Tywin 'father' again; he suddenly felt disgusted, “that if he harms even one person from Clegane's Keep, there will be no reconciliation between Clegane and Lannister. Also, the Clegane family sigil will no longer be the three dogs.”

“What will it be?” The Imp’s expression shifted, stunned. The Mountain’s words suddenly made him understand many things he hadn’t grasped before. He glimpsed the Mountain’s ambition, or what could be called his wild aspirations.

“A red smoke beast clutching an ice sword in its mouth!”

“Ice belongs to the Starks.”

“Ice is just a sword, and a sword is just a sword. It doesn’t inherently belong to any family; it belongs to whoever can obtain it. The Stark family sigil is a direwolf, which has nothing to do with the Ice sword.”

What a load of sophistry!

“A red smoke beast, an ice sword!”

“Yes, a red smoke beast, an ice sword, and the family motto: ‘Unmatched!’”

*

ps: There will be another update this afternoon, Da Feng Knife will wash Clegane's territory.

Thanks to [xiaoyu.wd] and [shaaeaw] for the reward support, thank you, handshake!