The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Velas Tyrell stood on the ridge of the mountain behind Highgarden. The day had already dawned.

Highgarden was still burning, the fire showing no signs of weakening.

The living flames raged everywhere, licking at every tower.

This was truly a prosperous city destroyed by war.

The Mountain rode the dragon, hovering in the sky above the ridge.

The fire in Highgarden looked like it would burn for at least another day.

The fire spread everywhere, flames burning all around. Inside and outside the city walls, flames were everywhere, and white smoke billowed.

Dorne's smoke-cured soldiers and fire-roasted generals were all over the mountain ridge behind Highgarden.

The nobles and people of Highgarden had already carved out a rough mountain path, winding down the mountain, their expressions numb, survivors of a disaster, the sorrow of losing their homes welling up in their hearts. The people of Highgarden descended the mountain in silence.

If it weren't for the Mountain, they wouldn't have been saved, and perhaps they would have been slaughtered by the Dornish, everyone dying a violent death; but if it weren't for the Mountain, Highgarden wouldn't have been burned so thoroughly. Highgarden had several ancient and famous towers, exquisite and intricate, with high artistic value, which would never exist again.

Arianne Martell's facial features were deep, her eyes bright and charming. She was a girl with classical beauty, twenty-four years old this year. The coup had pushed her to the throne of Dorne. Her feminine beauty contained a viper-like danger.

In Dorne, Arianne Martell was the dream lover of many young nobles.

Suddenly, the sky darkened, and the dragon swooped over, blocking out the light of the sky, its speed as fast as an arrow. It was a moving mountain. As its claws stretched out, everyone stared dumbfounded as Arianne Martell and Velas Tyrell were grabbed. The dragon flew down the mountain with the two, flying towards the white beach of the Mander River.

Highgarden was built on the banks of the Mander River. The west, north, and east sides of the Highgarden hills were endless plains, rich, beautiful, filled with the sounds of birds and the fragrance of flowers, and roses everywhere.

The Sheepstealer released its claws, and Arianne Martell and Velas Tyrell fell together, with two loud thuds, the two fell onto the white beach. The Sheepstealer retracted its wings and landed, a gust of wind swept through, stirring up a man-high cloud of white sand.

Bang!

With a loud crash, the Mountain jumped off the dragon's back, like a boulder falling on the beach.

His legs sank into the white sand.

Heavy plate armor, a horribly wide greatsword, a giant-like body, a huge flat-topped helmet, on the steel mask, besides the breathing holes, there was only a narrow slit for observing the outside world.

The Mountain was fully armed, which surprised Arianne Martell a bit. The Mountain was in the sky, who could hurt him? He was even wearing a helmet, covering himself tightly. The Mountain she imagined shouldn't have been so cautious. She had always thought the Mountain was a crude and reckless brute.

The Mountain took off his helmet, his face like rock, his expression fierce, his eyes deep and steady, without the crudeness and viciousness that Arianne had expected.

Velas Tyrell and Arianne Martell had heard of the Mountain's infamous name for many years, and this was the first time they had seen him in person.

The Sheepstealer dragon was right behind the Mountain, its ferocious dragon head breathing dragon breath just above the Mountain's head. The dragon's eyes were larger than an adult's fist, like two golden-red gems, and its golden-red scales reflected a flame-like light in the sunlight. Returning to the sky and battle, the Sheepstealer's vitality erupted with a surging brilliance.

"I am the Mountain," the Mountain said, "I am very sorry."

"I am Arianne Martell." Arianne Martell stared unblinkingly at the Mountain. Although she was only twenty-four years old, under the influence of the Red Viper, she was already mature and experienced, and her eyes were sharp when assessing people. The Mountain's opening remarks greatly surprised her. In her impression, the Mountain definitely couldn't say 'I am very sorry'.

This was not the Mountain at all, it didn't fit the image of the Mountain who had carried out the Dragonflame Massacre.

Many rumors were indeed untrue rumors.

"Arianne, Aegon VI is still alive, he is in Storm's End." The implication was that he had not killed Aegon back then.

"But you raped and murdered Elia Martell."

"Did you see it with your own eyes?"

"............" Arianne's breathing stagnated.

"Humph, of course I didn't see it with my own eyes, but everyone knows it."

"Rumors are just rumors. When a person has a bad reputation, any rumor will appear out of thin air. No matter what you say about me, I will not admit to things I have not done."

"Do you dare to swear?"

"In the name of the New and Old Gods." The Mountain raised his hand, his expression solemn.

Velas was knowledgeable and a 'scholar'. The Mountain's words and deeds revealed the cultivation of a nobleman. When the Mountain publicly announced Arianne as his lover, he thought the Mountain was as lustful and foul-mouthed as Captain Aegon, but it didn't seem to be the case. The Mountain spoke to Arianne Martell without a trace of frivolity or lewdness in his eyes.

Arianne Martell had sworn an oath in front of the Dornish soldiers and the people of Highgarden, with the honor of God and her family, that the Mountain was her only man from now on. This was not a political marriage, because the two would not have a legal marriage, but such a relationship was actually a kind of political marriage. However, this form itself carried a humiliation and condescending coercion to Arianne's honor, but the Mountain's first sentence was, I am very sorry.

The Mountain did not have the slightest arrogance of a conqueror, and was almost like a different person from the Mountain who had carried out the Dragonflame Massacre.

The Mountain controlled all the initiative, but did not condescend or wantonly act lustfully. If it were his friend Captain Aegon, he might have already touched Arianne's beauty. At the very least, lewd and ambiguous eyes were definitely certain.

Arianne's beauty carried the awe of a superior and the blade of a blood-iron warrior. This was a temperament that Velas Tyrell had never seen in any other woman.

"I will not believe your oath, Mountain," Arianne said coldly, "Elia's blood cannot be washed away by you."

"Why should I wash it away? I have already carried the infamous name for seventeen years. Regarding Princess Elia's misfortune, I can only say that it was war, and I am a warrior. A warrior's duty is to follow orders, it is a natural duty, there is no choice, just like them." The Mountain waved his hand back, including all the Dornish soldiers on the mountain behind Highgarden, "How many women are raped and killed in every siege war? Countless. After Dorne broke Highgarden, if I and the dragon hadn't appeared, how many Highgarden women would have been raped and killed by the Dornish soldiers? Back then, I was just a small soldier under Duke Tywin. Who would dare not follow the Duke's orders? If the Duke ordered to treat the prisoners well and treat Elia with courtesy, who would dare not listen?"

Velas looked at Arianne. The Mountain's words were logically clear, removing his responsibility completely, which made him feel very strange. He believed that Arianne felt the same way. The impression the Mountain gave was far from the domineering, evil, fierce, crude, barbaric, foul-mouthed, and rude image in the rumors.

But why did he carry out the Dragonflame Massacre of Highgarden?

Was he deliberately weakening Highgarden's strength? The supplies of Highgarden were being continuously transported out. Was he crossing the river and tearing down the bridge?! Or was Dorne what the Mountain wanted more?! Yes, Highgarden belonged to the King and would not be loyal to the Mountain, but Dorne had already surrendered to the Mountain, not the royal family.

Velas Tyrell suddenly felt a little cold in his heart.

The Mountain's ambition seems to be not small, I hope it's just my suspicion!

'Velas Tyrell, for the sake of saving you and your people, I need a reward from you,'" the Mountain said.

"Reward?" Velas Tyrell asked hoarsely. His eyes looked at Highgarden, which was still burning, the fire still soaring into the sky. This was the evidence and masterpiece of the Mountain saving people. Velas felt he couldn't express his suffering.

"Yes, a reward. I need you to immediately order scouts to gather your vassals at Bitterbridge, preparing to launch an attack on Aegon Targaryen VI in the Stormlands."

"Mountain, is this your official order or the reward you personally want for saving my life?" Velas Tyrell became wary and deeply guarded against the Mountain.

"It is both my order and the reward I personally want." The Mountain's tone became sharp, "Velas, if you are a stupid pig, I will not explain to you why you must immediately gather the Reach's army, because even if I tell you, you won't understand; if you are not a stupid pig, then I don't need to explain to you."

Velas Tyrell's face turned pale and white. It was the first time in his life that he had been insulted so harshly and with such a stern voice.

Arianne Martell's amber eyes, however, lit up. The Mountain was indeed the Mountain, as expected, domineering, evil, strong, and brooking no argument. Honestly, Arianne was a very strong person. When her father Doran Martell didn't listen to her advice, she launched a coup and imprisoned her father in the Water Gardens.

The Mountain's strength made Velas Tyrell, a 'scholar', speechless. This was not the barbarity of dry force, but a first-class dilemma of eloquence. No matter how Velas Tyrell refuted, the Mountain occupied an indisputable height: Velas Tyrell was a stupid pig!

Velas Tyrell was stunned for a long time before saying, "Mountain, my steward, scholar, captain, and drillmaster are not by my side. I haven't seen the steward and his two bastards since the Dornish night raid. Scholar Lomes was thrown down from the scholar's tower by the Dornish. I don't know the life or death of Captain Aegon, who is in charge of the guard corps, and Drillmaster Fortimos, who is in charge of the defending corps, and none of the soldiers around me have seen them."

"You have no trustworthy vassals available around you?"

"Yes, Mountain!"

"I can tell you a very simple way to discover loyal subjects."

"...I would like to know your method..." Velas Tyrell said hoarsely. Being taught by someone like the Mountain made Velas feel a little hot on his face.

Arianne's pair of beautiful eyes flashed, staring at the Mountain's face, then moved away to the dragon behind the Mountain. The Mountain's words and deeds greatly surprised and surprised her. The Mountain said that he would teach Velas how to choose loyal subjects, which was not force, but political talent and wisdom. Velas Tyrell was known for his erudition.

In a short period of time, the Mountain's words had made Arianne 'look at him in a new light' again and again. She gradually understood: the Mountain could become the Master of War, could tame dragons, could kill Randyll Tarly, could capture Tywin Lannister alive, and could force her to kneel and submit. These were obviously not based on luck and the strength of force. They actually included the Mountain's military talent, political talent, and life wisdom.

But all the rumors about the Mountain, except for domineering and cruel, had nothing else.

"Velas..." the Mountain said—Arianne's eyes were on the dragon, but all she heard was the Mountain's voice. What method did the Mountain have to help Velas find a new steward, captain, and drillmaster? The first condition for these people was loyalty. She cared a lot about this—"My dragon brought you here. The first person who runs to your side, if it's a soldier, let him be your personal guard; if it's a knight, let him be your captain; if it's a general, let him be your drillmaster; their loyalty must be more credible than other soldiers, knights, and generals."

Velas opened his mouth wide and looked at the Mountain. The truth contained in this method was actually very simple. Whoever cared most about the lord would be the first to come to his side. This was the simplest method, but also the best way to test a person's loyalty and love for the lord.

Arianne, who had not been looking at the Mountain, immediately turned her gaze to the Mountain's face. She had never thought of the method that the Mountain had said, but as soon as the Mountain said it, she thought that this simple method was wonderful and practical.

Simple, direct, without any mystery, like a straight punch.

Arianne's amber eyes were very beautiful. She looked at the Mountain, unblinkingly. This man possessed a dragon, he was tall and mighty, he was wise and strong, he had a terrible reputation. This person's complexity was something she had never seen before. She was originally a woman who liked to conquer men, strong as a mountain, but this time, she discovered an even stronger person, combining strength, martial power, and wisdom perfectly.

Arianne liked very powerful men, liked men with very high martial arts skills, liked very smart and wise men, and even liked decisive men, whether this man was an enemy or an ally, it didn't diminish her liking for this man.

Arianne's character was like this.

The bastard daughters of Oberyn Martell were all such women: they liked capable men, whether this man was an enemy or an ally. Before Tyene poisoned Aegon, she enjoyed herself with Aegon to the fullest, like the sweetest lovers.

The Mountain felt Arianne's gaze was strange. He met this gaze. Arianne looked at the Mountain, her gaze not escaping at all. Arianne never escaped a man's gaze, it was always men who escaped her gaze.

The Mountain saw that Arianne wanted to sleep with him!

"Arianne Martell," the Mountain said faintly.

"Mountain!" Arianne's eyes burned like flames.

She wanted to sleep with him, without any concealment.

The Martell family, starting from Oberyn, had set a bad precedent. Regardless of men and women, as long as they liked each other, they were passionate as fire in matters of love. Unrestrained, bold, and uninhibited to the point of being criticized by the world and scholars.

"Arianne, you have sworn allegiance, and your people have knelt and submitted. In return, I promise you that I will guarantee that Dorne's national strength and financial resources will double within two years, with strong soldiers and horses, people living in peace and prosperity, and a rich and powerful country."

"Humph!" Arianne snorted softly, "Can you perform magic? Mountain?" Her big eyes sparkled, not knowing whether it was out of desire or out of disbelief in the Mountain's empty promise.

"I don't have magic, but I have a stronger ability to make money, trade, and wage war than magic. Only I can buy and sell the wine from Qingting Island, that's my skill. The best snow salt in the Seven Kingdoms, the mountain range with the most iron ore in the Seven Kingdoms, are all under my control, that's ability. Of course, the real money-making isn't these things."

"Heh, you're so amazing, then can you marry me to Aegon Targaryen VI? The person I want to marry is him, he is of the blood of the dragon, the legitimate heir to the Iron Throne, he is the true dragon, the king."

For Arianne, marrying Aegon VI and becoming the Mountain's lover were not conflicting, of course, it only conflicted with the Mountain's request that Arianne could only have him as her only man in exchange for the lives of tens of thousands of Dornish soldiers. This was actually kidnapping Dorne onto the Mountain's war chariot.

Because, if they were really together, there would definitely be children. There are two possibilities for their children, one is a legitimate bastard with inheritance rights; the other is an illegitimate bastard, just like the blacksmith knight Gendry Clegane, just like the former Jon Snow, everything of the family has nothing to do with him.

Would the Mountain publicly acknowledge his and Arianne's bastard as a legitimate bastard? The kind with inheritance rights? When the Mountain publicly announced that Arianne could only have him as her only man, this question no longer needed to be explained.

"You want to marry Aegon VI?" The Mountain asked Arianne. Arianne wanted to sleep with the Mountain, but her flirting skills were also unique.

"Yes."

"I, Gregor Clegane, Duke of Dragonstone, Warden of the West, Warden of the East and Warden of the North, Master of War of the Seven Kingdoms, King of the Claw, Lord of Clegane's New Village, Castamere, and Tarbeck Hall. I solemnly swear again in the name of the Old Gods and the New, in the name of the honor of House Clegane, to the Dornish Lady Arianne Martell, I promise you, I will let you marry Aegon Targaryen VI." The Mountain struck his right fist on the left side of his chest, over his heart, and solemnly swore.

"............"

Arianne felt a block in her chest, she stared at the Mountain, her red lips parted, but she couldn't say a word.

Velas Tyrell was also stunned!

The Mountain swore by the Old Gods and the New and the honor of his family to let Arianne Martell marry Aegon VI?

How is this possible?!

The Mountain's words greatly exceeded Arianne and Velas' expectations.

Arianne is very good at flirting with the manliest of men, but the Mountain is also very good at flirting with her.

"Aegon Targaryen VI, since you like him and want to marry him, I promise you, I will fulfill your wish, I will send you his corpse. If you like the whole corpse, I will send you the complete one; if you like Aegon in pieces, I will cut him up piece by piece and send them to you."

Thanks to 【Chau534】【*霸王_别姬*】 for the reward and support, thank you, peace and good fortune.