The Mountain of Ice and Fire

The Mountain opened his eyes. It was very quiet around him, and he found himself lying on a soft bed. The ceiling was a golden bas-relief, carved with the heads of the Seven Gods. On the opposite wall hung a large tapestry from the distant Eastern world, depicting beasts fighting with hunters, as well as the grace of maidens bathing.

A faint ray of sunlight streamed in from the narrow window and onto the floor.

The Mountain sat up in bed, still feeling a little weak. He saw the Ice Sword hanging on the wall at the head of the bed. Next to the greatsword, his armor, which had been disassembled, hung piece by piece on the wall, and his great flat-topped helmet was right at his bedside.

The Mountain recognized this place. He had been here many times. It was the King's bedroom. He saw the signature two fireplaces. Above the fireplace was a bronze decoration made in the shape of a stag's head.

The Mountain got out of bed and began to put on his armor and helmet himself.

Normally, the Mountain needed to be served when putting on his armor. He couldn't easily reach the buckle straps on the back of the armor himself.

But the Mountain didn't call for anyone, nor did he ask why he was in the King's bedroom in the Red Keep of King's Landing. He remembered the situation on Dragonstone. They rushed out of the main castle and, led by Jorah Mormont, turned into a sturdy stone house next to the Citadel. The stone house was crumbling with dust, but it kept everyone from breathing in the thick smoke and dust outside. Moreover, towels and water had already been prepared in this stone house.

Although the main hall of the castle was torn apart, it did not collapse.

The collapse of the upper half of the Painted Table chamber on the other side did not pose a fatal danger to everyone, but the rolling fog of dust was suffocating.

The power of the wildfire explosion underground was actually very limited, and the flames did not burn on the ground, indicating that there was very little wildfire material buried underground, and the destructive power was not enough to destroy the base of the main castle tower.

To fight against the White Walkers, the Mountain sent a large amount of wildfire material from King's Landing to Winterfell, and blew up all the buildings in the thousands-year-old Winterfell into ruins.

But Dragonstone had a fatal weakness: a large amount of underground space outside Dragonstone Castle had been hollowed out—in order to obtain a large amount of dragon crystals to fight against the White Walkers, more than a thousand miners continuously mined dragon crystal ore underground on Dragonstone for several months, causing serious emptiness in too many places. Once there was a violent shock, it would easily form a chain reaction, causing a large-scale earthquake on Dragonstone.

But Jorah Mormont's timely appearance led everyone to avoid being trapped in the smoke and dust. He and his soldiers knew the way and led everyone to the stone house.

The soft-footed Mountain, who was being supported by the Clegane generals, didn't say anything, but he already understood in his heart that Jorah Mormont's timely appearance was a link that had been planned long ago by the person who arranged this plan. The purpose was of course not to save the Mountain and his party, but for Daenerys. They were actually here to slaughter the survivors of the Mountain's party.

However, Daenerys ordered Jorah and his team to put away their swords and short crossbows against the Mountain and his party. Perhaps Daenerys was afraid of the power of Melisandre's shadow guards, perhaps the person who designed the pitfall didn't fully know Melisandre's extraordinary magic, perhaps Daenerys was looking at Jon's plea, perhaps Daenerys herself didn't have a cruel and ruthless heart, perhaps Daenerys considered that the Mountain's fleet surrounded the port of Dragonstone at sea—no matter what the reason, Daenerys sternly stopped Jorah and his party's actions, and the Mountain and his party were able to enter this pre-arranged stone house where they could hide with Daenerys.

While putting on his armor, the Mountain's eyes were filled with the many chaotic scenes he had experienced on Dragonstone. At that time, the Mountain, who had taken Melisandre's antidote, was still unable to stand. He remembered the dragon sheep thief coming, bowing down for the first time, and everyone sending him onto the dragon's back. Then, the sheep thief took the Mountain, Melisandre, and some generals and courtiers, flew out of Dragonstone Castle, and soared into the sky. In the Mountain's last memory, he saw the vast blue sky... and heard the uninterrupted roar of the four dragons resounding through the sky...

The Mountain silently put on his armor, inserted the Ice Sword on his back, and put on his flat-topped helmet. He opened the door to the King's bedroom. It was quiet outside, and there was a white robe in the distant corner.

This scene surprised the Mountain.

Where is everyone?

The Mountain walked out, and the heavy footsteps made the White Cloak Kingsguard in the distance turn around. It was Ser Garlan Goodbrother of the Kingsguard. This was completely one of his own—someone the Mountain had personally arranged to enter the royal family.

Garlan seemed surprised and ran quickly towards him.

The Mountain stopped.

"Lord Hand, you're awake? Lady Jeyne said you might not wake up until tomorrow."

"Where is the King?" The Mountain asked directly about his most pressing concern.

"His Majesty led the army to attack Dragonstone."

This answer surprised the Mountain somewhat. But he quickly understood. Gendry Baratheon was a passionate young man, stubborn and rigid. He must not have been able to accept what happened, the violation of guest right.

"Did His Majesty take even the Tower of the Hand Guard away?"

"Yes, the Royal Guard, the City Watch of King's Landing, the Clegane Legion, the Vale Army, the Crownlands Army, and the defensive fleet in the port, His Majesty took them all."

*

Yesterday afternoon, after the sheep thief and the white dragon Viserys brought back the Mountain, Melisandre, Arianne Martell, and others, the young King could not accept this fact. He was filled with anger and passion. He ordered Ser Rolph Spiceworth, commander of the Royal Guard, to be the commander-in-chief of the City Watch and the Royal Guard, and Bronn, captain of the Tower of the Hand Guard, to be the deputy commander; he also appointed the Clegane Legion with Captain Balon Swann as the commander-in-chief and Brienne of Tarth as the deputy commander; the Crownlands Army with Ser Osmund Kettleblack of the Kingsguard as the commander-in-chief and Gormond Goodbrother of the Kingsguard as the deputy commander, the Vale Army with Earl Corbray of Heart's Home as the commander-in-chief and Ser Morton Waynwood as the deputy commander—a total of four legions.

Blacksmith King Gendry spent two hours gathering the four legions in King's Landing, totaling 15,000 men. After requisitioning dozens of large merchant ships, he set off in the dark with more than 30 defensive warships in the port to attack Daenerys Targaryen on Dragonstone.

The other party attacked the Mountain and his party at the peace agreement banquet, violating guest right. The blacksmith king, who was still a passionate young man, stubbornly believed that this was an unforgivable original sin. And the Mountain was the foster father who had bestowed knightly honor upon Gendry.

*

"Where are Melisandre and Arya?"

"They all went with His Majesty."

"Did Prince Arianne Martell also go?"

"Yes, Daenerys has two dragons."

"Is it just you stationed at the Tower of the Hand?"

"There are also twenty City Watch soldiers. They defend the Tower of the Hand drawbridge, the walls, and the gate."

The huge King's palace, the Tower of the Hand, was actually only defended by twenty City Watch soldiers. This was the King's residence, the highest center of power in the dynasty.

*

The Mountain was silent for a while. He knew that this defeat stemmed from Bran Stark. When things happened, Daenerys called out Bran Stark's name, and before that, the Mountain, Melisandre, Jeyne, and Lady Dalt had not foreseen that Bran Stark was already on Dragonstone.

The Mountain no longer had any illusions about Bran Stark. Bran Stark had become his most feared and most troublesome enemy.

He knew he had to kill Bran Stark, otherwise Bran would eventually use his greenseer and warg abilities to kill him.

The Mountain had saved Eddard Stark's life; he had also saved Sansa's life; in Harrenhal in 298 AC, he treated Arya kindly and instructed her to go to the House of Black and White in Braavos, where she learned the skills of a Faceless Man; in the great battle of Winterfell, he killed the Night King and burned a large number of wights with dragons, and had a great favor of rebirth for the Northmen and the Stark family. If Bran was still a true Stark, he would never attack the Mountain. Even if he didn't help the Mountain, he would never intend to kill him.

But he still attacked. He was a greenseer, able to see many things that would happen in the future. He planned to kill the Mountain at the peace agreement banquet, and he didn't even tell Daenerys.

However, despite this, the Mountain still did not die from Bran's pitfall. Did his prophetic ability not see the scene of the Mountain escaping? Or did he know that he couldn't kill the Mountain this time, but he could get rid of the Mountain's generals and strategists? Of course, there was also the fleet that the Mountain brought.

This was a painful lesson!

The Mountain realized that he was playing politics in this cruel world, but he still had the superficial innocence and naivety of a college dog from before the transmigration. It was just that his bravery and decisiveness usually disguised it so well that even he didn't know it.

This lesson made the Mountain certain that Bran Stark's true identity was the master of the Three-Eyed Raven: Bloodraven Brynden Rivers, a true Targaryen. Maester Aemon Targaryen, the 102-year-old of the Night's Watch at the Wall, would also have to call Bloodraven grandfather. And the young Bran Stark was just a body occupied by Bloodraven Brynden Rivers, and of course Bran's soul.

About a hundred years ago, Brynden Rivers was already a warg, and he could possess any bird or beast, and spy on other people's secrets through the eyes of birds and beasts, and he could also freely drive fierce beasts to fight for him, just like the free folk warrior Sixskins Varamir that the Mountain kept by his side.

Varamir was a warg, able to control six beasts at the same time to fight for him, but the greenseer's ability was far above Varamir's. He had evolved from a warg into a seasoned greenseer.

The Mountain knew that Bran Stark could not only possess any bird or beast, but he could also easily possess people.

Because of his fear of the greenseer's ability, the Mountain had always avoided becoming an enemy with a greenseer. He had always believed that with his alliance with the Stark family, the Three-Eyed Raven Bran would not attack him even if he had any ideas. Now it seemed that the trace of fantasy he had for Bran was just wishful thinking and self-deception, and it also exposed his deeply hidden childish superficiality.

He wasn't completely thick-skinned yet!

*

"Garlan, how long have I been sleeping here?"

"You've been sleeping since you came back yesterday."

Came back yesterday until now? Yesterday? The Mountain was surprised.

"Is it morning or afternoon now?"

"Afternoon?"

"Afternoon? But I don't feel hungry?"

"Lady Jeyne fed you soup."

"Soup?" The Mountain didn't believe that he wouldn't be hungry after drinking a little soup. His appetite was amazing. From yesterday until now, two days and most of a day and night, he woke up without feeling hungry, which was incredible to him. The Mountain suspected that his 'no hunger' must be related to the poisoning at noon yesterday.

"What kind of poison did I get?"

"Lord Hand, you were not poisoned, but you were poisoned with Nightshade, which makes people lose strength and fall into a deep sleep. It brings weakness and drowsiness, and will not cause harm to your body like poison, nor will it endanger your life."

"I don't believe it!" The Mountain said decisively. Since Bran planned to kill him, it was definitely to take his life.

"Lady Jeyne and Lady Dalt both took your blood with silver needles to check. The opinions of the two ladies were completely consistent. Lady Melisandre's colorful powder can detoxify severe poisons, but it has no effect on Nightshade, which causes sleep. Lady Jeyne said that those poisons made by the warlocks of Lys are useless to you and cannot poison you at all. Lady Dalt said that only their blood witches are the most powerful poison masters."

"Where is Lady Jeyne?"

"She and Lady Dalt returned to the Tower of the Hand last night. Lady Dalt said that Lady Jeyne is likely to give birth tonight, and Lady Dalt is guarding her."

"Oh!" The Mountain nodded, turned around, and turned onto the spiral staircase, walking faster and faster, towards the top floor of the Tower of the Hand.

"Lord Hand, where are you going?"

"To Dragonstone."

Garlan quickly followed: "The King said that when Lord Hand wakes up, he should rest well. Lord, Lady Jeyne also needs you, and the child may come into this world tonight."

"With Lady Dalt guarding Jeyne, I am very relieved."

"The sleep-inducing Nightshade will make people weak and continue to weaken for several days after waking up. Lady Jeyne ordered me that if you wake up, you should not exert yourself and get angry. You need to rest for at least a day."

"I'm going to Dragonstone." The Mountain stopped, stared at Garlan, Garlan's heart skipped a beat, and a sense of fear arose from the bottom of his heart, uncontrollably.

"Lord Hand..."

The Mountain stopped, turned around, and looked at Garlan calmly. Garlan's heart skipped a beat, and a sense of fear arose from the bottom of his heart, uncontrollably.

"Get out!" The Mountain said softly and calmly. His face was peaceful and kind.

"Yes, Lord Hand." Garlan stopped, not daring to stop him again. He found his mouth dry.

The Mountain strode to the top of the Tower of the Hand, and he shouted out in the dragon language: "Sheep Stealer! Fly! Fight!"

A clear dragon roar sounded, and in the huge godswood, a huge golden-red shadow rose into the air, and the contracted wings shook slightly, and a gust of wind blew on the ground. The dragon came to the top of the Tower of the Hand. The Mountain jumped up, grabbed the dragon horns, and flipped onto the dragon's back. The giant dragon rose higher and fully opened its wings, covering the sky above the Red Keep.

*

The dragon flew out of King's Landing. From its back, the Mountain saw that there were almost no soldiers on the city walls, but the streets were still bustling with people, just like usual. He arrived above Blackwater Bay, and it was obvious that the number of ships in the harbor had decreased significantly. The Royal Navy's harbor was empty, with only three patrol longships left to guard it.

None of the warships he had taken to the waters outside Dragonstone had returned.

This made the Mountain feel a strong sense of foreboding.

He had once ridden a dragon to burn the warships of the Nine Free Cities. Could it be that this time, it was his turn?

The thought of Bran being able to possess and control almost anyone made the Mountain's heart leap.

The Mountain couldn't accept the crushing defeat of having all his warships destroyed by Bran! He urgently needed to get to Dragonstone to join the battle and make sure to kill Bran Stark, leaving no future troubles!

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