The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Eddard Stark said to the guide, "I heard that the people of Volantis mostly believe in the Red God, and after people die, they are cremated."

"Yes, my lord," the guide said, bowing.

Eddard instructed the guards to put the heads and bodies together, and also asked people to bring kerosene and wood, piled them on the bridge, lit a fire, and cremated these heads and bodies.

The fire blazed, and black smoke soared into the low sky.

The citizens of the East City saw it and spread the word. The families of the dead rushed to kneel and kowtow, thanking Lord Eddard Stark for holding a cremation for their family members.

The nobles of the East City did not cremate the dead, which was a deliberate humiliation of these people's souls, so that they could not rest in peace after death. The nobles used this to threaten and intimidate other slaves and citizens who dared to resist them. Duke Eddard Stark had the strength of the legion, so he dared to take the corpses of the dead off the bridge for cremation. If anyone else dared to take the corpses for cremation, it would be a capital crime.

At the east end of the bridge, noble soldiers guarded it, not allowing the citizens of the East City to enter the West City.

The West City was the exclusive city of the nobles. The black city walls were very tall and majestic, built by the nobles of the Valyrian Empire. It is rumored that the current Elephant Party and Tiger Party nobles are descendants of the nobles of the former Valyrian Empire. The West City is like a black, burly giant, while the East City is an undernourished child.

The knights and soldiers at the West City bridgehead saw the fire in the middle of the bridge, and scouts rode over to look at the situation from a distance, and went back to report to the bridgehead general. The bridgehead general did not dare to make his own decisions and sent someone to report the news to the city's ruling officer. This year's election was won by the Elephant Party, and the ruling officer was Joshur of the Elephant Party.

For hundreds of years, the Elephant Party and the Tiger Party have become rich by selling slaves. Daenerys, the Dragon Messenger of the Demon Mountain, came to Astapor, persuaded them to surrender, and said that she would abolish slavery. This aroused the enemy's anger of the Elephant Party and the Tiger Party. Abolishing slavery would shake their foundations, but in view of Daenerys' three dragons and the Demon Mountain's dragon combat power, they decided to make peace, hoping to sit down for peaceful negotiations.

In the ruling hall, Joshur and the nobles received a report from the scout saying that Eddard Stark had taken down the bodies of the criminals on the bridge and held a cremation. Some of the criminals' families were crying on the cremated bridge and kneeling to thank Eddard Stark's righteous act. This made the nobles' already resentful hearts dissatisfied, and this emotion was spreading. Some radical nobles already had a fighting spirit in their eyes.

Tiger Party leader Jeff had never been able to accept the decision to surrender to Demon Mountain. At this time, he could no longer restrain himself. A young tiger was lying at his feet, and he was also wearing a tiger skin cloak and a tiger skin hat. He stood up, majestic without anger: "We are descendants of the Valyrian Empire, the blood of the dragon people. How dare a guy from a small place humiliate us like this? Whether it is the East City or the West City, the laws are still in our hands. When Daenerys came to persuade us to surrender, she promised to let us control our city. Except for slavery, the city-state laws will not be modified. How dare that Duke from the North take the corpses of criminals for cremation?"

Among the nobles, the Elephant Party advocated surrender and peace, while the Tiger Party had always advocated fighting to the end. However, the ruling officer was Joshur of the Elephant Party, and in the end, the Elephant Party's proposition prevailed. But on foreign issues, both the Elephant Party and the Tiger Party are united against the outside world.

Joshur said: "Lord Jeff, if you were the ruling officer, how would you handle this matter?"

"If Daenerys comes, or Demon Mountain comes, we can still be accommodating. They are a queen and a king. What we want to surrender is only Daenerys and Demon Mountain, not any other guys. That Eddard Stark is just a small duke in Westeros, a courtier under Demon Mountain, a dog. We dare not provoke the master, but for a dog, teaching him a lesson can also establish our prestige for the Elephant Party and the Tiger Party," Jeff said with emotion.

Joshur is a wizened old man, while Jeff is a brave general.

Joshur said: "What are your opinions, gentlemen?"

Most of the people from the Elephant Party remained silent, while the nobles from the Tiger Party advocated going to question Eddard Stark. The Tiger Party is mostly composed of military generals, while the Elephant Party is composed of cunning fellows, and the Elephant Party has always been in the upper hand in politics. Last year, the Elephant Party won the election, and Joshur, the wizened old man, the leader of the Elephant Party, became the ruling officer.

The Volantis legion's combat power has always been well maintained and has not suffered any losses. Eddard Stark led his army to occupy the East City, but the nobles and legions lived in the West City. The East City was where slaves and civilians lived. The houses were dilapidated and there were no city walls. It could be attacked from all four sides, east, west, north, and south. The population of the East City exceeded that of the West City, but there were no troops stationed there.

Joshur said: "Duke Eddard Stark is indeed inappropriate to take our criminals off the bridge for cremation. This will damage our ruling prestige and shake the morale of the army and the people. I agree with the opinion of Tiger Party leader Jeff. Jeff, are you willing to lead 3,000 Tiger Party warriors to meet Eddard Stark on the Long Bridge? My proposition is not to seek war, but to hope that Eddard Stark understands that in Volantis, it is best to consult us before doing anything."

Jeff said: "Lord Joshur, I don't need three thousand people, two thousand people are enough."

"My lord, don't seek war? Just show off our military power and remind Lord Eddard to pay attention to abiding by our laws. If he has any opinions, he needs to tell us in advance and must not act without authorization. If he insists on his own way, we will refuse to surrender to him. I will send an envoy to see Demon Mountain and Daenerys, tell them that we will only surrender to their two majesties, and ask Daenerys to sign the letter of commitment when she persuaded us to surrender. We respect Demon Mountain and Daenerys as kings, but the jurisdiction of Volantis is still ours. The Elephant Party and the Tiger Party compete fairly, and the ruling officer is elected once a year."

Jeff was already impatient: "My lord, I know what to do." He raised his hand, and the generals in the Elephant Party stood up together and followed him out of the hall.

Soon, the sound of horns, orders, shouts, warhorses neighing, and weapons clashing came from outside...

"Lord Joshur, Jeff is a reckless general. Should we send two adults to assist him?" a noble with a war elephant embroidered on his clothes suggested.

"No need, Lord Jeff is brave and resourceful, rough but meticulous. He has also served as a ruling officer for a year. I am confident in his ability," Joshur said slowly.

*

One of the world's nine man-made wonders: the Long Bridge of Volantis. The longest bridge in the world, similar to the cross-sea bridge in Demon Mountain's previous life.

Eddard Stark and his soldiers had just turned over and mounted their horses when a scout came to report that the city gate of the East City was wide open, and cavalry was rushing out, heading towards the Great Bridge.

Eddard Stark didn't care: "The welcoming team sent by Ruling Officer Joshur, everyone doesn't need to be nervous."

The team moved forward. Soon, at the bridgehead of the East Bridge, flags were waving, and a flag embroidered with a tiger was raised high, fluttering in the wind, rushing towards the bridge.

"The Tiger Party!" Eddard said.

Before he finished speaking, Eddard's horse stopped, raised its neck, and sniffed in the air. The unicorn under the Hound's crotch made a hissing sound of welcome and shot forward. The Hound shouted: "Quiet, quiet, quiet!" The unicorn stopped, made a low threatening sound, lowered its head slightly, and stared ahead with eyes like awls.

Behind him, the warhorses neighed in fright and turned to flee. The knights and generals on horseback pulled hard on the reins and shouted loudly, but it was useless. Eddard Stark's warhorse stood up and threw the Duke to the ground. The warhorse neighed in fright and galloped backwards. More knights and soldiers were thrown off their mounts, and the well-trained warhorses lost control. The thousand-man regiment was like a pot of boiling water. One horse's fright led to a hundred horses' fright, and the entire team was in chaos.

Clang!

The Hound drew his long sword.

"Steady, unicorn," he shouted.

The unicorn was restless, constantly stomping on the bridge, making a low roar. It only longed to rush forward, as if there was its nemesis ahead.

"Lord Eddard, are you okay?" the Hound shouted.

"I'm fine!" Eddard got up with difficulty. He fell on the hard stone slab, and although he was protected by armor, he was still dizzy. His warhorse had already run far away.

The cavalry was in chaos. Only the Hound's unicorn was not afraid of the threat and wanted to rush forward, but the Hound was cautious and would not let the unicorn move forward.

Things were too strange.

In the air, the Hound smelled an unusual aura. In the distance, flags were waving, and a cavalry formation appeared. At the front of the team, there seemed to be a tiger.

"There is a beast on the opposite side," the Hound shouted.

Eddard Stark said: "The other party is deliberately trying to intimidate us!" He straightened his clothes and issued an order for the team to maintain formation. However, many warhorses broke free from their riders and galloped wildly along the long bridge, and some riders went to chase the warhorses, and the team was already in chaos.

"It's a tiger!" the Hound shouted.

"Form ranks!" Eddard shouted, "Those without horses, form an infantry formation behind me; those with horses, form a cavalry formation in the rear."

The messengers shouted the Duke's orders one after another.

Footsteps rustled, and the soldiers who had lost their horses gathered behind Eddard and formed a line.

The Hound was alone on his unicorn, holding a long sword in his hand, at the very front of the team, controlling the unicorn to stabilize the situation.

On the opposite side, there was indeed a very majestic tiger roaring towards this side. Behind the tiger, the cavalry team advanced slowly, about an arrow's distance from the tiger.

"No one is scolding the tiger, they are doing it on purpose," Eddard Stark said in a deep voice.

"Duke, draw your sword," the Hound said coldly.

"Do they dare to fight?" Eddard Stark said.

"Releasing the tiger in front, with the cavalry team behind, and the dark mass of troops with no end in sight, this is not what a welcome looks like."

Eddard Stark stepped forward. The tiger was rushing over swiftly, bringing a gust of wind.

"Swordsmen!" Eddard Stark shouted, "Form up!"

Boom boom boom!

The infantry shields were in hand, the long swords were hidden under the shields, tightly closed, and formed a tortoise formation. Behind them, without waiting for Eddard to order, the cavalry had already taken down their bows and arrows, nocked their arrows, and aimed at the front. But the horses under their crotches began to stir again, kicking the ground, constantly bowing their heads, retreating, moving sideways, turning... all kinds of unease.

"Lord Eddard, my unicorn can fight the tiger, give the order."

"Wait a minute, the other party may just be demonstrating, not fighting," Eddard said.

Roar!

A tiger's roar shook the earth, like thunder, drowning out the sound of the rushing water under the bridge. The tiger rolled forward, but half an arrow's distance away.

The Hound didn't get Eddard Stark's order, so he didn't care. He put down his mask, clamped his legs, and gave the signal to attack. The unicorn had long been unable to bear it. As soon as it received its master's order, it immediately turned into a black shadow. With a whoosh, a whirlwind swept across the bridge, causing a gust of wind. The Hound and the unicorn rushed towards the tiger.

Unicorn, a magical creature, the king of land travel.

The tiger was in high spirits, and its aura was transmitted through the air, scaring away Eddard's cavalry, but it didn't know that there was a unicorn here who was not afraid of it at all. The unicorn rushed out, as fast as a black lightning bolt, straight for the tiger. The tiger hesitated slightly, but was not afraid. Tigers exist on the continent of Essos, but not on the continent of Westeros. This tiger had never seen a unicorn in its life, and the unicorn had never seen a tiger on the island of Skagos. Both beasts were full of hostility and aroused a soaring fighting spirit.

The tiger pressed its claws slightly on the ground and flew up from the ground, opening its bloody mouth and stretching out its tiger claws, pouncing on the Hound on the unicorn in the air.

The Hound patted the unicorn's hindquarters. The unicorn also hissed, also took off, lowered its head, and the black horn on its head, about the length of a one-handed sword, slammed into the tiger.

Puff!

With a loud bang, the unicorn's horn pierced into the tiger's body, piercing through the chest, as if a sharp blade had pierced through leather. The tiger's claws swung at the Hound, and its mouth bit at the Hound's helmet, but it was a step slower. The unicorn struck first and pierced through its tiger body first...

The tiger let out a miserable howl: Roar—

Behind him, a sharp whistle sounded, summoning the tiger back.

Tiger Party leader Jeff did come to establish his power, not to really start a war. He deliberately let the tiger go ahead to scare the opponent's warhorses and disrupt the opponent's formation, and then blew the whistle to call the tiger back to the team. But he didn't expect that among the opponent's generals, one general's mount was not a warhorse, but a magical creature: a unicorn.

The unicorn is the king of land travel, and also the nemesis of beasts such as tigers, lions, shadow mountain cats, wolves, and leopards.

The king of sky magical creatures is the dragon.

The king of ground magical creatures is the unicorn.

The unicorn lowered its head and took off, striking first, and the sharp horn pierced into the tiger's body, carrying the tiger's body to the ground. With a loud bang, the bridge trembled slightly.

The tiger fell to the ground, but did not die. It still wanted to get up and struggled to stand up shakily. The Hound urged the unicorn forward, hooked his feet on the saddle, leaned his body down, held the sword in one hand, and with the inertial force of the unicorn's running, the long sword stabbed fiercely into the tiger's neck... piercing through... let go, the unicorn ran past the tiger, passed by, and the long sword remained on the tiger's neck...