The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Anguy's warhorse stepped over Ago's corpse and slowly came to a halt. He reined the horse around, the hooves clattering as he approached Ago.

He dismounted and picked up Ago's dragonbone bow from the ground, placing the priceless weapon on Ago's chest.

In the end, Ago didn't dodge, didn't block, and didn't use his divine arrow-catching skill. He chose death.

Anguy had a warhorse. After Ago's warhorse was shot down again by Anguy, Ago's defeat was already sealed.

Even if he could roll on the ground to dodge Anguy's two arrows, he couldn't dodge the subsequent pursuit shots.

Even if he could catch the arrows with his bare hands, with Anguy's speed and precision, he wouldn't have time to draw his bow and counterattack.

Anguy had already closed the distance, and Ago's legs couldn't outrun Anguy's warhorse.

Ago could have held on for a little longer, but the outcome of defeat was already determined.

When his second warhorse fell, an arrow in its neck, he was destined to be shot and killed by Anguy.

Ago faced his failure head-on, cleanly choosing to end his life. He met death face-to-face.

In the hearts of the Dothraki, death is not frightening; being shamed and beheaded is what they cannot accept.

Tens of thousands of soldiers in the audience maintained a rare silence.

When Anguy stood up from Ago's body, raising the dragonbone bow high, the Dothraki erupted in earth-shattering cheers.

They were cheering for Anguy's victory. As for Ago, it was as if the Dothraki had already forgotten him.

Worshiping the strong is a traditional cornerstone in the Dothraki's blood. They admire whoever is strong and are willing to follow him.

Standing beside Daenerys, the Mountain looked down at the Dothraki who were packed tightly around the arena. From the Dothraki's reaction to Anguy's cheers, he saw the grand occasion when he conquered the Dothraki.

He would appear on the Dothraki Sea as an absolute powerhouse, making these people kneel and submit. When he appeared, he would be even more powerful than Daenerys.

The Dothraki's national characteristic of only following the strong can be exploited.

In terms of personal bravery, the Mountain is the strongest, not Daenerys Targaryen beside him.

Daenerys' husband, Drogo, was able to build the most powerful khalasar not through strategy and benevolence, but through invincible bravery.

The Mountain looked at Daenerys. Daenerys was petite and exquisite, with unparalleled beauty. Her radiance and aura surpassed Arianne Martell and Jeyne Westerling. Jeyne possessed a gentle beauty, Arianne a sharp-edged beauty, and Daenerys a beauty with the aura of royalty. The three women each had their own unique beauty and characteristics, making it difficult to say who was more beautiful. If one were to consider fair skin and delicate, perfect features, Daenerys would be the first.

The Mountain looked at Jon Targaryen beside Daenerys. He and Jon were comrades-in-arms in the North, brothers in the allied forces. The Mountain didn't know his standing in Jon's heart; his reputation had never been good, but he knew that Jon, like Eddard Stark, was an honest and upright knight. The Mountain had done great favors for the North and the Stark family, which made him certain that Jon wouldn't stand on Daenerys' side to target him.

But Bran Stark of the Stark family was different.

The Mountain was very wary and guarded against the Three-Eyed Raven. The death of his eldest daughter, Jory Clegane, could actually have been avoided, which caused the Mountain to lose a daughter who was most loyal to him.

The Mountain knew that he couldn't see through Bran Stark at all, but he also knew that Bran Stark couldn't see through him either.

"Jon," the Mountain said, "when did you arrive at Dragonstone?"

"Some time ago, Lord Hand."

Some time ago? This sentence was somewhat mysterious.

"How many days?"

"Uh, some time."

Jon was somewhat evasive.

This gave the Mountain an unusual feeling. He could see that Daenerys' expression was a little off. Could it be that Jon and Daenerys' relationship wasn't pleasant? The Mountain looked around, feeling doubtful. He didn't see Jon's Night's Watch followers or any Stark family bodyguards from the North.

It was impossible for Jon to come to Dragonstone alone.

"There's someone you must be eager to see."

"Who?" Jon's expression lacked anticipation. He was very somber, like the Dragonmont on Dragonstone.

The Mountain turned to look at his team of guards, but he didn't see Arya Stark's figure among them. That tomboy was gone.

As a Faceless Man, this ability to conceal oneself was just a trivial skill. It seemed that Arya wanted to see Jon in her own way. The Mountain knew that Arya and Jon were the closest of siblings. Arya's 'Needle' was a narrow sword specially forged for her by Jon.

"Someone you definitely want to see very, very much. She's very mysterious right now."

"She's here?"

"Oh, I'm not sure," the Mountain said, uttering an incomprehensible sentence.

The Mountain's words caused Jon to frown slightly: he didn't like being toyed with by the Mountain's words.

Daenerys said, "Lord Hand, let's go to the Dragonstone Keep to sign the peace agreement." Daenerys' tone was very cold, completely businesslike. Her face was stern and not very good-looking, but it didn't affect her unparalleled beauty and regal aura.

In the arena, Ago's body was placed on horseback by Anguy, who was leading the horse, sending Ago out of the arena.

"Good!" the Mountain said. His gaze passed over Daenerys' head, giving Jon a look.

Jon understood the meaning of the Mountain's look. The Mountain wanted Jon to find him privately; he had something to say to Jon.

Daenerys and the Mountain walked down the arena stage, followed by their respective powerhouses: Daenerys' Jorah Mormont and Barristan Selmy, Grey Worm and Hero, Rakharo and others were all absolute powerhouses. The courtiers included Varys, Tyrion Lannister, and her handmaiden Missandei.

The Mountain also had many powerhouses behind him: Vaggot of Crackclaw Point, Elin from the North, Jory of House Follard, Chiswyck, Tehm of the Mountains of the Moon, Arya Stark, Daario, Podrick Payne, and Qyburn… There were also many sons: Anguy Clegane, Comm Warner, Landon.

The Mountain also had a wealth of talent around him.

An hour later, the two sides signed a fragile peace agreement. Daenerys gave the order, and soon banquets were laid out on Dragonstone. Looking down from the Painted Table, the entire arena and castle streets, the open spaces in front of and behind the barracks, and the open spaces inside and outside the city walls were all filled with banquets. Tens of thousands of Dothraki sat on the ground, twisting open their wineskins, and began to feast and drink.

This was a grand banquet held by Daenerys for the arrival of the Mountain and his entourage, and it was also the last carnival before she led her army away.

The Mountain and a group of important courtiers and generals were accompanied by Daenerys and her courtiers and generals to sit down for a banquet in the Dragonstone Keep hall. The Mountain, as the Duke of Dragonstone, was in his own home, in his own territory, but had become the most honored foreign guest.

This was somewhat ironic!

But the Mountain didn't seem to care.

Daenerys sat to the Mountain's right, while Arianne Martell sat to his left, with Melisandre beside Arianne. The 'Three Great Beauties' were all attending to the Mountain, which made the Mountain seem to enjoy it very much. The Mountain's generals and Daenerys' generals were already competing in drinking, while Tyrion, Littlefinger, and Varys were sitting together. The three of them had once served in the same court and fought each other, but now they looked very close, as if they were three long-lost brothers filled with affection…

Jon sat beside Daenerys, never showing a smile. He drank when wine came and ate when meat came, with a handmaiden from Slaver's Bay pouring wine for him.

"Hey, Jon!" The handmaiden suddenly spoke without moving her lips while bending over to pour wine for Jon. The sound was completely drowned out in the noisy banquet hall, but Jon was too familiar with this voice; he heard it.

He was the only one who heard this voice.

He looked at the handmaiden in astonishment. The handmaiden's expression remained the same, and her mouth was still pursed, without any abnormality.

"Don't stare so blankly; it's too silly," that familiar voice sounded again, right next to his ear. Jon looked around, but beside him, apart from the dignified Daenerys, there was only this handmaiden; there was no one else.

*

When Daenerys released Jon alone from the underground black prison, because of Jon's indifference, Her Majesty's courtiers and generals kept a certain distance from him. At the banquet, apart from hypocritical etiquette, no one took the initiative to talk, drink, or chat with Jon. Jon's black-clad brothers and girlfriend Ygritte were still being held in the underground black prison of Dragonstone.

*

Jon withdrew his gaze. He was sure that the woman beside him was the usual handmaiden, and her lips didn't move, but where did that voice come from?

It was Arya Stark's voice, ringing in his ear. The volume was just right, so even Daenerys, who was sitting next to Jon, didn't hear it at all.

"Don't be silly, Jon," Arya's voice continued.

Gurgle, gurgle! The handmaiden filled Jon's glass with wine, then walked in small steps to Tyrion, Littlefinger, and Varys, pouring wine for them.

Jon Targaryen was very surprised. He lowered his head and drank wine, concealing his gaffe. He remembered what the Mountain had said to him on the high platform of the arena: there was someone he was eager to see—without a doubt, the person the Mountain was talking about was Arya Stark.

However, how could Arya Stark have turned into the handmaiden who usually poured wine?

Jon reached out and picked up bread, starting to spread honey on it. The corner of his eye followed the handmaiden's back. After the handmaiden poured wine for Tyrion and the others, she turned to look at Jon, her gaze meeting Jon's. She winked her right eye playfully, then left with an empty wineskin.

Jon stood up, nodding to Daenerys and the Mountain as a greeting, with a polite smile on his face: "Excuse me for a moment, Your Majesty, Lord Hand."

Daenerys and the Mountain nodded in return, and Jon left calmly.

*

Outside the hall, at the corner of the corridor. A secluded place.

"Arya." — A tentative, hesitant, wary, unusual, expectant, excited voice.

The handmaiden stopped, turned around, and looked at Jon Targaryen.

"Jon, did you come to Dragonstone alone?" the handmaiden said. This wasn't Arya's face, but it was Arya's voice.

"Is it really you? How did you do it?" Jon controlled the urge to step forward and hug her; he couldn't accept this face.

The handmaiden smiled. She shook her straw-yellow hair, and the hair turned maroon. The purple eyes also turned blue.

Arya Stark's face appeared as if by magic.

Jon was dumbfounded.

He was pulled into the handmaiden's room by Arya.

"You, how did you do it?" Jon pointed at Arya's face.

"I studied at the House of Black and White for four years, Jon. I am a Faceless Man."

The two siblings just stood there. After a long while, Jon slowly opened his arms, and a big smile slowly bloomed on his face. The black curly hair and beard made him look like a mature man, but when he suddenly smiled brightly, he returned to his youth.

Arya couldn't hold back any longer and threw herself into Jon's arms.

The two hugged each other tightly. Jon picked Arya up, lifting her off the ground, just like when they were kids.

Both of them were filled with excitement!

After a long while, Jon put Arya down: "Arya, how did you get here?"

"I'm the Mountain's personal guard."

"When did that happen?"

"A few days ago."

"A few days?!"

"Mm-hmm!"

Jon smiled brightly again, stroking Arya's maroon hair: "You've grown into a big girl."

"You've also grown into a man."

Both of them laughed, and the small room was filled with joyful air.

"Jon, where are your followers?"

"They're in the underground black prison."

The smile disappeared from Arya's face: "Daenerys arrested them?"

"She and I have some things that still need to be communicated and understood." Jon wasn't willing to betray Daenerys. He felt that Daenerys didn't have any subjective malice towards him and his brothers; everything was for the Iron Throne. He understood Daenerys' thoughts, and he didn't agree with Daenerys' and Bran's various plans, but from the perspective of Bran and Daenerys, Jon understood why they did what they did.

Many things are neither right nor wrong, only wins and losses.

"Arya, Daenerys is my queen and also my aunt. She hopes to reclaim the Iron Throne, and she hopes that I can return to the North to persuade Father to submit to her." Jon looked at Arya's expression with great concern. Arya didn't have any unusual expression. Sure enough, Arya already knew the secret of his birth.

Arya said, "The Stark family will never yield to the Targaryen family. I will not forget the bloody massacres that the Targaryen family committed against our Stark family."

The topic suddenly became very heavy between the two siblings.

“Arya, Daenerys means no harm. She simply wants to reclaim the dynasty that belongs to the Targaryen family. She needs allies, and she hopes I can help her.”

“The dynasty no longer belongs to the Targaryens. The ancestral home of the Targaryen family is in Valyria, not Westeros. Her ancestors were also despicable invaders. This land will always belong to Westeros, not foreign races from other lands. King's Landing does not belong to the Targaryens either.”

“...Arya...I...am also a Targaryen...”

“Except for you, Jon.”

“The blood of the Targaryen family flows in my veins.”

“But the blood of the Stark family flows there as well.”

Silence, a suffocating silence.

“Jon, are you going to leave with Daenerys? But in fact, you are the heir to the Targaryen family.”

“...Arya...I am a Targaryen...Daenerys is my queen...I have sworn allegiance to her...”

“Oh, if one day Daenerys comes to attack Westeros again, you will fight for her?”

“I will not fight for her. I will stop her.”

“Will she listen to you?”

“I will try to dissuade her. She is a good person, kind at heart, she just needs some time.”

Arya snorted softly: “Jon, if one day I come to kill Daenerys, what will you do? Stop me? Draw your sword against me?”

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