The Mountain of Ice and Fire

The former hotel waitress, now the hotel owner, Emma, called out from the narrow window on the second floor, "Ser Elvis, don't make fun of my daughter."

"I'm not joking. You quoted a price, and I paid the money," Ser Elvis said sternly. He tilted his head, and two guards stepped forward, signaling Rosy to follow them. Rosy hesitated, and Elvis's expression turned unpleasant. "Rosy, are you looking down on me?"

Rosy smiled and said, "Noble knight, how dare Rosy despise you?"

"Then come with me. Before coming here, I already inquired and found out that you've had your moon's blood."

Having had her moon's blood meant she was no longer a child, but a woman.

Scholar Pate stood aside, daring to be angry but not daring to speak. He was powerless, with only a heart that wanted to protect Rosy.

One of the guards had already drawn his sword.

In Oldtown, the soldiers of House Hightower represented supreme authority.

In Oldtown, House Hightower had been in power for thousands of years, deeply rooted. The family knights were the most powerful representatives in the town. Their words were law.

Rosy was escorted out of the hotel by two soldiers, while Ser Elvis and another soldier brought up the rear. Footsteps echoed on the stairs, and the sexy and charming Emma ran down the stairs, her shoulders bare.

In fact, His Majesty the King's words were echoing in Elvis's ears. The knight was very vigilant, staring at Emma, preventing her from having any hidden weapons in her hands.

His Majesty had warned them to be very careful, because it was very likely that they would not be a match for Emma and Rosy at all. These words were strange and confusing. Elvis understood Emma. Emma had had intimate relations with many knights, including Elvis. Emma and Rosy both did not know martial arts. The knight was very sure of this.

But His Majesty suddenly came to Oldtown, suddenly said the names of Emma and Rosy of the Quill and Tankard, and suddenly believed that they were extremely dangerous. These things had already made the knight and Lord Earl very alert and surprised.

In things that are too unusual, there must be some secrets and hidden things that they have not yet been able to understand.

His Majesty did not say it explicitly, but as long as Emma and Rosy were brought to the Hightower, then everything would be clear.

Rosy had already been escorted out of the hotel by two soldiers, crossed the wooden bridge, and boarded a small boat specially for crossing the Honeywine River.

The Quill and Tankard was on an island in the Honeywine River. The mouth of the Honeywine River entering the sea was very wide, and there were several islands on the water. The islands were connected by wooden bridges and stone bridges. The surface of the Honeywine River was foggy all year round. The visibility of the fog was very low in the morning and night, but in the afternoon and sunny mornings, the eyes could easily penetrate the fog on the river and see the situation on the opposite bank.

Emma saw a team of patrolling House Hightower soldiers on the opposite bank. They were fully armed, and some soldiers carried bows and arrows on their backs. There were also two long patrol boats of Hightower soldiers on the river.

Oldtown was the largest port city in the Seven Kingdoms. Large and small merchant ships from all over the world filled the port every day. The city garrison focused on patrolling the port streets and the river. Oldtown had a strong navy with a total of thirty warships, mainly to prevent the threat and disturbance of the Ironborn from the Iron Islands. The Ironborn from the Iron Islands often plundered Oldtown's maritime trade ships, and House Hightower of Oldtown had to establish a maritime force that could cooperate with the Redwyne fleet of the Arbor.

On the surface, the patrolling garrison on the opposite bank and the patrol of the two long boats on the river were no different, but Emma still felt a strange aura, as if the patrolling garrison soldiers on the shore and water were deliberately arranged here.

This made Emma very vigilant.

She knew that Pate had been fascinated by Rosy, and the alchemist had also reached an agreement with Pate to meet in the gazebo outside the hotel at dusk today, exchanging a golden dragon for the key.

In full view of everyone, Emma and Rosy were both afraid of killing people.

The Faceless Men were assassins, not spendthrifts.

The first requirement for assassins from the House of Black and White was to make the person killed appear to have died naturally.

The current situation was not suitable for violence, and even less suitable for exposing them.

Scholar Pate was in the hotel, and this young scholar could not be alerted.

Emma made a decision in an instant. She walked towards the knight, exuding a charming charm, her eyes flowing. "My great knight, warrior, and patron, let me accompany you, and leave my daughter Rosy behind." Emma's eyes were blurred, and she looked at Pate. "The rumor that Rosy's first night is worth a golden dragon is just a joke. She already has a man she admires."

"Oh? But I've already paid the money, a golden dragon." The knight was not appreciative. He reached out and grabbed the money bag on the table, opened it, and took out a golden dragon and threw it on the table. The golden dragon rolled on the table, drawing a circle, and with a soft sound, fell in the middle of the table.

Emma hung herself on the knight's body, looking like she wanted to rub herself into the knight's body. But the knight was obviously more interested in Rosy. He put away the money bag and strode outside.

Intentionally or unintentionally, the two patrol boats on the river rowed over here. The Hightower soldiers standing on the bow were all armed with longbows and hard arrows. Emma knew most of them. Among these people, there were many sharpshooters who could shoot through an apple thrown in the air on the arrow shaft. When these soldiers drank in her tavern, they often liked to perform parabolic archery to determine the winner and loser and punish drinking.

Faceless Men were proficient in disguise and poisoning, but they were still mortals, not gods. The best of them had amazingly fast and precise narrow sword skills, but as powerful as Jaqen H'ghar once was, he was also caught by the garrison in the underground casino of King's Landing and thrown into the black prison and unable to escape. In the end, he was bound by iron chains and sent to the Wall with Rorge and Biter to become a Night's Watchman.

The mystery of the Faceless Men lay in their unpredictable faces. They had a thousand faces, but if they fell into people's eyes and were guarded against, they were still ordinary people and could not suddenly show three heads and six arms. Not having their true faces discovered was the Faceless Men's creed and准则.

Emma's identity when she was young was as a waitress in this hotel who pleased guests. This pleasing included a lot of content, some of which was no different from the women in the brothel. Rosy was the child she gave birth to in the hotel. No one but her knew who Rosy's father was.

Rosy had also become familiar with the world between women and patrons in this environment early on. Before her moon's blood came, many patrons had reserved Rosy's first night with Emma.

Emma had indeed mentioned to Pate that a golden dragon would buy Rosy's first night, and had also said that if Pate could not come up with a golden dragon, she would sell Rosy's first night to any other man. As for whether Pate had told apprentice Morland, assistant scholar Arman, and Rooney that a golden dragon would buy Rosy's first night, Emma did not know.

Young Pate was an honest child. For this golden dragon, he had agreed to exchange the key with the alchemist. Perhaps, this guy, in the certainty that he could take Rosy away, declared triumphantly that he would buy Rosy's first night, thus spreading this statement.

Emma watched helplessly as the knight took Rosy away with his attendants. If she wanted to report the case and get the protection of the law, she had to go to the Hightower to see Lord Leyton Hightower and tell him her 'grievances'. And the place where Ser Elvis was taking Rosy was the Hightower.

"Rude and unreasonable knight, they will be nailed to the pillory of shame by the curse of the Seven Gods." Emma said to the knight's back, gnashing her teeth. Pate stood in the hotel, lost and dejected, his eyes full of Rosy's back.

"Pate, did you bring a golden dragon?" Emma said suddenly.

Pate's gaze turned mechanically and fell on Emma's face.

"Did you bring a golden dragon? If you brought a golden dragon, I can chase after them and tell the knight that someone has pre-purchased Rosy's first night. Lord Leyton will uphold justice for me."

"I will have a golden dragon soon, but not now."

"You have a golden dragon? But you didn't bring it?"

Pate looked at the gazebo outside the hotel. There, the alchemist's figure had not yet appeared. As long as the alchemist appeared, he would bring him a golden dragon, and he had brought the key the alchemist wanted.

"...Uh...yes..."

"That's good. I promise to bring you back a complete Rosy, but when we come back, you have to promise to give me a golden dragon."

"I swear in the name of the old and new gods, I promise." Pate felt his breathing become hot. It was as if the air in the hotel had become hot. Emma was going to bring him back a complete Rosy. Rosy was his. Rosy belonged to him. He prayed that the alchemist would appear sooner, so that he could get the golden dragon.

"Pate, don't deceive me. If I go to the Hightower and bring back Rosy, you have to pay. I know you love Rosy. You will be sincerely good to her, won't you?"

"Yes, Emma, you can completely trust me." Pate became excited. He would elope with Rosy under the protection of the night. Thank the gods, they must have heard his prayers in the middle of the night. He longed to live with Rosy, to hell with the Citadel and the scholar's chain. Nothing could compare to Rosy's smile to him.

Emma said a few words upstairs, and several hotel maids came down. Pate was excited and could not hear Emma and the maids talking. He looked out the window and saw an island in the distance to the west and the vast sea.

Emma simply washed and dressed and went out.

Pate sat down. A maid poured him wine, brought him bread and honey, and grilled meat and pastries. Pate was not polite. He would pay Emma a golden dragon, so he thought these things were what he should get.

Pate ate and drank in the hotel, but whether it was wine or meat, it had lost its taste in his mouth, as if he was chewing dry grass. He was looking forward to the appearance of the alchemist. Pate did not know the face of the alchemist. The guy's face was hidden in the hood and had never faced Pate with his true face. But as long as he appeared, Pate would know it was him.

He did not know how long had passed. Just as Pate could not help but stand up and go out to look for the third time, he saw the alchemist appear. He came by boat, walked on the wooden bridge, and walked straight to the hotel. Pate immediately greeted the alchemist, perhaps in the next moment, Emma would bring Rosy back, and he had no golden dragon in his hand.

"Why are you so late?" This was the first sentence Pate said to the alchemist. He was a little impatient.

The alchemist was very calm and said lightly, "Pate, I came at the agreed time."

"Did you bring the money?" This was the second sentence Pate said.

A golden dragon appeared on the alchemist's fingers. His fingers moved gently, and the golden dragon flipped nimbly between his fingers. Several times it was about to fall to the ground, but at the most dangerous moment, the gold coin flipped back, narrowly avoiding disaster.

"Is it real?" Pate had not seen many gold coins with his own eyes. This would be the first time he had gotten a gold coin with his own hands. He was a child from a poor family. It would be good if there was a silver stag at home. And following the archmaester, he had no chance to see a golden dragon except for books.

"It's real." The alchemist did not mind Pate's rudeness and said lightly.

"Can I take a look first?" Pate thought he had to be careful. This golden dragon was related to his and Rosy's future happiness.

"Of course." The alchemist handed the gold coin to Pate's hand.

Pate became excited. He looked at the gold coin back and forth and felt that it was no different from the knight's gold coin he had just seen. He bit the gold coin in his mouth. He had seen others do this: "Okay, it's real."

In the blink of an eye, the gold coin was taken back by the alchemist. Pate did not understand what was going on. The gold coin returned to the alchemist's hand: "Did you bring the key?"

"Yes."

"Let me see."

"Give me the gold coin first."

"I can't give it to you here."

"Why?"

"Trading here, the patrolling soldiers on the river, the merchant ships coming and going, and the maids in the hotel can see it. I don't want this transaction to be seen by anyone."

"Where are we going then?"

"Go to town."

Pate hesitated. The alchemist put the golden dragon in his pocket: "Follow me if you want to trade." The alchemist strode away. Pate stayed alone in the gazebo for a heartbeat. In the next moment, he followed behind the alchemist.

Half an hour later, the two men went ashore and walked on the cobblestone road. The alchemist walked faster and faster, and Pate had to trot to keep up. The terrain became more and more remote, the trees on both sides of the road became more and more numerous, and the cobblestones on the ground became more and more slippery.

"Let's trade here. I won't follow you anymore," Pate said decisively.

The alchemist stopped, turned around, and his face was still hidden in the spear hood: "Okay, there's no one here anymore. Let's trade." The alchemist took out the golden dragon, and Pate took out the key.

At the moment of handing the key to the alchemist, Pate hesitated and struggled: "Can I ask you why you need this key?"

"No reason," the alchemist said lightly.

"Okay, I know I shouldn't ask such a stupid question. Before we complete the transaction, can I take a look at your true face?"

"There's nothing to see," the alchemist said lightly. He put down his hood.

Pete noticed a striking hooked nose and a head of pale golden hair. His eyes were unique, their gaze as deep as a long night. A faint scar slashed across his left eyebrow, splitting it in two.

The alchemist placed the golden dragon in Pete's hand, and Pete handed the key to the alchemist. Pete said, "I'm really curious, may I ask what I should call you?"

"Me? A nobody, really," the alchemist said softly. He pulled up his hood, obscuring his highly recognizable face once more. "Pete, look, is that something strange in the river?"

Pete turned his head to look at the river. A white mist was rising from its surface, making the water blurry and indistinct. Suddenly, Pete found himself falling. The cobblestone ground rushed up like a shield, violently striking his face. He heard the sound of his facial bones cracking...