The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Chapter 439: Midnight Raid (Subscription Support Appreciated)

[Bonus chapter for the generous donation from [Ai Lu Fort] student, thank you!]

*

Late at night.

The Hound arrived at Sansa's cottage.

This was a small wooden house borrowed in the village, located next to the vegetable garden, a place for the vegetable farmers to rest during work.

Surrounding it were military tents, housing hundreds of logistical workers accompanying the army.

The woods were quiet, with the occasional call of a night bird, which only made the silence seem deeper.

He reached out and pushed the door, but it didn't budge.

Sansa was cautious.

This was a good thing, because no matter how disciplined the Mountain was, the beasts in the army only increased, which led to an increasingly promising career for camp prostitutes in the Clegane army.

The Hound drew his longsword, and with the tip of his sword, he pierced through the crack of the door, sliding it down to find the position of the latch. The sword tip pressed against the latch, pushing it to the left, but the latch didn't move; pushing it to the right, the latch moved.

Once, twice, three times, the sword tip opened the latch, and with a push, the door opened silently.

The Hound entered the small wooden house, which was even darker than outside, but the Hound's eyes had already adapted to the darkness. He walked over, reached out, and wrapped the person on the wooden plank together with the quilt. He stuffed the prepared rag into Sansa's '呜呜呜呜' mouth, rolled the person and the quilt into a cylinder, carried it on his shoulder, and went out.

The sound of a patrolling squad of soldiers came, and the Hound hurriedly retreated back into the house, closing the door halfway.

"Hey," a soldier said, "Have you heard? A new laundry maid has been transferred from the horse grooms. She's a young girl with auburn hair and blue eyes, very beautiful, looks just like a noble lady."

"Yes, it's Queen Cersei," a soldier snickered.

"No joke, Centurion Boswell Ilay had a conflict with the Hound today, all because of that woman."

"What do you mean?" another soldier said.

The logistics soldiers had several hundred-man squads. When necessary, the logistics soldiers were responsible for escorting supplies, which required establishing a professional legion. The on-duty patrols during the day and the on-duty patrols at night were two different hundred-man squads of soldiers.

"I heard about it too. Boswell Ilay forced the Hound to release the person, but the Hound pulled him off his horse and kicked him unconscious. -- That woman was doing laundry by the stream when the Hound passed by and took a fancy to her. The Hound couldn't stand it immediately, his animalistic heart couldn't be restrained, and he wanted to take her back as a maid... hehe, you understand..." another soldier said.

"Just take her away like that? Without asking the affairs officer to transfer her? The Hound is so stupid. Lord Mountain will kill him when he finds out," the squad leader said.

"How beautiful is that woman, anyway? Among the women of the Seven Kingdoms, I only want Queen Cersei."

"Hey, I know the new laundry woman lives in this small wooden house. Should we light a torch and lift the quilt to take a look, hehe!"

"I still want my head to grow on my neck for a few more years."

"You guys go ahead, I'll go report to the affairs officer for a reward."

"Forget it, screw you, just kidding."

The patrolling soldiers passed by the Hound's door.

Only then did the Hound realize that Sansa hadn't always been a laundry worker. Before that, she had worked as a horse groom.

The Mountain was really impressive, throwing Sansa Stark into the logistical labor force. If some bastard took her virginity, the ransom he would get from the Stark family would be greatly reduced. Not only would it not improve the friendship between the Clegane family and the Stark family, but it would also make them enemies.

The Hound opened the door, flashed out, and closed the door again. He walked only in the dark shadows, avoiding the tents and patrolling soldiers, and sneaked all the way northeast. Although he was carrying a quilt rolled into a cylinder on his shoulder, with a person wrapped inside, the Hound jumped high and low, avoiding the night patrol, easily and freely, as if walking in the woods.

He finally walked out of the logistics management area and entered a denser forest. Not far inside was a small stream. Next to a tree by the stream, a tall warhorse was tied. The Hound's military bag was tied to the horse's tail, containing changes of clothes and a small tent, among other things.

The Hound threw Sansa on the ground and said, "Little bird, don't shout. I'll take the thing out of your mouth."

Sansa sat up from the unfolded quilt and nodded vigorously.

But the Hound noticed something was wrong. He lit a fire stone and lit a torch. In front of him was a young woman, with average looks and slightly dark skin. He recognized this woman. She was the maid who oiled, sharpened, and repaired the Mountain's armor and longsword. Her name was Anna, and her husband was the Mountain's personal attendant, named Norris. Anna and Norris had a little daughter named Belle.

"Fuck you!" the Hound cursed.

He stood up, and a dozen torches lit up in front and behind him. The Mountain stood in the forest, looking like he had been waiting here all along.

"I should have known you'd send someone to keep an eye on Sansa's every move," the Hound cursed in a vicious tone.

"No one can touch or take Sansa away," the Mountain walked over, holding a bag of golden dragons in his hand. He flicked his hand, and the golden dragons flew over. The Hound reached out and grabbed them, weighing them in his hand. He estimated there were fifty of them. "If it were anyone else, I would have killed him."

"Why not kill me?"

"You're my brother, my only blood relative."

The Hound stared at the Mountain, wanting to draw his short knife and stab it into the Mountain's mouth. This guy was a beast. He said coldly, "What about Father and Little Sister?"

The Mountain was silent, the two brothers stared at each other: "I know I can't explain it. I can only say that I was sick at that time. That's not the me now."

The Hound stared at the Mountain: "Then who are you now? Don't think that just because you have money and people and have become more cunning, you can wash away your sins. You will always be a kinslayer, more sinful than kinslaying, betrayal, massacre, and incest." The Hound glanced at the Mountain's guards, whose faces showed anger and whose hands were on their sword hilts, and said contemptuously, "What, do you want these sissies under your command to kill me?"

The Mountain waved his hand.

The guards glared, making way.

The Hound weighed the golden dragons in his hand, flicked his hand, and with a crash, the golden dragons fell into the stream: "I won't take your money!"

"It's not for nothing."

"Oh, what do you want me to do?"

"If you're going to the North, please tell Stark that Sansa Stark is here with me, safe and sound."

"Oh?! Do you want to tell Stark that Sansa first worked as a horse groom and then as a laundry worker?"

"Actually, Sansa first learned to cook," the Mountain said, "My army doesn't support nobles or idlers. If she wants to eat, she has to work. She needs to learn the most basic skills in life. I'm helping her."

"If I go to the North and tell Stark Sansa's news, that bag of golden dragons is mine?"

"Yes! It's a reward for you to deliver the message. That's fair."

The Hound sneered: "Mountain, I won't do anything for you again, and I won't deliver any messages for you. Don't say one bag of golden dragons, even two bags, three bags, ten bags, sorry, I don't have time!"

"Alright!" The Mountain looked at Anna, who had already stood up, "Are you okay?!"

"I'm fine, Lord."

"Let's go!" The Mountain shouted.

Komm Warner led over Red Smoke Beast, Norris led a warhorse for his wife, the guards mounted their horses one after another, and the Mountain led the way.

Anna said, "Lord, that bag of golden dragons..."

That was fifty golden dragons, a large sum of money, very ladylike, lying silently at the bottom of the shallow water, not making a fuss.

"Don't want it, Anna!" The Mountain said.

"Yes, Lord!"

The group roared away, and in an instant, they were all gone. That quilt was also taken away by Anna.

The Hound flipped onto his horse. Where should he go? Since the Mountain went northwest, he would go northeast. The sound of hooves echoed, and the Hound disappeared into the dense forest.

After a while, the sound of hooves echoed again in the dense forest, from far to near. The sound came from the northeast. The person dismounted, dropped the reins, and with a crash, stepped into the stream. He had the location of the golden dragons in his mind. He reached into the water and felt around. The bag of golden dragons was still there, and he picked it up, heavy.

"People are guilty, but golden dragons are not," the person muttered, "If I ever go to the North and deliver a message to the Stark family, it won't be like taking his money for nothing."

A while later, the sound of hooves rang out, heading northeast, never to return...

*

Inside the Mountain's central army tent, bright red candles illuminated the tent brightly. Attendants Komm Warner and Norris hurriedly returned.

Komm Warner said, "Lord Mountain, Sandor Clegane indeed returned and took away that bag of golden dragons."

The Mountain nodded, not speaking.

Sansa sat next to the Mountain. The Mountain's guard captain, Erin, and former Northern guard Marwin were all in the big tent. These Northerners all knew Sansa. No one called her 'Lady,' and no guards came up to recognize her.

Sansa was very restrained, wearing rough clothes, her hair was messy, and her clothes were very dirty, already having the dirty and wild appearance of Arya in her memory.

"Erin, send the worker Sansa back," the Mountain said.

"Yes, Lord."

Sansa said, "Lord Mountain, I can go back by myself."

*

Sansa didn't want to be sent back by a traitor. She didn't want to talk to Erin, didn't want to see Harwin and the others. Harwin's father was the head of the stables in Winterfell for decades. He died in the slaughter in the Tower of the Hand. Sansa thought that Harwin was not even half as brave as his father Hullen.

That night, Littlefinger secretly sent her on a ship. When the ship reached the estuary of the Blackwater Rush, it encountered the Mountain's patrol fleet. She was captured and became the Mountain's prisoner. At first, she was extremely nervous, not knowing what her fate would be. After the Mountain handed her back, she couldn't imagine what kind of vicious torture she would encounter from Joffrey, Tywin, Cersei, and the others. Who knew that the Mountain would directly throw her into his servant team as a worker. She had been confusedly mixing in until today.

Although working here was very hard, and she was often teased by rude soldiers with unbearable words, compared to being by the side of the cruel, cold-blooded, willful, and arrogant Joffrey, compared to being in Maegor's Holdfast and the Maidenvault, compared to Cersei's insidious schemes and vicious words, she felt that being here was much better than being in the royal palace.

*

"Anna, Norris, accompany Sansa back."

"Yes, Lord."

Sansa stood up, as long as it wasn't Erin, Marwin, or other Northern guards who sent her, she was willing.

The three walked together to the tent entrance. Sansa saw warhorses coming and going outside the tent, all of them were divine purebred horses from Claw Isle. Although there were not many cavalrymen, the atmosphere was ominous, as if a war was about to break out.

This was on the border of the Westerlands and the Crownlands. How could there be a war?

The Mountain's trip to the Westerlands this time only included cavalry and logistical supplies for the sake of speed. The cavalry included heavy cavalry, light cavalry, and horse archers. Tens of thousands of infantry and Lady Janei and Lady Dorea Quentina remained in King's Landing, waiting for the navy to be built. Lady Janei would lead the troops back to Dragonstone.

After the Mountain's siege of King's Landing, his military power was even stronger, and his reputation was even greater. On the edge of the Crownlands, with the Westerlands territory that had already been crippled in front of him, who would dare to fight him?!

Sansa was puzzled. She saw this very unusual scene late at night, but she knew not to ask. A person who didn't ask questions had a greater chance of surviving.

"Sansa!" the Mountain suddenly called out to her, "Maybe you'd like to know some news."

"Yes, Lord," Sansa responded obediently, mechanically and rigidly. This was the absolute obedience she had developed when dealing with Joffrey and Cersei.

The Mountain looked at Sansa: "Alright, I'll tell you some good news. Your father has appeared in the Twins, together with your brother Robb Stark. They thwarted the 'Wedding Betrayal' designed by Frey and Roose Bolton. They are currently gathering the forces of the Frey family, Bolton's formerly rebellious forces, and Northern forces, and are trying to attack the Ironborn-controlled Moat Cailin to take back the North."

Sansa immediately listened intently: "Thank you, Lord, thank you, I am very grateful. May I ask, Duke, what is 'Wedding Betrayal'?"

"It's already very late. Go back first," the Mountain stood up. In the darkness outside, the Red Smoke Beast's eyes emitted a red glow, which was very frightening.

"I can wait a while... Lord... I'm not in a hurry... Has the Lord heard any news about my sister Arya? And my mother... is she alright?"

"Look, I have very important things to deal with and don't have time to go into detail for now, but you can rest assured that Arya and your mother are both fine. They are alright."

"Really?" Sansa was moved, both surprised and delighted, "That's great. Has Arya returned to Winterfell? Oh, I hope she hasn't returned. I heard that Winterfell has been occupied by the Ironborn."

"She has not returned to Winterfell," the Mountain stood up. Captain Erin and several guards began to put on plate armor for the Mountain, very heavy and thick plate armor. This meant that a war was about to break out, but here, Sansa knew that there were no enemies, but she was more concerned about her relatives, so she stared at the Mountain, listening to him.

"Winterfell has been occupied by someone else, Roose Bolton's bastard Ramsay. After I'm done, I'll be willing to tell you what you want to know."

"Yes, Lord. I am truly very grateful to you, endlessly grateful," Sansa said, a little incoherently. It was the first time she had heard so much news about her family, and she couldn't contain her excitement. She urgently hoped to stay by the Mountain's side, so that she could know the news about her family as soon as possible. "I beg you to let me be your maid, Your Honorable Duke, please let me serve you. I will learn to cook, do laundry, oil armor, sharpen swords, repair cloaks, and make arrow shafts with all my heart. I will definitely not disappoint you, Lord, I guarantee it!"

The Mountain glanced at Anna: "Alright, Anna, you arrange Sansa's duties."

"Yes, Lord."

Sansa was overjoyed: "My lord Duke, please allow me to serve you now. Is my lord going to war? Oh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked. My lord, should I prepare rations, wine, and water for you?"

"Those things are already prepared, Sansa," the Mountain said.

Sansa wanted to continue asking about her family, but the Mountain had already put on his huge flat-topped helmet. The guards had already put on his plate armor and were tying the armor on his legs.

Outside, guards were putting soft armor on Red Smoke.

The atmosphere was tense. The leaders and cavalry of the Claw Peninsula looked at people as if they were awls!

Sansa had to forcibly suppress the urge to ask. Her heart was pounding wildly. Father appeared at the Twins and was fine; Arya was fine, and Mother was fine too. Heavens, how lucky, the gods are with us.

Sansa felt so excited that she was about to faint.

The Mountain, fully armored, strode out of the huge central tent.

Sansa finally couldn't help but ask: "My lord Duke, may I ask, when will you be back? I..."

The Mountain suddenly turned his head and stared at Sansa. Sansa was startled, knowing that she had misspoke and lost her composure. She quickly lowered her head, almost kneeling in humility: "My lord Duke, please forgive me. I was too excited to hear news of my family. I was wrong, please..."

Outside, the sound of horses' hooves exploded. The Mountain had already gone far with dozens of cavalrymen from the Claw Peninsula!

The extraordinary purebred warhorses of the Claw Peninsula could not keep up with the speed of Red Smoke in the dark of night.

Sansa was shocked to discover that Ellin, Marwyn, Norris, Comm Warner, Landon Gall, Polliver, Dunsen, Sweetmouth Raff, Anguy the Archer, Julie, and other famous generals and elite guards of the Clegane army were all still there, and did not leave with the Mountain.