The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Chapter 457: The Red Viper (4,000-word chapter, please subscribe)

Night. The Red Keep. Maegor's Holdfast.

The Queen Mother's Ballroom.

An entire row of narrow silver mirrors lined one wall, creating an illusion of spaciousness.

Despite being called a ballroom, it was never used for dancing.

It was a place for private gatherings and discussing confidential matters.

Currently, only three people were in the ballroom.

Three Lannisters.

Queen Mother Cersei, Prime Minister Tyrion, and Master of Whisperers Kevan.

“The Mountain's raven brings news that Father is dead, the culprits are the Brotherhood Without Banners, led by the Hound, Beric Dondarrion, and the red priest Thoros,” Cersei said. Her face was stern, cold, and hard.

“I also received news from Randyll Tarly, he has confirmed with the Redwyne brothers that a Brotherhood Without Banners member named Byer confessed the truth, the Brotherhood Without Banners ambushed the Duke at night,” Kevan said, sitting in the shadows of the liquor cabinet. His voice was deep, steady, and grave.

Tyrion had already determined in his heart that his father was likely dead. Now that the news was confirmed, he found that he felt no grief at all, just calm.

“Where is Father's body?”

“Dumped into the mouth of the Trident River.” Cersei walked to the liquor cabinet, poured herself a drink, and then took an elegant sip. The sweet wine lingered in her mouth, she raised her swan-like neck, and looked at Tyrion's calm expression.

“Why go to so much trouble?” Tyrion's eyes darted around, “The Trident River is flooding, they could have just thrown Father into the river, why take him all the way to the estuary downstream. Weren't they afraid of the trouble? The tide is high, the water is high, sailing is also dangerous. If it were me, I definitely wouldn't do that.”

“Eradicate the traces! Vent their hatred! Prevent us from finding Father's body,” Cersei said in a detached tone.

“Eradicate the traces? Then they wouldn't have hung Ser Harys Haigh's body in the woods with a written judgment, nor would they have ridden Father and his guard's warhorses, wearing the guards' armor, and wielding the guards' longswords. Vent hatred? If they wanted to vent hatred, they should have hung Father and the guards like Ser Harys, and written a judgment.”

“Tyrion, what are you thinking?” Kevan's voice came from the darkness.

“Unless there's something on Father and his entourage's bodies that they don't want anyone to see,” Tyrion made his judgment.

“Hmph!” Cersei snorted coldly, “The man is dead, what is there that we can't see? Besides venting hatred and eradicating traces, there is no other reason.”

“If they dumped the body at the ferry, although the Trident River is swollen, there are many places with backwater. If the body is washed into the backwater, it will linger on the shore, and the scouts on the shore will easily find it. If it's salvaged, we might find something that others don't want us to see.”

“Besides a body hacked to pieces, what else could there be?” Cersei finished the red wine in one gulp.

Tyrion shrugged his shoulders: “Okay, anyway, this is a strange place. It doesn't make sense, unless the wounds on the body, could make us think of something at a glance?”

“Think of what?” Cersei sneered, disdainfully, “Tyrion, don't forget that you once guaranteed me that you could save Jaime, and what happened? You always think you're smarter than others, think more than others, see farther than others, but you actually overestimate your own wisdom.”

Tyrion was originally a drunkard, but now he had no desire to drink at all: “Okay, I admit I'm overthinking it.”

Anyway, the body was dumped into the sea, and after so long, even if it could be salvaged, it would already be unrecognizable.

“The Inn of the Kneeling Man is worth a visit.” Kevan said slowly, “The Duke was ambushed while staying at the Inn of the Kneeling Man, the innkeeper is an insider.”

“No use.” Tyrion said, “Either the original owner has been replaced, or he has been killed to silence him.”

“There are still witnesses, The Mountain has one, Tom of Sevenstrings.” Cersei poured herself another glass of wine, “Tell The Mountain to bring Tom of Sevenstrings back to King's Landing, and let Maester Qyburn interrogate him, I guarantee he will tell all the truth he knows.”

“Tom of Sevenstrings?” Tyrion looked at his sister.

“An old singer, plays the seven-stringed harp. He was taken away by The Mountain, it is said that The Mountain likes to have him sing to relieve boredom. - Since when did The Mountain like listening to songs?!”

“I will immediately issue a Prime Minister's order to Randyll Tarly, to have Randyll take Tom of Sevenstrings back from The Mountain, and then immediately send someone to bring Tom of Sevenstrings back to King's Landing.” Tyrion said.

“Can't you just order The Mountain to bring him back?”

“The Mountain and Father are no longer the vassals they used to be? Ever since our Father ordered the destruction of Clegane's Keep, The Mountain has no longer respected our Father, Tom of Sevenstrings in The Mountain's hands is likely doomed.”

Cersei realized: “If The Mountain refuses to hand over Tom of Sevenstrings, ordering Randyll Tarly will be useless.”

“If The Mountain refuses to hand over the person, then he has a problem.” Tyrion said.

Kevan's voice came from the dark shadows: “Tyrion, do you suspect The Mountain is involved in Father's death?”

“Father offended The Mountain, I suspect The Mountain had a motive to kill Father, but it is impossible for him to have killed him personally, he is in the Westerlands, thousands of miles away from the Trident River, however, I do not rule out that he colluded with the Brotherhood Without Banners.”

“You mean, The Mountain revealed Father's travel plan to pass through the Trident River ferry to the Brotherhood Without Banners, and then the Brotherhood Without Banners ambushed Father after receiving the information?”

“The Hound was originally following The Mountain, why did he suddenly join the Brotherhood Without Banners?” Tyrion's mismatched eyes flickered, “The Mountain and the Hound have always been at odds, this is a public secret, I am not surprised that the Hound left The Mountain, what is strange is that The Mountain deliberately sent a raven to tell us that the Hound left him, and that everything the Hound does in the future has nothing to do with him? Why? Don't you think The Mountain's special explanation is suspicious?”

“The Mountain is the mastermind behind Father's bloodbath? He is taking revenge!” Cersei's voice changed.

“I don't rule out this possibility.” Tyrion shrugged his shoulders and said, “But I'm just guessing, maybe it's all wrong.”

“Cersei, Tyrion, if Lord Tywin were here, what would he do?” Kevan said slowly.

Cersei's chest heaved, her breathing quickened: “Kill The Mountain.”

“Then send someone to invite Oberyn Martell to Maegor's Holdfast.” Kevan said, “We need to talk to him.”

“Oberyn's knights killed two Tyrell soldiers this afternoon, just because those two soldiers were discussing which of the Red Viper's accompanying two bastard daughters had more men.” Tyrion said in a helpless tone, “The Queen of Thorns took people to surround Oberyn's residence tonight, wanting Oberyn to hand over the murderer, but Oberyn himself was not there.”

Tyrion smiled wryly, “I, as Prime Minister, persuaded the Queen of Thorns to go back. She cursed Oberyn's vassals and Oberyn's mistresses and bastard daughters brought with him until they were covered in blood. In all of Stonehedge, no one dares to provoke her.”

“I know where Oberyn is.” Kevan said, “Time is of the essence, we have to find Oberyn, express our attitude to him, and let him kill The Mountain.”

“Where is he, I'll go find him.” Tyrion said. Although it was not safe to go out at night, and the protection around Tyrion was very limited, but now the Lannisters needed to deal with The Mountain with all their strength, Cersei and Kevan would not attack him for the time being, Tyrion was very sure of this.

“Rhaenys' Hill, Oldtown, Shae's brothel.”

*

Prince Oberyn Martell was tall and burly, with a fierce temperament, a dissolute private life, and was quick-witted and venomous.

In his youth, Oberyn did something that made him famous.

When he was sixteen years old, he was discovered having an affair with the mistress of Lord Ormond Yronwood. The Earl, for the sake of his dignity, proposed a duel with Oberyn.

In order to take care of Prince Oberyn's background and his sixteen years of age, the Earl and Oberyn agreed that the duel would stop when blood was drawn.

Both were injured in the duel. A few days later, Lord Ormond's wound festered and suppurated, and the manner of death was very similar to that of being poisoned by a 'red viper', almost exactly the same.

People therefore believed that Oberyn had applied the poison of the 'red viper' to the sword he used in the duel. From then on, whether his opponents or friends called him the 'Red Viper'.

This incident caused two aftereffects. The first was that his brother Prince Doran had to come forward to quell the grievances with the Yronwood family, and took the Yronwood family's child as an adopted son; the second thing was that Prince Doran forcibly sent Oberyn to the academy in Oldtown to study.

It must be said that Oberyn was a talent. He didn't spend much time forging an acolyte's chain, but he soon dropped out of school because he liked to move and didn't like to be quiet. Not long after returning to Sunspear after dropping out of school, Oberyn was exiled across the Narrow Sea by his brother Doran.

The talented Oberyn quickly established his own mercenary group in the disputed land of the three free federal republics of Lys, Tyrosh, and Myr across the Narrow Sea. He took a group of ruthless people from all over the world and was hired by any city-state governor who offered a high price to kill and silence people and seize territory.

During this period of exile, Oberyn's martial arts improved, and he became fond of applying snake venom to his weapons.

Oberyn grew up with his sister Princess Elia Martell, inseparable from childhood, and had a deep relationship. After Elia was raped and murdered by The Mountain, Oberyn vowed to avenge his sister Elia.

*

Oberyn came to Shae's brothel for pleasure after dinner, with his fourth mistress Ellaria Sand, and two bastard daughters.

The eldest daughter, Obara Sand, was born to him and a prostitute from Oldtown. She is 27 years old this year and unmarried.

Obara Sand inherited Oberyn's character - irritable and angry. She regards herself as a warrior and focuses on martial arts, using a spear as a weapon. She is ruthless, agile, strong, tall, with long legs, long gray-brown hair, and plain-looking, but as deadly as a snake.

Another accompanying daughter is named Nymeria Sand, the Red Viper's second daughter, whose mother was a noble woman from Volantis.

Nymeria is twenty-four years old this year, slender, with straight black hair braided into a long braid and tied with red gold rope. She has black eyes, high cheekbones, full lips, and milky white skin. She has the beauty that her sister Obara lacks, but is equally deadly as a snake.

Nymeria's favorite weapon to use: a long whip!

Oberyn is a good father and a good lover, even visiting the best brothel in King's Landing, he brings his mistress and two accompanying daughters with him.

Shae and her daughter Barbara personally received Prince Oberyn's party.

“Who is inside?” Oberyn asked the owner Shae in the bustling hall.

The sound of someone talking inside was very loud, scolding a prostitute, the prostitute let out a plea for mercy, accompanied by slight crying.

This made Oberyn feel very disgusted. Everyone comes here to have fun, why can't they treat the beautiful girls well.

“Your Highness, there are two Lannisters inside.” Shae said with a helpless expression.

“Oh, Lannisters!” Oberyn immediately became interested.

Ellaria quickly blocked Oberyn: “Don't go in, darling, I beg you.”

Oberyn chuckled, reached out and put his arm around Ellaria's small waist, and led Ellaria into a very luxurious and comfortable private room.

There were two Lannisters inside, standing, with a naked prostitute kneeling in front of one of them, with a very obvious palm print on her face.

“Hey, Lannisters, I want this girl.”

The two Lannisters were Queen Mother Cersei's guard knights. They recognized Oberyn when Kevan Lannister went to the Blackwater Rush ferry to pick up Oberyn's party a few days ago, the two knights were there.

“Prince, this is none of your business.” One of the knights said proudly.

Oberyn has faint wrinkles left by the years on his face and thin eyebrows, as well as eyes as black as poisonous snakes like the eternal night, his nose and forehead are very sharp. His black hair is lustrous, interspersed with a few strands of silver, which makes him look very charming.

“I said it's my business.” Oberyn said, “I've booked this room too, you, get out!”

The two knights' faces changed drastically.

Oberyn looked at the two Lannisters with a smile: “If you roll slowly, I'll break your wrists.”

The two knights could no longer bear it, rushed to the wall, and took the long swords hanging on the wall.

When coming out to enjoy themselves, the longsword belts were untied and hung on the wall.

Pa!

With a crisp sound, Nymeria's long whip came out, wrapped around a knight's wrist, and then pulled, dragging the knight to the ground, Oberyn let go of Ellaria, stepped forward, and had a dagger in his hand at some point, and stabbed down, nailing the knight's palm to the floor.

The knight screamed loudly!

Qiang!

The other knight's longsword was unsheathed, turned around, and a tall woman stood in front of him, holding a spear in her hand. - Eldest daughter Obara Sand, the spear never leaves her side, just like an armed follower of Oberyn.

Oberyn stood up and smiled: “Lannisters, aren't you getting out!”

The knight's face changed again and again, his longsword drooped, he came to his companion's side, and pulled out the dagger that pierced his palm, his comrade let out a earth-shattering scream.

The two knights left in a mess!

“Oberyn, you're doing something too dangerous, this is King's Landing.” Ellaria Sand's face was uneasy.

“Hehe, Tywin Lannister has put on the black robe, Jaime Lannister has become a prisoner of the northerners, leaving Tyrion and Cersei, and a Kevan, I'm not afraid of them.”

"You may look down on dwarfs, Prince, but you will not disrespect a Lannister," a voice said from the doorway.

Tyrion!

He waddled into the room, appearing to be the height of a child. He wore clothes of expensive fabric, and pinned to his left breast was the Hand of the King's badge, a 'golden hand'.

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