The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Chapter 7: The Mountain Returns

At the mouth of the Blackwater Rush, several warships bearing the sigil of House Clegane flew their banners, effectively blockading the upstream passage. Facing these warships was a vast, dark armada of enemy vessels, each displaying a diverse array of military flags.

The vanguard fleet of the enemy warships advanced in a single column, ship after ship, preparing to forcefully assault the treacherous, reef-laden Water Gate.

Behind the vanguard fleet, an immense second echelon loomed, its decks teeming with archers. They awaited the command of Theon Greyjoy, the naval vice-commander, to unleash a storm of arrows, blanketing the enemy warships and covering the vanguard's passage through the Water Gate.

The Water Gate possessed only narrow channels on either side of the coast, allowing only one warship to pass at a time, preventing a broadside attack. However, the defenders were similarly constrained.

The situation was even more unfavorable for Theon's fleet, as they were sailing against the current. However, their advantage lay in their superior numbers. In naval warfare, archers were the most crucial offensive asset. Theon's second echelon comprised nearly a thousand warships, their decks packed with tens of thousands of archers spread across the formation.

Defending the upstream passage was the Mountain's Dragonstone fleet, commanded by the Mountain's wife's uncle: Ser Rolph Spicer of the Heavy Axe.

Rolph Spicer led eight warships, guarding the turbulent, reef-filled Water Gate.

Daenerys's sudden assault caught Spicer off guard; he had not yet dispatched a raven to report to Commander Waggener Gower in the harbor.

He was confident in holding the channel, preventing the enemy from passing through the Water Gate.

No matter how numerous the enemy fleet, they would be largely ineffective in this estuary. In close quarters, only one warship from each side could engage at a time in a single channel.

Seeing that the enemy had only eight warships, Theon Greyjoy couldn't help but smile. He was confident that he could take them out one by one, quickly overwhelming the eight enemy vessels. Once he captured the Water Gate and controlled the upstream and downstream access to the estuary, a major victory in King's Landing's naval battle would be assured.

Theon raised his command flag, but before the hornblower could sound the signal, a heart-wrenching and ear-splitting dragon's roar echoed from the sky...

The dragon is here!

*

Rolph Spicer, renowned for his bravery, who was guarding the upstream passage, immediately changed his expression.

Daenerys's dragon is here!

He abruptly looked up at the sky. The sky was deep blue, and the moon illuminated the heavens and earth, but only the dragon's roar could be heard, not the dragon itself... On the eight warships, the Dragonstone naval soldiers were all terrified, they all looked up at the sky, the sky was filled with stars and the moon, and the moonlight was like water, but there was no sign of the dragon.

They needed support; these eight warships only had two dragon-hunting ballistae.

If they had to face attacks from both the sky and the sea simultaneously, the eight warships would be at a disadvantage and basically be destroyed.

Rolph Spicer raised his heavy axe: "Archers—" Before he could finish his command, a black shadow appeared in the high sky, approaching with incredible speed, instantly magnifying in his pupils...

*

Downstream at the estuary, Theon Greyjoy and his officers also paled, all looking towards the sky, their eyes filled with fear... Unlike Spicer's warships, Theon's ships had no dragon-hunting ballistae, only archers... And these arrows were gradually becoming ineffective against the Dragon Mother's small dragons, let alone the Mountain's giant dragon...

However, Theon and every captain harbored a glimmer of hope that it might not be the Mountain's dragon—a distinct possibility—as the raid on King's Landing was a last-minute decision by Her Majesty.

The Mountain was in the Mountains of the Moon, not in King's Landing, it was unlikely that he would be here by chance... It was more likely that Her Majesty's three dragons, which had gone out, would return at any moment—

The captains and tens of thousands of naval soldiers all looked up at the sky, they saw the shadow of the dragon rapidly descending from the sky, there was only one black shadow, was it Her Majesty's dragon or the Mountain's dragon... Theon and the captains' hearts tightened instantly...

*

In the Blackwater harbor, on the warhammer, Royal Sea Affairs Minister and Naval Commander Waggener Gower heard the dragon's roar in the cabin and immediately ran to the deck, looking up at the sky: "Dragon hunting crossbow—" Waggener Gower shouted, hoarsely...

Woo woo woo woo woo!

In the royal naval fleet's harbor, the horn sounded, hundreds of warships in the harbor were dispatched one after another, the canvas was lifted on the deck, and dragon hunting crossbows were revealed one by one...Shua shua shua... The soldiers' footsteps sounded neatly, and they lined up on the deck... The archers took their places, and the sound of the dragon hunting crossbow's cogs, kaka kaka, sounded one after another...

The slowest naval fleet to react was the fleet from the Reach, House Redwyne. They were vassals under Lord Mace, and Lord Mace was a surrender faction, which affected the attitude of several of the highest generals in the Redwyne family's naval fleet. They would wait for Lord Mace's orders in the most intense battle, which made them very uncomfortable. The Redwyne family has always been loyal and righteous, and they were unwilling to surrender to the foreign legion, they were more willing to fight, but their lord...

The most panicked was the Iron Fleet, all of whose family members were in the hands of the Dragon Mother as hostages. Asha Greyjoy had retaken the Iron Islands, and many of the soldiers in this fleet no longer had the will to fight... If they were defeated, their families would be able to save their lives instead...

Only the Royal Naval Fleet and the Dragonstone Fleet led by Waggener Gower were the real main force of this navy. They sailed out of the harbor one after another, lined up, and the dragon hunting crossbow pointed to the sky...

*

On the walls of King's Landing, shouts of enemy attack also sounded everywhere, and the soldiers rushed to the walls one after another, lining up to defend the city.

Dozens of trebuchets were slowly erected in Mud Gate Square, and the range of these trebuchets would reach hundreds of meters away in the Blackwater River... Under the seven gates of King's Landing, pikemen lined up behind the gates... Swordsmen, shieldmen and archers rushed along the walls, lining up...

Among the legions stationed on the city walls, the Golden Company soldiers' eyes flickered, their opportunity had come, the Dragon Mother had launched a raid, and the dragon had indeed come under the cover of night... However, it was not a dark and windy night, but a moonlit night with cool streets...

In the Prime Minister's Tower, Prime Minister Mace finally received a reply from Little Devil, Little Devil agreed to all his conditions, and Lord Mace also promised Little Devil that as long as the Dragon Mother's legion attacked the city, the Reach legion would launch a rebellion and open the city gates...

However, Lord Mace did not know that all of Little Devil's replies were written by Grand Master Qyburn...

In King's Landing, several dragon hunting crossbow barracks shouted loudly, and the shouts of dragons coming sounded in unison. Hundreds of dragon hunting crossbows were slowly raised under the operation of thousands of soldiers, and the sound of cogs and loading long guns was crisp and dense... Commanding this legion were Master Tobho Mott and Ser Gendry Clegane...

*

Chirp!

The second dragon roar came down, and everyone in King's Landing heard it. The dragon roar sounded like a giant bell hitting the sky, and the sound spread around, just like the swift waves of the sea spreading to the horizon, lasting for a long time... Under the dragon's might, the generals and soldiers who heard the sound changed their expressions...

"King's Landing soldiers, I am the Mountain!" A voice penetrated the aftershock of the dragon roar and sounded like a thunderclap in the sky, "The evil Dothraki, the ruthless Unsullied, and the brutal mercenaries of the Free Trade City States are here. They are all foreigners, not Westerosi. All the soldiers and all the people of the city, I am the Mountain, Minister of Military Affairs of the Seven Kingdoms, I order each of you to take up arms and fight with me, let us kill all the invaders... Not one left... Long live Westeros!"

*

King's Landing Red Keep, in Maegor's Holdfast.

In Queen Cersei's hall, Arya Stark, posing as Cersei, was both surprised and delighted: "The Mountain is here, and his dragon!" She shouted loudly, "Kingsguard, immediately summon the Royal Guard and follow me to the city wall to defend the city."

"As you command, Your Majesty!" The two brothers of the Kingsguard, Ser Gyles Rosby, immediately bowed and said.

In Maidenvault, Jeyne Westerling heard the Mountain's shout, and her exquisite face suddenly burst into a smile, like a beautiful peach blossom blooming in March; the female general Brienne, the Bull Zerelle, and General Lucian were all surprised and delighted, and the three thousand Clegane soldiers in the Red Keep were all overjoyed, loud laughter, whistles, curses, shouts, and the sound of swords colliding with each other were heard in unison, and many soldiers' eyes turned red all of a sudden...

The Mountain, their leader the Mountain, has returned, and with the giant dragon that was rumored to have died...

The Mountain's giant dragon is not dead, the Mountain is still the invincible Mountain... He is invincible.

Inside and outside King's Landing, accompanied by the Mountain's shouts, thunderous shouts suddenly broke out. The first to shout were the King's Landing Garrison and the soldiers of the Crownlands, then the citizens of King's Landing, and then the Golden Company soldiers who had surrendered and swore allegiance to the Mountain also joined in, and finally, tens of thousands of soldiers from the Reach also shouted exciting and exciting roars...

Although Prime Minister Mace was a surrender faction, only a few of the family's highest generals knew about his surrender... The soldiers did not know...

The Mountain is here, the invincible Mountain is back, he is riding a giant dragon!

The entire King's Landing was boiling in shouts!

The low morale was swept away, replaced by the roar of victory—the sound of Long Live Westeros resounded through the night sky, like thunder!

Long live Westeros, not Long Live King's Landing, nor Long Live the King!

This is the slogan led by the Mountain, and this slogan is very inflammatory—the Mountain cleverly turned Daenerys's war for the Iron Throne into a race war with foreigners from across the Narrow Sea.

All the people in the city opened their doors, took any weapons they could find, and poured into the streets to fight the foreign invaders to the death!

Everyone is a soldier!

The Mountain steered the giant dragon to hover above the mouth of the Blackwater River: "General Rolph Spicer, open the mouth of the river and let them in."

"As you command, Lord Mountain." Rolph Spicer was overjoyed and immediately did so.

Woo woo woo woo woo!

The horn sounded, and Spicer's eight warships quickly retreated and returned to the harbor, no longer guarding the Water Gate.

"Who is the enemy general who invaded my Westeros continent, dare to lead the fleet into the Blackwater River and fight to the death with our Westeros navy." The Mountain's voice was like a thunderclap, drowning out the turbulent sound of the Blackwater River.

Theon Greyjoy's face was pale, he was afraid in his heart, but he would never lose to others: "Mountain, dare you not let the dragon participate in the naval battle."

He was afraid of the dragon!

No one is not afraid of the dragon!

"Since I let the Westeros navy fight against your alien navy, I will definitely not use the giant dragon. I swear in the name of the Seven Gods, in the name of House Clegane and the Clegane Legion. In the naval battle, I and the giant dragon will not participate. You, foreign invaders, are vulnerable!"

On the eight warships that were retreating rapidly, the soldiers even the oarsmen rowing under the cabin were filled with enthusiasm after hearing the Mountain's words!

The soldiers saw the enemy's strength, but so what, Lord Mountain is back. Lord Mountain said, without using the dragon, they can still destroy them.

The soldiers deeply believed in the Mountain's words!

Foreign invaders, a rabble, are vulnerable!

"Mountain, we accept the challenge in the name of all the gods we know." Theon shouted, using all his strength. Theon has recklessness, but lacks the judgment and discretion of advance and retreat.

"Then blow the horn of attack, Theon Greyjoy. Our navy will be waiting for you on the Blackwater River under King's Landing." The Mountain shouted. His voice was as strong as a giant bell, and even if Theon shouted with all his strength, it seemed weak and feeble in comparison.

The Mountain patted the giant dragon's scales slightly, and the giant dragon understood, rose higher, drew an arc, and flew towards the Blackwater Harbor.

Woo woo woo woo!

Theon Greyjoy personally blew the horn of attack!

The vanguard fleet was the Iron Fleet of the Iron Islands, and the warships passed through the Water Gate one after another, then lined up on the water, sailing against the current, and forced their way towards the Blackwater River.

The Mountain had arrived above the Blackwater Harbor early: "Commander Waggener Gower, I order you to lead all the naval warships to line up in the Blackwater River and meet the enemy ships, and let all the invaders be buried in the sea!"

"As you command, Lord Mountain." Waggener Gower was full of excitement and strength. He rarely shouted, but this time, he shouted with all his strength.

The Mountain's voice was like a thunderclap, and his voice resounded over the harbor: "Westeros naval soldiers, I don't want to see any Westerosi being a coward. The enemy ships are passing through the Water Gate at full speed. There are more than two thousand enemy ships, but I want you to destroy them and let the invaders know that Westerosi are invincible. Long live Westeros."

Long live Westeros!

Long live Westeros!

Long live Westeros!

The shouts rose one after another, and nearly nine hundred warships began to line up in a queue, covering the Blackwater River in darkness. The drums also began to beat, all at a uniform pace.

Waggener Gower gave orders, Earl Gyles Rosby of the Iron Islands led three hundred warships as the left army, Waggener himself led three hundred warships as the central army, and Earl Redwyne led three hundred warships as the right army, a total of nine hundred warships, sailing forward.

On the leading thirty warships, the dragon hunting crossbows were lined up one by one, the black iron guns had been tightened by the mechanical bowstrings, and one shot would penetrate even a rock by half, let alone a wooden warship.

The Mountain steered the dragon at low altitude, advancing with the warship!

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