Will the flames ignite this town?
Viserys knew perfectly well that he was the Unburnt, and that he could remain unharmed even if everyone else were burned to death. He planned to continue setting fires and hide in the flames once Robert's side was about to lose to Clegane—no one knew better than him what would happen if he fell into the Mountain's hands: Gregor Clegane's crimes were too numerous to count.
After being defiled by him, the Crown Princess Elijah was torn in two alive, and the brains of her brother's two children were left in the royal nursery—this was the blood debt that Robert Baratheon had tolerated after the fall of King's Landing. Viserys couldn't wait to crush this dark-haired man right beside him, just as he had crushed the head of Prince Oberyn Martell.
He was panting, his arm throbbing with pain, but his other hand was still capable of wielding a sword and killing any soldier who dared to attack him in the midst of the fierce battle. However, he dared not remove his cloak to reveal his hair color—the Mad King would indeed burn anyone who dared to injure the young prince, but that was precisely the problem. Given the Mountain's insane and utterly depraved nature, if he were to discover he was a Targaryen prince now, Viserys had no doubt he would slaughter everyone, wiping out the entire town and leaving no one who knew.
Gregor picked up his greatsword and felled the outermost Stormlands servant. Flames crackled and roared in the background, sparks flew, smoke billowed, blood and sword and shield danced wildly, and the cries of the townspeople seemed distant; it was all like hell.
"Can you still fight?" Viserys calmly asked the wounded Robert—not out of concern, but because he himself needed to prepare to retreat into the fire!
The pain made Robert's blue eyes shine even brighter. He spat out a mouthful of saliva, gritted his teeth, and gripped his warhammer tightly. "Enough talk, watch me smash his armor to pieces!"
Just as the two sides were engaged in another brutal brawl in front of the fire, a fight to the death, or even a massacre, suddenly the sound of hooves rang out, and another troop of cavalry arrived like saviors descending from the heavens. Heavily equipped with armor and armor, they mounted their horses, brandishing gleaming, sharp lances, and separated the soldiers of the Clegane and Baratheon families from the melee. "The Crown Prince has arrived!! No one is to move!!"
My God!! Viserys saw the man in the golden robes maintaining order and beginning to organize the townspeople to fight the fire, and then, amidst the flames and thick smoke, he saw Barristan, the Kingsguard he recognized, in his white robes, riding a horse, clad in silver armor, sword drawn, protecting him----
The rider behind him, on a white horse and clad in black armor, clutched his helmet. His long silver hair gleamed in the firelight; he was incredibly handsome, his expression solemn.
"Brother!!" Viserys cried out joyfully, suddenly throwing off his cloak, shoving aside a golden-robed guard with a spear blocking his way, and running towards him!
Rhaegar immediately dismounted, threw off his helmet, opened his arms, and strode towards his beloved younger brother.
Viserys immediately threw himself into Rhaegar's arms. Even though his shoulder bumped into the prince's black helmet and his arm hurt so much that he grimaced, the little prince still clung tightly to his brother's waist.
Rega cupped his brother's face in his hands, first kissing his hair and then his forehead, before scrutinizing him closely: his purple eyes were bright and lively, but his handsome face bore the marks of burning soot, making him look disheveled. Moreover, Rega noticed that his brother's left arm and posture were problematic.
"What happened?" He carefully tried to touch Viserys's arm, and his brother gasped. "Just now, I need a doctor. It might... it might be broken."
"Damn it—I didn't do anything to him!" Robert cursed as he craned his neck to see what was happening, feeling annoyed by one troublesome thing after another. Gregor, with the spear pointed at him, also looked extremely pale.
The joy vanished completely from the prince's purple eyes. He immediately ordered a place in the town to settle the wounded from both sides, and commanded the royal physician accompanying the entourage to treat the young prince. The results came quickly: thankfully, there were no fractures, only a dislocation. The prince held Viserys's unharmed right hand throughout, encouraging him not to be afraid; the process of treating the dislocation still brought tears to Viserys's eyes.
The Crown Prince couldn't resist pressing his cheek against his younger brother's cold, sweaty forehead, gently pulling him into his arms to comfort him, his fingers stroking his long hair.
Robert Baratheon had failed to look after his younger brother. He regretted letting Viserys become his page. Viserys, who had been tense, finally relaxed under his brother's protection and fell into a deep sleep.
Rhaegar went outside and told Robert firmly that Viserys must stay with him until he recovered from his injury.
Robert, upon seeing the Crown Prince who had unexpectedly come to Riverrun, claimed he was innocent. Viserys had been well-fed and watered all the way, and his injury was purely accidental—he himself had been injured in the melee!
"I will hold anyone accountable who injured Viserys," Rhaegar said calmly. "He is my only brother."
####
Because the Crown Prince arrived with his troops, the fire was finally extinguished before nightfall. The affected area was not large, and the town remained unharmed. Before the ravaged, still-smoking ruins, servants held torches to illuminate Rega, who was in full armor and carrying a sword. He, in the name of a knight, announced to the assembled townspeople that they need not fear; their losses would be compensated. Each house burned would receive a golden dragon, and each man and woman who helped fight the fire would receive a silver deer. The origin of the tavern fire and the reason for the fight between the two groups would be investigated.
The mayor expressed his gratitude to the crown prince. The men and women who had saved their homes had witnessed firsthand the brilliance of the Targaryen heir: he helped the common people, he cared for the common people—how fortunate they were to have him govern the nation in the future!
A little girl nestled behind her mother's skirt, secretly watching the crowd surrounding this incredibly handsome man. He had silver hair and black armor—what was that red symbol flashing on his chest? Was it a dragon? Could he also be called the Dragon Prince?
"Mom, Long is awesome!"
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The next morning, people from all sides, along with the tavern owner's family, gathered in front of the crown prince's tent. The tavern owner had never seen such important figures before, and he was so frightened that his knees went weak and he trembled with fear.
Here, a lord's trial will begin. Crown Prince Rhaegar sits in the center, as heir to the throne, possessing the power to issue the judgment in the name of the King and the Protectors of the Seven Kingdoms. Lord Hoste Tully of House Tully, who has rushed to the scene, serves as the tavern's representative and guardian. He is a tall lord, his dark blue wool cloak contrasting with his red hair—the very colors of his family sigil.
Rhaegar listened to the accusations from both sides of the brawl. Viserys was injured, his arm dislocated. Intentionally harming royalty outside of a duel was a serious crime; if the Mad King had handled it, every single member of the Clegane family would have been burned alive.
Gregor already knew that the other side was Robert Baratheon of the Stormlands, the Crown Prince's cousin. And the page who had initially provoked and injured them was Viserys, the Crown Prince's younger brother.
He angrily knelt on one knee and recounted what had happened—the Clegane family had not provoked the Baratheon family at all; it was the young prince who struck first, suddenly attacking his servants, who were acting purely in self-defense.
Gregor's hair was mostly burned off, and a large blister had formed on his head. His family's guards lay dying on stretchers—Gregor swore through gritted teeth that the fire had nothing to do with him, that the little prince's injury was purely accidental, and that it might not even have happened during a fight, but rather that he had been pushed aside and injured when they first entered.
He tried his best to find a scapegoat for himself.
Robert recounts that at first he was drinking with his servants, while the little prince stood outside the door eating eggs.
Rega stared at him with a cold expression.
Robert understood what he meant, and he became even angrier—"He despises everything about the tavern! From the wine to the food! He never eats next to me! He didn't even pour me a drink! Is this how a waiter behaves?!"
"The issue now is not whether Viserys has fulfilled his duties," the Crown Prince said coldly. "Continue—"
When Clegane arrived, he was shoved, then ran in and sat down next to Robert. Nothing happened then; both sides drank and remained at peace, until—
The tavern owner was terrified, his teeth chattering as he barely managed to recount what had happened—the soldiers of the Clegane family had seized his daughter and pinned her to the table…
"The kingdom does not tolerate rape," Rhaegar said, his purple eyes looking with pity at the poor girl who was still trembling from recalling the horrific scene. "Those who commit rape shall be executed or become members of the Night's Watch. As for nobles—since the abolition of the right of the first night, they have been treated equally in this matter."
Viserys didn't think things would be that simple. Sure enough—Gregor shouted, "No rape! She's a whore! I paid her, a silver deer coin! Enough to buy a whole bunch of fine food and wine! Lamb, duck, bread, and ale!! Besides, I wasn't even done before I was interrupted! This whore and her family took my silver deer and tried to run away! I was completely cheated!!"
Viserys clenched his fist. This was the reality of the world of Ice and Fire. Noble lords could simply toss a coin to a victim, legalizing the use of a prostitute as a form of illegal "rape." How disgusting! In this world, common women were nothing more than weeds trampled upon by nobles.
The crown prince's expression was serious. "Viserys testifies that the tavern owner said his daughter already has a husband and begged you not to do this."
"Your Highness! But they haven't returned my silver coins. The silver deer is still in the tavern. She's a complete whore! Cunning, vile, a fraud, and that man even picked up a weapon and tried to attack a nobleman! His hands and feet should be cut off!!"
"A husband who sees his wife being humiliated! His attack is legal!" Viserys stood up and shouted.
"Your Highness!" Gregor gritted his teeth, clenching his fist and spitting out each word, "This tavern is actually a brothel, a family of prostitutes with their own business! You've been fooled. Anyone who comes and goes can sleep with her if they want, as long as they pay a little money. I believe the other knights who pass by will come to the same conclusion as me. Hasn't she been with other men? A prostitute!! Her so-called husband is nothing but a brothel's watchdog! Once he gets a good bone, he wags his tail and respectfully welcomes the master upstairs!"
The tavern owner and his family trembled like leaves. Viserys felt even more uneasy—he saw the looks and expressions on the faces of the others present. Robert thought so too—as did the Duke of Tully, and everyone thought so, brother—
Rhaegar frowned, his eyes swirling with concern for the lives of commoners and disgust for the licentious nobles. He still tried to protect the rights of the common people: "When Gregor threw the silver stag coin on the table, did the tavern owner or his daughter pick it up and hold it in their hands, thus acknowledging this contract?"
Viserys stared at the tavern owner, pleading with him to muster the courage to say no!
However, at this moment, a thin squire under Gregor's command cautiously said, "Your Highness—the contract is binding. They took it, I saw it. It was during the chaos of the battle that I was thinking about the silver deer and wanted to pick it up, keeping an eye on the table. I saw the tavern owner, before he fled out the door—he was supporting his daughter, and with one hand, he quickly grabbed the silver coin. The lord's silver coin should still be on him now."
The tavern owner collapsed completely, "No...no...I just...my daughter isn't..."
Viserys's vision went black. He hadn't expected this—
Rega's eyes showed even greater sorrow. He judged that the tavern owner truly did not want his daughter to be treated as a prostitute, but in the brief moment of the chaotic escape, the owner instinctively grabbed his valuables—he wanted some money to make a living.
"Hang this family of swindlers who attacked knights and nobles! Your Highness!" Gregor roared as he pursued them menacingly.
The suspect is now targeting the victim? The suffocating law—Viserys looks pleadingly to his brother, who is deep in thought—
A moment later, Rega's voice was as calm as an icy spring, "You bunch of people were drinking in the tavern, and now, have you paid your bill?"
"No!!" Viserys jumped up and shouted, "So the silver coins are the money the owner took for drinks and the compensation for the damage to the shop!!"
Anyone can find loopholes! You're amazing, brother! You spotted that flaw!
Upon hearing this, Gregor clenched his fist. Viserys was certain that he actually wanted to kill Rhaegar and everyone present—this ruthless villain who owed the Targaryens a blood debt—and thinking of those things, a ruthless rage surged within him. Viserys had no intention of letting this man leave the Riverlands alive.
"I paid for this, and she is a prostitute. I have been wronged! I beg the Duke of the Westerlands, Tywin Lannister, to be the protector of my Clegane family!" Gregor cried indignantly. "My lord should not be absent from a lord's trial."
Rhaegar's gaze was cold and sharp. Viserys, at the same time, also realized the implications of the saying, "It is the Lannisters who govern this country, not King Aerys."
At this point, the reddish-brown-haired Duke Tully stood up and spoke, claiming to be the Lord of the Riverlands and "protecting" the people of his fiefdom. He said it was all a misunderstanding; the tavern was just an ordinary tavern and did not engage in prostitution. Ser Gregor had misunderstood, but in practice, no one had actually been charged. Therefore, he would write to Lord Tywin Lannister requesting that the two be settled out of court and that the crime of a commoner attacking a nobleman not be pursued.
Rhaegar looked at him, then glanced at the trembling tavern owner, and said calmly, "Then the trial of this matter is suspended. I will await Lord Tywin's opinion. Now, regarding Viserys' injury—I would like to proceed with the trial by duel."
"As the elder brother, I will act as Viserys's representative. Ser Gregor's side, please appoint a representative. The two sides will duel at Riverrun, and if Gregor Clegane wins, he will be found innocent."
He held Viserys back, who was about to jump up again upon hearing this, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Upon hearing that his brother was going to duel with the Demon Mountain, the little prince struggled to object but was held down. How could this be? He panicked, staring at his brother's serious expression. His purple pupils widened, his face turned pale, and he was terrified.
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The Demon Mountain can't leave Flowing City~