The day before Mufasa's decisive battle with The Red Viper Oberyn, Heraka finally awoke from its slumber.
When Mufasa saw Heraka again, he noticed that its appearance had changed somewhat.
The most prominent change was that its tail had become a serpent's tail, with a scorpion's stinger at the end.
"So, you've gained another method of attack, using poison?" Mufasa asked.
Heraka nodded in a human-like manner.
Mufasa touched its tail; it had transformed from the end of its spinal column into a serpent's tail, with blue-green scales, but the very tip of the tail was a scorpion's stinger.
"Tomorrow, I'll ride you to the trial by combat!" Mufasa declared.
That night, at the royal banquet, King Robert asked Mufasa,
"If you win this combat, how do you intend to deal with The Red Viper Oberyn? Will you kill him on the spot?"
"What is His Majesty's opinion?" Mufasa countered.
"The peace between Dorne and the Iron Throne was achieved by Jon Arryn's considerable effort. I don't want Dorne to cease being part of the Seven Kingdoms so soon after his death."
Mufasa understood his meaning.
"Actually, sometimes, even under the watchful eyes of many, a person destined to die can be saved," Mufasa said.
"What do you mean?" King Robert asked. He was never very clever and didn't understand the hidden meaning in Mufasa's words.
"Your Majesty, The Red Viper Oberyn is a great menace. If he is killed and Dorne dares to rebel, we in Highgarden are willing to send troops to quell the unrest," Ser Loras said.
Today, he had again accompanied Lord Renly to partake in the meal. He then said to Mufasa,
"Ser Mufasa, we will come to your aid then."
The Red Viper Oberyn had previously caused Willas's knee to be crushed by a horse, so Loras, Garlan, Mace Tyrell, Margaery, and others had no good feelings towards The Red Viper Oberyn.
"Cousin Mufasa, if you see that the situation is bad, you can surrender and admit defeat," Myrcella said with a worried expression.
"Don't worry, Myrcella! For nothing else, but to vent your anger, I must teach the Dornish a lesson," Mufasa said.
"Vent my anger?" Myrcella didn't understand what he meant.
That night, Mufasa checked his remaining popularity points.
"A thousand, huh? I'll use them all for the lottery! Let's see if there's anything good?" Mufasa thought.
Half an hour later, Mufasa obtained the following items:
First draw: Anti-All Snake Venom Serum. Injecting it beforehand ensures survival after being bitten by a venomous snake.
Second draw: Exotic White Snake. This is an Exotic White Snake, highly venomous, with no antidote.
Third draw: A pair of Lotus Silk Cloud-Stepping Boots. Good shoes! Good shoes!
Fourth draw: A set of Camp Breaker Training Methods. Helps you train ancient special forces, truly one against ten.
Fifth draw: Thank you for your patronage.
Sixth draw: Thank you for your patronage.
Seventh draw: Drip Irrigation Method. Suitable for use in desert plantations.
Eighth draw: Undying Tribulation. There is an acupoint below the heart called the Undying Tribulation; if pierced, a person will appear to be dead, but is actually not.
Ninth draw: One catty of spices. From sand worm feces, it can cure all diseases and prolong life.
Tenth draw: One hundred catties of fireworks and firecrackers.
Mufasa felt his luck wasn't very good this time; he actually drew "Thank you for your patronage" twice. Two hundred popularity points wasted!
However, the other items were all useful.
Mufasa materialized the White Snake, a light and translucent serpent, like white jade, flicking its tongue on the table.
"Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!"
"Do you want something to eat? I have bacon, ham! Bread?" Mufasa asked.
The White Snake retracted its tongue, then climbed up Mufasa's wrist to his neck, forming a circle, looking like a white necklace from a distance.
"If you want to hang around my neck, then stay here!" Mufasa said.
He then first injected himself with the Anti-All Snake Venom Serum. After that, he studied the Undying Tribulation.
"I seem to remember Li Xiaoyao and Liu Jinyuan playing this trick; even Baiyue was fooled."
"The Red Viper Oberyn, it seems tomorrow you're in for a feigned death."
The next day, outside the city.
A platform had been erected overnight, specifically for Mufasa and Oberyn's trial by combat.
Even more people came to watch the excitement this time than during the Tourney.
Nobles, knights, commoners, countless people, at least tens of thousands, gathered here.
Mufasa rode in on Heraka, who swung its tail, scaring many people into backing away, not daring to approach.
"Look, why has Heraka's tail changed? Could it have mutated after being poisoned?" Joffrey whispered to Myrcella.
"I don't know, could Heraka have eaten that venomous-hearted Sand Snake to become like this?" Myrcella whispered back.
"Possibly, Sand Snake, Sand Snake, it must be someone who often eats snakes," Joffrey said.
On the other side, The Red Viper Oberyn rode in on a large Dornish horse.
However, his horse stopped before it even got close to the platform. Its beastly senses told it that danger lay ahead.
"Go, why aren't you moving!" No matter how Oberyn whipped the horse, it wouldn't budge.
Helpless, he finally had to walk onto the platform.
Mufasa was already waiting for him there.
A Septon wearing a seven-pointed star necklace came forward and began to confirm the situation with both men.
"Under the gaze of the Seven Gods, today, to resolve a dispute, Prince Oberyn of House Martell has challenged Ser Mufasa of House Lannister to a trial by combat."
"Gentlemen, do you have anything to say?" the Septon asked.
"Mufasa, you killed my daughter; it is only right that I seek revenge," The Red Viper Oberyn said.
"It's only right that you seek revenge, I don't object, but she, that bastard daughter of yours, was not a good person, venomous-hearted. You shouldn't defend her, should you?" Mufasa said.
"What do you mean?" The Red Viper Oberyn said.
"I already said, she deserved her death. Such an exotic beast as Heraka, she had no fortune to possess it, attempted to steal my mount, and as a result, was killed in retaliation, reaping what she sowed," Mufasa said.
Before the two officially began their fight, there was a war of words.
However, The Red Viper Oberyn was at a disadvantage because he had many bastard daughters and not much affection for them. He was not a man with fatherly love as vast as Eddard Stark.
The Red Viper Oberyn, over forty years old, had never married and didn't understand family responsibility. He would only indulge in affairs, find his bastard daughters, and send them to the Water Gardens in Dorne for his elder brother to care for.
That's right, you heard correctly, almost all of Oberyn's bastard daughters were cared for by Prince Doran in the Water Gardens. He himself continued to be a libertine, traveling around with his paramours.
"Alright, alright! Let the trial begin! The trial of the Viper against the lion!" the Septon announced. He kissed his seven-pointed star necklace and declared the trial commenced.
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