Jon Snow tossed and turned with frightful anticipation. Sweat lined his brow as Jon threw off the linens on his makeshift bed. It was much warmer in the Riverlands than he was accustomed to. Nothing in any of his Lord Father's informal teachings or Maester Luwin's lessons had prepared him for the new day and the battles he and his brother Robb would be engaging in.
Jon had been about to take his vows when he received the news from King's Landing that Robert Baratheon had perished at the hands of a boar and that Lord Eddard Stark was accused of attempting to usurp the throne from Robert's son Joffrey. After a short conversation with Lord Commander Jeor Mormont, Jon departed south with Ghost in an effort to reach his brother Robb before he marched to the Riverlands with his bannermen. Jon had met Robb and his assembling host at the ruined fortress of Moat Cailin. From there they marched south with as much haste as possible in order to relieve the Tully's from the twin Lannister hosts.
Anticipation racked Jon's body as he observed the lightening of the pre-dawn sky. He had never been in a true battle. Winterfell's training yard and their lessons with Rodrik Cassell would never compare to the slaughter and disorganized chaos of a Westerosi battlefield. Ghost stirred quietly as Jon donned his army for the day's combat. They would be riding hard and fast as they sought to lure Jaime Lannister into a trap.
The idea was of Robb's own design to draw the aggressive Kingslayer into a blind charge against numbers far superior to his own. Jon approved of the plan but had no help in the formulation of it. It was difficult enough to get the Northern Lords to accept of the young Robb's ideas and war strategies. Getting them to tolerate a bastard of the same age as Robb having any influence on the conduct of the Northern host was to be a losing battle worse than the one inflicted on the Lords Vance and Piper at the Golden Tooth.
The bait for Robb's trap was gathering near the outskirts of the Stark camp. Nearly 200 Stark men had traded in their Northern wools and armor for the red and blue colours of House Tully. By outfitting the Stark troops in the garb of their Riverlands allies, Robb was able to create the illusion that the small force was just a remnant of those who had survived and fled the Battle of Riverrun. Brynden Tully had already left with most of the actual survivors of the Tully host as they sought to stop the outriders and scouts that Jaime Lannister may have sent out to screen his army.
Ghost bounded away from Jon's tent ostensibly to roam with Grey Wind. The two had shown immense joy in finding one of their littermates after being alone and separated from the rest of the pack. Jon followed the path of Ghost as he made his way to Robb's quarters. Robb was alone apart from his young Frey squire. Olyvar Frey was fully armored and was helping Robb prepare himself for the days battle when Robb dismissed him to give the two brothers a moment alone.
"Well Snow, are you ready to repay the debt to the Kingslayer for when he assaulted our father?" Robb asked with a slight grin.
Jon nodded knowing that regardless of whether the trap failed or exceeded their wildest expectations, good Northern men would still die as a result of the aggressive Lannister actions. "The bait for your trap has just departed Robb" Jon informed his brother.
At this Robb grimaced knowing full well that if the trap was sprung too late or if any Lannister scouts had warned the Kingslayer of the location of the Stark host they themselves might find themselves entrapped against a force nearly three times as large as their own. Without breaking Jaime Lannisters host into smaller pieces Robb's plan would have no chance of success and Riverrun would never be relieved and the Stark campaign in the South would die in the cradle.
"Risks must be taken in war. We have to help the Riverlords or we will never have the numbers to march and force Father's freedom from that shit Joffrey." Robb said as he looked at Grey Wind and Ghost who had just entered the tent from the back with a large rabbit it appeared the two were sharing.
"Aye, risks must be taken. I like this plan even if it is a bit brash. The Lannisters won't expect something so bold from us. I'm sure Tywin Lannister believes we will slowly plod towards the Trident and maybe try to reenact the same strategy Father used when he commanded the troops during Robert's rebellion." Jon had studied the strategies used in the most recent land conflicts in Westeros as the Stark host moved south as much as he could.
While Robb wasn't able to allow Jon any say at the war councils of the Northern lords, he was more than willing to take advice from his brother in private. "So you agree with our battle plan today then?" Robb asked once Jon had finished speaking.
"Yes, It's the kind of crushing victory we will need to even the long odds against us." Jon asserted.
Robb nodded his head while he reached down and petted Grey Wind behind the eyes. The wolf panted and yapped in approval. Ghost stood behind Jon as silent as his owner. Robb looked up towards Jon before saying "I shall have you ride with me today Brother. I am sure it would be as Father would want. His two eldest riding to battle together!"
Despite the gravity of their situation Robb retained his youthful exuberance. "I shall gladly serve in your guard. I'm positive Ghost and Grey Wind will benefit from being close together as we ride into battle." Jon helped Robb equip his last bracer before the two made their way outside where full scale preparations for the battle were now well underway.
The Direwolf of Stark and the Twin Castles of Frey fluttered in the morning breeze. Scouts and outriders were departing to screen the advance of the host that Robb commanded. Forces under Lord Rickard Karstark and Lord Greatjon Umber had already departed earlier in the night to reach their positions ahead of time.
Robb gives the order for the host to move out. He ordered the men of the mountain clans to form up as a rearguard in case the attempted ambush takes a turn for the worse. Jon feels a queasiness in his stomach as the troops marched as silently as possible to reach the battlefield. Once in position the Stark host waited for nearly an hour. Marq Piper was looking to avenge the stain to his family's honor by baiting the Kingslayer into Robb's trap and Jon judged by the tumult being raised that a large force of Westermen were pursuing Piper and his carefully choreographed retreat. Still Robb gave no order. The men looked around nervously and anxiously, wondering just when their Commander would turn them loose on their foes.
Horns were sounded by the forces under Maege Mormont. The horns signaled that the trap had been sprung. Jon was situated on the left of Robb when he heard his brother scream loudly to signal the charge. With yells of "Winterfell" and "Frey", Robb's host moved forward as one to cut off the last escape route for Jaime Lannister and his small detachment. Grey Wind let out a loud howl before he and Ghost bounded ahead of the charging Destrier's.
The charge lasted no longer than a minute or two in Jon's estimation before the Stark host encountered the first signs of battle. The forest started to grow thinner and the land turned into an open plain that Brynden Tully had handpicked for the slaughter grounds. The small Lannister force was already besieged on two sides by Northern troop columns as large as their own. Robb's troops merely put the finishing touches on a massacre by any standards.
Jon focused on staying as near his brother as he possibly could. Despite his best efforts he quickly found himself pushed away by the chaos of combat. Jon used his sword to strike a dismounted Lannister soldier and nearly lost his weapon from the rebounding force of the blow. Jon felt grim satisfaction in knowing that he had most assuredly caved in the helm of his foe. Veering his mount to the left Jon closed some of the distance separating himself and Robb's personal guard. Perwyn Frey and the Smalljon Umber were engaged with two Lannister hedge knights before a white blur raced from Jon's left and took down one of the horses. The rider crumbled to the ground with his steed. Ghost's fur turned red as the direwolf mauled both man and beast.
Jon rushed to Ghost's side and intercepted a knight bearing the colors of House Greenfield. Their mounts collided and Jon was thrown from his Destrier. Jon felt his ears ringing. The din of battle was muted. He tried to struggle to his feet but the Westermen was standing above him raising his longsword to deliver a killing blow. Before the final stroke came crashing down, Jon's adversary lost his footing. Jon scrambled to his feet, a task made all the more difficult in his heavy armor. Ghost had the knight by the back of his leg and was fiercely tearing into the flesh. The knight was trying to turn his body and cut Ghost with his unwieldy blade, but the armor made the man too immobile. Jon knocked the sword from his hand and finished off the man with a two handed downward thrust.
Shaking off his disgust, Jon took a second to survey the battle. All across the open prairie lands, Lannister troops were routing and throwing down their arms. Those that didn't were outnumbered, outflanked and quickly disposed of. The only resistance remaining was a small company of mounted troops that appeared to Jon to be led by the Kingslayer. I must reach Robb. Jon thought. The Kingslayer was hacking his way through the Northern ranks and looked to be trying to cut down Robb and his guard in order to salvage something from the crushing loss his troops had inccured.
Jon watched as Torrhen Karstark was cut down in three strokes by Jaime Lannister. A number of knights and lords surrounded the Kingslayer as he single-mindedly looked to reach the Stark heir. Daryn Hornwood stepped forward to engage in combat. Jon covered the distance between the two as quickly as he could. He reached Daryn right as the Kingslayer disarmed him and looked to eviscerate the young Hornwood from neck to groin. Jon caught the Kingslayer's blade with his own and due to the element of surprise was able to push him back before directing a sweeping strike at the abdomen of his foe.
Seven Hells he is fast. Jaime Lannister quickly parried the strike and with more force than Jon could have ever expected riposted the attack. Jon barely kept the grip of his blade and left himself wide open for a deadly thrust to his chest. The Kingslayer was never given the opportunity to deliver the blow. Ghost again arrived at the precise moment Jon required his direwolf. The Kingslayer was faster and less heavily armored than the knight of House Greenfield that Jon had dispatched earlier. Ghost was caught in the flank by the tip of Jaime Lannister's golden sword. Ghost gave an uncharacteristic growl in pain and anger before circling around the two combatants. With Ghost on his left, Jon feinted a low attack and then brought his sword down in a high arc to force the Kingslayer to meet his blade. Damn, he's good. If I had 5 lifetimes to practice I may never achieve his mastery. Jon gritted his teeth. Rather than catching Jon's blade high, the Kingslayer ducked to the left and glanced the blow downwards all the while keeping Ghost at a safe distance.
Despite the Kingslayer's immense skill and physical prowess, Jon was fresher and he had his direwolf constantly lurking on the fringe waiting to pounce on any opportunity. With the Kingslayer occupied and unable to continue his rampage throughout Robb's personal guard, most of the Western Lords and Knights threw down their arms. There were perilously few men remaining and Jaime Lannister sensed that his opportunities were evaporating. He may do something rash. I must keep him away from Robb.
The Kingslayer rushed headlong to Jon's right. Keeping Ghost cut off, the Kingslayer angled a combo of blows that forced Jon backwards all the while keeping the direwolf at a distance in which Ghost would be unable to close the gap. Jon parried each attack with less and less reaction time after each assault. Ghost prowled menacingly at the fringes waiting to join the fight. If I can take advantage of his weariness and force him to close quarters, Ghost can join me and finish this.
Jon continued to backpedal getting dangerously closer to Robb. And then when the Kingslayer looked to finish the fight and move on to his true target, Jon parried a high blow and pushed back before barreling ahead forcing the Kingslayer to fight inside of his own guard. Ghost took the opportunity to come around and leaped taking Jaime Lannister to the ground. Jon's worthy foe lost his grip on the sword as he tried to fend off the vicious direwolf and his savage attacks.
"Ghost to me". Jon said loudly. The white beast quietly backed away from his almost prey and came to heel next to Jon who had his sword resting on the throat of Jaime Lannister. Around Jon the last vestiges of Lannister support had vanished with the defeat of the Kingslayer. Everywhere red and gold threw down their arms to the Stark host. The men cheered loudly at their first taste of battle and of victory. A team of squires brought forth chains to bind the many highborn knights and lords captured. Even as the soldiers rejoiced at their successes, Robb looked worried. Jon knew that the real meter of their accomplishment would be if they could lift the siege of Riverrun and rally the Riverlords to their banner. Jon's first taste of war was brutal, bloody, and exhausting.
We fight again tonight.