Dawn of the whiskered Dayne
By mushy guillotine
Chapter Nine
The Art Of Ruin
AN: This chapter didn't lend itself well to the POV treatment. Hence the reverting back to my old style. To people, who liked my first style better, congrats you got your wish. And to those who were pleasantly surprised by the last two chapters, all I can say is I have more aces up my sleeve.
From the annals of Zhuge Liang's war strategies -
Strategy 26 "指桑骂槐" - Point at the mulberry and curse the locust.
To discipline, control, reward or warn others whose status or position excludes them from direct confrontation; use analogy and innuendo. Without directly naming names, those accused cannot retaliate without revealing their complicity.
Example: After WWII, Douglas MacArthur wanted to have better PR with the Japanese people. He started sending in food supplies to the Japanese. Then he barged into the Japanese Emperor's Palace and clicked a photo with him, which was promptly disseminated. It was the first time the Emperor had his photograph taken. And to many it was their first glimpse of the Emperor.
To the Japanese citizens, who previously thought their emperor to be God incarnate this was a revelation. The septagenarian emperor was crooked, gnarled and cut an all-together unflattering image beside the ruddy and fit General MacArthur.
The wave of nationalism which was spreading was quickly doused. The General indirectly blew up America's power and subtly put blame on the old emperor for Japan's defeat.
Explanation as to why I wrote it: Joffrey was an idiot to kill Ned Stark. He just added oil to the raging wildfire.
Chapter start
The onset of a cavalry charge is like a torrent of water, breaking through a crack in the ford. The rushing waters, without heeding advice dash against rocks. If it listens to natural inclination and flows from heights to shallows, it picks up momentum otherwise it stalls.
Likewise a charge if not producing results against its natural nemesis, that is the foot men will only be counterproductive when the opposing cavalry does take part eventually. To offset this, offensive tactics have to be thoroughly embedded in the soldier's mind.
Feint twice to attack the third time. Repair the highway, to take the beaten mountain path. Always take away the firewood from under the cooking pot.
In other words, even if there are only two types of attack- direct and indirect. In actuality, a complex mixture of the two is always to be used. And just like five basic tastes give rise to all the tastes that you can find in the world or eight sounds of the octave give rise to all music so do the two methods give rise to a myriad possibilities of attack.
A charge, hence can be likened to a bolt released from a crossbow. Energy coiling in its spring and when let loose it has to be prompt and terrible. Like a falcon swooping in for the kill, the general who leads the charge has to be like the swift wind.
But where does this energy for the bolt come from? The reason for the charge? The energy for the charge if not enough then it's a Fool's sojourn. Men can be roused to battle only if a sufficient cause is given to them.
And if you are fool enough to give your enemy such a reason... You ought not to sit on the throne. Sadly, in her pursuits for the iron throne Cersei only taught her son how to get the seat but not how to sit on the seat.
At the end of the day, even if you shit gold the shit will still be shit without intellect, foresight and wisdom. Even if you have the grain bowl of the world at your feet, if you're inept all that you will be the owner of would be pillaged farms. And displaced people.
Displaced people meant uprising. Uprising meant war. And war in winter meant suicide...especially if led by an inept man.
***Dawn of the whiskered Dayne***
"My majesty ain't you afraid of Lord Mace and the vastness of his troops? His armies is like a sea extending for over a hundred miles. My spies say he has a host of 400,000 troops."
Renly sighed. For he was tired of replying the same thing to all those who asked him the same question. Renly believed Mace wouldn't give him any trouble after he ascended, as fairweather allies like Lord Tyrrell were wont to do.
It was not that he trusted in Mace's loyalty but rather he trusted in his ineptness and fatuousness.
When Lord Tyrrell besieged his brother, the seige which should have been over in months raged on for the entirety of Robert's Rebellion. It was only due to the prolonged seige that Robert found it so easy to cave Rhaegar's chest in.
Renly decided to put these doubts to rest once and for all.
"Dear minister, you have been a big asset to me. In fact you will, even if Tyrrell brings his entire host to me be a far bigger asset to me than that Lord Tyrrell. Tell me minister, what is the popular opinion about Olenna, his mother?"
"It is rumored that she is the brains in the Tyrrell family. That Mace doesn't do anything without her consent."
"Thar means Lord Tyrrell was like me when I was a child. Should I be afraid of a child betraying me?"
"Your Highness, please don't underestimate the strength of numbers?" The minister in his desperation to put across his point raised his voice a little. Renly forgave him.
Smart and resourceful the minister may be. But he too was afflicted by the disease that all intellectuals have.
They think, no believe that all people, even illiterate ones are intrinsically as smart as them. Lies!
Renly had spent quite some time with Lord Tyrrell to know that these rumors were in fact hiding the truth. Lord Tyrrell didn't ask Olenna for her approval of his every decision.
Rather Olenna informed him only after the deed was done. The natural order in the Tyrrell house was obstructed. A lord should order his family members not the other way round. If this happens disaster is sure to follow.
"Lord Tyrrell is advancing towards us, but first he says he will engage the Dornish troops. Didn't he say that?" Renly asked, his voice resounding in the tent. After seeing the nod, the newly crowned royal continued, "I guarantee you then, when Lord Tyrrell comes here that is if he comes, he will have a lesser troops than me."
"But we have only 200,000."
"Wait and see Minister. In civil matters I have not even the amount of skill that lies between your fingertips. But in these matters, I learnt from the very best. My brother." And on that emphatic note he showed away the Minister.
The minister still disbelieving went away from the military tent. The tent was bare except for the young man now. A cloud of anticipation built up inside it. The youngest Baratheon brother pondered.
'Win Naruto. Please win. The pivot of my ambitions can be set only if you humble the idiot called Lord Tyrrell.'
***Dawn of the whiskered Dayne ***
Sunspear, Dornish Court
"My men, Lord Tyrrell has provoked us into battle. He has sent a large host of 400,000 towards us. He has ordered a missive that I surrender and accept the suzerainty of the new King, Renly Baratheon. We all know that to be a farce." The young olive skinned Lord informed his courtiers and Generals. Though the news was grave, none of them seemed to be perturbed by it.
"But I am not afraid. Do you know?"
"Because you have advantages over him, my lord." a voice called out.
"Lord Lemonwood, explain yourself."
The now revealed to all Lord Lemonwood, strutted forward. With a broad smile he began, " Lord Tyrrell still follows the old rules. Of combat as well as administration. You have appointed talented and well educated officers for civilian matters. And talented courageous officers in the army. Both times their family and birth wasn't a problem for them. They feel indebted to you for giving them a chance. While in Tyrrell's case, a sense of inertia might have invaded all.
Not only that, you are decisive. Mace Tyrrell is indecisive.
He hides behind the skirt of his mother still. You support the shoulders of your father.
You, Lord Martell is just and trusting. Whereas Lord Mace trusts no one other than Lord Tarly.
On top of everything, most importantly his succession is not definitely set. His eldest is a cripple thanks to a certain someone here and the other two, no three all fight for his seat.
Tell me Lord, is there a way you won't win in battle against him?"
Quentyn the Lord of Sunspear, looked pleased. "Tell me, my Lord Lemonwood who do you think should the task of defeating Mace Tyrrell be given to? For we all know I have to be elsewhere in a couple of months."
The Lord in question bowed low and let hus opinion be known to all, "Though I don't like that brat I think it should be him. Give the responsibility to Lord Naruto Dayne. He will lead the Centre formation. And let him choose his flank captains."
"I think I would like to know why you don't like me, Lord Lemonwood." In the court itself, one could understand why there was a certain alienation between Dorne and the rest of Westeros. The above two statements never would have been uttered in a proper Westerosi court of meticulous etiquette. Nor would the following replies to it.
"Because you are not humble. A lord the higher he is, the more humble he should be."
"I will put it down in my today's to-do list. At the moment it is right below 'Defeat the golden roses' at the second place. Thank you for opening my eyes."
"Now that they are open, I suppose you will return to me, my money."
"Didn't you get it? I thought that now that I had dispatched it, the money should have reached you by now." Truth is more precious than a lie. It had to be used sparingly.
"I didn't get the money you dispatched earlier too, Lord Dayne. Perhaps some mountain bandit is stealing the money that you send me so diligently." The Lord mocked quite openly. Then the elder Lord bowed again to his liege, "I take my leave."
Quentyn gave a dissatisfied frown. Massaging his temples, he called forward his sister's lover. He loved the man like a brother but he was won't to his bad habits and decisions. The Dayne's excessive construction in his new capital had dried up his wealth. His sister's extravagant lifestyle didn't help matters.
Profits were overflowing from the new city of Leafhaven. But to be free of the debts, the Dayne would have to wait for at the least three summer years. In winter it translated into six years.
"Lord Lemonwood is a magnanimous person. How couldn't I repay his generosity?" The Dayne opened his speech to clear his name. "Forget that. I am bought here to drive away the invaders and I will do exactly that."
Then he turned around, looking at the left side of the Dornish seat wherein the Generals of the army were standing."Merryweather for my left flank. Lord Oberyn Martell for my right. Argo Hoath will handle the reserves. And me the main task force. If that's all there is, I would like to go right away. The first on the field dictates the field."
"Court dismissed." Hearing their dismissals, the Lords of Dorne bid adieu. But not the present commander.
"Naruto you are not going. Not yet. Not until you answer me satisfactorily."
"You won't let me. So I would as well hear your admonishment." The blonde said in defeat. He had nothing to say. He had made a slight error in calculation. He didn't expect the summer to get over so soon.
"If you wanted money, you could have just asked. Why do you hide your problems and setbacks but not the successes from me?"
"It's nothing, I will eventually pay them off." Naruto blew the concerns away.
"I am paying off your debts as payment for acting as the commander. Don't stop me."
"I was thinking of filching the armor of the dead Reachmen and paying off the debts."
"Naruto." Quentyn spoke alarmed at the confession. "Don't you have no fear of failure. Courage is good and all. But he has more than double your forces."
"You know I was with Lord Lannister for a few years, right?"
"Did he have anything to say about Tyrrell?"
"Well, grand old Lannister is the while reason for my open disdain of the Tyrrells. He said that even if Lord Mace had 700,000 soldiers and me a mere 200,000 I, Tywin Lannister will never lose to him. All because even if Four Mace Tyrrells are tied end to end they will still not have my cunning and resourcefulness. They will still not measure up to Tywin Lannister."
"But neither of us are half the man, Tywin is. It's the truth." Quentyn reluctantly agreed.
"I know. So I asked him how he, Tywin would defeat Mace."
"Did he reveal anything?"
"Don't worry brother. He revealed more than he meant to. Don't pay out my debts just yet. I intend to fight on."
"Take care brother. Without you I will feel all alone in this world."
"Aye aye. This world is too cruel for us."
The Prince of Dorne gazed at his sworn brother intensely, "I am concerned. Can I count on you to defeat them and keep all of us safe?"
"Absolutely. You know why?" The blonde replied with steel in his words. "Because I hate to war in winter."
Quentyn laughed, which turned into guffaws and finally into maniacal crows of laughter. It was like a dam burst and the water burst through.
" If you have such confidence I should have too. I will make the preparations for the journey. I will keep Sansa safe here."
"Oh no! She is coming with me. She will be the whole reason that Lord Mace goes back to his wheat fields."
"How are you going to do that?"
Naruto now had his turn to crack up in snickers, "All part of the game, my Lord. All part of the game."
***Dawn of the whiskered Dayne ***
It was three days of hard riding for the Dornish troops. Then rest for two. By the fifth day, the humongous host of the Reach had materialized spanning leagues of warm flesh.
The Reachmen expected to see a trembling enemy, shook to its core due to the numbers of the opposition. But all they could see was a man who claimed to be their commander sitting in the no-man's land with a glass of wine. A messenger said the commander wanted to have a chat with Lords Tyrrell, both father and sons before the battle.
"My Lord it is that villainous brute. We should just rush and kill him here." was the suggestion of Randyll Tarly to his liege. The Dayne had after all almost a decades worth of bad blood with him.
The leader but was not willing to listen to sound advice. Overconfidence the old friend of fatuousness reared it's ugly head up. All the chubby Tyrrell said was, "He has been a pain to me too, my friend. But I want to see what all he has to say to me, when defeat glooms over him. When he knows I will crush him."
"Father we will come too. He has never followed the basic rules of civil behavior. That Naruto is full of tricks and vileness is his innate nature." Garlan begged. One encounter with the Dayne and he was wary of him forever.
"Take me too, Father. I have to pay him back for Willas' leg." Loras pledged. The youngest had never met the Dayne, only heard of him as the perpetrator of his brother's crippleness.
Loras deeply idolized his eldest brother. Not because he was strong or keen of hand but because he was keen of mind. The years after his injury, Willas had devoted all his drive and effort into making himself as smart as he would like. Which was like saying, he transformed into a stationary thinking God.
Mace shook his head at his dear son, "Only Garlan will come with me. He may be dishonorable like all bastards but I don't think he is stupid."
" He is full of trickery. He will try to fool you. Take care Mace."
"Watch me make a fool of him. Randyll we will avenge both our son's today."Another common thread which held the two Lords tight and thick as thieves.
Lord Mace Tyrrell galloped away on his horse towards the Dayne. A simple mat was laid at the ends of which was a lavish seat for the both of them. A ten foot tall and equally wide canopy was laid to avert the blazing heat of the sun.
"Lord Tyrrell, I hope you are well?"
"I am. Each day treats me better and better. We grow stronger by each day."
"Of course. Have a seat." Naruto humbled himself, rather supplicated himself. An intelligent man would have found out his ruse. But who took Mace Tyrrell as an intelligent one?
"You are the host. Shouldn't you sit first?"
"No. What host am I when I am going to lose? Please as my elder and the more prestigious, you should sit first, then Garlan."
When that was done and wine served, only then was the proceedings started. The Dayne even served them himself like a lowly servant. The Tyrrells were pleased by this turn of events. They thought that defeat had taught the Dayne the long awaited lesson of humility.
"I still remember the day I first met you both." Naruto began, "Alas I was young and foolish back then. Used to listen without thinking to what my elders used to say. I am sorry for the harm I done."
"If you think mere words would suffice, you are mistaken." The portly lord of the Reach roared.
Naruto shook his head and his hands in a clear gesture of mercy, "No. I want to make amends. Please listen to me, Lord Tyrrell."
Now that got their attentions. Getting his nod for approval, Naruto carefully started laying out the traps.
"You came with a large army counting 400,000. It's a good plan. No, a brilliant one. If you had waited for a few years, I would have a chance. Now not so much. Well done. Now I have no chance at all to win."
The invader was perplexed. Was the Dayne surrendering?
"Are you surrendering without a fight?" Williams jumped the horse and asked. It was what or looked like to be.
"No."
The Lord of the Reach grew impatient, "Then what are we sitting here for? I am going!" He stood up and almost rushed back to his army.
"My Lord wait! I am suing for peace?" Naruto explained with a referential tone in his voice.
"Sue?"
"Beg. Plead. I am pleading for peace. Call it what you like. I don't care."
"How are we to know that you are sincere-" Mace Tyrrell gave his opinion to the knave rascal.
"Look." Naruto pointed to a carriage, "Sansa Stark. The heiress of the North. Robb Stark would totally support you. He will even support Renly's bid for the throne. Just marry her off to Garlan here and when he becomes Lord of the Reach, their children lay claim to the North as well."
"Me? Lord of the Reach?" Garlan was flabbergasted. The blonde's claim had him reeling in confusion.
"Well, I crippled Willas. I don't think a cripple would be a Lord." Naruto made a face to show his enacted shock. "You are saying Lord Tyrrell that you are overlooking a strong and smart son like Garlan here just because he was a few years younger. Wasn't Aeron and Baelor one among the younger sons? Weren't they good kings to boot?"
"Willas is older."
Naruto didn't even bat an eyelid, "Ser Garlan. Is your brother Ser Willas?"
"No. He can't ride a horse, let alone be a Knight."
"Can he lead troops like you?"
"No."
"Should he be Lord over you?"
Before Garlan could answer in the affirmative, Mace shouted yes. He upheld his elder son. Or to be more accurate, he saw the ruse of Naruto. But he was too late. The discord was already laid. All it needed was a spark to let it ignite. Naruto left that to another occasion. At the moment he needed the father and son here for some more time. He needed to tarry for some time. Only in two hours would he be ready to fight.
Garlan turned his head to look at his father as if he was for the first time on his life offended so truly.
Naruto then waved his hands to his side and a few dozens of women came through the ranks of the army, "Fine. Don't listen to me." Pointing at the women he said, "Those are the palace maids from Sunspear with gifts and wine for your soldiers and.. You." Naruto grabbed hold of a maid and snatched the gifts from her. His directness with the maid gave the Reach soldiers ideas. Disruptful ones. But then he again began wearing the silken web amongst his enemies.
"Prince Doran admires you a lot. He says surely a man who has the biggest army of Westeros should be given more respect. But is he? He feels your pain, Lord Tyrrell. So he has ordered me to return all the lands that I and my fellow Lords have steadily carved away from you." The words certainly had a profound effect.
For hearing that, it could be seen that Lord Tyrrell's mouth salivated. The lands seized by the Dornishmen were of the Florent's, who were not in good terms with them in the first place. The only reason why no action was taken. A part of Reach was forcibly taken away and Lord Mace Tyrrell just looked on. Now too, he was being made steadily a fool and he just looked on.
The smoke and water tactics were not necessary however. Mace Tyrrell was too stupid to realize what was really happening.
The soldiers were thousands of miles away from their homes. Away from the warmth of a bed, a roof above their heads and that of warm food in their stomachs. Even away from the warmth of a woman.
At such an opportune moment Naruto set the cat among the canary. He enticed the soldiers with the female flesh. He believed that it would cause a commotion in the ranks. Confusion and discord would be sown. He was wrong.
He was wrong in that it created a huge commotion and confusion. But he was right in that Randyll by virtue of his past interaction would suspect Naruto Dayne.
The ruddy commander of the reach admonished the soldiers, "Bastards have you come here to fight or flirt? Shoo them away. Shoo them away."
His suspicion of this meeting rang like a Sept's gongbell in his mind. He just couldn't shake it out of his mind that this was some nefarious trick laid out, ever so elaborately.
He called out to the remaining Tyrrell brother. Loras Tyrrell who was said to be the next wonderknight. But the same was said of the person who was their enemy today.
"Loras, ride fast to the back of our troops and see if there is a raiding party behind. This meeting stinks in my opinion of his villainous plots."
Heeding the advice, Loras quickly rode away to the back to inspect.
Back to the scene where the Dayne and Tyrrels were having their discussion. A misunderstanding had turned bitter. Only to be soothed in time by the only blonde therein.
"Fine. As you wish Lord Tyrrell, Sansa will marry Willas."
"That's not all. You will have to be give up Leafhaven to me. It borders the Reach and is near the route which we will take to join up with Renly."
"Oh my Gods! Not Leafhaven. Not my capital! Where will you have me call home if you take away that?"
"I don't care I am the one with the army here, not you. Besides every time you raided our lands you fielded your army from Leafhaven. Even after you acquired Starfall, the pattern didn't change. How am I to know you're sincere if you don't give up Leafhaven?"
"Lord Mace Tyrrell, please give me some breathing space. If I go back so humiliated, I would be killed. If I die who would uphold the peace?"
"Okay. I suppose some breathing space should be reserved for you. After all when Renly is made King and my daughter the Queen, I can just ask them to get rid of you."
"So you are agreeing?" Seeing the nod he smiled but Naruto unexpectedly looked back. His smile grew wider. "Let's have a toast then. To the good-naturedness of Lord Mace Tyrrell and the gallantry of Ser Garlan."
All rose their cups to drink from it. Though the Tyrrell side had some difficulty.
"The sun bothering you?" Naruto casually asked. Suddenly it dawned on the father and son duo. The Blonde Dayne broke out into peals of laughter.
"My Stupid indecisive fatuous Lord. If I were you, I would tell Naruto Dayne to shove his peace proposal up his arse. And build a tomb of granite for him, so that he is not free even after death. For as long as Naruto Dayne has a breath in his lungs, he will continue to oppose you." The laughter didn't stop even after he ran back to his side of the army.
A total of two hours were spent by the trio in their discussions. Enough time for the Sun to directly face the Tyrrell army. If it was getting bothersome to lift a mere wine jug, lifting a sword or shield is a foregone matter.
"Naruto Dayne!" shouted the duped Lord. "You are the vilest of the vile snake. You are a snake among the grass. After I crush your skull, I will feed your corpse to the crocodiles in my Moat."
"Father. Father. It's a disaster. There are Martell Heavy cavalry stationed at the river behind us. There is no route for us to escape." If Loras was a little smarter he would have had the common decency to not have said it aloud.
A vital difference between how a cavalry unit and infantry unit fights is that, the former looks below the other up. The first one isn't bothered by the sun, while the latter is.
The Tyrrells were eventually brought back. They had to be as the war drums had already started rolling on the other side.
Each drum roll struck as hard as a hammer blow to the morale of the Reach men. They had quickly woken up to the fact that with the Sun directly facing them, fighting shields down and eyes down was the only option. In other words defenseless and with out space to maneuver.
They would be sitting ducks if-
"Archers fire." Archers of the Daynes fired a volley. And a massacre would take place if-
"Fire arrows. Burn them down." fire arrows were in the possession of the enemy army. Even those who braved looking directly at the sun and raising their shields were caught in the volley. Anything done as a half measure will surely give you an empty result.
Disorder was beginning to creep up, looming her all-encompassing surf over the Reach forces. To offset the archers' volley and the disorder, Mace ordered his cavalry to charge ahead. The rapidly detiorating situation was salvaged for awhile as a charging cavalry is less won't to bear the brunt of a volley of arrows.
Naruto knew that the outcome of the battle would be decided in a few minutes. There was just one battle here- the initial charge. If it was successful on the Tyrrell side, they won. Otherwise the invading force would as well flee. The conditions that the Reachmen would have to fight in for the next few hours was inhuman
"Janus is the surprise ready?"
"Yes. The Horses would get a real spicy Dornish welcome soon. Only the first line would advance. Wait and see."
Now the first line of riders were almost upon their shields. All of the Dornish infantrymen had boxed themselves in a classic testudo formation. It left no space for even air to come in. The men couldn't move but...
They won't have to. In fact it was advisable in present circumstances to stay put and let the dust settle. Literally.
"Hahaha." Naruto was uncontrollable. For the fruits of his labor were working. As soon as the first line of riders crossed the juncture of land which was strewn with dried Chilli flakes, the horses behind revolted. The horses had their nostrils burning and so refused to charge ahead.
Just like the other men of Westeros, even the horses of lands other than Dorne couldn't digest their spicy food.
You could teach men to be disciplined and let not the elements affect him. You could teach the animals to be disciplined but braving the elements? Never.
Elephants will always be afraid of loud noises. Horses of pungent odors. Reptiles of the cold and so on.
"Foot men, finish those bastards." Shouting so Janus sounded the drums to signal the same. The formation was broken and ranks changed rapidly. The footmen advanced in a tightly knit group three ranks deep.
The long spears of the Dornishmen glistened with blood. It was a successful round one for Naruto. Now victory was absolute.
"Are the chariots ready?"Naruto asked his right hand man, the ever dependable Janus Vardley.
"Should I sound the drums?" Janus quipped back. Chariots were a unique feature of the Dornish-men. Nowhere else in Westeros were chariots employed. Most of the Lords were of the opinion that chariots were a waste of resources. Rightfully so.
A chariot needed at the least two horses and one driver to transport what would be two fighters. A chariot also required much sophistication to safeguard its driver and wheels and carriage. In the firm of shade for the driver, metal spikes in the wheel, spokes to reduce weight of the wheel and so on.
The Chariot was hence written off as an useless and incompetent personnel of the army. Today, that old pre-conceived notion was going to be changed.
A thousand chariots set off from the side of the Martells. The numbers weren't enough to strike fear but the paraphernalia tied at the ends of each chariots was sure to do so. Each chariot had something of a cylinder shaped rolling pin of spikes tied to it. There was no other way to describe it. It really looked like a massive rolling pin with porcupine quills throughout.
If anyone tried to approach the chariots from the sides, they were sure to be crushed. Which only left the front and one rear side open to attack. And there indeed was a wall of shields ahead of every chariot.
Any chance of rejoicing for the Reach men were again snuffed out when the chariots took a sharp turn just before they crashed with the opposing front line. The rolling death pin rolled on, over the corpses of foot men who had vainly out up their shields. Once more the Reachmen weren't allowed to fight the war on their terms, with their own rules.
The battle was increasingly being dictated by the blonde upstart. And things were collapsing and not so rosy on the side with golden roses as their livery. The echariots now deployed the other rolling death pin which was until now sitting idle in their carriage. Now there was no chance of any infantry even approaching the chariots.
The Reach's central formation soon collapsed.
"Mace. I think we should retreat. We still outnumber him, sure. But there is confusion in the ranks. And in present conditions I don't think we can carry on."Tarly was gracious enough to forget his anger for awhile and accept defeat.
"No. Never! I would not suffer to share the same skies as him. He will die by my hands."
"What can we do? The Seven favour him, Father." Garlan conceded.
"That vile brute! He even didn't spare his own sister from his tricks." Mace groaned.
"And that's why we fell for it. Let's us go. If we tarry, I fear we won't be able to break through the forces stationed behind to raid us." Tarly finished with a weary sigh.
Tarly was saddened. It was not the first time he had lost to the blonde upstart. Each time he didn't fight fair and square to boot. Each time, he Randyll lost due to underestimating him.
"He is both a murderous scoundrel and a brilliant statesman. I don't know if I should consider myself fortunate or unfortunate to live in the same time as him." Tarly declared on seeing the Martell force break through their center formation. Huge gaps had crept up in their ranks.
Disorder was now steadily becoming their second nature. A little more and the Tyrrell would lose the war.
The war drums on the Martell side again began playing a different tune. This time it was the one for a cavalry charge. Now that the Reach's primary shieldsmen were routed, charging was the only logical step forward for the Dornishmen.
The flanks which were until then, withdrawn to the back swiftly seized the initiative. Joining up in a wedge formation they charged ahead. The talisman at the head of the wedge had a long lance, most of whom were career Knights. While he, the talisman was surrounded by mounted archers, who also carried spears on their back. And at the edge of the wedge, at the back occupied the Sabre rattling veterans poised to hold the formation together.
There was no inch of space for the Tyrrells to fight now. If situations could be distinguished into separate instances; each one unique from the other. Then there could said to be nine situations.
One among them was the hemmed-in situation, when a small force after occupying strategic positions, was enough to defeat a much larger host. This was the current scenario.
And another among them was the desperate situation. When men on seeing they had no other option, fight with all they can. But that hadn't reached till now. It was still largely unknown to the troops that they had enemy at their backs as well.
Naruto had given them a rope for them to cling to. A route to retreat. Back to the wheat fields of Reach it was for the larger host of defeated souls.
Randyll Tarly heaved a weary sigh, "Retreat is the only option now. Come on Mace." They were thoroughly beat. The already sinking morale would sink further on seeing the troops across the river.
"No. No. No." The words piteously spewed forth from the Warden of the West's mouth. It was the second time he had lost an almost sure victory now. First it was Stannis, now Naruto.
"Men, help our Lord to his horse." Tarly ordered. No one dared to oppose him. Morale was first shaken hard by the chariots and then it dissolved completely when the cavalry charged unhindered. No one had the guts to even argue back.
The 400,000 large host was routed and was fleeing.
Poor Men!
For they didn't know death was waiting for them, either way.
For there was an enemy at the front waiting, fresh and thirsty for blood. And there was an enemy at the back, who had defeated them and was hungry for more.
Whatever semblance of order there was collapsed. The Reach men even abandoned their heavy weapons to flee away in all directions. They ran away for their lives. Away from the dornish men who had opened their vicious maws. No Reachman wanted to be a pile of lonely bones, lain unforgotten in the Sands of Dorne.
Relief prevailed among them when, they were not given further chase. Only for the hopes to collapse, when the high officials realized the target was not the troops all along.
It was the supply train.
The Reach had now a large host 300,000 or something stranded and routed, somewhere in the Dornish scourge drylands without grain. They were like displaced people driven away from their homes.
Displaced people meant uprising. Uprising meant war. And war in winter meant suicide...especially if led by an inept man. Mace Tyrrell just signed his own death warrant.
No wonder it was said that war should be fought with caution. And intelligence.
***Dawn of the whiskered Dayne ***
THE END
PHEW! I finished it. And yes I skipped Ned's beheading. But Sansa is with Naruto. It will be important later on.
This chapter was a little taxing on me. Coming back to the third person style, accounting for the tactics and researching them took some time. POV style wouldn't work in a war account as there are numerous leads and events to be followed at the same time. That is impossible to capture in that style.
But I also got a feeling the chapter was a little impersonal at times. Whatever... Just let me know how you all liked it through the review page. This story has officially picked up speed.
As for the tactics they were actually mentioned in the Art of War by Sun Tzu. I had my eyes opened reading the book.
You might wonder what was the aftermath of the war? Well, the Tyrrell men fled back to the Reach. Defeated and Disheartened, they will now have to contend with Stannis who will land at the Florent's lands. Let us not forget the macho Vikings of the story- The Greyjoys and their Ironborn raiders. They are going to give hell to the Tyrrell ports.
In the next chapter, the action will shift to the battleground between the Lannisters and Starks.
