CHAPTER 28. CONQUERORS

LANNISPORT

The sun began to rise and with it came Delah Levor commanding a fleet of 300 warships. "Mistress Lannisport dead ahead!"

"All hands on deck…" She screams, "Signal the captains…Let's wake the city up…"

The alarm would have sounded but the man in the bell tower was dead his neck slit by Pryt Assassins. A man comes onto the balcony and stretches, he hears a whistling sound and looks up to see a flaming jar of pitch flying towards him. The jar shatters on the rail of the balcony setting the man on fire. The explosion knocks him off his feet and sends him flying back into the bedroom. He hits the bed where his wife is still sleeping. The fire spreads onto the sheets and the wall.

A few blocks away a barrel of Wild Fire explodes against the side of a building ripping it apart. People start running and screaming from their homes as the city is pummeled by a naval bombardment. There are merchant and fishing vessels docked at the city port, some from Essos. The crews of those ships jump into the water as their ships are set ablaze by Delah's attacking forces.

"Fire at will!" Delah screams.

Smoke rises from the city along with the screams of those dying. "M'Lady…People on the beach…"

"Signal the Reaver, the Sea Star, and the Destroyer…Kill them all…"

The ships she named sprout oars and draw closer to the beach. They start shooting arrows, barrels of Wild Fire, and Jars of flaming pitch at the people running from the city across the beach. Delah and the warriors of the Levor Fleet watch as the city burns. A barrel of Wild Fire strikes the Golden Lion in the city square. The statue melts from the wild fire.

"All ships back to Levor Port…"

THE REACH

News had been received that Gordon Basteel was dead so Corren, Lara, Vivienne, and her children went to Steel Point to receive the body. Abel Bastion was left to command the invasion force into the Reach. As the army marched towards High Garden they burned and pillaged the countryside. Whatever they couldn't take from the farms was burned. Abel had 20,000 men under his command. 5,000 of which were men of Dorne.

Randyll Tarly rallied an army of 20,000 at Horn Hill and the two armies met in the wild fields on the east side of High Garden 100 miles from the castle. The Lords of the Reach had sworn fealty to their new Lords House Florent. Randyll Tarly and Abel Bastion ride out to parley. "Lord Tarly…I thought you were in the Capital licking Tywin Lannister's ass."

"Keep talking savage…Each word from your mouth inspires me more to want to kill you…"

"As much as I would like to defeat the great Randyll Tarly in battle…You should know your new liege lords the Florents…They conspired with that bitch Cersei…She poisoned the Tyrells…Not us…"

"You have proof of this?"

Abel nods to his Squire who urges his horse forward and hands Randyll a letter, "That is the original letter the Queen sent to Axel Florent…Our spies intercepted and sent a copy to him…"

"Let's say I believe you…Now what?"

"Disband your army…Go home…"

"Stop burning and pillaging…"

"Do we have terms…"

"I swore an oath to House Florent…It doesn't matter how they came to power…"

Abel smiles, "I look forward to taking that sword from you…My House has always wanted a Valyrian sword…"

"I will look for you on the battlefield…"

They ride back to their armies, "Spread the word…Full attack…Randyl Tarlly is mine…tell Lord Styne to take out their archers…Catapults are to remain in reserve with one thousand men…" Abel watches as Randyl sets his heavy Calvary at the vanguard. His archers are at the left and right flank and his infantry is at the center. "ATTACK!"

A thunderous cheer arises from the Basteel forces as they charge the battlefield. Randyl leads his Calvary forward. The Basteels archers fire at the enemy Calvary, thousands of horses and men fall from the onslaught. "OUR AIM IS TRUE!" The archers of House Doogen scream as they fire arrow after arrow hitting their targets with perfect aim.

Abel leads the infantry from Horseback. He throws a bolo knocking a man off his horse, then he draws his sword. In one swing he beheads the first man, cuts the spear head off of the next man. He impales the third on his sword. A man passing by tries to stab him, but he places the man he impaled in the path of the spear.

Meanwhile the infantry interlocks their shields and point the long spears. The enemy Calvary smashes into a wall of spears. Horses are impaled, but a few manage to break through the front lines. Only to be mowed down by a hail of arrows. Abel spots Randyl fighting a man on the ground from the back of his Horse he charges him, but is blocked by another man. Abel slashes the man's horse across the throat and continues his path toward Randyl Tarly. They fight from Horse back, Randyl breaks Abel's sword and swings for his head. Abel leans back and twists dismounting his Hourse. As Randyl searches for Abel he rolls underneath both Horses and climbs up the side of Randyl's Horse and punches him in the face. Then he grabs Randyl by the head and snaps his neck.

As Randyl falls to the side he takes the sword Heartsbane. With Heartsbane Abel cuts a bloody path through the ranks of soldiers. By now his Calvary has annihilated the enemy archers and was attacking the rear of the army. Soon the enemy forces began to fall into disarray and a retreat is sounded. "Spread the word…Hunt down every damn one of them…take no prisoners…Kill the wounded…"

"My Lord!" The soldier says saluting.

"My Lord your Horse…" Abel's Squire says riding up.

"How many did you kill?"

"Fifteen m'lord…"

"Well done…" He says climbing his horse. The camp had already been set up and Abel enters his tent and washes the blood and grime of battle from his face. There is a tray of fruit sitting on a stand. He sits as his Squire comes in to remove his armor. "Tell the Lords I meet with them in two hours…"

"Yes sir…" after eating some fruit he looks at Heartsbane. "I shall rename you Crossbones…I think I will have my sigil etched into the sword…" Two hours later Abel meets with John Doogen, Raymen Styne, and several others. As they have their meeting they eat at a large table.

"We count our dead at two hundred and three…wounded 76 all capable of figting after recovery…" Lord Styne says. "We will be able to march in four days…The wounded can stay with the support camp…"

"I want an honor guard to take Lord Randyll's body back to Horn Hill with my condolences to his wife…"

"Reports from the West…Lannisport is a smoking ruin…Lord Rygen Basteel of Harrenhal is marching into the Riverlands…The Seventh Legion is putting up one hell of a fight…"

"How many men is he taking with him?"

"Eight thousand…Two thousand left under the command of his wife…"

"I want to be ready to march in two days not four…"

"Yes sir…"

"Any word from the North?"

"Roose Bolton marches on White Harbor…Lord Erick Basteel's fleet had to wait out a storm near the Fingers…"

They finish their meal and then two days later march on to High Garden. Florent has three thousand men at High Garden. And when he sees the Basteel army he surrenders in exchange for mercy. But the words of House Bastion are Merciless, so when the gates are opened he slaughters everyone inside the castle and raises his banner over the ramparts.

THE RIVERLANDS

Because of the Seventh Legion the Freys are able to hold the Riverlands, so the Knights of the Vale fall back to Riverrun after another defeat and the loss of Yohn Royce. Bryden the Blackfish holds position at Riverrun after he receives a leter from Rygen Basteel who is coming with 8,000 men to reinforce him. The bulk of the army at Riverrun is made up of Knights of the Vale, 15,000 strong. Many Knights had died fighting the Seventh legion which numbered 12,000 strong before losses, now it was 9,209 not including Walder Frey's troops. They also had 5,000 men of House Cobray who had been promised Wardenship of the Vale. During the first battle the Cobrays turned on the Knights of the Vale.

Edmure Tully had been rescued from the Twins by Pryt men and taken to Riverrun with his wife who was pregnant. Rosalin wrote her father to surrender, but the stubborn old man would not believing Tywin Lannister was sending reinforcements, a lie sent by Arnold Pryt himself.

When Rygen arrives with his army he meets with Edmure, Brynden, Master Spy Darros of House Pryt, and Sir Donnel Waynwood of Black Wheel castle. After introductions and a meal Rygen takes command studying the battle map. The Seventh Legion is emcamped near the Trident with a river to the left and right, but they do not advance.

He takes a fish marker, "Lord Brynden will lead another attack against the Seventh Legion…While I take my army around and assault the Twins from the river…"

"How much time do you need to get into position?"

"A week…I already have men at the fork I will meet up with them and we will go by water and take the Twins…"

Edmure shakes his head, "How? I mean…"

"I have a small force ready to attack the castle with catapults on the west side of the River…With their attention drawn we can take the castle from the river before they know what is happening…"

A week later Brynden the Blackfish marches out of Riverrun with 9,000 men to fight the Seventh Legion. Meanwhile a small army of 2,000 men bombard the west castle of the Twins with catapults. Rygen leads the main force up the River by night. When they reach the bridge they crawl onto it while others scale the wall. There are Pryt men already on the inside the of the castle and they open up the river gate. They open the privy shoot and climb up it as well.

When the Freys realize that the Basteel men are inside the Castle it is too late. Men, women, and children are slaughtered in the onslaught. Walder Frey himself is taken alive and by the morning it is over. When word is received that the Twins have fallen, the Seventh Legion calls for peace terms. A few weeks later Rygen meets with General Morgan Seel. "We would actually like to hire you for a job…"

"How much does the job pay?"

STEEL POINT

Gordon's body finally arrives at Steel Point. His mother cries over his lifeless body as they lay it on a funeral pyre. "This is my son Gordon Basteel…Fifth of his name…On his right of passage he died as a man…he loved…he made war…he killed…We honor him with fire and may he find a place at the side of the Great Stallion…" Both Lara and Corren are holding torches at opposite ends of the pyre. They set it ablaze and step back. Lara starts to sing for her son as his body burns.

A few days later Corren meets with Lady Nina Bastion, Lady Maven who had refused to retire, Lady Doogen, Lord Warren Levor, Lord and Lady Stone; Vivienne went back to Storm's End with her children. "Word from your brother my lord…" Lady Bastion says speaking up, "The Twins have fallen…They will ship Walder Frey to your daughter by law…Also your brother Lord Rygen writes that he hired the Seventh Legion who is marching on the Capital…They will trick Tywin Lannister into thinking that the Tullys and the Vale have been defeated…"

"What about the faceless men?" Lady Stone asks.

"Tywin Lannister paid them to rescue Lady Margaery and her brother Loras Tyrell…Their contract with Tywin has ended…" Arnold says answering. "Our scouts have intercepted all Ravens and messengers…My agents will impersonate the messengers and make him believe he has won the war in the Riverlands."

"Good we leave for the Capital tomorrow…with the Land Bridge destroyed we will have to land at Storm's End and march from there…"

"Our ships will sail as soon as you near the city My Lord…" Lady Levor says.

After the meeting Corren goes to see his wife who sits on the bed holding herself, "He didn't die alone…He died knowing the love of a woman…He died a warrior…"

She sighs, "I would rather him live to be an old man…"

"So would I…"
Lara looks at Corren, "I wish to sail East and thank the Mother of Dragons for the Kindness she showed my son…"

He nods and walks up to her, "A ship is waiting by Steel Port to take you to Meereen…"

She stands up and kisses him, "You know me so well…"

"Tell the Mother of Dragons for the love she had for my son and the kindness she showed him…The Iron Throne is hers…and you come back to me safely…" They kiss and make love then the next morning they both leave. Lara heads to Steel Port while Corren heads for Levor Port.

KING'S LANDING

The Seventh Legion had arrived and Tywin was elated as the Riverlands were his or so he thought. Now all that was needed was to bring the North inline, if Roose Bolton succeeded he would win and his daughter would be Queen. He was both parts proud and angry with his daughter. More proud than angry, Tommen was dead, but they still had the loyalty of the Reach through House Florent or so he believed. Tywin had allowed Cersei and Jaime to marry and declared them King and Queen.

That night when the moon was high the Seventh Legion made its move all Lannister men on patrol were killed and the gates opened for Corren Basteel and his army. They stromed through the city taking key positions, they entered through the mud gate, the King's Gate, the sea gate, and the Horse Gate. Before an alarm was raised the barracks where most of the Lannister men slept was blown up with Wild Fire.

Jaime took Cersei through the palace as Lannister/Tyrell men fought a loosing battle throughout the keep and the city. When the door to the catacombs open Cersei screams as Jaime stabs a man and spins into another decapitating him. "CERSEI RUN!" Jaime yells as he spots Rygen Basteel walking forward he backs out of the doorway killing six more Basteel soldiers.

"He's mine!" Rygen yells to the men surrounding Jaime. Rygen is armed with two short axes and has a great sword strapped to his back. He throws down the axes. "Come Kingslayer…" he says drawing the Great Sword from his back.

"Let's dance you and I…"

Jaime picks up a shield and they start fighting. Rygen is stronger and causes Jaime to stumble when he strikes his shield with the Great sword. He breaks Jaime's sword after nine moves. Rygen slips his foot beneath another sword and flicks at Jaime who catches it with his hand. Rygen stabs his great sowrd into the floor and picks up two swords.

"Shall we continue…"

"If you still wish to die…"

Rygen attacks Jaime with greater furosity. He slips his left sword into the straps behind Jaime's shield as his right is blocked. Rygen cuts away the shield and spins into Jaime cutting his face. As Jaime backs away Rygen kicks the shield to the side. Jaime looks at him and attacks, but he looses his sword hand after six moves. Jaime goes to his knees as Rygen places the sword to his throat.

"We were once brothers of the King's Guard…For the service you performed and all the lives you saved from the Mad King…I spare your life…"

Jaime looks up at him, "My wife…BROTHER?"

Rygen shakes his head, "She forfeited her life, when she told you to throw that Stark boy from the tower…You men guard the Kingslayer…"

Cersei runs to her room to get the nightshade Maester Pycel gave her during the battle of blackwater. As she rounds the corner Cersei is kicked in the face by Vivienne. She hits the ground with a bloody nose and mouth. "Going somewhere bitch!" Cersei is breathing heavy. "I told you in the Garden…what would happen if you threatened me or mine again…"She throws the sword down at Cersei's side. "I will give you a sporting chance…Land one scratch on me and I will let you go…"

Cersei snatches the sword off the floor and swings for Vivienne's legs. She jumps performing a backwards no handed cartwheel. Cersei gets to her feet and swings again and again, but Vivienne dodges it all. Then she steps into Cersei grabbing her arm and breaking it. Cersei screams out falling to her knees cradling her arm. Vivienne grabs her by the head and twists her head breaking her neck.

Meanwhile Tywin fights beside his men against Legionares and Basteel Soldiers. Then he spots Corren who cuts a bloody path to Tywin Lannister. They swing at each other, but Corren breaks his sword and slashes Tywin across the throat. Then he impales him on his sword. Corren starts singing the Rains of Castemere in his ear.

By high noon the next day all Lannister and Tyrell men or Florent men as it were are dead. Maester Pycel and Qyburn are dead as well. Corren stands in the Throne room looking at the Iron Throne. "Damn!" He says regretting telling his wife that the Mother of Dragons could have the Iron chair. This was his second time this close to the Iron Throne. With Tywin and the Queen dead all eyes turn North.