Chapter III

The Battle of the Kingsroad

King's Landing was under attack.

But before looking to that, let us focus now on the fight happening on the Kingsroad while all these events unfurled south. It was a brief fight and, unlikely the disaster that happened south, the Alliance managed a victory. As you may recall, when the dragons and the major force of the Alliance army marched North, they were sure to encounter the majority of Shireen's army, led by Edric Storm.

And they found them, and it was indeed a great army, but not what they expected.

There was no magic involved in the process… but wildfire and dragons.

The Northern army rode North and met the forces of Edric Storm miles before reaching Rosby. When Arya Stark advanced against the opposing army, wildfire flasks were thrown by Edric's army using a catapult. Some of the flasks landed among the Alliance forces, but others failed completely. According to what Arya Stark later told, many good men were lost to the flames, even though the wildfire was nothing compared to the fire rained down by the dragons.

In less than an hour, the army – mainly composed of sellswords sworn to companies in Essos – disbanded in terror towards the walls of Duskendale or were decimated under the dragon fire. An explosion happened when the flames reached the carriage carting the flasks of wildfire: men, horses, and carriages were blown away through the air.

Edric Storm managed to gather a few men, to strike against the army of Arya Stark that advanced in open battlefield. However, the sellswords were hard to command and many had given up the gold that had been promised. In fact, a few companies got away from the flames early enough, in the hope they could take Duskendale and sail back home after plundering the city.

The offensive led by Edric failed completely in everything, except in one thing: using a giant arbalest, with an iron spike thirty feet long, a soldier that songs would recall as Lenn the Dragondreamer shoot the weapon against Rhaegal. The iron spike was pointed to the creature's breast, but it pierced his left hinder foot instead. A rain of hot blood rained on the soldiers, as the battle came to an end.

The dragon roared in pain, raining down more flames. Fire set aflame both enemy forces, as well as Alliance soldiers. Finally, Jon Snow – still mounting the creature – managed to bring the dragon down to remove the iron spike. Queen Daenerys joined him minutes after, worried with Rhaegal, and helping Jon Snow to successfully remove the spike.

By that time, Arya Stark and her army managed to achieve victory and capture Edric Storm. The She-Wolf of Winterfell had at the point of her sword the very same man that had been behind most of the plans that ruined her family. Even so, she didn't execute him.

"Take him to Duskendale." She said, sheathing her sword. "Justice will be later served to you, bastard."

"But will it really, bitch?" He asked, spatting to her feet. He laughed something that disturbed Arya Stark more than anything. "We will see to that soon enough."

As her army was led toward Duskendale by Harry Hardyng – that would prevent the Sack of Duskendale by fighting the deserting sellswords -, Arya Stark joined Jon Snow and Daenerys, still tending the wounds of the dragon near a cliff.

"You should fly back to King's Landing." She said, as soon as they heard her. "The battle is done here, but Edric Storm said something… I'm not sure this is it. I think something else coming."

She was right.

"Rhaegal is wounded." Jon Snow said. "But he needs his wings, more than the legs. I think he can do it…" He looked to the creature, as Arya later told as if the dragon was indeed his companion. "Can't you, old fellow?"

The dragon blinked and roared, shooting a column of fire toward the sky.

"Go ahead," Arya said to them. "I will gather a few men after make sure Duskendale is properly garrisoned and I will join you back in the city."

And so, Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow got back on their dragons and flew toward King's Landing as night settled around them. Smoke and fire were left behind, scorching the spot of the Kingsroad that is today known as the place where Edric Storm was defeated. Some children still climb those rocks, trying to find stones stained with dry blood from the green dragon.

However, we must now look to King's Landing again and to the last battle of this fateful years.

The Battle of the Seven Gates.