Hi everyone!
Chapter 28: Wargames Approaching
The Reach
Estermont soldiers fought against Lannister vanguard, the Mountain led the charge and took the life of a dozen hedge knights and Lord Estermont's kin, Andrew.
The struggle over the Reach began little over a month, no large scale fights but small skirmishes over farmland and livestock.
Many in House Baratheon's leadership knew this was Tywin's plan, the same goes for the battles near Old Oak and a short fight at Red Lake. Two of the three fights were a loss to Stannis but this one is less severe than the others.
Eldon turned his horse around, calling for a retreat back to their second base at Highgarden.
The Lord of Greenstone pondered on the letter from his Graces son, he will be returning soon from the Stormlands.
The Tyrells and Lannisters are trying to fight on three fronts, a band of savages and lions marched through the Kingswood in the hopes to force the army in the Reach to act but paid no heed to Joran's swift arrival which slaughtered all 1200 men and captured ten wildlings.
It left the force in the Reach to continue gathering food and livestock, was going to go to Highgarden but now that is at risk of being attacked.
"Alyn, ride ahead and inform our garrison to begin moving our food stores to Horn Hill and Oldtown. Go!" He ordered and his son nodded before going ahead with ten others.
Looking behind, he saw the Lannister force surround the village they tried to defend but quickly demanded the remaining 2000 men to keep moving to Highgarden.
He can only hope that the Prince arrives or his Grace finishes his attack on the Arbor, otherwise they might not be able to stop the main enemy force from rolling over them.
Stannis
South of the Whispering Sound, the fleet that Stannis secured almost a month ago had starved the surrounding settlements of the Arbor, he praised their good fortune as most of the Redwyne fleet was anchored and very few were guarding Ryamsport.
He burned roughly half of their ships at anchor, a small naval battle ensued which ended in a victory for him.
The Redwyne defenders tried to move all their food into the Arbor's keep, they didn't act quickly enough before his men were upon them and seizing the provisions which already hurt their defense against his invasion of the Island.
Stannis discovered after the first three days that Mace's wife, daughter, and mother were indeed in the castle and the Queen of Thorns called for a parlay and offered terms but more or less reminded him that he will be defeated in the coming months, he expected more from the woman and so he besieged the keep.
It's been nearly a month, and Olenna called to him again and he agreed to yet another parlay.
She came out and he noticed the shadows under her eyes and that of her two guards, they looked tired and hungry but the woman didn't seem to be worse for wear.
"Enough remarks, my Lady... I offer you and Lady Alerie and Lady Margaery safety in return for your surrender." She looked ready to spit at his boots than accept but there is little in the way for peace right now, "I do not want to attack your home, I don't want to kill your defenders as they can fight for me." He said and then waited for her response, six minutes passed before she spoke.
"My granddaughter's safety is paramount, Lord Stannis, is that something you can promise me?" He nodded and Olenna sighed, "We will surrender into your custody, your Grace." Another victory is secured for him, he gave the command and the remaining soldiers of House Redwyne to begin repairing what ships he damaged at anchor and prepare for their return voyage to Oldtown.
He rested for the evening, taking time to relax on his ship rather than be inside of the keep of House Redwyne who had just surrendered.
"Your grace, a raven from Storm's End." One of his guards said, allowing a servant to enter and hand him a scroll which must have been carried across several castles before coming here.
Telling the two men to leave, he opened and read the scroll and it's contents.
His bastard nephew attacked the Stormlands, his son arrived and annihilated the enemy before turning back to the Reach. Stannis found himself swelling with pride, no doubt from Joran's achievement of being able to tame the Red Viper into serving as a military advisor.
There was more news, his wife and daughter encountered a surprise when Lancel Lannister came to Storm's End, under orders to demand the surrender of his son's betrothed, it was folly and his daughter had the swine sent to the dungeons and to await his orders on the Lannister boy.
Stannis stayed awake for a number of hours before falling into a deep sleep, awaking to the sounds of gulls and a glimpse of sunlight peeking through a hole in the ship.
Giving his orders to the men, his fleet left the Arbor barring a small garrison of 500 men and 200 horses to defend the isles. "I entrust you to keep the defense here, Lord Elwood Mertyns." He said to the heir of the Mistwood, "There is potential here, ships that must be made and I command you to build 50 new war galleys and then sail them to Dragonstone." He added before he left.
Once they were clear, away from the island he turned to Mathos Seaworth. "Send ravens to our garrisons at Oldtown and Highgarden, I want our forces there to combat and defend the Reach from Tywin and Mace's forces." He ordered and the boy nodded.
"And what will we do, my King?" He was asked and he answered quickly.
"We sail for Dragonstone to rejoin our fleet, from there we prepare our assault on the Crownlands with the Dornish stepping down from siding with that ill-born bastard." His eyes turned back to the open sea, his mind ever on his victory.
Joran
Joran ordered fro everyone to camp for the day, they've been marching nonstop since Night Song and he noticed after the skirmish with the Lannister's and wildlings that his troops were exhausted.
Some of the more tired troops began speaking of his forced march tactics to get back to the Reach, Aurane brought it to his attention and Oberyn advised that these men shut their mouths or be flogged for insubordination against their commander.
He denied that action, he is entirely grateful for Oberyn joining their force but tyranny caused a great many conflicts and he won't have his father's reign be remembered for tyranny and forcing the people to be quiet.
Sighing, the Prince removed the last of his armor and fell into comfort within his bed.
Ashford was a little uneasy about his arrival, he would've been back at Highgarden if not for the message from the Stormlands telling him about the Imp's forces coming to raid his homeland which made him ride to the aid of his people and oust all of the raiders and took their weapons and armor for their own.
That was one bloody fight. Joran thought as he remembered the skirmish well after so many days.
The enemy didn't fear his charging cavalry, they welcomed it more or less and did all they could to bleed his men into the dirt. He firstly fought and broke through the line, a dozen or so riders being able to follow suit but others were held back by spearmen and pikemen.
A great bear of a man with a bloody twin-ax threw that very weapon at his horse, he steered left to avoid it but his steed had fallen flat not far from crushing his leg. He thus began fighting on foot, cutting down redcloaks and savages whilst defending himself.
That brute found him and a vicious battle ensued, he disarmed the bastard and had him on his back and with a swift swing had taken half of the wildling's head off.
The battle lasted not but a half-hour, he wasted no time and ordered the seizing of the fallen's weapons and armor then commanded the army to begin marching back to the Reach and Highgarden where the Lannister's had begun digging in.
"Joran?" Looking at the tent's entrance, Aurane was standing there with a worried look on his face.
"I've grown to hate that expression from you, brother. What happened?" He asked and got into a sitting position, gesturing for Aurane to come on in and give him the news.
"The Lannister's made their first move, they've seized a number of livestock and small farms. A rider from Highgarden says that they'll be getting attacked soon." His men aren't ready for another march, they need the rest or it won't matter if they get to Highgarden on time.
The lions and roses would lay his forces to waste, Joran sighed and rubbed his temple for a long moment to think about a plan.
"We rest what horses we have at the moment, ride out at dawn and have Gulian follow behind us with the rest." He said to Aurane, the man left without another word and spread the news to all the commanders on what their orders were.
At dawn, he was dressed in his armor and mounted his horse before calling for the other three-thousand riders to come following behind him.
It can't be Tywin or Mace making the move but someone else leading, his mind immediately thought about Loras who must be hungry to get his revenge against him and his father for what happened at the Battle of Highgarden.
Thinking about his father, he wondered if he'd taken the Arbor yet or worse had his father been defeated? He refuses to give thought to such an outcome, his father is without a doubt the best commander on the seas and decimated the Greyjoy fleet.
"Ride! Ride hard for Highgarden! Our fighting days are not over yet!" He cried and rallied the men on their horses, the banners of the stag and others flapping as they galloped to their allies defense.
The Lannister's and Tyrell's have made a grave mistake, and Loras will pay for both transgressions.
Tyrion
The acting Hand of the King sighed in frustration, he was stupid and made an even more pathetic mistake.
He was angry and his sister, after another night of drinking and a savage tantrum had come to him and demanded that they do something about Jaime's death.
It was heinous, his sister already fed their cousin Lancel to the Stag, sending the boy to Storm's End and to order the return of Sansa and Arya Stark and their wolves. He would have stopped it but it had been too late, he could only ask forgiveness when he next sees his uncle Kevan.
Cersei played on his love for his brother, he was also heavy into the drink when he agreed. He sent 1200 men to their deaths in the effort of raiding the Stormlands while Stannis and his army was in the Reach, part of him thought it was a good idea and that his dispatch would cause the usurper to return and defend his territory while giving his father an opportunity to reclaim the Reach.
Now, now the city is stuck naught but three-thousand Westermen, four-thousand Goldcloaks, and three-hundred Mountain Clansmen. The Dornish also renigged on their deal in joining forces, Oberyn now fights on the side of Stannis's heir and son, Joran.
The Scaled Stag, a proven warrior and commander of men. Tyrion mused on his enemy's son, remembering him during and before their journey to the North which also laments on, wishing that Robert just made his father the new Hand of the King then have Eddard come South to snoop and be the catalyst that began this thrice-damned war.
Would it have stopped the war from happening? No. It would have turned the tide with his father at the head from the start, silencing spies and those spreading their insubordination but that is not how the Gods blessed them... They cursed his family more than anything.
If Stannis does attack then they'll be at a great disadvantage, now if only Lancel told him what his sister was planning before he was thrown to the Baratheon's, he'll have to find that out on his own before their enemy comes knocking on their gates with a great force and a fleet at their back.
AN: Sorry for the short and dialogue lacking update, been dealing with an infestation these last few weeks, and had just finished dealing with them.
This chapter is more or less a buildup to the second big battle in the Reach, here's to it ending in a decent but good way?