Chapter 2: The Battle of the Trident
Skirmishes between scouts increased as the two armies advanced towards each other. The night before the battle, the situation in the command tent was tense. Robert was a fearsome warrior in battle but he often fought like he fought in the yard with his Warhammer, relying on a straight frontal assault and overpowering his opponents with sheer brute strength. Since it was the night before a battle that promised bloodshed come dawn, Robert was with his men drinking and making merry.
Jon Arryn and Brynden Tully, on the other hand, were veterans of the Ninepenny Wars and chose to strategize without Robert's brash inputs. Ned carefully listened to the plans that were drawn up and discarded between the experienced men. Jon Arryn had delegated the command of the Knights of the Vale to Ser Lyonel Corbray while the Blackfish led the Riverlords as Hoster was still recovering from his injuries from the Stoney Sept. The Blackfish chose the battlefield in such a way that the Royalist forces could not attempt to outflank them as the river waters deepened around them. Ned decided he needed to be the one to lead the Northmen as he could not ask one of the Lords to do so for him.
That night a drunk Robert rushed into his tent. "NED! I want you to fight by my side tomorrow", the Storm Lord boomed.
Ned calmly looked up from cleaning his armor and looked him up at him and said, "No Robert. I will be leading my men."
"Oh Piss on that Ned! I want my brother next to me when I cave in the chest of that sisterfucker Prince", Robert laughed loudly.
Ned calmly stood up and walked up to Robert without breaking eye contact and stood an arm's length away from the swaying giant and said, "You may want to fight alongside your brother, but seventeen thousand Northmen need their Lord to lead them to their vengeance."
Ned held up a hand and stopped Robert from saying anything, "I will not be swayed Robert. We are no longer the boys we could be in the Vale. I never thought I would inherit the Lordship but I intend to honor the 8000-year-old Legacy of House Stark."
Robert's mouth dropped open as he thought of something to say. Robert Baratheon was not a man who was used to hearing the word 'No'. His father was the only person he knew who could make Robert listen when he was a boy. Even in the Vale, Ned would often object to Robert's plans but after begging and pleading, he would eventually come around. But today for the first time since his father sent him off to the Vale, someone had said 'No' to his demands. He was about to begin his well-practiced routine of begging and pleading but the look in Ned's eyes stopped him in his tracks.
This was not the Ned he grew up with. This was Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell speaking to him. He was not asking for permission. He was informing his ally of the immutable fact that he would be leading his men and nothing could stop him. In his drunken haze, Robert did the smartest thing he had ever done drunk and said bitterly, "Very well, Lord Stark" and walked out of the tent.
The next morning at dawn, both armies were ready for the coming battle. A heavy fog sat over the river between the two armies. Drums announced the presence of the armies and soldiers on both sides of the battle shuffled in nervous anticipation.
The battle began with both sides charging across the Northern bank of the Trident at the shallowest part of the river. The waters rose no higher than the shin at the deepest parts of the river. Robert and Rhaegar both led the charges across the bend of the river that would soon come to be known as the Ruby Ford.
Robert roared to the heavens as his eyes sought and found Rhaegar and fought his way towards the Dragon Prince even taking down Barristan the Bold in his fury. The Baratheon words, 'Ours is the Fury' were singing in every muscle of Robert and his rage was as unstoppable as the storms that lashed his ancestral seat at Storm's End. Robert was a beast of a man. Standing at near seven feet in height, he was a man who fought like he was straight out of the Age of Heroes. His torso was as large as a barrel and his thighs were as thick as a man's chest. He swung his Warhammer hard and fast with one arm that required 2 squires to pick up in the first place. His large antlered helm made him an even more recognizable figure on the battlefield than he already was.
Ned was leading the Northmen against the Royalist forces made mostly from the Reach and Dorne. The chaos of battle had Ned falling into the rhythms long refined in the training yard of stab, block, parry, swing and move. The enemy soldiers fell fast to northern swords but were replaced just as fast. That was when Ned heard Donnel yell out in agony, "BRANDON NO!"
The elder Umber brother had been impaled in the back by a knight from the Reach. Ned felt the blood rushing to his head. The pain and hurt he had been bottling up since his fathers and brothers murder came rushing to the surface. The rage against Aerys and Rhaegar thrummed inside him with every heartbeat. Instead of seeing a northern soldier from the house Umber being impaled he saw his own brother dying and something snapped in Eddard Stark. The famed stoic solemn faced composure of the Lord of Winterfell morphed into a vicious snarl under his helm. With nary a shout Ice started swinging around him. Strength he never knew flooded his body and he charged the Reachmen like he had nothing to lose. Lord Jeor Mormont followed his Liege Lord, swinging Longclaw and cutting down any soldier that tried to sneak up on the rampaging Stark. Mors Umber joined him with his giant axe.
Ice became a blur that was cleaving the legs and arms of royalist forces with abandon. Ned had been trained by Jon Arryn to use the flat of a blade or the hilt to knock a soldier out during combat. But Winter had set itself into Eddard Stark's veins and he wanted blood. The Valyrian steel parted flesh easier than a hot knife through butter, but perhaps what made him so deadly today was that the Quiet Wolf now found himself alone in the world and he was willing to do anything to not let any more of his pack be hurt. No matter the cost to him.
By the time Robert roared his victory over the Dragon Prince, Ned had cleaved through so many men he had created a bloody path of carnage across the river that now ran red. The only reason he was not bathed in blood was the river water washing away most of the blood. As the enemy forces surrendered, Eddard felt exhaustion set in and he promptly passed out.
Ned was brought back to camp by Jeor Mormont and Donnel Umber. Both of them had seen the second son of Rickard Stark become the Lord of Winterfell as had half the Northern Army. Across the field, soldiers of the Reach had quietly vowed to themselves never to face Northerners in battle no matter what their pretentious Lords demanded. They had seen a Lord fight alongside his men and lead them into battle and not command them from the rear like the Lords of the Reach and they never wished to face that again. The Reach forces had suffered tremendously at the savage and brutal assault of the North and those that survived would never forget it.
Ned woke up back in his tent. Jory Cassel handed him a horn of ale. As he ate and drank enough for 4 men, Jory filled him in on the outcome of the battle. He also said a few Northern lords had asked to meet him. Ned decided to go to the command tent and find out what the situation was. He found Robert passed out next to his antlered helm and his war hammer as a Maester worked on a member of the Kingsguard and Jon Arryn sat on a bed with bandages around his head and arm who filled in Ned about the rest of the battle.
Lyn Corbray led a charge of the Knights of the Vale into the Dornish and broke them after his father fell. He also killed Ser Lewyn Martell of the Kingsguard. Lord Goodbrook had surrendered and sued for peace. Men on both sides had taken to calling the river, The Ruby ford and had begun scouring the waters hoping to find the rubies that fell off Rhaegar's armor when Robert's Warhammer caved in his chest.
Robert woke up as the Maester tended to his wounds. Robert may have been dulled by the milk of the poppy but was coherent enough to ask Ned to take King's Landing. Jon Arryn and Hoster Tully were both injured and could not do so. "Ned. I will take the Iron Throne from the Dragons.", Robert said
"By what claim?", Ned asked calmly while many thoughts sped past his mind. After Rhaegars' death, baby Aegon would become the Heir. Viserys had a better claim than Robert did but he was still a boy.
"I claim the Iron Throne by the blood of the Kings that flows through my veins as the grandson of Rhaelle Targaryen", Robert said formally.
"So be it, my King", Ned said as he bowed his head. Jon Arryn and Hoster Tully both swore their oaths of Fealty after him.
Ned was looking forward to beheading Aerys with Ice. Ned returned to his tent to find Lords of houses Mormont, Dustin, Blackwood, Flint, Forrester, Hornwood, Karstark Reed, Umber, Ryswell, Manderly and Glover waiting for him.
"To Winterfell we pledge the faith of our Houses. Hearth and heart and harvest we yield up to you, my lord. Our swords and spears and arrows are yours to command. Grant mercy to our weak, help to our helpless, and justice to all, and we shall never fail you. We swear it by earth and water. We swear it by bronze and iron. We swear it by ice and fire." They all swore.
"I thought you all already swore your oaths of fealty at Riverrun?", Ned asked them
"We swore the southern oaths, my Lord. This oath is that of the North and is offered only when the Stark has proven themselves to the North", replied Lord Mormont still kneeling.
Ned was at a loss for words. Was he supposed to swear something back to them? He thought over it for a second before saying, "To your Houses and the North, Winterfell swears to hold faith. In summers warm and Winters cold, the hearth of Winter shall be open to all. So I swear as a Stark that enemies of the north shall perish and fall and any that seek to harm the North shall feel the fury and bite of winter. I swear it by earth and water. I swear it by Bronze and Iron. I swear it by Ice and Fire"
The Lords rose and nodded to him with respect before leaving. Lord Mormont stayed behind. "Lord Stark, we know you were raised in the South. We also know you were not taught to rule the North like Brandon was. We gave this oath because we are willing to teach you what you need to know. Let's start with your Wolfsblood", Jeor said.
"I thought I didn't have it", replied Ned.
"I know what I saw on the Trident, my lord," Jeor replied. "You may not have the same kind of Wolfsblood like Brandon and Lyanna, but you fight with the fabled fury of the Starks. I have seen your Father charge into battle before beside Steffon Baratheon and yesterday I saw history repeat itself. A Baratheon with a Storm's Rage and a Stark with Winter's fury. Old Nan will be able to help you. Heed her words and leave your Southern teachings in the South."
Ned was silent and was lost in his thoughts when a grizzled old man with an eye patch walked into the tent. Ned recognized him from the campfires as Mors the storyteller. He knelt and offered his sword to Ned not as the Lord of Winterfell but instead to Eddard Stark. Upon being asked why, Mors revealed he was Mors 'Crowfood' Umber, the father of Donnel and Brandon Umber, the last of whose death had sent Ned on a rampage. Mors was a cousin of Lord Umber so he could not offer Last Hearth to him, but Mors wanted to repay the debt he felt he owed to Ned for Donnel's life. Ned, Jeor Mormont and Mors Umber spoke long into the night about educating Ned about being the Lord of the North and what it meant. Lord Wyman Manderly joined them after a runner was sent to fetch him an hour later.
Scouts came the next morning with reports of the Lannister Army moving towards Kings Landing. Ned decided to let the infantry march with Robert, and instead took only the cavalry in order to beat the Lannisters to Kings Landing and run down any remnants of Royalist forces who ran from the Trident. Unknown to the Rebel forces, Tywin had started moving towards Kings Landing as soon as Pycelle told him Rhaegar was on his way to the Trident. By the time Ned and the cavalry reached the capital, the Sack of King's Landing was already underway.
The rebel forces entered the city through the King's Gate and made their way straight to the Red Keep. Ned told Mors to take a section of Northern soldiers and secure the royal treasury. Ned rode his horse straight into the throne room only to see Jaime Lannister sitting on the Iron Throne with a bloody sword across his lap as Aerys II Targaryen lay in a pool of his own blood at the bottom of the stairs. Ned stared at Jaime with a furious glare until the young knight got off the throne as he proclaimed, "It's a rather uncomfortable chair to be honest."
"Why?", Ned asked Jamie quietly as he passed him by.
"Because he ordered the Alchemists to burn the city with Wildfire.", Jamie said quietly. If word spread that the city had Wildfire caches under its ass, the entire city would tear itself apart trying to get away. The risk of accidentally getting setting a cache off was also increased substantially.
"I will assign you a few Northern Soldiers to clean the mess up. Do so quickly and quietly. The Alchemists Guild has to go.", Ned said quietly.
It took a long time for the city to return to a semblance of law and order. Mors Umber discovered Lannisters trying to break into the Treasury which was being heavily defended by a group of remaining loyalists. The cavalry easily cut through the infantry of both sides and secured the treasury. When Ned found out the Lannisters had burned the offices of the Master of Coin, he instructed Mors to move ahead with the plan.
Wendel Manderly, son of Wyman Manderly, had been instructed to take as many vessels as could muster from White Harbour and prevent any ships from leaving King's Landing. Ned had expected Aerys might try to escape to Dragonstone. Instead of the Mad King, Wendel instead captured many warships of the Targaryen fleet escaping to Dragonstone. However, the ships were manned by Velaryon men and were heavily laden with gold from the Royal Treasury being sent to Dragonstone by the Master of Ships Lucerys Velaryon on orders of the Mad King. The Master of Ships himself was captured and killed after a heavily pitched battle for the Pride of Driftmark, a massive war galley that carried most of the Targaryen heirlooms made of Valyrian Steel and over a hundred dragon eggs that had been turned to stone by the passage of time.
The ships were quietly manned by Manderly men before being taken to the Wolf's Den port near White Harbour and the treasures they carried within were hidden under the ruins of the fort of the Greystarks. The ships were almost lost when a violent storm chased them out of Kings Landing on their way north but they made it through with minor damage. The same storm that had almost sunk the Northern fleet had vented all of its rage over Dragonstone and had destroyed the remainder of the Targaryen fleet in the harbor. The same storm also allowed for Davos Seaworth to slip past the Redwyn fleet and the treacherous waters currently at Sieging Storm's End. His bravery would earn him the moniker of 'The Onion Knight' as he was knighted by Stannis Baratheon that very night for bringing onions to the starving residents of Storms End.
Once Ned had found out about the horrifying deaths of Elia Martell and her children, he had quietly put a few soldiers on the tail of Amory Lorch and Gregor Clegane and told them to stay hidden. The city was brought to peace quickly by Lord Stark with the help of the rest of the Northern forces that had quick-marched to protect their lord. The sight of Eddard Stark personally beheading those he sentenced was one that none in the South had ever seen. When Northern soldiers explained to the people why the Lord himself was swinging the sword, the people of Kings Landing became far more tolerant of the rebels and the Godswood also saw more people coming to pray. Ned also found Ethan Glover in the Black Cells. He was the only survivor who had come with Brandon to the capital.
It took some time to find their remains, but Ned found his brother and father's remains and had them prepared for burial. They may have been unjustly murdered in the south but they would rest underneath the crypts of Winterfell with the Kings of Winter