Chapter 10
March
Robb looked at the map of Westeros placed at the table in the vast hall of Runestone. In the two weeks it had taken to muster the might of the Vale, his enemies had not been sitting idle either.
It was most disturbing to read an urgent cryptic message that he received from a fleeing Edmure Tully of the Tyrell's aligning with the Lannister's. Now their combined forces outnumbered his own even with the Vale at his back, if that was not trouble enough...he had also started receiving reports of small raids being carried out in the North by the Ironborn across the Stony Shore.
It was not a full blown Invasion yet, with the Ironborn probably testing their defenses.
The fact that the Ironborn were carrying out much more aggressive raids on the Lannister coastal cities and villages was a small comfort, but it also showed they were in this war only for themselves and allying with them was a fool's dream.
He explained it as much to Theon who still disagreed with the thought, but was respectful enough to keep his opinions to himself when in public now.
"Should we call Jon Snow and his Strike group back from the Westerlands?" questioned Lord Royce,
"No, my brother will have a plan and the second Lannister army being raised by Stafford Lannister needs to be kept in check if not outright destroyed" denied Robb, much to Catelyn's dismay.
"What of the North?" she asked instead, earning nods from Lord Bolton and Lord Karstark seriously.
Robb found himself in another dilemma. Apart from his plan for the Westerlands, Jon had already reported in his most recent letter that he had sent some 4,000 reinforcements under Lord Glover and Lord Blackwood to face off against the Ironborn. This in combined with close to 12,000 men that Bran had raised over several long weeks from across the North gave him some solace although he had doubts around the leadership, cohesiveness and training of these troops.
If Robb sent more men North, he risked weakening his already difficult position in the South. If he did nothing and the Ironborn attacks became more serious, then his own Northern bannermen might question his leadership.
"Mother, you must go North and take command of Winterfell. Bran and Rickon will need your guidance in the coming storm" decided Robb,
"What about you?" asked Catelyn hesitantly,
"Bran and Rickon are the future of the Kingdom I am trying to build. Should I fall in battle tomorrow, the Kingdom should not die with me. Bran is my heir until I have sons of my own. You must make him ready. Hold the North as best as you can for now with the men Bran has mustered and Jon has sent, together they should pose a serious threat to the Ironborn. If the situation becomes more dire, then I will divert Jon and his 3,000 strong force to your aid but hopefully after he has caused serious harm in the Westerlands and to Stafford's new army" explained Robb gravely,
"We should rush back North, Your Grace. Deal with the Ironborn and then focus on the South" suggested Smalljon fiercely,
"That would be unwise, Smalljon Umber. By the time we return South again, Tywin will have consolidated his forces if Stannis is defeated and may just undo all our gains while threatening the seats of the Southern lords sworn to King Robb" advised Roose calmly,
"Lord Bolton is right as much as it pains me to admit. We must defeat the Lannister's first" said Robb,
"How do we do that with their increased strength? Tywin won't care if we continue raiding his lands until Casterly Rock itself is not threatened. His bannermen may distress, but they would not rebel against him as originally planned by us. Not with the Reach now backing him" warned Lord Hunter,
Catelyn saw all these lords looking at her young son for answers and she pitied the burden of Kingship that was placed upon his shoulders at such a young age. But he surprised her and everyone else once again when he didn't falter and looked back at them confidently.
Theon raised an eyebrow when Robb picked up a few falcon pieces and placed them firmly atop Dragonstone, the seat of Stannis Baratheon currently about to invade King's Landing with all his might against the approaching forces of Tyrell's and the Lannister's.
The King then picked up the mounted and few infantry pieces of Vale knights and merged them with the 18,000 strong Northern and Riverlands combined force currently stationed near Harrenhal under the command of Ser Bryden Tully.
"Lord Karstark, I want you to take Dragonstone with the Vale fleet and establish a foothold there. It is barely defensible, I'll give you 8,000 Valemen and a few lords of your choice for this task" commanded Robb seriously,
"Isn't that too much for a seat barely defended and much less worthy at this point? While it may nearly finish Stannis's campaign, the Lannisters are our real enemy" questioned Lord Rickard Karstark with a frown,
"I don't intend for you to stop there, my lord. With the Vale fleet at your back and Dragonstone as its base of Operations, I want you to continue launching raids across the Crownlands. The intention is not to occupy the Crownland castles or lands, but to position a strong battlegroup very near to King's Landing forcing the Lannister's to leave a sizeable force behind to defend the Capital. Knowing Cersei and her children, they would beg Tywin to spare a decent force and the Old Lion will have no choice but to agree if he wants to save face with his bannermen, the Reach and maintain his family's claim to the Throne" explained Robb in detail,
"And what if this force he deploys for this task chooses to engage my own?" asked Lord Karstark,
"Continue harassing them, if things become too dire retreat back to Dragonstone and then to the Vale. Continue giving them an illusion of victory so they may continue their pursuit and not join Tywin's main host. The intention is to sap as many men away from Tywin's main army"
"And what if Tywin doesn't deploy a force to counter? We'll leave a decent battlegroup of our own practically useless" questioned Lord Bolton
"In that case, Lord Karstark is to launch a faint attack on King's Landing. It won't succeed and I don't expect you to really try, just give the illusion of an attack. Cersei will panic as will the little shit Jofferey, if they don't then wait for further orders as I may direct you to attack the Lannister-Tyrell host from the rear once they face my main host here" answered Robb truthfully, pointing to the map where he was positioning their main army.
"No sane commander will risk an army at his back" agreed Lord Royce, as Robb pointed Lord Karstark to take up position at Rook's Nest for such an attack to march straight to Harrenhal in order to attack Tywin from the rear when he faced Robb's main host positioned near those lands.
"I will take the remaining 25,000 Vale forces and link up with Uncle Bryden's host of 18,000 near Harrenhal made up of Northmen and Rivermen. We will try and forage a few more men along the way to bolster our numbers as much as possible" advised Robb,
"Your Grace"
Robb and his lords turned to Theon as the only Greyjoy in the room looked at the King hesitantly, the older boy's confidence having been shaken after hearing reports of his own countrymen having started an attack on Northern lands. The very same people he had so confidently promised would support Robb if the King made an offer of alliance against the Lannister's.
Now Theon didn't know anymore.
"Yes, Theon?" asked Robb patiently, adding to Catelyn's ire.
"You need to reduce the men you assign to Lord Karstark. The Vale Fleet cannot carry so many at once, in the event of a hasty retreat there will not be enough room for all of them to fall back on. Dragonstone also has very little in terms of supplies, you need a strike force to continue a harassing campaign in the Crownlands to keep the Lannister's on edge and some of their forces held there. But you need as many men in the field alongside your main host. Give at most 3,000 to Lord Karstark with some cavalry units apart from the infantry to scout ahead and project a larger presence than what we truly have" advised Theon honestly,
"The Greyjoy is right for once, Your Grace" agreed Lord Bolton of all people much to Robb's surprise.
"Such a smaller force will never be enough to launch a feint attack on King's Landing or attack Tywin from the rear" replied Robb with a frown,
"It's too risky a gamble, more importantly with a nimbler force we can harass their shipping and trade routes. Put more pressure on King's Landing from sea while continuing to raid the crownlands, we need mobility and element of surprise which the Vale fleet can provide. Tywin doesn't have a Navy of his own, the Royal fleet will soon engage in battle with Stannis's own. I reckon we destroy whatever fatigued Naval forces that survive from either side in a surprise attack. I reckon if the Ironborn continue attacking Tywin's lands, then he will be forced to ask the Reach Navy to come to their aid. That will give us a free reign on the Sea on this entire coast and towards King's Landing" explained Theon in detail, as he calmly pointed his strategy across various crucial points across the map.
Robb and the other lords were quite surprised by the sound plan of action recommended by the lone Greyjoy of their faction.
"You thought this all up just like that?" asked Robb with a faint smile, earning a smirk from Theon.
"Naval combat is in my blood. Your Grace himself is good at cavalry engagements, Snow feels more comfortable in Infantry battles, this is my element. I cannot give you the Ironfleet or stop them from harming the North, but I can offer atleast this for you and Lord Eddard Stark" said Theon truthfully,
"Very well, Theon. Though there is another important task I wish to give you and Lord Karstark" said Robb, a hint of worry visible on the King's face.
"Name it, Your Grace" encouraged Lord Karstark,
"Sansa"
The name of her eldest daughter made Catelyn stiffen and nearly tear up as she remembered her sweet child still trapped in the Capital with monsters like Jofferey and Cersei.
"If you see a chance to rescue her from the Capital, take it. No matter the cost, she must be evacuated from the Capital. I will never be able to attack the Capital fully even if I win against Tywin, not if they have my sister hostage. I don't know where Arya is and in a way I failed Father by not being able to protect her...but I will save Sansa. The North doesn't forget its children, no matter where they are" said Robb sadly,
Catelyn fought back her tears upon hearing Robb's decision which earned firm nods from all Northmen in the room save Lord Bolton who remained stoic. Even a few honorable Vale lords nodded their consent without hesitation.
"I volunteer for this task" said Smalljon loyally,
"As will I" agreed Owen Norrey as he stepped forward without hesitation.
"Command us, Your Grace. We will rescue Lady Sansa no matter the cost" swore Lucas Blackwood, the second son of Lord Tytos as he knelt before Robb and pledged his sword for the mission.
From a corner in the room, Mya Stone watched the Stark King step forward and clasp hands of the three members of his personal battle guard expressing his gratitude. Watching the loyalty of the Northmen and even the Riverlanders to their King and his family made many veteran Vale Knights to volunteer themselves for this suicidal mission.
She didn't know their future or fancied their odds, but in this moment she felt herself standing on the right side of this war for the first time.
Robb watched the Vale fleet departing on their mission with many of his trusted comrades under the leadership of Lord Rickard Karstark. For a traitorous moment, he wondered if he had sent those good men to their deaths.
They wouldn't be the first or the last.
How many of his own men had died following his commands? He couldn't help but wonder.
Greywind remained silent by his side, perhaps feeling the turmoil in his master's heart. Their peace was however disturbed when Catelyn entered his room and the King saw his mother was ready for her own journey back home.
"Are you sure about this?" she asked gently,
"You are needed back home, Mother. I cannot save the girls yet, but I can give my younger brothers their mother back. The North needs the Lady of Winterfell now more than ever" reminded Robb patiently,
"I know...it's just I cannot leave you or the girls alone like this" replied Catelyn sadly,
"I am not alone. I have my lords and our army behind my back"
"And how many of them are your family, Robb?" she asked,
"I have my brother"
Catelyn's fists clenched bitterly upon that answer as she was reminded of the disgrace placed upon her. It also reminded her of another folly that she had heard her eldest was about to commit.
"He is not. A snow will never be a Stark" she refuted fiercely,
"He shall be on my command. You have never liked him and I cannot force you to let go of your feelings, but Jon is my brother. Bran and Rickon are not fit to lead any armies or campaigns just yet, should I die in battle tomorrow then Jon will assume command of our armies and continue the war. All my lords won't follow a Snow, but they will follow a Stark who killed the Mountain himself in single combat" said Robb seriously, still unable to believe Jon had taken down that monster alone.
"How can you trust him so blindly?" cried Catelyn in despair,
"Because the same Father raised us. Jon is already risking everything for me and I don't need your permission to do what's right for the Kingdom I am supposed to lead now!"
"What is to stop him from usurping Bran's position as your heir if you die? The Dance of Dragons tore House Targaryen apart, I do not want House Stark to meet the same fate! Why can't you see that? Jon may be loyal but what if he breaks his Vows of the Watch and starts a family? Will his children be loyal to Bran or Rickon? Think about this for once!" asked Catelyn furiously,
"Maybe. But House Stark won't have a future if I die without having an able Stark in command of our armies. The present concerns me now more than the Future, Mother. We need Jon for this War, for our House and for the North! The lone wolf dies but the pack survives! You will accept this as I have decreed- that is my command as your King!" declared Robb stubbornly,
Catelyn wanted to do so many things in response but she steeled herself and gave her eldest a cold look.
"If that is your will, Your Grace"
It hurt him to hear those cold words, but he accepted them as he turned back towards the window.
"I will do everything I can to rescue my sisters. Please look after yourself and my brothers...maybe once this is over, we all can see each other again in Winterfell"
A lone tear slipped from her eye upon hearing the sadness in her son's voice and she dismissed her anger for a moment to walk forward making Robb turn and give her a sad look.
"Be careful, Robb" she requested him,
"I will. Till we meet again, Mother"
Lord Royce stood alongside several other Vale lords with the entire might of their Kingdom standing behind their back once more. The armor of the infamous Knights of the Vale gleamed in the sunlight as their King galloped in front of them all, clashing his sword with every mounted Knight standing in the frontline.
"A King who fights his own battles, never thought I'd see one again" commented Ser Damon Vardon, former Captain of the Arryn household forces.
"Aye, reminds me of King Robert before the drink and women consumed him whole" agreed Lord Royce, as he felt Robb's sword clashing against his own before the King stopped and looked at them with Greywind standing loyally by his side.
"Sons of Vale!"
Robb's roar was met with a thunderous cheer from the 32,000 strong army as the King looked at them all with limitless pride in his eyes.
"Today, we renew our vows of friendship! We stand together once again against a corrupt dynasty and foes outnumbering us! The Knights of the Vale shall march once again to crush the mightiest armies of the Seven Kingdoms once more!" thundered Robb,
Mya felt every bone within her body shake with the sounds of thousands roaring all around her.
Against the objection of Lord Royce she had volunteered to participate in the war alongside a few dozen women.
"We stand with our Vale men in life and death. Do not deny me this"
She remembered saying those words, but it had only been a partial truth as she also wanted to follow a King she had started to believe in. A man who was good and honorable.
A feeling echoed by her countrymen as they all raised their weapons upon seeing their King raising his own sword high in the air.
"The final mission to finish the Lannister's and their cronies begins now!" commanded Robb, as he forced his horse to turn towards the front.
For better or worse, in victory or loss, he would become a King these soldiers would consider worthy of following to the very depths of hell itself!
With that vow in his heart, he ordered the Knights of Vale to War.
"ADVANCE!"
The very ground beneath Robb's feet trembled as thousands of mounted cavalrymen followed by thousands of more infantry in a column stretching for miles followed after him, looking upon it made the Stark King swell with content and sorrow at the same time as he wondered if this was what his Father- Ned Stark had felt when he had fought alongside the warriors of this Kingdom.
He would never know and it was only the cheering of his few Northmen around him that brought him back from those dark thoughts.
Not to be outdone with the cries of the Wolf King, King of the Vale, King of Riverlands by the Valemen and Riverlanders alike, the Northmen decided upon a name of their own.
"The King in the North!"
"The King in the North!"
"The King in the North!"
After centuries past, the Northmen had once again chosen a Stark as their King and were cheering for him. Mya Stone didn't miss the smile upon Robb's face as he heard the title bestowed by his native countrymen, she didn't know who among the Vale army and few Riverlanders saw that too and joined the chanting of the Northmen...but soon enough most of the entire army joined their Northern comrades.
"The King in the North!"
Mya couldn't predict the future, but beyond the hopes of glory...she felt confidence grow in her heart for their fate. It was a mad wish to be honest, against the wealthiest and most powerful houses of the Seven Kingdoms, against all odds...
They could win.
(Westerlands)
Jon and his new group of trusted comrades observed the very first stronghold of the Westerlands from their position in the nearby forest. In the darkness of night, they were perfectly hidden away from any prying eyes while their entire host made up of Frey and Northern cavalry waited a few leagues away for their Commander's decision.
"The Golden Tooth" whispered Dacey curiously,
"Doesn't seem like much as many have claimed" replied Robin with a frown,
"It's a strong keep and the defenders have the hill to their advantage from where they can see any enemies approach except for the darkest nights like these" warned Ser Barristan with caution,
"Can we go around it?" asked Wendel Manderly, earning a sigh from Harrion Karstark.
"We haven't found a way yet and the road to Lannister territory and Stafford's host leads through this castle. If we are to achieve our goal, we must capture this stronghold" recommended the eldest and only surviving son of Lord Rickard Karstark,
"We barely have 3,000 men- all cavalry. Can't risk taking major losses here if we are to have any chance against Stafford's new host" said Dacey with utmost seriousness,
"Give me 30 good men and I'll impregnate the bitch"
Everyone including Jon were quite surprised on hearing Robin Flint- the calmest of their group make that proclamation.
"The eastern walls are lesser in height and look scalable. We can take our best climbers and mount the walls at the wolf's hour when enemy guards will be most slack in their duties and darkness giving us good cover" suggested Robin,
"Too risky, if even one guard catches sight of you and manages to raise alarm then the entire infiltration group will be slaughtered like flies. You need a diversion to keep the majority of the Castle guards focused in another direction" said Jon honestly,
"Then we attack the settlement downhill near the Castle as raiders. If the villagers are under threat, the castle defenders will send a small detachment to defend. A larger group of ours will lay in reserve near the foothill and catch them by surprise. We either annihilate them forcing more reinforcements from the Castle downhill or grab their uniforms and attempt a twin pronged attack. Robin and his group will have to keep the gates open long enough for such a strategy" advised Harrion Karstark,
"We will not kill innocent villagers. Feint a looting attempt, beat them into submission if necessary but no cold murder unless absolutely necessary in self defense. Dacey, you will lead the diversion group" commanded Jon, making the Mormont heir nod and also be surprised when the son of Eddard Stark offered her Longclaw.
"It belongs to you" she reminded him,
"And I intend to have it back. For this battle, I would like to use my House's ancestral weapon and it would be only right for you to use yours" explained Jon, as he grasped Ice- the sword of House Stark at his back. Ser Barristan nodded in approval and felt content on seeing the weapon he had returned being placed in capable hands.
Dacey smiled and accepted Longclaw only to stare at it for a long moment before looking at Jon thankfully.
"It will be my honor" she answered gratefully, earning a thin smile from Jon.
"Harrion, you shall command the surprise group to attack the Castle defenders when they try to storm Dacey and her men's inside the settlement. When the attack inside the Castle starts, switch uniforms and storm back into the walls. It's a risky move, but given their alarming situation inside- I doubt the defenders would try to stop your group disguised as their own men from coming in- not when they need as many hands as possible to stop Robin's group. Will you accept this gamble?" asked Jon seriously,
"Two of my brother's died fighting the Lannister and their cronies. It will be my honor to serve justice in their memory" accepted Harrion with a firm nod,
"Where shall I be, Jon?" asked Barristan eagerly,
"At the head of our cavalry nearby in this forest alongside Ser Wendel, Lord Umber and Lady Maege. When the Stark flag is raised over the Walls, you need to rush up the hill and storm the Castle with all haste for our small groups will not be able to keep it open for long" explained Jon,
"It shall be done. And where will you be?" asked Barristan curiously, making Jon clasp Robin on the shoulder.
"Leading the Infiltration attack with Robin"
Everyone blinked in surprise for a moment before Dacey said what was on everyone's lips.
"You're the Commander of our army. We can't risk your life like that" she protested, a hint of worry clearly visible on her face.
"Precisely why I must be there. I ordered this incursion into the Westerlands, this is my plan. I won't deny the risks but I will not sit back while my men risk their lives. That is not who I am, if I am gone then Lord Umber takes command, if he is gone then Lady Maege followed by Harrion. I am a decent swordsmen and will be most useful in the thick of the fighting inside" said Jon calmly,
"Jon, I can handle this" assured Robin again,
"I never doubted it. But I need you to lead a small party from our group to stop any ravens from flying to warn the other Castle's or Stafford's host. They must never learn about this attack until we reach Stafford's forces, set the Ravenry tower to torch and kill anyone who stops you. I'll lead another group to keep the gates open for as long as possible, we will increase our team to fifty men, a small party goes with you while the larger ones fights by my side and another small team raises our flag above the Northern Wall giving the signal to the rest of our army"
Jon could clearly see his companions looked worried with Dacey voicing several more objections until he made his decision final by not relenting for a single moment.
With a final nod to them, he walked away leaving them all quite concerned.
Jon had been polishing the longsword Ice with a clean cloth when his peace was disturbed when Robin Flint arrived to sit by his side on a nearby rock.
"You all still disagree, I guess?" asked Jon knowingly,
"Yes, not that it will change your mind" replied Robin, earning a sharp glare from Jon.
"You do not value your life, do you- Jon?"
The unexpected question took Jon by surprise making his anger fade a little to look at the older warrior with a new curiosity.
"What makes you say that?"
"Ever since you joined us, you have been desperate to prove yourself. Taking on the Mountain was a suicidal mission if there was any, yet you volunteered. By defeating him, you earned everyone's respect. If that is what you still seek, then that wish is already fulfilled and you need not risk yourself like this" advised Robin patiently,
"Dozens of our men still died under my command, I need to be better"
Robin blinked in surprise as he got a hint of what might possibly be going inside his Commander's head.
"It's war, Jon. Men will always die in every battle, no matter how good their commander is. You are a good fighter and have the spark of leadership. You need to harden your heart for a commander is not just supposed to lead men in battle, but also survive for as long as possible for without him the troops are lost. King Robb-"
"I am not my brother" replied Jon sharply,
"You're not, but know this that you have our respect and loyalty. Your actions and conduct speak for itself, lead this attack if you wish but you must learn to be more strategic if you wish to contribute more to our war effort" advised Robin without loosing his composure, and gave an encouraging smile alongwith a small pat on Jon's back.
As he was about to get up to leave, Robin was surprised by what he heard next from the younger boy quite hesitantly.
"I sent my only friend in a risky mission...he's not a fighter"
Robin was surprised when he heard that admission from the younger boy which made him look at him in a new light once again.
"Did he go willingly?" he asked,
"He volunteered" confirmed Jon, clearly looking worried for the first time in Robin's eyes.
"Then he's a good friend and you are lucky to have him. Is he the other crow who stayed back with us until recently? A Tarly lad, right?" said Robin, earning a nod from Jon.
"This is not his war to fight. I stand for my house and family...but he...I am worried about him. Should something happen to him because of my decision...I won't be able to forgive myself. I feel the same way about all of you who followed me here and those who have so far died under my command. I don't want anyone dying for me" confessed Jon, making Robin smile.
"Yes, we fight for our King and country. But most importantly, we fight to aid those beside us. The fact that you care about the lives of your men proves to me that you are a good man. Your life matters to us equally, never forget that"
Jon felt the worry in his heart over Sam's fate lessen quite considerably as he offered a grateful nod to the older warrior beside him.
"Does this talk make us friends?" asked Jon with a teasing smirk, making Robin laugh.
"I guess it does. Now let's go and find ourselves some good lads who know how to climb" agreed Robin happily as he offered his hand which Jon grasped readily to make himself stand up.
As the two Northern warriors walked away, Ser Barristan standing at a distance couldn't help but smile on seeing the outcome and decided to let them be after Robin had already resolved the issue their Commander was dealing with.
The sound of bells rung high upon the hills as Jon heard a great commotion breaking out downhill near the settlement of the local villagers. It alerted the guards of the Castle and once the first fires started burning across few houses, a sizeable detachment of soldiers rushed out of the castle on horseback to address the threat.
"Now!" he commanded, earning firm nods from Robin and the fifty best climbers of their army made up of men from House Umber and Mormont mostly.
Climbing the hill had been an arduous task but not an impossible one, scaling the castle walls without being detected and skewered with arrows would require speed and some much needed luck.
He watched the most experienced fighters of their group swing the grapple hooks in their strong arms swiftly before flinging them beautifully in an upward arc. Most connected with their mark on the eastern wall's upper edges with Jon and Robin Flint leading the climb themselves.
All of them were barely armored and carried no shields in order to make their weight as light as possible for the climb. It increased their risk in the coming battle, but it was a risk they had to take if they were to achieve their objective.
Jon's arms groaned in protest and pain as he tried to pull himself up higher and higher with only Ice strapped to his back. The weight of the longsword made his muscles ache but he pushed on with the thought of not letting down all these men who had followed him.
He was quite surprised when Robin proved himself a much better climber and scaled ahead of him.
"Where did you learn that?" he barely whispered,
"Used to climb the walls of Widow's Watch away from my mother's prying eyes to get some good time in the nearby settlement's brothels" replied Robin with a shit eating grin, making Jon shake his head with a smirk.
"Race you to top, Snow?" challenged Robin,
"Very well" accepted Jon with a determined smile, as he renewed his effort with more strength.
Just as Robin was about to reach the edge, his eyes widened when he saw a surprised guard peek over and saw a decent group of fighters climbing up. The next moment, a knife flew and lodged itself in his throat courtesy of a Mormont veteran making the enemy fighter fall back while painfully clutching his bleeding throat.
It made the younger boys finish their climb much swiftly, their luck held as Jon and Robin saw no other guards in the vicinity with most forces being deployed towards the Castle's front to tackle any attacks from downhill if the situation worsened there. Together, they threw the dead guard's body over the walls and into the hills below before quickly switching to getting the rest of their troops over the walls with great urgency.
When a third of them were pulled up, Jon looked at his new friend.
"Go and destroy the Raven Tower, I'll go to the main gate" commanded Jon,
"Watch your back"
"You too. Go!"
As Robin and his smaller group of Mormont swordsmen went off to complete their task, Jon and few others quickly worked upon getting the rest of their force over the walls, with a handful taking up guard positions nearby to avoid anyone stumbling over their stealth incursion.
In less than a few minutes, their entire unit was through as they watched a second group of enemy soldiers rushing out of the main gate towards the settlement downhill as the chaos continued getting more stronger there.
"Dagar, take ten men over the Northern walls. Raise our flag the moment we establish a foothold near the gates" ordered Jon, making the older warrior of House Umber grunt roughly.
"Three dozen fuckers down there in the courtyard, rage like the bloody winter lad if you want to have any chance!"
Jon nodded as Dager led another group of men for the next task making him look back at the twenty something men left with him as he unleashed Ice from his back making many of them grin eagerly.
"Let's take this Castle!"
Eager nods and grunts followed on his determined command as Jon leapt from the wall to a nearby staircase and charged towards the courtyard. Ice felt heavy in his hands and he gripped it tightly with his first victim being a stunned guard around the corner who lost his head in a quick decapitation strike as the roars of the Northmen took the defenders by stunned surprise, having never expected their arch enemy to be in these lands...much less inside their Castle.
The enemy soon regained over their shock and rushed to meet the Northern onslaught.
Jon ducked and slid himself across the muddy ground while swinging Ice with both hands to skewer the first two guards in half, the Valyrian steel simply cutting through their leather armor like a knife slice through butter.
The sight of the gory murder made the next enemy fighter back away, Jon didn't hesitate as he parried away the terrified man's sword and plunged his weapon inside his heart. As the life faded from the man's eyes, the melee began in full earnest as the two forces clashed against each other.
He looked up on hearing a great commotion to see another battle raging around a nearby tower and saw Robin alongside his fighters desperately trying to cut through a group of enemy guards trying to defend it. On the Northern walls, Dager and his men had also been engaged by the nearby guards and were fighting for their lives.
Jon didn't get anymore time to understand the battle situation as he was attacked by two full armored Knights in fury. He parried their strikes quickly, the large sword in his hand offering him more defensive room but also making him slower in movement. When the first knight lunged closer for a horizontal slash across his chest, Jon ducked and grabbed the shield from the man's arm only to smash it straight into his face making him fall down screaming in pain.
He barely managed to use the newfound weapon to stop a vertical slash from the other Knight which would have taken his head off. The force of the blow made his ears ring in pain as he was pushed back several steps with follow up strikes, with a renewed anger inside his heart he pushed the Knight brutally giving himself some room and used the moment to strike Ice at his enemy's throat ending the threat before whirling around and stabbing the other Knight trying to get up on his feet straight into his belly making him spit blood as his guts started spilling over and the next moment he collapsed.
The Northmen continued their brutal push with savagery until arrows rained down upon them from a nearby watchtower. The first volley took down two Mormont fighters cleanly, while the next were timely stopped from ending Jon's life when he raised his shield to defend his head.
"Push forward if you want to live!" he roared as he cut down another fighter from shoulder to his belly,
Inch by inch they advanced forward as more and more fighters started entering the courtyard from inside the Castle while arrows rained around them amplifying the madness.
To his dismay, Jon and his dwindling group found themselves getting slowly surrounded by the new reinforcements while still being a dozen yards away from the main gate which was now in the process of getting closed by the defenders.
As the melee ensued, desperation took him over as he fought for his life and as things started to take a turn for worse with more of his men falling...he finally got some relief when a dozen spears skewered a few of the enemies surrounding them from behind.
Robin Flint roared a fearsome battlecry as his group jumped into the courtyard with the Raven tower ablaze behind them and a group of enemy dead bodies near its base.
"The Gate!" warned Jon desperately, earning a nod from Robin a few feet away.
Under a hail of arrows, Robin and three men under him broke off from the engagement to rush towards the gate with Jon and the rest of their surviving forces blocking most of the pursuing enemies from following after them.
In mid stride, Robin wildly jumped and kicked the nearest guard closing the gate to the ground while hacking another's head off. Three more were about to tackle him when the Northmen following him engaged them in combat.
Seeing the lone chance, he grabbed the lever which had been used to close the gate past more than half its length.
"DAGER, NOW!" yelled Jon as he fought off another parry aimed at his legs,
The Umber warrior picked up a smaller guard in both his hands to raise him high in the air before smashing him against the walls with a sick crunch. If the savage murder scared the remaining defenders on the battlement, the sight of Dager stabbing the Stark Flag in the dead man's skull made them back away in horror.
"For the North!"
Dager's last roar echoed across the Castle even as he was hit by five arrows all over his body, and in his final act took two screaming enemies with him as he fell off the walls straight down the hill. The rest of his men followed him into the afterlife swiftly as arrows skewered their bodies with the last sight few of them seeing was their entire cavalry emerging from the forest in a mad charge under the leadership of Lord Umber, Lady Maege and Ser Barristan Selmy.
Jon forced himself to focus upon the battle around him as his men died around him one after another. He killed three more men in revenge one after another to avenge his fallen warriors, in his rage he didn't feel the pain when a wild slash from a spear sliced his upper left arm and paid the attacker by stabbing Ice through his chest.
Several long moments later, he heard the thundering of hooves in the distance signaling their army was approaching which made him look at the gate to see it still in the process of being raised fully.
The three Mormont swordsmen that had followed Robin lay dead around the older warrior with various fatal wounds courtesy of arrows, their leader himself was sporting two arrows in his back as he bled out profusely while raising the lever in great pain.
Another arrow from the watchtower pierced his right knee making Robin fall to his knees as Jon desperately tried to fight his way through only to be confronted by a never ending stream of enemies.
"Hold on! We're coming! Fight!" he yelled desperately,
Robin roared in defiance and cut down two enemies who tried to stop him before another arrow pierced his chest. Using the last of his strength, he fell back towards the lever and pulled it down with a fearsome roar as a final arrow pierced his head from behind.
As Jon watched the first of his friends fall, he witnessed the man's body collapsing upon the lever giving it the final push to lift the gate all the way up as Harrion Karstark and his men dressed in enemy uniforms charged in to their relief and improved their odds.
Not a minute later, a wave of Northern and Frey cavalry poured in to crush the last of the resistance swiftly and with brutal efficiency.
As the enemies started to fall or throw down their arms marking the end of the battle, he saw a newly arrived Dacey reeling in shock over seeing Robin's body near the gate entrance as Jon approached towards them with heavy steps.
The Northern army roared in triumph as their victory was complete, yet Dacey saw a lone tear falling from Jon's eyes as he knelt down and closed the eyes of Robin Flint.
"He opened the gates against all odds" whispered Jon somberly,
"A warrior's death. It's the best any of us can hope for" said Dacey gently, as she placed a comforting hand upon his shoulder earning a faint nod from him.
Looking at his new friend's corpse made Jon finally understand what the Flint Warrior wanted him to learn.
"I'll lose more that are dear to me before this War is over, isn't it?" he asked seriously, as he clenched his fists tightly.
"Perhaps"
Jon appreciated Dacey's honesty in this moment more than anything else for he didn't want any false promises which only a warrior like her could avoid giving. She grasped his hand to offer comfort and was relieved when he didn't back away.
In front of her eyes, she watched him slowly grow from a boy into a man when his eyes hardened more as he placed Robin's sword back in the fallen warrior's hands and looked at House Stark's flag being raised high above the Castle by their cheering forces.
"I won't forget your bravery and sacrifice, My friend" whispered Jon respectfully,
A cold wave of vengeance gripped his heart as he looked at the fallen Northmen around the courtyard and over the walls, victory was theirs but most of the men who had followed him into this risky mission had died fighting bravely.
"I will remember"
Author's Notes: End of chapter.
Hope you guys liked it, sorry for the delay as I was tied up with a lot of work. Been getting very less time to update, but will provide new chapters whenever possible as I love writing this.
Review please.
Until Next Time,
Blackwolf501