Chapter 34: Highgarden.
In the South...
Jaime Lannister POV
Jaime and his army finally reached Highgarden at dawn, with siege weapons in his retinue.
Turning to his captains, he said, "Start setting up a camp and create trenches. Set up the trebuchets and start attacking the city, and make sure to keep the siege tower at a good distance away from the range of the enemy's weapon. We don't know what they had behind the walls. I want watchmen on every hill, and send men to look for large stones for our catapults, should ours run out.
"Yes, Prince."
While his men were building the camp, and the trenches at a distance, Jaime from his horse began to watch Highgarden, and if there were weak parts of the city or the walls. It was a very impressive city, and almost impossible to conquer. Almost, but not impossible.
It was well defended by three lines of wall, one higher than the other. And between the external wall and the central wall, there was a Labyrinth. And that was a problem for Jaime and his army. A problem that he would have to solve with fire before he attacked the walls and gates of the city.
Once his command tent was set up, Jaime was ready to head there, but one of the lords accompanying him said, pointing his finger, "Look, Prince Jaime. A soldier from our second army from the east."
And Jaime saw him, arriving quickly on horseback, in Lannister uniform.
"Prince Jaime, I have been sent by Commander Brax to inform you that he started to besiege the other part of the city. Also, some of our ships have entered the river that leads to Highgarden, equipped with catapults on them. Lord Brax gave also the order to create palisades to prevent the enemy from leaving the city, and half the army was sent to the passes to block any help from the south.
"Good. What is the rest of the fleet doing?"
" It's in the bay, defending the pass and preventing any arriving of enemy reinforcements, Prince."
"Any word regarding Hightower's army and the Redwyn fleet?" Jaime knew the strength of Hightower and his chivalry. If they were to come on them, they could break the siege. And as well the Redwyn should enter the river.
"No prince. But we have a surprise waiting for them if they try to intervene."
"Good. Get some rest and then go back to your commander," Jaime said, even though he was very curious about what they had made. But now he had a siege to handle. And he headed for his tent. Upon entering, he saw that everything was in place and sat in the commander's chair, along with the others.
" How much supply do we have?"
"We should have enough for half a year if winter doesn't come soon," said Lord Roland Crakehall.
"I don't intend to stay here for six months, Lord Roland. I intend to seize the city within two weeks, hand it over to Tarly, who will rule it in our name, and then head for the Citadel, to crush it or accept the surrender of Hightower and the Masters. "
Everyone nodded, and Jaime asked, "Do we have a map of the city? Do we know its weak points?"
"No, Prince." Ser Addam said.
"What about our men inside the city?"
"They won't have a chance to open the doors for now. But we still have to get rid of the labyrinth."
"Then that's what we'll do at nightfall." They all nodded and drunk the wine.
"Good. Then, if there's nothing else, everyone goes to their positions." And all of them left the tent, while Jaime leaned against the backrest thinking, and stroking his forehead.
He wonders what Ellyn's doing right now. Or where she was. At Castamere or at Castely Rock. He really hoped that she would be in her homeland, at least there she would have peace and quiet and no complications during the childbirth because he doesn't know what he will do if he loses her, just like his father lost his wife. Another child, very soon, Jaime chuckled as he thought. He really hoped to return from this campaign and see him once he was born. Hold him and see again his other children. But who knows when he will return.
Willas Tyrell POV
"My Prince," a servant came through the door, waking him up.
"What is it?" he asked, sleepy.
"The enemy has come to our gates, Your Grace. The king's mother sent me to prepare you."
Willas, nodded and got up and headed to the other room to get ready. Once he had his armour on, he left the room and headed towards the exit of the Keep.
On his way, he met his grandmother, and his mother, "Your sister managed to leave the city before the Lannisters arrived on a second path with an escort of a hundred knights. Let's hope King Joffrey keeps his word and sends help to break the siege. "
Willas nodded, though he doubted it. Arianne told him some stories about the King of the
Stormlands obtained by her uncle who traveled in disguise around Westeros and Essos. So they shouldn't have any illusions about getting help from Storm's End."
Deciding to think of more realistic things than the illusion of foreign troops, Willas asked, as they made their way towards the exit of the Palace, "Any news of the other lords of the Reach?
"No. Those frightened sheep are afraid of lions," his grandmother answered.
"If only my father hadn't sent the army to the Dornish border with Garlan. We'd have had more experienced men and a great knight to lead the defenses."
"He did it to avenge you. But Garlan was ordered to return when Prince Jaime crossed the border. He stayed there on the border to show our power." And Willas knew that was the reason, and all he did was blame himself. If he had sent his falcon to the capital, that disaster would have been averted. For both kingdoms. But now it was too late, and they would have to suffer the consequences.
"I'm not a soldier and not a great knight. I will do all I can, is using my knowledge."
"And it will be enough, my son," his mother said, kissing him on the forehead."
"Now I must take charge of the defense of the city," Willas said, leaving the palace.
The city was in chaos, citizens were running through the streets, while soldiers were running towards the city gates and the walls, with arches in their hands, and swords and spears.
Willas was very worried about this, but he couldn't get panicked. The city is impregnable from the outside, and they too have a good number of men. As he got on his horse, he headed for the city walls, the first line of defense, followed by the maze.
Once there, Willas was welcomed by his brother Loras, their best swordsman and one of the royal guards.
"Brother."
"Prince Willas, it's a very large army and outnumbered us," said Vortimer.
"I know. Who commands the other side of the city?" Willas asked, remembering that from the east he was attacking the second Lannister army.
"Igon Vyrwel," replied Vortimer Crane, the master at arms of Highgarden.
"Good," said Willas and in that moment the trebuchets started to throw towards the city, destroying many houses, as they reached almost beyond their walls.
"Can we fight back?" Willas asked. They had the catapults in the second level, but Willas was not sure if the enemy was close enough to use them.
"They are out of range," Vortimer replied.
Willas nodded and knew that the only things that they could do for now were all they could do was suffer the enemy's attack. "There's not much we can do, my lords, except resist the attack, feed the people and hope for reinforcements." And he started walking along the walls to see if there was anything they could do.
In the North...
Roose Bolton POV
They have just received the raven from Winterfell summoning him to the capital before the Crown to attend and answer charges against his vassal, the House Naaharis.
That spoiled little girl who wants to play hard with him, does she really think she's intimidating him with this? He is Roose Bolton and his coat of arms is the flayed man and he certainly wasn't an easy man to intimidate.
And apparently, she wants Ramsey to go too and pledge allegiance, otherwise, she's going to nullify the legitimation. Roose was hoping to delay this event and reveal the legitimation once his plan had been fulfilled and Ramsey married to Stark. But apparently the young queen is forcing his hand, and he'll be forced to use other means and other ways to achieve his goals.
At that moment he saw Ramsey enter the great hall of the Dreadfort, "Good morning, Father," greeted him, with his usual evil smirk on his face. "What's going on?" he asked when Roose didn't greet him back.
"The young queen of the North has summoned us to the capital. Apparently, Naaharis was found guilty of being involved in the assault of the queen on the night of her namesday feast."
"Maybe it's time to show that little girl the Bolton way and take the power at once," Ramsey said pouring wine into a goblet.
"And risk the extinction of our House when the king returns from the wall to the head of an army of a hundred thousand brutes? I thought you were smarter than this," said Roose, and that only confirmed what he always knew. Ramsey will be the ruin of his House. Leaning forward, still with his elbows resting on the sides of his chair, he added, "I will not march on Winterfell until I am sure the king is dead." Roose was sure of his likely victory over the soldiers defending the capital. But if Jon Stark comes down from the Wall with a hundred thousand wildlings, then he's doomed.
"Good. So if you're not going to rebel and show her the true nature of the Boltons, what are you going to do?"
"Well, I intend to go to Winterfell and attend the trial. And you will come with me to swear allegiance to the Crown."
"And why should I swear allegiance to the Crown? I'm a bastard," Ramsey said, drinking from the goblet.
"Because of this," Roose said, putting the scroll open and signed regarding the legitimation. And he saw his bastard's surprised face.
"You honour me."
"It is not to honour you that I have legitimized you. But because the House needs an heir, and after Domeric's death, you are the only heir," said Roose, and he saw a smirk appear on his lips. But Roose added, "For now at least." And the smirk on Ramsey's mouth disappeared.
"May I be or not the heir of your house, I swear I will uphold your name and your tradition. I will be worthy of you, Father, I promise."
"I'm sure you will. Before we leave for the capital, I have a mission for your bastards," Roose said, even though he knew that they were at his service, and loyal to him, not to Ramsey. After all, they were here before him and they are of the Dreadfort.
"We are at your service."
"By the time we get to Winterfell, Naaharis will surely be imprisoned, so your bastards will have to set him free. But before that, I want you to pay a visit to the minor lords. Or at least those near Dreadfort."
"What you order, we'll do," Ramsey said. But tell me, Father, if I swear an oath to the Crown, won't that forbid me from fighting against them?"
"Tell me, if you give a wolf a home, does he become your friend and a tame dog?"
"No."
"Then even a bastard's oath is worth nothing. Now go."
"As you say, father, with your permission I'm going to inform the bastards." And left the hall.
When Ramsey left the hall, Master Wolkan announced the arrival of Naaharis, and in fact, after a while, he saw Mero Naaharis enter.
"What is it?"
"When do you intend to march on Winterfell? That Targaryen bitch summoned me to court," he said. Mero Naaharis still had his pride wounded because of Rhaella Targaryen's rejection, and he is still plotting revenge against Aerys for what he did to him in his youth, or rather because he stopped him from raping young Rhaella back then. Roose Bolton had tried to marry her too but without success. Those incestuous bastards always married each other, and those damn Stark always let them, in exchange for their eternal loyalty.
Realizing that Naaharis was still waiting for his answer, Roose got up from his chair and walked over to the other table to take a goblet of wine and said, " At the right time, when the time is right.
"The right time? That bitch wants my head!" Naaharis raised his voice, and Roose gave him a cold, almost menacing stare. "I beg your pardon, my lord. But I want to know what you intend to do about it."
"Nothing," replied Roose. "Or rather, I will go to court and wait for your trial."
"My trial?"
"Yes. You are charged of attacking the Queen. So that put a stop to our plan."
"And the Tully allay? When they will come and help us to overthrown the Stark-Targaryen alliance?"
"Hoster Tully refuses to march on the neck, afraid of the young King. His son, on the other hand, would be willing to march with nearly 15,000 men but only when he becomes the new king. He cares for his sister's well-being, and above all, he does what she says."
"Then perhaps it is best for us to kill King Hoster," said Mero, grinning, accepting the chalice that He offered him.
"Perhaps. But don't worry, you'll have your moment with your Targaryen."
"Do you really think I still want her?"
"We both know what I'm talking about," Roose said.
"Yes, and I will do it in front of her husband's dead body," he said, drinking all the contents. "Then I'd better leave for the capital and to prove my innocence," he said, putting the goblet down and leaving the room, while Roose made his way to the table that had the map of the North on it.
"Soon I will become the ruler of this kingdom," he said, with his hands on the edges of the table and looking toward it.
Ramsey Bolton POV
Ramsey was in a secluded hut a few hours from Dread Fort, where he asked his Bastard's Boys to join him.
Meanwhile, while he was waiting for them to arrive, he was fucking a peasant girl he kidnapped nearby after her father refused to pay him a sum of money as a gift for the future lord of these lands. That bastard said he didn't have the money. Well, now he won't have a daughter or maybe he will. Anyway, after they're done with her, they'll let her go broken and maybe in pieces.
Ramsey came inside the whore with a powerful scream, spilling all his seed into her. She was crying with her face down a ling on her stomach, then once he was no longer hard, he pulled his cock out and sat on the bed.
That's when Naaharis came in chuckling, "Ramsey, Ramsey, you're horrible."
And Ramsey was ready to give him a lecture, but first, he wanted to make him comfortable.
"She's all yours," Ramsey said, pointing at the girl, and getting up to get dressed, seeing Daario out of the corner of his eye with a smirk on his lips as he pulled down his pants. And the girl kept crying and saying no while she was face down. Ramsey, taking one last look, headed for the other room.
After a while, while Ramsey was sitting and drinking some wine, he saw Daario coming out of the room with a smirk while tying his pants. At that very moment, also his Bastard's Boys entered.
"You wanted to talk to us."
"Yes. But first I need to have a talk with Naaharis. In the meantime, a gift from me awaits you in the other room. Use it as much as you can."
When the bastards went laughing off to the room where the bitch was, Ramsey said, " Outside. Now." On his way out he took the wooden hay fork that was there, with which he blocked Daario against the wall of the hut.
"What the fuck are you doing?" he asked confusedly, angrily, surprised and in a suffocating voice because of the pitchfork pressing down his throat.
"What the fuck were you thinking of doing," Ramsey said, with a smirk on his lips, seeing him in pain.
"What the fuck are you talking about?" he asked, almost choking.
"When we decided to attack the queen the night of her feast, to ruin her reputation in the eyes of the North, destroy her bastard's legitimacy and put in discussion her fidelity to the king, we agreed to hire outsiders and not our men. So, tell me why you used your men?"
"There were no others that accepted to do it. They feared repercussion from the king," replied Daario with difficulty, as he had his hands on the sides of the pitchfork.
"Well, now because of what you have done, you have been discovered and summoned to court by the whore. She wants your head on a spike, you know?"
"We won't go. Lord Bolton..."
"Oh, you are going. Otherwise, I'll skin you alive and hang your bodies on the walls of your castle. Do you understand?" said Ramsey, grinning evilly.
He nodded with difficulty, and when Ramsey removed the pitchfork, Daario fell to the ground on his knees breathing hard and coughing. Leaning down, Ramsey said, "And this, a taste of the consequences when you don't follow my orders." And He stabbed the pitchfork into Daario's thigh, who gave a loud scream, and Ramsey left him there on the ground, in agony, returning inside the hut.
Daenerys Targaryen POV
Fire cannot kill a dragon. Blood of the dragon. Throw it into the flames. Awaken the dragon.
Daenerys heard a woman's echo voice and she didn't understand who it was.
Fire cannot kill a dragon. Blood of a dragon. Throw it into the flames. Awaken the dragon.
And suddenly in a thick darkness, they appeared. Eyes as red as fire, gray smoke coming out of the nose, and then, opening his mouth a glowing flame like the volcano's lava, coming towards her.
Daenerys awoke immediately, struggling to breathe. What a strange dream she had and those repetitive words. She lay down again, starting to caress her belly, which was growing. She was six months pregnant, and Daenerys couldn't believe that it's already six months since he left.
Sensing her thoughts for sure, Ghost, who also woke up, climbed on the bed next to her. He was so big that fits almost in all the half part of the bed. She chuckled when he gave a leak to her hand, and she placed it on his head. Daenerys was really grateful that Jon left him here with her, because it was as if he was here. All these nights spent alone were so cold. She missed those little moments when she woke up in Jon's arms, whether by his own will or by mistake, and she sighed in nostalgia.
As she was caressing Ghost, Daenerys thought back to the words that she dreamed of. Fire doesn't kill a dragon, throws it into the flames. But what?
Looking out the window, she saw that it was still night outside, but she had no sleep, not that the pregnancy let her sleep, in certain moments when the child was kicking. So she decided to get up, get dressed and head for the library, to see if she could find anything about it.
Out the door, she was greeted by four Unsullied, "My Queen," who were guarding her,
And by two Wolfsguard, "My queen," they bowed.
"I'm heading to the library," she said, starting to walk with Ghost beside her, and the guards following her.
As she was walking through the corridor leading to the library, Daenerys stopped for a moment to look out of the window at Winterfell's nocturnal beauty. Of all the houses in the city only the forge was lighted by the hearth light of the forge, for it was constantly working day and night in forging the weapons of dragon glass, which according to the blacksmiths was very complicated.
When she arrived at the library, Daenerys started looking for all the books that were written in Old Valyrian, and after about an hour or so, Daenerys managed to find them, then starting to flip through them.
After a while, as she was reading an important part, Daenerys heard a voice say, "Interesting reading?", making her jump for the scare.
Looking towards the door, she saw it was Catelyn Tully, and two Unsullied. Apparently, they really didn't have the international to leave her alone when someone else was also in the room.
Daenerys rolling her eyes, closed the book, saying, "Yes very much."
"Witchcraft of the Old Gods or Valyria?" the Tully asked.
"Cooking, in truth," she answered, "But if you think that about the Old Gods and Valyria, why did you come here in the North, tearing up a family?"
"That's my business," she replied, approaching the bookshelves. "I was sure the role of the servant befits you," added Tully, and Daenerys knew perfectly well what she was referring to, and in reply, she said, "Oh, but I did it because I have no desire to perform the duties of a queen every day," and then added smirking, "And it is good to know how to cook a roasted trout. And who knows that one day I may be lost in a Riverland with nothing but trouts for food." And Daenerys saw how angry Catelyn became, with a red face.
"I hope you choke on your trout."
"Oh, don't worry about that. Dragons swallow them whole after they've roasted them properly." And with that, Catelyn Tully left the library furious and without adding anything else, which she certainly wanted to do.
Sighing, Daenerys leaned against the backrest. She must find something to accuse this woman and get her out of the way. Maybe find a way and prove her involvement in the attack during the night of the feast.
Catelyn Tully POV
After the conversation with the Targaryen whore, Catelyn stormed back to her room. She had to do something against her. She couldn't go on like this. If only that damned witch from the Riverlands was here, she could have asked her for another love potion. If the lords discovered her in bed with someone else Catelyn could accuse her of infidelity, she would lose her crown and her support before the bastard returned and Bran would be king by the lords wish,
But now Catelyn is losing allies in the North because of the brilliant work the whore queen is doing, unfortunately, and the Targaryen influence.
She must find another way to create confusion and make The Targaryen whore lose the support of the lords. If only her father would decide to abdicate and give the crown to Edmure in that way she would have the support she needs to put Bran on the throne and enough men to crush the bastard's cocksless loyalist army. Sighing Catelyn made her way to her room, while outside the window it could be heard the city waking up and see the sun rising.
As she was returning to her room, Catelyn saw Brandon running towards his with his direwolf behind him. That's what was strange is that he was out at this hour. He usually never left the room before someone woke him up.
"Brandon!" I yell at her to call him. He stopped, frozen, and as he turned slowly, she asked, "Where have you been?"
"Outside," he replied, lowering his gaze.
"Outside?" she asked angrily with her hands on her hips. "And what were you doing o outside at this hour?"
He did not answer, still keeping his eyes down, and his hands behind his back as he turned the sole of his foot on the floor.
"Brandon where have you been?" she asked, trying not to look angry, even though she was angry inside.
"In the crypts," he replied quietly and kept his eyes on the ground.
"And why did you go to the crypts at night? You know there are evil people here who want us dead, right?"
He nodded.
"Good, I never want to see you wandering around Winterfell at night again, do you understand me?"
He nodded and she added, "Now go to your room."
In addition to the problem of the Targaryen whore and the bastard she was carrying, Brandon also had these night adventures in the crypts. Why would he go to that dark and horrible place? At least her beautiful Sansa wasn't doing anything foolish, and she had a great future ahead of her.
Shaking her head, Catelyn headed for her room.
Daenerys Targaryen POV
After the squabble with Catelyn Tully Daenerys seeing that it was already dawn and the sun rose, she headed for the great hall to eat. Since she got pregnant, she sometimes has an incredible craving for certain types of food and smelling the good perfume of food coming from the great hall, she quickly made her way there. Upon entering she saw that no one was there yet, but that the servants were starting to prepare the table.
On it, there were honey biscuits and a lemon cake. Those two were her favourite.
She sat down at the table, and after the servant had cut some slices, Daenerys started to eat them, enjoying the good taste. She was sure that her baby loved these delicacies too.
"Those are also Jon's favourites," she heard a voice at the door and suddenly stopped. The way she was eating, it wasn't very queenly, and she was a little embarrassed.
Turning around, she saw that it was only the king's mother, along with her mother Rhaella, who had a smile on her lips.
"Apparently our little dragon is very hungry," said her mother approaching, giving her a kiss on the forehead and a caress on the belly.
"They are my favourites too."
"I know. And that is why I gave the order to do to her. It was difficult to find them, but we succeeded." And Daenerys become red for a moment.
"I'm going to finish this anyway, and then I got to go," Daenerys said when she finished the piece of cake, as the two women keep talking between, them, but Daenerys didn't listen, only enjoying the good taste of the cake and the biscuits, and the knowledge that this was something she had in common with her Jon.
After having eaten, Daenerys went to the forge to inspect the blacksmith's work on the Dragonglass weapons.
When she arrived there, she saw that the blacksmiths were working hard.
"Your Grace," greeted Eric, the Winterfell blacksmith, and interrupted his work. In addition to him, many other blacksmiths had been brought to Winterfell, even from the free cities of Essos, by her order or by accompanying the Red Priestess, so that the weapons could be made continuously and more quickly.
"Eric. How many weapons have been made so far?" asked Daenerys, with her hands intertwined under her belly.
"5 thousands of swords so far, Your Grace. And a few thousand arrowheads," replied the blacksmith, "We're working as fast as we can but it's really hard to craft this kind of material." And she nodded, as she took one of the swords in her hand. It was really very weird material, and unlike Valyrian swords, they didn't look very sharp. But they will certainly pierce the rotting bodies of the undead.
"Why don't they have the size of a normal sword?" Daenerys asked, intrigued. In fact, the one she had in her hand was a little longer than a dagger.
"To make them as many as possible, Your Grace, we are reducing their size, and so increasing their number."
"I thought there were a lot of them coming from Last Heart and the Mountain Clans."
"Yes, there are. But still not enough."
"Soon ships loaded with Dragonglass will arrive from Asshai," said Daenerys. Melisandre promised to send them as soon as she reached her homeland when she left.
"What about the shields?" Daenerys asked. "Do you have something in mind?" The crown possessed an army of ten thousand Unsullied, and they were the elite of the army, according to Jon, and they fought with spear and shield. She was really hoping that he had forged something for them.
And indeed, the blacksmith went to another room, and then came back with an Unsullied shield to show her. She examined the shield for a moment. The edge was almost entirely made of dragon glass, and there were many tips implanted on it, with a larger one in the middle.
"How many have you made?" Daenerys asked.
"A thousand shields. And they were examined and approved by Commander Grey Worm."
"Good. Then I'll let you get back to your work, I'm sure you have a lot to do."
"Your Grace," he bowed to her on his way back to the forge, while she walked away, heading back to the keep with Ghost and his escort. This pregnancy was really tiring her out. Every day that went by, even though she was hardly on her feet, she felt quite tired.