Chapter 2: The Great Andal Massacre
"It's time my lord."
His name was Theo. He was the same age as Adrian. The same height. And the same weight. And the same look. People would mistaken them for twins. Other times, people would mistaken Theo for Adrian Skyryder. Which is exactly going to fool the Andals completely as Theo will act as a decoy in his place.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Adrian asked his friend.
"Yes my lord, I wants to do this," Theo says cheerfully. "I know this not exactly what you wanted, but it's too risky for the last Lord of House Skyryder to make himself Bait. As your friend and humble sevrat, I want to do this for the sake of House Skyryder."
Adrian was quiet for a moment until he replied "Very well then...I'll you and the others on the otherside."
He did not want this, to let others die for him. All he wanted to do was lead them North. Even if it had cost him his life he would have been content with getting them to the North.
He scouts report to him that a great Andal army, about ten thousand of them, would come for them. He decided a risky battle plan to lure the Andals to them, as they badly wanted to avenge their King whom father killed in the High Heart. However, most of trusted men had mandated that his plan would be enacted by Theo who step forward to volunteer to be the decoy. Also serving as decoy were three hundred others.
Preparation was key if they wanted to win, his scouts had mentioned a narrow valley. On one side was a river and other side was a hill where men could be stationed. The weather had been poor, such were the consequences of winter approaching fast. It also meant that the Knights would have trouble climbing the valley.
It had taken Adrian all of an hour to come up with a plan, he would have small corp of infantry lure the knights into the valley where the rest of his forces would be lying in wait to spring an ambush. The Andals knew him by his armor so he had planned to make himself the bait, that was the plan... but his men had overridden him, now that Theo would don his armor and lure Andals to into the trap.
Stationing his archers and crossbowmen at the top of the valley would be prudent, having them fix stakes would be ideal, but they needed to keep the enemy unaware. While a part of him dismissed them as foppish fools, it would be too obvious. When the Knights reach the end of the valley, his footsoldiers would descend on the entrance, trapping the Knights and sealing off their ability to move.
0o0o0
Several Days Later...
"At last...the Seven's Justice has finally come for you damn Skyryders!" Ser Jacob Bracken thought.
The accursed Skyryder Heathens were finally getting their just deserts. High Heart was supposed to be their greatest triumph, to cast down the heretical faith that plagues these lands. Only for tragedy to strike. The Skyryder's whom had been exiled months ago had gathered all the men they could find and brought them to bear against them at High Heart.
They made mistake of underestimating the men from Vale. At High Heart he had witnessed how dangerous the crossbow really was. Scores of Knights shot down by volley after volley of quarrel. But not their King, no quarrel could fell him. But then came the shieldwall, four times did they charge it and four times they were denied, on the fifth charge they finally broke through, but their horses were spent and battle simply dissolved into a melee.
In the midst of that Carnage their king fought the heathen lord. The King would have fallen to lord were it not for one of his sword shields stabbing the knight in the back.
They had thought that savage had been felled, yet he could not fathom what sort of reserve that Robert Skyryder had, but he drew upon it, got up despite his wounds and stabbed the king in the back. Before they could attack, before they could strike Robert down, more of Skyryder's soldiers came crashing down on them, forcing them to quit the field.
"The Seven curse us for abandoning our King." Ser Jacob thought bitterly. "And curse as more for allowing the unspeakable atrocities to happen when that demon Lord single handedly massacre all the Andal prisoners at High Heart!"
They spent months raising their army back to full strength. Once they learn where the Bloody-Handed Demon of High Heart and his forces were located in Riverlands, they saw it as a sign to seek revenge.
The Savages were not fleeing like the dogs they are. Everyone of them stand their gound despite begin outnumber. Everyone went down fighting, taking out ten or twenty of their foes with them. Running them down was easy. Crushing them underfoot as they deserved. They had the audacity to kill their king when he was only doing the work of the Seven.
"Kill Them!" Ser Jacob roared as cut down more of the enemy soldiers. "Kill them all!"
Despite begin outnumber, the last of the heathens fought like demons. Jacob watch many of his men and comrades fell, but it did not matter. The savages were all cut down with ease. The bastards were stubborn but were all trampled underfoot all the same.
"Victory is ours! The heathen lord is dead. Our King is avenged!"
The joyful cry was cut short as they heard the confusion in the rear and the sounds of steel clashing on steel. Realizing that enemies were in the rear Ser Jacob attempted to order an about-face, only to realize that the valley was too narrow to maneuver properly. It was at that moment that Jacob noticed a man at the top of the valley. It was too far for Ser Jacob to ascertain the man's identity. He was clad in no armor but held a distinctive bronze blade in his hand...
No... it couldn't be...
It was the same blade wielded by the other heathen lord, Robert Skyryder, the same blade that slew their king by stabbing him in the back. But he was dead. It took but a moment for Ser Bracken to draw the immediate conclusion: They hadn't killed Adrian Skyryder. The man they had just slain was an imposter and the real one was standing atop the valley.
The heathen made a gesture, and the situation grew worse when a storm of Arrows rained upon them.
Jacob Bracken knew no more as a quarrel had pierced his throat and an arrow had pierced his eye. His last thoughts were that of knowing that they had been deceived and that he had done was lead his men into a slaughter.
0o0o0
Moments Earlier...
"Is that the footmen?" the other knight looked at the dust cloud appearing behind them.
"Almost admirable of them," another knight scorn. "They're trying so hard to attain glory for themselves."
"Hold on," the knight replied, looking suspicious. "Those spears look longer than usual and we didn't bring that many footmen."
Now that the knight had a better look, he realized that his comrade was right. The footmen advancing towards them does not resembles the attire of any Andal soldier. The pace of the footmen had not slowed down but rather it seemed to have sped up.
"They're not ours…" The Knight paled, already knowing that he could not maneuver well in his current situation.
"Enemies in the Rear!" He bellowed.
"About face!" He heard another cry out.
The Knights tried to reorganize but the valley was too narrow to move their horses.
"We can't move!" Ser Daveth heard his compatriots scream.
As if on cue, several boulders smashed into the center of the knight's column, crushing many underfoot before rolling into the river. This was followed by more volleys of arrows and quarrels raining down on them. Not all were crushed as the ones who weren't were sent flying into the river where their armor caused them to sink underwater and drown.
Too late.
Even if they could move now it would be too late. Several knights had by some miracle managed to swing around to confront the advancing enemy, but it was too late, the enemy was already on the attack. Ser Daveth was not that far from the rear. He could hear the enemy soldiers screaming a foreign word, but even then he knew exactly what they were saying.
"Charge!"
Rank upon rank of soldiers towards the trapped knights with their spears held high.
0o0o0
Adrian Skyryder's heart was crush as he watch the decoys, his men, begin slaughtered to the last. He sent those men to die. Yet he knew this as it was in the name of duty. Even the men he sacrifice knew this and chooses to follow in the very in, in the name of duty.
"It may be cruel it may be unfair, but it is also necessary," Adrian recall his father's words. "Robert's words ring in his head. "Even a Lord and a King, who must suffered the hardest burden of duty, doing what is necessary. Otherwise the system would fall apart, and eveything around us would collapsed in ruins. It will make you better than you are not, more adapt and wise in the future. Remember this lesson, and remember to give this lesson to your son, as go for his son, on and on."
"I will remember it father!" Adrian promised.
Adrian knew that could not let his own desires rule his thoughts. He chose to take comfort in the fact that not a single of the Andal knights would leave this valley alive.
He could hear their cries of triumph. How proud they must be to trample over men armed with spears while claiming to be oh so honorable. What honor was there in running down a man with no chance to fight back? To call it a fair fight?
Adrian knew that they could not hear them but he spoke the words aloud regardless, not knowing if the knights could hear him.
"I would suggest that you pray to your 'Seven' for mercy," he sneered down at them with evil grin. "But it won't save you."
Adrian raised his hand in the air for a moment before bringing it down. The next word spoken was less of a shout and more a roar, loud enough that even the Knights could hear as he spoke the command that would condemn them all to their deaths.
"Loose!"
At Adrian's command, A storm of arrows and quarrels fell upon the knights.
0o0o0
"He sacrificed his own men, sent them to their deaths. All for the sake of trapping us!" the Knight thought in horror as he understand the situation more clearly . "It was nothing but a trap!"
Ser Leo Owls briefly looked at the man staring down at them impassively. Cold… his eyes were cold. He could only watch as some of his comrades tried to get their horses to ascend the hill only to slip and come tumbling back down. It was a horrible way to die. Surrounded, bottled in with the enemy attacking from afar.
Not even a chance to fight back. This was not a battle...it was a slaughter house.
He distinctly heard shouts and screams behind him, the sound of steel piercing flesh cries for honorable parley cut short. It was then he noticed the banners of House Skyryder behind them, with row upon row of spears with bands of crimson cloth tied near the socket of the spearheads.
Attacked from the front with arrows, attacked from the rear by these vengeful savages and no way to fight back.
Ser Leo managed to move his horse to face the advancing soldiers, the honorless curs. he managed to cut down two of the savages.
"HONORLESS CURS!" he roared. "BLOODY DAMNED HONORLESS CURS!"
He cuts down another as several soldiers advanced on him, Ser Leo managed to kill one more when a spear pierced his wrist, another struck his horse in the eye and another pierced his shoulder.
"The Seven was with them, they would not let such- Leo felt the last spear pierce the mail guarding his neck, and the Knight knew no more.
0o0o0
His name was Alaric Stone. He was common soldier who served Robar II Royce, the Bronze King from House Royce, who became High King of the Vale, the Fingers, and the Mountains of the Moon. After his Lord and King was ultimately slain in the Battle of the Seven Stars, Alaric found service to House Skyryder, the last of the Houses to escape the Andal onslaught of the Vale.
Alaric was not the only one to pick service to House Skyryder. Alongside him were many soldiers from other fallen Houses of the Vale, that met their fate at the Battle of Seven Stars. Despite coming from different banners, they has common cause; a hatred for the Andals for trying to destroy their world. It is why they choose to swear allegiance to House Skyryder. Although the House was new, they were descended from the legendary Griffin King.
The Soldiers charged in. Some knights were simply trampled on, their armor protecting them until soldiers in the second and third ranks finished them off with daggers. Their orders were simple when they get close to their enemies; Aim for the joints or aim for the neck. Alaric, drove his spear into the neck of a Andal knight.
Easier said than done, Alaric thought sardonically. Then again their lord had never said it would be easy. While their spears couldn't directly penetrate the knight's plate armor, it could easily get through the joints in said armor.
With the knights pinned, not even able to turn around and meet the spears. His thoughts were cut short when he saw that one of the knights had managed to maneuver back to face them. In but a moment Alaric and several other soldiers were rushing the knight.
"Do not let them get back up!" Alaric roared as his spear struck true, killing the knight in question.
Alaric took grim satisfaction as he could tell that the continuous volleys of arrows and quarrels were having an effect, some knights had been forced to drop their shields due to how the arrows were weighing it down. He absently noted that the arrow volleys were being loosed less and less as he and the others got closer.
He was mildly surprised to see how effective crossbows were. To be fair their armor did hold up against them, but all it took was one lucky shot and there were hundreds of quarrels flying down on them.
Alaric and his men pushed forward, while they would have preferred catching the entire army, wiping out the knights would make the next battle much easier. Speaking of easy, as they pushed forward he realized that dispatching them was getting much easier. Alaric realized that it was the continuous fire of arrows and quarrels, even if they were not killing the knights many of them were getting stuck on the armor itself, which it far harder for the knights in question to fight.
Boulders they had spent days carrying up the hills were crashing down on the knights. Some crushed under the boulders others flung into the river where their armor had them sinking to the bottom.
Trapped, cornered, no way to escape. They may have had their fancy armor and 'steel' weapons but it meant very little in the end, Lord Skyryder had well and truly intended to annihilating the Andals and did everything he could to ensure they had no chance of turning the tide of battle back to their side.
Alaric and his men found the last of the knights huddled against the wall of the valley. His armor was littered with arrows sticking out, he had dropped his shield due to how many arrows and quarrels were lodged in it. He was afraid, this was definitely not what they expected to end up in. Alaric surged forth and landed the killing blow and the knight fell.
"Victory is ours!"
He heard his lord's voice loud and clear and with that declaration, Alaric could hear the resounding cheer that came from the rest of the soldiers.
He was shaken from his reverie when he heard the unmistakeable orders of a number of sergeants ordering their men to form up in spear walls. Alaric looked and found the Andal's foot infantry had arrived.
Alaric had resigned himself to another bout of combat, though the lack of knights would make it much easier. Alaric could tell that many of his comrades had thought the same as he watched as the ones in the rear took formation and advanced upon the Andals... only to find them fleeing for their lives.
0o0o0
"What happened to the Knights?!" The Knight leading the column was shocked at the sight that had greeted him.
His name was Ser Walder Clay. He and a few knights under his command were place in charge of the footman, the ground forces of the army. He curse it as a burden as he would not be part of the vanguard of knights that will be the first to attack the Skyryder forces. The heavy cavalry knight created vast distance between them and the foot soldiers, which Clay fear they will miss out the fun.
However, upon arriving at their destination, Clay found the River was red with blood...lots of blood. He could see many corpses of his fellow knights and their horses strewn all over the valley. He saw corpses that had clearly been crushed, but he could not see what had done it. What truly caught his attention was the loud cheer. He saw the banners of House Skyryder among the soldiers.
"They were annihilated? How is that possible?!" Clay reacted in shock.
It was that moment Clay made a huge mistake. He cursed to himself when he realized that the footmen had heard him and were now fleeing, trampling over themselves and dropping their arms and taking off their armor, too frightened to face their enemies.
"Flee for your lives!" One of the footmen shouted. "If the enemy could wipe out the knights then what chance did they have?"
"Cowards! Get back here!" Clay bellowed, intended on forcing them to attack, he was dissuaded from the notion when he saw more and more Skyryder soldiers had stopped cheering, and began taking formations, advancing upon them, rank upon rank of spears. Not intending on fighting the whole Skyryder army all by himself, Clay was forced to catch up to his retreating soldiers.
0o0o0
Adrian surveyed the battlefield, taking a small measure of satisfaction from the fact that his plan had worked. At that moment he found one of the knights still alive, arrows had penetrated the armor but did not hit anywhere that was immediately lethal. Based off of the livery on his armor he most likely held a degree of command.
These Andals especially those in power sure loved their decoration. It was how his father was able to single out the Andal King in the midst of the carnage that was High Heart. Then again who was he to speak, while not necessarily decorative his armor did in fact stand out.
Adrian was shaken from his thoughts when he realized the knight was awake, coughing and rasping. Maybe the arrows struck somewhere that was not vital?
The Knight in question was looking at Adrian, glaring as if he could strike him down with his stare. Adrian chose to speak addressing them in their tongue since they found the native language so 'barbaric'.
"Was it worth it? To drag all your men here, to die like dogs?" snarl a wounded Andal Lord who was lying on the ground.
"You're a damnable man Skyryder," The Knight rasped, suffering from his wounds. "Damnable to the Seven Heavens. May the Seven Hells curse you as an honorless cur!"
Honorless? Adrian could feel his blood boil. What did these fools know about honor? Adrian had known naught but hypocrisy from these knights. Mayhaps some may follow the beliefs they're supposed to espouse, but not all of them, and most certainly not these knights.
If there is one thing Adrian hate most in the world, it's hypocrisy. And he decided to make an example out of this Andal lord.
"I was simply going to kill you, put you out of your misery," Adrian says to the Andal Lord, with a venomous hiss. "But I've changed my mind."
The Andal Lord knew that Adrian's voice had taken a more sinister turn. He felt a pit form in his stomach, every instinct telling him to flee as Skyryder stared at him. But now it did not feel like a man was staring at him. It felt more like a predator was sizing him up, trying to decide if it should eat him or not.
He could only watch as Skyryder spoke in his savage tongue, gestured to the healer who looked confused and seemed to have questioned his orders, only to nod his head in affirmation.
The healer then shoved a funnel in the mouth the Andal Lord and poured a liquid down his throat, it was Milk of the Poppy the Lord had realized. As he drifted to sleep he knew he would not see his father again and prayed to the Mother that he would never wake up, especially as he heard Skyryder's parting words in pagan tongue, spoken clearer than he had heard several native speakers ever speak.
"I won't kill you. But do not worry...you'll simply wish I did."
Glossary
Great Andal Massacre: The Great Andal Massacre or the Battle of Thin Valley was an incident where the forces of House Skyryder massacre a great Andal Army at a small valley.
After their disastrous defeat at the Battle of High Heart, the Andals spent many months raising their army, with the intent to seek revenge on House Skyryder to avenge the death of their Andal king, Erreg and the brutal slaughter of the Andal prisoners, whom Adrian Skyryder sacrifice to the Old Gods. However, Adrian lure all the Andal knights, about four thousand of them, into a river valley, where it was too small and very disadvanting for their horses to move freely.
Adrian has all his archers position from high ground to loose arrows and quarrels upon the Andal knights in the valley below. He then had all his foot soldiers, armed with Staff weapons, to easily overwhelm the Andal knights on horseback. By the time the rest of the Andal army of foot soldiers arrived, all four thousand knights were slaughter to the last. Discourage, the Andal army flee.
The battle and massacre remained well-known throughout the history of Westeros. While Northern regarded the Skyryders performance of the event a of military genius, Andals or Southern lords further demonized the Skyryders as savage and cowards.