Author Notes: Now that we know that the secret of Valyrian Steel is alive and well. Let's see what the Phoenix and his men are up to in the Westerlands. And just to let you know this when they are at Casterly Rock... will they take it?
The united army of both the North, Frey, Baratheon and The Phoenix army continue marching to in the Westerlands. They make there way to Lannisport, where it is left undefended, in the distance the Phoenix sees Casterly Rock.
The Phoenix gets off his horse to gaze at the city. Stannis approaches him to gaze upon it as well.
Stannis: The last time I was here, in the Westerlands it was at the Straits of Fair Isle. I defeated Victarion and Euron Greyjoy which because of that my Brother Robert was able to make it to the Iron Islands and end the Greyjoy Rebellion.
Phoenix: But yet because of you, your brother was able to end it. So I'm giving you more credit than he did.
The Phoenix takes one more look at Casterly Rock.
Phoenix: We'll do our siege tomorrow.
Stannis: Right. Give us time to figure out on how to siege Casterly Rock, because nobody has never been able to do it.
Phoenix: There's always a way.
Stannis: Many say it's impossible.
Phoenix: Taking a fortress is not impossible, just very difficult.
The Phoenix and Stannis get back on their horses and approach farther into Lannisport.
Cersei is shown looking out the window, seeing the Phoenix army making it's way into Lannisport.
Cersei: Guards! Send a raven to my father. Let him know of this situation.
Lannister Guard: Yes your grace.
The Lannister guard rushes to go send a raven to Lord Tywin Lannister.
Night is coming and Siege Weapons are being prepared for tomorrow, the men are putting the catapults in range and also placing rocks on them as well. Kalimar is shown supervising this along side with Ser Davos.
The Phoenix is shown looking at blue prints of Casterly Rock infrastructure.
Stannis is shown pouring wine.
Stannis: What do you have in mind?
Phoenix: I have someone inside Casterly Rock.
Stannis: Who?
Phoenix: Alto. I sent him there 2 days before us.
Stannis: You expect one man to open the gates around thousands of armed men defending it. I'm pretty sure they would make precautions by posting men where the gates are open.
Phoenix: He won't be opening those gates alone Stannis.
The Phoenix gestures for him to come over towards him.
Phoenix: What do you see on this blue print?
Stannis looks it over.
Stannis: Casterly Rock infrastructure, walls, gates...
He realizes something. The Phoenix smiles.
Stannis: Secret Passages.
Phoenix: Correct. The reason I sent Alto in there because Tyrion Lannister told me that Casterly Rock blueprints lie in there. Henceforth, I needed Alto in there to steal it and have it sent to me. Now the best way to get in Casterly Rock would be the sewers.
Stannis likes this.
Phoenix: I agree, but for that to work, I'll have to distract the forces defending it. Which is where the catapults come in, of course the Lannisters aren't idiots so I'll have to have archers firing as well, so I can ward off their suspicions of why the men ain't charging for the gates... Now who do to the job of going in there with a dozen men.
Stannis: I can. I'm a good and I was fighting with my men at the walls of Kingslanding when we were trying to siege it.
A another voice joins in.
Oberyn: No, let me do it. If the Lannister forces don't see you with the troops then they're going to suspect something. (To the Phoenix) I'll take the dozen men, including my daughters. We'll open the gates for you.
The Phoenix thinks that over.
Phoenix: If you die, what will stop your brother from blaming me for it.
Oberyn: My brother knows you're not a fool, besides he smart enough never to go to war with you. I'm not the only one in Dorne that knows about you remember that.
Phoenix: It's settled then. We start tomorrow. Once when we have the gold and Cersei Lannister. We'll force Tywin Lannister to come to us, keeping him blind of Daenerys Targaryen movement to Westeros.
Stannis: How can you know for sure he will come.
Phoenix: My mentor Ballard greatest lesson was anticipation. He told me the best way to win a battle in the field or mind is to always expect what your enemies will do. Now since Tywin Lannister cares about his house name and building a great dynasty for it, what better to force his hand is to take his home and everything that comes with it. The moment I met him I knew he is very prideful and with me attacking his home will luring him here. He underestimate me once I guarantee you's he will do it again; because I beat his best men that he sent, but nobody can top him by tactics. He thinks with him leading the assault he'll be over confident, he lost the war the moment my army enter the shores he just too blind to see the truth.
Oberyn: When we take Casterly Rock, what of the gold?
Phoenix: Well Stannis gets his share, the rest well lets just see... Get some rest we start early.
It is morning Catapults are shown flying hitting the rocks of Casterly Rock, even hitting some of the fortress itself. the Phoenix Army is waiting in defensive mode incase if the Lannister men retaliate.
Cersei Lannister is put in a safe room with Lannister men keeping watch inside and outside the room. She seems somewhat frighten on the count that she is now familiar with the Phoenix reputation. Some part of holds on to some hope that her father shows up in time.
In the sewers where a dozen of the Phoenix men are being led by Oberyn, his daughters and Kalimar to make sure nothing is left by chance.
Oberyn: (To Kalimar) Don't know why he had to send you with us.
Kalimar: My father wants to make sure that this mission is successful, and besides he knows how cocky you can be.
Oberyn: I do well with my cockiness makes me feared by others.
Kalimar: It also made you unfocused, which almost you killed in Harrenhal.
Oberyn: You know when we get out of this alive, me and you should duel to see who right.
Kalimar: Hold you to it.
They see a light, Kalimar halts the men takes a peak up on the surface. Kalimar notices they're in a cellar which no Lannister soldiers are in here. Kalimar the first one to get out and helps Oberyn Martell and his daughters; which many of them smile by his gentleman manner. The dozen of men follow after.
Kalimar: Ok we opens the gates then we signal my father to move our forces forward. And Cersei Lannister is in this castle, so we take her alive. She not useful to him dead. (To Oberyn) Got it. (To the men) Be Stealthy.
They all continue out of the cellar and are officially in the fortress of Casterly Rock. Kalimar halts the men seeing a few Lannister men dead then begins hearing someone coming, all hiding. When the Lannister Soldier approaches closer, Kalimar is about to attack until he sees that it is Alto.
Alto: Follow me.
Cersei Lannister paces back and fourth. A Lannister soldier comes in.
Lannister Soldier: My lady, catapults keep firing but no soldier is making any attempt on sieging the gate.
Cersei: What is he waiting for then?
She thinks that over.
Cersei: Any word from the my father.
Lannister Soldier: He is three days ride from here. My Lady can we hold until then.
Cersei: Casterly Rock has never been taken before, it can't be taken now.
At the gates, the men are keeping watch by the lever that opens the gates of Casterly Rock. Alto, Kalimar and Oberyn sneak in with the men and begin killing the men in stealth.
Kalimar: (To a few men) Keep Watch.
A few of the men keep watch, as told. Kalimar and Alto with a help of the a few other men begin slowly pulling the lever. The gate begins slowly opening.
The Lannister soldiers notice and then notice the soldiers outside Casterly Rock charging towards the keep. Like a flood, the Phoenix men quickly take the fortress and kill any Lannister soldier that refuses to surrender.
A six Lannister soldiers enter Cersei room.
Cersei: What's going on?
Lannister Soldier: They siege The Rock, they snuck men inside to open the gates. We need to get you out of here.
They hear the sound of the Phoenix men approaching. Ten Lannister soldiers enter and barricade the door. They have their swords and crossbows out out and are ready to fight.
the other Lannister men defending the door from outside can be heard fighting back but getting picked off. A spear impales the door where blood can be seen on the steel of the spear itself. Cersei seems nervous and frightened.
The door appears to being rammed, it doesn't even take long for it to break down. Many men charge through the room, Stannis men, and the Phoenix. Very few get cut down by the Lannister men, but when Kalimar comes in tipping the balance. One of the Lannister men aim and shoot the cross bow at Kalimar but skillfully blocks the arrow coming at him with his sword. Kalimar grabs a knife and throws it before the Lannister soldier can reload.
Kalimar: Crossbows are bad option against a throwing knife.
Kalimar fights off the six men defending Cersei. Once when he is done he grabs Cersei and takes her hostage, forcing the Lannister Soldiers to surrender.
Kalimar: My father wants a word with you.
Kalimar takes Cersei to his father.
The Phoenix scans the surrendered Lannister soldiers on their knees with their hands on their heads. Stannis approaches.
Stannis: Congratulations, you became the first man to take Casterly rock by force.
Phoenix: Good to know.
Kalimar with the men that storm the safe room come with Cersei Lannister as hostage.
Kalimar: We got her father.
The Phoenix glances at Cersei.
Phoenix: Cersei Lannister Queen of Westeros; or should I say former Queen of Westeros.
Cersei glaring at him.
Phoenix: I bet you never saw me coming did you.
Cersei: I did. I'm just wondering what took you so long.
The Phoenix looks at his men with authority.
Phoenix: (To his men) Take her away.
The Phoenix is shown looking at Tywin Lannister Vault. Alto is in there with him, looking and scanning it; trying to find out how to open it.
Phoenix: Can you open it?
Alto: It's not pickable, you see this.
Showing him a combination lock. there are three.
Alto: It can't be open without a few numbers. The problem is what is the combination?
Phoenix: I guess Tywin Lannister has prepared for this incase if anyone got this far. some people use month, and day. Sometimes a certain year as a combination lock. The key what is date that Tywin Lannister is proud of that he would use as a combination.
Stannis Baratheon approaches hearing the whole thing.
Stannis: There is... A year that he so proud of. Besides the death of the Royal Family during Robert Rebellion Tywin Lannister is mostly known for a date that gave his house the infamous song of The Rains of Castamare He took out a wealthy house known as House Reyne. It all started whenHouse Reyne openly challenged their liege-lords, feeling that House Lannister's rule over the Westerlands had grown weak under Tywin's ineffectual father Tytos Lannister. In response, however, the capable young Tywin Lannister marched his forces against the upstart Lord Reyne. At the end of the Reyne Rebellion, Tywin's army put Castamere castle to the torch, and had all surviving members of House Reyne put to the sword - man, woman, and child - as an example to any vassals who would dare challenge the Lannisters in the future. Tywin subsequently had the corpses of the executed Reynes hung from the gates of Casterly Rock on public display, where he left them to rot for the entire summer (it was a long summer, which lasted many years).
Phoenix not scared by this story, why should he... he has Tywin Lannister right where he wants him.
Alto: And the year?
Stannis: 261 AC
Alto begins moving each combination. First one he places the number 2, second one he places it on 6 and the last one he places it on 1. The Vault lock clicks and Alto pulls the vault door open, The Phoenix aims his torch to give the vault some light. There is still a lot of gold, The Phoenix smiles with triumph.
Stannis: How much does he have.
Phoenix: I read his books, what he has left in this vault is 2 million Gold Dragons and other types jewels and values. (To Alto) Good work Alto, and thank you Stannis. Alright let's take it all.
The Phoenix leaves to go get his men.
Carts are being filled, the last of the gold is filling in the 4th cart.
Stannis and his forces are preparing to head back to The Wall. The Phoenix comes to wish him good luck.
Phoenix: I written Sansa Stark, she will provide you with as many Northern Troops she can spear, she also wrote Bear Island who will lend you men to help you with at the Wall.
Stannis: Thank you.
Phoenix: It's the least I could do. You came to our aid at Harrenhal. (looking at the carts) Two carts go to you. You can buy enough men to help you defend the wall, hopefully 10,000 men at least.
Stannis: 10,000 like the Golden Company.
Phoenix: My only rivals, but unlike me they haven't broken a contract but yet many free cities kept hiring me.
Stannis: I can see why. I have to ask what will you do with your share.
Phoenix: When I get a lot of gold sometimes I never know what to spend it on. But I may have an idea on who to give it to.
Stannis gets on his horse, until he gets halted by the Phoenix.
Phoenix: When Daenerys takes the throne I'll come to the wall with my men and aid you perhaps we'll be even. I'll get Daenerys to bring the other houses to aid the Wall as well. If Westeros has a great threat coming then we have to alert other countries as well. Hopefully they will come to it's aid...
Stannis: And hopefully they will answer.
Both nodding in a new found respect for each other.
Stannis marches his army back North to the Wall, with the two carts of Lannister Gold.
The Phoenix looks south of the Westerlands. Kalimar rushes over to alert his father of something.
Kalimar: Tywin Lannister is on his way over here. He mange to get his hand on more men, enough to outnumber us.
Phoenix: Good, lets see how good he is with bigger numbers. Prepare the men, were heading to him.
Kalimar: That's madness, even Tywin would know that.
Phoenix: Let him think it.
The Phoenix continues looking South, knowing that a bloody battle is coming. But which one will suffer the heavy loss.
Author Notes: So what did you guys think of that... The Phoenix knows Tywin won't meet him in open battle unless if he forces his hand. And by doing that he takes his gold from him. With Cersei as his captive, The Phoenix is in control of this battle, but Tywin has assembled more men to take out the Phoenix. Both are brilliant tacticians and there is no telling who can come out triumphant in this battle.
I'll like to thank the readers for being patient, I guess I'm slowly becoming GRRM because I'm taking to long to finish a chapter here. And I hope you enjoyed the chapter that you just read.