Chapter 20. SIEGE OF CASTERLY ROCK

As Tara planned her forces returned to Harrenhall about the same time Tywin Lannister's army arrives. Tara withdraws from Harrenhall in full retreat, but it is a ruse. Inside the ancient fortress waiting to strike are Tara's archers. She rides around the god's eye lake to flank Tywin from the rear as he attacks Harrenhall.

"Stupid bitch!" Tywin says from the back of his horse. "Send scouts to track her down…On to Harrenhall!"

When Tywin's army is in bow range the archers break cover and shower the enemy in arrows and jars of flaming pitch fired from catapults. Tywin orders his men to attack the castle, but Tara had her men dig traps eight feet deep with sharpened stakes at the bottom. His mounted forces are decimated by the traps and arrows.

"My lord look!"

Tara's army appears from behind with her mounted lances at the head of the army. "Attack!" Lead by Akbar the Calvary attacks in full force. 12,000 strong. Tywin has no choice but to retreat in shame. "The men will rest for one day then we march on Casterly Rock!"

"I thought we were to wait for the King's return?" Roose Bolton asks.

"And give Tywin Lannister a chance to regroup? No! Besides Lord Stark has given me leave to lead the attack." Tywin has no choice, but to withdraw to King's Landing. Despite his loses he stills has the numbers, but the moral of his army is declining quickly. Especially after losing a battle to an army led by a woman.

The next day after a well-deserved rest Tara marches on Casterly Rock. Her plan is to lead a small force into the castle and open the gates. Then her army can rush up the narrow causeway and enter the castle. Casterly Rock sits on a ridge of rock over the water. The path to the castle is narrow, any army attacking the castle would lose half its compliment before they even reached the gates.

Tara prepares her best warriors for combat. She along with Akbar, Sandor, Eagen, Brienne, Hiram, and Gendry lead a hundred men at night on a rope underneath the rock bridge. When they reach the base of the castle they climb up the side by rope onto the wall. Tara loses sixteen men as crawl upside down along the rope. Tara is the first to reach the top and fires a bow killing a guard. They kill the men on the wall then Sandor, Eagen, Tara, and Gendry lead twenty men to the main gate house. They kill the guards and open the gates.

Tara waves a torch and then Brienne waves her torch signaling the army to attack. "Hey!" A man screams, but he is shot in the chest by an arrow from Akbar. The people of Casterly Rock are awakened by cries of horror and screaming as Tara's forces take the castle. A battering ram is used on the main door to the grand hall of the castle. The last time Tara was is Casterly Rock was for a banquet. Now it is to sack the castle. Tara stabs a man in the gut with her sword and spins into another man decapitating him. Tara then spots a man on a horse riding towards her. She starts running toward the horse and leaps onto an overturned wagon. Tara leaps off the wagon and spins in the air decapitating the man on the horse. By high noon the next day the Tara has taken the castle. While the Stark forces loot the castle Tara stands in the door to the treasure chamber dumbfounded.

"The richest family in the seven Kingdoms indeed…" Brienne says standing beside Tara.

"Gendry!"

"My lady!"

"Find Hiram. I want to see him immediately…"

Tara gives every man fighting for the Starks a hundred pieces of gold including the squires. "You wanted to see me?"

Tara sits at Tywin Lannister's desk with a picture of Joanna Lannister behind him. "I am considering two courses of action tell me what you think." She explains her plans in great detail and lists the pros and cons of each plan.

"Perhaps you should implement both…Theon Greyjoy needs a kick in the ass. But if you push too hard it could backfire. In the meantime push the fleet to be ready and let's end this war…"

As he walks out Tara sits back in her chair brushing aside the guilt of what she is considering. Later on Tara has a meeting with the Banner Lords to discuss the next course of action. "We should wait for the King's arrival…" Roose Bolton says.

"Waiting here would be foolish." Jon Umber says, "Tywin Lannister could muster some ships and attack us from the sea and land…"

Tara looks at Theon Greyjoy, "Theon! What do you think?"

Theon furrows his brow, it was the first time anyone asked his opinion in this war. He looks at the war map, "We cannot allow ourselves to be trapped against the sea…We have a formidable but small army…" He looks at the seaport of Lannisport. "We should attack Lannisport and head inland towards Deep Den…"

"The further south we go the greater chance of Tywin Lannister taking a huge army north…" Jon Umber says.

"We attack Lannisport and take the road towards Deep Den. Theon Greyjoy will be leading the attacks on Lannisport and Deep Den." When Tara says this the Lords vehemently express their objections. "Dismissed…" Theon Greyjoy remains behind.

"I know you don't like me…but do you dislike me so much that you would try to get me killed?"

"How old are you Theon Greyjoy?"

"Ten and eight years of age…"

"Yes and what have you accomplished in life? Nothing! You are the heir to the Iron Isles…As I understand it the men of the Iron Isles respect strength…One day you will be Lord of the Iron Isles…Don't you think it is time you started acting like it?" Theon has no reply and excuses himself.

Two days later Theon leads the march on Lannisport and burns the city to the ground. The refugees will slow Tywin's army down for a counter attack and give the northerners time to march on Deep Den. With the army moving east the refugees must flee southwest and turn east or continue south. A few bolder refugees flee into the Reach causing panic from Crakehall to Golden Grove.

As the northern forces surround Deep Den Robb arrives with his five thousand men in tow. The rest of the army is encamped on the road. "Lord Stark welcome back."

Robb looks at the positions of the army after greeting his commanders, "These units are too far apart."

Tara sneers, "May I speak with you in private your grace?"

Robb looks around, "Leave us."

Tara waits until the Lords leave, "If I were a man you would have never questioned my battle plans…"

"Well when you place Theon is charge…"

"You under use him."

"He is not ready."

"How will he get ready if isn't given the chance to prove himself…If he is the brother you claim him to be then treat him like one. One day he will lord of the Iron Isles. Do we want him as a brother or an enemy?"

The morning before the attack Robb walks up to Theon. "Your grace!"

Robb smiles, "I am sorry!"

Theon furrows his brow, "For what?"

"For the way I spoke to you when those Wildlings threatened Brandon. You are as much my brother as Jon, Brandon, or Rickon…" Robb offers his hand and they interlock arms and hug.

"Thank you for saying that...I..." he wanted to say more but changed his mind, "I will not fail you…" Theon says as the sun sets.