143 A.L. Pentoshi Flatlands

Khal Pono

Pono had been an ordinary boy born in Vaes Dothrak to Khal Sol and his Khaleesi whose name he did not remember. His father had taken him from Vaes Dothrak when he had been but a babe and as such had raised him into a fierce warrior and fighter, when his father had died, Pono had taken the reigns of his Khalasar by defeating each and every one of his father's bloodriders until they either submitted to him or died. Pono had then spent the next eight years fighting other Khals and he had defeated to date some fourteen khals making his braid of bells one of the longest in their history. Each new Khalasar brought more fighting men to him, and those who were too old to fight he killed there and then he did not need extra baggage. He went raiding along the northern coasts, Norvos, Qohor and the Baskari all brought him slaves and homage, and as such he brought them protection from other Khals who were yet to be beaten. And then an alliance offer had come from Braavos that city of money, and Pono had decided to see what would be on offer. A chance to fight the dragon king that was what was on the table for Pono and his men. The Dragon King Aemon Targaryen was legendary, the man had brought Volantis and the Demon Road to its knees and inspired such loyalty and fear in the hearts of many, that Pono could not but help admire him and wish to do battle with him and his red dragon Malystryx.

There had been some three battles before this one, skirmishes with the armies of the Dragon King, led by some man named Addam Velaryon and his other generals. Pono had earned more bells during those battles slaying men from the Sunset kingdoms and proving his skill as a great warrior. The Westerosi were all high and mighty but on horseback there were none better than Pono. And as such he had killed many of them during those battles, on Phoyla and Reducar pushing them back to Norvos which had fallen, the third battle Larcar had cost him some 15,000 men to dragon fire and pure ill luck and as such he had withdrawn to the flatlands where he had been joined by the Bravosi, as they awaited the Dragon King.

That the man was marching from Pentos with a great army to give battle to Pono and his allies from Braavos thrilled him and meant he waited with bated breath. Of course the Bravosi captain Tycho Nestoris insisted on holding war councils to discuss pointless tactics. This was one such meeting. "The dragon boy and his army are now some three miles away from us my lord." Said Nestoris brother. "Our scouts report that their host is some 60,000 strong and as such moves quite slowly though and would be viable to being hit by raids."

Nestoris was silent a moment and then asked. "And what of his dragons? Where are those damnable beasts that sunk my fleet?"

Nestoris brother was silent a moment before he replied. "The scouts have not seen them my lord. It is likely that the man is attempting to not use them or use them as little as possible."

"Or it could be a trap," Nestoris replied. "After all the man has succeeded in dragging us away from Braavos and now has left us in unfamiliar territory with the Andalos hills near us and Joffrey Strong and his bloody armies marching as well. Soon enough either Braavos will be under siege or we shall be surrounded and with no hope of escape."

Pono saw Nestoris brother smile and was confused by that smile until he heard the man say. "Ah but brother you forger we have an army some 30,000 strong with us. Khal Pono's Khalasar is the biggest and strongest Khalasar in the known world and the Khal himself has never lost a battle. If we send him out as an early force we could severly weaken the dragon king's army before he comes within a mile of us."

Pono did not like being talked about as if he were not present in the room but he held his tongue and waited for Nestoris to say something. After a long silence the man finally spoke. "That is true, though is it necessary to send all 30,000 of you to fight this man and meet your deaths?"

Pono spoke then. "Yes. Khal Pono will not fight without his bloodriders and his men, and we shall die with honour if we must die. But we have never lost before and I do not intend to start losing now."

Nestoris brother smiled once more then and said. "Well there you have it brother. Straight from the Khal's own lips, we shall not need to fear for him, after all the man is said to be a god in battle and has of course never lost one. We should see the dragon boy's army significantly weakened by the time we come to face it."

Nestoris contemplated that for a moment before sighing and saying. "Very well then. Pono you march as soon as your men are ready and not a second before or later."

Pono nodded and walked out of the tent. He found his men and called them to arms, and soon enough they were mounted and ready, divided into their battle formations they would attack from left, right and centre, Pono of course taking the centre. He raised his arakh high into the air and bellowed a battle cry and soon enough he and his men were charging into the horizon and the battles to come. Soon enough they came upon the Westerosi, and found that they had been divided into columns as well waiting for them, and though Pono was not a thinker, he knew that perhaps there was a spy in camp, but still that all became second fiddle once his arakh connected with steel. Swinging and hacking, swinging and hacking, he cut through men bearing the dragon of the king, and he cut through them looking for the king himself or a sign of a true dragon, where none where to be found he kept swinging and hacking. He swung through many men, cutting and hacking them down, disappointed that none of them were a match for him, blood was staining his arakh red, and his horse was tiring but still he pushed on.

As he cut through yet another man bearing the arms of some minor house from Westeros he caught a glimpse of red and black and the flash of white and he knew that the king was near. He cut through another ten men before the king finally came into his sight and reach, and watching the king fight was a glorious thing. He swung and hacked and cut like a god, and men fell before him, Khal Pono drew his Arakh once more and bellowed a challenge and stormed towards the king. The dragon king blocked his swing and swung at him, and so their dance begun. Swinging and blocking at one another, back and forth, back and forth, sparks flew from their blades and yet neither could find purchase, this was the battle Pono had been waiting for his whole life.

Their fight went on like swinging and blocking, tiring them both out as the war raged alongside them. Neither man could find breaking point nor was willing to give purchase to the other and so they kept hammering away at one another, sparks flying and sweat trickling down their faces and occasionally blood as a blow found its true mark. On they went, swinging and blocking, and eventually hacking and cutting as tiredness began to grow. Pushing themselves to their limits they kept battering away at one another, as the heat of the day continued and settled into the heat of the night. Swinging and blocking that was the mantra they both seemed to be following, on and on it went, on and on.

Eventually Pono's defences break down and the dragon king gets one, then two, then three strikes onto his bare chest and Pono growls with pain, and he too manages to return the favour, though blood is now making it harder for him to see. His face covered in scars, his chest bleeding and aching, he finds his attention shifting away from battle and to recovery. The Dragon King takes advantage of this and strikes hard and fast, his blows knocking Pono off of his horse, and when he expects for the final blow to come, he gets a severe knock on the head and knows nothing but blackness.