Chapter 12. Invasion of Westerlands

The castle of Ashemark had been taken by Umber and Richard. Hornvale had also been taken by Lord Royce. Robb stops in Ashemark to rest on his way to Casterly Rock with Justin. He is watching his wife Talisa as she bathes. "I have a request…"

"And what is that…"

"I would like it if you would travel back to Riverrun and await me with my mother and sisters…"

"I thought we agreed to remain at each other's side until the war is decided…"

"Yes but I am concerned for your safety and the baby's…"

She gets up and walks across the floor dripping wet, "If I do that I will worry about you and it could stress the baby…Besides there is a Maester traveling with us…several in fact."

He starts to dry her off with the towel, "Would you at least consider it?"

The next morning they are on the march again towards Casterly Rock. It is midnight and the sky cloudy and it starts to rain the perfect opportunity to attack. Justin leads 4,000 men from cover to cover. They scale the side of the wall and kill the men on the forward towers. When the gates are open a horn is sounded and then Robb leads the rest of his forces into the castle. With Grey Wind at his side Robb leads the charge into Casterly Rock. Kevin Lannister escapes by diving into the water with several of his men. The fighting lasts all night and into the day. By sunset it is over and the castle is taken.

Justin and Robb stand side by side in the entrance to the Lannister vaults. "The richest family in Westeros indeed…" Justin says.

"Send half of this gold to Riverrun, then send a part to the Eyrie in my cousin's name…The last is for you dear cousin…"

Justin looks at him, "I thank you…"

It takes two days to empty the treasury, then Robb has his men burn the castle to the ground. Men run through the castle with torches starting in the upper rooms and heading downstairs lighting anything flammable. As the castle burns Robb and Justin lead their army towards Kayce. The Battle of Kayce was a three day siege. Three times they attacked the main gate and three times they failed. Robb had lost 2,730 men in those three days.

As arrows fly overhead Justin leads a small force to the refuse gate. "Hold your breath lads…"

They crawl through the muck and mire. When they reach the gates they use acid to eat through the bars. Five men are standing by the hole in the side of the castle where all waste is dumped. Justin leaps up with two cross-bows one in each hand. As two men hit the ground he draws his twin blades. He blocks forward and spins around slashing the throat of the first man and disemboweling the second. Soon his men join him and they rush up the stairs to give the archers high ground. Eight of the archers guard the steps while Justin and the rest of his men fight their way across the wall.

"They are inside the castle!" A man screams just before Justin beheads him.

"To the gate!" He screams. They dump boiling tar on the men at the gate in the courtyard. This thins the numbers for Justin and fifty men to get to the counter weights and cut them. The draw bridge lowers and Robb leads the charge inside.

"You stink!" Robb says walking up to Justin.

"Yeah so next time you go through the refuse gate…"

"No thank you…I'd use my head as battering ram first…"

They wait in Castle Kayce for word from Umber and Richard. Meanwhile the Black Fish raids the villages in the countryside, leaving people homeless and taking their food and crops for the Stark army. Payback for the Mountain burning the River lands. Robb was displeased, but he didn't make an issue of it. He did talk with his uncle in private. Soon they receive word that the Crag had been taken. Robb decides to send Sandor Clegane to take his own family home. Sandor takes 15,000 men and faces his brother in battle. Because of his superior tactics Sandor wins the battle, but his brother escapes. He burns the Keep to the ground. With the keep taken Sandor marches on Lannisport after receiving a message from Robb. The city is attacked from the south and the north. After taking the city Robb returns to Ashemark as his scouts report that Kevin Lannister and the Mountain are gathering an army at Cornfeild castle.

Cornfeild

Kevin Lannister still remembers his ancestral home burning in the distance. His scouts tried to intercept the gold in rout to Riverrun, but they were defeated. "He has gone back to Ashemark the young wolf…" Gregor says standing over a map in the command tent.

Lannisters Lords are there as well. Kevin places a wolf marker on Ashemark. "Of course! We gather our forces and march towards him while his forces rest…"

"Clever boy!" Lord Serret says.

Sir Harys Swyft points to several villages, "The Black Fish has burned all these villages…We could send a force to Pinkmaiden maybe we can draw the wolf away…"

"No he has gone back to Ashemark…Its up to my brother now to rally the Tyrells and the Martells…"

"And what if they don't aid us…Then what?"

"We return to King's Landing and make a stand there…Make him come to us…In the meantime I want scouts on all roads as far as Silverhill, Crakehall, and the mountains near Clagane's Keep…"