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Chapter 18
Into The Storm
(King's Landing)
The atmosphere inside the Council chamber once occupied by King Jofferey's court was quite somber, with its occupants now being the members of King Stannis Baratheon's council who had been gathered late night upon their King's command.
The only familiar face from the old council was Grand Maester Pycelle whom many found strange to have been present in the Red Keep when the Lannister's fled or had been left behind as a spy by their enemies. Many called for his head, but Stannis had reluctantly spared the old man from that fate and instead deployed him in his service considering the Citadel had so far not answered their request for a new Grandmaester to take up the role, and would certainly not until the War was over. With many in their army wounded, they needed Pycelle's limited talents for the time being.
Ser Davos Seaworth, the new Hand of the King sat uneasily in his chair looking at his old time smuggler friend- Salladhor Saan- the current leader of what little remained of their Navy after the disastrous Battle of Blackwater Bay weeks earlier.
Across the table, Ser Axell Florent- the Queen's Uncle looked at Davos with scorn, having desired the position of Hand for himself even if he had no skill for the role.
Lord Monfrod Velayron, the Lord of Driftmark sat on the other end. He was one of the last few lords still surviving under Stannis's cause, but had lost many of his men and all his ships at Blackwater Bay at the hands of Tyrion Lannister leading to his current somber mood.
Ser Richard Horpe, Ser Godry Farring and Justin Massey sat in silence at the end of the table with all three men looking quite tired after having just finished long shifts overseeing the defense of the capital from Tywin Lannister and his forces at their gates alongside Reachmen.
It was no secret they had lost many of their lords, commanders and soldiers when their fleet had been set ablaze by the deceased Tyrion Lannister, with many more falling while taking the Capital from Lannister hands. If not for their King's stern but able leadership, they would have lost the city when Tywin arrived with the Reach and Lannister armies at his back.
The King entered moments later making everyone get up from their seats and offer respectful bows earning a curt nod from Stannis Baratheon as he assumed his seat at the head of the table.
"Grand Maester, report as to why more than half of the enemy forces seem to have disappeared from the field overnight" commanded Stannis, making Pycelle give a quick nod.
"Of Course, Your Grace. From the few prisoners we captured in today's skirmish, we have gathered some astonishing news" said Pycelle dramatically, making Stannis grind his teeth.
"Do tell fast, old man" said Salladhor with grunt in his foreign accent,
"It would appear that the Lannister's have suffered great setbacks, my lords. After defeating Lord Gregor Clegane and his forces, Jon Snow effectively neutralized the last of the Lannister forces in the Riverlands considering Lord Tywin Lannister gathered his Reach allies to rush towards the Capital to its defense from His Grace, King Stannis. Seizing upon the opportunity, Jon Snow lead a Strike Force and captured the Golden Tooth, from there he went on to crush the reserve Lannister forces being raised by Stafford Lannister in the Westerlands with minimal losses of his own. That opened the way into the Westerlands" reported Pycelle in his usual slow fashion,
Stannis didn't miss the surprise upon the faces of nearly everyone with only Ser Davos remaining calm even as the Grandmaester continued.
"Robb Stark managed to gain the loyalty of the Vale whose lords declared him as King, leaving Lysa Arryn little choice but to follow suit to avoid a civil war within her own lands. With his new forces, he descended into the Riverlands and captured Harrenhal without losing a single man by making the Garrison turn upon each other. But the Starks found many of their men taken prisoner in earlier battles slaughtered inside the Castle including Arya Stark" stated Pycelle hesitantly,
"Robb Stark may be another Usurper, but his father died for King Stannis's claim. The death of Eddard Stark's youngest daughter under such mysterious circumstances is a grievous mistake for which the Northmen will have their revenge, Your Grace" said a shocked Ser Davos,
"And they have. Tell them, Grandmaester" said Stannis curtly, and Davos wasn't sure but he detected a fleeting satisfaction in the King's eyes.
"With Sansa Stark rescued by the Northmen before the city was conquered by His Grace, King Stannis- the Starks executed Jaime Lannister. The deed was done by Jon Snow by all accounts"
Stunned silence prevailed in the room and Stannis didn't miss the shock on the faces of his men.
"Tywin Lannister will never forgive this" said Lord Monfrod Velaryon with concern,
"The Kingslayer deserved nothing less. That will teach the Lannister's some humility if they have not learned anything from His Grace already" voiced Ser Richard Horpe fiercely,
"These Starks have balls, wolf boys seem to have more claws than the Old Lion" mocked Salladhor with a crooked grin,
"There's more" said Stannis curtly, surprising Davos further.
"Robb Stark has stripped House Lannister of all rights and intends to destroy them root and stem alongside any of their bannermen and Reach allies should they not abandon Tywin Lannister within a fortnight. Ser Jaime's execution was just the beginning" said Pycelle worriedly, making Stannis grind his teeth.
"Robb Stark is just another Usurper, no matter our common enemies. Unlike his Father who died for my claim, the boy crowned himself King and wants to be a Conqueror. He has no right to command my subjects or make such decisions for the Realm. As far as I am concerned, he is our enemy the same as Tywin Lannister" stated Stannis bitterly,
"I agree, Your Grace. He has no right to be King for you are our rightful ruler. However, he now has nearly 50,000 men under his command. The sons of Eddard Stark have proven themselves in battle time and again now, I recommend we make common cause with them to deal with our enemies first" suggested Ser Davos, earning a stern glare from his King.
"Never"
Davos sighed and chose to drop the matter as he looked at all the hateful glares he received from everyone except Salladhor for the suggestion.
"Robb Stark and this Jon Snow will now move into the Westerlands and even the Reach if they are truly bold. It is why Tywin has dispatched nearly half his army to stop them. This gives us an opportunity, Your Grace" said Justin Massey eagerly,
"From latest reports, there are hardly 30,000 men left outside our walls under Lord Tywin and Ser Garlan and Ser Loras Tyrell's command. The rest of their commanders and forces have left the battlefield" reported Pycelle,
The debate continued for sometime upon their next course of action until Stannis ordered them to continue defending the Capital and dismissed everyone except Ser Davos, much to ire of Axell Florent who gave the Onion Knight a glare before leaving.
"Last I heard, Jon Snow had taken the Black. Why is a Brother of Night's Watch taking part in the realms affair?" asked Stannis with a heavy frown,
"I know not, Your Grace" answered Ser Davos truthfully,
"Find out"
Davos nodded swiftly making Stannis remain silent for several long moments.
"Tywin will intensify the attacks upon the Capital. He can't afford to waste more time and men in a Siege, with our fleet nearly destroyed- we have no option but to hold the Capital under all costs if we want to live. What is the progress on the Wildfire caches?" asked Stannis quickly,
"Tyrion Lannister used a large portion to destroy our Fleet, but we have found more within the city upon putting the Pyromancers under interrogation. They have also made more upon your command, Your Grace" reported Davos honestly,
"I hope the Dwarf is rotting in hell. His deviousness costed us a lot of good men and our fleet" said Stannis bitterly,
"Yes, Your Grace" replied Davos sadly, making Stannis look at him with sympathy.
"Your sons did their duty. I will never forget that" said Stannis respectfully, and could only admire the humble man before him who had lost four of his eldest sons when their fleet was almost destroyed.
"If only Ser Imry has listened..." lamented Davos, making Stannis nod with a tired sigh.
"It was a mistake to give him command. I should have trusted you, but it's done now and we can do nothing about it" admitted Stannis,
"Yes, Your Grace"
"We should have brought Lady Melisandre with us here. Your staunch insistence on leaving her behind at Dragonstone is as much to blame as is Ser Imry Florent's foolishness. With her powers, we could have turned the tide and not lost so many" commented Stannis frankly,
"Perhaps, Your Grace. But the people and our men had to see you winning the city instead of believing it was due to her sorcery. I can only hope her presence at Dragonstone should be enough to keep the Queen and Princess Shireen safe for the time being" answered Davos loyally,
Stannis nodded before marching back to the table where he drank a glass of water before looking back at Davos.
"We must defeat Tywin Lannister here while the Starks deal with his armies. Start using Wildfire from now on to destroy their attacks and break their morale" commanded Stannis,
"Yes, Your Grace. But I must again caution this could backfire on us if the Wildfire spreads within the city" warned Davos,
"I am aware of the risks, Ser Davos. But we need to break this siege and destroy Tywin or force him to retreat, then we must reform our army and gather additional armies to face Robb Stark and this Jon Snow" stated Stannis curtly,
For the first time, Davos saw a brief concern in the eyes of his battle hardened King.
"The Starks have never lost a battle, Your Grace" said Davos carefully,
"They haven't so far, I shall admit that. If nothing else, Ned Stark's heir and bastard son are good at War. If only they had their Father's loyalty and honor. We could have used such commanders and the men they lead. Robb Stark was smart to rescue Sansa Stark before we seized the Red Keep, if we had the girl- the Starks would have listened to your desire for a common cause. Now I am afraid, they are our enemies as much as the Lannisters"
Davos didn't understand the true significance of his King's fateful words until two days later, they received a dire raven from Dragonstone.
Stannis sat in his solar with Ser Davos as his only company, the King was gritting his teeth so harshly and for once even Davos was stunned upon hearing the message brought by the raven.
"Robb Stark...all this time, we were so focused upon the enemies in front of us only to now realize the new ones at our back" said Davos worriedly,
"The Stark Usurper has some nerve trying to lay a Siege upon Dragonstone. He intends to kill or capture my Queen and only heir to take me out of this War. The Vale Fleet and 3,000 men surround my home as we speak trying to breach my castle" said Stannis furiously,
"Your orders, my king?" asked Davos seriously,
"Use what little ships we have left and as many men that can be carried upon them to break the Siege. If my Queen and heir are lost, so does my cause" said Stannis furiously,
"That will weaken our strength here and leave little chance for you to retreat should the Lannister's breach the gates of the city. This action only strengthens the Lannisters" said Davos worriedly,
"Robb Stark has left us no choice, Davos. I will not abandon the Capital and will sell my life dearly before Tywin can step inside this city. The Stark Usurper will pay for this treachery in blood! Lady Melisandre insists she can turn this catastrophe around by awakening the Stone Dragon on Dragonstone" revealed Stannis, making Davos's eyes go wide in shock for he knew the price of such an action and had repeatedly fought to prevent it.
"Edric is a boy, Your Grace! Your own blood! He's not just some common bastard!" argued Davos in horror, and was heartbroken upon seeing Stannis not backing down now from what the Red Woman had wanted all along.
"You have kept the boy safe after we seized him upon taking Storm's End from Ser Cortney Penrose and Renly. I was inclined to accept your suggestion to spare Edric's life, but our situation is impossible now. A King must weigh the life of one boy over the fate of his Kingdom. I am surrounded by Usurpers all around with larger armies, my army is diminished and trapped in this city, my family and Seat besieged, and you know damn well what Tywin Lannister will do to all of us should we lose this War" retorted Stannis sternly,
"Your Grace, please-"
"You have your command, Ser Davos. Save the Queen and my daughter, break the Siege of Dragonstone by all means. Lady Melisandre will get what she wants or all is lost. The only one to blame for Edric's fate is Robb Stark alone" said Stannis bitterly, and Davos could only helplessly stare at the letter their King had prepared to be sent to the damned Red Woman to carry out that order.
Why had it come to this?
Robb Stark's next campaign had started upon a good note when he had marched with an army of several thousand men from the Golden Tooth. His host having been joined by forces under Lord Bolton and Ser Harrold Hardyng as well who had been tasked with capturing Sarsfield and the Crag respectively. Other lords had already left with their forces towards Deep Den, Hornvale and Ashemark with Lord Yohn Royce remaining at Golden Tooth with their reserves and acting as Divisional Commander in the Westerlands.
The very first sign of the King's decree of destroying House Lannister completely alongside any vassals who supported them came into action soon enough when their mighty host came upon the seat of Sarsfield.
With many of their men away with Tywin Lannister and the green ones slaughtered under Stafford's host, the seat was practically defenseless with barely two dozen old beards and young boys defending it. Not a single one of them were prepared to hold off thousands of fresh enemy soldiers, many veterans of previous wars.
Upon witnessing King Robb Stark's presence upon the battlefield, House Sarsfield became the first of the Western bannermen to surrender willingly and avoid the destruction of their House and ancestral seat.
Jon personally witnessed the official surrender provided by Lady Sarsfield in the presence of their King who graciously accepted the act and ordered no harm to be inflicted upon her family, lands or people. Most importantly, Lord Bolton had been provided 3,000 men to take this enemy stronghold...but now with its surrender willingly, those men and its commander joined their King bringing their host to over 16,000 men for the Reach campaign.
Ser Harrold left the next day with his 2,000 men to seize the Crag as the King and his army marched unopposed through the Westerlands.
Along the way, Jon finally realized why these lands were considered one of the richest in the Seven Kingdoms when their King sent out many eager parties to raid nearby gold mines under the leadership of Lord Roose Bolton who was quite pleased with the task.
Suffice to say the men came back with more gold than most had seen in their lifetime, but instead of distributing it among his forces- their King gave another order which stunned nearly everyone.
"Our men will be rewarded but not with this gold, but from that we shall seize in the Reach. I need this one for another objective" said Robb decisively, as they made camp at night as their host came closer towards the borders with the Reach.
"Your Grace?" asked Ser Barristan curiously, earning supporting nods from Lords Umber, Bolton, Redfort, Templeton and Lyn Corbray.
"You shall see soon, my lords. That is all I shall say for now" answered Robb calmly,
"Very well, my king. But I would suggest we decide the command roles of our forces before entering Reach lands" suggested Ser Symond Templeton eagerly, who had brought nearly a thousand men to their host and was distantly related to the Starks through some earlier ancestral kin who Jon wasn't aware of.
Robb nodded at the suggestion making many of the lords perk up in anticipation.
"Ser Lyn Corbray shall lead our Scouts. You will be our eyes and ears on the ground with the objective of searching for valuable logistic and military targets for us to attack alongside warning us on the approach of any enemy forces no matter how insignificant. You shall have 500 cavalry under your command, Ser" commanded Robb, earning a pleased smile from the thin but handsome night who wielded a Valyrian Sword named Lady Forlorn.
"I shall not fail you, My King" promised Ser Lyn confidently, making Robb nod before he turned towards Jon himself.
"Jon Stark shall lead our Vanguard with Lord Greatjon Umber as second in command. You shall have 3,000 cavalry under your command and shall work closely with Ser Lyn" instructed Robb,
"Time to make these Knights of Summer bleed, my king!" boasted the Greatjon with a hearty chuckle, making many others grin as the giant of a man could certainly butcher men as had been demonstrated many times already. The fierce Lord of Last Hearth gave an appreciative nod and seemed to have no qualms of serving under Jon after having fought side by side in multiple engagements of past.
"It will be my honor, Your Grace" agreed Jon with a smile, making Robb smile in return.
"Lord Roose Bolton, Lord Redfort and Lord Templeton shall lead our main columns of 9,000 men while Lady Maege is in charge of our supplies and logistics with 500 men and has to ensure all the loot we capture in form of gold, food and crucial supplies from the Reach are transported back safely into the Westerlands from where Lord Royce will keep some for his own forces before sending the majority to our armies in the Riverlands and its people" explained Robb in detail,
He earned firm nods from the chosen commanders as the King turned towards Ser Barristan next and also looked at Dacey Mormont and Harrion Karstark.
"I shall have a Royal Guard of 3,500- some of our finest men acting as our reserve to be deployed in dire circumstances. Ser Barristan will lead it. My Personal Battle Guard will be made up of Dacey Mormont, Harrion Karstark, Wendel Manderly, Black Walder, Ser Damon Vardon, Ser Mychel Redfort, Ser Jasper Redfort, Patrek Mallister, Donnel Locke, Olyvar and Perwyn Frey"
Even as he reformed his Personal Battle Guard, for a moment the King saw many familiar faces who were no longer with him.
The ever confident Theon Greyjoy and loyal Owen Norrey and Lucas Blackwood- all martyred in King's Landing rescuing Sansa.
Smalljon Umber who had not yet arrived from the Vale after delivering Sansa there and sending her back North under a strong armed escort.
The brave Daryn Hornwood and Torrhen Karstark alongside somber but loyal Eddard Karstark- all three having laid down their lives defending Robb from Jaime Lannister in the Whispering Woods.
The sensible Robin Flint who had died capturing the Golden Tooth under Jon's command.
"They will be remembered, Your Grace" said Dacey compassionately, as the Mormont heir saw exactly what their King was feeling in this very moment earning somber nods from Harrion Karstark and few other familiar members of Robb's Personal Battle Guard.
"You avenged my brothers- Eddard and Torrhen by taking the Kingslayer's head. Nothing will bring them back but knowing Edd and Torr as well as my father, they will be satisfied with this vengeance. They protected you with their lives and I shall do the same till my last breath, Your Grace" swore Harrion fiercely,
"The Lannisters and their allies butchered my brother- Ser Wylis at Harrenhal. Say the word and we will make them pay in blood, Your Grace" promised Ser Wendel Manderly angrily, having recently received the news of the grave manner of his elder brother's death at enemy hands alongside Princess Arya Stark and many others in that monstrous castle.
Black Walder, Olyvar and Perwyn Frey nodded as well after having lost three of their kin in the same tragedy.
"I have lost many good friends and companion in arms already. While you try to keep me alive, do the same for yourself. That is an order" said Robb honestly, as he looked at his newly formed Personal Battle Guard.
Ser Barristan saw the young men and women smile upon hearing their King's heartfelt order, he was yet to choose new members for the Kingsguard under his command- these young warriors would serve well as their King's protectors for the time being- few of whom Barristan had already fought alongside in battles of past and deemed worthy enough for the task.
The next few days passed with hard marches through Lannister lands as their army traversed through the infamous battlefield of Oxcross which stole bore scars from its previous battle. Their men couldn't help but cheer upon seeing the defeated enemy standards lying upon the ground.
The Greatjon, Lady Maege and even Black Walder boasted of the glorious battle they had won here under Jon's command.
Only the young and newly legitimized Stark was somber.
"It was pure butchery" commented Jon with little satisfaction when Robb looked at him,
"Better them than our own men, Jon" replied Robb frankly, which made Jon give just a curt nod.
Another day later, they approached the road leading towards Lannisport and Casterly Rock. Many were tempted to assault it with such a large army, but Robb was steadfast in his resolve to leave the task to Lord Yohn Royce and the other commanders in the Westerlands once they had achieved their current objectives.
The decision caused some resentment and mumbling, with even Jon looking disappointed upon not being able to act on the temptation of hurting the Lannister's where it mattered most.
It was why Robb arrived by his side and looked at him promisingly.
"One Day, My Brother. We need to destroy Tywin's armies first before we hope to seize his Castle and hold it forever" reminded Robb patiently,
"I know. They took our sister and for that we will take everything from them" swore Jon angrily,
"Have you managed to speak to her?" asked Robb in a whisper, and was disappointed when Jon sadly shook his head.
"I have tried but Nymeria is distant, always out hunting with her pack of wolves. She doesn't like staying with the army much, leaving me little chance to make contact with Arya in any way" confessed Jon,
"We'll need to figure this out soon" pointed Robb, making Jon nod.
They continued marching further and soon reached the ruins of Tarbeck Hall a day later. The ruined castle of House Tarbeck serving as a stark reminder of what Tywin Lannister did to his enemies. Some of the lords and soldiers were a little shaken upon seeing the state of the castle and the Lannister Lion flying proudly on top of it as a symbol of conquest.
That was until Lord Greatjon Umber struck it down and went ahead to piss upon the Lannister flag with a boisterous roar.
"And now the Northern rain weeps over his halls!"
Jon watched the spectacle unleashed by the Mad Giant of House Umber in stunned silence, with many including few of the women following their army looking at the Umber lord's sizeable tool with great interest.
Here they all stood in the ruins of a lord who had dared to oppose the Lannister's like them today and was completely crushed. Their house and name destroyed, the dark legacy should have made them all think about their actions atleast once.
And there was the Greatjon pissing proudly upon Tywin Lannister's greatest and most horrifying achievement.
It was Robb's laughter that broke the stunned silence making thousands of their men join their King's amusement, and even a few madder ones joining Lord Umber in pissing upon the Lannister flag.
"Your Grace, this is unseemly of a Commander in your ranks" protested Ser Barristan with a frown,
"Leave it be, Ser Barristan. The Greatjon wouldn't be himself if not allowed to do what he does best- fearless against all odds. In this instance, his not so proper action have bolstered the men's resolve. Let him have his moment now, one day I might just piss inside Tywin's chamber" replied Robb with a faint smirk,
"Your Grace, that is...you're joking" said Barristan in shock, making Robb laugh once more as Jon did the same upon seeing the stunned look upon the veteran Kingsguard's face.
Yet even Barristan couldn't help but agree with the King's reasoning when their army resumed their march again, only this time "With the Northern rain weeping over the Lion's Halls" crude song upon their lips.
It became their marching theme to his continued bewilderment and made the men march with more speed and determination to everyone's shock with the Greatjon leading the charge quite happily. Even thousands from the Vale started to admire the Mad Giant of Umber for his fearlessness.
That reputation came in hand when Ser Lyn Corbray and his Scouts got into their first engagment as their army approached the lands near Crakehall. Jon and Lord Umber led out a sortie of the Vanguard cavalry to the aid of their Scouts fearlessly and made quick work in routing the outriders of House Crakehall back to their castle.
A few hours later, King Robb Stark arrived with the rest of the army to find an encampment had already been setup by his brother and Lord Umber alongside Ser Lyn Corbray and his Scouts outside the seat of House Crakehall.
It was the first stronghold which looked well defended with Crakehall soldiers manning the ramparts and walls of the Castle. The brindled boar flag flew proudly upon the Castle alongside the Lannister Lion.
"None so fierce" said Ser Barristan with grudging respect towards the enemy house's words.
"Let me guess, they don't wish to surrender?" asked Robb with a knowing gaze,
"No, Your Grace. Lord Roland Crakehall and his second son- Ser Lyle are with Tywin Lannister. The castle is currently manned by some 300 fighters under the command of Ser Tybolt Crakehall- the heir and Ser Burton Crakehall. They have refused all calls to surrender or parley. They wish to fight to defend their Castle till the last man" reported Jon seriously,
"Offer him fair terms to surrender once more. Remind him we have 16,000 men outside his gates- should he ignore this offer, we will storm his castle and their fate then won't be so generous" ordered Robb without hesitation,
Jon bowed and went out to execute the command making Robb turn towards his commanders next.
"We can't leave an enemy at our rear before we march into the Reach. They'll harass us and threaten our communication lines with Lord Royce. I pray they see sense of their situation but if they don't- then let us make them feel the Fury of Winter!" commanded Robb icily,
"Lord Bolton- ready the siege engines and ladders provided Ser Bryden Tully. Upon my command, be ready to unleash hell"
"Lord Templeton, you have command of the archer unit. I want their defenders under heavy fire, you have permission to use flaming arrows to set whatever is there inside the Castle on fire"
"Will that be enough, Your Grace? A seat like this would require more to fall" cautioned Lord Bolton,
"You're right, my lord. And it shall have it" answered Robb with steel in his determined voice,
Roose looked at the King for a long moment and couldn't help but feel what the boy must be planning. For all his useless honorable trait that he inherited from Eddard Stark, the young Stark had a mind for war.
Having served him so far had already proven the boy was far more braver, bolder and cunning than his deceased lord father.
Traits that were sorely required for the impossible list of tasks ahead of them, if the boy faltered then it would be the end of all who followed him; something which Roose couldn't allow.
As they had predicted, the Crakehall heir refused to surrender his limited garrison and Castle despite the generous terms provided by King Robb Stark.
It was why Jon Stark found himself in his brother's command tent with only Ser Barristan in company, the rest of the lords having already began the siege two hours earlier. The enemy had their hands full with the Greatjon and his parties hammering at their walls and gate.
"The enemy is fighting valiantly, I must say" said Robb with grudging respect,
"The first of Tywin's bannermen to actually give us a real challenge" agreed Jon with a nod,
"How do we approach this, Your Grace? We can't waste more time and must enter the Reach lands before they rally their reserve forces. Otherwise, we will be in trouble" cautioned Ser Barristan,
"I agree. Which is why I have sent Ser Lyn Corbray to scout ahead and report if the Reach are doing exactly the same. If we get positive reports of their reserves assembling at Highgarden then I will depart with a large contingent to smash them quickly" answered Robb truthfully,
"Jon, you have taken the Golden Tooth. What shall be your recommendation in taking this stronghold?" asked Robb thereafter with utmost seriousness,
"A frontal assault will win us victory eventually but with the cost of time and many lives. I suggest a twin pronged Strike- have the enemy believe we will storm through their gates- while a large portion of our troops create boats quickly. At midnight under the cover of darkness, I can lead a Strike force to breach their harbor. They don't have enough men for an assault on two fronts" suggested Jon,
"Risky but this is War. How many men do you need?" questioned Robb,
"Nearly 200 or so. They'll need to be lightly armored for transportation on boats and ladders for scaling the walls of the castle from the harbor. Casualties will be high with the possibility of a catastrophe should we fail or get surrounded in the Castle. I have seen it before" warned Jon, his thoughts going towards all the Northmen and Robin Flint who had given their lives at the Golden Tooth in such a manevoure.
"Then you will need more men for better odds. The Strike Force will need motivation to hold their ground and eventually open the front gate for the rest of our forces to storm through or create enough chaos for our main army to scale the walls and breach the front gate. The only way that will happen if I am there" said Robb decisively,
"Robb!"
"Your Grace!"
Robb didn't fail to miss the shock and disbelief upon the faces of his brother and Kinsguard leader.
"The enemy won't fall for this distraction unless there is a real important target for them to divert their forces from the main gate. It's a great risk, but everything I have done ever since leaving Winterfell is a gamble. It has to be me" explained Robb patiently,
"You're our King!" protested Jon, but knew his brother's mind was made up as his next words proved that.
"A King who fights his own battles, isn't that a sight to see?"
(Two Days Later)
"This is risky" cursed Dacey Mormont, making Jon give a tired sigh.
"We have our King's orders, my lady" reminded Ser Wendel dutifully, as various members from their King's Royal Guard alongside 500 men assembled under the command of Ser Barristan Selmy.
On the shore near the forests, were the multiple boats they had seized from nearby fishermen and made many more after forcefully putting those civilians to work alongwith their soldiers- all the while their main army continued battering Crakehall's sturdy walls.
Their only solace was the fact that Robb had more than doubled the amount of men that Jon had originally asked for this manevoure. Some of the most dangerous and toughest fighters of their army including many of the Royal Guard had been called into service.
It was what had caused excitement and trepidation at the same time across the chosen, but the fact that their King would be leading the assault himself made them even more fanatical in their determination to succeed.
Jon had his apprehensions a plenty, but he would follow his brother loyally and protect him with his life if needed without hesitation. It was why he looked at members of the Royal Guard with nothing but iron clad determination.
"Our King has never lost a battle before. We will not fail him!" ordered Jon fiercely,
"The Royal Guard is made up of the best fighters in our army. It is time you men and women live up to those expectations and show the army how to do the impossible" encouraged Ser Barristan,
That seemed to do the trick as Dacey Mormont, Ser Wendel, Ser Damon Vardon, Ser Perwyn Frey, Black Walder, Sers Mychel and Jasper Redfort, Donnel Locke and Black Walder steeled their resolve and stood more straight. Even young Olyvar Frey- who was Robb's squire gathered his courage and bowed to Ser Barristan.
Seeing the determination of Robb's personal battle guard inspired the rest of the men of the Royal Guard who assembled with renewed vigor as their King arrived to join their ranks.
Robb looked at the assembled force for a long moment which only made the fighters stand at more attention.
"It's an honor to fight beside each of you. I'll live up to your courage and bravery while leaving the fate of this battle and my life in your capable hands" said Robb calmly and with great respect,
It was the first time Ser Barristan found himself about to go in battle with his new King, the young Stark didn't give a great speech like many expected...but his simple words were more than enough to convey the trust their monarch was placing in each warrior's hands.
Most were humbled by the declaration and bowed respectfully making Robb nod as he turned towards the boats and started marching with Jon and Ser Barristan being the first to follow after him.
There were no great cheers or enthusiasm as the rest of Robb's personal battleguard and men of the Royal Guard followed after them.
Just an ice cold determination to return the honor their King had shown them tonight.
Under a cloudy night, the boats rowed towards the seat of House Crakehall in silence.
In the distance, they could see a massive attack had already been started by Lords Bolton and Umber to create a worthwhile distraction with the three Direwolves of House Stark remaining in open vicinity making the enemy believe the Stark brothers would be nearby. The beasts had not been pleased upon seeing their masters leaving, but the King and Jon had somehow managed to placate them with only Nymeria seeming more agitated but eventually complying alongwith her littermates.
King Robb Stark was at the head of one of the boats alongside Jon, Ser Barristan and Ser Damon Vardon alongwith a few more men.
The rest of their force were all around them in several boats and were surging forward under calm waters and the cover of darkness.
Their luck only went so far as the enemy had not been callous and had left few men on the battlements overseeing their harbor for any surprise attack. Soon enough bells started ringing and their element of surprise went with it swiftly.
By the time they were approaching the beach, there were two dozen enemy forces already waiting for them with more arriving every second.
A hail of arrows took flight with many on fire and came down towards them mercilessly. Cries from their ranks followed swiftly with their men desperately trying to raise shields, a few unfortunate ones taking mortal blows and falling into the sea never to rise again.
The setback didn't deter the King whose loud voice echoed among their ranks.
"Don't falter! Keep pushing forward and let's show these wild boars what happens when you anger the wolves!" roared Robb furiously,
Two more volleys of arrows descended upon them and many more of their own fell, but the sight of their King's boat taking the lead and the eldest sons of Eddard Stark jumping in the shallow waters as they neared the beach elicited a fearsome cry from their ranks who rushed to join them.
Ser Barristan unleashed his sword and followed after his King fearlessly, as Robb and Jon unleashed their Valyrian steel swords.
More men followed after them making the enemy rush forward to prevent them from creating a beachhead for the rest of their following force to land.
"Protect the King!" roared the Veteran Kingsguard, as he and Jon stuck by Robb's side and began the butcher's work.
Ser Barristan expertly parried the strikes from two Crakehall men aimed for his King and Robb was quick to dispatch the men with a nasty strike from the greatsword Ice.
Jon blocked another blow with his shield before smashing the weapon into the face of his opponent and slicing his throat open with Long Claw.
"Kill the Stark bastard!" roared a large enemy warrior in plate armor as he strode into the melee,
"To Ser Burton!" cried the Crakehall men, as dozens more Stark forces made landfall and joined the melee. Even more were approaching towards the beach making the defenders realize they were about to face more men than they had and ran straight for the King.
Black Walder and Dacey Mormont gave might roars as they charged into the battle alongside Ser Wendel and Ser Damon Vardon.
Ser Barristan found himself in a pitched battle against five enemy guards who surrounded him making Jon and two more of their men nearby as Robb's immediate guards.
As more enemy forces came out of the Castle to support the defenders, Ser Barristan realized the mad gamble their King had taken.
He was the Bait.
Ser Burton Crakehall was a fearsome warrior and proved his worth as he smashed his armored fist straight into the face of one of the guards protecting Robb before skewering another with his longsword unleashing a primal roar victoriously.
The King was already busy fending off two more enemies at the same time and was unaware of the giant warrior about to strike him from behind. Ser Barristan tried to rush in to protect his King and slew down two men who tried to stop him with swift strikes, but it was not necessary as Jon Stark blocked Ser Burton's cowardly blow with his Valyrian sword.
Righteous fury burned in Jon's eyes as he angrily kicked the larger warrior for daring to attack his King and brother. Ser Burton grunted as he was pushed before laughing once more and lunging towards the younger boy.
Jon parried a wild slash aimed at his lightly armored chest swiftly before side stepping the larger Crakehall and delivering a solid elbow to the man's face. As Ser Burton stumbled, he screamed when Jon's deadly Valyrian sword tore apart the tendons of his legs. When the larger warrior fell to his knees, Jon wrenched his sword upward mercilessly and tore the veins in the man's injured leg.
He followed it up with a primal roar and final strike that beheaded the Crakehall fighter as Barristan finished dispatching the last of his opponents that tried to stop him. Watching the fall of their commander made the rest of the enemy forces back away in fear and hesitance.
Robb tore Ice from the heart of the man in front of him and saw few of the enemies were screaming at the archers to stop them by retreating and creating safe distance from the melee.
"SHIELD WALL!"
Jon and Ser Barristan were beside him swiftly and raised their shields, as did Dacey, Ser Wendel and Black Walder among many others. It was just in time as the first volley of arrows came down upon them.
Few of their men were not fast enough and got hit, but many more had linked up to create a solid defense.
"FORWARD!"
Robb's commanding voice drove them ahead as they marched under a hail of arrows descending down upon them. They had prepared for this manevoure upon their King's guidance in the event of a pitched battle with enemy archer fire coming down upon them. The King's foresight proving invaluable as the men in the front alongside him kept their shields forward while the ones in the middle and rear raised it upwards to protect their remaining comrades. The soldiers on their flanks and rear were tasked to deter any attempts of encirclement.
Together, they marched forward few steps at a time as the enemy archers tried in vain to stop them. A few got lucky in their marks but by now most of the Stark forces had landed and linked up together.
Seeing the hopelessness, the defenders having lost their commander charged straight towards them in a last attempt to thwart their relentless advance.
"Men of the front, steady! Men in the middle and rear- brace for impact!" ordered Robb,
Jon prepared himself and grunted in pain when a horde of nearly a hundred angry Crakehall garrison men charged into their shield wall. It barely held thanks to the firm bodies of the men in the middle of their formation putting their weight into the backs of those Stark men in front thereby preventing them from collapsing.
"NOW!"
On Robb's command, the ones behind them pushed Jon and the ones in the front rank forward- the momentum making him smash his shield straight into the face of the Crakehall men in front of him trying to break through.
Similar actions happened in varied levels across the front line before screams and rain of blood erupted from the enemies at front when Robb and his forward ranks buried their swords in the stunned enemy front line.
As a dozen men fell with death cries disorienting the balance of the ones behind them, Robb led the charge by smashing his shield into the enemy next in line making his men around him do the same as they again plunged their swords ending another stream of lives.
The shield wall formation struck the enemy two more times and as they lost nearly half of their numbers, their morale finally broke as many started to disengage from the battle and retreat towards the safety of the Castle Walls.
"Cut them down!" ordered Robb mercilessly, as he flung his shield at the nearest enemy making him stumble before pouncing on the soldier with Ice slashing at his exposed throat.
The outnumbered defenders of Crakehall were soon being pursued by the larger numbered Stark forces as they were killed one after another. Jon stuck by his King's side as did Ser Barristan alongside the members of his personal battle guard killing any remaining enemy fighters that wanted to bring him harm.
Soon enough they reached the walls of the castle and came under another round of archer fire as a few enemy stragglers had managed to retreat and bar the gates for an easy breach inside the stronghold.
A few Stark men brought forward ladders that had been carried upon the boats, Ser Barristan and many were further shocked when King Robb was one of the first to scale a ladder alongside his brother- Jon Stark.
They kept their shields up as the enemy rained arrows upon them, but the eldest sons of Eddard Stark didn't falter and the King skewered the nearest archer through the belly with Ice upon reaching the Wall's top as Jon carried out a similar action with Longclaw.
The archers who were few to begin with found themselves getting outnumbered and overwhelmed as more of the Stark forces scaled up the walls.
Robb kicked one of the enemy men off the walls and crudely hacked at the neck of another making the Crakehall defender cry out in agony.
Ser Barristan blocked the strike aimed at his head before kicking his opponent in the jewels and then plunging his blade through the enemy's heart.
Suddenly two of the enemies charged towards King Robb in a suicidal effort to take him down from the battlements alongside themselves. The Stark King turned behind a fraction too late and his eyes widened in shock upon witnessing the enemies about to drag him to his doom.
He froze in horror when a sudden blur intercepted the Crakehall men valiantly from behind and dragged them over the walls alongside himself.
"JON!"
Time seemed to freeze for the King as he screamed watching his loyal brother fall from the walls taking with him the two Crakehall fighters who would have dragged Robb to a similar fate.
Jon crashed atop one of the Crakehall men with a sickening crunch as the trio hit the ground. Robb remained frozen in his spot as Jon rolled off the corpse and seemed to be in a daze from the fall. From the corner of his eyes, he saw more enemy forces rushing towards his injured brother.
"KILL THEM ALL! NO ONE GETS NEAR JON!"
Ser Barristan had been shocked alongside many other allies upon seeing Jon's selfless act in defending their King's life without hesitation. They were overcome with rage and vengeance upon hearing Robb's battlecry and saw the King take charge once more as he descended upon the nearest set of stairs making the rest of them follow swiftly.
Robb jumped the last flight of stairs to land near a dazed Jon who was still trying to regain his bearings, the King's fury was unmatched as he brutally kicked the first of the attackers and swirled around in a circle to slash the next two enemies in half with Ice.
Battlefury and the desire to protect his brother was upon the King as he stood as an unbreakable wall between Jon and anyone else that dared to bring him harm.
Robb parried the sword of the next attacker before spitting into the man's face which made him blink and allowed the King to disarm his opponent before plunging Ice into his bowels. By now, the rest of his forces had joined the melee with battlecries and were pushing back the enemy reinforcements with great vigor.
Dacey Mormont was already beside Jon when the King approached his brother. Robb couldn't help but grin slightly when Dacey slapped Jon tightly bringing some lucidity back into the White Wolf's dazed eyes.
"What were you thinking, you crazy fool?" asked Dacey angrily, but Robb didn't miss the worry and affection in her eyes for his ever broody brother.
"Had...to...save...him...Robb...where?" mumbled Jon weakly,
His question was soon answered when Robb came forward to kneel beside him and envelop him into a firm hug much to Jon's relief.
"You saved my life"
Before Jon could answer, the King broke the hug and slapped him lightly on the head making him wince.
"Never risk yourself like that again! chastised Robb worriedly, earning an equally meaningful look from Dacey Mormont whose eyes seemed moist if only a little.
"I could not lose any more family...not after..." whispered Jon sadly, unable to finish that heartbreaking truth which was thankfully understood by the two people closest to him who looked at him sympathetically.
It was why Robb gently touched his shoulder and looked at him compassionately.
"You remember our promise to each other, Brother?" asked the King earnestly,
To Win the Universe Together, remembered Jon and looked at his brother and King with understanding present in his eyes.
"I do" answered Jon solemnly,
"Remember that, for without you I am lost"
Dacey couldn't help but feel to have unfortunately invaded an extremely private moment between the Stark brothers, she watched Jon's gaze become a little moist upon hearing that heartfelt confession from the King and watched him hugged Robb, a gesture which the King returned with a smile.
The single moment was enough to make her understand their actions and devotion towards each other.
Neither had hesitated for a second to risk their own life when the other was threatened, it was the way with her own sisters. Jon had always spoke admirably of his brother and Robb had entrusted him with critical tasks in their campaign when no one trusted the former bastard of House Stark.
At first, she had thought it to be her King's generosity and faith in his family, but now she knew it was love for his sibling no matter his origins.
"Dacey, thank you for rushing towards my brother and helping him while I was busy trying to save his pretty face" said Robb teasingly,
"I saved your Kingly ass twice before that" retorted Jon with a smirk, making Robb chuckle.
"It was my duty, Your Grace" replied Dacey loyally, as she nodded towards Robb.
"Regardless I am grateful, my lady" replied Jon with a warm smile, which made her feel warm somewhere inside as well.
"That makes us even, Jon. For you saving my life against the Mountain" answered Dacey with a smile,
"Now that is a story I would like to hear once we have put these scum to the sword!" said Robb seriously, making Jon and Dacey look towards the ongoing melee with the enemy reinforcements which had already reached its final stages with Ser Barristan carving a river of bodies with the support of the Royal Guard.
Dacey handed Longclaw back into Jon's hands and felt it was right when he blushed a little, something which didn't go unnoticed by the King but thankfully no comment was passed by their leader as together they joined the battle.
As they mopped up the last of the enemy reinforcements, they heard a loud roar and saw the Greatjon had scaled up the main gate's walls only to implant the Stark flag right into the face of one of the unfortunate defenders.
The main gate of the Castle was broken not a few moments later as hundreds upon hundreds from their main army started pouring through. Leading the charge were three vicious Direwolves supported by a hungry pack of smaller wolves that crashed into the remaining enemy forces like a tidal wave.
Much to the dismay of the vengeful Royal Guard, the battle was over by the time they reached the main courtyard with most of the Castle defenders dead and only a handful taken as prisoners, many of the dead were ravaged by wolves in fury which made many shiver when they saw the beasts approach towards the Stark brothers coated in blood, dirt and guts.
Robb and Jon didn't seem to mind as they affectionately petted the Direwolves with Nymeria licking the slightly limping Jon with renewed vigor which mad him smile and hug the beast to calm it down.
Many of the lords arrived by their side and were relieved to see a good portion of the King's force alongwith their monarch still in the world of living. Robb congratulated them all making the Greatjon smile.
"Forgive the insubordination, Your Grace. Your men created such nuisance in the Boar's rear that they didn't have enough strength left to stop us from storming their front for long. Your plan risky as it was has worked" stated Greatjon truthfully,
"Casualties?" asked Robb, and not addressing the praise for the moment from one of his most loyal commanders.
"Three dozen dead at our end with another seventy wounded. These scum did put up a good fight, I'll give them that. Yours?" asked the Greatjon somberly,
"Two dozen atleast, we will get the exact numbers of dead and wounded soon" replied Robb with a frown,
"Could have been more if we had only conducted a full frontal assault" reminded Lord Bolton, making Robb nod with a heavy sigh.
"We have taken a few prisoners including Ser Tybolt Crakehall- the heir. What should we do with them?" asked Roose seriously, pointing towards the wounded but still defiant Crakehall armor wearing giant of a man.
"Imprison them for now. Their fate will be decided soon enough, our priority should be to tend to our men first and seize the Castle fully" directed Robb, earning firm nods in return from the gathered lords.
They were interrupted by an amused chuckle which soon turned into a fit of mad laughter making Robb and the lords turn to the prisoner with heavy frowns.
"Something funny, Ser Tybolt?" asked Robb seriously,
"Do whatever you wish, Stark. I have fulfilled my orders, you have won this battle but will lose this war" cursed Ser Tybolt in satisfaction,
"I would advise you choose your words carefully lest you want the rest of your people including your son to be put to the sword" warned Greatjon furiously,
That seemed to make the Crakehall heir sober up quickly when many of the Stark men looked ready to butcher his son upon a single gesture from the King.
"Tell me what were your orders and you will be taken as hostages. No more of your family or men need to die in vain" offered Robb with caution, making a weary sigh escape from Tybolt Crakehall's lips.
"It matters not for I have fulfilled my liege's command. Lord Tywin ordered me to hold our Castle for as long as possible and refuse surrender until we were overwhelmed. It was to buy time for Willas Tyrell to assemble the Reach's reserve forces at Highgarden to stop your Invasion while additional reinforcements have already been dispatched under Lord Randyll Tarly to bolster their strength" revealed Ser Tybolt,
Shock coursed through the Stark forces and chaos would have erupted had Robb not given a loud order to ensure silence.
"How many forces is Willas Tyrell assembling and the reinforcements being brought by Randyll Tarly?" asked Robb quickly,
"Enough to match your strength, I am not aware of the numbers under Lord Tarly as Lord Tywin didn't reveal that to us. I had sent ravens to Highgarden of your advance the moment our Scouts clashed against each other. They were already in the process of gathering their reserves to stop you, I expect they would have gathered quite a few to give you a real challenge, Stark" responded Ser Tybolt with a grin which faltered when Robb Stark didn't flinch and merely smiled.
"How many battles have I lost, Ser?"
Ser Tybolt's silence was enough to bolster the confidence of the Stark noble supporters and their soldiers who looked at their King's determination with hope.
"You'll move forward despite knowing what you do now?" asked Ser Tybolt in disbelief,
"I marched against Lord Tywin and the Kingslayer, did I not? I rallied the North and Vale, liberated the Riverlands from Lannister armies, lead an Invasion into the Westerlands, do you think I will cower in the face of the Roses showing their colors? Winter will come for them just as it came for you" promised Robb icily,
For the first time, there was a grudging respect in Ser Tybolt Crakehall's eyes as he offered a simple nod making Robb gesture to the soldiers to take the man and his surviving men for imprisonment.
He then turned towards his own supporters who straightened up when his unflinching eyes landed upon them all.
"Not long ago our alliance handed the Reach its worst defeat at the end of the Rebellion. They lost much of their power and prestige despite having superior forces and a lone victory against King Robert. We will do much more" declared Robb fiercely,
"We will defeat them all, Your Grace. Willas, Randyll- no matter who gets in our way!" swore the Greatjon with equal passion,
"I have a personal score to settle with Lord Tarly, I welcome the challenge" said Jon coldly, as he remembered Edmure telling him of how his friend Sam had been killed at the hands of his own father despite being on a diplomatic mission on behalf of Jon.
Not only was Lord Tarly a Kinslayer in Jon's eyes, but also someone who had broken all decent rules of warfare.
Robb nodded before instructing the men to rest for a few hours and also preparations to be made for their next objectives.
He then ordered the Castle's maester alongwith the healers in his army the likes of Lady Talisa to tend to their wounded and even the enemy's. Jon got an inspection much to his ire but soon endured it upon Robb's command and Dacey's insistence.
Much to the King's relief his brother had only attained minor bruises and injuries and was advised to rest for a few hours to which Jon agreed.
Robb had taken up residence's in the lord's solar with only Ser Barristan as company and only then he gave a frustrated sigh.
"We took much longer in accomplishing our objectives" said Robb with disappointment,
"I'm afraid so, Your Grace" said Barristan frankly, earning an appreciative nod from Robb for the honest remark.
"The fault lies with me. We still have Old Oak- the seat of House Oakheart to capture on our way as well as Red Lake- the seat of House Crane. Without these points being secure, it would be folly to march towards Highgarden- we cannot leave our rear exposed for any attack on our supply and communication lines" said Robb frankly,
"It was a good thing that you did not lose composure in front of the men when Ser Tybolt revealed what he had. The challenge will be daunting to say the least, but you have never lost a battle and as long as that remains then so shall the morale of our men" advised Barristan,
''It's because I have chosen my battlefields carefully in each battle, Ser Barristan. What do you think of Willas Tyrell and Randyll Tarly's military leadership?" asked Robb curiously,
"Willas is no great general or warrior, but he may have capable commanders in his ranks to do the job. Lord Tarly- now that is a man I would not take lightly. He is a formidable general and will be a menace to face in battle" warned Ser Barristan,
"Then it would seem I will meet a match of my own soon enough"
"Are you nervous, Your Grace?" asked Ser Barristan with curiosity,
"A little if I'm being honest. I must strike before those two armies unite or we'll be destroyed. I must Win for a cruel fate awaits my family and all those who follow me should I lose- Tywin Lannister won't forgive or forget my actions" replied Robb with honesty,
Before they could discuss further, one of the Stark guards announced the arrival of a messenger who had ridden hard from the Golden Tooth with an urgent letter from the North which had been originally sent to Riverrun.
Robb took the letter from the man before asking for food and lodging to be provided to him.
"Call Jon"
Jon had been taking some much needed sleep when he was abruptly awoken by Dacey Mormont who informed him the King wanted to see him urgently.
By the time, he reached the lord's solar where his brother was residing- he found Robb waiting there impatiently alongwith Ser Barristan. Both men looking equally worried.
"What is it?" asked Jon quickly,
"Bran has written to us, the Wildling army's attack on the Wall is imminent under Mance Rayder's leadership. Uncle Benjen has returned home and is guiding our brother- says the Wildlings are desperate to escape from the White Walkers and want to get past the Wall at all costs. Lord Manderly has also reported the movement of a large portion of the Iron Fleet going beyond the Wall" answered Robb grimly, not yet revealing the tale Bran had informed of a potion from the Children of Forest to restore his legs in exchange for his help against the White Walkers. He didn't know what to make of this yet and wanted the two men in his solar to be focused on the military situation instead of myths for now.
"White Walkers? They are mere legends, Your Grace. Nothing more" refuted Barristan, only for Jon to shake his head.
"They are real and so are their army of dead. It was why Lord Commander Mormont sent me South to get help against the Wildlings and the White Walkers. We have sent reinforcements and supplies to the Wall, but it will not be enough. And what is the Iron Fleet doing by going beyond the Wall?" asked Jon worriedly, making Ser Barristan stare at him in shock.
"Bran has sent out the call for the Skagosi to assemble at the Wall to provide additional reinforcements and requests permission to march with a good portion of our reserve forces stationed across the North except the ones at Moat Cailin, Bear Island and Deepwood Motte to aid the Night's Watch. As for the Iron Fleet, I am not sure of their intentions but by the faintest chance they seek an alliance with the Wildlings to overrun our lands..." said Robb gravely,
"Bran's a boy and not fit to fight much less lead any army. His place is in Winterfell!" argued Jon fiercely,
"The Skagosi will only fight if a Stark of Winterfell leads the defense of the Wall. Benjen is a brother of the Night's Watch, they won't follow him" said Robb flatly,
"Bran's a child, brother! Let me go, as a Brother of the Night's Watch it's my duty to defend the Wall. Let Bran stay safe in Winterfell, I will lead the Northern Reserve forces should you allow it, even make the Skagosi listen!" proposed Jon quickly,
Robb was silent for several long moments adding to the worry of his brother and Kingsguard Commander, finally a weary sigh escaped from the King's lips as he took a seat.
"We are fighting a war on three fronts- Lord Brynden and Uncle Edmure will soon come under attack from Lannisters in the Riverlands if Tywin sending Randyll to the Reach is any indication. We ourselves are facing a mighty host on this front in the form of Willas and Randyll respectively, and now the Ironborn and Wildlings wish to open another front in the North. The Lannisters and Tyrell's combined have nearly 70,000 men, the Ironborn another 15,000 to 16,000; what about the Wildlings?" asked Robb and looked at Jon for an answer.
"We had initial reports their host is close to 100,000 but less than half would be fighters, that is my guess" replied Jon with a sigh, making Robb and Barristan's eyes go wide in shock.
"We barely have less than half of all our enemies combined strength and that too is scattered across various fronts in the North, Riverlands and Westerlands. We don't have a strong Navy like the Ironborn, the few seaborne forces of ours are currently besieging Dragonstone under Lord Karstark" pointed Ser Barristan with a heavy frown,
Jon and Ser Barristan looked extremely worried given the developments, the same worry was present in their King's eyes for no matter his courage and brilliance, the challenge was simply too great.
"We must discuss this with our lords, especially the Northerners in our ranks" informed Jon,
"Aye, we must" agreed Ser Barristan
"If we can't fight on all fronts, then what shall we do? The lords will expect an answer" pointed Jon,
"If Theon was still alive and with us, the Ironborn would not dare to launch an invasion no matter how tempting, their earlier actions of launching just minor raids proved that. Now they seek to destroy our lands in the name of vengeance for Theon's death, he gave his life saving Sansa and now we must fight his kin" said Robb sadly, and clenched his fists tightly.
In this moment, Jon didn't envy the burden of Kingship placed upon his brother's soldiers as he watched him deal with such a dangerous situation. Robb remained silent for several long moments as he grieved for Theon and the consequences of his death for their cause.
For once, Jon was at loss of what would be the right course of action to save all those who followed them against their enemies at all fronts.
He felt a glimmer of hope arise within his heart when he saw Robb steel himself and get up from his seat to walk towards the table where a map of the Seven Kingdoms was placed.
"It would seem to Win the Universe we must first conquer each of the Seven Kingdoms and even the people beyond the Wall. Without dragons this time" said Robb with a grim smirk upon his lips, making Jon and Ser Barristan relax a little upon seeing their King regain his determination.
"That would be a feat greater than one achieved by Aegon-The Conqueror" japed Ser Barristan lightly, if only to humor his King's effort to lighten the mood.
"The time for dragons is over, Brother. It's the Wolf's Era now" said Jon somberly, and felt a small pang of sadness within his heart for a family that could have been his in another lifetime.
"Too many men want to call themselves Kings these days, I wonder what's higher than a King if only to make men see sense if we manage to win somehow against all these odds" wondered Robb,
Jon didn't know the answer to that question asked by his brother, but Ser Barristan had much to their surprise.
"That would be Emperor, Your Grace. They are the ones who rule over multiple Kingdoms and are the highest authority, even beyond that of Kings who are answerable to them. That title is only used in Yi Ti and is a foreign term in our lands, our subjects are not familiar with it which could be one of the reasons Aegon chose not to name himself as such despite the Seven Kingdoms under his rule qualifying for an Empire" answered Ser Barristan frankly,
"Your head's big enough for a King as it is, Emperor Robb Stark" said Jon with a smirk, making Robb chuckle and nod.
"Aye, let's leave this point aside since it was a mere curiosity. Now we're in deep shit, the only way out in my opinion shall be this..." said Robb decisively,
Jon and Ser Barristan listened as the King first went into detail of subduing the Reach in the quickest possible way, but one which would involve good number of casualties among their ranks. They accepted the decision knowing blood would be shed either way if they were to push through with their Invasion.
They were quite concerned with the front in the Riverlands, as at this point they had to leave it's fate in Lord Brynden and Edmure Tully's hands alongwith the 20,000 forces under their leadership.
But what shocked them most was the proposal given by their King for the Northern front. Jon voiced his protests and was sure many in their ranks would agree with him for various reasons, but Robb wouldn't budge from his plan despite his brother's opposition and Ser Barristan's concerns.
"This is another one of your mad gambles, Robb!" said Jon in protest once more,
"Aye, but it is the only one we can play for now. We need time" replied Robb seriously,
"He's our Brother!" argued Jon in disbelief,
"And mine too alongwith being my heir! We will discuss this with our lords, but Bran shall lead a good portion of the Northern Reserve forces to the Wall to deal with the Wildlings, I shall advise him on how to deal with various situations that may arise and I shall give him my authority to enforce decisions. Uncle Benjen, Lord Blackwood and Glover will serve as his acting commanders for the army" declared Robb stubbornly,
"You can't expect Rickon to be the Stark in Winterfell in his absence, he cannot even look after himself! We can't risk our brothers, let me go" begged Jon desperately,
"Neither you or I will reach there in time, nor do I have magical armies that I can spawn at a whim. It has to be Bran and the forces he has upon whom the responsibility to defend the North will fall. We need to have faith in him and his commanders while accomplishing our tasks in the South quickly if we are to aid him meaningfully. My mother will be the Stark in Winterfell alongside Rickon and Sansa once she arrives. That is my decision!"
For the first time, Ser Barristan saw a rift forming between the two brothers as Jon glared furiously at Robb and silently marched out of the room much to the King's sorrow.
"Are you sure about this, Your Grace?" asked Ser Barristan after a long pause, making Robb give a weary nod.
"Neither Jon or I can reach Bran in time from where we are, it will be too late by then. Nor do I have men to spare without inviting catastrophe in the South and risk losing the War itself. In that manner, the reserves Bran has raised on his own and the additional reinforcements sent by Jon under Lord Glover and Blackwood were a good decision on their part, together with the Skagosi and Night's Watch - they will have atleast a good few thousand men since the garrisons at Deepwood Motte, Bear Island and Moat Cailin need to stay where they are. We must quickly deal with the Reach if I am to save my family, homeland and Winterfell itself" answered Robb reluctantly,
"Can Prince Brandon Stark hold the Wall and save the North?" asked Ser Barristan hesitantly, making Robb glance sadly at the Wall's figure placed on his map.
"Brandon Stark built the Wall, now it falls upon his namesake and my heir to defend it and the North. May the Gods give him strength to hold for as long as possible until help arrives"
Author's Notes: End of chapter.
Hope you guys liked it.
I guess this is the longest one I have written so far and it was quite fun, though took longer than expected I shall admit.
Bran Stark shall have an important role in this story, one that befits his title as Prince and heir to Robb Stark. He might not lead armies or fight like his brothers in the traditional sense, but he's a Stark of Winterfell and I am excited for displaying his growth. Suffice to say, his experiences will change his development.
So many battles to write across the Reach, Westerlands, King's Landing, North- excited to write it nonetheless.
Whether Robb's decisions brings salvation or ruin to his people, only time shall tell.
Reviews are always appreciated and motivates me as always!
Until Next Time,
Blackwolf501