I do not own a song of ice and fire
Normal: Common Tongue
Italic : Valyrian
The air was stale and the torche flames did not dare to dance freely, as if feeling the impending battle ahead. The night seemed to be darker than normal, even the lights from fire seem to be gloomy, as if sensing that the fate of the world may be determined here.
For the past few days, Volantene and Stepstone patrols had engaged each other in skirmish in small scales to gain advantage over another, but it seems each skirmish was indecisive. The Volantene cleaned their encampments of corpses, while the Stepstones deemed their special formation to counter elephants prepared in this short time available before the Volantene can recover.
Draeden stood in the center of their camp with his commanders surrounding him. "Now, let's revise this, Taelan, you will bring our main force in the flank, but in the beginning you will disguise as a feint to trick them to the left, I will lead the center to deal with the elephants myself, when their main host means to confront me, you will charge in with Belicho and Ordello at the center. " Draeden declared.
Belicho and Ordello nods but Taelan was unsure" But my lord, I must protest. I do not wish for you to hold the elephants, it's too risky! Should you fall, all your efforts would be ash in the wind! "
Draeden focuses on Taelan" Worry not Taelan, I have the Unsullied and our archers with us, we will dispatch the elephants in no time."
Taelan still attempts to argue" Then let me lead the center my lord! We cannot lose you! "
Draeden then looked seriously at Taelan" How can I order my men to great danger if I myself cannot!? I- we, will survive this, and win this! "
Taelan still wishes to argue for the sake of the safety for his lige but Draeden added" This is an order Taelan."
Taelan sighed in defeat and nodded.
Draeden nodded in return and continued"We will send a signal to the Storm king and he will engage the Volantene in the rear. Surrounding them on three sides and pressure them!"
Belicho is experiencing a strange emotion, surprised? Shocked or respect to the lord of Stepstone's decision to lead the center against 200 elephants as well as taking the brunt of the main Volantene force's attention with around 5,000 men.
Belicho had never met such a leader, willing to give and execute his own orders? Is he stupid? Mad? Or just plainly dutiful? He did not know. But he sure will follow lord Draeden into this battle, as will Ordello.
Black Snake, the leader of the Unsullied was honoured that his liberator and saviour have chosen to fight alongside them. Black Snake and the others know, that their freedom is credited to Draeden.
The Volantene side of the river
The proud Horonno will never admit it. He is furious yes, but at the same time, fear.
He fears of what will happen next, he fears if he will die, he fears if he will lose power. He had never imagined the Stepstone lord to be such a talented and cunning millitary leader.
But Horonno still has the greater numbers! And the larger army wins the battle nine times out of ten!
Horonno had taken Ragan's advice to put more patrols, but his pride would not allow him to take more from a slave. He then put him on the rear with only Ragan's faithful 200 men as well 2,000 of Horonno's loyal yet decadent personal guards to guard their camp and foodstores should battle arise.
Horonno looked across the river crossing to see the Stepstone camp suddenly became dark as their fire was put out.
And it arrived.
A patrol rider approaches Horonno and reports "Lord Triarch! A small host of Stepstones had appeared on our right! By counting their torches I count around 5,000! I do not think they should be a worry!"
Horonnk stroked his beard as he considers, 'The Stepstone camp suddenly had all their fire put out and we discover a 'small host' on our right flank? No! It's their full strength!'
Horonno suddenly snapped his head up and declares" They think they tricked us! They want us to think it to be a small host! But in truth is a greater host! Gather all our men to the right to drive them back! Leave the elephants on the center, they will only slow us down through the camp! "
Horonno stood on the river crossing on their right, ready to meet the Stepstone host face on. But what unnerved him is that the 5,000 torches he counted stood still across the crossing.
Horonno can smell something was wrong. Why are the torches so still, why can't he see any faces holding the torches? Why are they just standing there.
Then Horonno heard drums amd horns.
The noises were faint, but there was no mistake that they're war horn amd drums. Horonno can't really pinpoint the source, it didn't help that he can't see anything from a distance in pitch black.
The sound grew closer and it made him anxious, he can tell the soldiers behind was nervous as well. Afraid even.
Then he heard faint sounds of men screaming and elephant trumpets in pain and anger.
Horonno tried to find the source of the sound but the vast desert around him echoed the voices, misleading him to look around and failing to find the voice.
The men behind him looked around in fear as well. It made lose their shits, then a ragged and injured looking man ran towards Horonno from the direction of the center.
The men seemed to be speaking gibberish as he collapsed before Horonno as he took heavy breaths. Horonno looked towards the man and questions "What is it now?!"
The injured man then reports loudly The center! The elephants are under ATTACK! "
Horonno's eyes widened "What"?!
The men then cried as he elaborated "They came in thousands! Spears to trap the foot of our elephants and loose their arrows on their eyes! My own elephant fell to them lord Triarch!"
Horonno now understood!
Horonno turned his horse around and sped towards the central encampments and orders" This is a trap! They tricked us to the right while they assualt our center like the last time! To the center, all of you! "
The men then quickly followed after Horonno towards the center, not knowing that after they had left, more torches lit up on the opposite side of the river and went to cross the ford...
Draeden had never faced elephants before, but he prays he would never face them again. He saw an unsullied got crushed beneath an elephants and he winces.
Draeden's unit had already fell 2 elephants since they have charged across the river in discreet.
The sound of battle raged arpund him, cries of soldiers, roars of elephants and sound of steel clash.
Draeden was holding a spear alongside the unsullied in the front as well.
The archers behind them kept on unleashing their missiles upon the elephant's eyes as well, being the only part of the elephant that is not armoured besides their legs.
Further behind the war drums and horns kept blasting to unnerve the war beasts, although it did not have the intended effects Draeden had wanted.
He thanked himself for taking the time to read the treatise on how to take down a elephant back in Valyria.
The tactic involves isolating each elephants by placing spearmen in the front to trap elephants and have archers or javelin men behind the spears to launch their missiles against the elephant's eyes and their riders. While drum and horns unnerve and disorient elephants.
It seems the tactic is working, as Draeden had saw many elephants had fallen or ran away in panic as their riders had die.
Back to the reality, Draeden thrusted his spear againstan elephant's legs, the strike powerful enough to draw bloood. The elephant retaliated by stepping on an Unsullied next to Draeden. Killing him on the spot.
Draeden then took the opportunity to thrust against the elephant's eyes, which landed true and the elephant g fell with a roar as the spear reached deep into its brain.
The other unsullied on Draeden's unit then closed in on the fallen rider and made a dozen holes in him.
The battle raged around them, Draeden's unit quickly moved on another elephant and the spearmen quickly trapped the elephant again, a Stepstone archer hit true on the elephant's eye and the elphant fell quickly.
Draeden's unit was about to move onto another elephant before he heard marching on their left.
"Form a single line on ME!" Draeden commands as he knows the Volantene have descended upon them.
The separated units quickly formed into two colomns with the arachers lined up behind the spearmen line with their back against the river.
Draeden can see the Volantene reinforcements approaching from their left and the Unsullied prepares to brace the attack.
Black snake moves beside Draeden and asks "My lord, do you think they will arrive on time?"
Draeden nodded as the Volantene charges against them "That is the hope! But for now, let's hold them off until Taelan and the Storm host arrives!"
After that, the Volantene host crashed against the Unsullied while the Stepstone archers rain hell on the Volantene. Hoping they will hold them off before help comes.
This may be the hardest battle Ragan has ever fought. Ragan was leading the rear guards against an army that came out of nowhere and 5 times their size.
Ragan took out a dozen men before he pulled back from the front. He then closely examines the attacking army's banner. A Black Crowned Stag on a golden field.
"The Storm King!" Ragan spat.
Their line was breaking, their number was too great and their attack took them by surprise. Ragan can tell that if the rear is lost, the would be lost as well.
But Ragan stepped forward and prepares to jump back into the fighting, before his men loyal to him stepped forward to stop him.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Ragan demanded as he glared imperiously at his men.
One of Ragan's captain answers "The day is already lost commander, this would be the perfect chance to run!"
Grohan Ragan looked questioningly at his 200 men "Do you see me as a coward?! Do you wish to see me run like a traitor?!"
The Captain look dead in Ragan's eyes "We no longer owe Horonno, Volantis or Valyria anything! We have died and bled for him! Yet all we, YOU have ever received in return is scorn and violence! Please commander, come with us!"
Ragan's eyes widenas he considers this, he would be free, he thought. Free of that monster, Horonno. And he is free to do anything. And he can take his wife and daughter too...
The captain sighs in relief as he sees his Commander considering this, but he can see the Volantene line collapsing. He then brings Ragan to a horse, where 200 horses had already been prepared.
"We head to Volon Therys to collect our brother in arms as well as the commander's wife and child! After that, we ride freely into the night!" The captain declares, and Ragan and his men ride towards Volon Therys.
As a free man.
Taelan and his host clashed violently into the Volantene rear, the surprise shock evident to his victims. Taelan, Belicho and Ordello leading the charge themselves.
The attention of the Volantene host is now torn to two sides, the right and the center. Not only that, their morale was struck as the knowledge of them being flanked on two aides registers in their head.
Many flee, running into the night to escape this battle.
The day was lost for the Volantene, thousands lay dead on the ground and more are running away. But what dealt twhe final blow to them was the Storm host's charge from the rear.
The once proud and strong Volantene army is surrounded on three sides, Draeden's Unsullied, Taelan, Belicho and Ordello's professional army, and the Storm Host.
Violent fighting was still raging on all sides, but it is evident as many Volantene surrendered or ran.
And then the news came.
"Triarch Horonno has fled! The day is won!" a soldier bellows.
"The Proud Triarch took of his expensive amrour to disguise as a common soldier!"
"I saw him! He escaped east"!
With this news, all the remaining Volantene soldiers surrendered. The sun was already rising by now.
The Stepstone soldiers cheered as the Volantene soldiers kneeled and threw their weapon fown. Taelan raises the gold and red dragon in a black field of house Draeterys in the air. Announcing to all the great and miraculous victory achieved without drgaons.
Draeden was lying face down in the dirt when Black Snake and Belicho pulled him to his feet.
They were both relieved that their lord was fine. Draeden himself had a great achievement, he had taken the lives of dozens of men and one elephant.
Draeden looked around and saw, the future. He believed it then, that they were destined for greatness.
"Those who are willing to bend the knee and join me, recognising me as their sole and rightful ruler, shall return to their homes, tend to their fields and trades, embrace their family once more as soon as I have reached Volantis. This is your only chance! Kneel before me and live! " Draeden declared on top of small hill.
All of the Volantene men kneeled, as they were forcefully ordered to join Horonno's campaign anyway. Draeden nodded and ordered."Once we reach Volantis... 5 golden coins for each Volantene man who had followed me!" The Volantene men cheered at that and Draeden then descended the hill and whispered to the quartermaster, "And 15 golden coins for the Stepstone and Unsullied men, and 10 golden coins for Belicho and Ordello's men."
But the quartermaster whispered "But how will we pay for this, that's nearly a million gold coin?"
Draeden smirked "I belive Horonno's finances will pay for it. As will Volantis' banks pay for the reparations. Long has Volantis leech upon the riches of Myr, Lys and the Disputed Lands."
The Quartermaster grinned and answered "Of course my lord, I shall go and make the preparations"
As the Quartermaster leaves, the Storm King Argilac approaches Draeden with a genuine smile.
"Lord Draeden! What a victory, I don't even think my triumph against the Dornish when I was you can comoare to this one!" Argilac declares as he clasps Draeden's shoulder.
Draeden returned his smile "It wouldn't be done without you."
Argilac barks out a laugh "You're too modest lad."
Argilac then continued, "It would be a smooth road to Volantia now that you have such a large host, even without me!"
Draeden can hear what the Storm king is implying, "What do you mean?"
Argilac sighed, "The Dornish have deemed fit to send raids against my marches at my absence. I must return to repel them. I hope you understand."
Draeden nodded "Of course, the safety of your kingdom must be of top priority."
Argilac laughs as he moves to leave "Well said Draeden, ah don't remember to refuse the Dornish their blasted war engines as well!"
Draeden laughs "Of course Argilac!"
Argilac smiles but he seems to have forgotten to add something and returns to Draeden. "Well, it's only a matter of time that Volantis falls into your hands. With that, five of the five daughters of Valyria falls into your hands, making you one of the most powerful man in the world."
Draeden nods, but asks "What of it"?
Argilac coughs into gis hands, clearly akward but proposes "I have a daughter, my only daughter, my heir, a beautiful lass, a witty one. I'm proud of her, she would make a fine wife one day."
Draeden now understands.
Argilac then adds "Should we ally ourselves by blood, we would be the most powerful player in this game. Black Harren Hoare would then fear us, instead of the other way around, we will destroy him and his brood as easy as killing an ant!"
Argilac seems to gotten ahead of himself and he manages to composes himself." All I'm saying is, Lord Draeden, that you should come visit Storm's ends when you have the time, and get to know my daughter. I'm not forcing you into a marriage mind you, just to let you know that you have this option."
Draeden nodded and answered "When this is over then perhaps, I have heard many stories, I will surely visit the legendary Storm's End.
Argilac laughs," That's the spirit lad! I'll be leaving with my army now. I'll be waiting for you then! "
Draeden watches as the Storm King leaves and prepares to march onto their next target, Volon Therys.
Around 2,000 men ride hard across thr plains of Volantis. Ragan looked beside him at the carriage that carried his wife and daughter. He allowed a smile on his face. Butvwas unsure of the future.
He could no longee return to Volantis, they would arrest him as he is deemed as a traitor. He can't turn to the Stepstones as well, feeling that his former enemies wouldn't like him.
So Ragan chosen Pentos. They didn't support The Stepstones, nor Volantis. And may be fearful of the Stepstone's ambitions. They would also reuqire the skills of the famous Grohan Ragan.
So he brought the men loyal to him and rode towards Pentos, starting a new chapter for the lives of his family.
There you have it, The Battle of the Pretender's Grave.