Chapter 354

JASON LANNISTER POV

Lord Jason looked at Casterly Rock in the distance and continued to write the letter.

In front of him Ser Benedict Broom, the Master-at-arms of Casterly Rock moved to and fro from the look, his fists clenched and his face red with anger, shame and humiliation.

"We must gather the men Lord Jason." Ser Benedict said but it sounded more like begging to his ears "We cannot let those savages have a turn at Casterly Rock."

"Are you talking about the same savages who defeated Ser Daven Lannister, broke his army, took over the Golden Tooth without anyone knowing and then defeated and scattered Ser Lucian's army like unruly children." He asked without looking up from the letter "Because if so then I have no idea how you plan to defeat Lord Bolton and his army with what few men we have left."

"Those bastards had the element of surprise with them." Ser Benedict said "They caught us off guard. Nothing more nothing less. I have no doubt that in a fair fight things would be different."

He finished the letter telling Lord Tywin about the defeat of the Lannister army outside Casterly Rock as well as the castle being under siege and gave it to the Maester who took it and left for the rookery.

Once the door had been closed, he turned to Ser Benedict once again "And how do you plan to give them a fair fight Ser Benedict. Our best men have already with Lord Tywin. And we gave all the boys and old men that we had left to you and Ser Lucian. Do you want me to tell the children and fisherwomen to take up arms as well."

Ser Benedict snarled and rounded up on him "This is not a joke Lord Jason."

He gave the man an unimpressed look "I know that very well. And believe me. The only reason why I allowed you to take so many men from Lannisport in the first place was because the Iron men had suffered a rather harsh defeat in the last war and are in no position to launch raids." He said "But you can never be sure with those bastards. And if they came back here to attack us then I need the few men I had left to repel them."

"We need those men to lift the siege." Ser Benedict said, his expression a mix of anger and desperation "If those savages managed to take Casterly Rock then everything will be lost."

He scoffed "Casterly Rock has stood tall for centuries without ever falling to any enemy forces. I don't see it falling to some savages."

"Casterly Rock has never been attacked by giants before." Ser Benedict said and shivered violently at some memory "I… " Ser Benedict slumped and sat down on the chair "I should be up there in Casterly Rock. Defending the place from those savages. Not… not here."

He felt sorry for the man. Truly. For all that he parroted that Casterly Rock has never fallen before, he knew well enough that the Rock might very well fall for the first time since it's creation.

And if that happened. Then the Bolton boy would sniff out all the gold hidden inside the Castle.

And if the rumors about the Gold mines of Casterly Rock running out were true (like he suspected they were) then that gold would be the last that Main branch of House Lannister has.

The Lannisters would go from being the richest house in Westeros to being paupers.

He doubted Ser Benedict would survive Lord Tywin's wrath then. He doubted anyone would.

"But here you are." He said and sat back on his chair "And I don't plan to sacrifice the few men I have left just so you could say that you tried your best."

Ser Benedict gritted his teeth and looked at the large mountain in the distance "How could this have happened Lord Jason. How the hell did those bastards managed to take the Tooth without anyone knowing and sneak up on us."

He shrugged "Some say that Lord Bolton has been chosen by the Old Gods. That the old gods favor him and have given him… powers."

Ser Benedict looked at him incredulously and he shrugged.

"Don't look at me that way. I don't believe the rumors either." He said "But you do have to agree. No normal man could gather giants, direwolves, wargs and Wyverns like his Bolton lord. And few men could fight an army much larger than themselves two times and slaughter the other army in both instances."

Ser Benedict shivered once again before he closed his eyes with a painful expression.

"So I won't get any help from you?" Ser Benedict asked.

"If helping you means giving you my last last line of defense just so you could throw them at that army then no. I won't be able to help you anymore." he said.

Ser Benedict just glared at him for a long moment before he simply nodded, turned and left.

Once the door had closed, he let out a sigh and looked at Casterly Rock once again. Wondering if he was going to see the fall of the mighty castle in this life.

A part of him almost delighted in that news.

No one would say it outright but the Lannisters of the Casterly Rock had always looked down on them and the other branches of House Lannister.

If the castle falls then his own branch house would become the richest and most influencial house in the Westerlands instead of the main branch.

And then… with so many men having died in this war. If lord Tywin Lannister died as well, then he'll get the golden opportunity of becoming the Warden of the West.

He drank some wine and wondered how Lord Tywin would react to hearing the news of Casterly Rock falling to the Northern savages.

He smiled and took out another empty page from the drawer.

Might as well write another letter to the queen and give her some stress as well.

He never really liked the bitch.