CHAPTER 121
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CHAPTER 121
289 AC
Robert was looking out the window from the Casterly Rock, and behind him were Lords of the Seven Kingdoms who were having heated discussions to decide the war plans. If they could see his face right now, they would be shocked. While all of them were in a panic, he was smiling. Robert was so happy that his boring and meaningless life, at last, had some excitement.
POV ROBERT BARATHEON
After getting myself in order, I turned towards the lords at the table. The lord group, consisting of Lannister, Tully, Tyrell, and Stark, could not get out of their heated discussion, and the discussion started to escalate. Encouraged by Ned's presence here, Hoster Tully was lashing out at the Lannisters.
"Lord Tywin, how could you lose all of your fleet even though you received a fair warning about the Ironborn, and you couldn't even take down 20 ships while losing close to 100."
Gerion Lannister might be known as a jolly man with a loud laugh. This time he had no smile to give, and he cut in before his brother could answer.
"This may sound like an excuse to you, but it was impossible to notice their approach. They came under such a thick veil of fog that you wouldn't believe it. I've spent my time at sea as long as I can remember, and I've never seen such a fog curtain. It was as if a great power wanted them to win. Maybe The Seven was testing us, testing the limits of our faith and courage, but one thing was for sure. All the luck in Westeros that day belonged to them."
The old lion was silently watching them. My good father was a ruthless man. He would've his revenge for this insult. Because of his father, Tywin had a really fragile ego when it came to the Lannister name. Because of that, he couldn't take any blemish to the Lannister name. Hoster was an idiot, thinking he was safe from his wrath just because he became in-laws with Arryns and Starks. The ruthless old lion would hold onto this insult and pay him back even if he has to wait 5 or 10 years, but he will definitely pay him back. I turned to Maester Creylen and said.
"Is there still no news from my brother? Where is the royal fleet?"
It had been 3 moons since the burning of Lannister's fleet. I am about to burst because of boredom, and if I could land on Iron Island, I'd attack right now. The King of Salt and Rock, what kind of idiotic title is that? Those wet rats might have drunk a bit too much salt water. Just you wait, Balon. I am going to put my hammer through your salt-filled skull.
"My king, in the last word we heard from Lord Stannis, he announced that they had organized the remnants of Redwyne's fleet and headed this way. They should have arrived here in about a moon, and if my guesses are correct, they must have started fighting with Euron Greyjoy's fleet right about now."
"How many soldiers do we have?"
He began to shuffle the papers in his hand.
"Oh, here it is. North 17,000 and 3000 on route, Westerlands 25,000, Riverlands 12,000, Vale 20,000, Crownlands and Stormlands combined 35,000, and lastly, Reach 30,000, but 20,000 of them on route to here."
I turned to Hoster Tully and said,
"Lord Tully, is this the best Lord Paramount of the Riverlands could do? Are there only 12,000 men in the Riverlands who dare to fight in this war?"
Hoster Tully spoke with a slightly upset tone and a red face.
"Lord Walder Frey pledged 4000 men, but he is yet to join us. That is the reason for our lower numbers."
We already have enough numbers to crush those wet rats. Where are you, Stannis? Just then, a messenger came in and, in a panic said,
"Ironborns are attacking the Seagard."
I immediately went to the war map,
"Who's the closest that could help the Mallisters?"
Hoster immediately replied,
"The Riverlands army is stationed near Oldstones and could be in support of Seagard in a few days."
"Send a word right away."
Just then, a raven with "v" shaped white feathers on its head was sitting by the window watching what was happening.
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POV MC
-Daddy, Ironborns are attacking someplace called Seagard.-
Damn it, I just passed there 3 hours ago, and Sith is in her resting phase. At this time, I was flying over Riverrun. If I fly in a direct line following the coast, I will reach it in 3 hours. I changed my heading and flew as fast as possible.
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POV JASON MALLISTER
With the rising of dawn, Ironborns suddenly surrounded the castle, and we were besieged. With the sounding of The Booming Tower, we were able to get all the smallfolk to safety, but Ironborn burned all that was left outside of our walls. The bronze bell of the Booming Tower rang for the first time in three hundred years.
The Ironborns weren't an army, and it was obvious that they were not experienced in a siege. Normally they would attack and loot and immediately retreat, but this time they were trying to take Seagard. My forefathers defended this castle for generations, and it is not going to fall on my watch. Heir of Pyke Rodrik Greyjoy was the leader of this Ironborn force, and the young heir must have been dying to prove himself.
They had around 6 thousand men, and we only had a thousand. We were too arrogant to think they would not attack us after all that defeat, knowing we had mustered our armies. It will be an uphill battle, but this young Kraken's head will be mine.
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The battle had been going on for 5 hours straight, the inexperienced Rodrik had no other tactic other than to use his numerical superiority, and that didn't work well against Seagard's high walls, but the incessant rain of his archers had worn us out, and about 200 of my soldiers were either killed or wounded, but about 1,000 Ironborns were lost for this. It seemed like if this continued for a few more hours, we wouldn't be able to stop them from climbing the walls.