Fly true

Fly true

Theon POV

In the dark of the night, arrows flew, hitting the high wall of the Harrenhal. The whistling sound never stopped, and neither did I stop shooting the sights of light of the enemy's host. One, two, three times, I hit someone holding a torch.

It was too dark to see anything but shadows, but there were too many shadows. The defending men were not trained enough. Most of them never saw anything like this, their hands trembled, and they would shoot arrows into the night, not knowing where to aim.

Our only solace was the high wall that protected us. But I knew the enemy was preparing ladders to climb the walls. For tonight I will shoot anyone I can. Tomorrow I will do the same. That's how it is.

"Damm, those Freys, what are they thinking?" Ser Willis asked, cursing.

"I don't think it is the Freys, just one Frey."

"What do you mean, then, whose men are these?"

"Lannisters, obviously," I answer. "The Black Walder, as he calls himself, was the only Frey to show his face. He isn't anyone important. What is he, a fifth in the line?"

"Fourth," Ser Willis answered.

"I think he is tired of waiting for his great-great-great-grandfather to die."

"So, you think he is working for Lannisters alone?" Ser Willis asked.

"Maybe he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and now Lannisters are trying to use him. Or he is a fool who offered his services himself. But I don't believe the Late Lord would participate in this war so soon. If he did, why send only a couple of thousand men, not all of his men?"

"Maybe, well, it doesn't change anything. They will try to scale the walls and break the gates when the sun rises."

"That they will do. We need to prepare boiling oil and arrows. Now shoot what you see and go rest afterward. I will stay on the watch. My eyes are better than anyone else's."

"Very well."

The night was a long one. I have to wonder how many I have killed with my longbow before the sun rose. I stopped counting a long time ago. One arrow flew true at a time, one flame extinguished at a time.

…

The sun, in the morning, lighted up the land. It showed hundreds of tents standing not far away from the Harrenhal. The banners stood proud among the tents. Most prominent being the three black hounds on a yellow field. Then a black manticore on a white area. A purple unicorn is too standing tall. The rest I could not recognize.

"Seems you were right, Lord Theon," Ser Willis comments, standing next to me. "There are about two thousand men, maybe two and a half, I would say."

"Theon, they are preparing for a siege," Thoros told me after giving me a cup of wine.

"A siege," I laughed. "They will try to climb the walls, thinking that the numbers will bring victory."

"Are they wrong in thinking that way?" Anguy asked with trembling hands.

"Then we need to dwindle those numbers. I think we have enough arrows."

"We have arrows, but not archers," Jalabhar comments. "We only had a few weeks to train the men. They are still a long way from being any good."

"It is not like we will need to hit them from hundreds of yards away. They will come close to us. Close enough for even a fool to hit someone. You, Jalabhar, and Anguy aim for the men wearing the fanciest armor."

"What do you want me to do?" Thoros asked, feeling left out.

"I see Clegane's banner. The Mountain is there too. Be watchful of him and report to me where he is. No matter what, don't come close to him. If his sword can reach you, you will die."

The men around me nodded. Somehow, I became a leader, as even Ser Willis listened to me. I didn't question it, but it did feel weird. Afterward, we got ready for a long day of fighting.

…

"Throw it,"

The guardsman listened to my orders and threw an oil jar. I shot a fire arrow, hitting it above the invading men. The jar shattered, and burning oil descended on the men. I heard them screaming in pain and told for another pot to be thrown.

"There are none left, my lord."

"Already. How many did I hit?"

"All of them, my lord, you have not missed one."

"And how many is that?" I asked, raising my voice at the fool.

"I am sorry, my lord, I do not know how to count. I stopped at ninth."

He wasn't a fool but ignorant. I couldn't blame a man for not having a chance to learn. I patted him on the shoulder, and he relaxed. Looking below the high walls, I saw men bringing ladders. I killed dozens of them. Yet it was still a tiny number in comparison.

"May gods bless me in his battle, may gods forgive my sins," A few guards around me were praying to the Seven.

"The gods are on our side, my brave men," I yelled for everyone to hear. "The gods are watching as you protect your home and your Lady. So, take the bows and let the gods guide our arrows to strike these sinners who want to take your home and hurt your families. Let the arrows fly true."

"Let the arrows fly true."

Many yelled in agreement and started to shoot the arrows at the invading men. Many had a firm resolve, but I knew that many would want to run once these men began climbing the walls.

"Theon, I hit ten. How about you?" Anguy came next to me and asked.

"Don't worry about me," I told him. "Hit thousand, and I will give you a castle."

"Deal," He didn't question my proposal and took a handful of arrows. "I know how to count, my lord."

I laughed and turned to look back at the slowly approaching men with long ladders. It took half a day to build the ladders. Behind those men, I saw the silhouette of the Mountain. It is hard to miss him.

"You," I took one of the guardsmen by their shoulder. "Call for Thoros and ser Willis. Tell them I need to see them."

The guardsmen nodded and ran out. So far, we are holding, but it was only the beginning. They will want to take the castle fast. If reinforcements come to help us, they will be doomed. But I feared that the support would come to help them first.

"You wanted to see us, Theon?" Thoros came to me with ser Willis not far away.

"I would like for both of you to stand at the gates. I don't trust that there won't be anyone trying to open the gates when they think that is the only way to save themselves."

"Are you saying that there will be cravens who would dare to do so?" Ser Willis was angry at such an idea.

"Craven? No. Ignorant fools, who has seen his friends die next to him? Yes," I told him. "Our situation isn't a good one. Some might be too panic-stricken to think straightly and clearly, so you will guide them to be of more use."

He wasn't happy with such an idea, but he still agreed. Thoros gave me a pat on my back and told me to find him when I died. I laughed with him as he gave me a bottle of wine.

…

The sun was setting, but the battle was just beginning. There were just too many for us to deal with. In theory, each of the guardsmen needed to kill just five men, and we would win, but in reality, we needed five guardsmen to kill one man.

I call the men in the Harrenhal guardsmen because they had some training, and it felt wrong to call them levies. Still, they didn't compare to well-trained and well-armed men already setting up their ladders. For every kicked-down ladder, three new ones are set on the wall.

"Throw them back to where they belong. Throw them back to the seven hells," I yelled and pushed a ladder.

Before I could aim at the men below the wall, I heard screams. Turning to see what was happening, I saw men climbing on the wall, cutting down scared guardsmen. Aiming my bow at the men on the wall, I let the arrow fly. It flew true, missing the guardsmen and hitting a Lannister man.

I rushed to the weaker wall and cut down the men who climbed before pushing them down. They would set them up once again, but there wasn't much I could do else.

"Stand up, take the spear and stab anyone who wants to climb up."

I told one of the guardsmen, who was on the ground. I lifted him and pushed a spear into his trembling hands. He nodded and fixed his helm before running to the heat of the battle. I didn't even have time to look around before hearing another scream.

"Theon, the Mountain is on the move," Anguy told me and shot an arrow at the men I had not cut down. "He is concentrating men on the east part."

I nodded and rushed to the east. I managed to reach east before it was overrun. Jalabhar kept shooting one arrow after another at the men below. He only had a handful of arrows left when I arrived to assist him. I pushed three ladders and killed four men before the Mountain turned and rode the other castle part.

"The Lannister men are more scared of the Mountain than of our arrows," Jalabhar commented.

I had to agree with that. The Mountain puts pressure on his men to climb. He doesn't even need to say anything. His presence is enough for the men to climb the wall as fast as possible.

"Shit," I swear as I saw a dozen Lannister men on the south part of the wall.

I rushed to the site to help the guardsmen cut and throw the Lannister men off the wall. It felt like an eternity before the sun completely fell over the horizon, and the Lannister men retreated. Still, I shot down a couple more men as they withdrew.

The guardsmen were too tired to celebrate their hard-fought victory. I instructed the maids and other nonfighting personnel to help the men take a rest and bring food and some wine for them,

"Lord Theon, well fought," Ser Willis said to me as I climbed down the wall, "Too bad I didn't participate."

"Did anyone try to open the gates?" I asked.

"Few foolish men," He replied with a heavy sigh. "Tomorrow, more men will try to do so."

"At this rate, tomorrow will be our last day," I told him. "How many men did we lose?"

"About fifty died, another fifty won't be able to fight, another hundred won't fight at their full strength."

He had a grim look, and so did I. It would be even harder to fight tomorrow, no matter how positive I was. Today's morale was at an all-time high, at least as high as it could ever be. Tomorrow the men will start to lose any hope.

"I think we managed to kill about five hundred before they withdrew," I laughed. "I wonder, could we take another five hundred to the seven hells with us."

"Tomorrow, I will be on the Walls, I can take a command, and if gods are merciful, we might survive another day," Ser Willis said.

"And what of the day after tomorrow?" I asked. "No, our best bet would be to go to the castle and barricade ourselves there."

"If we do so, how long can we last? Once the walls are taken over, it would be hard for reinforcements to help us."

"You are right. So, if we can't fight, we need to trick them. How foolish is the Mountain?"

"What do you have on the mind?" Ser Willis asked. Somehow, I had won his trust and respect.

"We will see, it might save us, or I will die. Well, it won't be a first for me."

It was the only hope left; still, I am worried about not how foolish the Mountain is but how ruthless he is. If he cuts me down the first moment, he sees me. It won't work. Still, there is house Brax with him. Tywin probably wants to ensure that his son survives. So, there is a little hope.