Yunkai's surrender

Yunkai's surrender

Theon POV

To say I was surprised by the blue-haired man would be an understatement. It was two unsullied who brought him to us. While Dany, the wizard, the bear, and Grey Worm discussed tactics. Strong Belwas stood nearby, bored. The Viper and his nephew mostly listened. I still didn't see where his daughters were, as they kept their distance since Astapor.

"Khaleesi," The man cried out. "I bring you gifts and glad tidings. The Stromcrows are yours, and so is this Daario Naharis."

I looked at his yellow teeth as he smiled, then turned my eyes to the sack he carried with him. It was damp. He could be a spy, trying to check on us, but I doubted that one of the captains would deem themselves so lowly to spy, they would have sent someone else, and if they didn't, I don't think he would get himself captured so easily.

"What do Prendahl na Ghezn and Sallor say of this?" A good question came from Dany.

"Little," Came the answer, with the sack opened and revealing two heads of the captains of Stromcrows. "My gifts to the Dragon Queen."

"Why?" Daenerys asked, looking at the heads. "Why betray them and do this?"

"Because you are so beautiful," Came the answer, making me laugh. Daario dismissed me and continued. "Prendahl talked too much and said too little. And Sallor picked his nose as if his snot was gold."

"Are you a child?" I asked, not able to contain my amusement.

"As childish your reason might seem, I will take your gifts," Dany smiled gracefully. "Tell me, are you skilled with your blades."

"Prendahl and Sallor would tell you so if dead men could talk. I count no day as lived unless I have loved a woman, slain a foe, and eaten a fine meal . . . and the days that I have lived are as numberless as the stars in the sky. I make of slaughter a thing of beauty, and many a tumbler and fire dancer has wept to the gods that they might be half so quick, a quarter so graceful. I would tell you the names of all the men I have slain, but before I could finish, your dragons would grow large as castles, the walls of Yunkai would crumble into yellow dust, and winter would come and go and come again."

Now I knew for sure he was trying to impress Dany. Dany herself took an interest in his little speech, it was nothing but a mummers show, but I have to say that he had a way of saying meaningless words. Still, I kept my reservations and waited for Dany to decide. Yet I already started to form a strategy with Stormcrows at our side. The lessons he had with Robb back in Winterfell were not for nothing.

"Draw your sword and swear it to my service," Dany seemed to like his words and motioned for her Unsullied to give back him his blades.

"My sword is yours. My life is yours. My love is yours. My blood, my body, my songs, you own them all. I live and die at your command, fair queen," In the blink of an eye, Daario knelt before Dany and proclaimed.

"Then live and fight for me," Dany let Daario rise.

"You got yourself a bard, your Grace," I said with a smile before turning serious. "Anyway, are the Stromcrows ready for battle?"

"That wouldn't be wise," The bear interjected. "It would be better to keep him close and watch until the battle ends."

"No need," I replied. "If he betrays us so soon, I will kill him."

"Yet if he betrays us, the surprise would be lost before you got to him," The bear had a valid point.

"He won't," Dany said, pointing at the two heads. "I think that is enough sincerity one can demand of someone."

"If he returns to his Company without anything, his men will not trust him anymore. Nobody will work with him. His actions have lost trust in Sellswords," The Viper explained to everyone. "Now, he only can survive by serving one person."

"If we are done, there is no time to lose," I said. "I have a plan if the Stormcrows are ready to fight for tonight."

"We are ready to spill blood, as are the crows to feast on our enemy corpses," He certainly had a way with words.

"Good, then we will split our forces," I gathered everyone's attention." The Freedmen will stand on the left of the battlefield facing the Stromcrows. The Unsullied will have the center, and my Ironborn will be at the right facing the Second Sons."

"It would take time to form the formations," The wizard commented. "They will notice us."

"They will, but they still won't have enough time to prepare," I said as I started to draw out my plan. "The slaves and the Second Sons must leave the Stromcrows to deal with the Freedmen as they have the rest of us to deal with. Yet before they engage in battle, the Stromcrows will turn back and circle the slaves and come to the Second Sons from behind, while the Freedmen will go for the slaves from the side."

"It will almost surround them," The bear said. "It will be a complete massacre for them."

"In the dark of the night, they won't even know what hit them," The Viper agreed. "But for the plan to work, Daario must return to his men without suspicion."

"I could sneak out. I can sneak in," Daario smiled. "If they catch me, I will say I was scouting and saw nothing."

With the plan concluded, Daario left. Everyone else turned to do their things too. Only the bear seemed unsatisfied with Daario and voiced his distrust loudly for everyone to hear. He had a valid point, but as the wizard pointed out, he acted too paranoid and suspicious of Daario. I had to agree with the wizard that someone who thinks people are hiding something every time is most likely hiding something themselves.

I didn't delve much into it and left to prepare myself and my men. The bear acted a bit too protective of Dany, a bit too much, like he tried to redeem himself from the quilt he felt. That is as far as I got to the meaning of the bear's actions before forgetting it. It wasn't my place to delve into others' lives, and I didn't care to do so.

…

It was said that numbers don't dictate a battle. From my experience, that might be true. But this battle was different. My Ironborn had three times the number of the Second Sons, and even though I had only a couple of hundred horses, it was enough to counter their cavalry. Only a fool would lose with such odds.

"Are we prepared?" I asked my second-in-command Anguy.

"We are," He replied after shortly observing my men. I liked him as he learned quickly and was very capable. Nobody denied his position as he was deadly with his bow and had traveled with me for a long time.

"I want that Mero bastard's head," I said, looking at everyone around me. "Whoever brings it to me, I will grant thee a boon."

"Then I am sure to bring you his head," Replied the Viper.

"Oberyn Martell," I greeted him. "What brings you here?"

"We will ride with you," He replied, motioning to his nephew and two daughters, Obara and Nymeria.

"Very well," I nodded to them. "But I have to ask you, why not ride with others or stay with the Queen?"

"I don't think Unsullied would want me, and I am not one of the Freedmen," The Viper replied. "It would be boring to stay with the Queen when a battle rages outside our camp."

"Then be ready," I said and looked at him. He wore light armor compared to me. It wasn't a full plate armor that covered the whole body. He wore chainmail and pieces of metal covering his chest, shoulders, and thighs. He wore gauntlets, had few spears on his horse, and held on in his hand.

It was tiring to speak so formally, so I was glad with that done. I looked back at the camp and saw fire change from one place to another. It was a signal for the end of preparations. The formations were formed, and it was time to march to destroy our enemies. It was night, so I used a horn for my men to go forward.

The camp of the Second Sons was visible to us because of their bonfires. While my cavalry rode, my men ran from behind us. My tactic was a simple one, we ride hard, and we don't stop. Destroying the camp was an easy and quick deal. We rode through them and cut down anyone on our way. The rest of my men will deal with whatever was left.

I was surprised by the skill Oberyn demonstrated. His spear never stopped moving. He would not stab anyone in the center of their body but at the side. His momentum would push the tip of his spear through the body parts, taking chunks of human meat, never letting his spear to be stuck or break. From how his victims cried and rolled on the ground, I guessed he used poison too.

The Second Sons didn't have time to prepare for us, as they barely managed to arm themselves before we came through them. Yet still, about a hundred somehow managed to escape and ran towards the city. It was dark, and I only saw their shadows. Turning my sword into a flaming sword and gathered men around me to pursue them.

Ultimately, I had to wave my flaming sword for the cavalry to stop just before we caught their shadow. I had to leave them to the Stormcrows. I didn't want to risk attacking our allies in the dark. So, I ordered my men to turn around to the camp of the Second Sons. There we will await the dawn.

In the distance, I could hear fighting, but aside from a light of fire, I couldn't see anything. Oberyn and his kin returned with me. They weren't injured, and Quentyn looked a bit tired. Probably his first real battle. His face was pale, but his eyes were blazing with our victory. I gave him my wine and told him to check for cuts, as he probably couldn't feel them right now. Even the smallest of cuts could get infected if not treated well.

"Theon," Thoros came to me first. "We couldn't find Mero. It seems he escaped."

"He was probably first to run away," I said.

Well, nothing could be done now. For now, we rested and waited for tomorrow. At least there was still wine that Dany gave to Mero for us to enjoy. Good thing I didn't tell Oberyn to poison it. So, we spent the night drinking and laughing at our effortless victory. My men seem to be satisfied with slaughter and wine.

…

After our victory, it didn't take long for the city of Yunkai to surrender. It only took us to surround the city, and the gates were opened, releasing all the slaves as Dany demanded and giving everyone a pouch of gold. I wanted to demand that they give as much gold as they weighed, but seeing that they were mostly only bones and skin, it wouldn't be too much of a difference.

"Mhysa!" The slaves shouted as Dany rode to them.

It was a beautiful scene of Dany riding through them and the slaves trying to get close to the silver-haired beauty. Trying to touch her to make sure she was real. If she isn't careful, people will start to think she is a goddess or something. Seeing her like that, I decided it was time to try to court her. Once Meereen falls, I will not have much else to do anyway.