(24) War in the Kingswood

( POV Loras Tyrell )

The War in the Kingswood should have been an easy victory. We don't know the exact numbers of enemies but there can't be more than ten thousand, and we where fifteen thousand. The men of the Reach under the command of myself and Dickon Tarly and the Westerlands men under the command of Ser Addam Marband.

Tarly was representing the Reach, Marband the West and I was to represent the Crown as a member of the Kingsguard. Our forces where mainly heavy foot with tower shields and long spears, the specialty of the Westerlands aswell as mounted Reach knights. While in a field battle our knights would destroy these rebels in only one charge they are easy pickings for enemy archers in the woods. The heavy foot faired better than the knights during the past few weeks.

But the light armoured Rivermen where in there element here. We haven't had any true battles only a series of skirmishes, quick battles where the Stormlands own heavy infantry would attack from the front while the Riverlands light cavalry archers would fire from the back, by the time our lines are formed the retreat is sounded and the enemy is on the run. When our cavalry gives chase we are lead on a wild goose chase only to be hit yet again by the Riverlands horse archers.

So far in the past few weeks we'd suffered three thousand deaths and two thousand wounded in these numerous skirmishes with the Blackfish and his men. But the battle that we lost the most men wasn't even lead by the Blackfish. No that battle was lead by some minor Stormlord with dreams of grandeur. Ulfric Stormcloak.

Once from a powerful house, in the age of Kings his family ruled as the Kings of the Kingswood. Even before the Andals came to Westeros the Firstmen Stormcloaks ruled. It was the Storm King Beric Durrandon that finely subdued the powerful house and even then it was said that for every Stormcloak that fell in the Kingswood ten of the Storm Kings men died to traps or the so called Sons of the Storm.

Well Ser Osmund Kettleback learned how effective these 'Stormcloaks' could be in there own forrest. There is only about five hundred of these Stormcloaks or 'Sons of the Storm' as they call themselves, and they are lightly armoured with no plate only leather and mail. But everyone of them grew up in the Kingswood, they know the land better than any of us ever will and they fight with the ferocity of someone protecting there home.

All the Stormcloaks had similar armour with there leather then mail then a piece of blue cloth that wrapped around their torso. They also wield a simple wooden circle shield with the white roaring bear on a blue field proudly displayed. They all have a crude melee weapon, either a short sword, spiked mace or an axe. But what makes them so dangerous is their knowledge of the environment and their ability with a bow. Everyone of them has a longbow strapped to there back and our heavy knights without the ability to charge are just giant targets for them to shoot at.

The battle was last week a few days after Margery's wedding to the King when the battle happened. I wasn't leading this one, I was fighting on the other side of the Kingswood the battle was led by Ser Osmund Kettleback another Kingsguard. We outnumbered them three to one, with our three thousand men we should have destroyed them. And in the beginning we where.

The Lannister heavy infantry began to overwhelm the Stormsland troops and they hadn't enough horse archers to effectively harass the cavalry, it was looking to be the best success we had in weeks until the horn was sounded. Every arrow these Stormcloaks loosed a knight fell.

I've been told that Ser Osmund got as many knights prepared for a charge as he could, Dickon Tarly amongst them and he charged into the tree line with hundreds of heavy knights following him. But the Kings of the Kingswood where famous for their traps and this Ulfric was no different. As Ser Osmund neared the Stormcloaks the trap was sprung and several trees fell on top of the charging Knights.

Hundreds of Knights where crushed or skewered with arrows, tho Dickon Tarly was lucky enough to survive being flung of his horse as was Ser Osmund. Dickon and Ser Osmund both tried to confront Ulfric Stormcloak. Ser Osmund still dazed from his fall didn't even get his sword from his sheath before Ulfric Stormcloak had thrown half a shattered spear shaft through his shoulder.

Dickon tried to fight Ulfric but while a competent warrior Dickon was a much better strategist then swordsman. Dickon wielded his great sword with some skill but I've been told that Ulfric wielded a large kite shield and a spiked flail like a demon. Ser Osmund had his face smashed in and Dickon returned with a broken arm and only seven hundred men.

And now with only ten thousand men between us and I had just marched five of them the whole way across the Kingswood to where we believe the rebels to be located. A few days ago we got word that reinforcements from the Riverlands where arriving by ship and we had to defeat each host before they can join and the War in the Kingswood is lost.

I gazed upon the fortified hill that the rebel host had camped on. There were some basic wooden fortifications and trying to fight an uphill battle will end in many casualties no doubt but should Ser Addam defeat the reinforcements then he'll be able to attack the rebels from behind.

As the sun began to set I signalled for the battle to begin.

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( POV Addam Marbrand )

I lead the men to the ships that had just docked. There were five of the ships, and each one should be filled with Rivermen ready to join the War in the Kingswood but what they won't be expecting is three thousand heavy Lannister footmen. We'll slaughter these rebels and avenge all the men the Bloody Wolf killed in the West.

"Men! Charge!" I called as I lead the charge to the ships

One ship went up in flames and the other four where stormed, I went to the largest and personality ransacked it. I ran up the gangplank, ran a deckhand through with my sword and nocked another overboard with my shield. I approached the door that lead below deck. I kicked it in, the door swung open and I charged in only to find it empty.

I ran on deck again confused. Deckhands lay dead and the river turned red with blood, another ship had been burned, I rushed down the gangplank to my men to question them.

"Did you find any men?" I asked panicked

"Just deckhands." Hadvar replied confused

"It's a trap." I whispered

"What did you say?" Hadvar asked

"Form ranks!" I shouted as I spotted riders on the horizon

"Form ranks! Now!" My orders where drowned out by the sound of war horns and hoof beats.

"Spears! Spears!" I called and some listened forming up around me as I faced down the cavalry charge but the majority ran trying to escape. Fools! Even the most skilled knights would fail against a row of spears but cowards running, they die.

I looked to the banner of the knights. A black trout leaping over a blue bridge. The Blackfish?

I threw down my sword and grabbed a spear, I braced it against my shield as the cavalry charged only a few remained the rest ran. They where run down as where we. I took down a man with my spear and bashed a man's head in with my shield before I felt the pain. A spear to my gut. I grabbed the dirk from my belt and with the last of my strength I hurled it at his smug face.

I pulled the spear from my gut after watching the bastard fall. Blood flowed from the wound as I turned to my left and I saw the black leaping trout banner just before I took a hit to the head.

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( POV Ulfric Stormcloak )

I strapped my kite shield securely to my left forearm and placed my spiked flail to my belt then with my shield hand i grabbed a bunch of javelins, then finally before I left I placed my great helm on my head. Now I was ready I made my way to the temporary battlements. I joined with my most trusted warriors, Galmar and Ralof. Both Stormcloaks through and through.

Galmar was a large man who wore a bear cloak and had his greying hair in a braid and his beard had braids along it also. In his right hand was a longbow that he could use to deadly effect. Ralof was also a large man though smaller than both me and Galmar. His golden blond hair fell down past his shoulders and his face was clean shaven. He had two throwing axes on his belt and a short sword on his back. His left hand held a shield with the roaring white bear displayed.

I nodded to them both before looked down at the bottom of the hill. The Tyrell boy was marching to his death and he had no idea. The White Rose had his men lined up and was preparing to march up the hill. He had delayed fight a day to give time for his reinforcements to arrive not knowing the Blackfish will have killed them by now. I turned to my men.

"Stormcloaks!" I called

"Down that hill sits the 'White Rose of Highgarden.'" I say in a mocking voice to the laughter of my men

"The flower boy wishes to burn your homes kill your sons and rape your women!" I said to them to their jeers

"Are you going to let him!" I asked

"NEVER!" Was the response

The Tyrell has begun to march his men up the hill and he must be confused about his lack of resistance.

"I say it is about time that the Horn of Jurgan Windcaller sounded in the Kingswood once again!" I shouted as I raised the horn of our founder to my lips and blew.

*AAAAHHHHOOOOOOO*

"Bring down the walls!" I shouted to cheers.

The logs where pulled down them set aflame before they where pushed down the hill. I lead the men down after, they roared like the bear on their shields. All around men burned and where crushed as their hoses threw their riders off in fear of the flames.

Soon enough I got sight of the White Rose, I readied a javelin and it sailed through the air past his face. The second found his shield and the third his horse. Once he recovered from his fall he readied his sword and me, my flail. We where evenly matched until two Tyrell men got involved, then I was on the defensive.

That changed when the horn was sounded. The Tyrell was exited thinking it his reinforcements, but was confused when they began charging his men. In this confusion I was able to kill the two Tyrell soldiers but by then the White Rose had realised the battle was lost. He jumped on the closest horse he could find and rode for Kings Landing, any remaining Knights followed.

I saw Galmar draw his longbow and I saw the shaft embed itself in the Tyrell's shoulder, but he kept riding. I looked to my own shoulder I had taken a wound, but it was worth it.

the War in the Kingswood had is Won.

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( POV Addam Marband )

I awoke with a splitting pain in my head and an aching in my stomach. I heard noise in front of me and I looked up. It was a blond man wearing Stormcloak armour, he had two throwing axes strapped to his belt.

"Hey your finally awake."

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{ Authors Notes }

Try and list every Skyrim reference in there, some are obvious some are less so.

Next we'll be back with Robb, Jon and maybe Thorin.

Hope you enjoyed.