ch 26

"It took them long enough to get here." I called out to the man approaching my side.

I stood on the walls of the city, near the exact spot that I had when Gerald had met his death, along with countless riders of the small Khalasar that Weirña had burned. I was reminded that I had close to a hundred horses in the stables that belonged to me, and nothing to do with them… yet.

"Yes well now I question their motive." Aeren Esselar, the man that I had bought property from about two weeks ago, replied.

"I thought the contract was for a deterrent, to make sure that no plays were made on Myr for the near future." I replied quickly. He was trying to manipulate me into being distrustful of the Golden Company. But there was no truth I could not find, given enough time.

"You are well informed, that contract was made before your arrival." Aeren commented with a smirk. He knew that his subtle lie had been found out, and he was impressed.

"I take my role seriously." I retorted as I watched elephants lumber across the landscape. No doubt, the current leader of the company would blame them for his slow arrival. It was not the case, of course. He had wanted the Khalasar to run rampant for a few weeks, causing mayhem and then to offer his services for a higher price.

He will be useful, for a time.

"We are beginning to become aware. Some still see you as a Westerosi fool, determined to be killed soon. Others are changing their view of you." Aeren commented, as we watched the procession get closer to the city.

They have no idea.

Aeren Esselar POV:

"Master…"

I didn't bother to look up to my servant. The man was a slave, but he had proven himself to be invaluable to my house. He held the same views as I and my father before me. I firmly believed that was the reason he kept the household run so smoothly.

"Speak." I commanded gently. I paused writing for a brief moment. I enjoyed news, both bad and good, for the reprieve it allowed my aching fingers.

I am not getting any younger.

"Leader Baelish was spotted entering Myles Toyne's tent." Jahar told me quickly and to the point, just as I liked.

"What did they speak of?" I asked, my curiosity piqued. That caused my head to rise to the slave to read his face. He had never lied to me, but I was untrustworthy of everyone.

"Our informant was not allowed close enough to learn the topic of conversation, but it was a lengthy one that had Leader Baelish leaving with a grim look on his face." Jahar answered with a bow, telling me that was all the information he had.

I nodded towards him and dismissed him with a wave. Instead of getting back to my writing, I folded my hands in front of me and rested my chin on them. My father had the same habit when he was thinking intensely, something that drove his father mad with rage, claiming it was unbecoming of an Esselar.

On the surface, it was almost expected of Baelish to meet with the man. Both were military leaders, renowned for their strategy and combat experience. Baelish could have just been telling Toyne to keep his men in line while they were in the city. But that would have been a quick conversation.

And the grim look on Baelish's face? What could have caused that?

He didn't get the answer he wanted… Or perhaps he was just mocked by Toyne for his reputation.

No that is not right, Myles is a military man and respects military men regardless of age or birth. What are you up to, Baelish?

Ashara POV:

It was days like this that made me happy with my marriage. Petyr had spent all day with me and Vorian, touring the city and the surrounding landscape. My legs ached at the thought of all the riding we had done.

Vorian had really enjoyed watching the workers at what would be Myr's newest dock. He had also enjoyed riding in Petyr's lap and going faster than I ever thought appropriate. But he was a boy, and a boy would turn into a man so I did not say anything. Instead, I chose to enjoy the laughs that carried across the wind to my ears as we rode.

In a few years, Petyr would put a sword in his hand, just as father had put a sword in Arthur's hand. If he was half the swordsman as my brother and Petyr, then Vorian would survive countless battles that were sure to come his way. My hand dropped to my lower stomach. I was finally beginning to show proof of Petyr and I's baby inside. The healers had been wrong, claiming that I would miscarry at least twice before delivering another. The possibility was there, but the pregnancy was already easier than Vorian's. I was full of hope.

The thought of our child caused a spike to shoot into my heart. The Golden Company had arrived, and Petyr had already spoken to Toyne. Our plan was in motion. It was made worse by the fact that we were ordered not to speak of it at all until it happened. Spies were everywhere, and we trusted no one, save Ben.

Even Ben knew not to breathe a word of what was to happen soon.

I tried to push the thought out of my mind. It did not help. Today was a fantastic day, but I knew it was because of our plans. Petyr was taking a day for us, just in case something went wrong and he was killed or captured.

I could not shake the worry, and nagging feeling at the back of my mind.

Petyr POV:

Tonight is the night.

Weirña circled the sky above me, high in the air. So high that I wouldn't have been able to breathe very well sitting on her back. She was growing so large that I was confident we could take our first flight together. Excitement, and joy spread throughout our bond as she read my mind. She had been waiting for that moment since she began to understand our bond.

In fact, the leather maker that I had commissioned for my saddle had delivered the finished product to me today. Today was a very busy day for me however, and I had yet to be able to strap it on to Weirña and test it out. I couldn't wait for that feeling of flying above the world. It would change everything, I could feel it.

I felt Ashara pull on the strings that were attached to my newest set of armor. A set of armor that she had taken it upon herself to have made. It was of the highest quality steel one could buy, barring Valyrian steel. A gleaming silver breastplate, greaves, gauntlets, and a winged helmet.

The helmet's wings were small, unlike Rhaegar's. They barely protruded out of the top of the helmet. That was perfect for me because it did not unbalance me too much, but it did distinguish me from the other men on the ground. The breastplate was polished to perfection, and on it sat my house's newest coat of arms.

A white weirwood on a field of black, but in the center of the tree, where limbs would normally go in all sorts of directions, they formed the shape of a dragon head with two red dots in the eyes. As soon as I saw the drawing of it, I fell in love with the coat of arms. Ashara had picked perfectly. Weirwood, because of my greenseeing ability and my reputation with it, and a dragon in the center, showing off Weirña. I couldn't have picked a better coat of arms.

It was the armor of a King.

Soon Ashara was done with the straps and she walked around to my front. "Will we have any protection tonight?" She asked me, worry tinting her voice.

"100 guards will be left at the barracks, with the gates closed. 10 will be stationed outside your door. Toyne knows to keep the fighting elsewhere so that his men won't mistake you as a noble's wife." I told her the same thing I had been telling myself the past few hours.

Even though I already know of his plans for us. I thought as I remembered my latest greenseeing session.

Out of curiosity, I went back a few days when I had created the contract with the Golden Company. Terms were set, the contract was minted, and then I had left none the wiser. But after I did, Toyne let his true hand show to his number two man Harry Strickland.

"That would establish my legacy, Strickland. Not only will I take Myr, but I will defeat the most decorated military general in the last 100 years to do it. With his dragon away, and the gates open, The Golden Company will take the city."

"Good." She muttered as she hugged my frame.

I hugged her back, knowing how uncomfortable she must be on the cool steel of my armor. I had yet to tell her of the betrayal that the Golden Company would try tonight, but my plans had already changed in response. 10,000 men against 2,300 was not good odds, but I was determined to defeat them.

The Golden Company had been in the city for a week now, acting like they always did. The city normally kept the gates open for them so that they could come into the city for the taverns and whorehouses at will. A lot of money was made at night when the Golden Company passed through.

This was a part of our original plan, and I was glad that Toyne hadn't changed this aspect of it. Once I had approached him with a contract to raise the city, he had taken to the idea immediately. And when I had offered him the contract for taking Lys in the near future, he nearly dropped to his knees in front of me. But I knew it was all an act. I had planned on crossing him in the future, but it seems that I was going to be the one he betrayed first. All because of glory.

The Golden Company's extended stay in the city was our play of lulling the nobles to sleep. Aeren had been on edge ever since I had visited Toyne, visiting at odd hours and asking questions. He thought I was making plays on some of the smaller merchants, intent on annexing more business into my upstart ones.

He didn't know I wanted the entire city.

'BANG'

'BANG'

'BANG'

"Leader, come at once, the Golden Company has Begun."

I pulled back from Ashara. She had a terrified look in her dancing purple eyes. I grabbed her chin and pulled her into a kiss.

"Take care of our children." I told her as I rested my hand on her lower abdomen.

I waited there for a moment before I turned away from her abruptly and went to the door. I opened it to find a man that had been working underneath Ben for the last few weeks. He was a good and loyal man, who took his job seriously, and wasn't afraid to use the sword on his waist and shield on his back.

"Adareo, is Ben in place?" I asked as I opened the door in full plate. He didn't ask how I was already in full plate, for he already knew that I caught wind of the Golden Company's plans a few hours ago. Him and Ben had been running around delivering my orders for me.

"He is Leader, and he awaits your signal." Adareo answered as we raced down the stairs.

"Good, let's go. Are the men ready?" I asked. We entered into the main courtyard of the Barracks where 500 men stood ready and waiting for my signal to move out and begin moving to the gates.

"Yes Leader. Everything is in order." Adareo answered as he led me to where a horse was waiting on me.

I jumped up on it, grabbed the reins with one hand, drew my sword with the other and turned around to the men in the Barracks.

"Myles Toyne thinks we are weak! You were called here earlier because we caught wind of a possible treachery in the city. Myles Toyne, and a few masters of Myr have been conspiring to sack our city, kill our women and children, and hand it over to Volantis. This is why the Golden company delayed in arriving, hoping the Khalasar would weaken us. But we are strong!" I yelled as I lifted my sword to the air.

Already I had begun to weave a story together, and all it took were a couple of words to five hundred men. Those five hundred would talk to thousands of people by the time the day is over and the dust has settled.

The men in front of me yelled at the sky as I finished my sentence.

"The city needs us! Her people need us! We will answer her plea! We meet them at the gates!" I yelled as I lifted my sword again and turned to the gates of the barracks.

It took longer than I expected, marching the men through the city. But I had calculated for this eventuality. These men were not my trained army of Stormlanders that I had won countless battles with. These were relatively green men, and most would die by the end of the night.

When we arrived about ten blocks away from the main gate, we found fighting already happening and it was not pretty for my side. The Golden company had penetrated deep into the city already, and knew it was time to make our play.

Weirña it is time!

"RRAAAHHHHH!"

"RRRAAAAHHHHHH!"

The roars reverberated throughout the city, and every single person felt the shift in the air. Our dragons were not away with Ben on a diplomatic trip like I had told the Golden Company. They were waiting, as patient as I was.

And our patience had run out.

"Charge!" I yelled as I pointed my sword down the street where the Golden Company was busy torching buildings and killing innocents. I kicked my steed and pointed it down the street, intent on leading my men by example.

"AHHHHHH!"

The sound of five hundred men calling out and sprinting down a narrow alleyway hit my ears. The Golden Company, that was looking towards the sky, was now looking at us. And the first man I saw, turned back around and began running down the street.

We had taken them by surprise.

They were out of formation, as men were going into houses on the streets, and businesses and pillaging the locals. Toyne hadn't told them there would be resistance, he had told them that they would be able to pillage and loot to their hearts' desire.

I caught up to the first man, and with a swing of Heartsbane, his back was opened up for the world to see and he hit the ground. Being on horseback was a major advantage in this exact scenario, but when it began to get crowded I would have to ditch the steed. As it was though, I cut a path through the street. I swung my sword and someone died.

A few other men that I trusted were beside me, on their own horses, sowing death to the attackers of Myr.

The Golden Company was renowned for having the best armor and weapons one could buy. They were renowned for being an elite fighting force in the world. But that was not what I encountered. I encountered men, high off of raping and pillaging and unable to form a cohesive line. Men that could not compare to my own skill in killing.

After some time, I finally found where the real fighting was going on at. And where I stood, I could see the front gate and the wall. I had chosen this path intentionally from the Barracks. We actually had to take a couple of side streets to actually get on the main road of Myr.

There were three roads that branched off from the gate and wall. One traveled northwest into the poorest portion of the city. That was actually in the direction of the Barracks, and would have been the street we fought on had I not changed that plan. One road led directly west, and cut through the heart of the city, before ending at the port, this was the road that I was currently on and fighting on. The last road led southwest, into the richest part of the city. This was where the merchants and masters of the city lived.

This was the only path that I had not put men on.

I was protecting every part of the city, except for the masters. This was also the route of least resistance for the Golden Company. Even where I stood, 100 yards away from the front gate and the entrance to the other streets, I saw the Golden Company pouring into the city and heading that direction.

Fire lit up the sky, on the other side of the wall, and I knew that Weirña and Anogar were wreaking havoc amongst the Golden Company that had yet to enter the city.

Weirña give me another roar!

She obeyed me, and once again eyes turned to the sky in some unspoken instinctual fear. I had stopped in the road, waiting for my orders to be obeyed. This caused my men to pour around me and into the fighting on the main road, heading towards the gate.

"Come on Ben!" I muttered as I waited for a moment.

Just as I said that, the gate to the city began to close. On the walls, Men began appearing, men that wore the same uniform as the city watch. Men that had bows and arrows in their hands. 200 men, just as I had commanded, took to the walls and began firing at will into the crowd below. Another 200 began firing out beyond the city walls, into where the rest of the Golden Company was currently trying to enter.

As a rough approximation, I estimated that about 2000 men of the Golden Company had breached the walls and were loose in the city. This did not account for the cavalry that had no doubt led the charge into Myr. Who knows where they were in the city but I hoped they were in the Masters side. Hopefully Toyne kept up his end of the bargain in that sense.

Finally, the gate closed, splitting the Golden Company in two, where most of their army was outside the walls. Weirña and Anogar would be dealing with most of them, and I expected them to be completely routed soon. My attention would need to turn to the army within my city.

I spurred my horse forward, where my men were engaging the Golden Company in a deadly melee. We were not doing well at all. We had no lines, and our men were not as well trained as the Golden Company was.

The only thing that offset our losses was the hundreds of arrows raining down on the men from above. This was my biggest victory so far and had led to hundreds of deaths on the Golden Company's side. Every time I looked around I saw another man fall to an arrow in the shoulder or chest area.

The Golden Company showed their prowess soon, however. They knew that they were losing too many men to the arrows, and their lines began retreating.

"Push!" I yelled to my men, intent on putting pressure on the retreating army inside my gates.

We did, and we were better for it. More and more of the Golden Company seemed to be falling by arrow or sword. The battle began to tip in our favor, and I was intent on pushing the advantage.

What started out as 100 yards between me and my city's gate, quickly became 25 yards as we pushed the Golden Company back and into the Southwest road that led to the masters manses. As this happened I made sure to look around at the bodies on the ground that we were trampling over. It was to my surprise, and utmost happiness that it was mostly Golden Company men that lay on the ground. Although we suffered our fair share of casualties.

I estimated that about 500 of my own men had been lost, while roughly 700 Golden Company men lay dead. This was good as we had lost less, but it was not good enough for me. I knew that my city would suffer massive casualties before the night was over, and at any moment the tide of battle could shift.

A man in black plate, and silver hair poking out from underneath his helmet, rode over to me. I immediately recognized him as my second in command, Ben.

"We have them on the back foot, Lord Baelish!" Ben called out in excitement. He didn't even realize that he had referred to me as 'Lord' instead of Leader. I did not correct him for we were literally in the heat of a battle.

"Aye!" I called out to him. "Let's purge them from our city!"

"Leader!"

I turned to look at who called me. "Adareo, I'm glad to see you are still alive!" I told him as I gave him my full attention.

"We have them trapped on the Merchants Road near the South Gate! The cavalry is there as well as Myles Toyne. They are trying to breach the gate and escape to the south." Adareo told me quickly, with Ben listening beside me.

"We cannot let them meet up with the main host again. Anogar and Weirña may have scattered the main host but if he can manage to stop them fleeing and unite them, we may come under siege.'' Ben said, reading my mind as soon as the news was delivered. And we do not want to withstand a siege from the Golden Company, or allow them to retreat, regroup, and come back with ballista for the dragons and siege equipment for the wall.

"Call Anogar Ben. They do not leave this city alive!" I told him as we spurred our horses on and began heading in the direction of the South Gate.

Weirña follow me! I commanded as the three of us raced towards the South Gate of the city. A heavily guarded portion of the city that was controlled by the Masters, and only people of a certain caliber were allowed to use it daily.

My plan of pushing the Golden Company to one side of the city was smart, but even then it had been nearly impossible to contain the Golden Company. As soon as Ben and I had pursued the fleeing Golden Company, it had become quickly obvious that we had to lock down escape routes to the rest of the city. Even the smallest streets had to be defended, and we had lost too many men doing that exact thing. Containment, in a city this size was almost impossible, but we had managed to accomplish it.

And it only took us all night to do it. I thought as I looked up to the sky above me. Where it had been black all night, it was beginning to turn into a lighter and lighter shade of blue.

I was exhausted, the men were exhausted, and our dragons were exhausted. They had been breathing fire and killing elephants for most of the night. We needed to end this, and with it, The Golden Company.

The ride was short, although it was windy. Our men parted for us as we rode through them, and most were cheering for us with their bloody swords in the air.

I saw the cavalry first, over the tops of my men. There was currently no fighting going on that I could see and my men were standing in a line about 50 yards away from the front of the enemy lines. The Golden Company had already breached the gate room, and it was slowly being lifted.

Fuck, it's too late. We'll have to kill as many as we can.

I turned to Ben. "Gates can be repaired, Ben. Burn it down!"

Do it!

"RRAHHH!" Weirña cried out as she swooped down to the tops of the buildings above us and made her first pass into the enemy troops.

Anogar followed after her, but slightly beside her to reach the parts of the street she couldn't. It was worse than what the show depicted. The fire was even more destructive than what I imagined Wildfyre was. The people it touched disintegrated before my eyes, and the flame was wide enough that four people could be engulfed in it's flames.

The Golden Company was lined up in a narrow street, just ready to be roasted alive. The first pass must have cut their numbers in half, and our dragons didn't stop when they reached the gate, they just blew a whole right through it. I witnessed close to 500 souls pass into the next life in the next ten minutes.

With the hole in the wall where the gate used to be, I expected the Golden Company to flee through it, but when the rubble fell, it proved to be nearly impossible for a horse to traverse. So while the Golden Company tried to climb the melted rocks and rubble, burning their hands, Weirña and Anogar banked, intent on another pass.

The horses from the cavalry, which made up the remaining Golden Company forces became terrified, throwing their riders and looking for a way to flee. There was none.

All that was left was fire.

I turned to the men behind me, pulled my sword from my sheath and lifted it to the air.

"Ah!" I screamed to the men behind me. It seemed like the world screamed back at me, just as loud as a dragon's roar.

"AAAAAHHHHH!"