Chapter 6: Chapter VI – Luring a Lion

Blood and Winter

War in the Riverlands

Chapter VI - Luring a Lion

Jamie Lannister was many things, a siege commander was not one of them. He just didn't have the temperament for it. Leading a cavalry charge as he cut through swaths of enemies, fighting on the battlefield and killing men was more suited to his style.

Sitting here and doing nothing as he watched the catapults launch boulders into the sturdy walls of Riverrun was not something he particularly enjoyed. He had watched as the projectiles struck the well-built walls and only seemed to leave a few dents and chips. According to one of his military advisors, Andros Brax, it would take another few days before the walls were finally brought down.

So while he had trusted Andros Brax to oversee the logistics of the siege, he had taken command of his cavalry and rode out to deal with any Riverland force that attempted to relieve Riverrun.

Most only numbered less than a hundred and on a good day, there was more than one. It wasn't much, but it certainly helped remove some of the boredom he felt as the siege dragged on. They had been growing more recent with each passing day of the siege, no doubt Lord Jason Mallister knew that Riverrun wouldn't be able to hold for long.

The lord of Seagard was a gifted commander for sure, there was a reason both his father and uncle had recognised him as perhaps the biggest threat in the invasion of the Riverlands. 'Perhaps if Edmure Tully had let Lord Mallister command the defence of the Riverlands then this might have been more difficult. The trout could always take his bannerman's victory as his own as Mace Tyrell did.'

Alas, that was not the case and instead, Edmure Tully had led the defensive efforts and while he hadn't done a terrible job per se, it was quite obvious he was not a gifted commander. Now Jason Mallister was struck trying to free Riverrun and probably would have succeeded if he wasn't so short on men.

"My lord, we've spotted a large contingent of Riverland cavalry heading towards us from the west!" A Lannister exclaimed as he burst into the Kingslayer's tent to see him sharpening his blade, already dressed in his armoured in preparation for a possible Riverland attack.

'Finally.' He thought in excitement, rising to his feet. "Inform the men."

The order was unnecessary, he could already hear the movement of men outside and as he stepped out of the tent he could see men already getting onto their horses.

Moving quickly, he took the reins from his squire and climbed up onto his horse, pulling on his helmet. Taking the lance from his squire, he jabbed his heels into the side of his steed and the horse began moving forwards, quickly going into a full gallop as he charged out of the camp.

As soon as he passed the line of tents he could make out the sight of Riverland cavalry finishing off the rest of the Lannister scouts stationed there. From what Jamie could make out there were probably around a few hundred, the largest host that had attempted to come and free Riverrun since the siege began, but it would not be enough.

Gripping his lance tightly in one hand while shifting his shield ever so slightly up, Jamie urged his horse on faster, his cavalry contingent following close behind. The intent was to strike the enemy while they were still dealing with sentries, but it turns out that the Riverlanders had noticed their approach and quickly turned tail and ran.

He laughed at the cowardice shown and tried to coax more speed from his horse.

The enemy numbered a few hundred, his cavalrymen numbered over two thousand. There was only one way this battle was going to end and Jamie felt confidence surge through him as he chased down the enemy cavalry.

---

Stabbing his blade down into the neck of one of the sentries, Brynden swung his blade round back on the other side and slashed down at the other lightly armoured soldier who attempted to strike him from the side. Blood splashed into the air and onto his armour and with this brief reprise, Brynden carefully studied the Lannister camp.

All around him, his three-hundred-strong cavalry unit rushed around and finished off the last of the sentries stationed on the edge of the camp. The shouting of men dying and clashing steel was a sound he had long since grown used to.

Even as he occasionally dealt with a Lannister soldier that hadn't been killed yet, he masterfully dealt with them in short order.

Then he saw it.

It was hard not to, heavy cavalry, especially the Lannisters clad in their red and gold armour were an unforgettable and easily spotted unit, their appearance meant to inspire fear. Brynden felt none of that as he watched the Lannister cavalry charge in his direction.

Instead with calmness, Brynden turn his horse away and shouted to his men, "retreat!"

The Riverland cavalry didn't pause and quickly followed after their commander as he rode off away from the Lannister camps. The Kingslayer, like Lord Mallister, had explained when joining their host at Wendish Town, had a habit of leaving camp to engage any relieving force.

This was something Lord Mallister had already hoped to take advantage of but had been unable to do due to the lack of his men. Except, the northern army provided him with the necessary men and Robb had been more than happy to go along with the more experienced Lord Mallister's plan to draw Jamie Lannister away from the Lannister encampment.

"Ser Blackfish, they're closing in!" One of his men shouted over the sound of stampeding hooves.

Sparing a look over his shoulder, Brynden could see that the Lannister horse was closing in rapidly. But it came at a cost, the neat formation they had adopted was now loose and spread out. It would still be devastating if they hit their rear, but nowhere near as bad as it would have been.

'He sacrificed formation for speed all with the intent of cutting us down. He was right.' He thought, thinking back to the young son of his niece. The young man, despite his youth and inexperience with war, was doing very well. He'd brought the unruly House Frey to heel without a single loss of life on either side, a few injuries for sure, but no deaths. And then now, he had correctly guessed how Jamie Lannister would react and he was very impressed. After all, the strategy suggested relied heavily on the formation being disorganised in order to ensure victory.

Because victory here didn't mean simply beating back the Lannister cavalry, but removing it entirely from the equation. With that, not only would one of their biggest threats be dealt with before they even went to relieve Riverrun, but it meant the elemental of surprise would still be on their side.

"Don't slow down, we're nearly there!"

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It was strange, for the first time since he started marching south, his mind was calm. Mere moments before his first battle was set to begin, he didn't feel doubt or fear, he was just calm. His eyes followed the movement of the rear of the Lannister cavalry, watching as they chased after the Blackfish and his men.

They were closing in rapidly, but it wasn't fast enough.

From the forest, three units of archers stepped forwards, drawing back their bowstrings and releasing the arrows into the air. Robb had positioned them in three different locations to sow greater confusion amongst the Lannister ranks and to ensure that they couldn't mount a single charge on one unit without leaving their rear and flanks exposed.

One unit was positioned northeast of the Lannister army, another southeast and the final one southwest. He had positioned most archers in the rear to weaken that area the most so that they wouldn't be able to escape.

And as the arrows whistled through the air, he watched with satisfaction as they came down upon the Lannister host.

He looked at those around him, his personal guards consisting of numerous young noblemen and heirs of the North, there were even quite a few Frey's. It was a concession he had made under his mother's suggestion to soothe the wounded pride of Stevron Frey, he had even taken on the new Lord of the Twins' younger brother, Olyvar Frey as his squire. Even going so far as to say it was the price he paid to cross the Twins, along with fostering the two Frey boys at Winterfell.

His mother had suggested he do this in order to at least give the Frey's something and to stop a growing resentment. Robb and many of the Northern lords had been hesitant, some outright believed they should refuse.

But Robb could see the sense in what his mother suggested and had done so.

Drawing his sword, the men surrounding him, numbering just under two thousand in number did the same. "Smalljon, sound the horn." He ordered firmly as he dug his heels into the side of his horse.

It slowly moved forwards but gradually picked up speed, the host of Frey and Northern cavalry following after this young commander. The sound of a dull horn, sounding like the howling of a winter wind echoed throughout the Whispering Woods.

And it was soon followed by two more horns, one from the north and one from the east.

All of it combined with the stampeding of hooves made for a terrifying sound.

---

He nearly had them.

He was so very close and then he had heard it.

It was a sound he had become intimately familiar with since the war had begun, the sound of whistling as arrows cut through the air. 'It's a trap!' It was too late by then as he looked up to see hundreds of arrows descend upon him and his men.

He raised his shield and closed his eyes in preparation, hoping and praying to the Seven that he would survive.

The dull thunking sound of arrows striking shields and armour, the neighing of horses as they got peppered with arrows, cries of men as they were struck by arrows and the crunching of men being crushed by their own horses sounded all around him.

Lowering his shield he took note of the two arrows on it and turned to face his men. His men had been unprepared for an ambush and so he'd lost quite a few. The Kingslayer turned back to see the archers in the tree line, blatantly standing in full view as if taunting them.

And instead of charging them down, he hesitated, he and his cavalry coming to a slow halt.

"My lord, our rear is under attack!" One of his soldiers shouted and Jamie turned back, trying to see his rear over the top of his men. It was difficult, but he could make out another two units of enemy archers southeast and west of their position.

'They lured us here.' He realised, quickly raising his shield when one of his men shouted out that the archers were firing once more.

Once again the arrows descended upon them, killing and wounding many more, all the while the cavalry stood haplessly in the centre of the open field. Perfect for archers to pick them off one by one.

'I need to do something.' And like always, Jamie only had one thought on his mind when it came to battle. "Charge! The enemy don't have many men!" He ordered and urged his horse forward and his plan was simple, charge and kill the unit of archers northeast of them then swing around and deal with those behind him.

Their scouts had reported that even combined, the scattered Riverland forces only made up around a thousand men, Jamie having done his job of killing any relieving force well. Even with the recent casualties he had taken, Jamie still outnumbered the enemy.

Or at least, that's what he thought as he heard a horn sounding in the distance, two more horns following soon after.

He looked around madly trying to find where they came from, only to freeze in shock. The world around him seemingly grew slower as he watched thousands of men burst from the tree line and head directly towards him. There were no discernible sigils, but he didn't need them to know where these men came from.

The Direwolf bounding alongside the young, auburn-haired boy coming from the western force.

'The Northmen?! How? Our scouts reported them marching south to meet my father!' He barely had time to think as his western flank was struck by the northern host there, followed soon after by his eastern and then his front.

He was well and truly surrounded.

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