Chapter 74: Chapter 35: The Battle of Kings Landing (Vaemond, Corlys Velaryon)

Third Moon, 8026

Outskirts of Kings Landing

 

Vaemond made his way up the large hill, the breeze heavy on his face as he ascended to the top, his Kingsguard close behind him.

The bodies of their own dead had since been removed, but the Lannister watchmen had been given no such courtesy, their bloodied bodies strewn about the hill, one of them lay face first on the ground next to the unlit pyre, an extinguished torch held tight in his pale hands.

‘’That one got close.’’ Vaemond mused.

‘’Close dont win no races as my mum used to say.’’ One of Vaemonds grizzled scouts that had been apart of the assault party said, nodding to the arrow in the man's back.

The lands around Kings Landing were not especially hilly, and were mostly flat, but nevertheless there were some small hills dotting the landscape that gave a good view to the west, with this one being the biggest. From here many offshoots of the Great Fork river could be seen glittering in the distance to the west, along with much of the plains of the Blackwater rush. The Lannisters had been aware of these hills and stationed several small scouting parties to warn of any enemy advance.

It was because of this viewpoint to the west that Vaemond had ordered these vantage lookout posts assaulted and silenced, if he was to advance from the west he wanted the Lannisters blind, at least for a little while, thus far it seemed to be successful as none of the signal fires had been lit and the majority of his force was now marching at speed across the flatlands.

Vaemond was not so fool as to think he could remain undetected for much longer, his men would likely make it past these hills undetected, but past them Loren Lannister was like to have roving bands of outriders and Vaemond could not hope to silence them all, nevertheless the few hours of unnoticed march through the Blackwater Rush could make all the difference in limiting the preparation his enemies had time for.

‘’Ser Harold…the far-eye if you would.’’ Vaemond said, making his way to the edge of the hill.

Ser Harold Langward nodded and returned with the Myrish Eye, a type of looking glass that would give its viewer sight miles into the distance. It had been a gift from Grandmaester Arlan before he had left, with the old man stating the lens crafters of Myr were the finest in not only the Free Cities but the entire world.

From the hill he could make out the city of Kings Landing, though it was too far away to make out individual people, he could still see structures, small as they were in the distance.

‘’They are building siege engines.’’ Vaemond observed, he could barely make them out but beyond the walls of the city were trebuchets and siege towers, clustered outside the walls like little trees.

‘’Your sister did well destroying them, but Loren Lannister has no doubt brought many experienced engineers with him, they will have enough to storm the walls any day now.’’ Corlys Velaryon responded, they had gotten word that Nyel had destroyed the greater part of the rebels siege engines but all involved knew it had gained the city only a temporary reprieve as opposed to permanent safety.

He turned his attention to the sea far in the distance, glimmering under the sun, but even with the myrish glass it was still much too far to make out any individual details, much less any ships.

They must have made it in Vaemond assured himself before turning back to Corlys.

‘’There's a lot riding on this plan of yours Corlys.’’ Vaemond said, lowering the myrish glass.

Corlys nodded and stroked his beard, which was as white as his Kingsguard enameled armor.

‘’It will work, Vaemond…..the plan is a good one, and I selected the captains of the force personally….they know their instructions.’’ Corlys said, the old Lord Commander seemingly unconcerned.

‘’I don't doubt that….but we have no way of confirming they even made it.’’ Vaemond continued.

Corlys chuckled at that, and removed a mailed gauntlet, holding his hand in front of him.

‘’It's a spring wind, Vaemond…..the seas will be calm….they made it.’’ Corlys said.

‘’Id take a raven of confirmation over your old sailors' tricks any day.’’ Vaemond said begrudgingly but pressed the issue no further, Corlys Velaryon had been raised at Driftmark as a boy in the Narrow Sea, if there was one thing he knew it was the sea, and he could expect no raven from the city as if it were to be shot down it could spoil any chance of the plan working.

A quick word from Ser Androw Leygood also lessened Vaemonds concerns lightly, he had earned a link in studying Time and Seasons and the citadel and he said it was unlikely that the Narrow Sea would be beset by any major storm this early in the year, especially on a journey so short.

We shall find out soon enough Vaemond thought to himself as they made their way down the hill to join the main column, continuing their march to King's Landing.

 

 

Four Hours Later

Fields outside Kings Landing

 

The Lannisters had well and truly been taken by surprise. To be sure the presence of nearly 20,000 men, some 9,000 Crownlanders and 10,000 Reachmen could not be hidden for long, especially as they approached Kings Landing, but their silencing of the rebel scouts on the hills had allowed their march from the Great Fork river to remain undetected long enough so that when the Lannister freeriders had eventually spotted them, they had no time to prepare any meaningful defenses.

They had more than ample time to prepare battle lines however, and they were arranged in three massive lines outside of the city of Kings Landing, so many men that Vaemond could scarce make out where the rebel flanks ended.

The city stood well behind them, and the unfinished red keep shone in the afternoon sun upon its high hill, and further beyond he could make out a timber tower of the much smaller Aegonfort, where Nyel was. It was so maddeningly close he could almost reach out and touch it, so close but for the fact that 17,000 rebels stood between him and his sister.

‘’This will be a proper battle.’’ Ser Androw Leygood said, his belt of metal links glittering in the sun.

‘’Aye…a battle songs are sung of….the place where your father first landed and began his conquest will be where we won the victory to preserve his realm…there's some poetic justice in that.’’ Ser Harold Langward replied with a nod to the younger man.

His Kingsguard had been chattering amongst themselves for a good while, Vaemond was no stranger as to the reason why, a bit of banter before a battle helped calm the nerves, and despite Ser Androw Leygood and Ser Byren Royces undisputed bravery, he knew they were in need of some distraction, he was all to aware of the nerves that came on the eve of one's first battle from his campaign on Sunstone all those years ago.

Ser Roland Crakehall, the big Kingsguard was in stark contrast to his sworn brothers however, sitting his horse silently, his hand fidgeting with an amulet to the warrior. A quick look at the rebel battle lines made the reason for his attitude plain enough.

Vaemond had made the decision to lead and fight in the center flank, the place where a King's leadership was needed most. On the opposite side of their battle lines flew dozens of Westerlander banners, but one stood higher and grander than the rest, a black and white brindled boar on brown, the sigil of House Crakehall. The rebel center was commanded by Sumner Crakehall, a formidable warrior and Rolands father; his two younger brothers Damion and Maynard would also no doubt be on the opposing side.

Vaemond urged his warhorse towards Roland, and placed a hand on the big man's shoulder.

‘’If you would rather fight on the left with Corlys….I could scarce hold it against you….I won't ask you to fight your own kin.’’ Vaemond said.

Roland looked up with surprise, seemingly shaken from his thoughts before he shook his head ‘’The warrior would not be so cruel as to place my family in my path.’’

‘’You cannot be sure of that Roland…it has happened before…I need to know I can rely on you’’ Vaemond pressed.

Roland paused at that, his hand gripping his longaxe tied to the side of his horse, after a moment of hesitation his face grew determined ‘’You can rely on my Vaemond…..the kinslayer is abhorred by the gods, but if my father or brother are foolish enough to threaten you on the field of battle I will stop them…..my brothers have my size and strength but none are my equal in battle….I can stop them without killing them.’’

Vaemond nodded with relief, the Crakehalls were renowned for their strength at arms and skill in battle, if he was unlucky enough to come face to face with any of the three, especially Rolands two brothers, his big Kingsguard was the only one of his sworn shields with a realistic chance of stopping them.

‘’With luck it won't come to that.’’ Vaemond said, giving Roland a reassuring pat on the back before riding to the front of the battle line, after enough battles a man could sense when the battle was approaching, and he knew the rebels would make their move soon.

Corlys Velaryon would lead the left flank, he was one of the finest generals in the realm and Vaemond knew the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard would be of more use to him commanding a flank than fighting by his side. Corlys would have a difficult task as he would be facing the battle lines commanded by Loren Lannister, a man renowned for his quick wit, but the lord of Casterly Rock was not the only man with a sharp battle mind.

His plan will work  Vaemond reassured himself, Corlys had never once failed either him or his father in his decades of service and the King had absolute trust in the man's ability.

The situation on the right was less certain. After Neilyn Reddunes death in the first battle of the war, Vaemond found himself with a severe lack of  experienced battle commanders and turned to Cameron Massey, the Lord of Stonedance and overlord of Massey's Hook. Despite the fact that the man was one year older than the King, he had far less battle experience, he made up for it in bravery however and Vaemond was confident in his ability to do his part on the right flank against Lord Lefford of the Golden Tooth, whos own sire had been killed earlier in the war and Nunn's Deep.

Vaemond sensed a change in the air from across the field, the rebel commanders had finished their battle speeches and the rebel center was forming a formation of light cavalry and free riders, the time for battle had come.

The King had not been idle while the two sides massed for battle and raised a black gauntlet in the air, signaling for his archers to come forward and for his freeriders and light horse to form on their sides.

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The rebel light horse began to thunder forward across the field, no doubt led by Lord Crakehall himself along with his sons, overall it looked to number near 1000 men, similar to Vaemonds own numbers.

Vaemonds archers had formed three lines of some one hundred men each and had knocked their arrows, each line would fire one after the other, much like how Corlys had employed his archers at the battle of Edgerton.

Drawing Blackfyre from its sheath, Vaemond raised it above his head and brought it down in a fast arc, while the serjeant of the first line gave the command to fire.

Unfortunately the wind was not on their side as a strong breeze was coming in from Blackwater bay, nevertheless some arrows struck their targets, and Vaemond could hear the screams from horses and men alike as they were hit with arrows or trapped under horses.

They managed two more volleys before Vaemond shouted the order for the archers to stand down and retreat behind the infantry, Vaemonds light cavalry, just under 1000 men began to form up in preparation to meet the rebels own light horse, Vaemond would leave his knights in reserve as he had done in every engagement of the war.

As they formed the wedge to meet the fast approaching rebels, Vaemond was reminded of the similarities to the first engagement of the war at Edgerton and his frantic cavalry charge, but unlike that fight this time he would not be outnumbered…this time the fighting would be even.

The time for words had passed, Vaemond gave a curt nod to a hornman mounted beside him, who signaled the countercharge.

The King would lead from the front as always, despite the close call on the walls of Greenfield, his resolve to lead where the fighting was thickest had not waned, he would lead the counter attack.

One more fight He thought to himself as they rode forward, one more fight and all of this would be behind them, one more fight and he would be reunited with Nyel and his daughter.

He didn't have long to dwell on this prospect however as the two sides rapidly closed in on one another, their war cries, screams, curses and shouts of fear blending into a giant roar, beside the King, Ser Androw Leygood raised the white standard of the Kingsguard above his head, fluttering in the wind.

The sound of two thousand horses coming together in a crash of steel and flesh was like no sound Vaemond had ever heard, and he hoped would never hear again, as men beside and in front of him were impaled, slashed or knocked from their horses only to be trampled below.

On his right, Ser Harold Langward slammed a shield into a Crakehall Freerider, sending him crashing off his horse and being dragged by his horse across the killing ground.

Vaemonds first opponent was a lancer in mail and boiled leather, wearing a surcoat of a blue hare on an orange field, the man, having missed his opportunity to use his lance found it cumbersome to use in such tight confines, but nevertheless thrust his lance past the Kings shield.

Vaemond, waiting patiently hacked the fire hardened lance point from the pole and followed up with a slash from Blackfyre at the mans chest, sending links of chain mail flying in all directions, and the man slumping into his saddle with a groan, clutching his bruised and cut stomach, Vaemond left him there, a wounded foe was a defeated foe.

Visible in the melee were several bright red shields painted with a white rose, which Vaemond recognized as being the banner of the Maidens Men, a company of Volantene and Westerosi mercenaries Loren Lannister had brought in from Essos to augment his own forces.

One such mercenary hurled a spear towards the King, and Vaemond saw Ser Androw Leygood collapse as the javelin hit him square in the chest of his heavy white enameled armor, sending him to the ground in a heap, his white Kingsguard banner enveloping him like a blanket on the ground, Vaemond quickly lost sight of him in the melee, and he could only hope his new Kingsguard had survived the hit, and would all the chaos that came with being dismounted.

A volantene with long black hair and olive skin rode at the King, lance lowered and Vaemond fumbled for his shield, waiting for the heavy blow, but there was no need as Ser Harold Langward impaled the man straight through the gut with a timely thrust with his longsword, nodding at the King.

Clear of the immediate fighting, Vaemond gave a look to his right and saw that Cameron Massey’s light cavalry had been caught up and were fighting a bloody engagement with Leffords men-at-arms, he tried to look to the left to see how Corlys was doing but in a battle of this size it was hard to see past the mass of men, or where one flank ended and another began.

He returned to the fighting, this time facing a rider wearing a surcoat of purple with 6 white bells.

The King briefly remembered that House Belmore of the Vale had come into some lands in the Westerlands some years ago, but his ponderance of minor politics in the Westerlands was put on hold as the rider spurred his horse at him, ax raised high in the air.

Vaemond gave a roar and rode to meet him, raising his heavy shield as the man's ax slammed into the metal with a clanging thud, the Belmore man kept up the attack and Vaemond was forced to block another strike with his shield, sending a tremor down his arms.

Vaemond, instead of attempting to block the next strike with his tired shield arm, leaned into the man as he raised his ax with a plated shoulder, stunning him and giving him time to bring Blackfyre upwards, cutting the man's leg and landing below his chin with a sickening crunch, the man gave a choked gasp and slumped from his horse to die among rebel and loyalist alike.

Vaemond urged his horse to a halt as the fighting continued in front of him, giving his tired arm a small reprieve, it was then that he heard the horn.

 

 

The Left Flank

 

The spear darted clumsily towards the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, slow enough for Corlys to grab the wooden shaft and wrench it downwards, the peasant freerider opened his mouth to shout but Corlys’s longsword took him in the side of the neck, ending his protests.

With the immediate threat finished, he paused and took stock of the situation. Loren Lannister had sent his freeriders forward in a charge while Corlys was in the midst of forming his own men at arms in a shield wall, and the suddenness of the charge had meant that his own unprepared men had been pushed backwards by their mounted opponents.

In a normal battle Corlys would have responded by ordering his own cavalry to attack from the flanks and envelop their opponents, but he resisted the temptation…he needed the cavalry far away from Lorens advancing infantry which was well behind the melee.

Corlys slammed his shield into another approaching freerider, knocking him to the ground. He supposed he should have fought dismounted alongside his men as being one of the only mounted men made him a clear target but Corlys was a knight and Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, his place was ahorse.

The Lord Commander fended off a slash from a rusty sword with his own blade with a clash of steel before pushing the sword down into the man's neck.

A quick glance past the fighting showed that the time was now, Loren Lannister had sent his infantry and knights forward at an advance to join the melee between Corlys’s men-at-arms and the rebel freeriders, their backs turned to the city.

Turning around he raised his bloodied longsword and waved it in the air three times, the signal for the hornmen.

He had assembled an entire line of over a dozen men with large horns behind the battle lines to sound the signal, and the sound of their horns carried over the battlefield in a deafening chorus, causing many men to stop fighting in surprise, an uneasy tenuous truce hanging over the left flank as rebel and loyalist alike stopped to see the cause of the commotion.

Then the Heavy Iron Gate of the Gods swung open and three thousand men, both mounted knights and dismounted men-at-arms swarmed through the gate, their battle cry a deafening roar with the promise of death on their lips.

Corlys gave a grim smile as he watched the force thunder out of the Gate of the Gods, as he knew they would. It had been the Lord Commander's own plan to send some three thousand men north to the port of Maidenpool while the better part of their host, mostly 10,000 Reachmen marched directly to the city.

The winds were in our favor Corlys thought as the mounted knights charging from the city took Loren Lannisters exposed and surprised archers in the rear before turning their attention to the men-at-arms and knights, who were trying frantically to wheel their horses around against a force that had all the momentum. The 3000 men had been transported under the cover of darkness from Maidenpool to the docks of Kings Landing on the Royal Fleet's 50 galleys from Dragonstone.

Loren Lannisters freeriders had pulled away from the melee, and stood like deer in headlights, not sure whether to fight the foes in front of them, or the ones behind them.

The Lord Commander made the choice for them as he ordered his men at arms to counter charge Loren Lannisters calvary, trapping them between the slaughter behind them and Corlys’s angry men-at-arms.

Everything was going according to plan until Corlys heard shouts from behind him, and men pointing up at the sky.

A red crimson shape emerged in the skies above the city walls, a small dragon with horns white as bone gave a loud shriek  that could be heard from all over the field, flying towards the battle, as the dragon got closer Corlys could make out a silver haired woman in its saddle.

The Queen The Lord Commander thought to himself with a start , though he could not help but smile, he had known Nyel since she was a little girl and was not surprised by her bravery.

My cousin sired two warriors it would seem Corlys thought to himself before urging his destrier forward to join the fight.

If the emergence of 3000 men charging from the gates into the enemy rear had demoralized the rebels, the emergence of a dragon, small one or not, truly shattered them and the battle quickly turned into a rout.

Corlys would smash Loren Lannisters left flank between his infantry and the sallying force from the city, while King Vaemond would throw back Crakehalls light cavalry into full retreat. The fighting on the right went on for a while longer as Cameron Massey’s infantry was embroiled in a brutal slog with their foes, but Queen Nyel gave the rebel right flank a taste of dragonfire and soon the rebel right joined in the frantic retreat.

The battle of King's Landing was a decisive victory for the Targaryens and their Tyrell allies and Loren Lannisters desperate attack towards the capitol had ended with disaster. Loren Lannister lost near a third of his host in the battle, with some 5200 men being killed, captured, or heavily wounded, mostly on the Lord Paramount of the Westerlands own flank as he was caught between Corlys Velaryons infantry and the sallying force, just barely escaping the battle.

The Targaryens' own losses were much lighter with some 1500 Crownlanders and Tyrell men being killed or heavily wounded in defense of the city, while Ser Androw Leygood of the Kingsguard would be found after the battle, heavily bruised but otherwise unscathed.

The smallfolk of the city would dub the fight ‘’the battle of the street of steel’’ for as the sallying force made their way down the streets of the capitol to the gate, smiths formed a line in the streets and distributed their wares to the cities brave defenders free of charge. King Vaemond would be hailed as the savior of the city, though the King would insist to his dying day that Kings Landing was saved due to his sister Nyels destruction of the Siege Engines and Lord Commander Corlys’s  hidden force.

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