Chapter 35: Chapter 31
200 stones = bonus chapter
3 Subscribe to Patreon and I'm posting 10 bonus chapters
Support and early access to stories on:
patreon.com/FanFictionPremium
***
Damian Blackheart.
The journey to the Eastern Watch-u-Sea was, in principle, relatively short. Twenty-two days, to be exact. The distance was a long one, but we were raring to go.
The first big stop we made was at Dragonstone, we still had to visit our queen, and as the Hand I had to personally and officially kneel before her. I spoke to this somewhat uptight and frightened girl, and then to this Selisa, who made me sick every second, but I endured. And then handed out instructions to those who needed to be.
One of the first things I did was appoint Rex officially Master of the Whisperers. Even without my help, he got the Blackheart surname and lordship on Selisa's initiative. No land yet, though. But that will come. He was the only one who was really suitable for this position, and now officially he had to obey Jason Massey's men, who tried to build his own intelligence service, but now Rex will stay on Dragonstone for a while to do his duties.
He and I have decided to send disinformation to the enemy. Not just one, but several.
The first piece of disinformation we're going to drop is that we're going to attempt to take King's Landing, and that will be preceded by raids all along the coast of Blackwater Bay, places like Rook's Haven, Twilight Dell, Stockworth, Rosby, Hollard's Castle, and all the more or less accessible villages along the shore. This would make the Lannisters tense up and concentrate a lot of forces in the capital, expecting an attack there by our forces. At the same time, we have inclined both branches of the Brunn knighthood to our side, they are now lords and have been given the go-ahead to plunder our neighbours and take their lands. It's not for nothing that I visited and recruited them before coming to swear an oath to Stannis, is it? We also leaked the information about the Brunns coming over to our side to the Lannisters so that they would believe every word of it to be true. At the same time, I added information about my forces, which were already equal to the full five thousand that had been gathered on Dragonstone thanks to volunteers. I also planned to use this in several ways. Firstly, I intentionally reported the number of my troops and indicated the direction of my army, it was to officially visit Gull City, where I would meet with the opposition of Lysa Arryn in the form of the Arryns of Gull City to throw Lysa off and put them in the Eagle's Nest, as well as to take volunteers from the lion-blooded, among such individuals I singled out for granted the Arryns of Seagull Town, the Graftons, the Royces (both branches), while the knightly house of Cox, the Toletts, the Wainwoods, the Redforts, and the Leanderleys. Some of these were indeed the opposition and some were staunch supporters of Lisa.
Littlefinger and Lisa are bound to find out, and it will drive a wedge between her and her followers. She is a foolish woman and will easily fall for it and as a result these rumours will turn her against her followers, thus reducing her power and influence in the Valley.
At the same time, the second important deceit after the Valley was the information in which I had already leaked my further route. Specifically, I was giving three leads. The first one is that I'm going back to Dragonstone and already with the Royal Navy and new forces I'm going to the capital. The second is that I go from Gull's Town to the Riverlands, where Robb swears the oath to the Baratheons, or rather Shireen, and receives the title of Prince for the Starks. As well as part of the Riverlands and the Westlands, after marrying Shireen. The third option was a "diversionary manoeuvre", in which I supposedly go to the aid of the Night's Watch with an army and a fleet, but on the way along the Vale I will unload stealthily detachments of my men, which on the mountainous terrain will go to the Riverlands and join Robb Stark in Riverrun and attack the Western Lands. Plus I think Tywin already knows that Robb and Edmure are massing forces closer to his fiefdom and preparing to invade. That's good for me. So I'll unload most of my men in the Vale and sail to Braavos, where I'll borrow from the Iron Bank and hire more ships to ferry the Golden Swords, and with them I'll win the Throne for Shireen.
That said, there were other less possible disasters, but after careful deliberation we decided to throw this one out into the world:
- The marriage of the legitimised Edric Storm (and his appointment as High Lord of the Stormlands) to Margaery, and the entry of Spaceland on our side in the war.
- A general gathering at Riverrun between myself, the Tullys, the Starks, and the Greyjoys to discuss joint action against the Lannisters.
- A secret agreement between us and the Martells that if Tywin wanted to marry Tommen, Myrcella, or even Cersei herself to one of the Martells, they would hand the "brides-to-be" over to us and declare a storm and that no bridegrooms had come to them.
- Tyrion's betrayal. Allegedly he found out that his first wife was not a prostitute, as Tywin and his brother had assured him on his father's orders. And that she didn't sleep with him for money, but for love at first sight. So he plotted an intrigue that sets out to destroy the OWLs, become the Guardian of the West and Master over Moneta in our Small Council. He's also the one who, with the help of his loyal mercenary Bronn and whore Shae, helped my brother escape Stark from the capital, and he's the one who leaked the location of Lefford, Howth and Lorch's troops on my "punitive march". And his heroism in King's Landing during the storming of the capital by the forces of Spaceland, Stormlands and the North was just an accident, but in fact he wanted to burn some gates and a port, and also plotted to poison Joffrey and Cersei while everyone's attention was focused on the battle.
As the saying goes, divide and conquer.
The ancient Romans were good schemers, and I've decided to pick up not only military wisdom and experience, but political wisdom as well.
Not the fact, of course, that Tyrion will be imprisoned or taken seriously. At the very least, I'm sure Tywin will be very wary and Cersei will believe it and drink the dwarf's blood. That's at worst, and at best... Rex will make sure Bronn and Tyrion leave King's Landing and swear allegiance to Shireen. That way, in due time, we will have a Lannister who will pacify the West.
For the sake of credibility, we leaked this information through multiple sources to Baelish, Varys, and a supposed Lannister spy. We've even had "drunken and secret" conversations on the subject "while no one is listening or seeing us" with Rex, Jason Massey and Richard Horpe. These men are smart and will not blabber left and right, as well as being loyal to Queen Shireen.
When we had regained our strength and rested a bit, we travelled to Gull City, where we met the local Arryns and Graftons, as well as the heir to the Redforts, who happened to be there by chance.
There they also handed us a few dozen volunteers for the Wall. For to them we also thwarted several variants of the plot development. And these volunteers went to the Wall with Jon in the fastest ships we had. So about the time of the assault John and another five hundred men, among whom more than half of the archers and crossbowmen will also be defending Castle Black. I also sent with them new scorpions and cocktails, which are already nicknamed "Blackheart's Flame" here. Most of our ships aren't fast enough, but these will cover the same distance faster, and they'll have a good time.
Soon we were on our way. As it turned out, we had travelled the same way as John, but he was aware of my likely route and followed it. We stopped either at small harbour towns or islands, or anchored near fishing villages to replenish provisions and make repairs if necessary. But on the whole we had a smooth journey and did not even lose a single ship. There were only two stops at the larger villages of Widow's Watch and Carhold, but they only accepted us after they knew we were coming to the aid of the Night's Watch, but were still wary of us as we were enemies, for the North had declared its independence. After that we went to the Night's Watch by the Sea. I had sent a message through a merchant travelling to Skagos, offering the "stoneborn" who had nothing to catch on their island to join me on the way back in the war in the South, promising them rich booty, women, gold and new lands for them and their children.
On the evening of the twenty-second day we arrived at the main and probably the only active port of the Night Watch and began to unload. I sent what men I could along the Wall with a few sentries to Black Castle to help the defences, for Commander Cotter Pike had already informed us that wildlings were visible near the Wall. But they were infantry, and I was preparing all the cavalry for the manoeuvre that Stannis had done in his time, only now it was up to me.
As it turned out, the events unfolded in a similar fashion to the canon. The siege of Castle Black by the Wildlings' advance forces had been going on for a week. For the first few days, only five dozen sentries fought off wildling attacks, and several times they nearly lost, but were saved by some miracle. Then Jon arrived with five hundred warriors and equipment. After that, the advantage was on the side of the Watch. Mormont was badly wounded and barely saved in the battle. Thorne was knocked out, Jon ended up commanding both the Watch and his own men and commanded successfully. By the way, Mormont was out of command of his men for the rest of the events, and Thorne woke up only the next day, but could think and move clearly only by evening. So the role of commander of the defence fell to John finally, even Bowen Marsh did not oppose it, though he was not particularly important as a commander and leader, he was more of a "steward" and an old-timer of the Watch.
And then Mance's main forces arrived and they went on the attack again with renewed vigour. Except that Mance had not my disciplined army, though small in comparison, but a cauldron of 20-30 thousand men and women. And among them the real storming force consisted of a thousand cavalry, tennas, giants on mammoths (well, there were also ordinary people on mammoths) and a couple of thousand experienced warriors, the rest were more, probably, a reserve and support. Though they also knew how to hold and use weapons.
The assault was heavy, but it was repulsed.
The morning concluded with negotiations between Mance, who had initiated them, and John. As in the events known to me, Mance frightened Jon with the horn of Joramun, with which he as if he could destroy the Wall. But Jon didn't believe him and simply said that he and the Watch would discuss his proposal for peaceful passage of the wildlings through the Wall. That's when we attacked.
I had three times as many cavalry as Stannis and so I used his tactics during that battle, taking a hundred-man Cotter Pike detachment with me and putting them in the front line so the Wildlings would think they were just being attacked by a large force of a few hundred sentinels. They took the fight thinking they could defeat us, but the reality was that a whole thousand of my men were following Cotter's men. Two more columns of a thousand each were coming into the Wildling camp from the other two sides, flank and rear.
The Wildlings were not going South to fight as they had planned, but three different directions-North, East, and Northeast.
The Wildling infantry lined up, covering the camp, while Mance's and Harma's Dog's Head units in turn attacked the other two directions of our attack. They would have been successful, but they had broken ranks. The Wildlings had nothing to oppose the mixed cavalry of knights, mounted archers and free riders, and the infantry that had been mounted and rushed to fight in the camp.
The eastern column, led by Mendon Moore, defeated Kharma's troop, and in this battle Kharma himself was slain by Mendon himself.
The northern column, led by myself, broke through a formation of enemy infantry. Mance's squad in the centre still held out for a while, helped by the giants on mammoths, but then the flank columns closed in behind him, the King's squad behind the Wall was defeated, and he himself was taken prisoner along with the surviving tribal leaders.
In the meantime, when our hastened men left the camp at the sign, the archers set fire to the Wildlings' camp with flaming arrows, and panic and flight ensued. We did not pursue the fugitives; it was too much trouble to pursue them, take them prisoner, or kill them.
The result of the battle was the total defeat and capture of more than half of the wildlings that had come with Mance, and Mance himself, and as a consequence, they were no longer a threat to the Night's Watch.
Our losses were not so great. John's squad had only four dozen dead, plus a similar number of wounded who needed first aid. The men I'd brought in, and the ones who'd fought at the Battle of the Wall, had taken a bit more. Mostly they were those who'd been unlucky enough to be ambushed in the wildlings' camp, and at the hands of the giants a total of fifteen hundred dead, three times as many wounded.
Just in time for the evening of the day we had defeated the wildlings, Mormont was able to get out of bed to meet me.
Gior commanded respect, even with his weakened appearance and wounds. He has a wounded side, a broken arm, and a swollen eye. He is a sixty-nine year old man with a broad bald forehead, pale blue eyes, equally pale tanless skin, and already sparse wisps of grey hair closer to his forehead, but still had shoulder length hair in the back. He was in good physical shape for his age, a typical pure-blooded northerner.
- It is a pleasure to welcome you Lord Blackheart to Castle Black. I am 997 Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, Gior Mormont. - his stewart brought me bread and salt, and I accepted the treat immediately. - Your help has been most welcome. We didn't expect anyone to come to us.
- We remember the long-standing treaties between our kingdoms and the Night's Watch, Lord Commander. It is our duty! - I smiled at him. - And I was all the more obliged to come here because none of those lords and kings thought to help you. As far as I know, Tywin Lannister was hoping that the Night's Watch would fall and the wildlings would break through to the North, distracting the North from the war with him and returning to their own lands. As you can see, Tywin is more concerned with his own skin, but he left out other important points about the threat from beyond the Wall.
- So you believe us about the dead? - the old man was a little surprised and even pleased, you could tell by the look in his eyes.
- Of course I do. Some doubts gnawed at me when we sailed here, of course. But when I saw the mythical mammoths and giants, I began to believe your reports even more. And I doubt you would write about such things out of senility and boredom.
Mormont sighed with relief.
- Have you lost many? - he asked. - I mean your men.
- Not too many, with John's losses totalling two hundred killed, the rest wounded, and they'll only be back in action for treatment. We have medicines and healers, so don't worry. By the way, we've arrived with a few more for the Watch from the Vale and the King's Lands. Nearly eight dozen in total. It's not much, but it's something.
- Thank you. Have you settled into the castle yet?
- Not yet. We've been more concerned with wounded, prisoners and spoils. But most of my men are already within Castle Black. I was thinking of asking your permission to use some of the Watch strongholds to the East and West of here, they don't seem to be used by you, and we could use them to house our forces and prisoners.
- I will, of course, arrange for you to be provided with escorts. Bowen Marsh will help you.
- Excellent. While we both have time, I'd like to clarify the matter of the Wildling prisoners.
- How many have been captured?
- Nearly half of those who came with Mance, including himself. - I explained to the sentinel. - The point is, there's war in the south and not enough men. I've been thinking for a while, and I've come to the conclusion that if the wildlings are fleeing even with their families from beyond the wall, then maybe I can help them and ease the Watch's lot?
- How would you do that?
- I will offer the wildlings to come over to our side, those who agree to serve faithfully and obey our laws in exchange for life, new lands and prosperity that they didn't have at Beyond the Wall, then we can take them with us. Those who won't either be executed or sent back to freeze to death north of here.
- Hmm. If you take responsibility, I'll help you with that. But be warned, the Wildlings are a savage people and they don't accept most laws south of the Wall.
- Oh. - I smiled my favourite wry smile. - Believe me, I know how to convince and persuade. Besides, we have accompanying events that push them into our hands. It would be foolish not to take advantage of such an opportunity.
- Well, I'll be glad if you can make it happen. There are many children, women, and old men among the wildlings who cannot fend for themselves, they are not to blame for their lives, they were just born beyond the Wall.
- We don't choose who we're born to be. - I nodded to him. - I was just another of Lord Frey's bastards until I started travelling and proved myself when I had the chance, then I got my name and land. And now I've made my way to the Hand of Queen Shireen.
- I'm glad you've made it this far. Few people can do that, it all depends on motivation, luck and intelligence. - I just shrugged my shoulders at that.
- Jon, for instance, was going to join the Watch before Ned Stark left for King's Landing. But we met and he became my squire, and recently I knighted him, and now he commands his own troop.
- He took after his father. - Gior smiled. - I knew Lord Stark personally, fought with him both during Robert's rebellion and Greyjoy's. He's a father figure, and a great leader. My men told me no one during the siege could think of disobeying him.
- I'm proud of my apprentice. - I nodded. I relied on him when I sent him here with the fastest ships.
- It worked out well for us. You're a very far-seeing man, despite your young age, how old are you?
- Nineteen. - I answered honestly.
- Ha! Not many people can boast such achievements at nineteen. - Now there was even more respect in his gaze.
- Well, Robb Stark became king at sixteen. It's a foolish move, though, and one he may pay for if he doesn't come to his senses.
- Starks are hard to sway, too stubborn. - Gior said.
- Maybe. - I answered evasively.
Well, if I can't sway any of the legitimate Starks, Jon, an illegitimate one, could be the new Guardian. Jon is a good man, honest, fair, with Stark blood in him, a good warrior and commander. We'll be fine with such a candidate if the Starks don't come to their senses. But let's not be in a hurry, things can still change...
We exchanged a few more words and went our separate ways. Already close to midnight, I was able to lie down in the Royal Tower. The last time the monarch had been here was a hundred years ago, and Tyrion had been here after him, if I'm not mistaken. Now I, Jon, Berrik, Mendon Moore, Thoros, Baelon Swann, Loras Tyrell, Emmon Q, Brienne of Tarth, a dozen other lords and commanders of my army, as well as Gior himself, for his dwelling had burned down and was still being repaired.
The prisoners slept at the site of the old camp, which had been restored a little, and part of the army was also there. It was the next day that I had time and energy to engage, or rather to continue to engage in the dislocation of my men and the prisoners. We were assigned four fortresses at once, two to the East - Oak Shield and Forest Watch by the Pond, as well as West of the Black Castle - Queen's Gate and Deep Lake.
And the transfer of men and prisoners took almost the entire day. During that day I began propaganda and recruitment of wildlings. I first suggested it to Mance personally in the presence of Thorne, John and Moore. Thorne, though he disapproved, decided to help us with it. Mance was stubborn, saying that the Free Folk don't bow their heads to anyone, but I knew that in the book they bowed their knee to Stannis. So I decided to blackmail Mance a little. He's a deserter from the Watch, after all, and he should be executed. I hinted that I could have him executed, and his wife Dalla and newborn child put outside the Wall, and anyone else who didn't come to our side and kneel. And I've even hinted that the Watch will not mind executing any wildlings who don't kneel, because if I don't need them, I'll hand them over to the Watch.
He gritted his teeth and said he needed time to think. He was led away. Thorne wasn't very happy about the Watch being mixed up in recruiting wildlings, but he wasn't going to quarrel with us. We had a few drinks, as they say to the meeting, and then we went our separate ways. I, accompanied by John, Mendon, and Loras and Brienne, who had joined us, went to announce the offer of oath directly to the wildlings, and we even released a couple of dozen wildlings with the same message so they could pass it on to those who ran away from us.
For the most part, we were told to fuck off. But there were some who swore an oath. Most surprisingly, it was primarily the Giants and Tormund the Giant Death. Tormund as it turned out had all the "civilians" and about four hundred fighters left alive, the Giants had only seven fighters and the same number of mammoths. John and his archers had done a good job in the early days of his involvement in the siege of Castle Black. And then there were the simple women and children who were frightened and wanted to live, for their husbands, fathers, sons and brothers had fallen on the battlefield and there was no one to worry about them.
But that was only the beginning. For the next three days, more civilians and already smaller units and tribes joined their fellow travellers. On the fourth day Mance dared to kneel before me in public, and then the ice broke and even the Tennes swore to me, but in the end almost a third of them decided to go back behind the Wall and left, I let them go, the rest swore. The ones who were beyond the Wall when I sent a message with the furloughed wildlings decided not to take the oath. Well, that's their loss.
In the end, I had an additional four thousand male fighters, as well as three thousand wildlings. Plus about ten thousand civilians. I sent a raven to Dragonstone for Davos to gather a little extra support for the fleet to ferry Shireen's new subjects to the Stormlands and the King's Lands.
Mance, by the way, had a new name and a new appearance, Heralt of Rivia, and his hair had been dyed white using some hydrogen peroxide I had stored in small quantities. At least I had thought to tell Quibernus about a couple of chemical compositions in my time, and he had taken to producing them. It was to keep the other lords and the Watch from getting too excited. Both Gior and Thorne were unhappy about it, because they wanted to execute Mance, but I persuaded them not to make a rash decision. It was hard, but I did it.
To top it all off, it turned out that about nearly a hundred people from my army (mostly militia from the Crownlands and old knights) decided to wear black of their own free will. After that I decided to help the Watch a bit more and ordered my guys to help repair the Black Castle and some other buildings in other castles. I also gave the Watch some of the catapults, scorpions, and Blackheart's Flames.
Then, while the new human transport ships arrived, I decided to get to know the wildlings, their traditions and leaders a little better so I could get to know them better and establish a relationship with them. I also decided to buy back some of the unneeded uniforms from the Watch, to provide them for the wildlings, as I didn't have enough of my own supplies, so I had to go back to brainwashing Thorn, who was probably swearing at me with every known and newly invented word. And, of course, I was personally involved in the training and discipline of the wildlings.
Oh, the trouble it caused me with them.
Robb Stark.
Robb hovered over a map of the Western Lands. Beside him stood his mother Catelyn Stark (Tully in maidenhood), Theon, squire Olliver, Little Jon Amber, Ruse Bolton, Brinden Tully, Wendell Manderly, and several other knight commanders of small scouting parties from the Riverlands.
They were now in the Golden Tooth. Robb had captured that castle and its occupant Alisanna Lefford two days ago, and had also defeated Jaime Lannister the day before, managing to capture him and a number of other important hostages who were now languishing in the dungeons of the Golden Tooth.
Robb had been planning new attacks on castles and lion squads, with scouts bringing regular new information about his enemy. And now the scouts brought news that puzzled him on the one hand, alarmed him on the second, and pleased him on the third.
The Iron Fleet had invaded the Western Lands. Baelon Greyjoy's fleet had seized Isle of Light, Sculla, Perdition Fortress, and Windfall, and had attempted to take Lannisport, but had failed, and it was reported that separate bands of ironborn had landed deep in the West, ravaging villages and attacking small bands of Lannister men.
After that, there was already a two-day argument between Robb, Theon, Little Amber on one side and everyone else on the other over Theon's suggestion that he go as an ambassador to his father and sway him towards an alliance and joint action. Then the forces would surely be strong enough not only to ravage Tywin Lannister's fiefdom and deprive him of the means to wage war, but also of territory. Some of the scions of the North's mountain clan leaders even began to hint at what lands they would like to take possession of.
The argument would have gone on and on if not for a messenger who suddenly rushed in, reeling like a horse.
- Your Grace...ha...ha...ha...ha...a message from Riverrun.
- Sent from Winterfell. - Robb said, and printed it out. - What? Robb's surprise was unrivalled.
- What's wrong, Robb? - Lady Catelyn snatched the message out of her son's hands, excitedly. - What?! But how?
- What happened Cat? - her uncle Brinden asked her.
- Blackheart's fleet headed for the wall. Maester Luwin reported that Blackheart had docked at Widow's Watch and Carhold on his voyage. As they know Blackheart rushed to the aid of the Night's Watch in the battle against the Wildlings.
- So he abandoned his queen and company in the Stormlands just for that? - Catelyn Stark's voice was full of scepticism. - He must want to take over the North! We need to go back and...
- He doesn't have the strength or the time to take the North. - Brinden cut her off. - He is a talented commander and a good warrior, but there are such things as the number of warriors and time. The rumours about him taking Storm's Edge are true. Now in fact most of the Stormlands and half of the King's Lands are now under the banner of Stag.
- He's all the more dangerous. He's taken a fortress that no one has ever taken in its history! And I've heard of Lord Frey's bastard. He's honoured everywhere, and his cruelty and bloodlust rivals Joffrey's.
- The likelihood of Blackheart wanting to take over the North is slim. - Robb muttered. - But still, we cannot ignore it. Lord Bolton, is your son in Sigard's neighbourhood now?
- He is. - Ruse Bolton nodded. - He has at his command a gathering of Dreadfordians, Lady Dustin's men and the Highland Clans, nearly five thousand men.
- Let them load onto ships and sail for the North, they will have to drive Blackheart out of the North. I'll send a raven to Winterfell for Ser Rodrik to gather banners and help your son. Together they will destroy Blackheart and the threat from Shireen Baratheon. Selyse and her entourage will lose their Hand, the best commander and the strongest part of the army. Without him, morale and strength in their ranks will plummet, and there will be little to fear about a strike from the east on the Riverlands.
- In the Riverlands, the newly proclaimed Lord Hawk still sits. - Caitlin grimaced. - He sits in Harrenhal and threatens Riverrun.
- The man has barely five thousand across the territory he occupies with the lords and knight houses that have sided with him. - Robb waved him off. - After Blackheart's death, they'll scatter and come to us again. Besides, as long as Hawke is there, Tywin will attack him first, which means he'll be bogged down near Harrenhal.
- But that's only if he decides to lay siege to that castle. - Ruse has made a point.
- Yes. But I still think we should leave Hawke alone for now. Send some of our forces back to the North to defeat Blackheart and make an alliance with Baelon. - Theon's cheered up.
- But Robb.
- I've already made up my mind, Mother. Theon? Get ready, I'll write a message to your father, we'll need the ironborn to deal with the Lannisters.
Robb listened to the disgruntled councillors, including his mother and great-uncle, for a while longer, then dissolved the council and went to put his thoughts in order with the one person who could calm his heart - Talisa Maegyr.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone