Capítulo 91: Battle of Seagard 1
Lord Stark just passed the Twins without stopping when the news of the "victory" near the Fair isle reached them.
Knowing the details of the battle he cursed himself for listening to Cat and blocking the Dustin's and the other houses from increasing their fleet numbers, maybe if he wouldn't be so careful the situation might look more favorable to them, but what's done is done.
Sitting on his horse he really wished to help his nephew in his time of need, but King's orders were more important than anything else, and since his childhood friend wanted the Northmen in Seagard he would lead them there.
About 26.000 men answered the call of their King and traveled with their Lords south, the problem was that, without the supplies they bought on the way, and the Dustin's aid, he would have to wait longer in Moat Cailin for the transports, the simple fact made Ned feel even worse about his duty and being unable to do as he pleased.
14.000 of his army were the ones close to his nephew, so there was no reason to question their loyalty like Lady Stark advised him before he left Winterfell.
The marching in this weather made everyone tired and gloomy, and the discontent among some of his Lords didn't help.
Already on the first day the Karstarks and Umbers were at Lord Bolton throat. Then the Hornwoods and Manderly's, Forresters and Whitehill's.
There was never an end to the conflict. Eddard was aware of the discontent of the alliance families for keeping them with him and not allowing them to march further up to Neverwinter, but that was what was expected of him as the Warden of the North.
Thankfully none of them showed any of it in front of him, but that didn't solve his problems.
There was a clear division between his Lords, the ones close to the Dustin's better trained and equipped, the constantly delivered supply's from the merchants flying yellow banners made all the Lords jealous, that, untill their men and themselves were asked to partake in the feast, with some exceptions of course.
Eddard just wanted to get to Seagard as soon as possible and leave all of that behind.
'Two more days' he repeated to himself everytime he was close to losing his calmness and flaring up.
"My Lord! My Lord!" Ned turned to see Jory Cassel galloping to him splashing the mud along the way. "My Lord! News!" the man handed the parchment to his Lord.
Eddard rolled it open and read calmly. He expected something to happen, this was war after all so he was sure nothing will just go as planned.
- - -
"My Lord! Wake up! My Lord!"
The loud knocking on the doors to his bed chamber woke the man instantly.
It only took a moment for this experienced Lord and knight to get his bearing and move like on autopilot.
The older, handsome man looked at the maid laying naked on the other side of his bed as a small smirk came to his lips remembering how flexible this young girl was.
Since his wife died, his love died with her and everything after was only carnal pleasure for the Lord of Seagard.
Jason looked to the window and it was close to dawn.
After opening the door he saw his steward fidgeting impatiently.
"My Lord, fire on the horizon!"
This one sentence from his aid and old friend was enough to wake Jason up.
Lord Mallister already expected an attack from the Ironborn, and if it was few days back he probably would prepare himself for a gory and difficult battle, but not now.
Days back when Jason thought about the bitter reality of the situation, still sending ravens almost begging other Lords for aid without clear reply, all the sleepless nights were rewarded.
The knight didn't count on his peers for help, counting on Late Walder wasn't an option as well, the fucker would probably want to sell one of his children in marriage like he always did.
The rest of Riverland Lords preferred to backtrack and join the King showing their arse kissing skills to the fullest.
'Fools, all of them' the thought was his everyday companion at that time.
But one day, when he was writing another letter to the King and Lord Tully asking for reinforcements, the great horn of the gate guards rung out.
When Jason and his son Patrek joined their men on top of the wall ready for battle his eyes saw rows upon rows of yellow clad soldiers.
Even today he remembered his guard's trembling voice as the tension from him as well as from his men released it's murderous grip from their throats.
"The Dustin's from Oldstones answered our call m'lord!" the Lord couldn't show his relief, only his son that stood next to him saw his shaking hands before his father gripped the hilt of his sword to stabilize his excitement.
That was few days ago, and since then 2.000 additional men guarded his shores.
Jason quickly dressed with his servants help, donning his armour with his sword in his hand he came to the Seagard port.
Even from the castle hill he could see the orange-red hue on the horizon.
Lord Mallister didn't even notice his son joining him, he only tried to figure out what was the situation.
"Father, the Ironborn?" Patrek was very nervous, it was his first war after all.
"Who else? Order our fleet to sail immediately!" Jason answered his son's question and ordered his fleet to mobilize in the same breath.
"It must be the Northern fleet and Ironborn, they were supposed to arrive about this time." Lord Mallister didn't wait and moved to the port shouting his orders along the way.
"Patrek, stay here and command the defenders if the squids brake through." Lord Mallister turned and took a longer look at his son.
No more words were needed between them, this was war.
- - - Northern Fleet - - -
There was an eerie silence all around, the pitch black night made Brendan really grateful as his fleet shortened the distance between them and the Iroborn stationary ships.
This time his predictions were correct and with relieved heart he read the report from his wargs about 150 Ironborn ships sailing from Pyke directly to Seagard.
It was fairly easy for his fleet to catch up, they traveled even during the night as the older type Northern ships from the other houses relied heavily on his Frigates to navigate, and his Frigates on their wargs to lead them, and finally the time came for blood to be spilled.
Brendan heard whispers of his men, his hand was already gripping his bow as he waited for Lord Seaworth to give his command to attack.
Lord Dustin looked around, and even in the darkness he recognized the figures around him.
Oro and Amo finally adjusted to sailing and were now more or less fine, Noya guarded his back like she usually did.
Obara, Nymeria and Tyene were not far away with a group of Legionaries and some of Davos best Marines watching their back.
Well, the same could be said about him as all his Praetorians from the 1st Invicta Legion were on Black Betha with Brendan.
The time seemed to slow down to a crawl as they came closer and closer already hearing the Ironborn sentries muffled voices.
The plan was simple, first the Frigates will rain the scorpion bolts on the Ironborn covering the rest of their fleet as they approach the squids and start cutting them down.
No fire initially would be used during the ranged attack they might be spotted for one and truthfully the fire was more threatening for them then the squids, but the boarding parties were to reek as much havoc as they could preferably burning the Kraken sail ships.
The dark night was their ally, and before the Iron scums know what hit them they should already be visiting their Drown God.
It was time...
"Loose!" Brendan heard Davos shout ring out, like a primal beast roar spreading around their fleet in the calm and quiet night followed by multiple sounds of something like a hammer hitting the metal and swishing sound ended by broken wood and cries of men.
Only now came the calmness that he missed so much from his previous battles.
Finally Lord Dustin felt his mind clear up and work normally.
For the passed days he wasn't himself, now at least he knew why doctors don't operate on their family members, the same situation applied to him and he was grateful for his advisors to have the courage to stop him.
Shouts of alarms and hastened movement of men disturbed the calmness of the night, every moment there were painful bellows from the other side.
Fires spread momentary when the large bolts hit the men with torches or the fire braziers onboard the Iron ships.
Leaning from behind his cover Brendan drew his goldenheart wood bow and released the projectile just as fast.
He didn't see his arrow cut through the air, but the man he aimed at that was just running on the burning ship dropped a second later never to get up again.
Time passed as he was nocking another arrow repeatedly doing the same acting again and again.
Brendan watched as the squids tried to mount a counter attack, some arrows were released in their general direction, but from what it looked like they were unaware of his fleet's position yet.
It wasn't as easy to sink a ship as it looked like on the movies in his old world, wood floats and it took a lot of repeated damage to bring one down.
The element of surprise slowly left their side, but even so they did their part splendidly.
Many of Ironborn ships, now in splinters floated on the water still burning, he didn't knew how many, but before the squids knew what hit them and started to move accordingly at least 30 or more of their ships were out of the fight.
Releasing arrow after arrow Brendan watched as the enemy moved their ships under the rain of arrows and bolts.
The rest of the Northern fleet passed by Black Betha at the same time.
First, green sails with a roaring black bear charger at the Iron fleet, shouts of vigor and revenge deafening the cries of pain and begging for help from their counterpart.
The calmness in the chaos of battle was so familiar to him as his mother's embrace.
Ship after ship emerged from behind Dustin Frigates, different types of warships sailed directly at the enemy rumming them one after the other before the squids finished turning their way.
Even in the middle of the night the burning ships now lightened the surroundings making it almost as clear as a day.
Small tremble on the Dustin's commander flagship indicated that they started to move as well after the last Ryswell galley passed them.
The Frigates were taller, stronger and faster then as Brendan though about them the old type "medieval" vessels making his 35 ships perfect for releasing barrage after barrage of arrows onto the decks of Iron ships below them from the higher ground and that was exactly what they did.
Like predators they hunted and cleaned deck after deck until no movement was visible and then they moved onto the next one.
The young Lord didn't count how many men he killed, how many quivers of arrows he used. Even his numbed fingers in his leather gloves hurt every time he drew his bow.
The sounds of battle, cry's of wounded or dying men and the smoke bringing with it the smell of burning wood and flesh kept him on his toes.
How long passed from the first attack? No one thought about such a thing.
"Prepare for boarding!" the command came from the ships bridge.
Brendan looked around and finally noticed their target, there, in front of them the biggest Ironborn ship he saw up till now.
There was already Black Bear, the flagship of the Mormonts attached to it and the intense fighting took place aboard the ship, next to it Long Bow, the command ship of the Glenmores struggled against two Kraken sails vessels from which the Iron scum tried to charge onto it.
Thankfully one on Dustin Frigates provided cover for them by releasing it's arrows on the attached boards placed there as a passage for the squids.
As they were passing the group, lines with hooks were thrown attaching Black Betha to them making them now a part of this cluster.
As a strong tug stopped their ship, bringing with it the sound of wood colliding Lord Dustin isolated his thoughts and the sound from the outside, stabilized his shaking legs and grabbed a battle axe and a shield before jumping down directly splitting the head of an Ironborn that was about to finish off a Mormon man.
As he observe the so familiar feeling of the time slowing down he felt at peace, and this was only the begining.
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