章 483: Chapter 483: The Battle of Nightsong
The Tyrell reinforcements were repelled, and the current Lord of Horn Hill, Samwell Tarly, was captured in battle, imprisoned in the Dornish camp.
Ever since the battle of Riverrun, when the former Lord of Horn Hill, Randyll Tarly, vanished without a trace, Samwell Tarly, the eldest son, became the new Lord with his mother's support.
Dorne demanded the Tarly army's withdrawal, threatening to chop off their Lord's head with a single stroke. The Tarly forces had no choice but to retreat.
On the other hand, the Dornish side was constantly receiving victorious reports.
Long ago, Anders Yronwood, the Earl, had planted an inside man in Nightsong, who burned countless provisions and supplies under the cover of night, then vanished without a trace.
The frontier commander, Bryce Caron, was furious, swearing to find this traitor. He hanged over thirty people, including the warehouse guards and the steward, but still couldn't locate the Dornish spy.
Now, the most pressing concern was not finding the spy but what to eat next.
The number of soldiers within Nightsong was great, but supplies were scarce. Though they could call on their liege lord, Randyll, for aid, the distance was too great, and they had to face Dornish cavalry's harassment.
Therefore, Bryce Caron, the Earl, was forced to open the gates and march out for battle. Both sides commenced their standoff beneath Nightsong.
Soon, the horns sounded, and a fierce battle erupted.
The Dornish favored metallic round shields. The endless Dornish army, wielding shields and long spears or short javelins, surged towards the frontier army. Dornish archers, holding double-curved longbows, drew their strings and notched their arrows.
*Thump, thump, thump—*
A dark rain of arrows fell like a covering cloud. The frontier soldiers held up their shields to block the arrow storm, the shafts striking the shields with a crisp sound.
*Splurch—*
Still, some stray arrows penetrated the shield wall, falling into the crowd below, followed by screams as soldiers fell.
"Kill!"
The frontier soldiers fiercely retaliated as the Dornish forces surged forward, and the battle cries shook the earth.
This was the largest-scale battle on the land of Westeros since the Battle of Riverrun months ago, with tens of thousands of troops clashing.
Damon Sand, the baseborn son of Godsgrace, brandished a curved blade, leading the charge and slicing the throats of two frontier soldiers. He hoped to gain his father's approval, not be sent to groom horses again.
However, at that moment, an ugly knight covered in pox marks charged from Damon's side. Wearing dark gold armor and wielding sword and shield, he was exceptionally brave.
"Come!"
"Godsgrace's bastard! Dare you fight me?"
He recognized Damon Sand's identity. Damon's father, a Dornish cavalry commander, had caused much trouble to the frontier nobles, repeatedly harassing their supply lines and burning villages.
Damon Sand, though young and often at his father's side, fought bravely and had gained some renown in this war.
"Roland, my Lord!"
Seeing the knight in dark gold armor step forward to challenge the enemy's champion, cheers erupted from the frontier army.
His name was Roland Storm, also a baseborn, a son of the former Lord Byron Caron and half-brother to the current Lord Bryce Caron. He was known as "Nightsong's Bastard."
He was also a brave warrior and had once been called an experienced killer by the Dornish commander, Anders Yronwood.
But the young Dornish warrior, Damon Sand, was also proud and arrogant. Hearing the challenge, especially the emphasis on "Godsgrace's bastard," he became enraged.
"Roland!"
"Come! Let us decide the victor!"
Then Damon Sand, swinging his curved blade, charged at Roland Storm.
Nightsong's Bastard, wearing heavy plate armor, stood firmly on the ground, his face calm. He discarded his shield, gripping his longsword with both hands.
"Kill!"
Then, with a thunderous roar, their weapons clashed.
*Clang—*
Roland Storm's strength was immense. With a heavy swing, he cleaved through Damon Sand's curved blade, simultaneously beheading his warhorse.
Without even a whinny of pain, hot blood sprayed like a fountain, and the horse's heavy body fell to the ground.
Damon Sand, thrown from the horse, tumbled to the ground, stars dancing before his eyes.
"Ptui—"
He spat out a mouthful of sand, but before he could rise, Roland Storm, sword in hand, strode toward him.
"Spare me!"
"I surrender!"
"I've surrendered!"
Damon Sand, seeing this, knelt, raising his hands in surrender, but Roland Storm paid him no heed. He raised his longsword high and brought it down.
*Splurch—*
With one stroke, he beheaded him. Blood spurted out, and the body fell to the ground. Nightsong's Bastard had slain Godsgrace's Bastard.
However, although the frontier army won the battle of bastards, they did not win the war.
With the Riverlands' reinforcements beaten back and supplies failing to arrive, the frontier army, outnumbered, had already performed admirably.
Yet war ultimately depends on soldier quality and quantity, weapons, equipment, and logistics. While strategy can influence a battle, it boils down to real strength.
The frontier nobles suffered a bitter defeat, losing Nightsong, and were forced to retreat to the rear at Blackcrown.
The Dornish army pursued briefly but did not continue to chase and enlarge their victory. Instead, they headed northwest towards Highgarden.
Situated on the Riverlands' plains, Highgarden was considered the most beautiful castle in the Seven Kingdoms, built entirely of white marble and filled with art, music, and culture.
Countless poems, tunes, and novels often used it as a backdrop, narrating knights' martial prowess, virtues, and loyalty, and their love stories with beautiful noble ladies.
However, now, faced with the Dornish army, Highgarden had neither strong natural defenses nor tall walls to hold.
With Nightsong defeated, the Seven Kingdoms' most beautiful castle suddenly found itself in grave peril.
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