Chương 42: The Black Leviathan
King's Landing, The Cronwlands
Just as Tyrion arrives in Cersei's room, she insults him "You monster! Myrcella's my only daughter. Do you really think I'll let you sell her like a common whore?"
"Myrcella's a princess. Some would say that she was born for this." Tyrion responded.
"I will not let you ship her off to Dorne as I was shipped off to Robert Baratheon."
When Tyrion heard 'Dorne', he immediately understood whom in the small council betrayed him. He proposed Trystane Martell to Pycelle, Theon Greyjoy to Varys and Jon Stark to Baelish.
He answers her "Dorne's the safest place for her. It is the only Kingdom who hasn't made a single move since Robert Baratheon died."
"Are you mad? The Martell loathe us."
"That's why we need to seduce them. We're going to need their support in the war."
"She'll be a hostage."
"A guest."
Cersei, seething, said 'You won't get away with this. You think the piece of paper father gave you keeps you safe?"
"It's done Cersei. You cannot stop it."
Cersei furious started to shout "NO!" and throwing glasses on the ground. Tyrion walks to face her "Just how safe do you think Myrcella if this city falls? Do you wish to see her raped? Butcher like the Targaryen children? Make no mistake, they'll parade her pretty little head just beside yours."
Cersei screams "GET OUT!" and pushes Tyrion who decides to leave.
~
Fairmarket, The Northern Realms
"Renly Baratheon's dead." Aryan announced to the shock of his room who is now consisted of William Dustin, Jon Stark, Robb Stark, Greatjon Umber, Rodrick Ryswell and Rickard Karstark. Ned Stark decided to hold the Moat.
"How?" questioned Robb.
"Reports differ. People say that three of Renly Rainbow's guard turn on him and the only one who survived and ran away, Brienne of Tarth, swears it was his shadow." Aryan answered.
"Stannis has a shadowbinder. It may very well be possible." Jon said.
Aryan raised an eyebrow but the Greatjon responded "Stannis, a kinslayer? That uptight cunt?"
Seeing people starting to argue, Aryan put a stop to it "It doesn't matter how he died. What matters is the consequences of his death. Stannis has the full might of the Stormlands and the Lords of the Narrow Sea behind him. He also now have House Florent, House Fossoway and a couple knightly houses of the Reach as well as Sallador Saan's fleet. He aims for King's Landing now. Tywin is still trapped in Harrenhall. But is seems that not all hope are lost for the Lannisters. Baelish met with the Queen of Thrones when news of Renly's death arrived at Highgarden and brokered a marriage alliance between Joffrey and Margeary."
Rickard Karstark scoffed "Of course they would. Upstart Tyrells."
Before anyone could raise their voices in agreement, William Dustin said "They didn't have any other choice."
Seeing everyone looking at him, Aryan continued William's point "He's right. Don't get me wrong, I would also like to make fun of the Poole's of the Reach but they don't have any choice. They couldn't declare neutrality after throwing their lot with Renly. The three greatest block of this War fought against the Tyrell during the Rebellion and would punish them if they choose neutrality now. They can't ally with Stannis, he hates them for the siege of Storm's End and would put his wife's family as the new Warden of the South and all other idiotic titles. Loras Tyrell, in his wrath, killed Robar Royce, the price for an alliance with the Arryn-Tully block will be his head as I imagine Harrold Arryn would want revenge for his goodbrother's death. So they have no choice in throwing their lot with the Lannisters."
Seeing everyone contemplating Aryan smirks and says "Well, let us talk about our lands. The squids should attack right about now."
And he saw in the face of everyone a wolfish grin.
~
Cape Kraken, The Northern Realms
Lord Gorold Goodbrother was leading the ironborn raid to Port Iron, the newest naval port of the North, built on Cape Kraken. He was leading more than a thousand ironborn to sack the Port. He was glad that the fog shrouded the ships as attacking this fort would be suicidal as it was built around numerous natural defenses. He understood that without the fog he would have been bait to be slaughtered by the Northern Fleet to allow Victarion to sail to the Saltspear to attack Moat Cailin. The thought of taking revenge for what the Northeners did during their rebellion excited him immensely. He looked in the sky and discovered that the same birds have been following them since they sailed from Pyke. He found it strange but didn't think more about it.
Suddenly, he saw ballista bolts beginning to fly through the air and hitting ships and men followed by the shouting and screaming of his men.
"How do they know where we are in this fog? How can they hit so accurately?"
Confusion reigned as different orders where shouted from the captains, a few were calling their vessels to halt, others were calling to advance as quickly as possible, while others ordered their ships to retreat. Ships began to collide with each other and making them sitting ducks.
Quicky evaluating the situation, Lord Goodbrother knew that he only had one option, retreat.
"Retreat you fools, retreat! Turn about the ships!" he shouted and everyone followed his orders despite some ironborn muttering about cowardice. Suddenly more ballista bolts came flying from the other side and through the fog he clearly saw dozens of ships with direwolves banners.
He then sighed and quietly when he saw another round of ballista hitting the ships from both sides, he said "No ironborn are going to escape today, prepare to meet the Drowned God in his halls."
~
Moat Cailin, The Northern Realms
Victarion Greyjoy was fleeing from the Northeners. His attack at the Moat didn't do a single damage. The Northeners were ready for him. He lost more than a third of his crew from the ballista of the Moat and another third will soon die from the poisoned arrows of the crannogmen. The only good news is that Theon managed to escape and join his ship.
~
Torrhen's Square, The Northern Realms
An Ironborn Fleet was floating down the river to Torrhen's Square but there was tenseness in the air, the men knew something was wrong, the several villages that they saw along the banks had all been abandoned, so they knew that the Northeners were expecting them.
At the front of this armada was a longship with a boney white hand painted on red sails. Upon this ship was the Lord of Old Wyk, Lord Denys Drumm who wished to have revenge on the northeners and to take back his sword.
Suddenly he heard that a bridge with towers was seen, he immediately ordered his men to prepare for battle as the reavers were cheering, confident in their victory. The towers could barely hold a few hundred men while they were several thousand.
Once they were in range, the Ironborn fired at the Towers, arrows were fired back. The ships were getting closer and they would soon storm the towers and open the bridge.
Then suddenly a flaming arrow was shot over the towers and the river was ignited. The flames spread quickly and soon the entire vanguard was aflame.
"The shore, bank the ships on the shore!" shouted Lord Drumm. They were disorganized and divided in two separate shores. Just as they were trying to calm themselves, they heard a horn coming from both sides of the banks. Each sides having more than ten thousand soldiers. From the western side of the banks they could see the prominent banners of House Dustin, House Ryswell and House Cerwyn. While on the eastern sides they were led by a woman and a monster of a man and were branding banners of the Mountain Clans, Burley, Flint, Knott, Wull, Norrey, Liddle and Harclay.
They were still a couple thousand ironborn alive. Suddenly the western army of the North started to march to attack the Ironborn and cutting through the disorganized Ironborn with spectacular ease. The Ironborn on the rear were retreating with the few ships that they still had. On the eastern side, the woman at the front of the army, Tania Wull spread her arms around and screamed "IT'S TIME FOR A BLOODBATH!" and the army of the mountains attacked behind Rozo, who with his giant glaive cut through half a dozen Ironborn with each swing and behind him the troops of the Mountain butchered the Ironborn who also ran away but a lot less survived this rampage than on the western side. As Tania Wull watched the less than a thousand Ironborn retreat she couldn't help but smirk.
~
Wolf's Bay, the Stony Shore, The Northern Realms
Asha Greyjoy was gritting her teeth in frustration, she was thoroughly defeated by Benjen Stark, she barely did any damage to the Fleet or the Fort while losing a third of her crew. She decided to cut her losses and retreat, knowing that she had no chance of taking this castle from Benjen Stark.
~
Deepwood Motte, The Northern Realms
The Ironborn were sieging the Motte but they have yet to breach it. Yet the Motte wouldn't fall, Lord Robbett Glover was destroying the Ironborn and wasn't giving a single inch to the reavers.
The battle went on for two hours before the Mormont arrived and attacked the Ironborn at their rear with impunity, Robbett Glover decided to go on the offensive and with the strengths of both Houses slaughtered the Ironborn.
~
The Sunset Sea, Sea Dragon Point, The Northern Realms
Harras Harlaw was leading the biggest fleet of reavers to Sea Dragon Point to reave the place as they see fit. His uncle didn't want to answer Balon's call but Harras went against him to pillage the North. He wanted to show the greenlanders that the Ironborn will always rule supreme in the sea and that their might and pride didn't die in Harrenhall with House Hoare or with the Red Kraken.
"Lord Harlaw, fleet spotted." a voice yelled and he looked and spotted a northern fleet, a little bit smaller than his but the biggest ship was a monster, the flag was a grey wolf with a sea Dragon behind it
"Signal the men, we are going to battle !" He screamed and the Ironborn were cheering when suddenly a giant monster got out of the water and started destroying Ironborn ships one by one.
At the same time in the biggest Northern ship, Torrhen Stark, while warging, was smiling "Lay waste to these fools, my friend." As the Northern ships saw the Leviathan attacking the Ironborn they also started to advance and fire ballista bolts to them and destroying them.
The Ironborn started to fire back at the beast and at the northern ships, they made the beast retreat in the water, with a couple of injuries, none life-threatening. They saw Northern ships in front of them and Harras Harlaw and Torrhen Stark ships collide with the northeners attacking the Ironborn. Torrhen easily cut through the reavers when he saw a shining blue blade kill one of his crewmate.
"HARLAW!" he screamed and attacked him, he was the better swordsman and he was faster but Harras had Nightfall and the longer the fight took, the worst it was for him, Torrhen continued to attack and finally threw a punch in the face of Harras who got winded out he then swing his sword and cut off the Ironborn's hand. He then took Nightfall and beheaded him and showed the head and screamed victory while the northeners continued to butcher the Ironborn who lost their will to fight seeing their rear running away.
A few hours later, the Northeners were getting back to Sea Dragon Point but Torrhen with his new sword, Nightfall, in his hip was looking at the Sunset Sea and was amazed by how calm it was.
But he didn't know that this is just the calm before the storm. The calm before the fated meeting that will decide which course the Seven Kingdoms will take. Soon a battle will take place in this sea that will determine the future of the Sunset, Westeros and the Fourteen Seas.
Because soon, in a couple of years, the Black Leviathan and the Crow's Eye will collide.
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