300 AC
RIVERLANDS
GODS EYE
KEVAN LANNISTER
His orders were clear. He had to break through the enemy's left flank and encircle the forces occupying the Stark center.
Kevan, just like everyone, was surprised when he saw the banners of House Royce, mixed with the banners of various Houses of The Trident.
It looks like Yohn Royce is a loyal friend of Eddard Stark, even after his death.
A fleeting thought ran through his head. He hoped that Littlefinger had managed to stop the rest of the Houses of Vale from assisting Stark. If not, all the fighting will be futile.
The sound of the allied horns quickly shook Kevan out of his dark thoughts.
He looked and saw the forces of The Narrow Sea, Crownlands and Stormlands, men under his command, were approaching the enemy.
As they closed in, a barrage of arrows from the enemy archers took the lives of hundreds of men. The enemy archers fired two more volleys, before they retreated, back from the frontlines.
Now that the enemy has revealed its fangs, it was time for a payback.
Kevan raised his sword in an unspoken command and the archers and crossbow men, that were accompanying him fired a volley of arrows of their own, and as a retribution for their fallen comrades.
His men moved slowly, steadily but surely, shields raised to avoid enemy arrows. But even then, hundreds died to the deadly projectiles.
As his men were struggling to overcome the enemy arrows, the enemy unveiled one of their secret weapons. Catapults.
Kevan watched in horror as several huge blocks of stone were launched, at a very high speed, on the men that he commanded. Hundred of men were instantly crushed, their armour and shields doing little to stop the heavy stones.
Bile rise in Kevan's throat, as he saw the aftermath of the catapult barrages. The men who were hit by the stones, had their entrails and guts, splattered out of their body and on the field, as they were crushed by the heavy stones.
Kevan saw his men were all looking at him, waiting for his command. He has little choice in this matter. They had to charge now because if they advanced slowly, they will be continuously pelted by stones and arrows.
So throwing all thoughts of self preservation, Kevan gave his command.
"Charge!!!" He shouted.
All his men shouted in return, and as one thousands of men charged at the enemy, at the same time, yelling their loud battle cries.
The men slammed on the enemy shield wall uselessly. They tried to force their way and make gaps in the enemy lines, but the enemy stood strong and repelled their charge each time.
The trenches that the enemy had dug in the frontline, is making it difficult for his men, to stand properly, let alone fight the enemy in a straight fight.
The enemy had made their frontline in a tight formation, with pikes and shields in the first, second and perhaps even the third line. And it did not please Kevan to let his men charge in such a tight defensible formation.
But they could not remain standing, otherwise they will be massacred by enemy arrows, javelins and catapults.
If Kevan had his way, he would have used the two thousand heavy horsemen, reserved under Tywin to break this tight formation.
YOU ARE READING
THE NORTHERN CRUSADE
ActionThe North has always endured. They had survived the Long Night, they had resisted the might of the Andals. The North had also toppled the Targaryens who have ruled over them for 250 years. With the arrest of Lord Eddard Stark, the banners of Winter...
