The Age of Daenerys Targaryen

Part 35: Pentos

"The Imperials will be here tomorrow", Gendry Baratheon told his assembled officers.

Everyone in the command tent already knew that, of course. For weeks it had been common knowledge that Daenerys Targaryen was advancing on Pentos with an army of eighty thousand men. After the Imperial Field Marshal was wounded, the Dragon Empress had taken over command of her troops herself.

With the death of Lord Harlik, command of the Alliance Army in the west passed to Gendry. At least until Lord Royce recovered from his injuries.

With that, the Lord of Storm's End was now responsible for the defense of Pentos. He knew that the city also had a symbolic meaning for the Imperials, as it was the place where Daenerys was resurrected after she was stabbed in the heart by Jon Snow. So the enemy would be motivated ... maybe over-motivated.

Gendry did not consider himself a great general. He knew full well that his position had only come because he was Lord of the stormlands and the son of Robert Baratheon. Aware of his inexperience, he always listened to the advice and opinions of his subordinates ... even if in the end all decisions he had to make alone.

"And when they arrive ... do you really want to stand in front of the city walls for battle?", asked Ser Daris, a cautious old knight from the westerlands. "Wouldn't it be wiser to post us ON the walls?"

"Yes, Ser Daris", Gendry replied impatiently. "I don't want to put Pentos in danger. The last thing we need is a second King's Landing. In addition, our cavalry is best used on the open battlefield." He turned to a young nobleman from the riverlands. "Lord Jarden, have all the scorpions been placed and ready for action?"

"Yes, my lord", the man confirmed with a grin. "Our little surprise for Her Imperial Majesty has been prepared."

"And you are quite sure that she doesn't spot the ballistae too early from the air?"

"Everything was done to hide the devices. We covered them with camouflage nets so that the weapons are ready for use without delay. In addition, our conventional scorpions should attract the attention of the Empress."

"Well. Let the men know: Whoever hits Drogon will be knighted and given a castle in the stormlands. Let's talk about the battle formation. Our cavalry should..."

"It seems like they are going to face battle in front of the city walls", Daenerys told General Pramo and the other officers after returning from her scouting flight with Drogon.

"That is good, my Empress", said the General in a throaty voice. Pramo was a Dothraki with the typical bronze skin, almond-shaped eyes and black hair of his people. He reminded Daenerys a little of Drogo. "For having the courage to face us openly instead of cowardly hiding behind stone walls, I show them respect. How many are there?"

"Sixty thousand, I guess," said the Empress. Daenerys also preferred the enemy to stand in the field. She had promised Illyrio that she would do as little harm as possible to his hometown. In addition, many followers of the Lord of Light lived in Pentos, even if the authorities had closed the Red Temple and executed, imprisoned or exiled the priests for supporting Daenerys and the New Valyrian Empire. The Empress would rather move into the city as a liberator than as a conqueror.

"Most are foot soldiers", she continued. "They have about eight thousand riders, apparently all heavily armored. That means..."

The Battle of Pentos began as if the leaders were guided by a textbook. Both armies first shot each other with arrows, bolts and catapult rounds before the Alliance and Empire's melee infantry clashed. Meanwhile, Drogon was floating high in the sky, staying out of reach of the scorpions.

Far fewer soldiers were involved in this battle than at Volon Therys, but by the standards of Westeros, where an army of twenty thousand men was already considered to be huge, it was a tremendous battle. The front line stretched for more than a mile. A mile of fierce, bloody hand-to-hand combat ... but that wasn't where the battle would be decided.

General Pramo formed his riders for a flank attack. He hoped to bypass enemy lines and reach the scorpions.

"They're swallowing the bait", Gendry stated.

"Yes, my lord", confirmed Jarden, riding alongside the Lord of Storm's End. "But the Imperials have twice as many riders as we do."

"Their cavalry is only lightly armed. Our knights therefore have an advantage."

"Unless they keep their distance and shoot us with arrows from the saddle", Jarden pointed out.

"Haven't we discussed that already?", Gendry replied. "In that case our own shooters will give us cover."

They watched in silence as the Imperial cavalry circled the eastern flank of the battlefield and attacked the scorpion positions. Gendry waited until the enemy had bitten into his prey, then gave the signal to attack. The Alliance's heavy cavalry struck the Dothraki in the rear, lances in-place. But the scorpions were already destroyed and the way for Drogon seemed clear ... just as Gendry and his officers had planned.

Daenerys watched from the sky as General Pramo overran the enemy scorpion positions and was then attacked by the knights. Wedged between the Alliance infantry and cavalry, he threatened to be overwhelmed, but the scorpions were apparently eliminated.

The Empress made Drogon nosedive. She would take on the knights first. Just as she was about to let the dragon spew its fiery breath, a dozen massive bolts whizzed toward her.

What the hell?!, she thought, when one of the projectiles hit Drogon's right wing while another just missed Daenerys 'head. And then the dragon screamed as a bolt struck it in the chest.

With the images of Rhaegal's death at Dragonstone in mind, the Empress steered Drogon south, just away from this ambush!

The knights around Gendry burst into loud cheers as the first volley of the large ballistae firing several bolts at once, which had been camouflaged to wait for their use, scored hits. Hot dragon blood rained from the sky. Drogon screamed in pain and fled the battlefield.

The Lord of Storm's End continued his attack on the Dothraki. The Imperial cavalry was mercilessly wiped out. Of the nearly twenty thousand horsemen, barely four thousand escaped. General Pramo was also among the dead.

With their general fallen and Daenerys routed, the rest of the Imperial Army had to withdraw. The Alliance did not want to let them go, of course, and so an hours-long, costly rearguard action ensued. It spoke for the discipline of the Imperials that their ranks did not break apart despite the constant attacks of the heavily armored knights. In the end, two-thirds of the Imperial soldiers managed to avoid death and capture. But the Empire's streak of victories, which had been going on for a year, was over, the day belonged to the Alliance.