The Age of Daenerys Targaryen

Part 53: The Mother of All Battles

Sansa Stark lay in the dust, paralyzed and her ears ringing. Something heavy lay on her and held her to the ground. It took the queen a moment to remember it was Ser Rickon.

"Your Grace!", she heard the voice of Lord Royce indistinctly. "Your Grace, can you hear me?"

"Yes", Sansa gasped.

"Thanks to the Seven!" Someone pulled Rickon off Sansa, then strong hands helped her on her feet. She saw the leader of her bodyguard lying on the ground motionless and with empty eyes. Blood ran from the dead knight's mouth and nose, and shards of metal stuck all over his body that had even penetrated his armor.

"Rickon..." Sansa looked down at herself. She didn't have a single scratch. The knight had covered her completely, shielding her from the splinters and the force of the detonation. Other bodies covered in blood lay nearby.

"I'm sorry, Your Grace", said Royce. "He died doing his duty. But there is still no time to mourn."

The Imperials were still firing their new infernal weapon at the Alliance forces. Explosions tore the air.

The flying bombs created enough confusion in the enemy ranks for the 7th Cavalry Division on the southern flank to take the initiative. Their commander, Colonel Rommo, did not wait for new orders to come in after the last knights had been removed. Instead, he rushed to the aid of the other four cavalry divisions that were still facing the opposing light cavalry.

Rommos Dothraki fired arrows at the enemy as they approached, but instead of trying to keep their distance, he sought hand-to-hand combat. Arakhs sparkled in the sun, and then the 7th Cavalry Division fell upon the Alliance riders like a horde of enraged demons while the other divisions gave him fire protection. Though almost twice the majority, the opponents were soon dispersed after several of their captains had fallen.

But the colonel wasn't finished. He rallied the other cavalry divisions (whose commanders submitted to him without hesitation) and pushed forward to the river bank, while to his left the Imperial infantrymen were still fighting with the heavy foot soldiers of the Alliance and to the right the enemy reserve troops were gathering.

"What are they doing?", Daenerys asked. "Who told them to advance?"

"Nobody, Your Majesty", Grey Worm replied calmly. "Colonel Rommo is just proving his initiative again."

Indeed, the commander of the 7th Cavalry Division was notorious for such "self-initiative". The Empress had met him once on a visit to the Eastern Front. Back then she had personally awarded him the Order of the Black Dragon, First Class.

Unlike most Dothraki, Rommo had had no trouble conforming to the rules of the Imperial Army. However, he has always tended to act unauthorized. His unpredictability surprised friends and foes alike - and that was what made Rommo's success.

"I just hope he knows what he's doing", Dany growled.

"I think so", said Grey Worm. "The Colonel cuts off the opponents who are currently attacking our lines from the rest of the Alliance army."

"Yes, but now he can easily be surrounded himself."

The Field Marshal nodded. "So we have to follow up." He leaned over the map table and shifted the figures of the infantry divisions that formed the southern part of the Imperial front line so that they encircled part of the enemy force. He placed the elephant divisions and the 'Iron Fist' further up front, where they could keep the rest of the Alliance army in check or launch an attack themselves.

"I don't mind that we take the initiative", said Daenerys. "But a single division commander shouldn't dictate our tactics."

"To be fair to Colonel Rommo, he's basically just carrying out a plan that we discussed before the battle, Your Majesty."