Ramsay knew his end was near. He had anticipated the fall of House Bolton from the moment he heard of Jason East's army and their fearsome weapons—the flintlocks. His so-called father, Roose Bolton, stood no chance against such a force.
The Boltons were doomed. Soon, both he and his father would be beheaded, just like Robb Stark after the betrayal at the Twins.
The thought filled Ramsay with despair. He had been so close. Roose had finally brought him back to the Dreadfort, and he was just one step away from inheriting the title and the castle. But now, it was all over.
It had happened so quickly. Jason's army, armed with modern firearms, had met Roose Bolton's forces and shattered them in a single battle. The terrifying flintlock rifles had broken the infamous nerve of the old fox himself. For the first time, the calm, calculating expression on Roose Bolton's face had vanished, replaced by pure shock.
Jason had led his army north, first annihilating the forces Ramsay had used to besiege Winterfell. After resting for a day, he marched south.
Keeping Ramsay's capture a secret, Jason took his fourteen thousand musket troops to confront Roose Bolton's army as it hurried north.
The two armies met on the ancestral lands outside Torrhen's Square. When Roose Bolton saw the massive army of the foreign lord blocking his path, he was stunned.
He could tell from their uniform black combat suits that these soldiers belonged to House East. He could hardly believe it. How could an outsider, who had only been in the North for a little over two years, raise an army of tens of thousands? The cost alone would be a fortune. None of the great lords of Westeros would dare attempt such a thing.
Roose Bolton studied the strange weapons held by Jason's soldiers. Not wanting to waste his men's lives needlessly, he sent a rider forward to invite Jason to speak before their armies. He planned to offer the powerful newcomer great wealth and influence to win him over.
However, Jason gave him no such chance.
With a single command, his men formed firing lines. The tactic was simple but deadly: queue up and shoot. Thousands of bullets ripped through the air, and Roose Bolton's army fell in droves, like wheat before a scythe.
It was the first time the feudal armies of Westeros, with their swords and shields, had faced a modern army with firearms. They were utterly crushed.
The thunderous noise of the guns, the smoke, and the fire were terrifying. Seeing the weapons in the enemy's hands claiming the lives of men all around them, an unknown fear spread through Roose Bolton's ranks. His army collapsed in an instant.
No one dared to stand against the army of House East. The remaining soldiers broke and fled, with Jason's cavalry in hot pursuit.
Jon, who had been focused on Roose Bolton from the start, saw the enemy break and immediately led a cavalry charge. He was determined to capture the man responsible for murdering Robb, Lady Catelyn, and the northern lords.
The pursuit and capture of the fleeing soldiers continued until sunset. By the time they returned, they had brought back most of the defeated army.
A cheerful atmosphere filled the camp, a stark contrast to the dejected and terrified prisoners. The soldiers of House East led long lines of captives, their hands bound with rope, into the barracks. Many noble lords were among them.
Later that evening, Jon returned, dragging a bound Roose Bolton and a few Freys with him.
"My lord, a few of the Freys got away, but we've captured all the rest!" Jon announced as his soldiers dragged Roose, whose ropes were tied so tightly they cut into his flesh, and the heirs of House Frey into Jason's tent.
The soldiers threw the prisoners to the ground, where they groaned in pain.
Jon's eyes burned with hatred. He wanted nothing more than to kill Roose Bolton with his bare hands.
Jason walked over and stood before the Lord of the Dreadfort. He looked down at the pale, wounded man. "Roose Bolton, you betrayed House Stark. You murdered Robb Stark and the lords of the North. You have committed capital crimes, and in the name of House East, I declare that you will stand trial in Winterfell!"
With his face pressed to the dirt, Roose Bolton struggled to lift his head, but all he could see were Jason's armored boots.
"Cough, cough… You've won, Lord East," Roose gasped, his grey eyes filled with a dead calm. "My greatest mistake was underestimating you. Cough… Now, the entire North is yours."
Roose Bolton was a clever man. He knew that by defeating him, House East had become the most powerful force in the North. No one could resist them now. The North belonged to Jason East.
Jason said nothing. Anyone with eyes could see he was now the true, uncrowned king of the North.
"Take them away," Jason ordered with a wave of his hand. "And watch them carefully."
The soldiers hauled Roose Bolton and the Freys to their feet. The Frey men began crying and begging for forgiveness, and the sound irritated Jason.
Maester Qyburn's eyes shone with excitement. The two battles had shown him the true power of the flintlock rifles that Lord Jason had created. He was now more confident than ever that with this strength, Lord Jason could sweep across all of Westeros.
The Iron Throne, Qyburn thought, was within his lord's grasp. No one could stand against the armies of House East!
Jason sent Roose Bolton and the other high-value prisoners back to Winterfell under heavy guard. He then led the First Northern Army and his cavalry forces south, preparing to capture Riverrun from the Freys.
Ostensibly, it was to avenge Robb Stark and the northern lords. In reality, it was a message to all of Westeros, a proclamation of his power.
Meanwhile, news traveled from the south. Stannis Baratheon's army had been defeated by the combined forces of Tywin Lannister and the defenders of King's Landing. Stannis himself had fled back to Storm's End with what remained of his fleet.
Seeing the Lannisters' great victory, the Tyrells of the Reach finally made their move. They agreed to marry Margaery Tyrell, the "Little Rose," to King Joffrey, forming an alliance with the Westerlands.
At the same time, large shipments of grain began to flow from the Reach to King's Landing, which had been suffering from a famine caused by the war.
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