Orys sat against the rocky slopes as he and five bannermen of House Caron peaked over the boulder that concealed their position in the pass. The ridge that they were all on offered an excellent position from which to observe anyone advancing through the narrow path towards Nightsong, the westernmost castle of the stormlands and smack next to the Gardener kingdom of the Reach. There were no roads that ran from one side of the Red Mountains to the other besides beaten dirt paths and the few traversable passes that the marcher lords on both sides knew about, so Orys and the Caron bannermen were surveying the most logical route into the former Storm kingdom.
Orys was thankful for Rhaenys' discovering the Tarlys and the Peakes, the Reach's marcher houses. House Tarly of Horn Hill had an especially brutal reputation, with their bowmen being able to land their arrows into the hearts of many Dornishmen at great distances and their men-at-arms displaying ruthlessness in killing off any prisoners deemed unfit for ransom or labor. They indeed were living up to their descending from Harlon the Hunter and their house's words, "First into Battle," as their eight thousand bannermen alongside the fourteen thousand troops of House Peake, another house descending from Florys the Fox and with three castles to their name, were leading the charge into the stormlands ahead of the main Gardener host. Orys only had some reports of additional Gardener troops assembling near the Red Mountains, but he knew that he and his family were facing tens of thousands more Reachmen. Numbers may not be enough to win battles, but they surely in wearing down the enemy's strength, and Orys wasn't sure how long before his own troops were exhausted despite dragons.
No matter which dirt path or pass was taken, no army could hope to penetrate the stormlands without first taking Nightsong, as all of them passed by the mountain fortress. If Nightsong fell, then the Reachmen could simply bypass Blackhaven and move further into the relatively accessible parts of the stormlands. They could not allow the Tarlys and the Peakes to besiege the castle either, as they could simply wait it out until more of the houses sworn to the Gardener king arrived and then they could seize the castle by storm. The only viable option was to establish positions a good distance away from Nightsong, where they could halt their advance into the narrow passes that led to the castle.
Orys and Lords Caron and Dondarrion had determined that the only logical route towards Nightsong ran through a small valley that broke between the highest points of the Red Mountains and contained a tributary that flowed into the Torrentine. Besides the route through the tributary being the most direct to Nightsong, the valley also represented a good place to reform the marching formations from a tiresome trek through the mountains before continuing on. Horses and pack animals could graze and water there while soldiers could get a well-needed breather before reentering combat.
There were also dangers for an army staying in that valley, as history showed. During the reign of King Argilac, Houses Swann and Selmy had encamped in that same valley while marching with their king southwards towards the Wyl. However, they spent too much time there and thus allowing the Dornishmen to surround and attack them from all sides under the cover of night. The mountains offered excellent positions for decently-skilled bowmen and no army could hope to dislodge another in an uphill battle. Anyone well-versed in war would understand the necessity of avoiding potentially enticing landscapes from which to encamp and entrench, since it was very likely that the enemy also knew the benefits and disadvantages. Like a band of hunters encamping inside a grouping of trees in the middle of a flat grassland but failing to see that another band was eyeing the same spot and would fight for control. Yet, Orys also knew that his troops had to make a stand at the valley despite the risk of the enemy knowing the valley, as the valley led into three divergent paths that all led to Nightsong.
Orys had mustered all of the troops he could obtain from the houses east of the Dornish Marches such as the Tarths, Estermonts, Bucklers, Morrigens, and Staedmons. They first assembled at Stonehelm, where he was able to get the one thousand remaining troops of House Swann after coming to an understanding with the lord. They then marched to Blackhaven and then to Nightsong, bypassing Harvest Hall along the way since he was unsure if any man of House Selmy would even join him considering that he did kill a Selmy knight, the nephew of King Argilac. To his surprise, two thousand men from Harvest Hall showed up, citing their reason being that they hated the Gardeners more than they could ever hate Orys for killing their king and his nephew. After three days at Nightsong, they marched further westward.
However, Orys wasn't blind to the reality of the situation in the army. Most of the houses save for the Dondarrions had answered his call out of hatred for the Gardeners, as they clashed with the Reach several times over the centuries and their conflicts culminated in King Argilac killing King Garse Gardener at Summerfield, and not out of loyalty to him. And he couldn't blame them. In the eyes of the stormlords, he was an upjumped bastard who only got a claim to the lordship of Storm's End after killing their king. Part of the terms of the peace stipulated Orys being sworn to his father the Lord of Dragonstone despite him being the Lord of Storm's End and Lord Paramount. This understandably caused more than a few grumblings among the stormlords, as they now had to answer to a lord of a tiny island in the middle of the Blackwater Bay despite them having dragons. His father also had him establish his own house, but history showed that at least three generations had to pass before any house could be fully cemented as ruler of their lands. It was fair to describe Orys' first six moons as Lord of Storm's End as uncertain given the recent founding of his house, the stormlords not having a high opinion of him personally, and them having to answer to what they viewed as a backwater keep.
Orys found it strange that Jaenyx didn't take Storm's End or any of the castles in the riverlands for himself despite playing a central role in subjugating both. A dragonlord more rooted in Valyria than himself or his trueborn family would have jumped at the chance of planting his or her roots into new lands, and Jaenyx just let Orys have Storm's End despite being trueborn. At first, Orys thought it might have been weakness on his part since he said nothing when his father Lord Aerion handed the stormlands and Argella's hand in marriage to him. He might have seen Jaenyx treating his trueborn family as his own and was convinced that was why he treated his father with respect, as the young always treated the elder with deference no matter where in the world and no matter the standing. It was also strange for Orys that Jaenyx, despite technically being equal to his father in regards to their stations, would allow him and Aegon to have sway in the major decisions and not seriously contest them.
In addition, Orys had heard about what happened at the citadel, with Jaenyx slapping Aevor Rahitheon before defending his siblings as his own. From what his father taught him, a lord's strength lies in the strength of his vassals, who swear allegiance in exchange for the lord protecting their interests. And the lord has to reckon with these interests if he wants to remain in control. Slapping a vassal in the face was not a way to maintain control and could signal that the lord no longer wants to protect their interests while making it so that they no longer disturb him. Normally, such a person would find themselves in a precarious position as a lord, made even more so if they also lacked a keep and lands. It could be said that had the vassals had not raised the question of Jaenyx not having his own estates, then his trueborn family would not have thought about it. And if word got out about how Aegon handled the situation, it would have been interpreted as throwing a bone to a dog. Despite being equals to House Targaryen and coming from better dragonlord stock, Jaenyx chose to have a keep right next to Dorne and not near any of the good lands already known to Westeros. Under normal circumstances, one might have seen Jaenyx as a weak man and thus not worthy of mention since he allowed others to seemingly walk all over him. Many would have also protested his decisions so far, which combined with his seemingly bad temper would undermine his credibility and thus make people question on whether he was worthy of being a lord in the first place.
However, Orys remembered that looks can be deceiving, which he had to keep in mind constantly from his first months at Storm's End whenever he met with petitioners throughout the stormlands since they all had their own agendas when meeting with him. From the few instances he did interact with Jaenyx and despite having the occasional bouts of the dragon temper, Jaenyx had a good mind for war and a better one when it came to people. He knew how to detect one's weaknesses and how to get inside one's head. It didn't take long for him to crack that boatman who was spying on Dragonstone and he didn't exert a lot of effort when he tortured that ironborn captain. He knew what vices or things would tempt a person, which allowed him to manipulate those unfortunate to enter his line of sight into getting them to do his bidding. He was evidently brave, as he was willing to venture deep inside enemy territory to gain a reading of the riverlords' situation with Black Harren without using his dragon. He was also tough, as it took a certain personality to cross thousands of miles of sea and leading thousands of people towards an island that could potentially be hostile. His clinging onto the ways of Valyria demonstrated a certain stubbornness, as he still regarded the people of Westeros with contempt. Those who would see Jaenyx as weak for his constant silence on important matters would ignore that his master, Konno Haru, was exactly like that. Just because someone was quiet doesn't mean they had nothing to say.
Jaenyx's undemonstrative demeanor made Orys… anxious many times. From what he remembered, Konno Haru was an assassin, shinobi being the exact term, meaning that in a world of cloaks and daggers, silence was the greatest weapon one had and one that Jaenyx kept close. He remembered from the last time he spoke with Haru was that he taught Jaenyx to allow those more able to take charge and to be selective in how he pushed his authority, as trying to push your will all the time was a quick way of getting too much attention and becoming a target. Him being quiet during councils and allowing Aegon to take the center despite being equal to their father did not mean he was impotent or letting others walk over him. If Aegon made a mistake in their planning or in the field, he would take the blame and Jaenyx could simply deny his involvement. Eventually, if Aegon or their father made enough mistakes, Jaenyx could swoop in and take charge by making himself the better option since he had no part in both of their blunders. Undermining potential rivals without raising a finger was something Orys was sure Jaenyx knew how to do. Besides that, Jaenyx might have known more than a dozen ways to eliminate threats either with the blade, dagger, or any of the subtle tricks taught by Konno Haru. He certainly was capable of all of that, if Orys' observations of his skill with his hand-and-half sword Seablaze and dagger, his Yi-Tish swords, and his frightening infiltration techniques at Haystack Hall said anything.
Jaenyx's seemingly detached attitude during councils might have been seen as more weakness on his part, but Orys saw his eyes during those meetings. Slightly narrowed and violet irises moving left and right, those eyes resembled that of a predator and a predator would not be able to hunt its prey if it made a lot of noise. His eyes were noticing small details, mannerisms unique to whoever he was closely observing, and catching the meaning behind certain words spoken among other things. He then remembered all of those aspects for the next time, which he would use to either bolster his position or to undermine those who he deemed as a target. Such was the case when he had Broden Tully brought before him at Harrenhal for his whoring. While the nephew of the Lord of Riverrun thought that Jaenyx had a problem against brothels, he was proved wrong when Jaenyx revealed that he knew that Broden Tully was revealing confidential information to his whores while drunk and in ecstasy. Thankfully, what Broden Tully divulged by accident was not severely damaging, but Jaenyx made it clear that he no longer trusted him with key tasks related to the administration of the riverlands and thereby had him go back to Riverrun. Jaenyx knew about Broden Tully's predilection for whoring after observing him at the Stoney Sept and therefore was able to use it against him twice, first to arrange a meeting with his lord uncle and the second to make him understand that he was removed from his confidence. Orys bet Aegon one silver piece that Jaenyx deliberately divulged that piece of information, which was a minor detail regarding taxes, to Broden Tully in order for him to mess up and have an excuse to dismiss him from his service after seeing his whoring becoming a problem.
In light of all of this, Orys knew that Jaenyx was by no means weak or ineffective. He simply wasn't as loud as others would have wanted him to be and knew that his silence was what made him unpredictable and dangerous, his mind sharpened and shaped by an assassin and making him see the world as how a spy would. He could only assume that if he knew this, then the Tarareons, Leniars, and Rahitheons had a much better understanding of his abilities and his way of thinking from their time with him. That meant that his slapping Aevor Rahitheon was not him having a temper, but could also mean that he did so because such a move was within acceptable limits of his personality and how others viewed him, thus explaining why his vassals simply took it and moved on. His choice of selecting Vulture's Roost as his own keep could only mean that he had particular designs on the place, which may have allowed him to see past the ruins and the fact that it was so close to the Dornish border, not to mention that the location of the castle ruins sat right on the source of the Wyl and would thus bring conflict with House Wyl. Such designs could only have far-reaching consequences, further than Orys' mind dared to go. He could only be thankful that Jaenyx saw his trueborn family as his own and that he really loved and respected Visenya, meaning that whatever stratagems he had in mind but kept hidden behind a meek and docile face will never be aimed at his family. Him maintaining a low profile and only stepping in when he deemed necessary was not subservience, but a clear example of an astute mind. Glad he's on our side and not against us .
Orys would never admit any of this to Jaenyx, especially since they did not talk since six moons ago. However, he respected his abilities and his heart could only warm at how the newcomer from over a year ago became so integrated with their family, bringing nothing but new joy and blessings upon them. He just wished that Jaenyx would not be so uncompromising and held so much contempt for anything not of Valyria, as Orys himself didn't have the traditional Valyrian traits, and wanted a chance to really talk to him. Why did I bring his family up at that time ?
Getting back to the situation at hand, Orys knew that he had much to do if he was to gain the loyalty of the stormlords and solidify his house at Storm's End. While becoming a lord in his own right was something that he never seriously contemplated, he most certainly wasn't going to beg for the stormlords to follow him. If there was any lesson to be taken from the various histories of Westeros, it was that both lordlings and smallfolk respected leaders who personally took charge in the field. Such a truth motivated Orys to personally deal with the traditional threats of the stormlords, starting with the various corsairs from the Stepstones that had raided the southern shores of Cape Wrath and Shipbreaker's Bay for centuries in a manner akin to the ironborn. Commissioning Vaeron Rahitheon to reforge his nearly-snapped Valyrian steel axe into a warhammer, he saw himself wielding it as he would lead an expedition to raid a major corsair den and deal a blow to the Stepstones. Only problem was… he had no ships to speak of or any experience at sea. When he proposed such a venture in front of the stormlords, many were understandably skeptical, as they were not a seafaring people.
Orys consulted with Daemon Velaryon on how to build a fleet of seaworthy vessels from scratch. Daemon said that the stormlands had plenty of timber from which to construct ships and suitable locations from where to build them such as Evenfall Hall and Greenstone, but while he would be more than willing to help his cousin oversee their assembly, he couldn't spare any of his house's men as they were already stretched to their limits in their duties and there were no suitable stormanders to recruit. To rectify this problem and despite the risks it entailed, Orys approached any ironborn still imprisoned in either the riverlands or Dragonstone and made them a deal: if they constructed a fleet able to participate in sea combat and served as crewmen aboard his ships, he would grant them their freedom. Understandably, many of the stormlords protested his decision to have ironborn work on their lands, but Orys managed to placate them by saying that he didn't make them land offers, which even he knew would have been too much for his new vassals to handle. He also made a deal with Lord Swann and proposed that the majority of the ironborn coming to construct his ships could earn their right to stay in the stormlands by serving as labor and footmen in the lands around Stonehelm, thus replacing the losses in manpower House Swann incurred during the previous war. Lord Swann readily agreed, as he didn't have to wait the many years it took to repair the damage his house suffered.
It took three moons to construct of fleet of 50 seaworthy vessels, during which Orys took the time to become acquainted to warfare on the seas as best he could thanks to Daemon Velaryon. He recruited five thousand men from houses such as Estermont, Tarth, Dondarrion, and Fowler to embark on his expedition to the Stepstones, promising them a large share of the booty. He had also made it clear to the ironborn that should they have any ideas that would endanger them in the Stepstones, he would have no compunction in crushing them with his warhammer while allowing his new bannermen to release centuries of anger towards their people onto them. A normal lord would have delegate the expedition to a subordinate, but Orys was not like most lords and knew that his very survival as Lord of Storm's End depended on him taking charge against the stormlords' traditional enemies.
Not surprisingly, Orys' fleet met stiff resistance on their approach to the Stepstones, with his fifty vessels meeting sixty vessels. But the thing about corsairs was that they never fought under a single commander, with each corsair having a say in how strategy and tactics were implemented. While such an approach was rooted in pirate tradition, it was very inefficient against a unified force. Such was reflected in the pirate fleet's formation, which was loose and spread out. Meanwhile, Orys employed a crescent formation, with his flagship in the center and the heavier ships at the horns of the formation, in order to turn their flanks. Once the fleets were close enough, they exchanged missiles, ranging from flammable projectiles launched from the ship's catapults to arrows and javelins. The aim was not to sink ships, but to deplete the ranks of the opposing crews before close combat commenced, which decided the outcome of battles on the high seas. Once the enemy strength was judged to have been reduced sufficiently, the fleets closed in, the ships grappled each other, and the marines and upper deck oarsmen boarded the enemy vessel and engaged in hand-to-hand combat. All of which Orys took to heart, and the pirates employing a loose formation was what allowed his own fleet to pick each of their vessels off a few at a time.
Once his own flagship was engaged, Orys took the initiative and held his Valyrian steel warhammer up high as he jumped onto the what seemed to the corsair flagship. Fighting his way through the enemy crewmembers while crushing skulls and ribs with his warhammer, he finally confronted the corsair captain. He avoided the captain's swing with his sword before bringing his hammer down onto the blade, forcing it on the deck of the ship before it snapped in two under the hammer's weight. Before the captain could defend himself, Orys struck the captain in his jaw, undoubtedly crushing it before he fell onto the deck. Orys finished him with a strike against his skull, brains splattering and bone cracking against the wood. He then borrowed one of his men's axes to decapitate the captain and showed the rest of the corsairs what he had done, prompting them to surrender. He tasked Ser Bruze Tarth, who he retained as Storm's End master-at-arms and took with him on the expedition, with escorting the prisoners with half of his ships before moving onto the Stepstones with the other half.
Surprisingly, the stormlander fleet only encountered five hundred defenders when they landed on the biggest island of the Stepstones, but Orys still took it upon himself to lead the charge. Landing on the first boat, he defended himself with his shield from arrows let loose against him while he led over two thousand men to overwhelm the island. They made short work of the corsair remnants, but they discovered that the island was cavernous and contained more gold and valuables than they had initially believed, with items such as diamond-encrusted swords, petty crowns, bags of gold and jewels, and even a dozen emerald hourglasses. As promised, Orys allowed his men to lay claim to most of the booty found, with himself taking a set of steel horse armor along with some valuables. He and the other stormlanders returned in triumph, but Orys was not naive to believe that the stormlords were fully loyal to him yet. Lord Dondarrion told him out of goodwill, "Your expedition to the Stepstones was a success, but you merely did what was required of someone in your position. If you really want their loyalty, you'll have to do more than just lead them against our traditional enemies."
Orys took the words of the Lord of Blackhaven to heart, which motivated him to personally lead a party of men to scout ahead, observing the pass that led to the valley before Nightsong. The rest of his troops were positioned on the mountains east of the valley, but he needed them to see him showing initiative and that he was willing to put himself at great risk to defend them. They still love Argilac and keep his memory alive in their hearts. I must follow his example by having them see that I am just as willing to share in their difficulties in battle as the Arrogant king did.
"Milord," one of the Caron bannerman spoke. "You sure this is the pass the Tarlys and the Peakes will take towards the valley?"
Orys turned around. "This is the shortest pass that they can take in order to get to the valley. There are other passes to use, but all of them lead straight to the tributary and would take more time. The Tarlys and Peakes need to move fast to secure the route through Nightsong, as a larger Gardener host would move too slowly through the mountains if it was still not secured."
"Can we move fast enough to return to camp, milord?"
"We should," Orys nodded. "We only have light weapons with us and we had more time to get ourselves familiar with the terrain. We can make it."
As Orys turned back around to the pass, he saw a glint in the distance. Narrowing his eyes to get a clearer view, he saw banners steadily moving towards them through the pass. He made the huntsman banner of House Tarly and the three castles banner of House Peake. But what got his attention was the two other banners that were mixed with the marcher lords'. One was a red seven-pointed star against a white background, and the other was a rainbow sword against a black field. There were knights in plate armor carrying the former banner, while plainly-clothed but more numerous men held the latter. If he recounted correctly, these were the Warrior's Sons and the Poor Fellows, both belonging to the Faith Militant. They were rarely seen on the field of battle, only sent in force if the High Septon ordered it. It shouldn't have surprised Orys that they would be involved given that the High Septon did declare a holy war on the Valyrians, but he didn't expect to fight them now. Things just got interesting .
Orys and his Caron bannermen quickly fell back once they sighted the enemy, quickly but carefully moving down the steep and rocky slopes of their position to their horses. Once they mounted, they returned to their position with all possible haste and Orys called together his commanders to inform them of the situation. Some were hesitant in fighting against the Faith since they all spent some time in the sept, but most were eager to fight against their Tarly and Peake rivals. Rivalries across the Red Mountains never ended and the majority of the stormlords who did support battle saw this as a chance to see who were the true rulers of the Dornish Marches.
Orys' troops took up defensive positions at the pass leading to Nightsong. He had the marcher lords' infantry take the center and the troops from places such as Cape Wrath and the Wendwater take the flanks. The bannermen of Houses Tarth, Connington, and Estermont formed the reserve, as they were the most militarily-experienced houses under Orys besides the marcher lords. Missile troops such as bowmen and javelin throwers took up positions behind the infantry lines and on lower mountains, while Orys personally took charge of the cavalry. While the valley was suitable for mounted combat, he intended to save his armored horsemen and reserve infantry for a decisive blow. Once the enemy had exhausted themselves on their assault on his positions, that was when he would unleash them. He had to tread carefully, as all of the four dragons were busy elsewhere and he had to do this himself. Might work out in the end .
As he made sure everything was set, Orys looked to the western edge of the valley and saw the enemy emerge from the pass. The banners of Tarly, Peake, the Poor Fellows, and the Warrior's Sons flew in the wind of the Red Mountains as their enemy assumed battle formations. To Orys' surprise, the forces of the Faith Militant assumed the vanguard while the Tarlys took up positions against his right and the Peakes against his left, with footmen from both houses taking the center alongside the Warrior's Sons. But what he noticed was that instead of clear distinctions between the infantry and cavalry formations, half of the cavalry seemed attached to the right flank and the other to the left. From his lessons with Quenton Qoherys, Orys saw that the enemy was trying to make its formations more mobile and more flexible than in normal battles. Their armies were roughly equal in number, so the enemy was trying to get an advantage in mobility over Orys.
"Archers ready!" Orys ordered as he tightened his grasp on his horse's reins as the archers obeyed. His warhammer was strapped to his right side, with himself and his horse covered in the castle-forged steel armor. He was tempted to request a Valyrian steel one, but there was no time for it to be made before the battle.
Orys kept his focus on the vanguard, which was made up of the Poor Fellows with their red stars and the Warrior's Sons with the rainbow swords painted on their armor. The latter was armed as any other knight was, with a sword sheathed on their left and lance or spear in their right hand. He saw that the Poor Fellows were armed with a mixture of spears and axes, but had no armor and only wore tunics. But Orys quickly caught on what their purpose was. The Poor Fellows and the small contingent of the Warrior's Sons outnumbered both the Tarlys and the Peakes. Any sensible commander would focus on the more numerous threats by using their missiles and the energies of their troops. Once the troops were grounded down and exhausted, the other components of the enemy's army would then move in and have an easier time to fight. He would not fall to such a trick, but he had to keep his eyes open. What are you going to do ?
Suddenly, a wave of arrows came flying towards Orys and his troops. "Shields up!" he heard someone in the center yell, with his troops able to avoid getting pierced by the arrows of the Tarlys and Peakes. Well, at least most of them. Orys himself had narrowly missed an arrow after getting off his horse, as did the rest of the cavalry. The arrows kept coming while Orys struggled to maintain his view on the field.
To his surprise, the enemy on his right was advancing quite rapidly towards his positions while the center and the ones on his left were moving slower. That's when Orys realized that the enemy's focus on the center and his left flank. But first, throngs of Poor Fellows rushed forward to his infantry.
"Volley, loose!" Orys shouted. His bowmen let loose their arrows against the charging Poor Fellows, who unsurprisingly fell by the hundreds and their flesh tearing from the broadheads that stuck into them. Javelins were also thrown, cutting down hundreds more and even piercing through a couple corpses. But Orys had to conserve his arrows, as he knew that the real threat didn't come from the Poor Fellows.
As the center closed in, Orys ordered, "Lower spears!" to the schiltrons. Before long, men of the stormlords and Reachmen engaged in fierce close combat. While the spears held the enemy back at a distance, their enemies merely pushed forward and screamed with such vigor that one might have thought all attachment to the physical world was cast aside towards a desire to kill their opponents. This was especially true of the ones that had the rainbow sword on their armors, which Orys interpreted as zealousness towards the gods. However, the schiltron held true as they held the enemy back.
However, Orys saw that the Peakes's footmen were advancing on his left flank while their cavalry was moving further left. Seeing that they were attempting to stretch his left flank thin where it would significantly weaken, Orys rearranged his left schiltrons to be more reactive to quick movements while getting his reserve infantry ready.
As his left flank finally clashed with the Peake footmen, Orys had the Selmys and Carons drop their pikes and engage with their swords and axes. While they would be engaged in close combat, Orys hoped to keep the enemy on his left flank occupied and hold them long enough for more of the enemy to come and break through the left. Meanwhile, the Peake's cavalry were close to bypassing his troops on the left flank, with mounted Warrior's Sons joining them. Recognizing the threat, he formed up his cavalry ranks and moved in front of his formation.
Orys took a moment to look upon the very men he fought against six moons ago. Mounted with him were armored knights from House Selmy, Swann, Dondarrion, Caron, Tarth, Estermont, and Mertyns' among others. He couldn't make out their expressions through their closed helms, but he could feel that they were just as eager to fight as he was. He counted on their hatred for their Reachmen rivals to carry them through the day.
"I have fought on the opposite side against you just six moons ago. While I may not seem like the best choice to be your leader, I will be damned before I see true warriors be beaten back those who are loyal to blossoms. Will we let these flower lovers beat us back today?!" To his relief, Orys heard a collective, "NO!" "Then, let's show these green men and zealots what is to really feel steel in their hearts." Closing his helm, Orys galloped forward and heard the rest of the cavalry charge after him.
Raising his Valyrian steel warhammer up high, Orys closed the distance with the first horseman before swinging it against his cuirass, easily crushing both it and his chest and causing him to fall off of his horse, dead. He struggled to maintain seated on his horse, feet dug into his stirrups and his left hand tightly clutching on the reins as he swung his hammer to and fro against various enemy horsemen. He brought his hammer down on a knight's head before using its pointed end to pierce the armor around another's neck. He narrowly avoided one's lance before grabbing onto its shaft, tugging on it, and bringing the knight close enough for him to swing to the left side of his helm.
While a portion of his cavalry remained engaged, Orys saw that the left flank was still occupied with their swords and axes in hand. Seeing another opportunity, Orys charged with another portion of his cavalry into the rear of the enemy troops attacking the left flank. He swung downwards, upwards, and side-to-side as he engaged enemy footmen on all sides of his mount. Eventually, after hard fighting, the enemy's attack on the left flank collapsed and the Peake footmen did a disorderly withdrawal back towards the western edge of the valley and the pass from where they came from.
Orys turned to see that the Peake cavalry was still holding, but he saw that the center was still engaged. Catching his breath, Orys reformed the line of the cavalry that came with him and repeated the charge into the enemy rear. The results came quicker than expected as the Poor Fellows proved their uselessness in heavy combat and retreated in a messy manner against the pressure of both Orys' center and cavalry charge at the rear, prompting the Peake and Tarly footmen that were also in the center to follow suit.
But before Orys could wheel back around to support the cavalry on his left flank, he found the Tarly cavalry charging towards him, with their remaining footmen still engaged with the right flank. He looked to the rest of the cavalry accompanying and saw that they were exhausted. However, there was no turning back and Orys had to stop the Reachmen from moving through the valley towards Nightsong. Preparing himself, Orys charged one more time and held his warhammer tight as he closed the distance and found his mark into the breastplate of a Tarly knight.
However, Orys found that at least half of the Tarly cavalry also had the rainbow sword on the cuirasses and they were swinging their swords more wildly at him. Despite the center and left flank attacks collapsing, the Warrior's Sons were living up to their name as the Faith's armed fanatics and moved forward even when battlefield conditions told them otherwise. Orys parried one Warrior's Son sword before puncturing his armor with the sharp end of his hammer. He then shattered another's blade before stunning him with a strike against his helm and swinging it to his right cheek. He also avoided a thrust of a Warrior's Son's sword before circling around and striking him in the unprotected rear part of his neck. He then saw an ornately decorated knight charging towards him, golden sash around his chest and the rainbow sword on his shield. He was yelling loudly, as if believing that the mere sound of his voice was touched by the gods and making his enemy tremble in fear of the divine justice about to strike him down. Remembering what he did outside of Bronzegate, Orys held his ground before the knight came close enough, after which he got his horse to the right of the knight, stood in his stirrups, and swung downwards with his hammer onto the top of his helm, crushing it and forcing his head deep into his armor. The blood spray and the sound of his neck being crushed under the weight made it obvious to Orys how exactly his head would be pushed into the body.
What Orys didn't expect was the Warrior's Sons retreating back into the western pass while the Tarlys, seeing that there was no hope in continuing the battle, withdrew in a more organized manner. Surveying the dead on the field, stormlanders and Reachmen lying side by side on the blood-soaked grass and the streams of blood flowing into the tributary, Orys dismounted his horse and walked towards his army.
Stopping just short of the first stormlander, Orys kept his hammer up close as he opened his helm. He looked upon the men who were hesitant to fight with him just a few days ago, but saw nothing but respect and pride in their eyes. He had demonstrated bravery in the field and tenacity in his charges against the enemy rear despite not having all of his cavalry with him. What was more, Orys had beat back the enemy without dragons, thus confirming in their eyes that the bastard of Dragonstone was fully capable as a commander and warrior all on his own, living up to the example set by King Argilac.
Orys thrusted his warhammer high in the air, prompting many cheers from the troops. Under his leadership, the stormlanders had won their first major battle in the war and they now had proof that Orys Baratheon, Lord of Storm's End and Lord Paramount of the Stormlands, was a worthy ruler to follow
Orys returned to Nightsong, but while he might have left the castle in silence, he returned to loud cheers of triumph. They had lost two thousand men and suffered three thousand wounded, but had killed five thousand of the enemy and captured three thousand. Some were members of Houses Peake and Tarly, but not high enough to obtain large ransoms. Of the Warrior's Sons and Poor Fellows captured… Orys was unsure what to do with them even though they were of the religion that was seeking his family's destruction. Instead, he had them put to work burying the dead and as labor for House Caron and Dondarrion.
Orys held a meeting in Nightsong's great hall, not as large as the one at Storm's End but large enough to accommodate his lords. They all lauded their praises on him, calling him a true lord of Storm's End and a worthy warrior to continue the line of Durran Godsgrief while bringing in new Valyrian blood. Orys humbly accepted their plaudits and proceeded to celebrate with a feast in the great hall. However, before he could enjoy the festivities, he was surprised to see Argella enter the hall. There were many murmerings from the stormlords present towards the last of Durran Godsgrief's progeny, but they all gave her the respect she deserved as their lady.
However, Orys noticed that Argella was walking with more sway to her hips and her black hair flowing down to her waist. She had a loose posture despite standing straight and was… smiling at him. The hard gaze that previously occupied her piercing blue eyes replaced with warmth. What's going on ?
"Apologies, husband," Argella stood before Orys. "I have missed the battle."
Orys shook his head, hiding the surprise that she called him that instead of "my lord." "Not at all, dear wife," Orys simply answered. "The war has only just begun, but we're off to a great start." The stormlords shouted their agreement.
Argella smiled widely. "That's good. The blood of Durran Godsgrief must stand with her people against their enemies and I wouldn't be a good wife if I let my husband be alone in war."
Orys tried to hide his shock, though one had to look closer to see that his eyes widen. What the hell are you doing ? "Well, I'm glad you made it, dear wife." He gestured to the seat on his right, which Argella gladly took.
Orys continued hearing the recommendations of the stormlords. Some wanted to pursue the enemy and beside the Starpike and Horn Hill, as their numbers have been depleted. Others suggested calling for reinforcements from Dragonstone and at least two dragons before they could advance further. Orys shook his head at those. "My lords, our objective was to defend Nightsong from enemy attack and we have done so. But to advance on our enemies back to their keeps so deep in the Reach is folly. We have no idea how many thousands of other Reachmen will be coming our way and we were able to win largely due to the terrain."
"But Lord Orys," Lord Estermont spoke. "We've smashed the Peakes. We've smashed the Tarlys. You killed a master of the Warrior's Sons." Even Orys was surprised at who killed with the neck-crushing blow of his warhammer. "There is no better time than to press our advantage."
"But what you're suggesting is moving into the Reach. The Red Mountains worked to our advantage, but we cannot hope to fight in the open fields of the Gardeners' kingdom on our own. We have neither the men nor the time needed to successfully storm Horn Hill and Starpike before the Gardeners muster tens of thousands of troops. All of us are aware of the host that can be raised by Highgarden and while numbers do not win battles, they surely help in war."
"Lord Baratheon," Lord Mertyns stepped forward. "We cannot just wait here for the Gardeners to come to Nightsong again. We may not have the same success gained today."
"I agree," Orys replied. "Therefore, I shall have the passes on the west bank of the tributary fortified to prevent our enemies from advancing on us again. Just like today, we can use the mountains against them and deny the advantage from their numbers. I want stockades to be brought up and pits to be dug to hamper the Gardeners and a sizable force to man them in case the Gardeners do try to break through again. Meanwhile, I will lead our troops north to the riverlands to reinforce my brother, my good-brother, and my sisters against the threat from the west."
"You're referring to the armies of Loren Lannister?" Lord Swann asked.
"Yes. The Brackens have defected, as did the Pipers. From the last dispatch from the Blackwater Rush, they will be within striking distance of Riverrun, which controls the Red Fork. We have to support the riverlands if we are to stop the Lannisters from advancing further and threatening the Blackwater Bay."
The stormlords nodded, but Orys saw that they were unsure about meeting the Lannisters. They've never fought against the men of the Rock since Arlan III Durrandon, and much has changed since then. While the Lannisters did not field a host as large as the Gardeners, they were much better equipped and trained for heavy combat. The lords of the Rock were just as inclined to martial traditions as were the stormlords, so there was a little apprehension from them.
"What news from the Vale, my lord?" Lord Dondarrion asked before Orys dismissed them. "The Arryns have declared for the Faith, but they've been quiet so far while the Gardeners and Lannisters are making their moves against us."
Orys couldn't answer that. The Vale was also filled with pious followers of the Faith and Sharra Arryn had made the decision to involve the Eyrie in the High Septon's declaration. However, there were no troop movements spotted or naval activities from Gulltown to report on. Or was there?
"No news so far, Lord Dondarrion," Orys replied. "However, we must be wary of the men from the Mountain while we move on the riverlands. I'll leave Houses Caron and Selmy in charge of the defenses while the rest will march north."
With the council adjourned, Orys walked to the lord's solar, which was graciously given by Lord Caron. Over a year ago, he wouldn't have imagined himself going to a solar out of his volition, but being a lord has a way of making one adjust his habits to the duties brought onto him. What was more, he felt Argella follow him and merely allowed her to enter first before closing the door behind them.
Orys took in a few moments to stare at his lady wife. She had on the olive gowns she usually wore, but he noticed that there were red-black trimmings, the colors of his father's house. She was not as graceful as Rhaenys or muscled as Visenya, but she came in a close second and was stunning to look at like the first time he saw her. Her flowing black hair that reached her waist, her well-defined jawline, and her clear and pale skin… Orys remained unsure at how he was able to have such a woman by his side.
Beyond her looks, Orys saw that she was every bit her father's daughter. She was strong-willed, she was not afraid to speak her mind, and she had a tendency to make unveiled threats. However, unlike her father, she was intelligent, familiar to the ways of a court, and could handle Storm's End on her own. He also noticed that Argella had a bit of a temper, which he assumed was formed from the moment her father made her his heir, which brought up protests from the stormlords over having to answer to a woman. Just like Visenya in that regard .
But what threw off Orys was how she seemed… happy to see him. He never forgot how she cried on their wedding night, when they dispensed with the bedding ceremony and were expected to consummate their marriage in private. He hesitated to remove her dress, and stopped completely when he saw her tears. He couldn't blame her, as she was afraid of having relations with the man that killed her father. He slept on the far side of the bed that night and kept his distance from her for six moons, only meeting with her to discuss Storm's End's business such as the indemnity payments and dealing with the Stepstones' corsairs. Even when their father told him to bed Argella that night at Dragonstone, he attempted to bribe the servants into telling his father that they did because he still couldn't do it, only for them to refuse out of loyalty to their lord. To his surprise, the servants eventually agreed to keep his secret as a favor to their lord's son and because he treated them well. Her smiling and being loose with him was a complete change in her previous attitude towards him.
"What are you doing here?" Orys asked as nicely as he could.
Argella blinked. "Are you not happy to see me?"
Orys cursed himself, since his words still came out wrong. "I'm sorry. Um, how did you get here from Storm's End so quickly?"
Argella grinned, satisfied with how he worded it that time. "Well, I had Ser Bruze get a fast ship and I sailed to Stonehelm. I heard that there was a battle on the way and I wanted to show my support to my husband. Is there a problem?"
"No, no," Orys shook his head. "On the contrary. I just--"
"You didn't expect me to be here at all?"
"Not just that," Orys admitted.
"Ah," Argella understood. "You think I still hate you for killing my father and taking my home and lands. Is that right?"
Orys nodded, not able to deny it.
Argella sighed. "I gave them up when I bent the knee, but your father was gracious to allow me to keep my home and lands. No lord or king in his right mind would do that, but then again, your father is not like my lords." Orys beamed at her praising his father. "And to be honest, I can't forget that you killed my father. But as the moons passed by, I began asking myself this: how can a man who is eager for battle feel remorse for killing another? Most men in your position would have taken their way with me by right of conquest, but you didn't. And that's when I realized that you saw a part of yourself in my father before he died."
One could hear a pin drop in the solar. How did she know that ?
"My mother was a Penrose, but she was the only one from that house to really impress my father with her wits and book knowledge. When she died from the shivers…" Argella hesitated before continuing. "My father blamed himself for her death because he wasn't there to comfort her in those last days, instead choosing to fight the Dornish near the Wyl. That's why he didn't want to take a wife, since he reflected too much on my mother and I saw him bury his grief in his sparring and his constant warring."
Orys was surprised that Argella would reveal such intimate details of her life to him. Like Jaenyx, when one revealed details about especially their mothers, that was a sign of trust or a leap of faith to make the relationship stronger. Is that what she wants ?
"My father had his faults, but in a way, he regretted choosing the sword over his own wife. You regretted killing him because you saw that you were in some ways the same as him. Both of you are not one for books or for dealing with the tedious minutiae of courtly life. And you especially are not one to shy away from battle, leading from the front like my father did. So, you're not like most men. You proved that by showing me the respect that I deserve as your wife."
"But this is an arranged union," Orys stated. "I may be the Lord of Storm's End, but I only got it as part of the dowry and I let you run it because it's your home more than it is mine."
"Would most men do or think that?" Argella asked. "At first, I balked at the idea of being with a bastard, but I think you having to live with your bastard status made you humble. Made you more… capable of feeling things that most people wouldn't understand. You told me the origins of your last name, which can only indicate that you are good."
In the only time they really talked in the six moons they were married, Orys revealed where "Baratheon" came from. His mother was a Westerosi maid of House Celtigar, herself a bastard daughter of the Lord of Claw Isle. When he was born after his father bedded that maid one night, his father took him in but Lord Daemion Targaryen angrily refused to allow Orys to have the Targaryen name. Instead, his father took a name from old Valyria that had been lost with the Doom but one that was named after a place from the Targaryens' former holdings in the Lands of the Long Summer, Baratyon. Baratyon, which came from a town in the northern part of the Valyrian Peninsula that was the birthplace of the first Targaryen, was also the name for the Targaryens' original keep, which they established after taming their first dragon while they were sheep farmers. While the Targaryens got other lands in the Freehold and the Lands of the Long Summer before moving to Dragonstone, they never let go of Baratyon because they wanted to remind themselves of where they came from despite the land not being worth much compared to their other possessions. His father then adapted it to Westerosi fashion, Baratheon.
Orys felt himself relax at Argella's words, touched at her sincerity. "I would never think less of you."
"I know that," Argella replied.
"And I know that me killing your father will always be a fact that lives with us."
"Yes, it will be."
"And I hope you know that I will never take you against your will."
"You've proved that even now."
Orys sighed. "If it means anything, I am sorry that I killed him. I can only imagine what it is to lose a father, even being near the man who did the deed." He felt a tear drop from his eye. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Orys managed to say but found it difficult to keep it together.
Argella took in his words, flustered at his apology. "He was foolish, but he died as a warrior, how he always wanted. You gave him a chance to live and he didn't take it, so you had no control over what happened next. You don't need to apologize, since I've begun to move on from that and dwelling on the past, no matter how much pain there is, never helps anyone. But if it means anything, I accept your apology."
Orys smiled, thankful that Argella did. Just then, he remembered. "I have something to show you, if you'll allow me."
"Of course."
Orys walked over to a chest on the other side of the solar, taking out a rolled piece of cloth. He designed it himself, with help from Rhaenys, as a way to make peace with Argella. Hopefully, she doesn't react badly .
"I've had a banner made. I did establish my own house at Storm's End, but I had no banner and I couldn't use the previous banner. So, I came up with something that I hope will be a good start for our house."
"All right," Argella nodded. "What is it?"
Orys didn't answer, only focusing on unrolling the banner and placing it on the wall.
The banner had the Durrandon colors and the reared-up stag, with the words being "Ours is the Fury." However, Orys added his own addition to the banner with Rhaenys' advice, with dragon wigs on the back of the stag and fire coming out of its mouth. Rhaenys said that it was a banner to recognize the union of the blood of the dragon and the blood of Durran Godsgrief, with House Baratheon staying true to its origins from Valyria and its adopted ones from the Age of Heroes. Argilac may have been unwise, but he was a warrior to the end and Orys would be damned before he gave him any disrespect.
What made Orys happy was how Argella was… mesmerized by it. Not only was her husband honoring her house in such a way, but she was also looking at a banner that included elements of old Valyria, whose culture and people she greatly admired. She didn't have any issue with marrying either Aegon or Jaenyx, calling them "stunners", and her house now could have Valyrian blood in its veins.
"Do you like it, my lady?" Orys asked hesitantly.
"It's so… lovely," Argella said. "You're staying true to your Valyrian roots, but you've adopted my house's sigil and words. No man would ever think to do this."
Orys shrugged. "As you said, I'm not most men."
Without warning, Argella walked up to him, tip-toed to his face, and pecked him on the lips. "Thank you, husband. I will never forget today."
"Nor will I," Orys managed after overcoming the shock from her kiss.
"We'll talk tomorrow, then?"
"Aye. I would like that," Orys smiled.
Argella exited the solar, but smiled at her husband one last time. "Good night, Orys," were her final words before closing the door.
"Good night… Argella."