At this critical moment, Arthur led his cavalry squadron in a flanking charge.
Arthur held the Valyrian steel sword in one hand and the newly forged female sword of the [Twin Swords] pair in the other.
With the [Assault Mode] skill triggered, Arthur's speed in swinging his swords was undiminished despite his full armor.
Gripping his horse's flanks tight with his legs, he slashed left and right with both hands. The crude weapons of the wildlings couldn't withstand the bite of Zhan Lu. Every swing felled a wildling.
Arthur's cavalry charge cut off the downward momentum of the wildling assault. Like a hot knife through butter, they nearly pierced the wildling formation from one side to the other.
Only when Arthur saw the banner of Starfall's Left Wing ahead did he rein in his horse and turn, charging out from the flank to avoid friendly fire.
Once the cavalry behind him had caught up, Arthur didn't pause for a breath. He wheeled his horse around and charged into the wildlings again.
In this manner, he led seven consecutive charges.
With each charge, Arthur could feel the wildlings' resistance weaken. Every time the banner of Starfall's Left Wing was seen standing tall, the soldiers beneath it erupted in cheers.
"Long live Starfall!"
"Long live the Falcon Catcher!"
By the final charge, the battlefield was littered with bodies and the wounded, or filled with wildlings who, terrified by the slaughter, knelt to beg for mercy.
Arthur reined in Shadow and paused to catch his breath, flicking the blood and gore from his swords. He was truly a man of blood, astride a horse of blood!
The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the land. Carrion crows circled above, already descending to peck at the dead.
Under the command of the knights, the levies collected the weapons of the surrendered wildlings and herded them together to prevent escape.
A few household guards were assigned to give the quick mercy of death to the grievously wounded wildlings.
More men were tending to the wounded, bandaging cuts, and building makeshift travois.
Guided by Ser Bard, Arthur arrived at a large rock. Lying there was a man wearing a crown of bronze and iron. His belly was bubbling blood, staining the ground beneath him red, yet his hand still gripped his sword tightly.
Arthur asked, "Do we know who killed him?"
Ser Bard shook his head. "The fatal wound is a spear thrust through the gut. He likely died at the hands of some nameless levy."
"A king killed by the cheapest levy with the cheapest weapon, a spear. His death lacks honor." Ser Williams, using his sword as a crutch, limped over.
"I have dreamed of earning the honor of being a Kingslayer. Pity the Seven did not grant me this chance."
Nor me, Arthur thought, looking at the stone-cold Vulture King with a hint of regret.
"Judging by his wounds, at least he was no coward." Arthur crouched down and removed the bronze and iron crown from the Vulture King's head.
"This is a fine trophy. It was worn by a brave man."
Ser Bard pried open the Vulture King's hand and examined the sword for a moment. "And the king's sword. Do you wish to keep it, My Lord?"
Arthur shook his head. "Give it to Ser Williams. He deserves the honor."
Ser Williams took the sword, visibly moved, and knelt on one knee. "Thank you, My Lord."
Arthur quickly stepped forward to help him up. "Ser, you earned it. I saw how you led the Right Wing and fought bravely against the wildlings. You are a true knight."
Arthur then called for Vic to bring bandages. Despite Ser Williams' repeated refusals, Arthur insisted on personally dressing the wound on the knight's leg.
Arthur: "Starfall will remember your loyalty and valor, Ser."
Ser Williams was immensely grateful. "My Lord, it is my honor to serve you and Starfall."
Leaving Vic to care for the injured Ser Williams and transport him back to Vulture's Roost, Arthur turned back to the Vulture King's body.
He considered digging out the corpse's eyes to use [Know Thyself] to see if the Vulture King had connections with House Blackmont. But in the end, Arthur decided against it.
Partly because he couldn't bear to desecrate the body of a warrior, and partly because he felt his guess was likely correct and couldn't be bothered to expend the energy to confirm it.
"Have the Silent Sisters prepare his body. Bury him here, beneath the Red Mountains, and raise a stone marker." Arthur instructed Ser Bard.
"As for the other wildling bodies, have the captives dig pits and bury them where they fell."
"Yes, My Lord." Ser Bard acknowledged and went to make arrangements.
Cleaning up the battlefield took longer than the fighting itself. By the time everything was handled, night had fallen.
On the ride back to High Hermitage, the old Master-at-Arms mused, "I didn't expect we'd end up using the Hammer and Anvil tactic after all, though it differed greatly from the original plan."
"The battlefield changes in an instant." Arthur sighed. "It was a stroke of luck. I didn't expect the Vulture King to gamble everything on one throw. Fortunately, the Left Wing you organized held the line and became a solid anvil, Ser Clegg. Otherwise, it would have been difficult for my hammer to crush the wildlings."
Ser Clegg sighed. "The wildlings live in the Red Mountains. They are tall and strong from hunting and gathering. One-on-one, they are indeed stronger than our levies."
"Arthur, how do you plan to deal with them? By my rough count, we've captured nearly a thousand wildlings. Some fled back into the mountains."
"Now is not the time to discuss that." Arthur rode across the stone arch bridge. "The Vulture King is dead, and the wildlings are no longer a concern. But the Blackmont army is still on its way."
"Arthur, what do you mean? Do you think the Blackmonts wish us harm?" Ser Barton, his right arm bandaged, rode on Arthur's other side.
"Are you overthinking it? We are all Dornishmen. Surely they wouldn't harm us."
"Better safe than sorry. Have the soldiers rest immediately and settle the wounded properly." Arthur dared not stake Starfall's safety on the morality of a strange noble house. He ordered Ser Bard:
"Send riders north to inform the Blackmont army that we have destroyed the Vulture King and his wildlings. Thank House Blackmont for their aid, but tell them to withdraw.
"Starfall will send gifts of gratitude to Blackmont after they have withdrawn."
Ser Bard nodded. "Yes, My Lord."
---
Upon the army's return to High Hermitage, there was no immediate victory feast. They rested for a day. No training, just rest and treatment for the wounded.
At Arthur's suggestion, the Maester of High Hermitage organized women to boil linen strips in water before bandaging the wounded.
Arthur personally tended to Wick and Zach, who had been wounded in the battle.
As for Vic... Arthur wondered if his name ("Old Six," slang for someone who hides and steals kills/stays safe) was a charm. Vic had charged with him seven times, yet hadn't received a scratch, let alone an injury.
Arthur himself had been hit several times by longswords, poleaxes, and thrown weapons during the charges. Fortunately, the wildling weapons were of poor quality, and his [Rattan Armor] protected him from serious harm.
Wick got his wish—Arthur personally bandaged him. He had taken a sword cut to his right leg and a throwing axe to his left arm.
Zach, being the standard-bearer, had one hand on the flag and one on his warhammer. During a charge, he was knocked off his horse, taking a heavy fall and several axe blows. He was the most grievously wounded.
Fortunately, Ser Bard had been beside him, cut down the wildling attacking him, and taken up the banner.