House of the wolf

As we ride off to war I talk with Greatjon, Beron, and the Manderly captains “When we set up formations we must make it so the only way for the Bolton army to retreat is towards Moat Catlin, that way Wylla and her men should pick off any stragglers, it is also a priority that we will stop any troops from escaping towards the Wolfswood towards Roose” 

 

I say as the men all nod agreeing with the strategy so far.

 

“Do this instead of surrounding them, a surrounded enemy is the one who will fight the fiercest! Instead, leave open spaces for them to retreat but again make sure it's towards Moat Cailin”

 

“Other than that there is no grand play, we will hit them fast and hit them hard! I will be leading the attack on the center. Beron and Greatjon you will lead it alongside me and make sure I don´t die during my heroic charge” 

 

They all laugh at my words then one of the Manderly asks a little too eager for the upcoming battle probably some lord who wants to show his capabilities and gain a reputation. 

 

“What of us what will we do? Surely you don´t mean to have us scratching our asses doing nothing”

 

“You will be doing the same thing but on the Bolton flanks. In addition to that, you will be making sure to mow down everyone fleeing to the woods and you will be guiding the enemy to retreat towards Moat Cailin”

 

“Now everyone knows their roles, our army will be in position to attack soon, so get into position and prepare your men” 

 

They all ride off to lead their troops while I stay and try to keep my mind focused on the upcoming battle. But being so close to Winterfell has my emotions in disarray, it feels like forever since I last found myself surrounded by those familiar walls and my family yet at the same time it felt just like yesterday. 

 

To distract myself from those feelings I focus on my body which has still not completely recovered from the last battle, the wound on my thigh is still bothering me but it seems it is not infected. As long as I keep myself on the horse it should not be aggravated.

 

The scary thing about battles is that there are as many deaths from the nicks and scratches as there are from a stake through the heart.

 

I put on my helmet and look behind me at the men I will lead into battle 400 men from Robb´s army 300 mercenaries and 300 men of Skagos all marching for me.

 

A thousand men of different backgrounds, all under my command, and all will follow me. 

 

My cause, my orders, my responsibility. 

 

To keep them following my orders will be a daunting task in the long run. Especially for the remnants of Robb´s army, they all have individuals from noble houses who answered the call to arms from Robb but they all lost a lot. 

 

If not for me taking the Dreadfort they would all be much harder to manage and keep in line. But now they respect me and have gratitude towards me for releasing them and executing all the torturers in the Bolton army their loyalty is guaranteed for now. 

 

Gresatjon Umber was the only thing I really had to worry about. Even though he is the first man who declared Robb as King in the North he was also the first to challenge him when he was seen as nothing but a green boy.

 

The Umbers are closest to the Dreadfort but have not made any moves to help Winterfell against the Bolton rebellion. Even though they look like simple brutes you can´t underestimate their cunning, their two-faced ways masked by their loud boisterous leader Greatjon who seems like the staunchest supporter of the King in the North.

 

But the reality is if Robb had not shown Greatjon his place that day he would have gone back home to Last Hearth with his army and set himself up as a petty king putting us Starks in a very precarious position.

 

Even if most of the great Houses have been loyal for centuries, there are very few among them who don´t have the desire to see the power dynamics change in the North. 

 

Taking the Dreadfort from Roose was a much bigger victory than I originally thought. It knocked them off a pedestal where they seemed invincible and inevitable to now, where they seem to be a House on the brink of collapse.

 

This made me understand the wisdom in the words my family still adheres to “There must always be a Stark in Winterfell” It has been lost to time when or by who this saying was coined.

But the principal stuck and even when the North rose in rebellion Benjen stayed in the Castle when his brother left for war.

 

The fact that control of Winterfell has never been wrestled from us. This makes us seem like an unshakable force in comparison to Bolton now, no matter how big his army is no one will bet on him.

 

And now with this battle, I must solidify the victory, and end the line of the Boltons! and doing so makes the other Houses think twice about playing both sides.

 

After this battle, I will keep Greatjon in my service. While his way of life is extremely confrontational and self-serving as long as there are enemies to focus on he is a very valuable asset and “thankfully” I have a lot of enemies that will satisfy his need and keep it from turning inwards, but towards the loot and plunder he can take from the Frey´s and even the Lannisters after that.

Thunk! Thunk!  Wshhhhh Thunk!  

 

I hear in the distance breaking me out of my thoughts and start frowning deeply at the implications of these sounds.

 

This is the sound of trebuchets being fired in the distance presumably at Winterfell making my heart sink! Even though I know that trebuchets can do no real damage to the walls of Winterfell. 

But this must have been going like this for weeks or even months! Making living inside the walls a living hell. 

As we march the enemy lines become visible from the distance

I yell out to the men “We are approaching men! Form up beside me and let them see that we have come for them! Let them see that they are not the hunters! When their eyes realize that they are the prey. Then we will charge!”

“Huuah” the troops yell out.

 

After the noise of our war cry dies down we can now see that the enemy lines are falling into disarray because of the unexpected army marching at their backs.

 

Now is the time! No need to wait any longer, I yell out “Charge!” as I take the lead on my massive steed with a giant horn on its forehead side by side with fifty other such fearsome beasts and warriors riding them.

I could only imagine what we look like to the footsoldiers we´re charging at.

 

It turns out I don´t have to imagine it at all when our charging cavalry gets close enough to the enemy, I see it firsthand the look in their eyes. Ohh I have never felt such a dangerously intoxicating feeling in my life.

 

Their look of pure object horror directed at me. For just a second in the moment of anticipation before I started off the slaughter. I understood the wistful expression that King Robert always had when he talked about war, no matter how sad and broken those events made him he always had that look like he missed it... I felt like I understood that expression a little bit better.