(Stark camp, 20 miles north of Riverrun)

As I stood before the war table, a rough map of what I saw drawn out in front of the commanding Lords, I waited for the question that I knew they would ask.

Rob looks around the table and after seeing everyone had a broad idea of what they were seeing, he looked to me. “This is a trap, isn’t it?” He asks.

Before I can respond, another Lord, Hornwood, interrupts. “Of course this is a trap! Look at that pathetic East defence; it is practically begging to be attacked. It is one of the most pathetic defences I have ever seen, and even the other sides aren’t anything special. If it wasn’t for Lord Baskerville telling me that the Lannisters were purposefully making it worse, then I would probably say we should attack there on principal alone. Instead it only makes me wonder just what dastardly trap he has waiting for us inside that camp out of sight.” Lord Horwood announces before starting to twiddle his thin beard.

Many in the room nod their heads in agreement, but it is Roose that points out an fault. “Lord Hornwood makes a valid point, but it doesn’t account for the moving of the camp to the West. I can understand leaving an opening to bait us into exploiting a false weakness, but if they let us resupply Riverrun then it is pointless. With our appearance the morale in Riverrun will experience a huge boost, and if we can deliver supplies to them then we win. We don’t have to destroy them in combat, just cut them off from logistics for a few days.

With our greater numbers and the river to their back we can effectively cut them off from all support. They will either collapse or be forced to abandon their fortifications in desperation to attack us. There is no point to shift the camp and leave an opening for Riverrun if their intention is to continue the siege” Roose Bolton declares his doubts, same as the ones that caused me to return to observe the camp for a second night.

As the Lords begin to discuss, I considered announcing my suspicions, but a look from Rob and light wave of the hand causes me to wait for the discussion to die down and someone asks Rob for his opinion. When they do he asks me to give my thoughts as I have the clearest idea of the encampment.

“I believe Lord Rob is correct in that the camp is definitely a trap, as well as held the same suspicions as Lord Bolton about the camp position. Which is why I feel we have disregarded a force whose actions could upset the whole battle.” I point to Riverrun. “The Riverland forces in Riverrun.”

As the other Lords show confusion on their face, I continue. “We have always seen the Riverland forces as our allies, who when we attack Jaime could either strike the Lannister supply lines or attack Jaime in the rear. What we have forgotten is that if they strike they will almost certainly lower the drawbridge to do so, and if they can get out, others can get in.” As I say some Lords like Bolton and Hornwood show a look of realisation.

“I think the camp is exposed not to bait us, but for the Riverrun forces. If they were planning a siege there would be no point to have all their cavalry as they wouldn’t be able to show off their strengths. And if they were planning to engage us in the field there is no need to waste time on camp defences. I think they are going to pretend to fight us but their main target will be Riverrun.

When the Riverland army sees us they will view it as a sign to counter attack. When they see the shoddy defences and most of the Lannister force moving to engage us they will fight. Strategically it is wise to strike the enemies rear, and emotionally they have suffered multiple defeats and been trapped in the fort for months. They will be desperate for revenge. Even if several people see it suspiciously, when they watch us, their allies, fighting they will be honour bound to fight with us.

When enough have left the keep is when they will change direction.” I take several of the figures denoting the Lannister forces and turn them around. “A small force will be left to delay us, while their cavalry and most of their infantry will turn around. If I was them then that weakness in the Eastern camp is not for us but for themselves.

When Riverrun attacks the Western forces left in the camp, Jaime will lead the returning force through the Eastern opening and flank them. They will be outnumbered, weakened from months of rations and have fragile morale after numerous defeats. If they collapse before we arrive, Jaime can invade Riverrun and raise the bridge, reversing our positions.

If even a few hundred manage to get inside it will be impossible to break in quickly. And unlike your grandfather, the Lannisters still control 2 sides of the river to receive supplies from. It would take way too long to get across without boats, by that time they will receive enough supplies to last another couple of months at least.

With Riverrun captured their Lords dead or imprisoned, it will be impossible to unite the other River Lords. Any hope of putting pressure on the crown will be gone and our only chance will be to retreat north to survive.” Once I finished giving my assumptions the entire room went silent. Not just the cunning Lords but even the rash ones could see how fucked we would be if we had to siege Riverrun.

Several spoke of how it was acting under a lot of assumptions, that maybe the Tully force would not leave the keep in which case the Lannisters would be stabbing themselves in the foot. They were refuted by others with the words ‘that’s what I would do’ in the Tully’s situation.

It is a confusing and difficult manoeuvre which is impossible to accomplish without the discipline and high morale of the enemy army. I have little doubt our own force would be unlikely to do the same. If it works then it would be recorded as one of the greatest upsets in history.

“So, how do we stop it, Lord Stark?” I ask Rob.

I myself am drawing a blank on it. We have too little time to act before Jaime is reinforced by either his father or Stafford in the Westerlands. Most of the surrounding Lords have either been defeated or submitted, which combined with their greater familiarity with the area means we are in enemy territory.

There is no way to send a message to Riverrun, by raven or foot, without a huge risk of interception, meaning we can’t warn them or coordinate correctly.

If we hesitate where we are then we run the risk of being ambushed or losing all our momentum from rushing here. If they have enough time they won’t need tricks, but will just continue with fortifications, at which point it will be way too costly to take the camp even if we wanted to. If we lose half our army then even if we relieve Riverrun we won’t be any better than we started.

The room goes silent as we look to the young commander. After a moment Rob declares, “We reinforce Riverrun.”

We pause and several look at each other. ‘Reinforce Riverrun? I thought that was the whole point of us marching here, what else would we do.’ Was the thought on everyone’s mind.

“Jaime wants to feign weakness in order to bait my grandfather out of the castle. What he has neglected is that it will create an opening for us. The key will be our cavalry. If Jaime sends most of his forces with the intention of stalling us, we will be aggressive. With the knights as our spear we will pierce their defence in the middle, split their force while we continue to Riverrun. If he holds a significant number back then we will flank the East where there is the most room to manoeuvre and the weakened walls are located.

In the first case we will reverse our position, instead of them holding us back, our infantry will stop them from returning to camp while we destroy whatever force remained. In the second we take advantage of their lesser numbers to avoid them completely and strike the weak defences in the camp, adding our strength to the Riverland force and securing the bridgehead.” Rob proposes a bold plan that leaves me with my mouth open.

“It is risky, separating our elites from the main force, but it will work. The Lannister troops will have divided attention, thinking they just have to stall us till my grandfather sorties, and then they can retreat. They won’t have their hearts in the fight, which we will take advantage of to act aggressive and eliminate the majority of their force while also preventing Jaime from claiming his one lifeline that is Riverrun. He will be forced to either retreat or surrender.” He smiles as he shows the positioning of the troops on the board.

As I watch the pieces move and imagine the battle in my head, I can see it playing out as Rob predicted. To be honest there is probably not going to be a need for it. Jaime’s plan to take Riverrun is unlikely to succeed as it works on too many assumptions.

He needs to split his already smaller force even more, and balance it so that he can both hold our army back long enough, and take Riverrun quickly. If he fails either then he will be trapped between the 2 armies.

Though I suppose the fact that if he succeeds then it means death for us necessitates leaving nothing to chance. The Lannisters know that they have to win, so their desperation could tip the tides.

As the rest of the Lords talk for some more, we eventually agree with the plan and distribute the roles. Lord Umber is given overall command of the infantry, seeing as House Umber has one of the largest forces and the need for aggressive tactics, while Wendell Manderly is tasked with leading the knights to act as a vanguard. Rob himself states that he will lead the combined cavalry to follow.

His mother gets a start at that and even some of the Lords voice their objections to taking the lead, Rob refutes them saying he is needed to ensure the cooperation of the Riverland forces when they make contact. Though there is still some opposition they agree that there is no one Lord Tully would trust more in this army than his grandson.

The last order was given to the scouts to ensure they spread out before the battle to watch for reinforcements. In particular Theon was given a small patrol to head to the whispering woods and then towards the bridge that crosses the Tumblestone 20 miles to the West.

If there are hidden enemies they will hide in the woods, while if anyone tries to escape the battle the bridge is the most likely path of retreat. In the end he gives the order that if Jaime is found at he should be captured if at all possible. If both sons are put in our camp, Tywin will be forced to meet their terms if he ever wants to continue his family legacy.

As we leave the tent to prepare ourselves and our troops, I am approached by Lady Catelyn.

“Lord Baskerville, could I have a moment of your time in private?” She asks. When I consent she leads me to her tent and dismisses the guards. Sensing the mood, I ask Brutus to stand guard outside and warn off anyone approaching.

When we enter she takes the seat first and then offers me the one opposite which I accept. As we are seated I wait for her to broach the subject on her mind.

“I would like to thank you for all that you have done for this family. What happened in the capital wasn’t your fault and I surely don’t blame you for Ned. Since then you have contributed much, returning my daughter, capturing Tyrion and volunteering yourself at the Twins. Despite only serving my family for a short few years you have done more than some who have served us for decades. Your Lordship was well deserved.” She says with a slight bow of her head.

“Thank you for your kind words Lady Stark, but they are unneeded. Lord Eddard was kind and deserving of loyalty, while I view your family like my own.” I reply with a bow of my own and wait for her request.

I have no doubt that reminding me of my failure with Ned and that my lordship came from Rob wasn’t by accident.

“It is why these next words are hard for me to ask considering you have already done so much for our family, but I can think of no one else I can trust with the task. During the fighting, I ask that you stay by Rob’s side and ensure his safety. Even if you need to take him from the battlefield over your shoulders, against his will, if he is going to die you must save him.” As she asks this she holds her hands together and looks me straight in the eyes.

I realise how difficult this is to ask. Originally I was planning to fight in the vanguard where I and Brutus could act as the steel tip that allows for easier entry to the enemy, or join Lord Umber’s force and roam the field, sniping the commanders and trying to collapse their formations.

What she is asking is for me to ride alongside Rob with his ‘Wolf Guard’. A group of young noble children who act as Rob’s honour guard. The Umber, Karstark and Mormont heirs are all a part of this group, placed there by their families as a way of strengthening the ties between them and the Starks, as well as experiencing war in a relatively safe place. Though they are definitely all exceptional fighters to defend Rob, their impact in the war as a whole is rather minor.

Not only will I not be able to contribute the full extent of my abilities, it would also be deemed inappropriate by the others. A full-fledged Lord as myself standing by the young Paramount and a bunch of heirs, though I am not different in age by much, would be seen as either toadying to Lord Stark or hiding from the battle.

Especially the part where I might need to drag Rob from the battlefield. Though I can see the need for it, as if something goes wrong Rob might be too passionate to leave his men behind, and if he is killed or captured then we are finished. But if I am the one to do it, though it would save Rob from criticism, it will cement my reputation as a coward as well as earn Rob’s wrath

Though I don’t care about my reputation so much, and Rob isn’t likely to hold a grudge against me, anyone else would have serious concerns offending their paramount like this which is why she is asking me.

I am certain that there is no one in this army that is stronger than me at the moment. Though I can’t fight an entire army by myself, I can take advantage of a chaotic battlefield to break out and flee even while taking someone with me.

I almost refused. Not because I wasn’t worried about Rob, but because I didn’t think there was any point. Though he would be separated from the primary force, there would still be over 2,000 men protecting him, all of whom are our elites and mounted. There are few situations that could pose a danger, and even fewer that he could not avoid with the open ground and superior mobility.

Instead I could be putting my talents to use and affect the battle as a whole. If I can cause the enemy to collapse half an hour earlier, then hundreds of lives wouldn’t need to be sacrificed. Not to mention that saying yes now creates a president for the future. If she asks me to do this in every battle from here on it could lead to problems down the road.

But as I see the desperation in her eyes I eventually fold. I know that if she could take his place, or get Rob to stay behind without humiliating him then she would.

As she thanks me and ensures she will always remember this favour, I decide that at after this battle, or the war at the latest, I would start training Qi users. It is clear I can’t be everywhere and if we want to guarantee our victory then we need every advantage.

Though they won’t be of use anytime soon, with the low energy levels in this world and none of the supplements from my old, it would require probably 10 years just to reach 1st tier with average talent, and only the talented ones would have a chance to reach 2nd before the age of 30.

But if I take several orphans from young, which there will be a lot after this war, and train them in the way of war and instil loyalty to the Starks, then once they reach an appropriate level they train others, in 3 to 4 decades I could have several dozen qi users. With luck some of them could be talented and reach 2nd tier to take over from me, and if I train them as rangers with beast companions, I could double this number.

If I keep my current rate of training then I could reach the 3rd tier myself by the age of 30, doubling my lifespan. Spending the next 30 to 40 years or so ensuring the Starks had an order of loyal elites is no sweat off my back. If they are in trouble I could assassinate their enemies as well and leave them to grow.

As I think of where to get the first recruits I think that Arya and Rickon would be good choices. Not only would the first batch have guaranteed loyalty to Rob, but if several members of the Stark family are qi practioners then it will reduce the future threat of assassinations. The rest could be sourced from the war orphans giving a sample size of 8 or 10 to start.

It’s a shame that Rob and Sansa are a bit too old to start, while Bran is crippled. Though they could theoretically still learn some, it would have minimal effect, and for the first trial group I need results.

“Ser, there you are!” I hear someone shout as I approached my tent.

Turning I see Ethan waving as he approached with a huge smile on his face. His clothes were dirty and crumpled like he had been travelling non-stop.

“Ah-wait! Apologies, I meant my Lord. Sorry for the improper address, I only arrived 2 hours ago and when I reported my identity to the patrol men they said you were in a meeting. I didn’t even know you were a Lord, which would have been nice to mention in your letter.” Ethan continues, a slight pout appearing on his face.

“Ha ha! No worries Ethan, I wouldn’t mind if you called me just Ben considering how long you’ve served me. And sorry about the letter, it couldn’t be long if I was sending by raven, and there was more important information to write about. But what took you so long, I was expecting you a week ago and was worried you didn’t receive my message.” I ask.

A single rider moves much faster than an army and even if he had to ask locals for where we were travelling it shouldn’t have made much of a difference.

“Part of it was my fault, Milord. In my haste I chose against hiring a guide and ended up taking a side path and losing several days finding my way out again. Then, when I reached the Bloody Gate I was further delayed by the checks, as alertness has been raised with the war tensions.” Ethan explains.

“Well that’s fine. I’m just glad you got here safely and just in time for the fun to begin. Come, I will call some servants to prepare a bath so you can get clean then we will talk properly. I want to know how Elsa and Ed were when you left them. Then I will let you know what the plan for tomorrow is and what we will be doing. That is if you don’t want to stay in camp?” I ask.

Though it is unlikely considering the rush he was in to get here, I had to ask. We are going to fight a war, one where even I could face danger, let alone a squire who has yet to kill another man yet. I always planned to bring him to the Wall to volunteer with the Rangers on an expedition, or venture to the Vale Hills in search of bandits to look for his first real opponent.

Not to say the Wildlings or Hill tribes are weaklings, in fact anyone who has ever fought them would claim they are tougher than most soldiers. They would be a real threat to the Lords if they had proper weapons and organisation.

I would choose them because they can be found in small groups where I can control the situation, and no one in civilised Westeros would care if some die.

“What are you saying!? I have been waiting all my life for a moment like this. It doesn’t matter if you ask me to charge a line of spears; I will follow you anywhere, Lord Baskerville!” Ethan swears while bending on one knee.

Grabbing his shoulders and lifting him to his feet I smile and rebuke him. “Calm yourself, Ethan, I was just asking to be sure. Honestly your skill on the horse and with a sword make you just acceptable to ride with me tomorrow, though not on the front lines. I have been requested to defend Lord Stark on the field tomorrow, which means you will be protecting him alongside me. The chances of fighting personally is small, though if it does become required it will mean the Paramount himself is in danger and you will need to put all your focus on him. Rather than killing the enemy, you must ensure Lord Stark does not receive even a single wound, even if you have to throw yourself in front of the foes sword. Do you understand?” I inflate the importance of his assignment to him.

“Yes, milord! I swear that so long as I am alive, not a drop of blood will leave the Paramount’s body!” Ethan once again promises.

I feel he is getting too excited again, but deciding that it is better than losing interest and sneaking off in the battle to look for glory I allow it. After sending him off to bathe and eat I wait in my tent and prepare a second sleeping area for him as I assume he hasn’t been assigned proper dwelling yet, and with the fight upon us it is unlikely he would.

(Following day, noon)

As we slowly trot forward the Lannister army comes into sight.

Our forces were on high alert the previous night and woke at dawn. Ethan and I woke several hours earlier to join the night shift. If there was going to be an ambush then just before the sun rises is the best time to do so.

The scouts were the first to set off, spreading in all directions, with the largest group being the hundred riders Theon was in charge of. They set off for the whispering woods and by about 10 in the morning the scouts returned along with a pair of riders from Theon’s band.

The scouts all reported no changes to the Lannister camp or the surrounding area, while the pair of riders said the woods near the edges was clear. They also said that Theon left half his men to monitor the woods just in case, while he brought the rest of his men to cut off the escape route at the bridge.

A rather cautious approach, as it leaves little risk of any hidden force deeper in the woods from emerging undetected. But it also means he has greater pressure to stop any escapees with his decreased manpower.

But in the end the key is winning the battle, if letting a few potential prisoners get away is the cost of guaranteeing our rear is secured then it is worth it.

We spent the next two hours slowly crawling up on the Lannister army, Rob and myself in the middle of the army. Rob briefly expressed his doubt at me not joining the scouts to check on the surroundings. I responded with the fact that any force that could make a difference today is large enough that even a one-eyed lady could spot it; my expertise wasn’t needed and would instead be better put to use preparing for the battlefield.

Rob accepted that as he likely assumed I was seeking to redeem myself on the field. Ultimately my position as part of the scouts is voluntary. As a Lord under him, Rob has the right to dismiss me from the army or punish me if I break a serious law, but otherwise I am up to my own devices.

If he tried to command me to the front, or make me do some demeaning job live cook for him or serve him wine, I would have every right to refuse. If he attempted force me he would be met with the opposition from every Lord here, even the ones that don’t like me. It doesn’t matter how new or small my House is, a noble is always given respect otherwise there may come a day they themselves are treated the same.

Rob is the Paramount, not the king. He is usually responsible for organising us Lords and representing our interests, but cannot command us to acts that we aren’t legally bound to or choose to.

Though I imagine that might change if this war continues like this. A conflict of this level that affects an entire continent like this rarely ends with everyone shaking hands and letting bygones be bygones. At least it is rarely the same people that started the conflict shaking hands.

When the enemy came in sight we began to slow. Once we reach about 1.5km from the camp then we will stop and hold position. In the end the first to attack need to be the Lannister army.

Though we resolved to fight aggressively, the key area is still the bridgehead leading to Riverrun. If we engage them too close to the river then when we pass them with our cavalry they may still have time to retreat before our infantry can lock them down.

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We also need to know the rough numbers they are sending in the first wave to stall us. If they send most if not all in a thin line, then we will penetrate the centre and destroy their formation before charging forward.

If they hold a significant force back in the camp then we will flank to the sides. Not only will their lesser numbers mean they are less likely to stop us, but it means the initial pressure on Riverrun is greater so the importance on getting to the bridge as fast as possible is the priority.

Someone brought up the possibility that they don’t attack during the day. If they wait till night it will be even harder to judge numbers and coordinating large groups will be exponentially more difficult, and in that regard we are the Lannisters inferior.

Some suggested attacking ourselves, but most were reluctant. Not just for the reasons above, but if we are wrong about all our assumptions and the weak fortifications are hiding a trap, then we may suffer serious casualties that will affect the rest of the war.

Instead we decided to resort to our original plan where we would bunker down and isolate them from supplies while wearing them down over the course of the next week.

In order to inform Riverrun of our plans as well as what we suspect the Lannisters are up to, I personally will be infiltrating the keep as soon as dark falls along with a sealed letter from Rob. With their base shifted to the West they are leaving the East open for me and Brutus to sneak through. Even if they focused all their scouts on the Eastern side they can’t mobilise a fast enough response force to stop me and Brutus from reaching the river and just swimming to the castle.

Once Lord Tully receives the letter we can coordinate our forces to prevent any food or supplies reaching Jaime. The Tully force will attack the South West bank that is now of similar size to prevent any supplies being sent across the river, while we will prevent any reaching the main Lannister force from land. Though they can get water from the river, without a large stockpile of food and feed both their horses and soldiers will collapse quickly.

After 30 minutes that plan became irrelevant however. Once they gathered up we watched as a large force exited the camp and forming into lines. Just as we were preparing ourselves, we watched as a lone rider exited the formation, the Lannister banner attached to a pole held in his hands.

“An ambassador. I was hoping the brat wouldn’t bother at this point so we could just get on with it.” Lord Umber speaks in a loud voice filled with disdain. The ‘ambassador’ is nothing more than a messenger sent to negotiate terms. They will give their offer and requirements for avoiding the battle altogether.

It is more of a tradition in Westeros, as most of the times the terms are just ridiculous demands or sometimes subtle provocations used to get inside the head of the enemy.

Though it sometimes does lead to avoiding bloodshed, throughout the history of the Seven Kingdoms it is almost entirely between small contingents that such agreements are made. When you spend the amount of time, coin and resources mobilising an army of this size it is almost guaranteed that you are going to use it unless a new event has arisen that makes victory impossible.

The only thing that would get Rob to call off his forces would be the immediate retreat of all Lannister forces across the river, and leaving the territory of the Tully’s. If they had any intention of doing that then they would have just done it the second they knew we were coming, not on the day of the battle. If they retreat in the face of the enemy like this it is the same as declaring they are afraid of us.

If they did it before then they could claim it was just positioning their forces in a more strategic spot, and they could do it without seeming like they are asking our permission. When the rider stops in the middle of the field Rob turns to the side and calls out to a nearby horseman.

“Mannis, deliver our terms.” The man he spoke to was named Mannis Bolton, one of the cousins to Lord Bolton.

No one suggested ignoring the messenger to humiliate the enemy or kill him to enrage them. It is considered a taboo to kill a man seeking to discuss peace, and killing a messenger is just disgraceful. Even if it is pointless we still need to send a messenger of our own to show our men that we sought to avoid conflict up until the last minute.

“Yes Milord!” the man chosen to be our messenger is a large man, larger than his cousin, with a large, ugly scar on his cheek and missing a part of his ear. Both injuries were caused by an arrow when besieging Pyke during the Greyjoy Rebellion.

He was chosen as it is customary the messenger is someone of reasonable birth and since the negotiations are pointless, they may as well scare them a bit. Both his appearance and name are enough to remind the enemy who they are fighting and what could happen.

We wait another half an hour while the messengers meet and return to their respective armies. The negotiations were pointless after all, as they refused our offer and we refused theirs. They suggested that we surrender and that Rob and the rest of the Lords allow themselves to be escorted to the capital to beg forgiveness for their recent actions.

Jaime’s only offer was that he would plead on our behalf to the king to ask for mercy using the fact we haven’t caused much harm yet. If we continue with our course then we would be nothing more than traitors to the realm and would be faced with the harshest punishment.

The contents were pointless, but what happened in their camp was what got our attention. Once we sent our messenger a pillar of continuous smoke left the camp into the sky.

Clearly It was a signal but for who was the question. Someone suggested it was for those on the other sides of the river, possible but a bit excessive. For their respective distances then horns should be more than enough and require far less time. This smoke pillar can be seen for many miles.

Another guessed it was for any scout groups or patrols, but unlikely. We haven’t seen any scouts outside 20 kilmetres since 2 days ago. Jaime realised we were just killing them so he called them back. The few he might have left in the field aren’t worth the effort of calling them back as they likely total less than a hundred.

The only possibility is they are signalling an out of sight force, but there is none that could arrive in time. We have accounted for all the Lannister forces and the few Riverland Lords that sided with them are mostly on the other side of the river. The few on this side are both too few and too far. We already checked the surrounding area and with no towns or other cover the only place they could hide is the Whispering woods, but we have men watching there.

It seems that Rob thinks the same because he quickly gives orders to 50 riders. “Ser Vass, lead another band of riders and double the watch on Whispering woods. If that signal is for someone then it can only be there.” As the elderly knight salutes and leads the riders away, Rob addresses the other Lords.

“Put the smoke out of your minds for now. Even if there is a trick we will find it, and if not then it must be Jaime’s bluff to throw us off.” As he says this the men calms down and spread the word to the rest of the army, reminding them to stay focused.

Since his words make sense I try and focus as well. And just as we solve that issue the enemy makes its next move. We watch as the lines form and make their way forward.

Predictably they sent their infantry, and it seems they only sent a smallish number. But what we found strange was the lack of horses.

Though we can’t see the inside of the camp from here we can clearly tell that no cavalry is among the first force, whether in front to cause maximum initial damage, or the rear so they can quickly retreat to Riverrun.

“What are they doing? There’s no point in having cavalry in the camp, and if they dismount to use them as infantry then they may as well use them in the field.” Lord Umber gives voice to his doubts.

Though most think a man on horseback is better than on foot, there are a few instances where they are worse. Though they give the riders greater height and weight to their blows, they lack flexibility and control since they are dependent on another creature for footing and the head gets in the way of striking from multiple directions.

Their greatest advantage comes from their mobility and momentum the charge offers, both of which require space to manoeuvre and build up speed. Close combat in an enclosed camp and later trying to cross a narrow bridge and enter a fort? If they were going to waste them like that they may as well have tried raiding us as we were travelling here.

“Don’t be confused! Jaime is likely holding them back to intercept us. The initial plan hasn’t changed; we will flank their forces from the East and make our way to Riverrun. We just have to take more care that the Lannisters don’t send their cavalry to intercept us half way. If they do then we will just have to hope they then lack the strength to defeat the Riverrun forces.” Rob declares before ordering Ser Manderly to prepare the vanguard. With the relatively few men in front of us we can sweep around to the side and bypass the forward lines.

It’s times like this that makes me glad there were incredibly few battles on this scale in my old world. We haven’t even fought yet and there are already so many areas and conflicts to consider. The requirement for multiple capable commanders who can adapt becomes even more important than the quality of the troops. Most of the times the fights were close enough that I could personally react to the event.

After 5 minutes the Lannisters have made their way halfway across the field and already seem to be slowing down. As we are ready ourselves, Lord Umber gives the order for the main force to engage while Rob and I follow Wendell as he flanks to the left.

I briefly debate whether to ride in front of Rob or behind. The front is where the fiercest fighting will be, but it is also where our strongest forces are located, and that smoke pillar still gives me a bad feeling. So Brutus and I take position to the rear of Rob and his band so we can react as quickly as possible to trouble. Ethan is beside me, loadout is primarily his riding blade and 2 sets of quivers on either side. His main responsibility is to watch my side and hand me resupply when I need it.

Rob POV

I feel the wind blowing past my ears as I ride, combined with the pounding of hooves becomes deafening. I have ridden faster than this before, but never has my heart beaten so quickly.

Riding on your own and riding as part of a host is completely different. Not only do you have to take care not to collide with anyone else, but the dangers of falling off are much higher. As soon as I hit the ground I would be trampled by dozens of hooves with no chance of survival.

As we ride past the Lannister army my fear of falling passes to be replaced by anxiety over the coming conflict. As we passed the infantry you could feel the tension rise from everyone. If Jaime was going to use his cavalry to intercept us then this is the time. His riders would still have room to build up speed before clashing with us, turning it into an all-out brawl.

Though we outnumber the Lannister riders the difference is smaller than the infantry and the chance of mishaps is high.

My fears are unfounded as we encounter no resistance crossing the fields. The flanks of the Lannister army turn to face us, perhaps fearing we are attempting to cut into their sides, but they are quickly engaged by our own forces that have made their way to the fields centre now.

As we approach the camp the sounds of fighting in front drown out those in the rear. Instead of finding pike men and archers waiting for us we are met with an open wall, just past which we see the Riverrun bridge lowered and the Lannister blockade overrun.

As the Lannisters retreat to the West of the camp we make our way to the few horsemen among the Riverrun forces. Under the banner of the Tullys rides an old knight clad in scale armour, resembling a grey fish.

The man was Ser Robin Ryger, the captain of the Riverrun guards. I’ve seen him several times in the past when I visited my grandfather and he hasn’t changed a bit. Older than most knights with a bald head, serious look and large build. Though he would usually have a small smile when looking at me in the past, now only a strict scowl adorns his face.

“Hold!! I am Ser Ryger, knight to Lord Tully and commander of this army. Who is your commander!?” He calls as my vanguard makes way for me and my honour guard to make our ways forward.

Ser Manderly looks to be about to announce me, but I cut him off. “Uncle Ryder, It is I Robb Stark, Lord of House Stark and Warden of the North! We are here to help, and to warn you!!” I don’t want to waste any time with theatrics while the enemy is metres from us and the bridge to Riverrun right next to us.

“Rob- Pardon, Lord Stark!? It is great to see you in good help but what are you doing here and not with your army?” Ryger questions. It is obvious to him that the amin Lannister army is still behind us, meaning our commander, I, is effectively behind enemy lines.

“We had to warn you! We believe that the Lannisters only look to be fighting us, but are instead planning to double back on Riverrun and take the castle. When that happens the battle won’t matter as they will never lose so long as they hold Riverrun.” Skipping the reasons I quickly tell him the conclusion we came to.

“Those bastards! We were wondering what their strange actions were. But while that explains destroying their barricades, what were they doing with the animals?” Another rider, a younger Lord notes. On his back is a cape with the clack Talon of House Lychester so I can only assume he is from that family. Not knowing what he meant I asked him to continue.

“Horses, donkeys and oxen have been repeatedly sent to different sides of the Fork over the past 3 days. Nearly all the Horses to the South East and work animals to the North, this side.” He explained.

“That’s impossible.” From behind Ben spoke up. “I personally saw the horses in the camp, at least 2 thousand of them.”

“Lord Lychester tells the truth. In addition that wasn’t the only thing they moved. From the South West they sent at least 2 thousand men to the south East. Then yesterday they all abandoned their camp. At night we sent trackers to look for them and found them 5 miles east and another mile from the river. All their rafts and boats were sent down river to the east as well.” Lord Ryger explains and every word gives me more and more tension.

“What boats? I thought all the boats were stowed away in the keep?” Eric Karstark asks beside me. As he asks I notice the fighting has reached a lull. The Riverland army has stopped pursuing the Lannisters, while the enemy is positioned a hundred 2 hundred metres away, just out of bow range.

Though our side is waiting for their orders, theirs is clearly waiting for something as well.

“Ours were all stored or destroyed, but over the past month they have been gathering vessels and constructing rafts from all over-“. “FUCK!!”

As Ryger was explaining a sudden curse from behind interrupted him and startled the rest of us as well. As I turned I watched as Ben was pushing his way to the rear of the formation, curses from those around him as he and Brutus shoved their way past. After a few seconds the tension gets to me and I follow him.

As we made our way to the back several men called in surprise. “Who are they?” “Are they ours? Whose banner is that?” “Is that the Enemy?”

When I look across the field I see another army, one that just split into 2. Half that seems to be primarily footmen are making their way to the rear of our main army, while the other is quickly making their way across the field towards us.

“That’s the Clegane banner. It’s the fucking Mountain!” Torrhen Karstark shouts beside me.

We watch as the enemy starts their charge, getting faster and faster as they approach. Soon they will be on us and we will be destroyed.

“We need to form up, be ready to receive!”

“There’s no time, we need to flee!”

“Where?! Where can we go?!”

The men shout in a panic around me as I realise they are right. Clegane will take only a few minutes to cross that field and then they will be on us. In that time we will only be able to turn around, all the momentum will be on their side.

We can’t run, the Lannisters are to the East and West, while the river is to the South and the barricades are to the North cutting us from returning to the army.

“Rob! Quickly, get your men inside the keep, we’ll raise the bridge and trap them outside.” Ryger suggests, forgetting titles in his panic.

He is right, Riverrun is the only place to go if I want to survive, but it is the same as entering a coffin to hide from the executioner. We will barely be able to get a few thousand men inside before they arrive and we have to close the gate. My main army will then be surrounded and either defeated or forced to retreat. I will then be trapped in Riverrun with my grandfather with no one to save us. The war will be over, with our loss.

As the knights all panic around me, asking for orders to fight or run, I feel a firm hand on my shoulder. I look to see Ben beside me, eyes darting around, hovering on the river in particular. As I am about to ask what he wants, he gives a loud sigh and looks at me.

“I’ll buy some time, get ready and do whatever you think is best.” After that he pats me on the head and moves forward.

“Ethan, ditch the quivers you won’t need them!! Stay by Lord Stark and protect him. I will see you later.” And just like that he kicked his horses sides and galloped forward, charging to the enemy alone except for the hound by his side.

Ben POV

‘My apologies Lady Stark, but it isn’t quite desperate enough just yet.’ I think to myself as I quickly approach the enemy. Drawing my bow I aim at the lead rider, a huge mother fucker I can only assume is the mountain. I saw him once at the tourney and got to say he deserves his reputation. Though I’ve seen bigger in my past life he is by far the largest in this one.

But the Mountain isn’t the problem; the problem is the thousands of heavy cavalry riding next to him. I’ve faced charges like this before and have come to think of them like an avalanche.

When several hundred kilos is travelling at high speeds there is almost nothing that can withstand it. Though horses and knights are somewhat less sturdy than stone, a combination of muscle, bone and metal makes for a significant whack either way.

There was a country near to my own called Orion, and unlike our lands which were primarily hills and valleys, there were plains suitable for rearing horses and livestock. Their cavalry was particularly infamous on the battlefield, and while they didn’t border us, they did border one of our allies, the Kura.

As part of a defensive pact we would sometimes assist them in resisting the Orion. They countered the cavalry by investing in quick defensive fortifications, by training men to build trenches and barricades in quick time. They would either create a defence capable of withstanding their charge, or dissuade them from charging altogether.

Unfortunately this meant they were almost always on the back foot, requiring time to set up and could not launch attacks of their own on open field. Eventually they would be worn down or caught by surprise and forced to give ground.

This was fine for the Kura, as they were the sort who preferred to throw money at a problem than an army. If they needed soldiers, they hired mercenaries. If they wanted to cause the enemy damage they would hire assassins and saboteurs to disrupt logistics. Once the enemy tired itself out they would pay them a settlement to end the aggressions and go back to making money.

This didn’t sit with me, so I developed a specialty counter that relied on what the Banders territory did to counter avalanches. As we reached the 500 metre mark I fuelled my arrow with qi and let it fly. Like an eagle the arrow flew across the field and struck its mark… right in the centre of the horse’s chest.

Even with the thick leather tarp and strong muscles to protect it, combining the force of that strengthened arrow with the horses own momentum forced it through the bone and bristle all the way to the feathers. Just like that the horse neighed in pain and collapsed throwing itself and the rider forward.

And just like that, the Mountain falls and the chain reaction begins.

Unlike boulders, cavalries speed is dependent not on gravity, but on the horse. A heavy mass that can’t move is not going to hurt anyone. And unlike a boulder both the rider and animal can feel fear. The man behind sees the person in front fall and in shock tries to avoid tripping over the horse, which he ultimately fails. At that speed they collide with the dead horse and fall to the ground themselves.

By this time the following people have realised what has happened and had enough time to move to the sides, but that is okay. As the riders in the rear move to the left and right to avoid falling, and the riders directly next to Clegane stop to check on him, likely his guards, and the entire formation now has a gap and is forced to slow slightly.

Of course I don’t expect this to stay that way. Already the 2 now wings are converging into a point again and will soon resume. I don’t allow this and place 2 arrows on my bow, charging them again.

In these few seconds we have closed another hundred metres, so while I can’t put as much force into each arrow as the first, the closer distance makes up for it. As they fly the same thing as the mountain happens to the leading riders.

The individual collapse doesn’t have as much affect as the mountain’s due to the slower speed of the riders, the precedent and likely lower importance of the 2, the combined effect is greater. Some in order to avoid collision go to the left and right flanks again, while others go down the middle.

The previously arrowhead formation has now become more of a trapezium. With the loss of 3 leading figures, the chaos of avoiding collisions and fear of not knowing what is happening has caused the charge to slow from its initial 30km/hr, to the near stop now.

In the particularly rocky and mountainous regions of my home it is illegal to log the woods uphill of settlements. The trees act as cushions in the event of a rockslide, with each collision acting to drain the energy of the boulders until they reach a collective stop.

At this point would either be the time I order the counter charge while they are stopped, or call a retreat if we didn’t have the numbers. But since I am on my own and don’t command the army I look back to see what the Starks are doing. Seeing them turned around and gearing up I smile. Rather than wait for them to join me, I decide to carry on and sow more confusion.

Speeding to the right I keep myself between the river and the left flank of the enemy, about 200 metres away. With qi focused in my body to speed it up and my bow to ensure it doesn’t break, I send arrow after arrow in rapid succession.

These don’t have any real target and don’t even fire with the goal to kill. Their only point is to get the attention of those on the right and further spread chaos in the command. As I fire the last of my 20 arrows several riders decide they had enough and about 2 dozen shout a war cry and charge towards me.

While 2 dozen doesn’t seem like much out of 2 thousand, it is enough to get the attention of those in the centre. Like this they are now splitting their thoughts from those in front and to the left, while the left flank doesn’t know whether to wait for orders or help their comrades.

Knowing it is too late for them, I see out of the corner of my eye the North is making their way across the field. Like this the positions are reversed, with the North having the advantage of momentum and the Lannisters are trapped in confusion.

I quickly put Robb and our army out of thought for the moment and focus on the men coming at me. If Robb wasn’t coming I would have no choice but to flee to the river and go with what is quickly becoming my main escape plan, cross the Fork.

But instead I throw my bow behind me and draw my sword. I rather like that bow and there is a risk of it breaking if I take it into combat so I threw it away, Brutus can track it down later.

With Brutus in the lead we make our way forward to engage. These men are dressed in plate and mail, clearly knights rather than mercs, so I have Brutus lead to startle the horses before I make my move.

When fighting from the back of a horse the key points are ones flexibility, speed and control of the horse. Though I am no master rider, I have spent the past few years constantly on horseback while travelling the North, meaning I am slightly better than average. My agility however easily eclipses these men.

Combined with my qi enhanced blade and 6 men suddenly lost their main hand as they swung their blade, while another 2 were torn from their saddles by Brutus’s teeth.

The others kept their distance after seeing the blood spurt from newly severed stumps, and the screams from their comrades. While they hesitated and spread out I moved through the gap and made my way to the main fighting.

By now Robb had engaged the Lannisters and instantly caused massive damage. It was clear they were going to win, but I wanted to make sure. Leaving those few knights to Brutus I made my way into the thick.

Unlike with footmen it is incredibly difficult to maintain battle lines once they are engaged, especially after one side has ploughed right through the middle of the other. Now the Lannisters are divided into 2 with the Starks in the middle and working their way outwards.

Taking advantage of their inwards focus I strike at the outer rim of the left flank and start cutting heads and stabbing backs. When I draw a little too much attention I disengage and move to a different area.

The previous enemies either lost track of me in the chaos or soon were preoccupied with the Stark army coming at them from the other side. After 5 runs it was clear the Starks had one seeing the Lannisters were breaking ranks and starting to flee.

Since I didn’t want to get surrounded I made it look like I was fleeing as well and made my way back to where I thought Brutus might have been. Just as I turned I was faced with a giant sword being swung right at my face.

With a severe twist to the right I avoided the swing by hanging off my horse, precariously balanced. The blow did not strike air, and instead buried itself deep in my horse’s neck. With a great neigh followed by gurgling as blood bubbled in its throat, it and I fell to the ground. With my balance thrown and the way the horse fell, I quickly found myself crushed by my steed.

Gritting my teeth as I hissed, I could feel the weight of my fallen companion crushing my almost certainly broken leg. Still, I got myself under control with several rapid breaths and made to use my remaining leg and arms to move the horse. Though several hundred kilos is a daunting task for most, for me it is just a light sweat, though the pain surely made it harder.

Just as I stated someone stomped on the horse’s body, sending another round of pain through me. As I look up I saw a mountain of a man. At least 7 feet tall, covered head to toe in metal plate.

Though I can’t see his face and he wears no Sigel, it can only be Ser Gregor Clegane. The man I thought died in the initial fall, but not only has he survived he found another horse, likely from his guards. Speaking of them, the handful that survived are surrounding his rear and protecting us from the few Starks that approach.

Clegane reaches down for his sword, a huge piece of metal that got stuck in my horses neck and dragged down, and dislodges it, drawing viscera and blood along with it. As he steps around the horse towards me I call out.

“Hey there Clegane, what are you doing standing on two legs? Shouldn’t you be on all four like the dog you are?” I ask in an attempt to enrage him.

After considering my options, fighting is definitely out. Though I still have a pair of knives on me, my sword long gone somewhere, even putting what little qi I have left is unlikely to kill him with a throw from this angle. If he got his hands on me I would have a chance, as although he is strong, I am likely a match and a single stab will put him down. But retrieving that sword threw that possibility out the window.

My only option is to stall for Brutus. As soon as I went down I already called for help and can feel he is coming. If I can buy a few seconds then he will be here and can tear this motherfucker up.

I hoped with his obvious hatred of me he would react and taunt me a little about my impending demise, but instead he just raised his sword high and prepared to swing. From the angle I could tell that he wasn’t aiming for my head, but rather for my waist, likely intending to let me die from disembowelment, a slow death. Dick.

If he at least approached from the front I could make an attempt to grab his legs and try to throw him off balance and buy myself a few seconds, but from this twisted position I could only watch.

It was as I watched I saw behind him a much smaller person approach at a run. After bypassing the guards who were focused on the Stark riders, they ran right up to the Mountain and swung the mace in their hands as fast as they could.

*Crunch* the mace made solid connection with the thinner parts of the plate and the metal, and likely several ribs, was crushed under the blow. Clegane dropped his sword and turned away, more out of surprise than pain. As he does I realise who the new arrival is. Dacey Mormont.

Forgetting for the moment how or why she was here, I focused on removing my horse’s corpse from my leg. If the mountain comes for me again, or his guards, at least I will be able to jump and flounder around.

As I was finally freed I turn to see how their fight was going, and it looked like I was unneeded.

As Dacey swung her mace, Clegane dodged with surprising speed for one his size, he threw a large swing towards her face. His long and enormous arms made to look like a mace of his own, but were even less effective than Dacey’s.

By ducking the blow Dacey took advantage of his thrown balance to deliver a stomp with her right foot to his left, sending him to his knees. As she rounded his back she made to swing at his now accessible head.

However, like he had eyes in the back of his head, Clegane rather than avoid the blow, threw himself into it before it completed its full motion. With the helmet and dissipated force, he not only survived, but managed to grab Dacey’s arms and drag her to the ground.

Realising what this meant, I quickly got to my feet and started to limp as Clegane began raining punches. Drawing my 2 knives I charged them with as much qi as I had, and threw myself at Clegane’s back, plunging my right into the back of his helmet and the other into the neck guard.

I held him upright for the last few twitches of life, and when I felt it pass I let his body fall to the side before collapsing myself, not even bothering to retrieve my knives.

The few guards still alive made several shocked cries which soon turned into shrieks as a grey blur charged into the fray. After Brutus leapt up and dragged a rider from his horse, he proceeded to put his foot on the man’s back and bite his arm, and then pulled. We watched as he tore the man’s limb from his still living body before he charged to others. Losing all their morale they quickly fled only to be pursued by Stark riders.

Brutus made his way to where I and Dacey were and checked I was safe. As I placed my hand on his head, panting, I heard a groan and looked to see Dacey sit up from the floor.

Her face was battered, nose clearly broken and blood was dripping from her mouth. After fiddling with her tongue and coughing she spat into her hand and 2 of her molars and a canine came out. As she looked to me she reminded me of those whores from Winter Town who sometimes got unpleasant company.

I had never seen anyone so beautiful.

As our eyes met we started to smile, missing teeth and all, soon we were enveloped in laughter. A few knights recognized Brutus and came to fetch us while Robb led the rest of the men to cut off the infantry before they made their way to our main army’s rear.

Needless to say I was more tired and injured than I had ever been in this life, and I couldn’t be happier.