Blackwater Bay
Northeast of Stokeworth
7 BAC
Dawn of the First Day of the New Year
Six thousand cavalry stood before her, arrayed according to the strategy the lords and the queen had agreed upon.
Two thousand and four hundred of the cavalry were arrayed in three equal forces, led by Lords Grandison, Rogers, and Mertyns.
They had moved in the cover of the night to surround the camp from the north, south, and west to cut off escape routes when the main force, consisting of two waves of one and a half thousand heavy cavalry, hit the camp.
Once the two waves were done with their assault, the footmen would move in to clean up any survivors, with the lighter cavalry surrounding the escape routes, ready to put down any stragglers to inflict maximum casualties on the Ironborn.
The marcher lords, being the expert archers, would be in charge of the archers, while Ei, her father, and half the lords would move with the first wave. The remaining lords would charge with the second wave.
There was even a fight over it, with every lord requesting to join the first wave for glory. In the end, she had drawn lots to decide who would be the first ones to go.
And as the first rays of the sun were seen, Ei gave the order, "Archers, fire."
The order was carried, and the men in charge of the order flags waved the large white banner with a bow and arrow in the middle.
At six hundred and fifty feet range, the archers began to fire onto the unsuspecting Ironborn camp, and Ei gave her next order. "First wave, charge!" She spurred her horse forward, and the men waved the blue flag with the horse sigil to signify the start of the assault.
When the first wave had reached the boundaries of the camp, the second wave would charge, and the Ironborn would have no time to organize and put up a resistance. If they were not routed by the cavalry charge, the footmen would solve it, and any enemy that tried to escape from the east, the direction of their assault, would find six hundred cavalry in reserve waiting with the archers.
For the first four thousand five hundred and fifty feet, the charging cavalry gained momentum while the camp was showered with arrows. The last hundred feet, the archers stopped, and the enemy could only return sporadic, uncoordinated fire.
Horses galloped at full speed now, and Ei was the first to reach the camp, swinging her naginata twice.
In Westeros, baggage trains were used to surround camps as a defensive measure against any surprise cavalry attack, and while the Ironborn were more seafaring warriors, they had adapted enough to know the value of this tactic.
But they weren't adapted enough to surround the camps with stakes, which offered greater defense.
The first swing was to the right, sending the baggage trains flying away, along with dozens of Ironborn, and the second was to the left, doing the same and giving her cavalry a clear path to the camp.
Ei herself did not bring a lance and was content to use Engulfing Lightning to strike left and right, each attack slaying more than one Ironborn.
Lances struck the panicked Ironborn, who were mostly caught in their tents and scrambled to do anything, only to see the charging cavalry and try to run away in fear.
Horses, weighing more than thirty stones with their riders by Westerosi measurements, trampled tents and men alike, and their impact alone was enough to kill.
The horses slowed as they approached the other end of the baggage fortress, with Ei clearing the way again, and just as the first wave left the camp in ruins, the second wave entered through the hole she had created earlier, subjecting the routed Ironborn to the same assault.
The first wave slowed down, as pushing the horses any further wasn't wise, and went to join the surrounding forces waiting for the Ironborn routers.
The second wave wasn't too far behind and followed the same plan.
Footmen had followed the second wave of cavalry and were sweeping the Ironborn camp, forcing them to run right into the lances and arrows of the surrounding forces.
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lord Wystan Steadmon pushed Vickon Greyjoy on his knees before the queen.
They had caught Vickon while trying to run north towards Harrenhal. The Ironborn bastard had given them a good chase before an arrow felled his horse, sending him tumbling down.
"What are our losses?" Even with a shock and awe attack, losses were inevitable, especially among the cavalry.
"Less than five hundred, Your Excellency."
Ei nodded. That was less than ten percent of the total cavalry they had. "And the Ironborn?"
Her father came forward, a pleased look on his face. "So far we have caught over a thousand prisoners; none are highborn, and even fewer made it out of our encirclement."
Rough numbers, but a more precise count would take time, and the Ironborn wasn't worth the effort. "Around eight thousand or more dead, then."
Lord Symond, who was with the second wave, confirmed it. "That is our count as well, Your Excellency."
"Send out riders to hunt down any stragglers, and burn the Ironborn corpses before they rot and a disease breaks out." Any other enemy, she would have let them be buried by their customs, but as the Ironborn were no better than pirates, she did not care at all.
Vickon wasn't pleased by her words, however. "You bitch! You won't be this lucky against King Harren."
An electro orb struck the Greyjoy patriarch, causing his muscles to contract in pain and knocking him out. "How uncouth." Ei turned to Lord Wystan. "Make sure he does not escape. I need him and all other prisoners alive for now."
Lord Staedmon nodded, nervous at what he had just witnessed, and was glad for the chance to leave. "Yes, Your Excellency."
"What are you going to do with him?" Vickon was the head of the second strongest house of the Iron Islands. Ransoming him would bring good coin.
"Harrenhal will be barred to us, and I intend to exchange every prisoner I have for the hostages and slaves the Hoares keep." She would rather not kill any hostages, and whoever holds Harrenhal after Harren himself dies would have to negotiate.
"Order the men to salvage what they can from the camp, especially horses and carts, and have the wounded carried to Duskendale for healing. We will not be wasting time by having them treated at the camp. The host will rest for today and march tomorrow morning." Time was of the essence to catch Harren, and the wounded could receive better care at a city like Duskendale.
"Yes, Your Excellency." They all spoke at the same time, leaving the tent to carry out their orders again, this time with the comfort brought by triumph.
The new year had started with a great victory for the Storm Kingdom.
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The enemy camp was raided for supplies and anything valuable. While food, arms, and other supplies were in abundance, valuables were not since the Ironborn hosts were built for rapid movement.
Ei had ordered double rations and the looted alcohol to be distributed to increase the morale over the lackluster loot.
With the wounded carried out on carts to Duskendale, all that was left to do was to gather the bodies in a massive pyre, which took most of the afternoon.
More than eight thousand bodies weren't easy to pile together.
Setting the Ironborn corpses on fire, the dead of the Storm Kingdom were gathered to be buried, with the Septon leading the funeral processes.
Ei could not do anything for the dead in the afterlife, but she made sure each and every dead person was recorded so their families could receive aid for the contributions of the deceased.
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hayford
From the trees, well-hidden figures watched Harren "the Black" Hoare's host cross into the lands of House Hayford.
The Shadow Archers, as the ragtag bunch of commoners, knights, and even some second- and third-born sons called themselves, have been shadowing Harren's movements ever since the word of war between the Ironborn and the Storm Kingdom had reached them.
They knew the Ironborn had split in two for a surprise attack on Queen Argella's host—and wasn't that truly weird for the men to hear, King Argilac suddenly giving up his throne for his sorcerer daughter—and petitioned their leader to go and inform the Durrandons.
But their leader, called simply Hunter, for she did not give her name, claimed that Queen Argella would not be caught unaware and refused to send anyone out.
How she knew the Sorcerer Queen of the Storm Kingdom, Hunter did not say.
But Shadow Archers did not just tail Harren.
At night, they assaulted the Ironborn camp, burned supplies and tents, and ran away before the Ironborn could even understand what had happened.
Slowly they chipped away at Harren's patience, leading him to send out riders, of which the Ironborn did not have many due to their seafarer ways. Shadow Archers usually ambushed the riders, taking away their horses and possessions to trade for supplies.
They had even managed to take Harren's second son, Hasper, prisoner after ambushing his party near the border with the Kingdom of the Rock.
"What is the plan now?"
Her voice was fair but also commanding, an unusual mix. "The same as it has been. We harass Harren's host and soften them for the killing blow. With the Greyjoy host defeated, the Ironborn rule over the Riverlands is almost over."
"How can you know that?" The Shadow Archers had merchants and other people disposed to their cause inform them of anything important in the Riverlands and beyond, but none had sent any messages, to his knowledge.
A satisfied smile could be seen under her hood. "A little bird told me."
There was a harsh caw, and Robbard lifted his head to see a crow circling overhead.
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Kingdom of the Rock
Lannisport
King Loren watched from his far eye as the Ironborn fleet sailed eerily close to Lannisport, but he knew his lands weren't the target.
No, that pleasure belonged to the Storm Kingdom.
"My King, perhaps we should consider an alliance with House Durrandon? This would be a great chance to push the Ironborn out of the Riverlands." Tybald Lannister, Lord of Lannisport, advised the King of the Rock with a reserved look on his face.
King Loren was quite displeased at the fortunes of House Durrandon and its vassals, as it harmed the interests of the Kingdom of the Rock.
"What do I care if my enemies slaughter each other? Let the Storm Kingdom and the Ironborn fight; we will be the ones that come out better off." If the Ironborn won, they would be too weak to push into anywhere.
But if the Storm Kingdom won, they too would be too weak to do anything but try to salvage the Riverlands ravaged by the Ironborn for three generations to compete with Lannisport.
"Because of these Iron Works?"
"Yes." The wondrous invention of Argella Durrandon had cut down on the business the blacksmiths of Lannisport received, which meant it hurt Lorren's coffers. They had picked up orders again once Weeping Town and the Blackforge Town on Parchments had turned their Iron Works to focus on the war, but no matter the outcome, things would soon go back to the way they were.
"Keep watch on the Ironborn and have our fleet ready to sail if there is any sign of attack."
"Yes, My King."
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ironborn Fleet
Coast of the Kingdom of the Rock
Qhorin Volmark watched the mighty, and more importantly, rich, Lannisport pass by.
What an opportunity it would have been to raid the wealthiest port in all of Westeros.
But alas, they had to sail to Riverlands, for their king, Harren, had summoned them for war against the Storm Kingdom.
Harwyn Hoare, grandfather to King Harren, had taken the Trident from the Durrandons, and now the grandson would finish what the first King of Isles and Rivers had started.
It would take them twenty days to reach Weeping Town to start raiding the Storm Kingdom, and while it wasn't a great target like Lannisport, rumors of how their coffers were brimming with silver had traveled like the wind.
And it was all theirs for the taking.
Blackwater Bay
Stokeworth
7 BAC
The host of the Storm Queen was ready to march on Harren the Black and put an end to his existence.
His host was marching to the Blackwater Rush, and with careful timing, Ei's army would catch the King of the Isles and Rivers in a very unfavorable position.
Stuck between the Blackwater Rush and her army, the Ironborn would either swim and die or fight and die, but die all the same.
Following the victory, the mood among the soldiers was high, and it was evident in their march.
Their route would take them southwest through Stokeworth to the lands of House Hayford. Ei had been monitoring Harren's host regularly in case of something unforeseen, but so far, everything was moving according to the plan.
The first day of the march was uneventful. On the second day, however, one of the soldiers had made the mistake of forcing a young girl from the small village the host was camping nearby.
"Explain yourself." He ordered, and the knight fell on his knee to hide the fear in his veins.
"Your Excellency, this girl lies; I know not why."
"It's true, Your Excellency." "Tristan would never." Several knights, the friends of the accused, rushed to his defense.
"Silence." The knights went still at her cold tone, clamping up immediately.
Ei turned to the teary-eyed girl, who was clearly shaken by what almost happened to her. "Speak, child."
The girl, barely fourteen or fifteen, told how Tristan got drunk in her father's tavern, where she was working, and tried to push himself on her.
Tristan's friends objected again, saying the girl was lying and she had approached Tristan first.
"Enough. Where are the witnesses?" Ei could feel the knight lying, a perk of being a god, but witnesses were still necessary for due diligence.
Several villagers who were at the tavern were brought forward, and their accounts of the event were consistent and didn't appear to be a carefully crafted lie, as Tristan's defenders claimed.
"You have two choices: either confess and be stripped of your knighthood and possessions as punishment, or lie and be put to death."
"Your Excellency, I did nothing. This is all a plot." The knight begged on his knees.
"Did you know I can sense when someone is lying?" Ser Tristan went pale at her words, realizing that it was all for nothing.
"N-no."
Ei swung her hand as if it was a sword, and an electro blade decapitated the lying knight right in front of the witnesses and the spectators.
"Let this be a lesson to all of you." Storm clouds responded to the Electro Archon's displeasure, quickly covering the sky and darkening the land."You might have enjoyed your unchecked power over the populace, but it will no longer happen. Any ill treatment of the people under your rule, and you will be punished."
"Take the knight's belongings and give this young girl coin equal to it." She decreed, dismissing the impromptu court, having dispensed justice.
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ei's warning of the lords' treatment towards the smallfolk had left many displeased, but fear kept them silent.
Of course, scaring the nobles into following the laws she would set would only breed resentment in the long term, but she had plans for that as well.
Keeping a balance between her treatment of the nobles and commoners was delicate work.
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On the third day, her outriders had their first sightings of Harren's host, posing as travelers to not alert the enemy.
The Ironborn were marching steadily to their doom, and it was time to deliver it.
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blackwater Bay
Ei gathered her war council, and the mood among the lords was excellent, their previous grumbling over the fate of Ser Tristan all but forgotten.
"Your Excellency, what is our plan?" Darren Dondarrion spoke first, giddy at the thought of finally cleansing the humiliation they had suffered at the hands of the Ironborn three generations ago.
"Their backs are at the Blackwater Rush; they have no place to escape. We should ride them down with the cavalry and the infantry." Lord Symond had a fire burning in his eyes, a somewhat welcome change compared to his previous demeanor.
Prince Argilac snorted. He too would have considered such a rash course of action before, but his daughter had, unknowingly, taught him to use his head more than he was doing anyway. "Six thousand cavalry can't destroy a host of twenty thousand, and if they slow down to match the infantry, then Harren has time to prepare or run away through the empty flanks."
"Indeed, and even if the cavalry rides through the host, they will be the ones stuck between a host and the Blackwater Rush. If the Ironborn decide to take as many as possible down in a final act of spite, then it will be a needless loss of life." The people of the Storm Kingdom had to fight their own wars; otherwise, Ei could have finished the Ironborn long ago.
You can't raise a child by doing everything for them. They have to stumble and fight through life to grow.
"Her Excellency is right; just because we are fated to win does not mean we should waste soldiers, especially knights and cavalry." Corwyn had brought most of his mounted forces, and if the cavalry were crushed, he would be the one to weaken the most.
Ei nodded. After the victory over Vickon's host, Lord Darklyn's attitude had changed. "Well said. Our plan is simple. The infantry and the archers will approach Harren's host from the rear. The infantry will create a line and charge at Harren's host, while the archers keep firing from range. We will split the cavalry into two and flank the Ironborn from each side, and the Ironborn will be surrounded entirely." Boxing the enemy would leave little to no survivors to plague the Riverlands and the Blackwater Bay, and a total victory would go a long way to create a bond between recent additions to her kingdom.
"Your Excellency, I would like to volunteer for the honor of leading one of the cavalry." Tommen Whitehead stepped forward, falling on his knees. He had become a bit of a yes-man after the Battle of Weeping Town, but Ei had set him straight after Stokeworth.
"I am a seasoned rider, Your Excellency; let me lead the other." Edric Fell followed Tommen's example, and the only reason Ei didn't roll her eyes at the dramatics was because she didn't have time for it.
At first it was one by one, but then the court descended into an anarchy, with each lord vying for the glory.
"Enough." Ei silenced the squabbling nobles at once. "Act befitting your station. Lords Grandison and Rogers will lead the cavalry. They have done well against Vickon Greyjoy's host, and I expect them to succeed again." The two lords had proven to be competent commanders, and she had no intention of replacing them with someone untested.
Lords Darian and Eamon slammed their fists on their chests, gracefully and joyfully accepting the command.
"I will be leading the infantry and the Marcher lords once again in the charge of archers." It was only fair for her to lead the men when they would act as the spearhead and face the most casualties.
Her father stood up with Victor in his hand, ready for the fight. "I am coming with you."
"Very well." Ei nodded after thinking for a second. Her father was a mighty warrior, and the safest place in this battle would be next to her. "The remaining lords are to join the cavalry. Ready yourselves."
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The twelve thousand infantry were led by four knights, each commanding a three thousand-strong unit.
Ser Brynden Selmy of Harvest Hall, an honorable knight a head shorter than Prince Argilac. He was known to be fair and well beloved by both smallfolk and nobility. Handsome with black hair and brown eyes, Brynden was what every knight aspired to be.
Ser Daven Wylde of Rain House, serving as the castellan to his brother, commanded the second unit. Unlike his brother, Allard Wylde, Daven was more serious and carried out his tasks meticulously.
Commander of the third unit was Ser Moryn Fell, castellan to Mistwood and the late Lady Mertyns' brother. He was a silent individual who preferred action over words, but his youth was well behind him.
Finally, Ser Aric Trant of Gallowsgrey led the fourth unit, a decorated warrior that had been knighted by her father and a well-accomplished commander in several previous wars.
Each stood at the helm of their unit, ready to follow Queen Argella and Prince Argilac to battle.
At the rear, the Marcher lords readied the archers to rain down arrows on the Ironborn.
Now, all they had to do was wait for the cavalry to take place.
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The part of the Blackwater Bay where the battle would take place was mostly flat land, so the west flank cavalry had to take a longer route, while the east flankers would move with the infantry, splitting up to charge from their designated route to box the Ironborn in for total annihilation.
A small hill stood behind the Ironborn, giving the infantry the necessary cover to get as close as possible.
Once the west cavalry was in place, they sent up a rider to inform the infantry, and Ei gave the order.
The infantry charge flags were waved, and Ei spurred her horse forward, her father right next to her at the helm of the infantry, followed by the knights in charge, the twelve thousand well-armed and armored soldiers, and the three thousand strong heavy cavalry, who had split halfway.
—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Watching the infantry with his far-seeing eye, courtesy of the glassmakers Queen Argella had trained, Darian Dondarrion gave the order to charge. "Men, this is the day we expel Ironborn from our lands. Charge!" He screamed, drawing out the word as he raised his lance, and the horse reared up.
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ironborn Host
Harren the Black Hoare unfurled his far-seeing eye, looking across the Blackwater Rush in search of the enemy.
He frowned.
There was nothing.
Since they had not encountered the host by now, which meant Harren's plan to split his forces to strike the enemy from two directions had gone to waste, the Storm Queen's army should have been building a bridge, unless Argella Durrandon wanted to risk passing through the fords on the upper river while there was a flood.
He would need to combine his forces with Vickon's and search for the enemy.
The second host should have arrived by now, which was troubling, unless they have been delayed for some reason.
Something was wrong, very wrong in fact.
"My king, what should we do?"
"We set up camp and sent riders to the other side and up the Blackwater Rush to see where they are."
"Yes, my king."
"Raise the shields! Set up a line!" Screams rose from the rear of the host, and Harren turned around to see what was happening.
Only for his gaze to land on the missing Durrandon host charging at them.
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Ironborn had set up a rushed line for protection, but with their small shields and swords, it wasn't an effective one. Sporadic arrows came down on the charging infantry, but it was drowned by the well-timed waves the Storm Kingdom archers fired.
Caught unprepared, the arrows took many lives, forcing many more to raise their shields or dive for cover, which mostly included the corpses of their comrades, as the land was flat with no natural cover, and they had no time to build defenses.
Ei leaped off her horse, and an electro blade covered the tip of her naginata, extending its reach significantly.
One swing, and the Ironborn line crumbled as electro burned through men with no resistance, leaving only ashes behind.
Leaving the infantry, which soon was supplemented by the cavalry from the flanks, Ei sent a mental order to Kage to watch over Argilac and sought her query.
Harren Hoare.
Who was at the other end of the hose, trying to coordinate his men.
Ei was about to leap, to take the King of the Ironborn as a hostage for future use, before she saw something that shouldn't have been possible.
Fifty or so arrows rained down on the Ironborn from the northwest, definitely not their own, but the impossible part was the purple, charged shot among the arrows.
One that she wasn't responsible for.
The situation had changed, and this battle had to be over now.
Ei disappeared from sight and appeared next to Harren's guards, the shockwave she left behind having carved a path straight through the middle of the Ironborn, turning bones to powder, flesh to paste, and hundreds upon hundreds of men to corpses.
Harren and his guards were thrown off their horses, and Ei killed all except Harren before they even hit the ground.
Locking gazes with the King of the Isles and Rivers, she slammed the end of her naginata on Harren's head as he tried to unsheathe his swords.
Holding him by the ankle, Ei flew up, standing above the battlefield before calling out to the Ironborn. "Your king is captured. Surrender now, or die." Her voice cut through the sound of clashing steel and screaming soldiers on both sides.
Seeing their king defeated so easily, with the sorcerer queen of the Storm Kingdom standing above them as if she were the wrath of a god personified, the Ironborn began to drop their weapons one by one, surrendering in despair.
Her soldiers started cheering, howling with glee, before they started to round up the Ironborn. Landing, Ei threw Harren to the waiting hands of two knights, frowning as she gazed towards where the electrocharged shot had come from.
She would investigate, but now, the Ironborn prisoners had to be secured.
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Of the twenty thousand, only half had survived, most killed when the cavalry had slammed into the flanks, clustering the Ironborn further together, and Ei had caused a deadly shockwave, stopping just shy of killing Harren.
Her soldiers had begun to restrain the prisoners, using whatever materials they had on hand, as well as raiding the Ironborn supplies.
Harren was still out of it.
Ei, however, was still fixated on who or what had fired that electrocharged shot and was waiting for the situation to be under control before seeking the source.
Something tingled her senses, and Ei turned to face it, squinting her eyes to make sure, even though it was a completely unnecessary gesture.
She had only done it because what she saw was impossible.
"What in the seven hells is that?!" "A flying man?" "Gods preserve us, first the Queen is a sorcerer, now men are flying."
Ei didn't even hear the comments.
"Do you know what that is about?" Her father asked, watching as the winged man flew towards them on black wings, just as dumbfounded as everyone, including the prisoners.
Her answer only made the situation more confusing. "Someone who should have been dead."
Blackwater Bay
Ironborn Camp
7 BAC
Argilac approached the figure as she—for it was clearly a woman, one of rare beauty, in fact—landed before Argella, three pairs of wings she used to fly suddenly disappearing.
With long brown hair and black eyes and a sharp face, she was dressed in overlapping golden plate armor on her shoulders and a cuirass of the same color, held together by a blue sash. Under the armor, she wore a white, long-sleeved robe and blue trousers with white patterns.
Her boots? Argilac wasn't sure what they were, but they were wooden with a tooth in the middle and no cover on the top, leaving her socks bare for all to see.
"Hello, Ei." The woman bowed deeply, and Argilac was assured she wasn't from this world, for only he and Lucan knew Argella's divine nature and her name in Teyvat.
Ei pointed her naginata at what must surely be an impostor, no matter what her senses told her. "This is impossible."
"Who is she?" Argilac whispered, taken aback by his daughter's hostility.
"Sasayuri, my general, and more importantly, a friend." Argella explained, her voice wavering at the end.
"Why is it impossible for her to be here?" Argella did not speak of her life in Teyvat much, but Argilac could feel this was important.
"Because she died centuries ago." Argilac's eyes widened. So another dead, reborn in this world?
"I can explain that." Sasayuri offered, still standing there unbothered by the weapon pointed at her.
I would, at the least, hear her out. "I am listening."
Sasayuri, or the thing posing as her, Ei did not know, began to explain her circumstances.
Apparently, when she woke up, all of Teyvat was out of control. Visions did not work; the elemental reactions behaved weirdly, sometimes not reacting at all, other times resulting in more violent results. The dead walked the land, there were places where people fell into time loops, and the less said about the ley lines, the better.
The fake sky over Teyvat was gone, leaving behind the visages of shattered moons, and even the relative distance between sky and land was warped.
By Sasayuri's accounts, she could not cover any distance no matter how high she flew, only staying a couple of feet above the land or finding herself too high in the sky in a matter of seconds.
"It appears that killing the Heavenly Principles had thrown the laws of Teyvat into chaos or uprooted them entirely." In all honesty, Ei had not considered what would happen once the Heavenly Principles were dead or that they would somehow succeed at the insurmountable task.
"Yes, there was an enormous rift high in the sky, where people said the battle took place." It was as if the sky itself was wounded, constantly throwing out random items that did not originate in Teyvat, and sometimes people, while oozing out a dangerous black aura like it was bleeding.
Yet that did not explain everything. "Let us say I believe you; even if your memories somehow coagulated and were extracted from the ley lines, that does not explain how exactly you're alive."
Sasayuri shrugged. "Honestly, I'm just as confused as you are about that. But life itself has been acting strangely; it could be related to it."
"Acting weird? How?" Since all other domains of the Shades were in chaos, life should not be any different.
"Well, I saw some animals fused together and corpses coming to life, while young and healthy people just withered to dust." Sasayuri had yet to see something as disturbing as watching a man turn to dust in front of her eyes.
Ei lowered her naginata, thinking of something only Sasayuri would know, and removed her hair ornament. "The Kikyou flower. Who gave it to me?"
Sasayuri smiled. It was a trick question. "You never said, but we all thought it must have been left by your sister, Makoto."
Her naginata disappeared, and Ei took a step forward, tears in her eyes for the first time in centuries.
"It is you."
—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Their reunion was teary, leaving the army confused.
Who was that woman? What was she? How did the queen know her? These questions went unanswered as Queen Argella and the mysterious woman left, with the queen putting Prince Argilac in charge.
"My prince, forgive my words, but when I say this, I speak for everyone. What in the name of the Seven is happening?" Garrin approached Argilac. He, just like everyone surrounding the queen and the newcomer, had heard of the conversation before the two hugged and left for a place with fewer eyes.
They understood the words, at least most of them, but without knowing what it was about, they were all left floundering and scared.
Argilac gave out a weary sigh. Things were getting too weird, too fast. "I am as much in the dark as you are."
"What shall we do now? Soldiers are restless." If Argilac didn't know, then the only person who could explain was the queen herself.
Garrin would rather let curiosity eat him from inside.
"We just defeated the Ironborn and have Harren and his heir as hostages. They have nothing to complain about." Argilac snorted. Even with what had just happened, the soldiers should be celebrating the victory.
"Yes, my prince."
"Any sighting of Harren's second son?" Argilac didn't remember his name, but with his heir already in chains, taking Harren's second son as hostage would just be the honey on top of a cake.
"No, it appears he has already been caught by the Shadow Archers." They had already interrogated several Ironborn to find Prince Hasper, but they all had said the same thing.
"Which only leaves his two young sons."
"One is eleven winters, and the other, ten, if I recall correctly, and they most likely stayed back at Harrenhal." Even Harren wasn't stupid enough to bring boys to a war.
"Matters not. Have the prisoners ready to march; the sooner we take Harrenhal, the sooner this war is over. In addition, send riders to the Riverlords, let them know of Harren's defeat, and that Queen Argella wishes for them to come swear fealty." The former Storm King grinned. He would have loved to be the one to do all of this and bring Harren to his knees, but he would take what he could get.
"At once."
—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After traveling the land in search of answers, Sasayuri had soon learned that the rift in the sky had appeared after the Heavenly Principles had been destroyed, creating a tear in reality that acted as a portal to other worlds, according to what the Anemo Archon had claimed.
Once Teyvat began to stabilize, Sasayuri's revival had become a problem, and the world itself began to reject her. Glitching like a broken machine, for the lack of a better word, the Tengu General began to fade like a ghost one day, and as the world around her broke down, she found herself in a snowland.
She was sure it wasn't anywhere in Teyvat.
"Why didn't you come for me at once?" If Ei had any inkling the archer was Sasayuri, or anyone else from Teyvat, she would have rushed to find them.
"I actually found myself beyond the Kingdom of the North, among the people who named themselves the Free Folk." In those frigid lands it had taken her too long to understand anything with the persistent language barrier, but she was a fast learner and eventually had solved that problem.
Beyond the Wall? That certainly was intriguing. "Have you seen anything unnatural on these lands?"
It was obvious that the frigid cold in those lands was not normal, but Sasayuri was too weary, hungry, and weak to bother searching. "Hmm, the only thing that comes to mind is the giants, nothing else."
So the giants were real, and not just myths. She wondered what else shared the same fate, but Ei had more important matters to worry for now. "What happened after that?"
"I steadily made my way beyond the Wall to get a sense of where I was, and after leaving North, I heard rumors about the purple-haired princess of the Storm Kingdom and the storm that heralded her birth while passing through Riverlands. I intended to come to see if it was you, but on the way I witnessed the Ironborn raiding and raping a village and intervened." The Tengu General explained.
Sasayuri continued her tale of how grateful the survivors were, but the Ironborn would be back and, as retaliation, would put everyone in the village to the sword. Unable to abandon those desperate people, Sasayuri escorted them away from the village, hiding them in a system of caves on the border with the Westerlands.
That village wasn't the last settlement she rescued, and over time, a small group of commoners and nobles flocked to her to strike back at the Ironborn from the shadows, with Sasayuri as their leader.
"Once I heard how a storm had completely destroyed the Stepstones and that one of the islands was gone, I knew it was you, and that you would eventually come for the Ironborn. So I stayed here, weakening the Ironborn and gathering intelligence on the state of the land for you." While it had delayed their reunion, Sasayuri was a general and did not have the heart to leave the people who put their trust, and lives, in her hands.
"Thank you." Ei smiled with soft eyes. She swirled her glass, a thought crossing her mind, and a sliver of hope crossing to her heart. "Chiyo and Saiguu, have you seen either of them?"
Sasayuri shook her head. "I have searched for them back at Teyvat but saw no sign of either."
"I see." She still had one friend back and wouldn't keep her hopes up.
No one was that fortunate.
Finishing the wine, Sasayuri rose from her seat. "I need to go and inform my men of the situation."
"Bring them here, and if they are willing, I am ready to integrate them into my army." Any ragtag group of archers trained by Sasayuri were bound to be excellent soldiers.
"With me here, they will be."
—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The queen had returned by herself, with her winged companion nowhere in sight.
"The Shadow Archers will be joining us very shortly. Tell the soldiers they are to be welcomed as brothers in arms."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
"Have the prisoners been restrained?"
"Yes, they are well secured, and we have separated the Ironborn nobles to discourage any escape attempts."
"Good, tomorrow, we march to Harrenhal and end the Ironborn yoke on the Riverlands."
—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Her tent had been set up, and Ei gathered the nobles while Harren was brought in, followed by his heir, Harwyn, and Sasayuri had brought Hasper along with the Shadow Archer.
Three Hoares were forced on their knees and averted their eyes from the hollering Storm Kingdom nobles.
A deliberate cough from Ei silenced them, and all eyes fell on her.
"With your army defeated and your heir and second son in our hands, the Ironborn control over the Riverlands is at its end."
"May the Drowned God take you, you sorcerer bitch." Harren spat out, as the fight hadn't left him yet. Ei released a sliver of her power, directed at the King of the Ironborn, who went pale and began to shake like a leaf in a storm.
He leaned close to the choking man while his sons were out cold. "Don't worry, I will kill your god next, if it is real."
So far she had only seen proof of the existence of the Old Gods and nothing about the Drowned God or the Seven.
"Take them away." Three knights came in and dragged the Hoares out of the tent.
"Victory is ours. In celebration, three-quarters of the loot is to be distributed to the soldiers depending on their contribution and the risk they took. The Crown relinquishes its part of the loot, except what the soldiers will take, and the lords are granted the remaining quarter, to be divided according to the number of soldiers and supplies they had brought."
"Your Excellency, not to question your wisdom, but what will the men do with that much coin?" Usually, the Crown and the lords would share the loot between them, leaving little to nothing for the army, except for the wages they had to pay.
"Spend it once they are back home, and over time, it will return to you as taxes, while keeping your subjects happy and content." Silver and gold resting in coffers wasn't wealth but just the result of a hoarder mentality.
"Oh." Torran had not considered it that way, but it made sense.
"Now, what are our losses?" They did not outnumber Harren's host, as they had Vickon Greyjoy and his men, so losses were expected to be higher.
"We have less than a thousand wounded, Your Excellency. It would have been higher, but the…." Robert stopped, thinking about how to explain what the queen had done. "The destruction you sowed and the early surrender of the Ironborn had lowered it significantly." Eventually choosing to settle for the word destruction.
What else was he supposed to say?
"As for the dead, around five hundred, mostly infantry."
"Same treatment for our deceased and wounded as the last time. We need to start the march to Harrenhal immediately."
"As you order, Your Excellency, but with the prisoners, it will take a moon's turn to reach there." Lord Ian Tarth had read enough maps to make the calculations in his mind.
Ei waved her hand. "Not an issue. It will give the Riverlords time to join us."
A knight barged through the tent's entrance, quickly kneeling. "Forgive me, Your Excellency, but we heard some of the Ironborn leering about how an Ironborn fleet was sailing to raid Weeping Town and should reach there soon."
"What?!" Tommen cried out. They were too far away, even with ships, and he had taken most of his men with him to war.
His home was defenseless.
Tommen turned to beg Queen Argella to do something, but she simply raised her hand. "Calm down, Lord Tommen." The queen rose from her seat with the dignity and grace she was known for, and the painting standing on the back of the tent floated after her.
The nobles quickly followed her, wondering what she had in mind and for the chance to see another act of magic, though none would admit the last part.
From the painting, which included a solitary-looking island, a monster sprang forth.
With the head of a dragon and the body of a serpent, it was as purple as the lightning the queen commanded and was long, just half as short as Balerion, the famed Targaryen dragon he had seen years ago on Essos.
Coiling like a snake, it bowed its enormous head, awaiting orders.
"Go to the Weeping Town, destroy the Ironborn, and bring me their leader, alive."
The creature raised its head, and even as high as it was, the roar shook the land and sent dust everywhere before it kept rising and, fast as lightning, flew southeast to Weeping Town, and the air behind it collapsed, crackling like a whip in their faces.
Blackwater Bay
Ironborn Camp
7 BAC
"What was that?" Sasayuri asked, watching the fascinating machine fly away so fast that even her eyes had a hard time tracking it.
She had seen Ei's previous creations, but this dragon was something else.
"Thunder Dragon Puppet, a creation of mine. Weeping Town will be fine, and it will strike another blow to the Ironborn." She had learned her lesson on the importance of covering all her bases, and it was time to apply it.
—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ei and Sasayuri's reunion was tearful behind the scenes, contrary to what the lords had seen. It still felt like a dream to Ei, having her beloved friend back from the dead.
Suddenly, the future did not seem so lonely.
Alas, duty called, and after Sasayuri's archers joined her host, the march to Harrenhal began in earnest. Forcing over ten thousand prisoners to march while ensuring there were no escapes was no easy task.
It wasn't all bad news, as it gave the old friends time to catch up, with Ei starting from the events after the deaths of her friends to how she ended up in this world and her work on saving the Storm Kingdom.
Sasayuri did not approve of the Sakoku and Vision Hunt Decrees at all.
—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
High up in the sky, Visenya Targaryen watched as the Storm Queen summoned a flying serpent out of nowhere, only to send it southeast. The creature was fast, far faster than any of the dragons in Dragonstone, and was at least two-thirds the size of Balerion, perhaps more.
It did not have any wings, which baffled Visenya as to how it even flew, but she chalked it up to sorcery, since it wouldn't be the first time Argella Durrandon made use of magic so foreign but undeniably strong.
Stronger than any other sorcerer she had seen in Essos.
First the bridge, then the Sorcerer Queen somehow knew exactly where Vickon Greyjoy's host would be, and the way she destroyed close to half of Harren's twenty thousand men.
She had also flown on her own and now summoned a creature out of thin air.
If this continued, then their plans of conquering Westeros would be impossible to carry out.
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Weeping Town
"Tell everyone to abandon the town and run away as far as they can." Tymin the dockmaster ordered, and his attendant stopped.
"We are not fighting?" The young lad asked, blood boiling to defend his home.
How naive.
Tymin shook his head. "We can't. Lord Tommen took most of the guards. We must run to save our lives, now."
At that moment, the sky broke, and the people feared a storm but only saw a creature flying too fast for anyone to see what it actually was.
However, before the very eyes of the townspeople, the creature slowed down as it passed over their home and stopped over the Narrow Sea, right before the Ironborn fleet.
The purple serpent roared, shaking the sky, and the storm they feared did come, only over the enemy fleet. Lightning, the color of their queen, the savior of Weeping Town, struck the ships, and orbs of the same color poured out of the creature.
Denizens flocked to the harbor to get a clearer look, watching with bated breath as the Ironborn fleet sank.
The serpent's maw lit up, threatening to drown out the sun, and with an ear-piercing hum, the creature unleashed a lance of white-purple fire, and a bright dome covered the ships. As it died out, more than half of the three hundred strong fleet were gone, the rest already sunk or burning.
The creature, their savior, dived towards the only ship left unscathed, doing something they were too far to see, before flicking the ship with its tail and sending it rolling through the air.
Just as fast as it came, the purple serpent departed, leaving the people of Weeping Town baffled.
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hayford
Storm Kingdom Host
It was the morning of the second day; the host started to march when the Thunder Dragon returned, with a prisoner in its claw. Nobles and soldiers gathered around her as the dragon soared to her and dropped the Ironborn.
"Your name?"
The Ironborn was terrified and looked around wildly, too far gone to hear Ei.
"I know him; that's Qhorin Volmark. He shares blood with Harren." Lord Corwyn had the displeasure of having Qhorin's ship dock at Duskendale once and had quickly banished the Ironborn.
"Another highborn prisoner. Put him with the rest, and be ready to leave. Sasayuri, with me."
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The march was uneventful, except for the rare instances of a prisoner escaping, who was quickly subdued or killed, until the end of the first week, when riders of House Hayford approached the host, with Lord Cleyne Hayford at the head.
He had come to bend the knee and swear fealty after confirming that Harren and the Ironborn were indeed defeated and joined the march with fifty riders.
People were curious about who exactly Sasayuri was, though Ei only explained it to her father, since the rest weren't aware of all the details regarding her true nature, and Lucan was sleeping inside the Painted Realm.
Her father had merely shrugged at the revelation, already numbed to the unbelievable circumstances surrounding Ei.
After all, what was a person returning from death compared to a god reborn in the body of his daughter?
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
They had covered half the distance by all estimates, and Riverlords kept bending the knee, and her forces slowly swelled to over thirty thousand.
Not that the host would be needed for Harrenhal.
One issue she had was Sasayuri's station. By now, Ei would have decreed her as the general of the forces, but the lords would object, at least those that weren't too afraid to do so.
Sasayuri herself had refused, as an army that was forced to follow a leader wouldn't be a willing one. Instead, she had taken over the training of the host, running drills, installing discipline, and slowly transforming several different groups fighting together into a proper army.
Rather than being appointed as their leader, Sasayuri, as expected of her, chose to earn the position, and Ei expected nothing less of her.
Ei also had gifted Mistsplitter Reforged to her friend, for the blade was too valuable to be left to rust in a corner.
Naturally, they had sparred, and the Narukami Ogosho didn't remember the last time she felt so alive.
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kingdom of the Reach
Highgarden
"A secret passage?" King Mern asked Lord Armen Peake, who had discovered an unknown path in the mountains where the borders of the Reach, Dorne, and the Storm Kingdom met.
Lord Armen pointed at the exact spot the passage was. "Yes, your grace, it is on the lands of House Blackmont, just near the border where all three kingdoms meet. It is a passage through the mountains and untouched by the storm."
"That is the news we have been waiting for. My king, we should strike immediately." Manfred was ready for war yesterday, and the High Septon had promised the aid of the Faith Militant should he succeed in convincing the king.
Mern's voice took a dark turn. "So we will. Gather the banners. We will take the lands lost, and more, and House Durrandon will pay for taking my father."
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunspear
Principality of Dorne
"Why did we not know of this passage before?" Princess Meria looked at the map where a hidden passage had been discovered by Lady Sylvana on her lands, as they were keeping an eye on the Lord of House Peake, who had moved to the border.
"It was used by smugglers mostly, and we had no need to search a different path." Lady Sylvana wouldn't even care about it, except perhaps to keep the passage hidden from the enemy, but this time, it offered Dorne the opportunity to strike the enemy.
"Doesn't matter now." She turned to her son. "Send ravens and gather our banners; with their forces beyond the Blackwater Rush, it will be too late for Argella Durrandon's sorcery to save her kingdom."
"At once, mother." Nymor nodded, leaving to carry out his task.
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Reach, in addition to the tens of thousands of levies and the significant number of knights and men-at-arms they had boasted, also had the backing of the Faith Militant, significantly bolstering their numbers.
The Dornish, on the other hand, knew the mountains better and could prepare their smaller host faster.
Both sides were heading to the same place, for the same reason, unknown to the other, while Argella Durrandon marched to Harrenhal.
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Planky Town
Two people, covered from head to toe in loose brown robes, had just disembarked from a ship sailing from Braavos.
"I can't believe we had to land all the way here." The first woman, carrying an oversized bag that drew more than one eye, complained.
"What can you do? The humans fear war, and forcing them to sail to this—" the other woman checked the map— "Weeping Town would reveal our presence. So unless you feel like swimming across the sea, we should just start walking."
"Hey, I am the one who has to set up camp, cook food, and do everything else because you are too dainty for it. Perhaps you should have left the comforts of your shrine every once in a while?" The bag carrier scoffed. Ever since the two friends had reunited at Essos through a stroke of fate, they had been travelling together.
Making their way from the Dothraki Sea to Planky Town wasn't easy, but they had eventually managed it.
"My task was extremely important." The second woman stuck her tongue out.
The first one considered kicking her but just changed her mind. "Your task does not help us reach her any quicker."
"Neither does your complaining." The second one retorted, not to be outdone.
The bag carrier sighed. She hated getting into word fights with the cunning female, for she always lost. "Fair enough. We should find accommodations for today and start traveling tomorrow; it's getting late."
—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Riverrun
"My lord, there are riders outside the gates. They have brought a message." Ser Rychard informed the Lord of Riverrun after being granted entry to his solar.
"From Harren?" Edmyn scrunched his face, displeased at the idea. Knowing Harren Hoare, the bastard most likely demanded more gold or workers.
The Ironborn had already beggared most of the Riverlands for his keep with taxes, tributes, and the constant raids his men had committed.
He didn't know how much the land could handle before it broke.
And their hopes lay on the shoulders of the Sorceress Queen of the Storm Kingdom.
Rychard shook his head. "No, my lord. From Queen Argella. The riders claim that Harren and his host had been defeated, and that bastard had been taken hostage with half of his host."
Edmyn leaped to his feet. "Let them in."
He wasn't expecting this, but perhaps their wishes had been granted.
—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Riverrun's gates were opened, and the riders of the Storm Kingdom trotted in. The lead knight dismounted and slapped his fist to his chest to greet the lord of the castle.
"Lord Edmyn, I am Ser Roderic of Grain's Port. I have been sent by Her Excellency, Queen Argella Durrandon. Harren Hoare, King of the Isles and Rivers, has lost the battle and has been taken hostage, along with most of his army. Queen Argella bids you to ride to Harrenhal to witness the fall of House Hoare and swear fealty to her." The knight informed Edmyn Tully, and the Ironborn who had come to the courtyard became restless at the news.
Glancing at the reavers from the side of his eye, Edmyn smiled. "That is most welcome news, Ser Roderic, yet I cannot help but be curious. How did Queen Argella manage to win so swiftly?" Even passing through the Blackwater Rush would take too much time, yet to hear that the Storm Queen had already won?
It was surprising but most welcome.
The knight hesitated for a brief moment before answering. "Through sorcery, Lord Edmyn."
So it was true. "You admit it?" Edmyn asked, and the knights of his house were disturbed by the admittance.
Ser Roderic nodded. "There is nothing to hide; thousands have witnessed it." From the Blackwater Rush to the village where Ser Tristan was executed and Duskendale, the queen had not hidden her powers.
Edmyn rubbed his chin, considering the words, weighing what to do before turning to his knights, who were waiting behind the Ironborn. "As I extended you guest rights, I cannot put you to the sword, but I'll not have you filth in my lands any longer. Leave, now."
The Ironborn ran as their lives depended on it, and the Lord of Riverrun snarled, knowing he was powerless to do anything to the reavers.
Instead, he turned to Ser Roderic. "I shall gather my forces and march to Harrenhal."
He couldn't kill those bastards, but Edmyn would watch the death of Harren's line with satisfaction.
—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As more messengers reached more houses, the Ironborn faced retribution for all the exploitation they had subjected the Riverlands to. Villages and towns rose against their oppressors, putting the reavers to sword, to pike, or whatever tool they had weaponized.
Nobles, having given the Ironborn guest rights, had no choice but to merely expel them from their lands and call their banners. They rode hard to Harrenhal in anticipation, an idea impossible for them to comprehend before that day, all to finally see the end of the Ironborn yoke.
—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Storm's End
In the ancestral seat of House Durrandon, another woman was entering a different battle.
One not fought on a field with swords and spears, but one fought in bed with blood, tears, and grit.
Queen Selena was giving birth, and she had been sequestered in the room prepared for the birth with Maester Marrec, sent from Bronzegate, who was known for the number of successful births he had assisted in, and several experienced midwives ready to ensure a smooth birth, for the Queen of the Storm Kingdom deserved nothing less.
"Push, your grace. I can almost see the head!"
"What do you think I have been doing?!" Queen Selena screamed, still pushing to get the child out.
Maester Marrec had quickly discovered that the usually kind and gentle queen tended to be rather prickly when frustrated.
With one last scream of pain and the weariness of the labor, Queen Selena felt the child slide out of her and took a deep breath. Raising her head, she burst into tears, not from the pain nor the soreness, but from hearing her child cry.
"It's a boy, your grace, a healthy prince!" Maester Marrec declared, holding the crying baby up.
The prince was passed over to the midwives for cleaning, while the queen was also cleaned of the fluids covering her. Sheets were changed, and finally, Selena held her son in her arms.
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In the next chapter:
The good-brother of Harren Hoare and the castellan of Harrenhal, Stenrik Goodbrother, stood atop the walls.
"What do you want?" He was an aging, grumpy man with not much hair left on his head.
"Surrender, and your lives will be spared." Ei offered, not because she expected them to, but because it was customary.
Aging or not, he still had a fire in his spirit. "Your army cannot breach Harrenhal's walls, and you will never take us alive."
"Then I suggest an exchange of prisoners." It was the real reason she stood here after all.
"We have no prisoners of yours."
"But you have hostages, thralls, and salt wives." Ei would not let them, her own people, perish in Harrenhal.
Stenrik looked at her suspiciously. "You will release ten thousand men for a thousand worthless commoners and some nobles?" That was not an equal trade, and the Storm Queen would have to be a fool to agree to it.
"And the entirety of your coffers as ransom, of course." The Ironborn and Hoares had sucked the lifeblood of this land for three generations, and the wealth in their coffers belonged to the Riverlands.
Ei would not let it be destroyed either.