Chapter 7
So another chapter and thanks for the reviews. I know my grammar needs More work and I see about finding a beta. Also sorry to those hoping for a longbows but the North has a tradition of using pikes and also I not sure its use much. I assume most archers and hunters in the North were use short bows since its a bit easier.
Also training one takes years and it's a long term investment to train a few hundred. It's cheaper to armed a man with a pike or a crossbow. Harthacnut will still have archers in his army but its tactics and his phalanx that his main advantage.
Someone mention the phalanx main problems. Yes it's often slow to turn and on bad terrain its at a disadvantage but the thing about the phalanx is you need to use combine arms with it. Philip II and his Alexander III of macedon had cavalry, light infantry and ranged units to support their phalanx. Without enough support and focusing on just the phalanx is going to end bad.
The successor kingdoms of Alexander's empire neglected on providing enough support to the phalanx and using more simple tactics. Which mainly consist of just using the Phalanx as ram and bashing the enemies until they break. Where Alexander use the Phalanx to hold the enemy and cavalry will deal the decisive blow.
The last Greek commander to really use the phalanx and combined arms tactics quite well was Pyrrhus of Epirus. Through the early Romans did give him quite a fight and kept replacing their losses as Pyrrhus couldn't after each battle fully replaced the men he lost.
Outside the village of Greenfields, first month of 196 AL
" more two thousand men the scouts reported milord"
" where were he had gotten that many men, the winter and losses from battle with Ironborns should had left half of that?"
" he press any able man from refugees on his lands and even boys as young as four and ten too"
" I not going to enjoy this very much, these are fellow Northern men!"
My master of arms Halfdan nods at with a sober look on his face. More two thousand men of House Glenmore began to form formations but failing badly. Even from where I am it's not hard to see their ill equipped and barely if at all trained. My own men began to form up 1,200 pikemen, 400 cavalry, 200 archers, 200 light infantry, 300 town guards and 60 Housecarls.
I gave orders to my commanders and my fyrd moves into positions. Pikemen in the middle, town guards with swords and shields on their flanks. Archers and light infantry at the front with cavalry evenly split on both flanks. My personal guards surround me on horseback.
My skirmishers began the battle by going first and showering the enemy with their javelins. Lord Glenmore try to swept them aside with his meager cavalry but my archers cover the light infantry retreat. A chunk of his cavalry now dead and his infantry had been given a bloody nose.
I ordered the infantry to advance and cavalry to attack their flanks. My archers draw their bows and unleashed a deadly volley of arrows on the Glenmore infantry. Scores of men go down dead or wounded while Lord Glenmore meets my cavalry with his riders.
Their reinforced by a couple dozen heavily armoured riders. My cavalry stopped dead cold and engages in a furious fight. Both our infantry meet with shield walls and pikes clashing.
The Glenmore line nearly broke and suffer heavy losses to my pikes. My skirmishers after replenishing their javalins provide support fire. My cavalry finished off Glenmore Cavalry and currently regrouping for another charge. The enemy center where their own pikemen are begins to buckle under the stress of my trained men and their own terrible losses. I rode behind the men shouting encourages and cut down two men who broke through a gap in the line.
The gap was seal quickly and slowly but steady we push them back. My cavalry by this point has reorganized itself and charges into the left flank of the enemy. The battle ended right there, after taking heavy losses and now with cavalry in their rear the men of House Glenmore began to rout.
First it was a few then grows into whole groups of men throwing their weapons away and running. I lead my Housecarls into riding them down and my squire Daeron waves my banner to signal the 90 freeriders who hid from sight in the nearby village.
They charged out fast and eager to ride down the enemy. While ill equipped and just small folks with horses who volunteers for loot or a place in my court. They caught up quickly to the routing men and reaped havoc onto them.
I lost seven Housecarls fighting the personal guards of Lord Glenmore. Lord Wulfhere Glenmore was trying to rally his men to fight when we smash enraged. My Housecarls overwhelm his remaining guards and I cross blades with him.
I drew Red rain and he a claymore like sword. He attacked first while I blocked his blow and the next few. He got a lucky swing and slash across my chest but my chest plate saved and in that moment he expose himself as he lifted his sword again. I stab Red Rain through his left armpit and he dropped to his knees in pain screaming with his sword falling beside him.
Drawing my dagger quickly I thrust it under his chin and end his life. His last two guards surrendered and I hacked off his head to mount it on the tip of a spear. Mycah starts chanting.
" Red Raven! Red Raven! Red Raven!"
His fellow Housecarls take up the call and nearby men soon too chanting.
I remounted Stormcloud and continue the chase. For the next six miles we chased them through woods, across a few hills and overrun their camp.
A few groups did try to put up stiff resistance on hills or in woods but we crushed them easily. One of Glenmore's bannermen a master Orion of House Longmane was taken prisoner along with hundreds more. Another master was killed and third escape with a handful of men. So many men were killed it took half a day to count and recovered the bodies for a mass grave.
I had 149 dead, 319 wounded and the enemy suffered over 1500 dead, wounded and captured. From prisoners I learned Lord Glenmore had raised between 2300 to 2500 men for his failed conquest. The battle of Greenfield is a overwhelming Knytlinga victory and has ended Glenmore rule.
I let the men rest for two days and split my force in two groups to rapiding advance through Glenmore lands. Halfdan led one and me the other with us reuniting at the seat of House Glenmore.
I blaze through Glenmore lands and face no resistance at all. The few villages and tiny settlement I encounter surrenders and I hand out food I bought to near starving people after seeing how bad of state they are in. I released all the prisoners local to the area and keep the refugee ones still in chains. These kind acts won me more support and a couple hundred ex prisoners even joined my banner.
When I reached the seat of House Lonemane, remaining garrison surrendered without a fight. Master Longmane at this point switched sides and swore oath of loyalty to me. The masterly house of Bloodaxe blend the knee when I came to their seat. I had the remains of Master Bloodaxe returned to his widow and children for burial.
I regrouped with the second force, the Masterly house of Redhand had bent the knee and provided two dozen men to me. A token force but I accept the support and release his heir who was taken prisoner from the battle.
At Rillwater Crossing the seat of House Glenmore I expected a short siege to take from Wulfhere Glenmore's heir Alfred but the stone keep's front gate was opened and strips of white cloth hangs from the decent walls around the keep.
The servants had revolted against the family after lord Alfred tried to forced them to fight and most of the levies who survived the battle and came back abandoned him when news of my approach came.
The coward, his mother, siblings and remaining supporters took everything valuable before escaping with all the horses. They even set fire to their granary and keep but the servants put the flames out through the granary was lost. The falconry master of House Glenmore a man name Ronald led the revolt.
Even more I discovered from the servants, Lord Wulfhere might had poisoned his nephew who was the last Lord after his father died fighting the Ironborns. After roasting the steward over a fire, he broke and confirm what Wulfhere did. The cook who helped in the plot, lost both his hands and steward his head.
I announce House Glenmore has been disposed and I annexing their lands. A bounty of one gold dragon for Alfred Glenmore's head is put up. I rewarded Ronald loyally to the former lord by giving him Rillwater crossing and establishing a new Masterly house.
He took the name Hawk for his family and as for his badge. Renamed the Keep Hawk's nest and he swore his oath to me.
Once the region was firmly under my control and pockets of Glenmore loyalists gone. I choose to pass a series of reforms I been planning recently and with the incorporating of Glenmore lands to my I declare myself Jarl.
The Jarl of Gondor and my lands to be known as the Jarldom of Gondor. All Masters were be call Barons now, a new class of warriors call Thegn who will be similar to Knight will be establish, a tax of 10 stags per household each year and establishing of a printing press.
I also gave my new conquest a one year tax exempt and begin the building of new roads. Two hundred of the remaining prisoners are given to wall and the rest released as after they promised never to take arms against me ever again. A garrison for the area is established and most of men are dismissed.
My declaration of Jarldom didn't go unnoticed and two weeks later. I received ravens from Winterfell, Bear island, White harbor and Deepwood motto demanding answers. I wrote saying House Glenmore attacked me and I annexed their lands for it. Also explain about Wulfhere's kinslaying and consider his son abandoning of their seat as proof of him knowing what his father did. Avoid the questions to the change of title I declared.
Alfred Glenmore attempted to regain his family seat when he came back two month later with the support of Lord Umber who is his uncle by his mother. A thousand men with even three hundred from some mountains clans who are rivals to my brother in law.
My spies alerted me long before they even marched. My men were mustered and I raised six hundred of my new subjects to reinforced my regulars. I march to meet them and stop by the twin lakes in Northern Rills. Their feed by a river named Twins river and I sent out foragers for supplies. Name the northern lake Hart for myself and southern lake Rohan.
My scouts report the Umber- Northern Mountain clans army is approaching from the north. I let the men have a quick meal and form them up. I have the skirmishers go forward with archers in support and weaken my center for the battle plan.
Lord Umber finally arrives after forcing my vanguard to retreat. I decide to fight dismounted and around noon the battle really started. Lord Umber throws his army into a massive charge against my center and with his small cavalry contingent tries to attack my flanks. My pikemen buckle and allowed themselves to be push back while my cavalry smashes the Umber horse.
Once their fleeing the field I sprint my trap and my flanks which I deliberating strengthen began to press their flanks. Didn't take long for the enemies to realize what was happening but my cavalry returned and crash into their back completing the encirclement. From there it becomes a slaughter as men are push together until their pack like sardines and panic sets in. My men cut them down like a farmer reaping his harvest.
The battlefield became bloody quickly, with men screaming for mercy and they have so little space lifting up a shield or weapons was near impossible. I took down a dozen men alone during it, my regrouped archers fired several volleys into them and near the end Lord Umber was captured after he pull from his mount by a common soldier. A small group of the army did break out and able to escape the terrible slaughter of their comrades.
The rest surrendered or died by late afternoon. Lord Umber is chained up and parade through our camp along with three lords of mountain clans.
The soldier who captured him Harren and twenty others who displayed bravely in battle I made into Thegns. In front of a heart tree nearby I made them swear a oath to protect the smallfolks, the old gods, toleration of other faiths or cultures, help the poor and loyalty to one master after they swear I declared them Thegns.
I gave each a new sword and incorporated them into my retinue.
The battle of Twin lakes was a disaster the Umber- Northern mountain clans army. Over 922 dead including two Masters who were Umber vassals and 191 captured including four lords. Alfred Glenmore escaped sadly but we captured their camp and looted it. More than one man going home with a fat purse or bag full of loot.
My losses were 86 dead and 219 wounded. I broken the back of House Umber who are now going to face a manpower shortage and my brother in law's rivals in Northern mountains now have less men to call up.
I released the common soldiers after giving each several days of food and water for the trip home. Lord Umber and the three mountain lords I took back to Gondor for ransom.
Three hundred Dragons for each and Lord Umber had a fit at the amount for the ransom. The others too since I knew none of their families can afford it.
In the end I settled for hundred gold Dragons from Brandon Stark to let Lord Umber go and for the clan lords my brother in law paid their weight in silver to me two weeks later.
As for Alfred, he and his family fled the Last Hearth to Karhold then White Harbor. Where he booked passage to Essoi on a vessel from Lys after I posted a new bounty of a hundred gold Dragons for his head. After the battle, any support he had in the North dried up quickly and rumors of kinslaying follows him now.
Brandon Stark sent me a raven forcing me to repeal the bounty and I did for the North. But if someone got him in Essoi than that a different story. House Umber status as major noble House in the North is steadying declining and their coffers from what my spies reported are exhausted from the failed attempted.
My printing press by this time up and running despite setbacks. Like having to actually build it, gather large amounts of ink, find plenty of what passes as paper in Westeros and workers.
But at last the Raven Weekly was born.
First issue was just one paper with a few articles about what going on in the Jarldom and the North in general. Plus ads from merchants advertising their goods or help needed.
A copy was to be posted in the market square or center of every settlement through out the Jarldom. My not yet maester Veagon quickly fell in love with the press when realize he could publish the book he been working on faster and in larger numbers than by hand with it.
And he did, published a book on the his travels through Westeros and the customs of the smallfolks he observed. And a second one on plants and animals in the North. I let him print fifty each and had the books sent to White Harbor to be sold.
They went so fast Harry sent me a raven asking for more and to hurry. The next bunch included a small of books that featured a very detailed account of my adventures fighting against the Wildlings and Ironborn.
It was the fifth month of the year when news came of Daemon Blackfyre's rebellion. I mustered 1,200 men from my new lands and posted a region wide message for volunteers to fight in the south for the king.
And they came from all over the North over a period of three weeks. Even accepted a two hundred strong cavalry force formerly serving just recently under Umber banner. I also put Dacy as my regent, told my family where I going despite their pleas for me to stay and had one of my veteran regiment called up to guard the Jarldom from another invasions. After the organizing of a baggage train with supplies and equipping the volunteers. I left Gondor with over 5,500 men and new siege engines I had commissioned weeks earlier in tow.
3,000 pikemen, 500 archers, 1,000 skirmishers, 1,000 horses and not including my personal guard of 200 men.
I hurry my army as fast as possible to the South while still collecting more men. Most of these guys are going for the glory and wealth that could be won or to escape conditions in the North. Also the success of Cregan Stark and the glory the Winter Wolves won during the Targaryen civil war helped too.
I recruited another two thousand skirmishers at the Neck from along the Crannogmen after offering ten stags to each man who joined up. To a people who rarely made or see coins each year and mostly keep to themselves in their swamps my offer too good to pass up. Especially since the Neck always been a very poor region, most left their stags to their families and even Lord Reed took up my offer.
Through I think more for the adventure than some silver. We pass through Moat Cailin without much trouble and just lose a few men who venture off the path…. The swamps around here are a cruel and scary place. Once on in the south the weather got warmer and we began to see more people. Including more settlements, keeps and travelers on the kingsroad.
Middle of the sixth month 196AC
" refused to let us cross with a army this big Milord"
" no toll "
" no my Jarl, he just refuses to let us pass at all"
" ok, your dismiss now"
I bit my lips as my scout left and I stare at the map.
I knew the Twins were be a bump on the road but never expected them to deny us. I took this as sign their in the Black Dragon's camp and call my commanders to form a battleplan.
Baron Longmane, Baron Redhand, Lord Reed, my most skilled Thegn named Isaac and my master of arms Halfdan.
Taking the Twins by storm were be almost impossible because each has strong curtain walls and a moat making them like islands themselves. And this isn't counting the the tower in the middle of the bridge or hundreds of well armed men House Frey has.
After much talking I come up with a plan to take the eastern castle with the help of the Crannogmen.
Three days later outside the Eastern castle..
" I will not allow a army of barbarians to cross my lands or into the Riverlands!"
" I come with a army to fight for the King! "
" I don't care for the king, This is my bridge and I say who can cross it!"
With that Lord Frey walks back to his castle and I curse him as a Blackfyre supporter. I rode back to my Housecarls and cursed the Freys again. I offered money and make threats during the last days but to no avail. The weasel face Frey refuses to allow us across the damn river.
I ride up to where my siege train had unpacked and set up my siege engines. My chief engineer or what passes for one in Westeros greets me.
" My Jarl they are ready, through the men are still inexperience with them and even I not sure their work at all"
I wave my hand at him and dismount to next to them.
" load them now!"
I exclaim and watch their crews carry large stone balls to the slings.
" ok boys let's see what they can do"
Chief engineer Alan makes some adjustments to each machine and stands back to give the signal.
" fire"
At his word five trebuchets shoot their stones at the walls of the eastern castle. I grin as two make direct hits and leaves large cracks in the wall.
Thank the old gods I watched Nova back in my old life. And who say learning about medieval siege warfare won't come in handy.
Alan make another adjustments for the trebuchets that missed and the next volley they all hit the wall.
I left to survey the trenches and earthworks the men had been digging the last days. Since Lord Frey wants to stubborn I make him regret his decision and after seeing the defenses are coming nicely I order bands of cavalry to raid the Frey lands on this side of the river.
The next week the curtain wall is pounded daily until a breach is made and then the castle itself is being bombard. By this time hundreds of bags fill with dirt are ready along with dozens of ladders. My bombardment is having an effect on the garrison with them no longer manning the walls or ramparts.
My raiders had sacked and burned much Frey's lands. While restocking our supplies and we captured a cadet Frey member who tried to stop us.
Two days later
" first man over that wall gets 10 gold dragons and a place in my Housecarls!"
I shout out and Daeron my ward waves my banner. I watch as the first wave charges across the field and starts tossing those dirt fill sacks into the moat. Soon in some parts the moat can be walk over. The Frey soldiers by this time had notice what is happening and manned the walls quickly then began firing arrows at them. Sadly it's too late and more men pour in with the ladders or the breach. I lead this wave and climb up one to the top.
Once up I had to kill two men and wait for more men to get up the ladders. Once we had the wall and opened the gate the battle really starts. The castle defenders pour arrows and bolts at us from anywhere they could. Lord Frey even led a charge of dozens of knights on foot against us.
I counter charge with my Housecarls and smashed into them. We torn into each other, I killed three knights with red rain and took off Lord Frey's right arm at the elbow during battle. At the sight of him falling his own men began to panic and run.
A fresh wave of reinforcement was coming and with axes we hacked our way through the castle doors. The gatehouse had been seized after a brief struggle and any surviving defenders surrendered.
Once inside my men fought their way throughout the place. More Frey men were killed and many others drag out of their hiding spots. Lord Petyr Frey own son was found and pull out of a closet he hid in. My commanders kept the men from following the survivors who could flee to the bridge Tower.
Half my Housecarls are dead, wounded and our losses overall are heavy. The men sacked the castle and looted almost everything including the dead foes. Heck even living ones were stripped, the Frey heir was screaming and begging my men to stop as they took everything even his clothes off him.
" have you no honor you savages!"
He howls at them as he huddle in a courtyard trying to cover his privates with his hands. More survivors joined him, my men laugh and threw insults at them. A Frey vassal Lord was the loudly as he strip bare and toss into the holding pen we set up.
I took three wounds, an arrow to my left thigh, a cut on my left arm from a axe and a spear to my right side but my plate armor took the brunt of it. Lord Frey still alive and a maester treating him for the moment. A maester assured me I its nothing major and I recover.
Our losses were more heavy than I thought after we finished counting the dead.
386 dead, 689 wounded and one of my commanders Baron Redhand was killed by a knight.
The Frey were bad too, 289 dead and 461 wounded or wounded prisoners.
Four days after the assault and storming I sent an envoy under a banner of truce to the Tower garrison to offer my terms.
To the commander of the bridge Tower
You are to surrender the tower and leave for the western castle with the message to Lady Frey to surrender the castle or we will storm it.
Failure to obey, I will level the tower and show no mercy to any one in the western castle once the tower is taken.
Lord Frey and his heir are still alive.
If Lady Frey still refuses to surrender the castle I sent them both flying back to her.
Jarl Harthacnut Knytlinga of Gondor
After my terms were delivered the garrison abandon the tower a few hours later after I had my trebuchets fire a few rounds into the river right next to them.
The tower is garrisoned with my men and the next day Lady Frey with her remaining family flees leaving the steward to surrender the castle.
Once we disarmed the garrison and looted the castle I let them go after we had taken everything off them. It was fun releasing hundreds of naked men into the nearby woods. Lord Frey, his son and that cadet Frey are going to be my "guests" for a while longer.
The loot from the Twins is huge, so naturally I took the biggest shared but everyone has more or less a fat purse. And not counting all arms, armour, valuable goods and horses taken too.
But I now had around 7,500 able soldiers left out of 8,500 I left the North with. I need to avoid another siege like this or I won't an army to fight with.
I waited a week at the Twins before crossing the Green fork toward Stone Hedge. It's the seat of House Bracken and an Blackfyre supporter. The larders of the Twins had restocked our supplies and I put both castles to the torch as we abandon them.
I chuckle at the fact people can now cross the river without paying a toll for a while. Lord Frey screamed and howl in angry as I forced him to watch the burning of his home.
The march continue on as my northern force made its way through the Riverlands. A few lords and knights didn't like us passing through in their lands and even more when I seized stocks of food. Some even start to do hit and run attacks on us but my Crannogmen prove to be excellent anti guerrilla fighters. I sacked three keeps of minor lords or land knights and the hanged bodies of the guerrillas on trees.
Once at Stone Hedge, my siege train begins unpacking, trenches are being dug, camp setup, sentries are posted, raiding parties are sent out and I offer my terms to Lord Bracken. Sadly he wasn't around, his brother Jonos Bracken is the castellan and at this point knows what happened to the Twins.. Heck everyone in the Riverlands had heard of the sacked there.
He surrendered only after I swear on the old gods not to sack the castle, kill the defenders and rape the women. I laugh at the last part, seems Lady Frey been spinning her tale of the event. I agreed to his terms but only if he gives me 600 gold dragons as payment for him, his family and his brother's family lives or we storm the castle. Very reluctant he agrees and I get three chests full of gold.
I disarmed the garrison, strip the common soldiers of everything and release them naked. Jonos protests this action on the ground of that being immoral.
" Hey I agreed to let them live and kept my word. You never mentioned I can't take their clothes."
I tell him later that night over dinner in the keep hall and he bit his lips at me. The victory feast that night was great and later I planned our next course of action.
The next day I allow the Brackens to leave with their servants and few personal items. A garrison installed under my friend Theo who for his actions at the Twins I made a Thegn. Our other friends William and Mycah are Thegns too after the siege of the Twins or battle of Twin lakes.
The men are allowed four days to rest and we go east to the Crownlands to finally link up with royal forces next.
Five days later at Harrenhal 196AC
" get the men in formation! Lord Reed ready your force to start engaging, Baron Redhand( new one) saddle up the cavalry, Baron Longmane you command the center and rest of you all get to your units."
I bark out orders to my commanders after an scout reported a rebel army at Harrenhal. My squire Daeron helped me in my gear and will carry my banner into battle.
Once the men are in position I began to move them forward. Even from here I can see the huge black fortress of Harren the black. And just outside of it is a force of several thousand rebels. I can see the banners of Houses Reyne, Hightower, Peake and Osgrey along with Blackfyre's.
They soon see us and start forming up themselves. Lord Reed's skirmishers hurry across the farm fields and begin their attacks. The rebels try to use cavalry to toss them back but they have trouble going through the irrigation ditches, fences, crops and other obstacles. My light infantry wreak havoc on them before they force to retreat back to the main body.
Once the main rebel body in range my archers rain arrows on them. And surprising they don't respond with a counter volley of arrows but speed up their movement. Rebel cavalry has regrouped and began a charge at my center.
" the fools"
I hear one of my Housecarls says as we watch the rebels ram in the jaws of my pike. It was just like in braveheart, a slaughter and one side fight. Rebel infantry then closes the distance and smashes into my men. The men hold and even pushes them back. My own cavalry already moving and hitting what's left of rebel cavalry that running away. I charge in with my guards and start fighting our way through the rebels.
Lord Reed and his men had regrouped to attack the rebel flanks and my cavalry returns from their chase to slam right into their unprotected rear. Rebel force fought hard and long despite being surrounded. But the end came with a small group breaking out and the rest dead or prisoners. I signal a reserve of light horse to chase after the survivors. They killed or captured more rebels but some still escaped
I retired from the battle and lead a small band of riders to demand Harrenhal surrender. I knew House Lothston are loyalists but I still demand the castle to open its gate. Unsurprisingly Lord Lothston does and proclaims his loyalty to House Targaryen.
The rebel baggage train is abandon by their camp followers and falls in the hand of my Housecarls.
Total losses are light for us, 197 dead and 279 wounded. Compare to 2,877 dead, 1,478 captured and near 500 missing out of a rebel force near 5,000. The battle of Harrenhal is a disaster for the Blackfyre cause, most of lord Osgrey's sons are dead, Robb Reyne one of finest Knights in the seven kingdoms was impaled by a pike, another great knight to die was Aubrey Ambrose who met his end from a axe to the face from Baron Redhand, Lord Gormon Peake escaped but lost most of his men and two dozen minor lords or knights are also our captives.
I allow my force rest for several days at Harrenhal and left my seriously wounded with a garrison of two hundred under Halfdan. The loot from the captured baggage train is shared and I explore the infamous castle a bit while praising my men for our latest victory. Before leaving the dark castle, two thousand men from Lord Lothston's levies under his heir are to join us and lead us to where the royal army is gathering.
I also left a good amount of our war booty to not slow us down. The common soldier in my army has become richer than he ever dream, in tours of our camp I seen men with new arms, armor and for many the first time with gold in their pockets. Along with jewelry, fine clothes, horses, silver, wine and all the other things they looted. Merchants trail us selling their wares to now richer soldiers and despite a ban I impose camp followers are in our camp. Had to use my Housecarls to drive them off unless they are family or wives, their slow us down and many are whores who can cause an outbreak of stds in my army.
Our common born prisoners are stripped and release naked like usual.
When we left Harrenhal, 6,500 Northerners and 2,000 Riverlanders march together south to where the royal army is gathering.
Few days later we reach the outskirts of an large camp flying the Targaryen banner and little later a small band rides to us flying the Arryn banner.
After battle reports
Battle of Green field
Location: Greenfield, The North
Outcome: decisive Knytlinga Victory
Downfall and exile of House Glenmore
House Knytlinga
Leaders: Lord Harthacnut and Halfdan
Forces: 2,430 men
Losses:149 KIA 319 WIA
House Glenmore
Leaders: Lord Wulfhere Glenmore(KIA), Master RedHand(KIA), Master Longmane(POW) and Master Bloodaxe
Forces: 2,300-2,500 men
Losses: 1,500 dead, wounded and captured
Battle of The Twin Lakes
Location: Twin Lakes, The North
Outcome: divisive Knytlinga Victory, Umber- Northern Mountain clans Army destroyed, failure to restored House Glenmore and decline of House Umber
House Knytlinga
Leaders: Lord Knytlinga and Halfdan
Force: 2,800 men
Losses: 86 KIA and 219 WIA
Umber-Northern Mountain clans Army
Leaders: Lord Umber and three Mountain clan lords
Force:1,300 men
Losses: 922 KIA and 191 Captured
Siege of the Twins
Location: The Twins, Riverlands 196AC
Outcome: Fall of the Twins and decline of House Frey
House Knytlinga
Leaders: Harthacnut Knytligna
Force: 8,500 and five Trebuchets
Losses: 386 KIA 689 WIA
House Frey
Leaders: Petyr Frey(POW)
Force: 1,200 men
Losses: 289 KIA 461 WIA
Siege of Stone Hedge
Location: Stone Hedge 196AC
Outcome: House Bracken surrendered
House Knytlinga
Leader: Harthacnut Knytlinga
Force: 7,500
Losses: none
House Bracken
Leader: Castellan Jonos Bracken
Force: 600
Losses: entire Garrison surrendered
Battle of Harrenhal
Location: Harrenhal, Riverlands 196AC
Targaryen Victory
Targaryen loyalists
Leaders: Harthacnut Knytlinga and Lord Lothston( held Harrenhal)
Force: 7,800 in the field and 400 in the castle
Losses: 197 KIA and 279 WIA
House Blackfyre
Leaders: Gaemon Peake, Robb Reyne (KIA), Aubrey Ambrose(KIA), Edwyn Osgrey(POW) and Harrold Osgrey(KIA)
Force: 5,000
Losses: 2,877 KIA, 1,478 POW and 500 MIA
Another chapter and so far Cnut doing well. First thing I made him a jarl because noble titles in westeros are simple. Yes it will cause him trouble later and especially back in the North.
Building a trebuchet isn't so hard once you got the basics down. An episode of Nova gave the idea of using them. House Frey and Umber are going to go through a period of decline for the rest a couple of decades at most. Umber since they now lost much of their military age male smallfolks plus even more poor now and Freys since their home been sacked. It's never stated how rich they are but Cnut's horde had stripped it bare and the fires gutted both castles.
The Freys still have bannermen and have the support of Riverrun but it be a while before their a major house again. In the meantime people can cross their bridge for the moment and the tower in the middle now home to some squatters. Harthacnut's actions in the South are going to send shockwaves throughout the North Especially once his army returns with all their loot.
As for what he doing to captured common soldiers. Cnut isn't a monster to kill them all but he can't afford to feed them long term. So he stripped them and released them. He hoping some were die from exposed and if any other lords want to draft them than he have to clothed and rearmed them for battle. As you imagine there going to be funny tales of them in the Riverlands for years to come.
Next chapter Harthacnut going to be fighting under Targaryen command in the battle of Redgrass, be look down on for being an upstart, also having to adapt to no longer having independent command and he get to meet some Targaryens plus visited the capital.