WILOW-Ch.366: Golden Tooth Has Fallen
Near Golden Tooth, Westerlands
POV of Domeric Bolton
Next morning.
"What happened to the plan not to attack the castle but to go around it?" Ygritte asked as Domeric looked at the passageway behind the large boulder.
"I didn't want to take the castle." He said, "But there are very few men in the castle right now. You, me, Varko, Raksa, Ser Barristan, and the 40 armored direwolves would be more than enough to put an end to them. I would have loved to take the giants with me, but…" he pointed at the human-sized tunnel "… That's not possible."
Then he added. "Moreover, conquering Golden Tooth will further strengthen my achievements. And since Tooth will be in my possession, even if Tywin mobilizes his army and pursues me, Golden Tooth will block their path, and we will have moved the battlefield from the open lands of the Westerlands to Golden Tooth itself. This will give us a clear advantage."
"I understand that... But… You sure there are only 500 fighting men in the castle?" she asked.
"Yes. I triple checked that information." He replied, "I'll kidnap the maester before attacking so that he won't be able to send any ravens. I will also take all owls, and kill the man guarding the bell so he won't be able to ring it and alarm the others."
Ygritte thought about it and nodded, "Bring 100 of your personal guards for backup."
He nodded. There was no point in arguing with her when she was right.
"I'll go and clean the tunnel." He said, "Prepare the men. We'll attack tonight."
Ygritte nodded and left.
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Golden Tooth, Westerlands
POV Alysanne Lefford
Alysanne woke up to the sound of clashing weapons and the wails of dying men.
"Piper! Leo!!!" she shouted as she took out the dagger from under her pillow that her husband had given her for her own protection.
A few long moments later, there were footsteps outside her door, and then it swung open, and Piper entered the room.
"The Castle is under attack, my lady." The man, no, boy said.
His eyes were filled with terror, and she wanted to ask what had him so terrified when a loud howl blocked any words in her throat.
A few other howls echoed the loud howl, and then the cries of dying men became more audible.
And she was under no illusion about whose side those men belonged to.
She looked back at Piper, whose hands were shaking in fear, and she knew who it was that had attacked the castle.
"Piper." She shouted, and the boy snapped to attention, "Go to Maester Lomar. Tell him to send a message to Lord Tywin." She hesitated, "Tell him that the Golden Tooth has fallen to the Hungry Beast."
Piper looked at her in fear, and she shouted, "GO. NOW!!!" The man sprang into action and ran toward the Maester's keep.
She could only hope that the boy would succeed and the maester would be able to send a message to Lord Tywin.
And hopefully, a letter to Casterly Rock as well.
She heard that the Lannisters were raising another army outside Casterly Rock. She hoped that they would kill these men and avenge her. Because there was no way she was going to be captured by some savages and become their plaything.
She held the dagger close to her and closed the door, her hands shaking in fear all the while.
She waited inside her room as minutes passed and the fighting started to die down.
Then there were footsteps outside her door.
"THUDDD!!!" Someone hit the door from the other side.
She gripped her dagger tightly. She knew that the door would break sooner or later. And there was really nothing she would be able to do aside from killing herself if she didn't want to be raped by these men.
"THUDD!!"
"Move aside Ser. Let me do it." She heard some speak there, and with a large sound, her door broke in half, and an average-looking middle-aged man holding two swords and wearing black armor dripping with blood entered the room.
She took hold of her dagger and pointed it at her stomach.
"Stay b… back. O.. Or I'll kill myself." She said, hating how she stuttered because of fear. She had not stuttered since childhood, but in her defense, the Tooth had never been taken by the enemies before either.
"Calm down, lady." The man said, his accent making her doubt that he was even Westerosi…
'Wait… Foreign accent. Middle-aged. Black armor. Two swords.' She thought and then realized.
"You're Ser Varko." She said.
Before he could reply, another man entered the room.
This one was much older, but she recognized him instantly.
"Ser Barristan." She said, her voice filled with confusion, "What are you… Aren't you a Kingsguard?"
"Not anymore, my lady." The older man said in a rough yet powerful voice, "I was discharged from my duties by King Joffrey. I now serve Lord Bolton. Please surrender, Lady Lefford."
And Ser Varko added. "I promise you, you'll not be mistreated in any manner and will be treated with the respect given to someone of your status."
She wanted to laugh at him.
She wanted to laugh at the whole situation.
And she wanted to break down and cry.
"My… my husband will know of this." She said, not knowing why she was saying it, "He'll return for me."
Ser Barristan gave her a sympathetic look. "We killed the Maester before the battle began, my lady." He said, "Your husband won't know that the Tooth has fallen."
"Even if he did, do you think lord Tywin will allow him to leave?" Ser Varko said, "I'm not a knight, by the way. You don't need to call me, Ser. And surrender already. My lord has no intention of harming you or the staff serving the castle."
"Do you promise?" she asked Lord Barristan.
Because Ser Varko… or Varko might be the greatest swordsman in the Seven Kingdoms, but Ser Barristan was the one known for his honor and good deeds.
"On my honor, Lady Lefford."
The dagger fell from her hands, and she burst into tears.
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Next Chapters' Name:
Ch.367: The Value of a Good Image
Ch.368: Another Day in King's Landing
Ch.369: Baratheon Brothers