Post by The Light on Dec 2, 2012 2:25:34 GMT -5
They were being followed. It had been two days since their raid on Mereen, slipping like ghosts into the outlying lands and looting and burning the smaller estates and households on the outskirts of the great city. They had freed some slaves who had joined, but ten Unsullied had given them hell. Leman scowled at the memory, the thrice-damned eunuchs had formed their wall at the door of the walled estate and had not given an inch. They had been forced to climb the outside and walls and come at them from both sides before the men had been killed. They had been fat, but deadly. After the raid, they had made off with everything they could carry, and had even commandeered some carts to lug more of their cargo. He had considered making the raid then going off by ship, but the Mereneese navy was always wary of ships like his, so he had planned to have them believe that he had left by ship, or that a dothraki group had burned their place. The ironborn instead had made for the Kyzai pass, moving as a normal caravan would this time of year. He had hoped the subterfudge would let them reach the ship unmolested, but the horses had appeared a day ago, figures in the bright colors of Mereen following the group. He knew it would come down to a fight, but he was wondering why they waited and watched. He had sent back riders out as soon as he saw them, and pressed the pace but it was still going slow.
When they reached the pass, Leman understood why they had been allowed to reach that far. A group of men had already reached the place, had built a barricade that was edged on each side by the stone walls of the pass. It would take men, and time to take command of the pass he thought, but then the worse news arrived. Jon Pyke came riding up hard, his horse covered in lather “Cap’tn! Those men tailing us have joined up with a bigger group! It looks like they’re coming for us for real now.” Leman stared at him, frozen for a moment. Between this barricade and those horses he was stuck. Hammer and anvil, they would be caught and crushed between the two forces. Leman sighed and looked to his men, raising his voice. “Alright, this is going to be a tough one. Crack open those barrels, see if we can use anything inside to make our own little circle. Get those wagons in a circle, those men at the barricade will come at us when they see we’re leaving em alone. Get ready for-“ He was interrupted then Jon again “CAP’TN! You have to see this!” Leman sauntered over and looked down into the barrel that Jon had opened. Cold air rose from the wooden container and Leman clapped his hand down on the boys shoulder “Hells bells boy,if this is what I think it is, it could be useful…”
The Mereneese reined up a hundred meters from the ironborn, and adjusted themselves into a wedge formation. Leman stood ahead of most of his men, two of his men holding torches right next to him. It was twilight now, that time between day and night. He had entrusted Jon with command of 20 men to hold the rear against any who would attack their back. The rest stood in a tight formation ahead of the carts, shields touching and weapons held loosely, men uneasy and scared. The mounted city-men had arrayed themselves finally, and they began to move at a walk toward the closed infantry. They wore bright colors over their armour, which gleamed in the dying light of the sun. Their steeds moved up a trot, their horses fighting at the bit to let them loose, but the riders held them to their course. Leman took the torch from his man, and looked closely at the distance that now separated him and the fast approaching riders. They held long lances, though their leader had the longest of all of them. He was ahead of the rest, to strike the first blow at the hated raiders. When they were 40 meters away they began their charge, horses released to a gallop, their hooves causing the ground to quake and tremble beneath his feet. Leman threw the torch then, and it impacted on the oil they had spread before the infantry. It caught with a woosh and spread, but the riders were undeterred. Their horses would leap over that, and it would do nothing to stop them. They yelled out at the ironborn, screaming against the wind. Their leader was ahead of them and moved his horse easily with his legs, lance leveled and pointed straight at Leman, never wavering. His horse leaped over the flames just as the fire reached the barrel of wildfire. His body was thrown 60 feet into the sky, slamming down onto earth. The rest of his men were broken, horses screaming in pain, men burning and dying. A horse ran past Leman, it’s mane and body alight, green fire racing across the red dust. Leman motioned his men up, to finish anyone who had survived the trap. They spread out, giving mercy to the screaming men and horses. Slowly the night quieted down before yell’s erupted behind them. Leman looked back, eyes narrowed. The men who had erected the barricade were attacking, and the 20 men were giving ground. Leman ran from the burning mess to join his pitiful shield wall. The men pushed against each other, the wounded falling and getting trampled before someone would finish them off. The Mereneese were in for a fight and they knew it. As Leman’s wall grew, they began to draw even with the Mereneese, and the ironborn began to push the others back. Leman ordered his big boys to go straight in to the center, their huge axes splitting shields and helms. They were fearless, holding the center and destroying men as they came forward. Leman saw them begin to crack, saw the men hesitating to go forward, and knew he had them. The ironmen lunged forward and the fight turned into a route. It was over, they had survived.
Lemans Leadership to Novice
Lemans Warfare to Novice
Lemans Ambush to Beginner
When they reached the pass, Leman understood why they had been allowed to reach that far. A group of men had already reached the place, had built a barricade that was edged on each side by the stone walls of the pass. It would take men, and time to take command of the pass he thought, but then the worse news arrived. Jon Pyke came riding up hard, his horse covered in lather “Cap’tn! Those men tailing us have joined up with a bigger group! It looks like they’re coming for us for real now.” Leman stared at him, frozen for a moment. Between this barricade and those horses he was stuck. Hammer and anvil, they would be caught and crushed between the two forces. Leman sighed and looked to his men, raising his voice. “Alright, this is going to be a tough one. Crack open those barrels, see if we can use anything inside to make our own little circle. Get those wagons in a circle, those men at the barricade will come at us when they see we’re leaving em alone. Get ready for-“ He was interrupted then Jon again “CAP’TN! You have to see this!” Leman sauntered over and looked down into the barrel that Jon had opened. Cold air rose from the wooden container and Leman clapped his hand down on the boys shoulder “Hells bells boy,if this is what I think it is, it could be useful…”
The Mereneese reined up a hundred meters from the ironborn, and adjusted themselves into a wedge formation. Leman stood ahead of most of his men, two of his men holding torches right next to him. It was twilight now, that time between day and night. He had entrusted Jon with command of 20 men to hold the rear against any who would attack their back. The rest stood in a tight formation ahead of the carts, shields touching and weapons held loosely, men uneasy and scared. The mounted city-men had arrayed themselves finally, and they began to move at a walk toward the closed infantry. They wore bright colors over their armour, which gleamed in the dying light of the sun. Their steeds moved up a trot, their horses fighting at the bit to let them loose, but the riders held them to their course. Leman took the torch from his man, and looked closely at the distance that now separated him and the fast approaching riders. They held long lances, though their leader had the longest of all of them. He was ahead of the rest, to strike the first blow at the hated raiders. When they were 40 meters away they began their charge, horses released to a gallop, their hooves causing the ground to quake and tremble beneath his feet. Leman threw the torch then, and it impacted on the oil they had spread before the infantry. It caught with a woosh and spread, but the riders were undeterred. Their horses would leap over that, and it would do nothing to stop them. They yelled out at the ironborn, screaming against the wind. Their leader was ahead of them and moved his horse easily with his legs, lance leveled and pointed straight at Leman, never wavering. His horse leaped over the flames just as the fire reached the barrel of wildfire. His body was thrown 60 feet into the sky, slamming down onto earth. The rest of his men were broken, horses screaming in pain, men burning and dying. A horse ran past Leman, it’s mane and body alight, green fire racing across the red dust. Leman motioned his men up, to finish anyone who had survived the trap. They spread out, giving mercy to the screaming men and horses. Slowly the night quieted down before yell’s erupted behind them. Leman looked back, eyes narrowed. The men who had erected the barricade were attacking, and the 20 men were giving ground. Leman ran from the burning mess to join his pitiful shield wall. The men pushed against each other, the wounded falling and getting trampled before someone would finish them off. The Mereneese were in for a fight and they knew it. As Leman’s wall grew, they began to draw even with the Mereneese, and the ironborn began to push the others back. Leman ordered his big boys to go straight in to the center, their huge axes splitting shields and helms. They were fearless, holding the center and destroying men as they came forward. Leman saw them begin to crack, saw the men hesitating to go forward, and knew he had them. The ironmen lunged forward and the fight turned into a route. It was over, they had survived.
Lemans Leadership to Novice
Lemans Warfare to Novice
Lemans Ambush to Beginner