The King of Winters

Chapter-117

Ser Garrison leaned into the table. "My lady, as per the words of our prisoners the Eastern army got four Ghiscari legions too, maybe more, and three large free companies as well as several thousand unsullied spearmen from Astapor. The way I see it we would never be able to defeat them and break the siege."

Allyria sighed. Asha could see that was not the answer that the Lady of Starfall wanted. Her indigo eyes were searching the map desperately for something Asha didn't know.

"They don't know how much long our stores can last," the young knight said, "but the essosi must have an idea of how we lack the men to put up a successful defence of the castle. By now they will have gotten the taste of fire and blood instead of a siege."

"That siege is strangling us already, and would they start thinking about assaulting," Allyria said. "Surely they would not prefer that?"

"Those siege engines are of no worth if they are not intended to get the walls down or to get their men inside, my Lady," Ser Garrison replied. "A siege can last for months, but the war might not. These gluttons and scum from the east might have the patience for the siege but Rhaegar might not. I say we prepare for an assault. It might come sooner or later nevertheless."

"Can we fight off an assault?" Allyria Dayne asked.

Asha knew the answer for it even if no one said it. There was none. The Targaryens outnumbered them five to one. Even with a good defensive position on the castle it was simply too much, especially when the food and water starts running low.

Ser Garrison instead was more hopeful than her. "Aye," he leaned over the table and studied the map over it. "We might be outnumbered by several times but I have enough men to make a good defence of the castle."

The knight pointed out to the northern and southern gates of the castle of Starfall on the map. "If they ever attempt any crossing they will be doing that here and here," he said. "There are a few rocks that might provide natural support a bridge and the water runs slow, perfect for making a crossing. The hill is basically unapproachable from the east and the west. All we have to do is keep them from building any such bridge that might connect the castle to the mainland." He tapped the spot on the map.

"Those craftsmen who make these machines will be our targets when they come by," Garrison said. "Arrows, rocks, pitch, oil, we might need everything. I have told the men to stop loosing any return volley in return for their own. I fear they are deliberately trying to goad us into doing so to deplete our stores. There are no hopes of sallying out and hindering their efforts but we might have enough wood to make a few trebuchets of our own, to launch anything to disrupt their efforts. It won't be enough to break the siege but it will be to hold the castle."

"That might be enough," Allyria said, desperately hopeful. "If there's nothing in the balance between us, well... we should prepare for an assault then. We just have to hold on enough for Andrew to come and lift the siege. I will give you weapons, workers, tools, whatever you require for the defence, Ser Garrison. The castle should not fall."

Asha found the lady too full of hope, despite the desperate situation she found herself in. She reminded her of her own younger self back in Pyke before her brothers died. She was fully confident that her nephew was going to win the war, while it was very much possible that he might lose and never arrive and all they would have done is simply prolong the inevitable. Though it made more sense than simply surrendering to the mercy of these wise masters who might make a slave out of them.

"Me and my men can defend one of those points," Asha offered then. "Ironborn are good sailors, it is common knowledge. But we are as good at fighting as we are at sailing. Spare me a contingent of archers and we will tear away any crossing or siege engines to pieces of nails and scraps of wood."