Fire and Blood

Chapter 114: First Battle of the Kingsroad

The Stormlands ― Kingsroad...

The clash between the Blacks and Caltrops on the kingsroad had escalated into a bloody battlefield, with Lord Borros Baratheon at the helm of his formidable army of 45,000 troops. It had been raining heavily for days, and the grass was wet, the ground soft and muddy. With unwavering determination, Lord Borros led his forces in a thunderous charge towards King's Landing, hoping to conquer the capital that was six days away from Storm's End. However, both sides soon faced stubborn resistance, which thwarted significant progress and frustrated the Baratheon warlord. Under the joint leadership of Lord Gerold Royce and Lord Leowyn Corbray, the Blacks led the knights of the Vale to keep the Stormlands' armies occupied and hinder the advance of the Baratheon forces, effectively halting their progress northward.

"Give no quarter, lads!" Gerold ordered.

"Show these southern greenhorns how the North fights a battle!" Roderick roared.

The Winter Wolves, a contingent of 2,000 Northmen led by Lord Roderick Dustin and Ser Medrick Manderly, charged into battle alongside the Blacks, their swords and axes glinting menacingly in the stormy skies. Yet, even with their assistance, the Blacks were not immune to the casualties inflicted by the formidable Baratheon host nor the devastating toll of war, with the Baratheon forces causing significant casualties on both sides. The battlefield was a symphony of clashing swords, and the cries of the wounded echoed through the battlefield as the two sides fought with an unwavering determination to emerge victorious. The kingsroad, a highway between a wood and a low hill, was now a site of brutal warfare, its once smooth surface a canvas of blood and steel. The Caltrops and the Blacks clashed their armies, a testament to the unyielding spirit of both sides. The outcome of this ferocious battle remained uncertain as the two armies fought unrelenting, leaving behind a trail of destruction in their wake.

The clash of metal and the thunderous impact of hooves reverberated through the air as Lord Borros's army charged down the road, their determination unwavering. The hastily armed conscripts, their spears held high, followed closely behind the 600 Stormlander knights, their iron pot helms gleaming in the lightning bolts. The solid wall of shields that stood before them seemed impenetrable, a formidable barrier that threatened to halt their progress. As the knights charged down the road, their horses thundering beneath them, the ground seemed to shake in anticipation. The enemy archers on the hill to the right unleashed a volley of arrows, darkening the sky with their deadly rain.

But the Caltrop knights, undeterred by the imminent danger, pressed on with unwavering determination. The clash of metal against metal reverberated through the air as the knights crashed into the shield wall. Spears pierced through the gaps in the shields, finding their mark and causing chaos among the enemy ranks. Lord Borros's army fought with a ferocity that belied their numbers, their determination and skill overpowering the initial advantage of the Blacks' defensive position.

True to his Baratheon heritage, Borros proved himself a mighty warrior and was able to kill numerous men around him. "Bah! Back, you little boys!" Meanwhile, the archers on the hill to the right unleashed a barrage of arrows, aiming to halt the advancing army. But Lord Borros had anticipated this threat. "Archers! Get those arrows up!" He had ordered a contingent of his own archers to position themselves strategically, providing cover fire for the knights and recruits. The arrows from his archers rained down upon the enemy archers, forcing them to take cover and disrupting their deadly assault. With each step, Lord Borros's army gained ground, pushing the enemy forces further and further back. Though the Stormlanders wreaked great havoc with lance, sword, and long axe, the Valemen held firm as new men stepped up to fill the place of those who fell.

"Gah! The Baratheon's too strong!" Leowyn cursed.

The Caltrops archers reared back their bowstrings. "Nock! Draw! Loo―"