The Age of Daenerys Targaryen

Part 28: Gendry Baratheon

"Daenerys has become much more cautious since trying to conquer Westeros", said Yohn Royce as he bent over a map showing the area on the lower reaches of the Rhoyne. Carved wooden figures indicate the positions of the allied and enemy forces. The figures representing the Imperial Army were clearly outnumbered and concentrated along the river, especially at the cities of Valysar, Volon Therys, and Volantis. "She won't be lured into a trap."

Royce, Lord Gendry Baratheon, Harlik Perk, whom Sansa had made the new Lord of the Dreadfort and given supreme command of her troops in Essos, half a dozen other nobles from Westeros, Jaqicho Hartar, Belen Osten, and a handful of generals from the Free Cities had gathered in an inn in Selhorys. The Alliance had captured the city a few weeks ago and it was still steadily gaining ground. If it hadn't been for the dragon, they would already be standing in front of the walls of the Imperial Capital of Volantis.

"Daenerys must always be lucky when confronted with our scorpions", said Lord Harlik, a sturdy, black-haired man with a shaggy beard. "We only have to be lucky once."

"Tell that to the people who will fall victim to the fire of the dragon by then", grumbled the Master of war. "But of course you are right. First of all, our tactic of advancing with small and agile groups seems to be working. Since the dragon cannot be in several places at the same time..."

After the meeting, Gendry walked the city streets to the gate. Most of the residents hid in their homes. The conquest of Selhorys was quick and relatively bloodless, but the people here feared the occupiers. Gendry could understand that. In Westeros he had witnessed atrocities committed by soldiers against helpless civilians often enough. He himself did his best to prevent acts of violence from his own followers. All in all, he preferred that the war took place here and not at home.

A large group of men in simple burlap robes had gathered at the city gate. They had axes, maces, or clubs, but no armor, and they all had a seven-pointed star carved on their foreheads. On a wooden pedestal stood a thin man with thinning gray hair who was also wrapped in a burlap robe: Septon Corban. The charismatic clergyman had rallied the surviving supporters of the High Sparrow and gained more. He saw the fight against Daenerys as a holy war against evil.

"It is the duty of every believer to fight the silver-haired whore!", thundered the septon. "This hideous fruit of incest is abhorrent to the gods! Slay her followers wherever you find them. Weed out the idolaters of the so-called Lord of Light too! And don't be afraid of the winged demon! Because whoever falls in the name of the Seven in the fight against the enemies of the Gods comes as a martyr in paradise, where seven virgins are waiting for him, one more beautiful than the other! He will want for nothing and the other souls in paradise will look at him with envy and admiration! The Stranger himself will..."

Gendry moved on quickly. He didn't care for the preacher's chatter. The Lord of Storm's End passed through the city gate. A huge camp stretched outside the walls of Selhorys. It was a single, chaotic sea of tent that stretched for miles. Banners of the Starks, Lannisters, Tullys, Arryns, Martells and dozens of other great and small houses of Westeros waved in the wind along with the flags of the Free Cities and various mercenary companies. This might be one of the largest armies Essos had ever seen, about a hundred thousand men. And there were eight other, albeit much smaller, armies that threatened the core of the New Valyrian Empire elsewhere.

Scorpions, smaller but more mobile and with a higher rate of fire than the weapons Cersei had used against Daenerys' dragons, secured the camp. Whether they were of any use would not be seen until the Empress attacked. So far, however, Daenerys had stayed away from the devices.

As Gendry passed the Northman tents, he saw a group of Stark soldiers approach. They dragged a young, handcuffed woman in the dark gray uniform of the Imperial Army with them. She was almost a child.

"An Imperial Scout?", asked Gendry.

"Aye, my lord", said the leader of the Northmen, baring his yellow teeth in a grin. "We caught her on our patrol at the edge of the forest."

The Lord of Storm's End saw the fear in the woman's eyes. She was short, with a narrow face and short, dark hair. She was a little like Arya Stark.

"What are you doing with her?", Gendry wanted to know.

"She will be interrogated. After we've all had fun with her." The Northmen laughed harshly.

"Nobody's going to have 'fun' with her", Gendry said sharply.

"Oh yeah?", growled the Stark captain. Any respect had evaporated from his voice. "You have nothing to say to us, Southerner. Mind your own business." He turned to continue.

Gendry grabbed his shoulder. The Northerner was visibly surprised by the strength of the Baratheon.

"What do you think your queen will say when I tell her about this?"

"Damn it, this girl is an enemy!", protested the soldier.

"But not fair game for you", Gendry growled. "Let her go."

"You can't-"

"Let her go", the lord growled menacingly. "The Imperials already know where we are anyway."

Grumbling and one last glare at Gendry, the Northmen withdrew, leaving the woman behind.

"Where are you from?", he asked as he loosened her bonds. "Do you even understand the Common Tongue?"

"Qarth", said the Imperial monosyllabic. She looked at the tall man anxiously and suspiciously.

"What kind of empire is this that sends women into battle?", Gendry said more to himself.

"The New Valyrian Empire", replied the woman, rubbing her wrists freed from their shackles. "Women have equal rights there." She looked defiantly into the Westerosi's eyes. "And they have the same duties as men."

Gendry shook his head. "So also army service?" That went too far for his taste. He knew Brienne of Tarth was a great fighter, but she and others, like Arya Stark, were exceptions. "You were forcibly recruited, right?" What else would have made a Qartheen fight for the Empress?

But the woman shook her head. "I volunteer to fight for Daenerys. She freed my home from the warlocks."

"Oh, that's right." Gendry had heard of that. "It would be best if you disappear now. Come on, get out of here."

As the Imperial disappeared into the trees, the Lord had to remember that many other female Imperial prisoners of war had an ugly fate. That he had saved one today was just a drop in the ocean. Still, he believed his father - whom he never got to know - would be proud of him if he could see him now.