Date: 298 After Landing, Autumn
Peg,
No matter what I do, I will always be a soldier. It is what I am. What I was made for. I will always be at odds against someone, something, for one reason of another. I just wished it didn't cost so much.
I'm not talking about the financial cost, but the cost of one's soul. Seeing things, knowing you caused them, it has an impact. When I was fighting HYDRA I did a lot of things I didn't like, I killed enemy soldiers, blackmailed for intelligence, blew up factories, but all of it was for the greater good. It was either blow up one factory or kill a squad of soldiers to save millions of innocent people, or I didn't and those men and woman died. But here, it is so different. It doesn't matter if you are in favor of Lord Tywin or Lord Stark, the innocent farmer or small merchant just trying get by are caught in the middle.
I've been leading this army for a few months now. I've lost about two hundred men in that time, twenty of which I had to put down to make an example to the others. Before we set off from the North and crossed into the Riverlands, I purchased all the supplies we would need and organized a logistical train to keep us fed. Five pounds of food for every man, 20 for every horse, and had hoped that would set every man at ease. Even assigned a hundred men to manage it. Instead, as soon as we entered the Riverlands and came across a farm the men immediately set upon it and started to take whatever they could carry. I had to beat them over the heads with curses, and sometimes my fists, to make them understand that pillaging allied territory was a bad idea. By the time I was finished with the thieves, and could stop yelling, I heard the cries from the farm house. Later that evening I had to hang a dozen men for what they had done to the farmer's wife and daughters.
I still have some men with sticky fingers, but only one of them has dared to wander of and start raping since my little demonstration. He was dealt with more harshly than I would have liked, but it was necessary to get the point across to everyone else.
I send regular reports back to Winterfell and Lord Stark, via Raven, and he has been awestruck by our accomplishments as well as the advice I've been sending back. Setting up supply lines isn't unheard of in Westeros, but mostly considered to be impractical when you are trying to keep an army of 40,000 fed. I've explained how to set up supply routes, how to secure them, and how to keep them moving as you advance further and further away from your sources of strength. All of the looting and pillaging the locals normally do to gather food is time consuming, and not always successful. But the soldiers do have to be paid, so I agreed to a compromise. There was no looting in the Riverlands, but once we crossed into the Westerlands the men were allowed to loot whatever they carry. I made it clear that raping would still be punished. Besides, as much as I disliked the idea, sex was what the camp followers were for.
For the first few weeks, whenever we settled down to camp for the night I would put the men though a series of exercises to see who was the best of the best. I needed to know what these men were capable of. A large number of the troops are from House Glover, but there is a rough mix of various other houses here as well. But to ensure there is no struggle for power, I am the only "Lord," so they follow my orders well. I knew there were only a few hundred decent archers in the mix, so I started teaching massed archery tactics. An auxilliry corp of crossbowmen, another hundred men, was formed as well. The rest of the army was skeptical until they saw both groups put out 15,000 arrows in less than five minutes, and imagined an enemy force being stuck under that hail. Massed archery only seems to be used here in siege warfare by the defenders. It's interesting trying to teach these men that you can use defense as an offense. I also introduced simple things to keep illness down, such as latrines and washing hands. I have ideas for improving so many things, but I think they will have to wait until after the war is over and I can run my own hold.
By the time we reached Seagard, I knew who was the best swordsman, best archer, fastest runner and strongest men in my army. I also knew who were more clever than the rabble who were only interested in loot. I used this information to form a small group for special missions. I call them "Commandos," but they don't know what the word means. When I explained to them that it meant "they were the best men for the most difficult battles," they seemed to light up at that. I got to use them soon enough.
The first major enemy force we encountered in the Riverlands was also the largest, and in the worst place. The Capital of Riverrun. Lord Tywin had sent Addam Marbrand to capture the massive fortification, and had succeeded in not just taking the castle but Edmure Tully, Lady Starks brother, as well. Marbrands force of 15,000 was strong and placed to defend the site. Our forces were camped just to the North, barely outside the notice of enemies scouts, but were outnumbered 5 to 1. Siege was out of the question. I needed another plan.
After waiting until nightfall the Commandos and I snuck into the castle, meaning I scaled the walls and then threw down a rope. Once inside it became a matter of finding all of the high-ranking officers of the Lannister host and taking them prisoner. Not an easy task, but with everyone being unaware of our arrival it was easier than it would have been. Marbrand was eventually found taunting Edmure, and after a very brief sword fight he surrendered. His household guards weren't so lucky. The other minor Lords were soon found and taken, with the exception of Lord Andros who was executed by one of the Commandos for being caught in the act of raping a member of the castle staff. Took an arrow right though the throat. When the sun rose, we used the captured Lords as bargaining chips and forced the enemy host to surrender. I even guaranteed that no harm would come to those who threw down their weapons. With the exception of a few of Andros's men, they all agreed. An hour later our forces arrived and started stripping the enemy of armor and weapons. Not a single drop of Northern blood was spilled.
I'm about to start righting my report to Lord Stark, who will most likely want to let Lord Tywin know via Raven what has happened and offer him an end to the war. But from what I know the man would rather watch his own lands burn before admitting defeat.
Before I forget, and interesting thing occurred today. Some of the Lannister men are believers in the Faith of the Seven, a religion in the South, and took to calling me the Warrior Made Flesh.. Something about the star on my chest…but last I checked my star had five points, not seven.