Date: 299 After Landing, Winter
Who's strong and brave, here to save the American Way
Who vows to fight like a man for what's right, night and day?
Who will campaign door-to-door for America?
Carry the flag shore to shore for America?
From Hoboken to Spokane,
The Star-Spangled Man with a Plan!
We can't ignore there's a threat and a war we must win!
Who'll hang a noose on the goose-stepping goons from Berlin?
Who will indeed lead the call for America?
Who'll rise or fall give his all for America?
Who's here to prove that we can?
The Star-Spangled Man with a Plan!
Nearly three years…THREE YEARS…and after all that time that crazy song bounces back into my head like it never left. I started humming it to myself while our army was marching on Faircastle, and a few of my Commandos overheard it. After an nearly an hour of them prodding they got me to sing the words that went with it. I know music in Westeros is more…archaic when compared to where I came from, but from their reaction you would guess they never heard any music before. Suddenly they wanted to know everything about it, where it was written, what it was written for…
It was a little embarrassing. Admitting that the tune was written about me, and for the purpose of getting the people of my land to get behind a just war, was difficult. But the idea didn't seem to surprise them all that much. They are used to songs of heroes, and music being used as propaganda isn't a new concept. The Lannister's and their "Rains of Castamere" is an excellent example.
After that the flood gates kind of opened and they convinced me to sing more songs from my land. The styles was just so different, they had no idea what to expect. I tried to remember some of the stuff coming out when I flew that HYDRA plane into the ocean…ended up singing "Don't Fence Me In, That Old Black Magic, Jingle Jangle Jingle," and eventually "God Bless America."
They all loved the various songs, the different styles, but I really wish I hadn't sung that last one. I hadn't really thought about how long it had been since I was home…but I guess Westeros is my home now. Still, I suspect the longing will never go away.
Dacey said I should change a few words around and use the "Star-Spangled Man" as a marching hymn. Not a bad idea.
Anyway, after retaking most of Fair Isle back from the Ironborn, liberating several more hamlets and farms from their endless pillaging, our army made for Faircastle. The Islanders attempted to block us several times by setting up defensive positions, mostly make-shift moats with log palisades, but we mostly avoided these hastily erected and undermanned forts and marched straight for the castle. We had captured or killed several thousand defenders by this point, but with at least 10,000 defenders the prospect of sieging Faircastle was not inviting. And with winter approaching, the cold, wet, weather made for less than ideal combat conditions.
We set up camp just outside long bow range of the castle, and I spent the next day studying it. The day after, I sent an envoy to deliver my demand for surrender to whomever was in command. When the young man returned unharmed I learned two things; the commander was intelligent and at least partly civil, and that the commander was Asha Greyjoy -daughter of Balon Greyjoy, the so-called "King of the Iron Islands" and sister to King Eddards ward, Theon. This made things, more delicate. I soon gave orders that, should we capture her, Asha was not to be harmed.
In truth, this was enlightening for me. Except for Dacey and her family, I hadn't seen an example of women in power outside of King's Landing. I suppose women in battle isn't unheard of, just not very common in the here and now. I read, in the books of my homeland as well as those in Westeros, of women warriors but in the current age the sight is rare. I suppose some regions are just more aware that steel in a woman's hand can kill you just as easily as steel in a man's.
We spent the next few days camped outside the castle constructing siege weapons. Catapults mostly. Thanks to the nearby mountains there was plenty of rocks for ammo. But even as the weapons were built, I hoped they wouldn't be needed. Thinking ahead, Faircastle would be a perfect staging area for an invasion of the other lost Westerlands as well as an invasion of the Iron Islands. I had watched several Ironborn vessels supplying the castle with food, so it was safe to assume that the castle's supply of sheep and stored goods was already starting to run out. I also noticed that no one was leaving the castle, or joining it, so Greyjoy believed her victory to be assured.
I considered just sneaking into the castle as I had with others, but that would make it clear who I was. If I look different, I must act different. I took a few dozen men, a mixed force, and led them up a nearby mountain that held a decent view of the castle as well the dock the Ironborn were using for resupply. It took an additional 2 days to haul lumber and set up a catapult, but on the third day we were able to "sort-of" fire upon the Islander ships as they attempted to resupply the castle. We sunk several ships, and on the fourth day they stopped arriving.
In retrospect, I should have just did my usual infiltration and be done with it. But I suppose hindsight isn't one of my gifts.
On the 7th day of the siege, Asha's men captured the catapult I had placed in the mountains and turned it on our encampment. We lost a few dozen men and had many more injured by the bombardment, which only stopped after I made a mad dash up the mountainside and took care of the Islanders who had cut down my defenders mercilessly. But in the chaos, half of the Islanders garrison left the castle and made a mad dash on our forces. Our flank, composed of mostly crossbowmen quickly retreated at the advance. Islanders then sent reinforcements in and the flank crumbled completely. By the time I got down from the mountain, Dacey had tried to recover the situation by unleashing the limited cavalry to break the offensive on our flank, leading them herself.
It was the right decision, the Islanders had no cavalry of their own and we caused significant casualties on enemy. But many of the sparse horsemen still fell to the significant Islander presence…Dacey was unhorsed and took a bad wound to her left leg…
The Islanders, seeing their surprise attack failing, tried to retreat. In response I took a mixed force of five hundred and cut them off, wedging myself between their slaughter and safety. Caught between my shield and sword, the Islanders who yet lived started to throw down their weapons. We lost a thousand men all told, but we managed to kill or capture 4,500 Ironborn.
With the majority of the Islander army destroyed, Asha Greyjoy had little choice but to give up the castle and the Island. The next evening, my scouts in the mountains saw a dozen galleys arrive from the nearby Crag and ferry the Islanders away from Fair Isle. No doubt they are planning to redouble their efforts in the other captured territories. The next day our forces marched into Faircastle, defended only by the sick or the injured. The citizens looked tired, malnourished, and beaten, but also happy to see their liberators putting shackles on the Islanders who were quickly ferried off to the dungeons.
Asha wasn't an idiot though. When I took a survey of the castle, I found stored grain and salted beef either missing or destroyed and the docks busted. The Island's survival during the coming Winter would be in question unless additional foodstuffs could be shipped over. Otherwise, the Island will have to be abandoned until after the coming Long Winter.
Faircastle's maester still lived, and I had him tend to the wounded (both friend and foe equally) while I sent ravens to Tyrion and Eddard to let them know what happened. While technically a victory, this felt more like a defeat. Still, with a little hard work the docks can be repaired and the ships from Lannisport can be moved here to put pressure on Greyjoy.
Dacey…for now I have her resting in the former Lord's chambers. No sign of the members of House Farman, but I suspect they were smuggled away with Asha to use as random or hostage. I'm tending to Lady Mormont's wound, but it is deep. Without the medicine from my lands, I don't know if I can save her.
…I must save her.