Anders seemed awestruck. The Prince had considered him for Hand? Or was it for Master of Coin? In any case, he had considered him for a position amidst the Small Council. This boded well for what was to come.
...
The Queen was the next to talk.
"The appointment of Ser Barristan Selmy as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard has been confirmed. Ser Rolly Duckfield and Ser Strong Belwas will also don the White Cloak." There was a rumble in the hall. A commoner and an Essosi? Surely there were better candidates suited for this task. But the Queen continued unperturbed, "After careful consideration on the issue of Wyl, I believe Prince Quentyn has come to a verdict as to whom will inherit the seat?"
"I do, Your Grace."
"Well, then, go ahead."
"Selina Drummond, step forward."
Anders Yronwood felt a punch in the gut as the lady of six-and-thirty smiled and accepted the missive in Prince Quentyn's hands. After a few formalities, she was confirmed as Warden of the Boneway.
Well, Anders did not hope for Wyl to come directly to him, but he did hope to get the Wardenship, or for Wyl lands to be incorporated into the Wardenship of the Dornish Gates.
Once this small ceremony was done with, and Anders had slumped slightly into his chair under the amused gaze of Franklyn Fowler, things resumed.
"Now," King Aegon said as he deployed a large map of Westeros on the table, "let us get to the main issue. Where to strike? We have five-and-twenty thousand men here, in Yronwood, with three dragons. Another host is waiting in the Prince's Pass with ten thousand more men, and Greenstone has been taken a few days ago."
Lord Monford Velaryon was smiling. The victory at Greenstone likely meant his bastard brother would be legitimized and hold his own lands somewhere. Dorne, if the rumors were to be believed…
Prince Quentyn took the floor, "Indeed, Your Grace. Our goal here is to take Blackhaven, of course, but from there our options are open. We could ride to King's Landing directly, cutting through Summerhall, then the Kingswood, or we could strike and isolate the Reach, through Harvest Hall and Ashford, then onto Highgarden. Our forces in the Prince's Pass could then converge onto Highgarden in a giant pincer."
Anders Yronwood looked at the map. Both plans were sensible, but he saw that Prince Quentyn clearly argued for the Reacher option. The fact that his sister was likely still there, and reports of Daeron Targaryen's force being somewhere in the Northern Reach likely led him to this conclusion.
"I would like to have the advice of experienced commanders on this matter," Queen Daenerys said, lookinged at the map, then at the crowd. "Lord Franklyn, Lord Anders, Ser Jon, Prince Oberyn, please speak your minds."
"King's Landing would be a strong political objective," Connington started, "we must head there and finally end all pretences of false Kings and Queens. Highgarden's force is spent, we do not need to go there."
"I agree with Connington," Anders added. "If we strike and take King's Landing, then we will gain valuable hostages to end the war. We might not even need to shed a drop of blood in the Reach or Westerlands, the dragon banners floating on the capital, the Tyrells and Lannisters will sue for peace or risk annihilation."
"It is still a month to King's Landing from Summerhall alone, and nine days to Blackhaven from Wyl," Franklyn Fowler opinionated, "we must hurry to take the Marcher fortress."
Prince Oberyn nodded vigorously. "Indeed, not to mention Lord Tarly's host, for may I remind you, my lords, but this is not a victory march, we will have battle. Randyll Tarly has a large force of Stormlanders, Reachers and a few Westerlanders and Crownlanders south of King's Landing. If we take too long to take Blackhaven, he will be upon us and our surprise will be negated."
"The Reach is a spent force, only Tarly's host is the true one that can oppose us, so going directly to King's Landing would be risky," Franklyn Fowler cautioned.
"We have dragons!" Anders Yronwood boomed. "They would descend from the sky and torch Tarly's force the moment it comes out of his woods!"
A roar of agreement thundered across the room as Anders puffed his chest in victory.
"Blackhaven and Summerhall are areas with many hills and forests, not to mention the storms in this season," Connington pointed out with a frown "If Tarly is a good commander, he will not risk his army until he knows the dragons cannot fly. These are not the wide plains of the Reach or the Riverlands, giving battle here is as perilous as it is difficult. There is a reason it is called the Stormlands, not Dorne."
Anders understood the venom in his voice, but persisted."If Tarly does not want to give battle, all the better for us!"
"We will have to give battle anyways," Prince Quentyn finally cut in, "but I'd rather it be on our terms, in the valley, beyond Summerhall. Somewhere where our forces and cavalry will be able to make a difference. Not one of the numerous defiles between Blackhaven and Summerhall."
"I agree with Prince Quentyn," Connington continued, "we cannot give battle here, Tarly would manage to negate any advantage of numbers we could have."
"This means taking Blackhaven immediately, but bringing in siege equipment would be difficult…unless we use the dragons?" Daeron Vaith asked.
Queen Daenerys frowned. "We are not using the dragons unless it is in battle."
"What the Queen means is that it would be improper for us to immediately use dragons, especially against a fortified city," King Aegon explained, "if we come in and kill smallfolk, the Lannisters and Tyrells would vilify us. I do not wish to face hordes of smallfolk chanting 'death to the dragons' or 'remember Blackhaven'."
That calmed everyone down, but Anders recognized that he had a point. Burning down cities as your first act coming to Westeros was probably not the best option.
"Then we need to take Blackhaven as soon as possible, but how?" Jynessa Blackmont asked.
"I believe I have an idea." Prince Quentyn smiled. "Lord Anders, do you remember those maps of the Red Mountains I commissioned almost five years ago?"
Anders Yronwood nodded.
"Yes, my Prince, I gave them to you, on the day you arrived."
"Just so, Lord Anders, just so," Prince Quentyn grinned as he unfolded another map on the table, "this is a comprehensive map of the passes between Blackmont and the Sea of Dorne. As you can see, some of them are impractical, however…some are wide enough to let infantry pass."
Prince Quentyn's gaze turned to Lord Dayne.
"Ned, I believe it is your turn."
Lord Dayne nodded and rose.
"This pass," he pointed right on the map at a small winding road that passed through the mountains just northwest of Wyl and on the left bank of the Adder river, "is a goat path. It is large enough for people to take it, but not large enough for cavalry. A landslide filled the pass about eight years ago, but it has been cleared since then. However, not many remember it being cleared, since it is virtually useless, the pass does not lead to pastures, only the high mountains."
"So, we could sneak our infantry to Blackhaven without being seen?" King Aegon asked.
"Indeed, Your Grace." Prince Quentyn nodded. "I sent scouts to check if the road was cleared or guarded. They came back with great news on both counts."
"Our cavalry could stay at Wyl, in retreat, and our infantry would be able to reach Blackhaven undetected after nine days of march…" Anders Yronwood contemplated, "but that doesn't solve the problem of siege equipment."
"There will be no need for it," a feminine voice erupted.
All eyes fell on Allyria Dayne. A young girl of nine-and-ten namedays, with dark brown hair and purple eyes.
"I went to Blackhaven, and I know the city well. My betrothed of the time…" Lady Allyria shook her head, "took time to show me around the city. There is a small door, at the western entrance, facing the mountains, that the city uses to send out their horses and men to drink at the river."
"Such an entrance will be sealed and likely defended," Ser Connington objected.
"No, although it is known to many, it is quite a weak door, and goes through the ramparts. Of course, if a siege were to be engaged, the door would quickly be sealed and a wall collapsed, but if you managed to sneak in, the door is made of wood, it is quite fragile," Allyria noted. "Then, all one would have to do is rush in, get to the Western Gate, to the North, open it, and everything would be over in a few moments."
"Blackhaven's garrison should be weak," Prince Oberyn said. "With Renly, Stannis, Joffrey and Tommen's wars, it is likely depleted and short of men. Any men remaining were likely rounded up by Tarly and placed into his host."
"So, we can take Blackhaven by surprise, then?" Queen Daenerys asked.
"That is the plan," Prince Quentyn nodded, "but surprise is the key word. It takes nine days to get to Blackhaven from Wyl, and a moon from Yronwood. We will have to be as discreet as a cat roaming the streets of Sunspear at night."
"Not an easy task, then," King Aegon noted, "who will lead this force?"
"Lord Dayne will, Your Grace," Prince Quentyn replied. "I may say that Lord Dayne is young, but he is also one of the only ones here who knows the pass well and will be able to guide the force into Blackhaven. I have full trust in him."
King Aegon nodded, muttered something to Queen Daenerys, and voiced his approval in turn.
"And once we've taken Blackhaven?" Queen Daenerys asked.
"We rush to Summerhall, there should be no castles in the way. We must take the ruins before Tarly does," Connington voiced.
Fowler agreed, quickly followed by Anders himself.
The plan was set: the Dornish forces bolstered by the Golden Company would stay behind in Wyl, leaving the infantry force led by Lord Dayne to rush through the passes. It would then start to rush forward through the Adder river valley. With Blackhaven fallen, the forces would regroup and march at full speed towards Summerhall, where they would finally regroup into one large force, ready to engage Tarly's host in the valley and King's Landing. Within one to two months, the affront of the Trident would be wiped, and Targaryen banners would fly above King's Landing. In the meantime, Ser Jon Blackmont's force in the Prince's Pass would rush to take Nightsong, and create a diversion, threatening Highgarden.
"As for the commander of the entire force, we will need to settle on one. King Aegon and I cannot well command from the sky," Queen Daenerys spoke up.
All eyes fell on Prince Quentyn now. As the person of highest rank following the King and Queen, it was to him that the responsibility fell, but…
"I am thankful, Your Grace, but I cannot bear such a responsibility. I have seen battle only once, and I say that there are a multitude of commanders here that deserve the honor of leading the force."
"Do you have anyone in mind?" King Aegon asked.
Anders got ready. This was his moment, his time in the sun.
"Franklyn Fowler."
The two words came down crashing on his head.
"What?"
It took a few moments for Anders to realize he had spoken these words aloud.
"I mean…why?" Anders tried to correct himself.
"Lord Franklyn is the one with the most experience here bar perhaps Ser Jon Connington, I'm sure you will agree?" Prince Quentyn asked, without waiting for an answer, "then it is to him that command falls."
That old, cautious fool! He planned it all, the scheming son of a whore, by sending his daughters into the Prince's bed…damn him! Oh, I would gladly take his guts and hang him with them!
"And to whom will the honor of leading the van go to?" Ser Jon Connington asked.
The van. Something salvageable from this. Surely it would be him.
"Ser Harry Strickland and the Golden Company will have the van," Prince Quentyn replied, causing shock in the room. "They were loyal to Aegon for years, it is only proper that they carry his banner in battle first."
"It would be an honor!" Ser Harry stood up, gleaming.
Bastard! The humiliation! Sellswords before an Yronwood!
"Lord Anders will command our left and Ser Jon our right, I believe that is it?" Prince Quentyn turned to the Targaryens who confirmed his decision.
Reduced to commanding the flank…from considered for Hand of the King to commander of the flank…
While the council was adjourned and everyone left, Anders slumped in his chair. Seeing that…that Fowler bastard cunt thanking the Prince was too much. Such humiliation, in his own hall!
He didn't even notice everyone had left when Prince Quentyn approached him.
"Lord Anders."
"My Prince," Anders spat, not even deigning to look at him.
"I know how you feel, Lord Anders, I think I owe you some explanations."
"And how do I feel?" Anders sarcastically asked.
"Insulted."
"Aye."
"Well, know this, if it were any other circumstance, I would have named you commander of the van."
"Other circumstance?" Anders scoffed. "What other circumstances required you to give that honor to a sellsword?"
"As everyone said, Tarly is a smart man, a capable commander," Prince Quentyn answered.
"Aye, everyone knows that. That is why sending sellswords into his center will be…" Anders suddenly stopped himself, immediately looking sharply at Prince Quentyn.
"You planned this?" Anders asked.
"The Queen wished to get rid of most of these sellswords, and I could only agree with her. The Golden Company are hardly reliable, and while their motto may indicate otherwise, we must not forget most of them are just looking for gold, lands and riches." Prince Quentyn continued, "this is why I do not wish them anywhere near King's Landing, or as a major part of our forces."
"You're sending them to the slaughter." Anders looked at him dead in the eyes.
"Yes."
"And why Fowler as overall commander, I may ask?" Anders asked.
"Because you are capable commander, Lord Anders, but Lord Fowler has the precedence of seniority. I do not shirk your military capacities, not at all. In fact, the flank will be yours because of them."
"You think Tarly will look to attack us there?"
"If we need to pour reinforcements into our center because our sellswords are too stupid to do much, where will Tarly turn?"
Anders nodded.
"I see your reasoning."
"See that you keep these thoughts to yourself, Lord Anders," Prince Quentyn warned, "the Queen may not have rewarded you with anything yet, but it remains to you to prove how well you can serve her…"
Anders looked at the Prince one last time before he left. He was smiling from ear to ear now.
Indeed, Prince Quentyn was right. There was a golden opportunity to be made in the upcoming battle. Well, perhaps several.
Anders leaned back into his chair and thought for a few moments. Perhaps…he could send Gwyneth to Sunspear. Away from the chaos, and for her to see the city? Yes, that would be a start.
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