Chapter 93
-POV Rickard Ryswell-
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING? ADVANCE, DON'T LET THOSE BASTARD DOGS BREATHE," I yelled, watching my men continue to be pushed back by Stark infantry.
I surveyed the battlefield, and what I saw sent chills down my spine. We attacked their forces with twice the number of men, yet we hadn't managed to push them back even a step. On the contrary, we were only losing ground.
"RICKARD…RICKARD"
I turned my head to see my cousin Roose signaling me to charge with the cavalry. I frowned, then silenced all my doubts and fears, and yelled, "CAVALRY WITH ME."
I drew my sword and turned around to gain momentum for our charge, spurring my horse to accelerate so we could hit the exposed flank of those dogs with all our might.
The closer I got to the enemy lines, the calmer I became because I realized that none of them had yet understood that we were about to completely destroy this army, starting with their flanks.
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-POV Robb Stark-
'They took the bait,' I thought, relieved to see a unit of several hundred cavalrymen charging straight at us.
"Order the archers to shoot as soon as the enemy cavalry is about fifty meters away from us. The Ryswells have made a grave mistake, and it's time for us to use it to completely turn the situation on this battlefield around," I said, feeling my blood start to boil.
I knew that soon it would be my turn to prove myself on the battlefield as a warrior, and I couldn't afford any mistakes, as any could send me to join my ancestors.
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-POV Roose Ryswell-
'Something is not right,' I thought, seeing that the Starks didn't even bother to defend against the cavalry charge my cousin was leading.
"It's a trap," said Barbrey Dustin, my cousin Rodrik's daughter and the head of our house, who had insisted on accompanying and leading her men into battle against House Stark to see the house of these dogs burn—the only condition for her help in this war and the loyalty of the 3,000 soldiers she brought with her.
"I know," I agreed with her.
"Call back your cousin then," she said, expecting me to sound the retreat.
I shook my head and then said indifferently, "It's too late now; he's too far. We must simply ensure that his sacrifice is not in vain."
She nodded coldly, and then I said, putting on my helmet, "Return to your father, Viscount Ryswell, and Duke Bolton. You will not be well-protected here."
She hesitated for a moment before kicking her horse and signaling her 20 guards to follow her, leaving me alone waiting to see the Starks' reaction, which came immediately as a rain of arrows flew from the rear of the Stark camp, striking Rickard's cavalry.
I frowned and then closed my eyes in pain at the thought of another Ryswell dying in this battle.
I clenched my teeth, lowered my helmet, and lifted my lance before screaming at the top of my lungs, "RYSWELL CAVALRY, CHARGE!"
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-POV Robb Stark-
I took a deep breath and then signaled my aide-de-camp to start sounding the charge. We had stopped the enemy cavalry, but we hadn't won yet because a small unit of about 100 cavalrymen was charging straight at us from our right side.
I put on my helmet and lowered my visor, drew my sword, and then yelled,
"FOR THE NORTH!"
My men all echoed me, and we all advanced, charging at the enemy who also charged at us without stopping in tight formation.
As we got closer, my heart beat faster. I couldn't hear anything else but the screams of horses, the clatter of their hooves on the ground, and the clash of various metal armors.
This lasted until I realized that the first line had broken through the enemy's lines. I gripped my sword as tightly as possible, and all the lessons I had learned from Ser Rodrik came flooding back.
I saw an enemy cavalier charging straight at me, but poor him, he had no armor unlike me, which was fatal for him. I protected myself as quickly as possible with my shield, deflecting the lance, allowing my helmet to protect my face, and then I thrust my sword into his throat before quickly pulling it out and continuing my charge, yelling like the wildest of savages.
"LET NONE ESCAPE ALIVE, MAKE SURE TO KILL EVERY ONE OF THESE TRAITORS, KILL THEM ALL TO THE LAST," I yelled, rallying my men once more to banish all their fears...as well as mine, and give us all courage.
Just as I was yelling my orders to fight like demons, a cavalier with a coat of arms of House Ryswell emerged from nowhere among my men and screamed, trying to strike me with a Morningstar.
I couldn't escape the blow, and I knew it.
As the Morningstar descended straight towards my head, I stood frozen, yelling at my body to move and react...but to no avail, and I watched the Morningstar of the Ryswell come crashing down on me.
"GO TO HELL..."
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-POV Roose Ryswell-
As I rapidly broke through the inexperienced Stark cavalry lines, I smiled upon seeing the young pup not far from the front lines.
I thrust my lance into the belly of one of his guards and let go, feeling it get stuck probably in his chainmail.
I gave furious kicks to my stallion to charge at the horse of the heir of Winterfell and take his head.
'With his head, I'm sure to become the next heir,' I thought, my smile widening as I imagined myself as Viscount, or even Earl or Marquis Ryswell in the future.
Within reach, I lifted my Morningstar and yelled for all to hear and remember my deeds in this war: "GO TO HELL STAR..."
Before I could understand what was happening, I was thrown from my saddle, and I felt the weight of my horse crushing my legs without understanding what had occurred.
"Grrrrr"
When I heard the growl, I immediately knew what was happening, but I forced myself to move my head to see how I was going to die.
A giant smoke-colored wolf with golden eyes was staring at me with one desire...
'...to tear out my throat,' I thought as it leaped at me to finish me off.