199Chapter 4
I don't own ASOIAF
Unnamed Village, Southern Rills, The North
Fifth month of 193
" that a lot of Ironborn to kill" William whispers near me. As we saw an army of the scumbags coming out of a small forest. I thankful I refuse to let any of brothers or even dad join the militia.
Without missing a beat I bark out orders to my runners and for a moment I was thinking of my old life where I used to played the Total war series. The irony that playing so much actually helpful at this moment.
I move my most solid units to take a hill with the less solid units on their flanks. All archers and slingers troops went in front of them.
While I kept the cavalry with me behind the formations as a reserve. Six hundred and fifty men formed the shield wall. Not the best one but better considering this is not practice its not bad. One unit of fifty men are always kept back for reserve too.
The Ironborn also form up for their own shield wall, the squids aren't total idiots or just going to sit around as I moving the army in place. But they lack numbers in range units,
Howe starts screaming for the archers and slingers to start loading and aiming. Once they were in range I gave the signal, arrows and rocks rain down on the Ironborn.
For twenty minutes they pour it on those sea scum and hit a few dozen but their shields block most of the arrows or stones. The Ironborn under the Greyjoy, Harlaw, Codd, Botley, Saltcliffe and Orkwood banners advance on us.
My captain leading the center a giant of a man close to seven feet name Loki he wields a large war hammer and shouting to encourage the men. The left flank captain is a average man name Dustin who was a former soldier at one point. The right flank is held by Captain Eric who silent as the enemy comes.
The battlefield mostly flat but the hill we on with forest beyond the open fields, on the sides mostly empty crop lands with a few sheds here and there.
Pretty soon Howe and his group pull back behind our lines and set up behind our shield wall. The ironborn scream out loud a variety of war cries and charge full speed into our lines. I watch the shield wall blend and nearly break but the men push back hard.
Now it's a pushing match with men trying to keep their shields up and strike through any openings. Men start falling and I moving the ranged units to the sides to pick them off but some Ironborn reserve drove them back. Temporary before they regroup and force them back.
Even with support fire on them, the Ironborn still push us back but slowly and at a cost. I ride behind the men shouting encourages and rallying them. I rode back to place and send in the reserve when a gap almost formed in the battle line. I watch Dustin crash a squid's head with his hammer and send one flying too.
I watch the ironborn pull back to reform after a gap form in their line and my ranged units pour more into them. And the cavalry I have were restless with being idle as the battle goes on.
The battle continues with the Ironborn charging back in at us. The ranged units have retreated since their out of ammo and now acting as support to the men in the front. They draw any weapons they have or could find and pick up any discard shield they can.
Fighting at the front became more fierce and brutal. Men scream for their mothers as they lay fallen on the field wounded, some drag away or trampled by their own comrades and many dead cover the ground. Like in those poems or accounts of battles the ground under became wet with blood and shit from empty bowels. I decided to send a flanking force of hundred cavalry and those men cheer as they finally allow to see action. The remaining cavalry is with me and some slingers who found more stones to use.
At this moment another gap in the Ironborn line has open and I charge in with both cavalry and slingers following. I slice off the top half a man head. Another loses his head as Stormcloud kicking while they try to swarm us. Red rain getting bloody as more scumbags fall to me and by now I not alone anymore. More militiamen start going through the gap and the Ironborn shieldwall begins to fall apart.
" for the North and Victory"
I scream while removing the right arm of a well armoured Ironborn warrior. The man goes down screaming and another attacks me. I parry his blow with my sword and Theo split his face with his axe.
Mycah and William I see are hacking at Ironborn with their axes. Eric advancing on his flank and beginning to start encircling the Ironborns. Dustin too rolling squids on his flank forward and encircling too.
Loki smashing enemy soldiers with a mace he got some where. He single handedly killed a noble enemy by crashing his skull with his mace. I still swinging Red rain and taking down squids as they start to really panic.
As they begin to break down, I saw not all Ironborn are well armed or armoured. Heck some don't look like warrior material and other ones do. Their the ones who are still fighting or trying to rally those around them.
Many scream out that " What is dead may never die but come back harder and stronger" crap trying to get chant going. The Ironborn finally despite some brave idiots still wanting to fight, attempt a breakout and punch a hole through our shield wall.
Scores of raiders are cut down as they flee and the cavalry in hot pursuit of the others who were able to breakout. Many of us just collapse as the battle over and any Ironborn left are dead, captured or fleeing. I lead a pursuit of the Ironborn with what men could follow.
We chase after enemy soldiers for several miles before we halted due to it was almost dark and everyone was exhausted. More Ironborn are killed or captured and by this time
Two days later
" bloody mess Harthacnut" Loki says as the last dead Ironborn is toss in the fire pit.
" we can't really leave them out in the open, their stink and be source of disease. Beside the village of Runestone gladly taking in our wounded and the prisoners" I say while we walk back to the village. Despite being tiny and poor the village named after a large Runestone in the village square that some Stark king had commission after some grand victory.
Has offer all it can to us, the scores of fellow Northmen wounded are housed in every building or in nearby barns, our fallen buried in mass grave nearby and the prisoners we taken held under guard in the village longhouse. Members of House Codd, Harlaw, Shepherd, Goodbrother and Botley are along the captives as well as more of a dozen minor houses too.
Out of about nine hundred and eighty five men we suffered 198 dead, over 300 hundred wounded and Ironborn suffering over 600 men out of 1100 men. With 278 captured for ransom or to be sent to the wall.
The fight now call the Battle of Runestone was a decisive Victory for the Rills Militia, while bloody for both sides and costly. We smash the Ironborn raiding party and captured huge amounts of equipment.
A force of three hundred men are ready and now well equipment with arms or armor from dead raiders. The remaining able men are to stay behind to garrison Runestone, look after our wounded and guard our prisoners under command of a veteran name Magnus. Along with arms and armor from the dead Ironborn, we also captured their supply train and baggage. Three dozen wagons full of supplies and what they had looted.
We also freed some prisoners too and from some POWs learned where their main camp is. I march south with light infantry and cavalry screening the main body in the forest.
By the third day, we encounter debris left behind by the enemy and the bodies of Ironborn who died of their wounds. On the fifth day Robert finds us and he now has more men who rally to him after their homes were attack or fled the advancing raiders. They also brought their families too and despite some arguing I agreed to let them follow us.
Robert tells me of how much problems they gave to the Ironborn, which include destroying their supplies, killing their foraging parties and scouts. With this news I forced march the force through the night and catch some stragglers, it was only seven Ironborn but we killed them.
On the road we discover many survivors from settlements attacked by them have began assaulting them in their retreat. We found many dead Ironmen hanging from trees or on the ground as bloody messes. Many of these folks joined our force and brought their families too.
By day thirteen, my army now stood at over four hundred armed men and several of the women had sew me a banner. I try to decline the offer but Loki and my friends pointed out we need one.
I had them create the raven banner of the norsemen of my old life but with some changes. On a black field a Red rune circle in the center and right in the middle of it is a red viking style Raven.
They made a tunic and I wore it over my mail. It matched Red Rain and many told me it make me look more like a noble than a farmer.
The advance continue on and two days later we smashed a group of thirty Ironborn who were busy looting a abandon village to notice our cavalry. By this point in time my men had gotten better in marching and getting into formation.
We smashed another group of Ironborn of a hundred in what is now call the battle of the Single Tree. They were returning from a raid with horses, loot and prisoners in tow. Near where a single Heart tree stood, we attacked them as they were scattered across a dirt road. Our ranged units took out a third and the cavalry rushed in breaking any attempt to rally. Then the infantry to mop up survivors and free the captives.
From one freed prisoner we learned none of the now dead raiders were at Runestone and that they plan to leave the North once they had returned to their base of operation. The newly freed prisoners joined us now I add twenty more men plus 46 women and children to the force. The fallen raiders are stripped of their arms and armor. I also decided to have their entrails taken out and put on the Heart tree as a offering.
With so many mouths to feed I have to sent hunters out to maintain enough food to eat with the camp followers collecting any wild food they could find too. Close to forty more horses were added and a few more wagons from the enemy. On the road even more people joined us and even a few members of minor houses.
Despite me being a smallfolk I had become a sort of celebrity for my previous actions and having the largest force in the area helped. They brought along a hundred men when the joined me and some supplies, many wanted to rescue kidnapped family members or just drive out the Ironborn.
When we finally reach the outskirts of the fishing village that was the raiders base. We discover they had fortified the village with a tall palisade wall, two wooden towers and ramparts where men stood.
With over six hundred armed men and close to three hundred camp followers. I laid siege to what I learned is call Seaweed village, first we digged two trenches and fortified them with stakes. The men wanted to storm the village but I reminded them their it be costly and there hostages in Ironborn hands. Our main problem was that the Raiders have a harbor to resupply with and ships to flee.
That ended on the eighth day of the siege when ships of House Mormont appeared in the Blazewater bay. A scout picket to watch the coast ran two miles to tell us and from a cliff we saw all seven of them sailing by as we cheer and wave a Stark Banner I had made during the siege.
The Mormont ships faced off in a sea battle against eleven longships that sally out of Seaweed's harbor. Who ever leading the Mormont fleet is smart he or she used the wind and the Ironborn undisciplined nature against them.
And lured the bastards into a trap, the Ironborn longships following them in a unorganized mob formation. At the right moment the Mormont fleet split into two groups and flank the Ironborn who were too pack together to change direction quickly and found themself being hit by fire arrows from the Mormont fleet on the flanks.
Two longships went up in flames as several men or things on the both boats caught fire and it spread to fast. Another ship had accidentally ram the ship to its side and both vessels were trying disentangle themselves as more fire arrows rain down. Boarding action had begun when half the Mormont fleet went for the biggest ships and the other half provides support.
In minutes the Ironborn fleet trying to regroup but a other longship goes up in flames while one breaks off to the harbor. Soon all Mormont ships are boarding and fighting Ironborn crews. All we can do is watch and hope for the best. After two hours of fighting, ships are taken and the Ironborn fleet been broken. Only four longships escape the battle while three sank and four are captured.
Mormont lost two ships and many men but they won and now moving to beached their prizes and ships on the nearby beach. Many dead Ironborn washed up on the shore and also 76 survivors are captured.
Noon, Blazewater bay, off the coast of southern Rills.
I hugged Rickon Mormont like a brother and offer him a drink which he took. Be had a great big grin on his face when he saw me and later informed him of our victories against the Ironborn scum.
" I see you now taken a sigil and have your own little army Harthacnut. Any thoughts on a House name and I happy to say Stoney shore is cleared of Ironmen. Lord Ryswell rushing back as we speak now." He told and I smile at the new of Lord Ryswell returning.
But it be some time before he came and Rickon here because he decided to patrol for more Ironborn. With any chance of escape or resupply now gone the siege went smoothly. After two weeks of starving them they try to breakout but their attempt by land breaks itself on our fortified trenches and we easily toss them back while losing less than twenty men. And a attempt at sea fails when Mormont ships forced them back to the harbor or risk losing their last ships.
So many Ironmen died that two days later under a banner of truce. A bastard named Maron Pyke surrendered the surviving garrison under terms to us.
One day later
" there they go" I said with a happy tone as four ships slowly sail away.
"They won't be coming back anytime soon Harthacnut. Not after this defeat and losses" Rickon said as he watching them too.
The Siege of Seaweed had ended with over five hundred dead Ironborn and many were reinforcements that arrived after the battle of Runestone.
Under the surrender terms, all arms, armor, loot and prisoners are to be handed over. One hundred and eighty six surviving Ironborn stack their weapons and armor in a pile then allow to leave on their remaining boats for home. We also released the 76 from earlier too and close to two hundred captives are freed through they suffer too from the siege.
My share of the loot after we different it left me with a fat purse and good quality weapons to take home. Rickon also have a fat purse too now and new ships. The minor nobles who follow me also have fat purses too. They leave first for home or to hunt down any remnants of the Ironborn raiding force.
Rickon and me caught up during the siege. The rest the Mormont family doing great and he going to be marrying a Flint of Flint's Finger. I wished him luck and we shared one last drink before we parted ways until next time.
He sails back to Bear Island and I march back to Runestone. While some of people I picked up stayed behind, most stayed with me since the Ironborn did a number in the Rills, burning or stealing everything they could and so the small folks wanted protection. And since I led the land forces that helped drive them out and likely leading the largest force in area they naturally follow me.
Also being from a village with food stores also make meant a chance to survive the winter. Loki suggested I just drive them away, Eric and Dustin agreed but my friends argue that be a cruel thing to do with winter coming. My decision was to let them keep following us.
At Runestone we gathered our garrison and prisoners then march home. A few more refugees left the group to settle in Runestone. Once back to my village, the improvised militia army broke up and men including my captains went home to prepare for a cold winter.
The refugees and the village militiamen were the only ones left after that. First thing of order is that I put the prisoners to work mining a nearby quarry of stone as refugees and locals cut down trees. I do see my family but having to manage the militia and prisoners eats up my time. The Ironborn are poor stone shapers but they quickly under threats of losing their limbs. After they mined enough stone and wood had been collected their forced into building apartments in the village. Their only going to be two stories tall and after a month of tries we got a design down. They could house four or five families at best.
By this time Lord Ryswell has returned and somewhere smashed a group of surviving Ironborn after weeks of patrolling the Rills. It's only after two months be actually visit when he done hunting any raiders left and restoring order to the Rills. He came to the village or town now with his personal guards and following him is Brandon Stark the younger brother of Lord Barthogan Stark.
They aren't happy with how House Glenmore screwed up and how the regent a brother of the former Lord for his nephew refuse to fight or even offer aid to us. They proudly call me a defender of the North and have me kneel as we're all in the town longhouse.
" I Brandon Stark, brother of Barthogan Stark, Lord of Winterfell, Warden of the North and acting as regent in his absence. I stand before a true son of the North Harthacnut of the Rills. For his courage and action of leading brave Northmen to driving out the the Ironborn invaders. I reward him with one third of House Glenmore's lands and the the lands of the now dead House Icemark for him, his son and those to come to hold until the end of time" Brandon says in a strong tone.
" Thank you my Lord, I am honoured and I will serve the North to my best abilities" I swear out loud and given a new black cloak by him.
We had a feast before they leave but we decided the fate of the prisoners. I allow to continue using the common born Ironborn as slave labor. The Highborns are given over to him but I had to hand over the common born Ironborn after I done with them to the Night Watch before winter.
The feast went well, I accepted toasts in my name and picked a House name for myself. Knytlinga which means Cnut's descendants in Danish or Norwegian or even I think old Norse. It was one of the names for the Royal family of Canute the great.
I feel bad for Glenmore but Brandon thought it be a great lesson to House Glenmore for abandoning the small folks. House Icemark I knew nothing of beside its sole last member being killed in Stoney shore. Its holdings are small and poor I am told.
The lands I got from House Glenmore include my home, this town, a few more villages, some forests and access to some natural resources. I also swore a oath to Lord Ryswell to confirm my status as his new bannerman and vassal.
The next day after they left, I had officially ( unofficially I was already living) into the Longhouse and declared the town as my seat. Several name ran in my head to name the town, Harthacnutville, Hartpolis, Hartstown and Cnuton might work but no I chose to use the name of a famous fantasy kingdom… Gondor. If any LoR fans were here I imagine some think it's awesome and other insulted that I naming the town that.
Well there a Gondor in Westeros now and it is staying.
Six months later
Eleventh month of 193
" see you losers" I shout at the last Ironborn while he being put into the cart for the ride to the wall. Sad to see them go they been great "free" workers but the Night Watch wanted them now.
Gondor growed under my short reign, the apartments are done, as are new warehouses, paved roads, several more building, a grainery for winter and had laid down the foundation for my future keep. Most of the work was done by the prisoners and rest by my new subjects.
I settled the refugees in town or outside and with their help we harvested enough food. Also discover there a fucked hill full of coal in formerly Holdings of House Icemark. They never found it because no one lives near it since there so few small folks and all mostly live next to the Lord's keep. I discover it as I tour the holding and saw part of the hill exposed.
I had much of the surface coal mined and commission iron stoves from the blacksmiths. Nothing too big and strong enough to burn the coal. I handed out a few dozens to my small folks in Gondor and a score more to farms or smaller villages. Stockpiled coal and issued rations of coal to the stoves. I sent word that the stoves burn wood in warmer times and coal during winter.
After that I struggle with trying to fill my treasury. I burned most of my coin won from my adventures in just paying people. I formed my own retinue of guards. The core formed from my friends and their twenty men in total. Because of my financial problems I paying by feeding and boarding them. I do earn some coins from selling what surplus foodstuff I can sell.
The North looking at a bad winter after those bad harvests earlier. More displaced people come and I to provide for them because I just don't have the heart to turn them away when everyone knows it going to be a hungry winter. Fucked Ironborn just had to destroyed or loot stockpiles of food in the region meant for the winter. Already I having neighboring lords and traders coming in to buy but I can't afford to sell too much.
After all the harvesting and stockpiling I had over five years worth of grain, two years of salted meat, two years of vegetables( mostly beans and potatoes) and a year of alcohol to ration.
The amount surprised me before I learned many farmers had over the years copied my dad when our farm began producing more food than usual. The last crop was huge with everyone including refugees helping to grow it and harvesting it. I only allowed one year of grain to be sold along with some meat. It brought up my coffer from the pitiful state it was in.
And just in time the weather now cold and some snow has fallen. My family had taken my house name too but beside my older sister Dacy they decide to stay on the farm. Dacy taken the role of managing my small household and being a adviser. She enjoys her new power and I know she has big plan come spring. I also had to deal with a small rise of bandits but I crush it with a hundred men from my levy.
Survivors found themselves working with the Ironborn or hanging from a tree. Now they're going to the wall too and it's for the best since their the Night watch problem now.
Come this spring I planning to continue my keep and several projects too if funds can be raise.
The next chapter or two are going to be sort of slow. Cnut going to be managing his new holdings and deal with problems that come from ruling. Harthacnut holdings currently has population of 2000 to 3500 people living in Gondor and around it in nearby farms and villages. Their were also about 400 more small folks around the seat of the dead House Icemark. But he had them abandon it and moved to Gondor for the winter.
Campaign report
Rills campaign
Rills militia and House Mormont victory
Ironborn driven out of the North with heavy losses in men and material
Rise of House Knytlinga
Battle of Runestone
Major Rills militia victory
Rills Militia
Leaders
Harthacnut ( later Knytlinga) , Loki, Eric and Dustin
Strength
986 Militiamen
Losses
198 dead
300+ wounded
Ironborn Raiders
Leaders
Unknown but many high borns captured after battle
Strength
1100 men
Losses
Over 600+ dead and wounded
278 captured
Battle of the single Tree
Rills militia victory
Prisoners freed
Rills Militia
Leader
Harthacnut (Knytlinga)
Strength
300-400 men
Losses
Nome but a few lightly wounded
Ironborn Raiders
Leaders
Unknown and killed
Strength
100 men
Losses
Entire force
Siege of Seaweed Village
Decisive Northern Victory
Rills Militia and House Mormont
Leaders
Harthacnut ( Knytlinga) and Rickon Mormont
Strength
Rills militia: 600+
Reinforcement from House Mormont
7 ships and several hundred men
Losses
Two ships
53- 78 men
Ironborn garrison
Leaders
Maron Pyke
Strength
500-1000 men and 11 Longships
Loses
500+ men
Three Longships sinked and four captured
262 captured (later released under terms)
Until next time folks and thank you for your reviews so far. Their welcome and I try to update soon if I can.