Interlude: Battle of King's Landing (Non-Ricasso)

Stannis Baratheon, first of his name, ground his teeth as he waited for the assault to begin. Lord Seawynd's Plan was the best they'd been able to come up with, and it was a good plan, but that didn't make the waiting before a battle any more bearable. Stannis had always hated this part, any sane man would. The worry in the pit of his stomach brought on by the little niggling doubts about his course of action would go away once he was actually in the thick of things, but until then, it would wear on him. Stannis hated that, he was certain that Robert had never felt this way, but then, Robert always was too foolish for that. It still made Stannis feel a touch inadequate.

"Even from beyond the grave, my Brother finds a way to vex me." Muttered Stannis.

"Your Grace?" Questioned Stannis' squire, Devan Seaworth.

"It's nothing. Have Lord Seawynd's attack parties departed?" Queried Stannis.

"Aye, Your Grace. About fifteen minutes ago." Informed Devan.

"Then I suppose we had best get the attack underway." Intoned Stannis.

"As you say, Your Grace. Shall I order the cannons to begin firing?" Asked Devan.

"Indeed. Go tell Lords Tarth and Celtigar to begin the bombardment. While you're at it, send word to Lords Velaryon, Saan, and Estermont with the Fleet to be aware of potential attacks. Lord Marshberry's scouts have reported movement on the Docks. We're so close to victory, I want no surprises to catch us off guard." Commanded Stannis.

"Aye, Your Grace. What about the distraction forces?" Questioned Devan.

"I will handle their organization personally." Insisted Stannis.

"Of course, Your Grace." Nodded Devan.

"Now be about it. I want to be in the Capital before Tywin Lannister arrives." Dismissed Stannis.

Devan saluted and hurried off to go send Stannis' messages. In the meantime, Stannis summoned and dispatched Couriers to the forces under Prince Perros, Lord Grandison, Lord Penrose, and Lord Crabb ordering them to assemble for the attack. Once that was done, Stannis buckled on his swordbelt and tucked his helm under his arm before heading out of his command tent. Briefly, Stannis gazed out at the Capitol, its red stone walls topped with anxious soldiers and impressed Gold Cloaks. He knew they would be feeling the fear in the pit of their stomachs even more than he was. The Smallfolk didn't have the training at arms required to push past that, after all.

Stannis shook his head as the first of the cannons thundered out, belching smoke, flame, and shot. Cannonballs slammed into the top of a section of wall, pulverizing crenelations and smashing apart a knot of mixed archers and musketeers into a bloody mist. The time for doubt was over, now it was time for action. He donned his helm, a greathelm of blackened arsenal steel with antlers of bronze sticking out of it, drew his sword, and pointed it at the walls of the Capital. The men assembled behind him knew what that meant, but Stannis had to speak the words as well, just so there was no doubt whatsoever of his intentions.

"Advance!" He called out.

And the assault on King's Landing had begun in earnest. . .

XXXX

Ser Denys Irons was leading one of the four Sewer Assault Parties on the gates. In his case, he was leading an Assault on the Dragon Gate. He and his party of fifty men had entered the sewers via an entrance beneath the Inn of the Dornishman's Head, one of the many structures outside the walls that catered to travelers looking for lodgings that were less expensive than you'd find inside the walls. The sewers and passages of the Capital's Undercroft extended out this far, providing a point of infiltration. Thus far, Ser Denys' force hadn't run across anything more dangerous down here than a pair of wolves that had managed to wander into the sewers from the Kingswood, one of which was slain with a halberd, and the other had run off. Now if only they could get rid of the smell, this would be the easiest job he'd had in a while.

"Does the treasury not pay Gong-Farmers?" Demanded one of his men, an Ironborn Sargeant from Aleton on Shame Isle called Scarred Nute due to the scars running across his left eye and the bridge of his nose.

"I don't believe it was a priority." Scoffed a Tyroshi Lieutenant from Shame Isle Port named Symeon Sybarys.

"Complaining about it is like to do naught but draw attention to it." Huffed one of Ser Denys' captains, a former Andal Arrow named Painted Patrek thanks to his tattoos.

"Aye, and give away our presence to anyone who might be down here." Added Ser Denys, himself.

That quieted the men somewhat, even if it wasn't, strictly speaking, true. The rumbling booms of cannons could be heard from above, testifying to that fact. The Defenders of the Capital had other things to worry about, just as planned. Still, that was no excuse for sloppiness, and Ser Denys had long experience as a sellsword to tell him that the ground always dropped out from under your feet at the last second. If things were going to go wrong, that was when they would. Fortunately, it seemed they wouldn't go wrong for Ser Denys and his men, at least not today. There were no sudden enemy patrols guarding the way out or walkways that had been destroyed by time and neglect forcing them to detour. Ser Denys and his men made their way out of the sewers to attack the Gatehouse of the Dragon Gate from behind unmolested.

They'd blasted their way into the gatehouse using black powder on the iron-banded oak of the doors and then had to fight their way up a spiral staircase against enemy troops. Ser Denys lashed out with his Ironborn Battleaxe, Cutting down a Mooton Guardsman in a Mail Hauberk and shield bashing the face of a Gold Cloak in with the arsenal steel rim of his shield as he led the charge, hooking the shield of a Lannister Guard out of the way with the Beard of his axe before taking the head off his opponent with the backswing. Ser Denys' men were likewise doing well, cutting down enemies as they cleared the right tower of the Dragon Gate. A few were cut down in turn, and more sustained wounds, but they were making progress.

Each gate of King's Landing was more than just a simple gatehouse, after all, but it was flanked by towers and formed a small holdfast that could contain a hundred men each. Each of the Assault Forces was only half that size, but they had the element of surprise, better equipment, and better training as well. It was a hard-fought battle, but after twenty minutes, all that was left was a small group of a dozen or so enemy troops and the Captain of the Dragon Gate. Meanwhile, Ser Denys still had thirty-eight men unwounded and ready to fight. The balance of power had shifted in his favor, and the Captain of the Dragon Gate seemed to understand that.

He was a large man, young, with auburn hair and a full beard. Apparently a Tully Bastard, given the Surname Waters. Ser Denys didn't much care about that, mind you. He'd started life as a Bastard himself, though he was a Harlaw Bastard. The man had fight in him, that was for certain, as soon as Denys' men had burst into the gatehouse, he'd cut down three of them with a swift flurry of cuts and thrusts from his arming sword and dirk. Denys could admire that, but unfortunately, the Man was hopelessly outmatched. Denys, however, figured he would give the Man a chance to save face.

"You're outmatched. Surrender and I promise you'll be treated well." Offered Ser Denys.

"Aye, I can see that, but I have a counter-proposal. Duel me, if I win you withdraw." Retorted the Captain.

"Heh, I like the cut of your Jib! All right, but if I win, you swear yourself to my service!" Grinned Ser Denys.

"Better than being cut down. I am Humfrey Waters, Captain of the Dragon Gate." Nodded the Man.

"Ser Denys Irons, the Knight of Shame Isle." Nodded Ser Denys.

Space was cleared in the gatehouse and the duel began. Humfrey Waters opened strong, feinting with his dirk for Ser Denys' throat, causing Ser Denys to raise his shield, only for him to lash out at the gap between Greave and Tassets with his arming sword. Ser Denys' three-quarters plate wouldn't defend him from that strike, so he abandoned his own attack plans to parry with his battleaxe. Arming sword met battleaxe with a clang and Ser Denys hooked Humfrey's blade with the beard of his axe in an attempt to yank it out of the Younger Man's grasp. He received a headbutt to the face for his troubles, though the helms both men wore prevented any real damage. Ser Denys went stumbling back, raising his shield from honed instinct in time to avoid taking a dirk through the visor.

Humfrey Waters fought in an unorthodox style, and Ser Denys had trouble with it, at least at first. However, a minute into the duel, he'd managed to adjust and was no longer being faked out and battered around. Humfrey Waters had to put more effort into his feints and footwork as Ser Denys was no longer falling for them. The tide had clearly shifted in favor of Ser Denys after Humfrey's initial momentum had dried up.

At the two-and-a-half-minute mark, Ser Denys managed to catch Humfrey with a Shield bash that sent Humfrey Staggering, and knew he had his opening. He bulled forth, striking out with his axe. Ser Humfrey parried with his arming sword, but Ser Denys once again hooked the blade with the beard of his axe. Humfrey tried to headbutt him again like last time, but Ser Denys was wise to that trick now. A kick to Humfrey's knee as he moved in for the headbutt sent Humfrey sprawling. His arming sword was wrenched from his grasp even as hid Dirk found no purchase on Ser Denys thanks to the shield. A knee strike sent Humfrey to the floor. Ser Denys placed his axe on the back of Humfrey's neck.

"Yield!" Insisted Ser Denys.

"Aye, I yield." Agreed Humfrey Waters.

Twenty-three minutes after beginning their assault on the Dragon Gate Complex, they had taken it. Soon, forces under Ser Andrey Kellington would arrive to take control of the Dragon Gate just in time to rebuild a counterattack from the East Gold Cloak Barracks. That wasn't important, however. What was important was that Ser Denys found out that he had been beaten by Jalhabar Xho. Apparently, the Iron Gate had fallen four minutes before the Dragon Gate had. Its Captain had been bribed by Jalhabar Xho into surrendering instead of forcing a final confrontation.

Some people just had all the luck, Denys supposed. . .

XXXX

While the distraction attacks on the walls and the infiltration attacks on the gates were ongoing, an entirely separate battle was taking place in Blackwater Bay. Fireships using Wildfire had been sent forth to scatter Stannis' fleet at the outset of the assault, but thankfully, Stannis' warnings had allowed the fleet to twig that something was happening. Unfortunately, it hadn't been enough to save the entire fleet. Lord Guncer Sunglass aboard the War Galley Piety was too slow in maneuvering to escape the conflagration, he, and his brother, Ser Garth Sunglass aboard the War Galley Devotion, both perished in the fire attack, as did King Stannis' Cousin, Ser Lomas Estermont aboard the War Galley Shellback which struck a rock while maneuvering, as it's helmsman was blinded by the flash of the wildfire, foundered, and was consumed by the flames.

All told some two dozen ships would wind up being consumed by the fire attack, too slow to maneuver, or just plain unlucky. Then the small fleet the Lannisters had reconstructed attacked. Lord Farman had built what War Galleys he could, but primarily these ships were impressed merchants, armed with whatever Lord Farman could lay his hands on. The Ramshackle Fleet sallied forth and fired whatever it had, led by the newly-rechristened Lion's Roar an impressed Ibbenese Whaler armed with a mix of four-pound guns, two-pound guns, and a pair of bombards. Ibbenese whalers were built large and sturdy in order to handle the Leviathans they hunted for oil. The sheer mass of weaponry such a ship could hold rivaled any two Nau-Style Carracks.

From the deck of the Triple Seven, one of the newer, Goldenwood Hull, Galleons, Salhador Saan watched on as the Nau-Style Carrack Jade Pig and Lord Celtigar's Flagship, the Ornately Decorated War Galley Red Claw traded fire with the Impressed Ibbenese behemoth. They weren't coming off the better for it. Indeed, as he watched, Salhador saw the Red Claw capsize under the weight of fire from the enemy flagship, even as fires started amidships on the Jade Pig. The Nau was still fighting, though. Barely, at any rate. As his gunners finished off a War Galley that was armed with four-pound guns, causing it to literally break apart in the Bay, Salhador figured it might be a good plan to attack the Ibbenese Whaler. They'd need help though.

Turning to his Semaphore man, Salhador ordered, "Send to the White Rat. We're engaging the enemy flagship and requesting assistance."

As the Man saluted and went off to literally flag down the other Galleon, Salhador Saan thought to himself that two Galleons ought to be more than a match for that monster. Soon enough, the Triple Seven and the White Rat were moving to engage the Ibbenese Behemoth, though it was too late for the Jade Pig, as the crew was clearly abandoning ship. However, the two Galleons opened fire on the Ibbenese Behemoth shortly afterward, eight and six-pound guns outmatching all but the cumbersome bombards of the Enemy Ship. Still, the White Rat took a hit from a bombard in the duel, a giant ball shearing off its mainmast as the crew on deck worked desperately to clear the debris to avoid capsizing. Fortunately, the duel didn't last much longer.

Salhador Saan spotted two men stride onto the deck of the enemy ship, one was garbed in the white armor and cloak of the Kingsguard with a tall helm bearing a sunburst crest, while the other wore the silver ships of House Farman on his cloak. Ser Meryn Trant and Lord Sebaston Farman, the Commanders of the enemy fleet. With a vicious grin that wouldn't have been out of place in his more piratical days, Salhador Saan sighted down on Ser Meryn Trant with a snaplock musket. He breathed in through his mouth, then out through his nose, squeezing the trigger on the exhale.

The boom of his musket was drowned out by the firing of cannons, but the effect was no less devastating. The lead ball traveled across to the enemy ship in the span of a heartbeat, punching through the white-enameled scales of Ser Meryn Trant's armor and entering his torso, smashing through ribs and pulping lungs and liver. Ser Meryn Trant of the Kingsguard hit the deck of the Impressed Ibbenese Ship, bleeding out, with bile from his destroyed liver seeping into the blood. He was dead within seconds. Lord Farman saw this and hurriedly ducked back down below decks.

This caused a massive morale hit for the enemy crew. That was only compounded moments later, when a broadside from the White Rat, now clear of its fallen mast, sheared the Ibbenese Whaler's own mainmast in half. The fight went on for a few minutes longer before the enemy Flagship had enough and struck her colors. Roughly an hour into the assault, the enemy fleet was no more, their remaining ships following their flagship in surrender. Salhador Saan meanwhile, would raise a toast to those who didn't wind up surviving, which it turned out, included Lord Celtigar. Apparently, he had drowned before he could be fished out of the Bay. As he poured wine into a goblet to raise his first toast, Salhador Saan looked out at King's Landing, and the fighting still ongoing for the Mud and Old Gates.

And he knew that there were going to be many more such toasts before the day was out. . .

XXXX

AN: All right, so here's a look at the fighting for the Capital. So far, we're about an hour into the assault, and already several Lords have died and the assault teams that hit the gates have suffered around thirty percent casualties. However, the enemy fleet has surrendered and both the Dragon and Iron Gates have been taken. Stannis' Forces may have taken casualties, but they're winning. Ricasso is going to have to hurry and capture Cersei because there's no telling just how much longer her crazy will be kept in check.

Of course, House Sunglass is the big loser here. Lord Guncer is dead, as is his brother, which means House Sunglass is down to just Lord Guncer's thirteen-year-old Nephew, who is currently serving as a Squire to Lord Velyrion. I guess the Seven really didn't favor House Sunglass, after all. Expect there to be issues regarding that in the future. The new Lord is actually a pretty anxious kid and certain people are going to see that and think maybe they'd be better off with a different Lord. That's for the future, though.

The next chapter we'll be back with Ricasso for the continued assault on the Red Keep.

Stay tuned. . .