Battle of Stoney Sept

(Erlend POV, Close to the Stoney Sept)

The majority of the Vance Coalition boasting about 12,000 men had already linked up north of the Stoney Sept and south of Acorn Hall.

Castlewood, Blanetree, and Atranta had all been left with a skeleton guard, allowing the Banners to quickly besiege and capture them. This was a deliberate move to slow the Banners down while they positioned themselves and made preparations for the battle.

Their methods of slowing us down had worked despite it being obvious, we simply couldn't afford to risk having hostile strongholds at our rear. It also whittled down our numbers as we had to garrison each seat with our men.

Interestingly, the Coalition having reached the Stoney Sept had chosen to leave immediately. The Shadows had reported that this was mostly due to the hostile reactions towards them, as a large part of the Coalition was made of former Targaryen loyalists who committed atrocities upon the smallfolk during the search for Robert.

Fearing betrayal if they were besieged, the Vance Heads have chosen to leave and meet us in an open battle where they would have a better chance.

Still, their willingness to sacrifice the rest of the East in hopes of slowing us down had made us cautious. So we did not rush to meet them head-on, not when we no longer had to worry about them holing themselves within the Stoney Sept.

…

There was only mild surprise on my face when the scouts came with the news that the Coalition had managed to scrape another 3,000 men, putting them at a total of 15,000 against our 18,000.

Our numbers having been decreased as we garrisoned the territories under our control or reinforced the 6th Banner within the Crownlands. It was obvious they took advantage of this delay to reinforce themselves, though it was hardly worth sacrificing their Seats.

Most of the central and northern Crownlands were now under our control. Words of Duskendale's capture were brought to me by the shadows and confirmed by ravens, the 6th banner would soon take Rosby and what remained of King's Landing.

Despite that, there was an obvious difference in the quality of the two forces. The Banners were all better equipped, had more experience, and were loyal. The Vale and Riverlands forces loyal to me were also experienced and bloodied either from the rebellion or the last Blackfyre attempt.

On the other hand, the Coalition had effectively scrapped the bottom of the barrel to get their numbers, most of their forces were green, as the core part of their host had remained neutral during the rebellion, and thus weren't yet bloodied.

Of course that didn't mean I would underestimate them. The Riverlands was the battlefield of Westeros, it was in their blood to fight and preserve, honed by several millennia of being dragged into their neighbor's wars.

As the Banners marched, we would soon be closing in on their Host. I would be commanding the centre. Uncle Lorimas would be taking the right, whereas Yohn would lead the left.

As we met the Coalition, I could see Wayfarer banners within the centre, the Atranta banners on the right, and a mixture of others on the left.

I ordered a halt and for my men to get into positions, as I observed the hostile host. They were nearly all levies, while a small portion of them were made of Knights and men-at-arms.

I saw no reason to call for a farce meet, so I simply gave the command for my men to form.

The Banners immediately closed ranks, the shields locked together, making an impenetrable wall, with their spears at the ready to reap the lives of any incoming opponent.

The archers in position quickly began to fire volleys of arrows; hundreds of levies fell and a few good shots managed to take out the more lax Knights. Screams of agony and pain filled the battlefield as men unlucky enough not to be killed swiftly by arrow howled.

In response hostile archers began moving in range, some died as the Banners archers shot them down. Commanders quickly order our archers to get behind the shield wall and absorb most of the arrows that headed our way.

Wayfarers men began advancing, with the Atrantas quickly following suit. Leading them was Karyl Vance, his birthmark darkening in anger at the death of his comrades.

Both hosts clashed as they tried to break through our shield wall, their cavalry being impaled by our spears, some crushed by their horses as they panicked.

I watched on with no change in my expression at the gruesome deaths occurring in front of me, having killed more Dothraki than anyone alive with only the Dragonlords having succeeded in killing more than me.

The fighting went on as the Banner's experience showed, for every man they killed from our side, 5 would fall from theirs.

My eyes remained on Karyl, the only male Wayfarer Vance currently alive from his branch. His anger seemed to reach a boiling point, as he could no longer stand back and watch his men get slaughtered.

As he charged, I quickly followed suit, manipulating the environment around me to hinder anyone who got in my way and that of my Guards. The chaotic battle around me made sure no one realised what was going on.

If there was a chance for the enemy to stumble they would, a horse to suddenly step on something spiked and throw off its rider then it would happen and a bird that would prevent archers from properly targetting my men, well it would happen. Individually events like this wouldn't mean much, but put into a large-scale environment and it would severely hinder any move they could make and their effectiveness in a battle.

Ardent carved a bloody path into their lines as my men made room for me to maneuver myself. A spear thrust towards me, yet with a quick parry and a ram from my guard quickly turned the attacker into a corpse.

I blocked another blow, this time from an armored Knight who sought glory. He continued to attack me, yet each one was blocked and parried before I had enough, and Ardent cut right through his blade, leaving the glory hound weaponless. He could only look at me with horror before Ardent went right through his heart.

Karyl quickly noticed my kill, and he was furious, more than likely the glory hound was a friend of his. I cared little for his reaction as I cut down any fool who got in my way.

It would have been intimidating for anyone else, as the scarred Vance charged me with blind rage, yet a slight tremor on the ground caused his horse to panic as he struggled not to be thrown off it. I took the opportunity with no hesitation and swiftly cut off his head before he could steady himself.

Karyl's Knights who saw the whole thing quickly charged me seeking to avenge their Lord's death at my hands. I was initially outnumbered by the enraged Knights, yet there was no panic within me, as they failed to break through my defenses while I cut through them one by one.

The centre quickly broke after that, as the men realised the death of one of their leaders and his Knights. Panic quickly spread and it was made worse by a horn blowing from the side, signaling the death of Norbert at the hands of Yohn.

With the death of both Vance Heads, the coalition began to fall apart, as men tried to flee or surrender. Some tried to keep fighting but they lost their lives almost instantly.

Theomar Smallwood, a man I specifically ordered to be spared, did his best to gather the surviving Lords and men around him. Instead of making a stand, a white banner would be held high, ending the battle as the Coalition officially surrendered.

The Battle of Stoney Sept had ended with a Mudd Victory.