10 -10- Reclaim Old Lands
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
The Thorn Corps of 120 soldiers fired in unison, the sound of their arrows creating a constant whistling in the air.
Splurt! Splurt! Splurt!
A black rain of arrows descended from the sky, piercing the advancing wildlings who were met with cries of agony.
The wildling leaders, unfamiliar with long-range arrow barrages, shouted louder in fear, urging their people to hasten their advance.
Ser Mayson stared at the death zone, over 100 meters ahead of the formation, created by the synchronized fire of the Thorn Corps, feeling a mixture of shock and awe.
After a rapid succession of volleys, Gallen sensed that the rate of fire is slowing down.
Over 200 wildlings fell in the continuous barrage, causing chaos among their ranks. Some wildlings, disregarding their leaders' shouts, attempted to flee.
After dozens more fell, a large-scale retreat among the wildlings ensued, prompting Gallen to order the cessation of fire.
Ser Mayson commanded the 200 soldiers, armed with shields, longswords, and spears, to advance towards the scattered wildlings.
The soldiers, chanting in unison, marched forward with overwhelming momentum.
With an average military service exceeding ten years, each soldier was a seasoned veteran.
These soldiers, once served Gallen's mother and survivors of years of conflict with the mountain wildlings, formed the backbone of House Crabb.
As the soldiers advanced in formation with resounding chants, the already terrified and chaotic wildlings grew even more fearful.
Occasionally, a group of wildling leaders gathered and attempted to charge at the soldiers, only to be swiftly overwhelmed.
In Gallen's view, these wildlings, awaiting capture or surrender, were essentially reserves among their own people, and their performance today justified their reputation.
To manage these wildlings in the future, Gallen realized that strict laws would be necessary, perhaps even down to which foot to step out with first.
The game of thrones was about to begin, and military strength was the true trump card. In order to achieve immediate results, the Crabb territory would have to transform into a massive military camp encompassing all its people.
Gallen confirmed the path of development suitable for himself and ceased to hesitate.
...
The Thorn Corps, having been established for only a few days, demonstrated remarkable performance by executing continuous volleys. Emer also showcased her talent in leading troops.
During the corp's rest, some Spearwives... Well.. led to a chain reaction, leaving Gallen unsure how to describe it. Perhaps it was too hot for them to wear shirts?
The sight of the Spearwives... Well, Gallen only noticed two things, Big and Muscular.... and it was was a stark contrast to what he was accustomed to.
As Gallen's gaze shifted, Emer, standing solemnly beside him, noticed the situation and, perhaps recalling something, blushed.
Some Spearwives, noticing Gallen's gaze, looked back boldly, even daringly flexing.
If this were his past life, perhaps Gallen would whistle and give a thumbs up.
A lord needed to maintain an image, a lesson instilled by Gallen's mother in his memories, a sentiment Gallen agreed with now. However, on the continent of Westeros, giving a thumbs up did not necessarily signify approval.
Unknown actions could easily be misunderstood, and men in his territory needed to learn to protect themselves when they went out! Gallen merely smiled faintly and naturally shifted his gaze elsewhere.
The soldiers couldn't understand the importance of image, and it wasn't appropriate to discuss such matters in the current situation.
Gallen thought to include soldier appearance in future training sessions; over time, they would become accustomed to it.
After a brief rest, the Thorn Corps, under Gallen's command, joined the pursuit of the retreating wildlings.
...
Knight Phillip's reconnaissance team had successfully captured a tribe with minimal casualties in their first battle. Only a few were lightly injured in the sudden attack, with no fatalities.
The reconnaissance team captured nearly 300 prisoners from the first captured tribe.
The mountain wildlings lived by hunting and gathering wild fruits. The main loot consisted of fur and dried meat. The reconnaissance team found only a small bag of gold dragons in the tribe leader's house, numbering around ten to twenty.
The loot was distributed among the prisoners to carry, and Ser Phillip ordered the tribe's houses to be set ablaze.
Some prisoners, incited by the burning of their tribe, resisted, prompting the reconnaissance team to kill them on the spot. Twenty men were separated from the reconnaissance team to escort these prisoners back to the territory.
Ser Phillip instructed the squad leader escorting the prisoners, "Someone will receive them near the territory. If they're hungry, they can chew on the dried meat. Keep moving, and after handing over the prisoners, join me. Be vigilant on the road; I'll wait for you at the second tribe."
"If there's any sign of trouble among the prisoners, don't hesitate to kill them."
After giving these instructions, Ser Phillip patted the squad leader's shoulder and concluded, "Off you go."
Ser Phillip continued until nightfall, finally resolving three major tribes.
The reconnaissance team rested directly in the third tribe and returned to the territory with the prisoners and loot the next morning.
On the way back to the territory, the reconnaissance team encountered several scattered groups of wildlings and captured dozens more.
In their first battle, the reconnaissance team suffered 23 casualties.
...
After two days of simple rest, the soldiers, organized in groups of 30 to 50, began planned assaults on the remaining small tribes.
All prisoners were escorted back to Crabb's territory, and the houses of the wildling tribes were burned down.
Ser Mayson personally escorted the last batch of prisoners and returned to Whispers, where he encountered Steward Hershel standing in front of the storeroom, his belly protruding and a smile on his face.
Ser Mayson was also in high spirits and joked, "Old friend, you seem to be in a good mood."
Hershel replied with a smile, "Good day, Sir Mayson. The fur in the storeroom is almost overflowing. It's been a long time since we've had such abundance."
Knight Mayson sighed, "Indeed, it seems as if the lord was born for war. The Thorn Corp's synchronized volley crushed the wildlings, resulting in our lowest casualties ever."
"Hershel, I have no doubt about the lord's decision to reclaim the old lands. I'm filled with confidence."
"Yes, Sir, I am also full of confidence. House Crabb will reclaim its old lands!"
"Sir, please go prepare. We've been preparing for the victory banquet for several days, and it's going to be very lavish. You can enjoy a drink tonight."
...
Whispers, inside the lord's study.
Gallen, Maester Ars, and Karliah had almost finished tallying the gains from this war.
In total, there were over 2500 prisoners, with nearly 700 of them being elderly or children.
Of the remaining 1800, there were 1200 women, indicating a significant gender disparity.
To prevent the prisoners from forming alliances, they needed to be dispersed entirely, ensuring that most of them were surrounded by strangers from other tribes.
Careful arrangements were needed to absorb the population as smoothly as possible, emphasizing stability above all else.
Once dispersed, they would be gradually assigned tasks in various parts of the territory.
Initially, the security officials from each regiment would need to cooperate to oversee and deter any unrest.
Gallen leaned back wearily in his chair.
While tired, Gallen was pleased. With prisoners replacing labor, House Crabb could free up most of its able-bodied workers.
The territory could immediately launch a second recruitment drive, and for now, Gallen's source of joy was the prospect of expanding his forces.
Recruitment brings such joy.
