Stopping the lions

Stopping the lions

Theon POV

I watched as, at the bottom of the hill, Tywin set his camp. There was nothing that I couldn't see from the tall towers of Golden Tooth. I am starting to like this castle. It is easy to defend. Nothing would go unnoticed around it. I can see myself living a comfortable life there.

As I imagined my life in Golden Tooth, I noticed that Tywin started to chop down the trees around his camp. So, he won't be storming the castle. Just like his brother, he will do it carefully and patiently. I had nothing to complain about. My job was to keep him there as long as I could.

I have sent ravens to request help to every castle in Westeros. Stannis should know where Tywin and his forces were. Nothing will stop him from storming King's Landing, and if he wins, the North can again say that Stannis has refused to help his kingdoms. Now twice, he has not come to help. The North has all the reasons not to serve him.

Sometimes I am surprised by how genius I am. With just a letter, I gave a justification for the North's independence and, at the same time, provided the information Stannis needed to take King's Landing. It was a brilliant idea, if I say so myself.

"You should stop smiling like a creep and listen to me," Lord Blackwood interrupted my fantasies. "You can't use your right arm. You should go and rest."

"But I want to watch," I whined.

"I swear your moods change as fast as my wife when pregnant."

I smiled at his idea of a jape. He was right. The not sleeping thing probably has already started to affect me. I didn't mind letting people see me as a crazy man. Unpredictability will make everyone think twice before wanting to try and do something against me.

"It seems they will not try anything today," Lord Piper said, walking up. "Ser Kevan tested our defenses first before starting his siege. I wonder why Lord Tywin doesn't do the same."

"He has Lord Lefford," I replied. "He knows everything there is to know about his castle."

"Theon, you should rest and leave everything to us," Lord Blackwood said, concerned about me.

"I might not be able to use my arm, but my eyes are better than anyone else's. I will keep watching."

Lord Blackwood wasn't satisfied with my answer, but as I said, my eyes were better, and I had a spy ready to infiltrate Tywin's camp. There is nothing that my eyes could miss. I will be prepared for everything that Tywin will throw at me. I am curious about what he will think of me when all his plans fail.

Lord Piper backed off as I started to giggle at myself. Seeing me like this, Lord Blackwood forced me to leave the walls. Nobody tried to stop him, even when I complained and whined like a kid. They probably thought that tiredness had made me mad. If only they knew that I was mad, to begin with.

Maester of Golden Tooth forced me to drink some poppy milk and eat before he sent me to my bed. I liked eating, even though I knew I didn't need to for some time. But I still could taste the sweetness of apple or the satisfying savouriness of meat.

"How are you doing, Theon?" Thoros asked, seeing me eating.

"Fine, the Lannisters are planning something. I want you to take ser Kevan and put him in a separate chamber. Watch him. Tell Jalabhar and Anguy to do the same with his children."

"You don't trust anyone else?" He asked.

"Not as much as I trust you. Lord Lefford might know some secret entrance of something like it and use it to save the Lannisters. I want them to be separated and guarded."

"What of Lady Alyssane?"

"I will take care of her myself."

After I was done eating under the watchful eyes of the Maester, I went to my chambers. The sun was already starting to set. I could use this time to watch what Tywin is doing.

…

Walking on all fours was the most baffling thing about warging. The senses were different, but I got used to them quite quickly. Running and climbing were difficult at first, but now I more or less could control this body.

Nobody bats an eye at a squirrel running in their camp. Some shoo me away, a few try to catch me, and the rest dismisses me. Soon enough, I found Tywin's pavilion. Lords were eating and talking with others when I entered. Tywin sat in silence.

I waited patiently under the table for some information. Yet, Tywin and the lords stayed silent for the most part. Was he waiting for something? I didn't know. Maybe he didn't want to tell his plans yet, for fear that there would be a spy or a traitor among his group.

"The siege engines will be built from tomorrow onward," Someone spoke as I was getting anxious.

"We don't have many experienced craftsmen, so it will take time to construct them," Another replied.

"Even if we build it, how will we get close to the walls? They see us moving and shoot us down."

"The men are afraid. We heard of how Theon can hit someone from a mile away. It is said if he sees you are already dead."

"Nonsense," The Kingslayer spoke. "He is good with his bow, but get close to him, and he will fall to your sword like any other boy."

"Like he fell on your sword?"

I didn't know who said those words, but I could see him regret it as Tywin and the Kingslayer looked at him. He coughed and covered his face with a wine cup. Too bad I was hidden and couldn't have a better view of this.

"He was lucky so far," The Kingslayer said. "We underestimated him, yes, but he is still a boy who doesn't know his place."

It seems the Kingslayer didn't like me. I wonder why. Still, I didn't care much about him, I wanted to know their plans, yet it seemed it wasn't time to learn them. As the talks ended, the lords left one by one. I was ready to go, but Lord Lefford stayed behind, so I waited longer.

"My Lord, he has my daughter. I wish to lead the siege."

"And if you die? The rumors have some truth about his skills," Tywin said. "We will do as you said, using fog and smoke to limit the vision of those in the towers and on the wall. You don't have to worry. I am sure that Jaime will do everything to save your daughter."

"If you say so, my lord. I just worried what that savage would do to my daughter."

"I will make sure that he gets what he deserves, Lord Lefford," The Kingslayer said.

Yeah, that not happening. It was a great plan, using smoke and fog to limit our vision while you are on the move. Too bad you told me your plan. I wonder when the plan fails will Tywin suspect someone of betraying him. If I get a chance to create some unrest, it would be perfect.

…

The men worked hard, dismantling long logs from buildings we didn't need. They carried barrels filled with rocks to the wall. The Lannisters wanted to take our vision, so be it. But if they cover us in smoke, they should be prepared for what they can't see.

It's been almost three weeks since Tywin set his camp below the hill of Golden Tooth. Every day he would send some men. They would die before they could ever hope to reach the walls. I didn't know why he sent those men to die, maybe to mask his plan, or perhaps he wanted to get rid of those men.

Today was different. It was a cold morning. A thick fog covered the ground. Watching from one of the towers, I saw how the Lannisters were busy moving around their camp. Like little ants, they pushed wagons, probably full of wood and pine branches. I knew that they make a lot of smoke when they are burned.

"Theon," Lord Blackwood greeted me. "The Lannisters are planning something."

"Yes, they are. Have the men prepared what I asked?"

"Yes, the logs and barrels will roll down the hill well, crushing men on the way."

"Good, they won't even realize when their legs are crushed. I wonder how loudly they will scream."

Lord Blackwood didn't mind my bleak comments. We watched from the tower as they set their horses carrying wagons up the hill before burning the contents inside them. The fire spurred the horses to go faster. The horse armor on them did stop our arrows for some time.

The horses didn't reach our walls, but the wind carried the smoke at us. Today was indeed a lucky day for the Lannisters. The cold morning created a thick fog, and the wind blew at us. These conditions created a perfect situation for their plan. Too bad it will fail.

"Damn those Lannisters," Lord Blackwood cursed. "We can't see a thing. The smoke will sting our eyes. Should we drop our obstacles, Theon?"

"No, order the men to loose volleys of arrows at them."

"They will miss."

"Not every arrow will," I said. "Once we hear the Lannisters under our walls, we will drop the barrels first, then logs."

"Wouldn't logs take more of them?"

"The logs might get stuck. Then barrels won't be able to roll down the hill."

It was as I expected. The arrows would hit sometimes, and we would hear where they were. Even if the smoke stung our eyes, it didn't stop us. Once I heard the ladders hit the walls, I ordered for the barrels to drop.

The barrels were reinforced with metal rings to hold the stones inside them. As soon as the Lannisters started to move, the barrels were tied to the wall. When we heard the men trying to climb the wall, the barrels were dropped. Crushing men below and destroying their ladders.

I could not see what had happened, but I heard their screams of pain. Their agony didn't stop as afterward boiling oil was poured down. I ordered the logs to fall once it quieted down a bit. I knew I didn't take all of them, but it bought us enough time for the smoke to clear.

What I didn't expect was that Tywin was betting everything on today. I watched as trebuchets shot stones straight at the tower I was staying in. It hit the roof, and some tiles almost fell on me. Not wanting to risk it, I quickly put on my helm and went to the walls.

"Well, it seems we have a long day before us, Lord Blackwood," I laughed as rocks flew above us.

"Thoros, how many of them are there?" I asked the red priest once I saw him on the walls.

"I count about three thousand for now," He answered. "The barrels and logs managed to clear the men from the walls and make the distance between them and us."

"But?"

"But it was only the first wave."

I took the longbow from my back and a quiver of arrows that sat on the wall. I looked for a suitable target. I looked for the Kingslayer. He was supposed to lead the first wave, yet it was impossible to find him. Hundreds of bodies lay on the ground, some dead, some in agony.

Not wasting any more time, I started to shoot down the men who still stood. My arm was mostly healed. I only felt a slight stiffness, but otherwise, the arm was fine. What mattered was that I could shoot the men down.

"Shit," I cursed.

The siege towers showed up. The ones who were pulled before were stuck or partially destroyed. Now another three towers were pulled towards us. The Lannister men used the destroyed and the new towers to hide behind. How the hell do I stop them?