Blood and Winter

The Young Wolf and the Old Lion

Chapter LVII - Explosive Morale

As the sun began to rise on the eighth day, light spilled across the field that would become known as the Bloody Antlers. As it did, it revealed the two armies staring across at one another. The Stark centre had moved forwards once more to link up with the flanks and now they were stood across from the Lannister army.

Moving forwards upon his mount, Robb watched as the men before him parted allowing him and his personal guard to pass through them. At the head of him, Robb watched Grey Wind, Nymeria and her pack growling at those nearby, but those in the Stark army had grown used to these actions, the fear it had once elected giving away to indifference. And as Robb moved through the army, he took note of the various men amongst the ranks.

Many had arms in slings, heads wrapped in bandages and deep gashes that were still healing.

His army of eighteen thousand had grown to twenty-two thousand after Robb had recruited men from the injured. The initial estimates of possible two thousand men capable of joining giving them a force equal in number to that of the Lannisters had been wrong. Double the number agreed to fight. Nearly every man who could hold a sword and stand on their own two feet had agreed to fight.

As he came to the front of the force, he moved towards the lords that were gathered there, greeting them in turn. "Lord Forrester, I'm glad you could make it." Robb greeted with a smile upon his face, the grizzled face of Gregor turned from his son to greet him as well. His injuries during the Lannister charge had been a cause for a great deal of concern. Many had believed he would die due to his injuries and considering his pale and clammy skin, that was still very much a possibility.

"Well, considering that the Greatjon went down in a blaze of glory I couldn't let the big bastard show me up, now could I?" Gregor's words got more than a few chuckles from those around him, Robb reaching out and clasping hands with the man.

"Glad to have you back, missed your sense of humour and your skills as a warrior will be needed." Gregor bowed his head in thanks.

Turning away from the man, Robb looked out to the Lannisters. For the first time in this battle, the Stark army held the advantage in numbers, even if it would be short-lived and four thousand were in various states of injury.

But there was a noticeable tension in the air, the Vale reinforcements were set to arrive today and this knowledge hung over everyone like an axe just waiting to fall. Robb's actions of going round and simply speaking with the men were the only thing that kept the men still willing to fight. And now Robb was facing off against one of the biggest challenges he had ever faced before.

His plan, despite everything, was risky and had a great chance of failure, but at this point, Robb was willing to risk everything to end the war as soon as possible. If he escaped, then maybe the defences he'd put in place in the Riverlands could hold long enough for him to scramble together a force capable of defeating the Lannisters.

Yet that would mean many more months of war, tens of thousands dead and possibly the complete destabilisation of Westeros. That was something Robb could not risk, already the backlash of this war would be great, if it continued any further then that backlash would only get worse. His wife and her family, Margaery, Willas and Olenna along with Edmure were already working to try and mitigate the damage that would come about because of this war, but how much was still uncertain.

This war needed to end as soon as possible and if Robb's plan worked, that would be exactly what happened. The thing was, despite telling his commanders in a way that made this plan seem like it could not fail, that was far from the truth, something he was sure they already knew.

His plan relied on a number of things all going right.

The timing, the Vale acting in the way he wanted it to, the Lannisters reacting the way he wanted them to, his men fighting the way he wanted them to and only two of those he could come close to controlling.

"Your grace!" A rider galloped quickly across the field towards him, looping around the left flank and across the front ranks of the Stark army. "The Vale, they're coming." The riders gaze flickered to the hill where their command base once had been, it having been destroyed early this morning. And up, upon the crest of the hill, a sky-blue falcon soaring upon a moon in a sky-blue field rose, the flag of House Arryn.

And following it, numerous more flags appeared.

Those of House Baelish, Royce, Belmore, Redfort and all the houses of the Vale were arriving at the top of the hill. But the attention of the Stark army turned to the sound of the armoured footsteps that marched across the field, arcing around the foot of the mountain.

And as they did, Robb smirked. 'Now's the time before their formations are set.'

Flicking his rein, Robb moved his horse forward till he stood at the front of his army, in full view of everyone. The simple act of moving forward drew attention away from the Vale army and to him, just as Robb wanted.

"Many of you may not be aware, but I had a chance yesterday to leave this battle and to flee across the Gods Eye. Perhaps I should have saved my own life as I'm sure many of you wish to do now. Maybe you're still thinking of fleeing, I can't fault you for that." His words earned mutterings from many. "But as you can tell; I didn't."

Robb took a deep breath to centre himself, his heart was pounding and he could feel a thin sheen of sweat forming upon his brow. The pressure he felt was almost overwhelming.

"By that point, I had sat down and talked, and laughed and drank with many of you. I know many of you by name, many more by drunken acts and tales told by friends and family." His words elected quite a few chuckles; the reminder of yesterday's merriment seemed to have worked well in lifting the spirits ever so slightly. "I know that many of you have children or have pregnant wives that you want to go home to. I do too, and I desperately want to see my wife again, to see my child grow old."

Robb thought upon the image of Margaery in his mind and smiled.

"And I plan to have many more children." Again, laughter rang out, the Queen's beauty was well-known. "I could have escaped ensured that I could," Robb repeated once more. "But in doing so, I'd be asking you to make a sacrifice that I wasn't willing to make. I could never ask that of any of you."

There was a silence amongst the men.

"When I sat with you, it was not as King, but as a simple man. And I'm still asking you, not as King but as Robb...fight." He said firmly, his eyes burning with determination. A shift came upon the Stark army as they all gripped their weapons tightly.

For some reason, despite only the front rows of the centre being able to hear him, the effect his words had on those that could hear him spread throughout the entire army. At this moment, despite the impossibility of it all, it was as if every man in the army was capable of hearing Robb's words.

"Not for King! Not for the lands you live on! But for you wives and your children!" Robb's tone shifted, growing louder and more aggressive and as he did, the soldiers of the Stark army reflected this change. The grips on their weapons tighter, their breathing heavier and the glares of determination blazing like a fire. "Fight with me! Lend me your strength one last time! Only together, united as one will we bring an end to Lannister tyranny!"

His words elected a loud cheer from the men.

"Fight! Fight with everything you have! And I promise you, that on this day, we will be victorious!" Robb rose his sword into his air and like a tidal wave, the Stark army exploded outwards. These cries were of such volume that the very earth around them shook, shocking Robb's and many other horses, not only in the Stark army but in the Vale and Lannister army. Each kicking back onto their hind legs and releasing a neigh.

This explosion of morale carried across the field, reaching the Vale and Lannister forces. Despite outnumbering them, the axe that had been hovering over the Stark army had shifted.

Now it was hanging over them.

Spinning his horse round, Robb turned to face the Lannisters. "Take the day!"

And as Robb charged across the field, his entire army gave chase. There was no discipline, no formation, nothing. A single mass of twenty thousand men charged across the fields of the Bloody Antlers, each releasing war cries that froze the enemies in their spots. It reached into the deepest, darkest depths of their souls and filled it with fear.

So, another chapter is done and I hope you all enjoyed it. Anyway, if you have any questions or suggestions, please let me know.