Chapter 75 72

Three days later. Grey Glen.

Axel Arryn.

"Strange," Morgan said, studying the castle walls lined with soldiers.

"It is," I agreed. There were perhaps three hundred men visible, and those were only the ones we could see. "I thought they would have two hundred at most."

Where had they come from? Reinforcements from minor vassals? No, Lord Tollett had taken everyone he could when he marched out. That ruled them out. The Graftons were occupied with their own trouble and knew it. There was no reason for them to risk anything on behalf of an ally just now. That meant this force had been assembled from common people. Interesting. Worth trying something.

"Hey, where are you going?" Morgan looked uneasy as I separated from the main column.

"Don't worry. Just a few words."

Even with one eye I could see the bafflement on both sides. My men did not understand why I was going out, and those defending could not tell who I was. Time to clear things up.

"I am Axel Arryn, Lord of the Eyrie, Defender of the Vale and Warden of the East, Hand of the King Robert Baratheon." Common people had been conditioned across centuries to fear anyone carrying titles that sounded large and fearsome. "And I have an announcement for the people of Grey Glen!" A short pause to let that settle. The trick was that my voice was already strong and well-projected, but with a touch of magic every last person within the walls could hear me clearly.

"That ordinary people take up arms with such courage fills me with nothing but respect." I was not lying. I had expected half of them to scatter the moment they laid eyes on us. "However! If you believe you can stand against us with nothing but reckless bravery, you are very badly mistaken."

"On one side stand men who are new to war. On the other, men who have given their entire lives to this craft, the finest soldiers in my army." I could see the fear beginning to take hold in their eyes. Time to press it. "You have not the slightest chance of winning. So surrender. Do not throw your lives away in a hopeless fight. Surrender, and I give you my word that no one will be harmed."

I had not planned to spend long at Grey Glen. I had expected either a brief assault or a quick capitulation, but they had surprised me. My speech was meant to nudge them toward the sensible decision. I could see something working behind their faces, an internal struggle. No one wants to die. But plans have a way of falling apart.

"ENOUGH OF YOUR STUPID PRATTLE! YOUR TRICKS WON'T SHAKE US!" A man in rich armor bearing Tollett colors had climbed up onto the battlements and was shouting down. "IT IS SIMPLE ENOUGH! FOR THE SAKE OF OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY, WHATEVER COMES, WE WILL NOT LET THIS CASTLE FALL TO SOMEONE LIKE YOU!!!" The walls erupted in battle cries.

"Ho-ho-ho, it seems you've gone soft in King's Landing," Morgan found a moment to needle me. "The smallfolk have stopped fearing you entirely." I was now certain that every Sand was born venomous by nature.

"Nothing for it. We have to take this castle. Order the attack."

"Yes, my lord."

...

Ser Andrew Tollett.

"KEEP FIRING! WHATEVER HAPPENS, DO NOT STOP!"

Seven hells. Arryn had said he was bringing his finest cutthroats, but I had not grasped what that truly meant. Three things were keeping us alive: the castle could only be attacked from one side, the enemy had few enough siege engines to work with effectively, and the wind was at our backs. If things continued like this, we would hold until the reinforcements arrived.

"Have Yolan's detachment pull back and regroup! Send Elbert's detachment up to the wall! Women, receive the wounded!"

"YES, SER!"

...

"Ho-ho-ho, taking too long," Morgan quipped again.

"There is nothing amusing about this. We can only attack one wall, and only with five or six ladders at a time. Their commander is good enough to deny us a foothold on the ramparts. That means only six men are fighting in direct contact at any given moment, which is not good."

"Any ideas?"

"Yes, but we will put them to use later." Seeing his questioning look, I explained. "Look, it's getting dark. Order our men to pull back, make camp, carry off the wounded and dead, gather the weapons. Everything as usual." I walked toward the tent as the sound of celebrating defenders rang out behind me.

...

Evening.

"My lord Arryn, we have arrived." Morgan, by way of his friendship with Axel, spoke on behalf of the commanders.

"Thank you all for coming. I gathered you here to discuss our next approach. The castle's morale is far higher than I had anticipated. It would not be wise to keep spending our strength on brute force from the first day, which is why I called the assault off." I had been thinking about the reasons for it and believed I understood. During the rebellion, back when I had not yet grasped the realities of Westeros, I had used the Tolletts as a public example to the rest. And now, fifteen years later, it had come back to find me.

"Here is what we will do..."

When Arryn finished speaking, the other commanders stared at him as though he had worked a miracle. What he had described to them had turned every rule of siege warfare in Westeros on its head.