Lord Marius Yronwood
The sounds of battle echoed around him, men were hacking and slashing at one another with such ferocity, Marius was surprised that they did not all cut themselves and die there and then. Marius himself was not faring too badly, he swung his longsword to the left and then the right, cutting down men dressed in the livery of House Uller as he did so, hacking and slashing his way through them, whilst the tide of battle continued. He had descended from his home Castle Yronwood with some 3,000 men, men sworn directly to his house, of unquestioned loyalty. Joined by men from Skyreach and Kingsgrave as well as the armies of Westeros they had marched for six days to reach Sandstone where Lords Qorgyle and Uller had mustered men with which to resist the current battle.
Marius had expected the battle to be relatively short lived, considering the king himself had come with some of the royal dragons, however, it seemed as if the king was saving them for another occasion. For now there was fighting on the ground and the dragons had yet to be seen, Marius was not worried though, for they were winning. He hacked his way through the soldiers who came to challenge him, slashing and hacking, left and right, the men fell and blood spattered the sand beneath his horse as well as his own armour. He had decided to rebel against Sunspear and join forces with King Matarys, mainly for his own gain, the feud between his house and the Martells was legendary, lasting since the time of Nymeria's invasion. For many years there had been conflicts as Dorne had been divided, and now it was divided as it never had been before. Prince Olyvar Martell, whilst a smart man was not a capable prince, he was ineffectual, and it was this which had given Marius the confidence to rebel.
An alliance with Houses Gargalen, Manwoody, Dalt, Jordayne, Wells and half of House Uller that was what he had managed to secure before the conquest had begun. In exchange for providing these houses and men, the King had agreed that his firstborn child would be wed to a grandchild of Marius's, a reasonable and fair exchange Marius thought, after all he was risking much be rebelling. Still anything would be better than continued rule by the Martells; the family had fallen into chaos following the ascension of Prince Olyvar's grandfather as Prince of Dorne. The man had been corrupt, Marius remembered it well, dark times for Dorne, as money slowly ran out, and then when Olyvar's father had come to power, an attempted alliance with Aegon the usurper, and now a trade embargo that was draining Dorne's wealth. Yes, Marius thought as he hacked his way through more men with the livery of House Qorgyle on their armour, this rebellion was well justified.
Around him the battle raged, steel on steel, spear thrusting through spear, the sound of battle, something Marius had lived for in his youth, when there had been wars with Pirates and those fools across the narrow sea before they had fallen to the dragon lords once more. He had learnt how to plan a battle from his own father, and as such as he sneaked a look through his visor at his troops fanned around him in a scorpion movement, he knew that the loyalists would stand not a chance, they were overwhelmed. And yet he could not help but think that perhaps, there was something he was missing here, there was no chance that Prince Olyvar would allow those houses that had remained loyal to him to be so undermanned, there was something they were missing.
What it was though, Marius did not have too much time to figure, and out for at the sound of a horn blast he found himself staring into the sky as arrows came flying down from the sky. "Move back!" Marius shouted. "Move back to the ridge!" He wheeled his horse around, and soon enough so did his men, arrows continued to fly down from the sky, bringing down men by the dozen, he heard men scream as the arrows pierced their armour or their mounts, and he felt a fear stir inside of him, where was the king? And where were these arrows coming from? The arrows continued flying down, and Marius felt the panic begin to rise inside of him as those closest to him, part of his guard, began to fall down like flies, arrows littering their bodies.
"My lord," He heard one of the remaining guards shout at him. "We must find the king my lord. Another army has come from the east."
Marius felt his heart plummet then. "How do you know this?" He shouted at the man.
"My brother came riding back as the arrows started falling. He says a host has come from the Lemonwood led by Prince Trystane Martell, they burnt Godsgrace to the ground he says." The guard replied.
Marius felt his heart plummet. "Very well let us ride for the ridge, we shall find the king there hopefully." And so they rode as hard as they could, whilst arrows continued to fell those men who were not lucky or quick enough to ride back. When they reached the ridge, Marius found that half his men were not present, either through death or because they had not made it back yet. The King was stood before him dressed in fiery red armour, one hand on the pommel of his sword. Marius dismounted from his horse and went on bended knee before the King. "Your Grace," he began. "Another army has come from the east; my scouts say that they are being led by the Martells."
The king was silent for a moment and then he spoke. "I know, I saw the arrows from here my lord. The dragons shall be unleashed soon enough. But first I would have you hear a report of the battle. Orys."
Ser Orys Targaryen of the Kingsguard stood forward then and spoke in a deep voice similar to the king's. "Our scouts report that Lord Uller was slain by his cousin Ser Helgar Uller. The foot of the Uller forces broke and fled back to Hellholt. Lord Manwoody has given chase, and hopes to catch them before they take Hellholt. Prince Aemon has gone with Ser Lewyn Tyrell to help take Hellholt."
Marius looked at the king then, and as if he could read his thoughts the king said. "Worry not, my lord. I sent my cousin off before the Prince's army came forth from whatever hole they have been hiding in. Still I wish for you to rejoin battle, the fighting continues whilst we speak." As if on cue the sounds of battle returned to Marius, and he heard a deafening scream as his men and those of the king continued to fight and die.
That snapped him out of his reverie and he got up and said "Yes Your Grace." Before mounting his horse, and drawing his sword once more and heading front on into the battle once more. Hacking and slashing he went, his men in formation around him. The loyal Dornish soldiers broke themselves against Yronwood shields, and spears, their cries heard for miles around, and Marius Yronwood could not help the grim smile that came to his face then. Soon enough he would find Trystane Martell and kill the oafish man once and for all.
The battle continued around Marius, as he hacked and slashed his way through those that stood against him, his sword covered in blood, his armour as well, his men speared their way through the ranks of men bearing the arms of Drinkwater, Ladybright, Santagar and Toland. He did not see the spears breaking against each other, but he heard them, as he saw his men break through rank after rank of the enemy's spear wall, he began to feel joy, and as the orange sun banner of House Martell came into view, he saw the hulking mass of idiocy that was Trystane Martell, and raising his visor he gave an animalistic roar, and charged towards the prince. Cutting down those who came into his path with no more than a simple thrust or swing of his sword.
His charge continued, men fell off their horses before him, falling to the Bloodroyal, one by one they were all cut down, and his sword was overfilled with blood, and yet he saw Prince Trystane advancing toward him with the same frantic pace as he was, and he knew that this duel would be something worth remembering. The last two men between them were cut down in a blur, Marius hacking his man's head clean off, the Prince stabbing through the gut of his own man. But then in a blur, Marius was knocked off his horse, and only just managed to move away before the horse fell on him. Later he would learn that an arrow had shot his horse through the neck, at the moment though, he watched as Prince Trystane came rushing toward him, his sword raised high ready for the killing blow. Marius could not find his own sword, he closed his eyes ready for death, when suddenly there was a scream and the killing blow did not come, instead came the sound of steel on steel.
Marius opened his eyes to find that his son was battling the Prince. His son Dorren, was fighting Prince Trystane, the thought was so absurd, Marius would have laughed had he not been sick with worry. He stepped forward only to be knocked down by a giant of a man swinging a mace. He fell to the ground, stunned, but managed to find a dagger lying close by, which he plunged into the giant before he could bring the mace down once more, the man died gurgling his own blood up. Marius staggered upward, and picked up a spear from a dead soldier's body. Thrusting the spear through a foot soldier with the arms of House Martell on his armour, the spear was tinged red by the time Marius had killed three more of Martell's men. He was tired and yet he staggered through the crowd of battle almost unseen, walking as if in a trace, looking for his son, for the prince for anyone.
He found his son, after a while, he battle raged around him, but to Marius it made no difference, they could have told him the Others were coming to Dorne and he would not have cared, for there was his son, his little boy, a sword and a spear through his chest and eye. Marius staggered over to his boy, his son, Dorren had been a proud and studious young man, a finer lad Marius had never met and now he was dead. He knew not how long he kneeled next to his son's boy, nor when his men appeared around him shielding him from those that would try to harm him, but eventually his eldest son and heir Anders found him, Anders was bloody and battered but still he kneeled next to his father, and together they remained in silence for a long time, until Anders spoke his voice chocked and soft. "The battle is over father. Prince Trystane burned under dragon fire, him and his men. Sandstone has fallen as well."
Marius said nothing for a long time and for a moment he thought his voice might have disappeared, but then he spoke. "How?"
Thankfully his son did not need to ask what he meant. "Dorren chased after Prince Trystane when he saw you go charging after the man. He came in between you and the prince when you were unhorsed, and so the Prince led him on a merry chase, whilst you were a ground. The sword is the prince's work; the spear is Ser Derrick's work."
Marius looked at his son then and asked. "Ser Derrick? But Ser Derrick is our man.!
His son shook his head. "No father, Ser Derrick has always been the Martell's. He betrayed us when he saw you were nowhere to be found."
They remained in silence for a long time after that, Marius simply staring at his son's lifeless body, and cursing the Martells, the only thing he was grateful for was the fact that the oaf of a prince was dead, burnt by dragonfire. He hoped he rotted in the seven hells. His son and heir Anders remained with him for a time, before eventually he stood up and began barking orders at the men, and soon enough Marius found himself on a horse riding towards Sandstone, he still felt numb when the castle came into view, though he saw the three headed red dragon of House Targaryen now adorning the castle where once there had been the Sun and Spear of House Martell.
It was much later, was it hours or days or months? Marius could not say, but at some point after the battle Anders told him was being called the battle of the sands, he was summoned before the King in what had once been Lord Qorgyle's solar, and the man was dead along with half his houses, burnt on the sands when the dragons had come. Marius bowed before the king along with his son and then sat down, and waited for the king to speak. Thankfully the King did not tarry long before he spoke, his words deep and strong, like the man himself. "Lord Marius, my condolences for the loss of your son. He fought honourably and bravely, and did his house proud." Marius nodded; he wanted to know how he could get his revenge. The king went on. "We have been at Sandstone now for two weeks, news has come from Hellholt, my cousin Prince Aemon writes that the castle has fallen and those who rode back once Lord Uller was slain, have either bent the knee or been killed. Aemon writes that Lord Uller's uncle has been made Lord of Hellholt for the time being and I have consented for the match to be made more permanent." Marius nodded; Sergon Uller was a strong and honourable man, the one who had led the Uller faction to join Marius at the Sands. The King went on. "I have had word from my brother Lord Laenor Baratheon. Starfall and High Hermitage have surrendered. Lord Dayne was killed during the fighting but his son seemed much more reasonable, and opened his gates. The Daynes of High Hermitage followed his example. Lord Stark has written as well, Blackmont is ours, but not before there was some serious fighting. The garrison refused to surrender, and so was burnt. Though my cousin took a wound and died afterwards, his foolishness saw the maester at Blackmont die."
Marius nodded and soon talk turned to what needed to be done next, with the Western coast of Dorne secure, the King intended to keep his men there to prevent any rebels from escaping or causing havoc, a sound plan. With Sandstone now in the hands of Ser Gormon Manwoody, the second son of House Manwoody, a marriage had been arranged for him with Lord Qorgyle's daughter, Hellholt was secure as well, now the issue was the east coast of Dorne, and that was where the king turned to Marius. "I would hear your views my lord. We hold Planky Town, Vaith and Godsgrace and yet Sunspear still remains secure as does Ghost Hill. Salt Shore lies in smoking ruins, as do the lands around it where would you suggest we head next?" The king asked.
Marius considered his words for a moment and then said. "With Planky town and the towns near the Greenblood in our possession Your Grace, I would suggest that we head toward Hellholt and gather the troops there and then from there I would split the men up, send a portion of the men toward Ghost Hill, Lady Toland is smart but stubborn so long as Sunspear remains she shall not surrender, she must be made to see reason. The rest of the army I would send to Sunspear, now that Prince Trystane is dead, the Martells have lost their most capable commander, and the city should fall easily enough."
The king nodded and then said. "I suppose we should send the dragons with us to Ghost Hill. Their sigil is ironic at best, it is time they learned that dragons do not get confused so easily. The strength of the ground army shall march for Sunspear; I will see the Tower of the Sun brought down around the Martells." The lords cheered at that and then the King called an end to the meeting, but he asked for Marius to stay, and so he did. Though he felt tired, the king looked even worse for wear. The king spoke, his voice still sounding strong despite how tired he seemed. "Marius, I am truly sorry for the loss of your son. My men tell me he fought like a demon against Prince Trystane. He won us that battle truly he did. But now I must speak with you about our agreement."
Marius looked at the king then. "Your Grace?" he asked hesitantly.
The king sighed. "As we agreed my firstborn shall wed your eldest grandchild. A raven found us at camp some two days ago, my wife has given birth to a daughter, whom she has named Velena, when my daughter and your grandson are of an appropriate age they shall wed. But I must also tell you that my cousin Daeron shall be betrothed to Myriah Martell once this war is done, and we hold Sunspear. In the best interests of making sure Dorne holds true, and that the Martells do not try to usurp you."
Marius nodded, though he felt a brief surge of annoyance and anger, that the king did not yet trust him. "Of course Your Grace, a wise move. Where do you wish for me and mine to be when we march?"
The king looks at him then and says. "You shall lead the attack on Sunspear, bring me Olyvar Martell's head and you shall be rewarded beyond your imaginations."
Marius nods and their meeting comes to an end, the next morning they set off for Sunspear, 6,000 Dornishmen and 10,000 Westerosi. As he rides next to his son, he speaks with Lords Manwoody and Fowler, both proud men and both of whom have some reservations about what they are doing. "We have been free and independent of the rest of Westeros since Nymeria came, even when there were seven kingdoms none sought to threaten us directly. Why should we not remain independent? Blackmont brought down Prince Aegon and his dragon, surely we could do the same?" Lord Fowler asked in a hush whisper.
"Hush you fool," Lord Manwoody said. "The dragons have ears as well as eyes. You are lucky the king did not kill you when we were brought before him at Vulture's Roost. We have our heads and our lands still, whilst House Blackmont is a smoking ruin and High Hermitage and Starfall sit undecided. No, it is better this way, better to be friends with the dragons then burning to ash and forgotten about. Besides Olyvar Martell has done nothing for us, accept extend our hatred of his house. Him and his fool brother."
Ser Helman Jordayne who had taken command of his house's forces following his father's death spoke then. "Lord Manwoody speaks truly. The dragons have shown what they do to those who stand against them. We are fortunate they did not come south earlier. This king is not his father to sit idly by whilst there are those who should belong to him. His march on Ghost Hill proves this. The Martells are done."
Marius remained silent as they arrived at Hellholt and were joined rather grudgingly by Ser Lewyn Tyrell, Prince Aemon having flown away to join the king at Ghost Hill. They marched and marched in silence through the heat of the desert, and when they marched past Salt Shore every man said a silent prayer, for House Gargalen, now dead and gone to a prince's wrath. "That was ill done by the Martells." Anders said sadly. "The Gargalens were a proud and brilliant house, who will control the port from vagabonds now?" Marius knew not, but he knew that it would fall to him to find a replacement once this was all over.
They were camped at Lemonwood when a rider found them, breathless from his journey to inform them of a battle that had occurred on the Greenblood, the words were writ in the hand of one Lord Alyn Velaryon or so Ser Orys Targaryen told him. They spoke of a battle at the Greenblood between the Velaryon fleet and the fleet of Sunspear, of a fierce battle that had seen Ser Bryce Lannister killed, his fleet burnt, and countless deaths. Lord Alyn wrote though that the Velaryon Fleet had triumphed in the end and that one Ser Morrigen Sand, the commander of the Sunspear fleet lay dead burning at the bottom of the sea. There were serious celebrations in Lemonwood that night, the Sunspear fleet could have posed serious problems for them had it not been sent forth? Olyvar Martell was panicking, that was a good sign, and the more a man panicked the more rash his actions would be.
Ser Lewyn however, voiced an opinion that none else seemed to have remembered. "The walls of Sunspear are still mightily big my lords. We shall need to scale them or break the city gates, and even then Martell will have men on the walls ready to bring us down."
Lord Marius nodded then but then said. "Perhaps aye, but he will have much to worry about now his fleet is burnt, we must send word to Lord Alyn, if he could sail down the Greenblood and lay siege to Sunspear through the sea, they'd starve and then we'd have them." The men voiced their agreement and soon enough a raven was sent flying off to the Greenblood, the next day they were on the march again.
The first sign of battle they faced on after Sandstone came on the Bridge of Stones, near Planky Town, men led by Ser Gerold Drinkwater had formed up numbering some 5,000 men and a fierce battle was fought. Hacking and slashing a plenty, and though Ser Gerold had fewer men, they were men who knew the bridge and its weaknesses better than even Marius and the Dornish lords with him. Many of their men plunged to their deaths, swallowed by the Greenblood and event the narrow sea.
The fighting was fierce, but eventually as the sun began to set, they broke through Ser Gerold's shield wall, and Marius killed the man himself and the battle of the Bridge of Stones was won. Their losses were numerous though, men had drowned, brought down by the weight of their armour and horses, or had been killed by Dornishmen used to fighting in close quarters. Ser Lewyn Tyrell himself was dead; a spear through his heart, Ser Orys was badly wounded, and was left behind when Marius ordered the men to march once more.
When they came upon Sunspear's walls, they found ships bearing the Targaryen and Velaryon coat of arms around the port, forming a circle around the port preventing other ships from reaching harbour. The walls seemed barren as well, though Marius suspected should they launch an attack the men would come streaming to the walls. When they made camp for the night, Marius sat down in council with some of the other lords, Lord Rowan a short but broad man spoke then. "How shall we take the city my lord? The walls are high and yet Velaryon has not landed men to storm the gates as of yet."
Marius was silent for a moment before he said. "By way of diversion." And so he told the assembled lords of a plan he and his brother had drawn up long ago, when the wars with the pirates still happened, and he spoke to them of ways into the city of Sunspear long forgotten by those who ruled it. After all his grandmother had been a Martell, and now it was time to repay a favour, a debt he owed. Sunspear would be his, and when the horns were blown the next morning Marius raised his sword high into the air and bellowed one word, and one word he had wanted to say since his father had died by the Prince's hand. "Charge!" The battle had begun.