Battle for Supremacy

The Red Keep]

Loren watched the giant chain that his brother had made get raised and effectively trapped Stannis's fleet on the river. He turned to his brother and nodded for the second phase of the defense to be activated. The torch was thrown over the walls and soon afterward the ships carrying the wildfire his sister had been making blew in a blaze, covering Stannis's ships in a green field of flame, cries echoed far as the blasts soared high into the night sky. It was a spectacular sight to behold and he hopes it at least holds Stannis away.

The morning before had been strange, mainly before the battle he was visited by Varys. The man gave him the surprising news that Daenerys, the girl everyone thought was dead had turned out to be alive and was within the city of Qarth. She is one of the bigger threats to his family and has to be dealt with, but that can wait as Stannis is the real threat at the moment and if they survive then the 'last' dragon can be put to death. Varys also gave him some encouragement before leaving to do the same to his brother.

"Launch!"

He had Damon cry out and the trebuchets were put into action. The rowboats carrying Stannis's forces were now being bombarded, well some of them anyway. He placed three thousand men outside the gate and in a shield formation to meet the enemy, led by Wilhelm and the Hound. Preparations were made inside the city itself, five hundred of his best was sent to the Red Keep to defend the castle if he fails to do so, the other five hundred were spread around the northwestern side of the city.

He knows this is only part and the other part of his army will be coming across the river via the bridges. That's where at 1,500 Gold Cloaks will be coming into play, these will hold the force off until the ones in front are done. He looked on the river and then to the ones coming ashore with their siege weapons, ladders, and rams. "Loose!" cried a soldier and the archers on the walls and below behind the lines let the arrows and fire arrows fly.

A half hour passes and things became much bloodier, the men below are beginning to dwindle as thousands of Stannis's forces began arriving in droves, to the northwest the enemy had also begun swarming in and smashing against the men from behind, it all began to shaken a little bit but got worse when Sandor was flooding into the gate and cowering from one thing or the other.

"Sandor!, What are you doing?! Get back out there!" He demanded. If the men see one of their generals flee the battle, morale could drop immensely. Sandor looked at him before simply walking away, Damned dogs! He thought furiously, this is terrible.

"What are we going to do?" His nephew asked him and he turned to the King and took a deep breath, his anger subsiding for a moment.

"Lead them. You, Tyrion and I will lead half the men out and take them by surprise." He said to his nephew who looked more shaken than the Hound. His nerves got a bad vibe when a messenger came.

"Your grace!, the Queen needs you!" Joffrey made move by Lancels words and Loren stepped in front of his nephew and stared into his eyes.

"Don't!" He commanded his nephew and placed a hand on his shoulder, his fears became real once the 'King' shook his hand away and fled the battle. His anger blew and he shouted down at the boy, "You coward!" Joffrey didn't bother looking back and simply left the field with Lancel and three of his Kingsguard, Mandon Moore was the only one left of the Kingsguard.

Moral fell as a few hundred began doubting and muttering about what to do, he himself was a little unsure of what to do, he has never been in a situation before. As a child, looking at the Greyjoy's burn his fathers fleet it seemed like it wasn't that terrible, but now he sees the damage of it all. Tyrion's voice broke through as he did what he couldn't and tried to rally the men.

"I and Loren will lead the attack!, Follow us. There is an entrance through the sewers and we can get Stannis and his army from behind!" The men still looked a little doubtful until his brother finished doing his speech, "They say I'm half a man, but what does that make the lot of you?, Don't fight for the King or his Kingdoms, don't for glory or riches because you won't get any! This is your city that Stannis means to sack. If he wins then it will be your houses he burns, your gold he steals, and your women he will rape. There are men knocking on our door!, Lets go kill them!"

That did the trick as the forces he had gathered in the past few weeks roared in agreement. Tyrion nudged him and he nodded to the older sibling and placed his helm on. To battle then.

He and he split the remaining forces within and he charged out the gate to rally the others with Mandon following him, and Tyrion took Damon and the other half through the sewer entrance. "With me!" He shouted and charged into the enemy, cutting down the first man who was just getting done with an allied soldier. The battle became fierce as ally fought rebel in blood and steel. Then he saw a silhouette of the man himself. Stannis was with his guard and was fighting two men of House Buckwell. He gripped his sword and approached the former loyal of the crown.

"Stannis!" The man turned to him and the fury in his eyes ignited once more and Loren pointed to the city, "The corpse of your wife is waiting, and your daughter!" He sneered and roared at the would be King. Stannis was lured into a rage and charged at him.

Both men met blow to blow. Stannis is older than himself, more experienced and has a better mind on the battle. He parried a blow but the man pulled a dagger from his person and slashed his arm, he hissed in pain and continued to withstand the Stags onslaught, forced to defend against the older man's attacks of rage, again his taunting had backfired on him. He swerved right and swung his sword and slashed the man's leg but the momentary advantage turned upside down when the Lord of Dragonstone struck upward with his sword and scarred him.

His helm was lost during the scuffle and his right eye paid the price. He closed it quickly before the blade ran across it, the searing pain hurt as he stumbled backward, the bleeding persisted and tried to defend himself with his remaining eye, green flared with panic and rage as Stannis continued his assault and taking quick glances he saw the lines falling to the incoming Baratheon rebels. He hated it, his pride is destroyed as Stannis attacked and his men cut his own to pieces, they were even on the walls with their ladders and destroying the trebuchets.

He started this war with little struggle, seizing castle after castle from the River Lords. And to be in control of a large scale battle for once and failing, he can't believe that all the work he threw into the defense of this city that it is falling from some desertion, death, and the loss of two pillars for the moral of the army. Tyrion and his half of the force appeared and smashed against the enemy. Not caring about chivalry anymore he noticed Stannis's pause and kicked the bastard in the groin, sending the 'King' to collapse to the ground.

It isn't the worst way to win, but the glory is his and his alone. Stannis looked at him and tried to get down but a firm kick to the ground. "Wilhelm! Damon!" He said and the two appeared before him, "Take this one away, to the Red Keep. Spread the word! Stannis has fallen!" He cried and the allied forces began calling out the news, King Stannis is captured and has fallen. It did some of the tricks as several hundred men were retreating back to their rowboats, leaving the field. One soldier tried to get him to safety for his wounds but he denied them.

"Enough!" He pushed them aside and dived back into the enemy, killing two before Mandon appeared and with sword raised. Moments later he was cut down with another wound to his chest, the sword was close and came down hard enough to carve through it. He crumbled to the dirt and before the Knight could finish him, a small ax cut the mans leg off and another strike ended the man by beheading. Tyrion came to his side and ordered Podrick and Bronn to help him back into the city for aid.

Moments later the sound of hooves and horns being blown caught most of everyone's attention. He turned and saw the gold lion and rose clash against the enemy who retreated or fell dead.

He doesn't remember losing consciousness, maybe the blood loss helped. He would wake in strange places, once under the night sky whilst the battle went on, another being carried into the Red Keep by Bronn, uncle Kevan, Damon and even his father and the last image was seeing Pycelle giving him milk of the poppy, then he remained out cold until one morning where it felt like weeks, his body definitely felt like it rest for several weeks, maybe three at most. His wounds still felt sore and a nearby servant told him its been two weeks and four days since the battle.

The chambers he was in wasn't the Hands, the textures say Maegors Holdfast. A quaint place to put the former Hand of the King, but at least it wasn't some dank room somewhere. He rested one more time and woke up by the door opening and closing. It was Varys and his brother who entered and sided by Podrick, Wilhelm was by his side outside the chamber.

"Glad you're awake. Or at least I am." Tyrion quipped and sat down, a friendly smile on the Imps face. "Your wounds were severe, but Pycelle made sure you would live." He added and he was reluctantly grateful to smelly old fool.

"Your father didn't leave your side for the first three days besides to get his household under control. He put your uncle in control of the Gold Cloaks and sent your brother clansmen away." His father got to work early it seemed, he asked the eunuch how many men he lost, "Your army lost close to 4,500 men, 2000 Lannister men and 1500 Gold Cloaks and 1,000 Crownlands." He nodded and grabbed a mirror, his eye was bandaged up and he looked down to his scar on his chest, still, red and won't be healed for some time and that's if he can even see through his eye.

"Mandon attacked me. Tried to murder me. Find who did it." He told Varys who nodded to him, though only two could command a Kingsguard, Joffrey or Cersei and hopes it isn't either because when he does find out who tried to kill him, the Lion will bare his claws and teeth. "I failed, the enemy scaled the walls and I wasn't able to hold my ground." He said in a defeated tone with his eye narrowed and fists clenched in anger, his pride was tarnished by his enemy and his own allies. He will heal and search for who did it and have them bend to his will.

"What about Stannis, do we still have him?" He asked and his brother nodded to his inquiry.

"Yes. Father is awaiting the trial for a while longer, he wants you to be there." He smiled lightly. Maybe his father is proud of him after all.

His brother and Varys left shortly thereafter and he was by himself and thought that he would remain here and alone until a knock to his door sounded and Wilhelm allowed whoever it was to enter. His one eye widened at the sight of a old face he hadn't seen in years since he was first knighted, as for herself she smiled at him and closed the door behind her.

"... Margaery?" He uttered and her smiled widened a little more.

She looked beautiful. Her thick and long curly brown hair, a perfect face and a full grown bodice, pale, smooth unblemished skin, and a slender but womanly figure. She is fair and lively with eyes that shined with mischief as it always had. Her appearance caused some better memories to resurface. She approached and kissed his head and sat down on a chair.

"I came to visit. Hope you don't mind." She asked him and he shook his head once, not a smile to be seen.

"From the lion gem around your neck, I assume you are to become my niece soon?" He inquired and she chuckled before getting up and climbed on top of him, straddling him.

"Yes. Though, that is far from now. Let's reminisce about our nights in Highgarden."

Before he could say a thing she kissed him, and all was a blank in lust. Maybe his pride isn't as hurt.