The Age of Daenerys Targaryen

Part 31: Volon Therys

Under cover of night, the Imperials took up position. Whole divisions of light infantry hid in the woods and bushes along the road that led from the north to Volon Therys. Shallow pits were hastily dug where Grey Worm intended to intercept the Alliance army. In these the Imperials placed vessels with wildfire and then covered them with branches and leaves.

The Empire's line troops took up position behind the fire traps. The cavalry, made up entirely of Dothraki, lurked behind hills so that they were not immediately spotted by the advancing enemies. In the shadow of the ramparts of Volon Therys waited the most powerful weapon of the Imperial Army, which had not yet been used: two hundred and fifty war elephants, left behind by the Triarches of Volantis. Daenerys Targaryen herself and Drogon watched the Alliance army from a safe height.

"The damn beast makes me nervous", growled Harlik Perk, while he watched the dragon circling in the sky from the saddle of his horse.

"That goes for all of us", replied Yohn Royce, who rode alongside the Lord of the Dreadfort. "Just look how high it flies. Daenerys fears our scorpions. If she attacks, we will not be defenseless."

"What about the scouts who haven't returned?", asked the Northman.

"The Imperials will have intercepted them", said Royce. "Something like that happens. No doubt they will have posted smaller units along our route to ambush us. If that happens, our cavalry will kill them."

In fact, the Alliance army was repeatedly ambushed as it approached Volon Therys. But whenever the horsemen pursued the Imperial skirmishers too far, they never returned. Finally, Lord Royce gave the order not to hunt the Imperials any more. Still, the attacks were nothing more than mosquito bites against the vast Westerosi armed forces and their allies.

The light of the rising sun fell on the brightly colored banners of lords, knights, and mercenary companies. Armor and weapons glittered in the dawn as the Alliance warriors marched in tight ranks.

The Imperials awaited them a little north of Volon Therys. Their dark gray uniforms formed a sharp contrast to the different colored tunics of their opponents. And the banners that waved over their heads all had the same coat of arms: the red, three-headed dragon of the Targaryen on a black field.

Alliance troops came to a halt three hundred yards from the Imperial lines. While battle-hardened knights, soldiers at arms and mercenaries, as well as countless lightly armed peasants and Septon Corban's zealots gathered for the onslaught, it seemed as if the whole world was holding its breath.

The Imperials, meanwhile, loaded the catapults they had set up behind their front line troops.

Gendry felt for the war hammer attached to the saddle of his warhorse. For the first onslaught, however, he would use the lance, a tried and tested tactic of the knights of Westeros. Hardly anything could withstand a resolutely carried out attack by heavily armored lancers.

The Lord of Storm's End looked over at the dark gray block of the Imperials. They were clearly outnumbered and he saw no cavalry. That was strange. Gendry couldn't imagine Daenerys going into such an important battle without her barbaric steppe riders.

The same thought occurred to Lord Royce. "The Dothraki are probably hiding behind the hills in front of us." He sent pike-bearers to the sides and to the rearguard of the army to secure it against a surprising flank attack.

At last the signal to attack was given. The bright sound of the trumpets had not yet died away when an avalanche of steel was rolling towards the Imperials. Gendry rode in the front row ... and that saved him from the inferno.