Ronnet Connington SI

-Chapter 68-

-POV 3rd-

Few people saw Gregor Clegane collapse to the ground amidst the chaos, as everyone was preoccupied with the Connington army arriving from three different sides, cutting off any possible retreat for the fugitives.

The soldiers of the houses sworn to the Tullys, all fleeing toward the central block of the Connington army, stopped as they saw them atop the hill, realizing they were caught between a rock and a hard place.

The first soldiers to flee found themselves nearly face to face with the soldiers of the Connington army at the top of the hill when they heard the enemy army's officers shouting to the archers:

"LOOSE!"

A rain of arrows flew from the rear of the Connington troops and fell upon the survivors of the Riverlands army, closely pursued by the Lannister army soldiers.

This single and final volley of arrows delivered a fatal blow, both morally and physically, to the remaining troops of the Tully vassals.

While the Lannister army soldiers laughed and celebrated the end of the battle and the utter defeat of House Tully, no one noticed the two cavalry units, positioned to the east and west of the battlefield, rapidly descending upon the field.

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-POV Daven Lannister-

"Father, I have a bad feeling," I said, watching the enemy cavalry swoop down on the last remaining troops still loyal to the Tullys.

"Don't worry, they don't know," said my father, clearly nervous, though he was trying his best to hide it.

"How can you be so sure?" I asked, growing more and more anxious as the seconds ticked by.

"If Ronnet knew, he wouldn't have sent his brother. Tywin assured me personally that we're not at risk," he said.

'We're just pawns to him, he doesn't care. Despite our close familial ties, our lives and deaths mean nothing to him,' I thought.

"But…"

"Even if that were the case, if we make a move now, we could alert them and ruin Kevan's plan. Once Raymund Connington is in his possession, we'll be safe," my father said, trying to silence me to avoid attracting bad luck.

"Uncle Kev…"

The words died in my throat as I saw the cavalry, just a few meters from the exhausted and desperate Riverlands soldiers, make a sharp 90° turn, heading straight for us.

'NOOOOOOOOOO! They're aiming to break through our lines and flank us!' I screamed internally, watching my worst fears come true.

I turned to my father, expecting him to give orders, but he was dumbfounded and clearly no longer with me.

I looked around for Ser Gregor to try and rally him, but all I saw was the giant dying in his own blood.

'When?' I thought before violently pulling myself together.

I screamed at the top of my lungs, "SHIELDS, RAISE YOUR FUCKING SHIELDS!"

But it was too late, far too late. In mere moments, the first lines of my army were crushed by the enemy cavalry, which accelerated and tore through our forces with a devastating double flank charge.

I kept shouting at my soldiers to raise their shields, regroup, and reform their ranks, but it was useless. Everyone was panicked, as the poorly formed lines fell like flies.

Once the first deserters turned and fled, the fire spread like dry straw, and everyone fled with their tails between their legs, terrified of dying.

'There are at least 15,000 in the central block,' I thought as I watched the central army charge toward the equally confused Riverlands soldiers.

'They didn't even betray us to ally with Robb Stark and Edmure Tully. They're just trying to take everything for themselves,' I realized, understanding that not only did Ronnet know, but he was also aiming to gain the loyalty and obedience of the Riverlands lords.

'But how will he do it?' I wondered, unable to figure out how they were planning it.

And that's when I saw her. Sansa Stark. Or should I say Sansa Tully, looking at the banners bearing the colors of House Tully carried by the knights accompanying her.

I understood everything the moment I locked eyes with her, and a black rage took hold of me.

I grabbed the lance from a soldier who was pissing himself next to me and on the verge of vomiting, and I spurred my horse.

It mercilessly knocked down the men in front of me, who were all running in the opposite direction, clearing a path for me to kill this bitch.

'If she dies, the whole plan of these bastards falls apart.'

She was surrounded by her knights, but I had trained with the best jousters.

I knew I could reach her.

The closer I got to her, the more certain I was that I could turn the tide of this battle by causing panic in their camp.

I kept repeating to myself with every meter that brought me closer to my target:

'I can do this.'

'I can do this.'

'I can do this.'

'I can…'

A searing pain struck me all at once, breaking my firm grip on the reins and causing me to fall to the ground, dropping my lance in the process.

I quickly identified the pain as an arrow lodged in my thigh, and as I tried to get up and reach my lance that had fallen nearby, a horse suddenly stomped on my leg with both hooves.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"

The pain was unbearable, and the scream I let out was proof of that.

"What do you want us to do with him, Lady Sansa?" I heard the knight on her right ask the young woman, who was doing everything she could to keep from vomiting while maintaining the impassive expression she wore.

Fighting not to cry from the pain I was in, I screamed:

"MY UNCLE WILL HAVE YOUR HEAD FOR THIS TREASON! YOU'RE ALLYING WITH THOSE FUCKING BARBARIAN DOGS FROM THE NORTH? WE SHOULD HAVE EXECUTED EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU!"

The pain was so intense that the only way to stay conscious without crying was to shout, spewing all the rage and agony I felt at the face of this young woman, who had just condemned the thousands of men under our command and the entire Lannister house.

'Even Tywin Lannister won't recover from losing 35,000 seasoned soldiers.'

"Kill him," the girl said in such a low voice that I almost didn't hear it.

The man wearing black armor and a black cloak smiled and said, raising his sword:

"I don't know which uncle you're talking about, young man, but don't worry, they'll be joining you very soon. I can assure you that I'll be sending every Lannister to join you shortly."

He added just before letting his sword fall:

"I'll personally make sure of it, you pieces of shit."

The last thing I thought, as I watched the sword of this man I didn't know quickly approaching, was the hatred he bore toward us.

I didn't understand it.

'Why hate us? We were the big losers in this war.'