Assalamualaikum,
Seperti yang dijanjikan, episod ketiga didalam mini-series: Reyne of Castamere. Sila klik link dibawah untuk previous episode:
310AC - Within five years after the coronation of Queen Cersei Lannister, there is a smell of dissatisfaction across the Seven Kingdom. With the death of Stannis during the war, Renly sent to the Wall while Joffrey & Tommen assassinated, the true Baratheon's male lineage was ended. The cause of dissatisfaction? Primarily was due to the rumors on the Queen behind the assassination of King Joffrey Baratheon, although some believed it was being instigated by House Stark sympathizers. This led to the open rebellion initiated by Lord Monford Velaryon and Lord Ardrian Celtigar, joined by other Crownland houses. They were once all sworn to the royal House Baratheon. However with the Queen's father, Lord Paramount Tywin Lannister commanding the Royal army, the rebellion was being crushed after a year of fighting. The rebellious house were forced to bend the knee while the instigators, House Velaryon and Celtigar were defeated and exiled to Essos.
With the marriage of Ser Jaime Lannister and Lady Margery Tyrell, the Westerland further solidified their alliance with the Reach. In addition, collaborators of the Red Wedding were rewarded handsomely for their involvement. Lord Paramount Roose Bolton was appointed Warden of the North, while Lord Walder Frey was being installed as the new Lord Paramount of the Trident. The Iron Island is now just a mere petty kingdom due to their heavy defeat during Ironborn Rebellion five years ago. Far to the desert land of the Dorne, things not go smoothly with the assassination of peace-loving Prince Doran Martell in the hand of Sand Snake, this led to the installation of Ellaria Sand as the new ruler for Dornish people. Shortly after the event, the last surviving member of the Baratheon's house which was being held captive at Sunspear, Myrcella was being poisoned presumably by the order of Queen Ellaria. This led to the renewal of hostilities against the Iron Throne.
311AC - Lord Fredrik is at Castamere when he received a raven with from Tywin Lannister to mobilize his army. "Ser Lyman, ready the troops at once. We are marching south". A week later, the Reyne's host led by the Lord of Castamere himself marching south to join the campaign. Prior to the royal invasion, the Dorne is already at war with its neighbor, the Reach and both side suffered heavy casualties as a result of many years of perpetual hostility. According to Tywin's plan, the Royal standing army total around 10,000 strong led by Ser Jaime Lannister will land near The Tor, while another forces from the West, including Fredrik will assembled at the frontier at Vulture Roost castle and move inland into Dorne territory.
The assembly was complete in late 311AC with the forces around 15,000 Westerlanders marshaled by Lord Kevan Lannister gathered in a short feast before crossing the border. The Royal fleet however was being delayed due to bad weather and abnormal sea condition. Further request made by Warden of the South, Lord Paramount Mace Tyrell asking for reinforcement to relieve Blackmont worsen the situation as Lord Kevan need to decide whether to split his army or advance forward to secure The Tor's beachhead. "Father, let me bring my men to reinforce the Tyrell. I know this land better than anyone here..". "Alright Fredrik, you will advance westward with your men tomorrow. I wish you good luck." Lord Fredrik who familiar with the Dorne's geography, thanks to his maternal association with House Dayne volunteered to bring his 2,500 men to relieve Lord Mace.
Upon consideration, Lord Fredrik decided to take dry marshes route instead of marching directly through desert to minimize any harassment by the Dorne's cavalry and also to avoid contact with the its scout. After two weeks of hidden march, the Reyne's host appeared near Kingsgrave. Fredrik sent raven to Lord Mace informing his reinforcement arrival. However 2,500 is not a good odd against 15,000 Dorne's besieger, plus the Reach reinforcement party led by Lord Randyll Tarly is nowhere to be seen.
A highly decorated field commander of Stormland & Ironborn campaigns, Lord Fredrik quickly devised plan to split the Dorne's commander. "Here is the plan, we will split the Dornish generals and pick them one at a time. Let's hope they fell into my trap.."The plan was set and Lord Andres Yronwood is the first to fall into Fredrik's trap. Thanks to his network of spies which gave false information on his size and position, 6,000 Dorne's forces led by Lord Yronwood split from the besieging army to crush the relief effort.
As planned, Fredrik only put quarter of its forces as a decoy, while the main chunk of his army lead by Ser Lyman Vikary are well hidden in a forest. His intuition worked as Yronwood led his cavalry to directly charge the Reyne's vanguard thinking its Fredrik's main army. Packed in a square formation, the spearman locked their shield and repulsed the cavalry charge while taking minimal loss.
Having failed to break the line, Lord Yronwood rode back and instruct general advance. This is where the battle will be decided. With Dorne's fearsome cavalry was put out of the action and no longer considered significant threat, slaying Dorne's infantry is just a piece of cake considering their inferiority against the battle hardened Westerlanders.
4,000 Dorne's infantry advanced to Fredrik's center and met with a terrible hail of arrow from Reyne's archers stationed in the forest. To counter, Lord Yronwood bring his fresh archers into the fray to unleash their infamous poisoned Dornish arrow into Fredrik's spearman line.
Unintimidated, he ordered Ser Lyman's cavalry to reveal their position out from the forest and charge the archers. Seeing their archers routed, the Dorne's infantry did not really have option but continue to fight. With these, Fredrik unleashed his final deadly card by instructing the Reyne's infantry to charge and encircle Yronwood's army. The battle is over at 4pm with total decimation of Lord Yronwood's army together with its commander.
The victorious Fredrik's army rode southward to execute his second plan which is to lure Lord Ryon Allyrion from the besieging army. He quickly sent his spies dressed in Dorne's apparel to deliver false message of his defeat and further information on the retreat. After discussing with his war council, Lord Allyrion sent a detachment of 3,000 cavalrymen led by Ser Edric Dayne to chase the 'retreating' Westerlanders.
Two armies met at the field of Skyreach and start to prepare for battle. Having known the superiority of Dorne's cavalry, Lord Fredrik put his men in a large square formation with hollow center to stationed his archers and cavalry. The battle itself was straightforward where the elite Dorne's cavalry charged the Reyne's position and unable to break the square. Obviously, charging horse directly into the line of spear is never a good tactic. It was recorded thirty cavalry charge to and fro during the battle which saw massive casualties for the Dayne's host due to spear thrust and rain of arrow from Reyne's army.
As for Fredrik, the battle itself was a glorious victory where he suffered less than 100 casualties against 2,000 wounded and dead for the Dorne. "My lord, you need to see this. It's the Dornish commander" Fredrik went with Ser Lyman and shocked to saw his cousin's corpse. "Ohh my dear Edric..". The joy was interrupted when he realized Ser Edric Dayne, the opposing commanding officer was among the dead. He was devastated, due to the fact that Ser Edric was his cousin (from his mother side) and his family owed House Dayne of their assistance to shelter Lord Reynard's family in the aftermath of Reyne-Tarbeck Rebellion.
After his two successive victories, the Reyne advanced towards Blackmont and quickly prepare defensive operation to trap Lord Allyrion's 6,000 besieger. With his forces trap from two sides, the Dorne's commander called for parley and surrender their arms. The siege was being successfully lifted, thanks to the genius of Lord Fredrik which against all odd, managed to killed a sizable host of Dornish troops with a smaller number from his side. Shortly after the end of the siege, Lord Tarly arrived with 8,000 men. "I'm glad in two things about you Lord Reyne - we are not in war and you are our ally." Lord Reyne, Much of his awe, he gave credit to Fredrik's tactic in lifting the siege. The three commanders later joined force to invade Dorne from the southwest, further reinforced by another 6,000 troops from Lord Paxter Redwyne.
The army starts to advanced eastward to join Lord Kevan Lannister via Dorne Great Desert with a fairly large provision of water and foods while capturing lightly defended castle of Starfall and Sandstone in process. However nearing Hellholt, 18,000 allied army commanded by Lord Mace Tyrell was being blocked by around 25,000 Dornish led by Lord Gullian Qorgyle.
The battle was brutal with almost 8,000 dead and wounded for the Reach host. Fredrik himself was left with 1,500 troops after the battle. Casualties for the Dorne was much higher with 20,000 wounded and dead, the rest was scattered.
After the battle, the road to Sunspear was widely open. Further news received from the East, Kevan managed to secured central Dorne, however Ser Jaime Lannister's army was being cornered and defeated at Spottswood. He later was captured and held captive at Sunspear.
The Reach and Westerlander merged their forces and begin the Siege of Sunspear. Fearing the safety of his heir of Casterly Rock, Lord Tywin Lannister requested a parley but refused by Queen Ellaria. The latter demanded withdrawal of the entire Westerland-Reach army from Dorne and unconditional returned of the captured lands. This is not an acceptable terms, and a mere mockery to Tywin's intelligence. The siege was continued for another three months with no further attempt to storm the capital by force. With their supplies running out and constant harassment on their logistic line from both land and sea, the Hand of the Queen need to decide now whether to commence the attack and risk of losing Jaime or prolong the siege and risk of losing his army due to sickness and starvation.
Later, Lord Fredrik met Lord Tywin in the allied camp and volunteered to rescue Jaime from captive. "Lord Lannister, let me bring my best men. I live here before. There's a small tunnel at the east wing of Sunspear, located beneath the town's prison. I think I can get in from there..". "Go one Lord Reyne..and please, I want him alive." Having carefully studied the Dorne's capital through his childhood experience and his network of spies, he gathered his companions and stealthily infiltrate the town prison and freed Jaime.
A fierce urban combat raged in the street of Dorne's capital throughout the day with the Dorne's army and citizens fiercely defend every inch of their land. However, the futile resistance met its end with the annihilation of the last defender inside Royal Palace. Queen Ellaria was last seen in the burning harem, together with her daughters - Tyene, Nymeria and Loreza.
With the Dorne's total defeat in the war, it did symbolized their house's motto - Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken. They never bent the knee to the Queen, they fought every inch of their land and they never surrender. The campaign was proven a costly one for Queen Cersei with almost 15,000 troops dead and wounded in action, however it did helps to boost prestige and strengthen her legitimate claim on the Iron Throne.
313AC - With the end of the campaign, the Westerland added precious Dorne's land into their territory with the jackpot of lucrative trading capital of Sunspear that provide access to the rich Volantis through Jade Sea. The Reach also held a considerable amount of lands, thanks to House Reyne heroic stand in the Battle of Hellholt which allow the allied army to avoid shameful defeat and turn the tide of battle that allow them to crushed Dorne's army.
After the war, he is often seen exploring the countryside together with his companion during his free time (from left: the Lord's Guard Ser Barristan Selmy, his personal maester Sylva and his squire, Podrick Payne). With much proper facilities and its status as one of Westerland's important town, Fredrik shifted his administration center and brought his wife, Lady Janei and their children - Edric, Alyssane and Adrian to Kayce. To honor his family's legacy, he gladly retained the title Lord of Castamere although no longer center his power there. The memory of the infamous Rain of Castamere run deeply in his heart.
That's the wrap for episode three, I think got three more episodes to come, stay tuned!
