Assalamualaikum,
Terasa nak buat sambungan cerita si Aurelian Redfyre tu, macam interesting pulak Valyrian character aku ni. Haha
The wild rumor is indeed true. Both Aurelian and Daenerys can't hide the fact that they are in love and finally decided to join the house. Both also shared their wish to have a legitimate heir and unwilling to raise a bastard. They are right. An ambitious bastards might spark an unnecessary inheritance issue. History recorded a series of civil wars between the Targaryen and their cadet branch, Blackfyre which indirectly caused by this problem. In a grand ceremony at Meereen, Aurelian Redfyre wed Queen Daenerys Targaryen and styled, Prince of Elyria and king-consort.
Elyria is an island city located in the eastern part of Valyrian Peninsular. It was recently captured by the Targaryen' force under Aurelian in 307AC. Daenerys granted the island and its surrounding to House Redfyre while transferred the governorship of Hesh to Dothraki's warlord, Khal Ponno who lent his support to the Targaryen. The location of Hesh which is located at the southern gateway of the Great Grass Sea suited to Dothraki's way of life.
Aurelian was also named as the commander-in-chief of the Targaryen forces. His first move is to cross Long Sigh River and conquer what's left of Aegon's kingdom. As expected, their tattered army was in a desperate situation. Their king already fled the continent. The food supplies are running out. Their ally, the Volantenes pulled out and retreating back to Volantis. The capital, Mantarys is in the verge of rebellion. It's a matter of paramount for Aurelian to conquer it before the revolt breakout so that he can claim it in the name of House Targaryen.
To the south, Ser Jorah Mormont's 5,000 men captured a defenseless Oros while its garrison retreating westward to merge with Aegon's main forces at Demongate. At Mantarys, Viserion was injured due to sudden balistae attack by the defender while on scouting mission and was sent back to dragonkeep in Elyria. In the absence of his dragon, Aurelian need to rely on wisdom and tactics to take the city.
Worsening his situation, Khal Ponno pulled out from the main army since his presence was required in the election the new Great Khal at Dothraki's capital, Vaes Dothrak. He left Mantarys with his entire bloodrider of around 8,000 men and greatly reduced Aurelian's forces.
Reluctant to recall Ser Jorah who is now advancing towards Demongate, Aurelian is preparing his forces of 10,000 men consisted of 2,000 Unsullied, 4,000 Valyrian's infantry, 3,000 archers and 500 cavalry accompanied by 500 auxiliaries' troops. It's more than enough to launch a direct attack against less than 3,000 ill-supplied Mantarys Town Watch. However, rather than capturing the city by force, he is probing other method to mitigate loss from his side.
Instead he opted to used diplomacy by offering clemency and gold to Mantarys' nobility should they surrender unconditionally. However, this has been rejected and Aurelian continue to siege the city until one of his spies managed to uncover an old sewage system beneath the city, leading to the Mantarys Great Bath, near the town square.
Capitalizing the luck, Aurelian led a strike group consisted of his owned Valyrian Dragonlord knight and stealthily infiltrate the palace. This followed by a cold-blooded massacre of the Mantarys noble where most of them were killed in their sleep. As for Aurelian, the killing is necessary to avoid an unnecessary loss to his army and also civilians from the prolonged siege.
On the next day, Aurelian issued another letter to demand the capitulation of the city, cited the massacre of twenty-five Mantarys noble in a single night. Just before noon, the defender opened the city-gate and accepted the unconditional submission of the city to Aurelian's forces. He did it. He managed to achieve his objective to seize Mantarys without bloodshed, at least from his side.
With Mantarys captured, both Aurelian and Ser Jorah combined their forces and strike the last of Aegon's holding, castle of Demongate which is surrounded by river and rocky hill. Upon securing the bridgehead, Aurelian ordered the construction of forward camp with Ser Jorah's forces occupy the eastern section, separated approximately 1km from Aurelian's main camp due to difficult terrain.
Hesitant of being trapped in a long and suffering siege, the enemy commander's cum de-facto leader of Aegon's faction, Lord Rolly Duckfield led some 8,000 men in a surprise attack against Ser Jorah's forward camp and wreaking havoc to his unprepared troops, which greatly outnumbered 2:1. Duckfield's cavalry led the attack by charging uphill, followed by two waves of infantry support.
Upon receiving news on the attack, Aurelian readied his cavalry and raced to rescue his battered ally which is in a danger of complete encirclement. 500 elite cavalrymen charged the enemy from behind and pinned down Duckfield's left flank in a blitzkrieg attack.
Now with the enemy's attention drew to Aurelian's cavalry, Ser Jorah mounted a counterattack to link up with Aurelian. His troops slowly pressed Duckfield in a bitter hand-to-hand fighting until the Red Dragon's banner of House Redfyre closing in.
As planned, Duckfield's reinforcement of around 6,000 men sallied out from the Eastern wall led by Ser Laswell Peake and proceed to encircle Aurelian's forces. It seems that Rolly wanted to execute a defeat-in-detail tactic. He wanted Aurelian to think this is a normal sortie sent to disrupt the siegeworks. However, the Valyrian's prince is not stupid. Aurelian knew this and pretended that Rolly succeed in outwitting him by luring a meagre Valyrian' cavalry to rescue Ser Jorah. Unbeknownst to him, Aurelian has already instructed Torgo Nudho, the Unsullied commander to march towards Ser Jorah's camp and wait for a signal to advance further.
Upon receiving the signal, Torgo leading a thunderous strike against Peake's reinforcement forces which caught the enemy off-guard! The arrival of Unsullied did relieved Aurelian's left flank where he now can concentrate his forces to bolster the camp's defense which is now under an imminent danger of fighting two fronts.
Aurelian rarely engaged with sword fighting especially after claiming Viserion a few years back where he normally won the battle with his dragon. However, to his credit, Aurelian is also renown with his swordsmanship and combat prowess. In the heat of battle, he spotted Lord Duckfield surrounded by a group of knights, presumably his bodyguards.
In an exemplary show of swordsmanship, Aurelian hacked through Rolly's bodyguard and eventually reached him. A sword duel between the two commanders lasted no less than ten minutes in which Aurelian's Valyrian sword, Redfyre managed to pierce Rolly's armor and injured him. At first, he wanted to release him, however after hearing insult thrown by Lord Duckfield towards his marriage with Daenerys, Aurelian proceed to beheaded him and seized Aegon's standard.
Seeing the enemy yet to give up, Aurelian renewed his cavalry attack by trotting to the right flank and crashed into a heated skirmish between Ser Jorah and Peake's heavy infantry. With the complete arrival of reinforcement, the Targaryen gaining an upper hand and pressed the enemy from all sides.
The remnant of Duckfield's troops of around 5,000 men began an orderly retreat back into the castle. Aurelian sent an envoy urging Lord Peake to surrender the castle to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. Should he accept it, he shall be able to retain his lordship of Demongate, and the survivors will be spared and absorbed into the Targaryen's army. A chivalrous Laswell Peake firmly rejected and responded that he willing to die rather than to bend the knee to Queen Daenerys.
Disappointed with the response, Aurelian reorganized and merged his forces with Ser Jorah to begin the siege of Demongate. In retaliation on Peake's rejection, Aurelian's artillery shells the wall mercilessly throughout the whole night, while he called the War Council to plan for an assault.
Approximately at 6AM, the first strike column consisted of the Valyrian's heavy infantry with missile supports forming the battle formation, oversee by the energetic Prince of Elyria. His army are well rested, while his enemy doesn't have enough sleep due to constant bombardment.
Supported by siege tower and a number of battering ram, the Targaryen fearlessly advanced toward the wall of Demongate.
Lord Peake ordered a counter-barrage against the advancing foe and managed to destroy Aurelian's siege tower, killing hundreds of troops inside it. Despite the setback, the Targaryen continue to push on. They want to end the campaign now!
A single battering ram barely managed to make its way to the main gate. Valyrian's missile unit desperately covering the assault with relentless volley of arrows and bolts projectiles. This is to avoid the defender to pour hot oil in their attempt to destroy the ram. A classic but proven tactics.
Simultaneously, a second strike group led by Ser Jorah Mormont begin to scale the Eastern wall in order to divert the defender from concentrating their effort on the main gate. Some 3,000 men from the mercenary group of Seconds Son and Stalwart Shield were engaged with an intense melee with the determined defender.
Upon breaching the main gate, the elite Targaryen forces swarmed the castle quickly formed and holding the first defensive line while waiting for the arrival of more reinforcement. A brutal fighting occurred between the two enemies; Laswell's army began to waver due to the sheer number of the attacker, and sudden arrival of Ser Jorah's flanking column which managed to secure the Eastern part of the castle.
As usual, Aurelian is in the vanguard and always goes where the fighting is thickest. He knew by the presence of the army leader in the battle, the troops will be more motivated and greatly improve their morale and discipline. In contrast, Ser Laswell is overseeing the battle and give command from his main keep. A true arm-chair commander.
Realizing his hopeless situation, Ser Laswell instructed his troops to fall back to defend the final stronghold. It's too late since most of the Targaryen's army were already inside the castle and rapidly closing in.
The retreating troops, mostly fresh levy was being cut-off by Aurelian's cavalry on their way back to the main keep. The survivor of around 1,000 men safely reached the keep and barred the gate, however they are now facing a force tenfold of their strength. Peake's second in command, Ser Marq Mandrake urged him to give up the fight. There's nothing they can do now. The Targaryen's army has control over 90% of the castle. Aurelian is mobilizing his artillery and are able to bombard the castle without the need to send his troops into the fray. Most importantly, there's no escape route.
Under the truce flag, Ser Laswell Peake relinquished the castle to Aurelian and accepted the Targaryen's rule. True to his word, Aurelian shows clemency and pardon the survivors which later being given a fair treatment. The Siege of Demongate was the last action of the campaign and marked a complete domination of Daenerys' reign in Slaver's Bay. Closed to 13,000 Aegon's troops killed or wounded and 1,000 captured while the Targaryen suffered around 5,000 killed or wounded in action.
Prince Aurelian Redfyre returned to Meereen and personally informed the Queen on the victory. A grand triumph was being organized by Daenerys for her beloved husband, followed by a three-days of feast. But no other things are more important for both of them as the royal couple is now expecting the birth of their first children, the heir to the throne.
Two months after the triumph, Queen Daenerys safely gave birth to Princess Visenya III, named after her ancestor, Queen Visenya I.
Daenerys' sudden expansionist policy drew attention from the other neighbouring Free-Cities, especially the Volantenes. However, with her rear secured from alliance with the Dothraki Khalasar brokered by Prince Aurelian, Daenerys could muster her army to the Western frontier and guarding the border from possible incursion from the alliance of Free-Cities.
Having recovered from the battle-wound, Viserion starts to fly again and took an active part in patrolling the sky, together with his brother, Drogon.
Queen Daenerys with Drogon, named after her late-husband, Khal Drogo.
Aurelian often travelled between Elyria and the capital, Meereen twice a week to juggle his official duty as the Lord of Elyria and Hand of the Queen.
Meanwhile in Westeros, the conflict raged on with the current ruler, House Lannister of Crownlands are now fighting the coalition of the Stark-Tully-Arryn led by Queen Sansa Stark. The usurper, Cersei Lannister enjoying a military domination with Tyrell's army and Greyjoy's Iron Fleet on their side. It seems that the continent is engaged with a never-ending conflict since the Baratheon's seized the power from House Targaryen some 25 years ago. Also, there's a rumour of Aegon VI who managed to gained support from the Dornish ruler, Prince Doran Martell and preparing an invasion against the Stormlands in his bid to reclaim the Iron Throne.
By advice of her husband, Daenerys decided not to interfere with the Westerosi conflict and shift her focus on stabilizing the Targaryen's holding at Slaver's Bay. Aurelian convinced her that they should prioritize the engagement with the new lords, and of course, raising their kids away from war and suffering. Moreover, the army need to be replenished and Daenerys must secure a strong alliance before crossing the Narrow Sea for Westeros. There's much to be done here, rather than invading the spoiled continent.
At the moment itu je lah ceritanya. Somehow dalam game ni Daenerys macam takde effort langsung nak invade Westeros. Maybe kalau ada next story pun kita akan fokus conflict in Essos, especially against the Free-Cities.
