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The Redfish (Edmure SI) chapter 112
🕑 Added 2023-10-06 16:01:51 +0000 UTCLight resistance
Edmure POV
The giant stone flew over my head, crashing into the tower's walls before it crumbled and fell, bringing the wall down, too. A narrow entrance appeared, and a few more stones widened it further. I ordered the men to wait as more stones hit that place, clearing more space. When I saw that it was a big enough entrance, I motioned for the freedmen to invade the city.
With their weapons held high, they rushed to the hole in the wall, climbing over the rubble. I then turned my eyes at the gates; they were closed tight, and there still wasn’t a signal that any other gates were opened. With a hole in the wall, Yunkai has no chance of holding their city, so if they have something prepared for us, they will use it soon.
To bait them out, I rode closer to the walls. They should see me with my guards nearing the hole in the wall. Just as I thought Yunkai didn’t have anything to defy me, I saw smoke coming from the other side of the city. Then I heard the heavy before me opening. Instantly, I realized their plan, but it didn’t catch me off guard.
It only meant they had enough men to strike from two sides simultaneously. I quickly ordered Grey Worm to set a shield wall at the side and block the cavalry from our side. I didn’t need to tell the Tattered Prince anything, as he got the gist of what was happening and quickly flew into action organizing his cavalry.
The gates were burst open. From what I could discern from one glance, about two and half thousand cavalry rode out. Seeing as my two hundred men with me were already in front of everyone, I took the point. But rather than ride straight at them like a madman, I curved around them, forcing a sizeable force to follow me.
It would be a risky move on my part as if they caught us, they would strike us from behind, but I had enough experience and knew what I was doing. My guards and I were faster than them, and the freedmen who still hadn’t entered the city quickly moved to intercept the enemy cavalry. They had no choice but to form a long, narrow column when leaving the gates.
Everything fell in place for my small force to pierce them through their side. While the Tattered Prince struck the cavalry head-on, I drew my Valyrian sword and carved a way through their side. The dust rose from all the horses around the battlefield, and chaos ensued. The screams of men or horses were impossible to distinguish as both fell to the ground.
The Unsullied stopped the second cavalry coming from the side. But the battle just began. As I pierced through the cavalry, those following us quickly were lost in the chaos of the fight. I quickly looked around to see that the Tattered Prince stopped the cavalry in their tracks, letting the freedmen enter the fray.
The Unsullied held off the cavalry coming from the side. Instead of helping either, I looked at the still-opened gates that would soon be closed. They were barely guarded, as Yunkai was trying to stop the freedmen from entering through the hole in the wall. So, I took the opportunity, and with my two hundred guards, I rode to the city.
The guards at the gates were measly, if any. There was little resistance to stop us from entering the city. While the archers took quite a few of us, nothing stopped us once we entered the streets. The slave soldiers, seeing their getting stomped by our horses, quickly threw their weapons down and ran away.
“Clegane, take fifty men and lead the freedmen.”
“I don’t speak Valyrian.”
“You don’t need to speak; just lead them through the city and finish off what is left of the soldiers.”
With gates secure, it was time to finish the cavalry, and Yunkai will be ours. Leaving the city along the way, we entered. I surveyed the battlefield. To end this fight faster, I needed to take down their command. But it was difficult to see who was who within the dust and masses of men and horses clashing at each other.
Instead, I looked at the best group of men who pushed their opponents back even in this chaos. Within the elites, it was mostly likely their command. Either way, killing them would help others, so we again rode into the battlefield. I could tell our horses were getting tired, but so did the enemy’s. We needed to strike and finish them now or never, and I couldn’t let the commanders go, no matter what.
As we charged into the chaos of the battlefield, the dust and mess made it difficult to distinguish friend from foe. Horses whinnied, men shouted, and the clash of steel against steel filled the air. But I had our target within my sight. And even if few got in the way, they were quickly cut down and stomped over.
My Valyrian sword glimmered in the sun as we neared them. They noticed us but were already preoccupied to able to change their formation to meet us. I didn’t know who they were; their armor was high quality, but dust and blood covered it beyond recognition. It didn’t matter in the end. They were overrun by our numbers and disordered by the rapid turn of events.
I would have liked to say they fought bravely and hoped to be seen like this in their last moments, but the truth was that they didn’t last even for a moment. My sword cut through them like they were made of straw. Our charges have gored them, throwing most out of their horses, and the rest didn’t even have a chance to retreat.
“Die, you swine!” Their anger showed as one took a heavy swing at me and shouted at my face. “You won’t extinguish century’s long perseverance. Our bitter steel shall not be defeated.”
“This is not the end! It's a temporary setback,” Another joined with my sword. “The dragon may have won this battle, but our fire still burns!”
“It can burn in hell,” I replied, cutting down the last one on the horse.
I looked around. There was barely any fighting left. The dust had settled, and the last of the enemy were on the ground. Some have resigned to their fate, others defiantly fought back, even as spears ran through them. I rode through the battlefield to no one in particular. But one man stood before me; his armor was bloodied, but I could see gold in it.
“Surrender!” I yelled out to all the remaining men. “You have been defeated. Yunkai is ours!”
“Defeated?” The man before me asked as he barely raised his sword. “Do you think this changes anything? Our cause lives on! Our legacy will endure, and the Iron Throne will know our wrath. This battle may be lost, but the war is far from over. Remember our name and fury, for we shall rise again!”
“I don’t even know who you are,” I replied, stabbing him through the head.
Their defiance at death’s door was remarkable but foolish nonetheless. The Tattered prince ran through the rest that wanted to continue to fight, and Daario would kill those who ran off. Their words and names would be forgotten. Nobody even will remark on the Golden Company in this battle. They died as nobodies. It was just light resistance that tried to protect Yunkai.
The once chaotic battlefield was now silent, save for the faint cries of wounded men and the distant sounds of battle from within the city of Yunkai. I gazed upon the fallen, the price of victory in a world rife with conflict and ambition. Turning away from the fallen soldiers, I focused on the open gates of Yunkai, beckoning me to finish this siege.
…
The streets of Yunkai were eerily empty, the slave soldiers having scattered in the face of our relentless charge. I explicitly ordered Clegane not to spare anyone to bring down the Wise Masters from their pyramids and let the people of Yunkai enjoy their blood. Asha and her Ironborn found an opportunity to make waste of once a great city.
Yet, as I rode forward, I couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope that this victory would mark the beginning of a new era for Yunkai, one free from the shackles of tyranny and oppression, even though it mattered to me little. But the hope in the eyes of people around us was infectious. So, I didn’t stay on the streets for long.
“This isn’t Daenerys wanted!” Daario yelled at Clegane, who ignored him, seeing that he could not get any reaction from the giant man. Daario turned his gaze to me. “You! Why have you killed the Wise Masters? They are all dead!”
“Because I don’t have time,” I replied, pushing him away. “I will not stay and play games with this place anymore. Queen Daenerys can do this on her own.”
“That way, you wanted to take control of the siege,” Daario realized my intentions.
“I did what was asked of me. Next time, your queen would have to think twice before asking things to be done for her.”
I refused to fall into another cycle of shadow games between Daenerys and the previous rule. So, I made sure to kill everyone in power within the city. Daenerys can deal with the outcome as she wishes, but now I should finally be free to leave her and return home. And it would help if she had to focus on the Slaver’s Bay and couldn’t turn her gaze to the west.
“I say it is fine work. What is he mad about?” Asha walked in just as Daario left. “Is he jealous because you brought Yunkai to its knees instead of him?”
“It could be many things,” I replied. “It doesn’t matter to me.”
“Well, I am satisfied with how things went,” Asha replied. “The Wise Masters had quite a few gold coins lying out for me to take, and I even managed to swipe a few ships for my fleet. Now, I only need to find sailors to hire.”
“Could you get in the city any time you wanted?”
“They had no competent commander, no formation, or knew anything of naval battle. I could have crushed their fleet at any moment.”
“You should have told me,” I replied.
“I did what was asked of me, Lord Tully. Next time, be careful of what you ask.”
I could see her mocking smile from a mile away. Arrogant bitch she was, I didn’t care about it now. I instead ask Clegane how things are back home. Even if he has little interest in politics, general knowledge is enough for me. It should be fine as long as the Seven Kingdoms aren’t burning. Arianne and Lord Jason would see to it, and Jaehaerys wasn’t an idiot either.
“Lord Tully, I see you are fine,” Ser Davos came to me with sweat dripping from his forehead. It looked like the heat wasn’t very forgiving towards him. “The city is fully under our control. The order was established, too.”
“What is left is to introduce Queen Daenerys to Queen Shireen,” I replied. “Then my job will be done.”
“Thank you for your help, Lord Tully,” Ser Davos said. “Without Yunkai, I don’t believe Volantis will do anything independently. And no matter what, Queen Daenerys will say to us, at least we were able to preserve the freedom of Astapor.”
How naïve, but entirely wrong. Volantis won’t move on its own, but it would matter if Qarth, New Ghis, or whatever city that doesn’t like the Mother of the Dragons joined them. The end of slavery would hurt them too much to let it go. But it wasn’t for me to deal with. I will take the ship Clegane came in and sail back home the moment I can.
