Chapter 67: Armies of Yunkai
Armies of Yunkai
Theon POV
So, this was Yunkai. I could be more impressed. It was a big city with tall walls, but that was all. I was looking at it from a distance, and the walls obscured the inside, but still, I wasn't impressed. Even the tall walls were grumbling, not having received any repairs for a long time. The towers looked tilted as if they would fall at any time.
The city wasn't at war for hundreds of years. Probably because they feared a siege, there stood about four thousand slave army with a thousand sellswords, intercepting us from the city. Overall about five thousand strong stood against our ten thousand Unsullied, a couple of thousand Freedmen, and my one and a half thousand Ironborn.
"So, should we attack first and ask for parlay later?" I asked with a laugh. "I am surprised that the Sellswords haven't run away yet, seeing we outnumber them three to one."
"They might have more men behind the walls," The bear replied.
"Ser Jorah," Dany rode next to us. "Ask for a parlay in my name with the Wise Masters and the captains of the Sellsword company."
"As you wish, your Grace," The bear agreed and gathered a small force before riding off.
"Do we need to?" I asked. "We could easily beat them."
"But not bloodlessly," Dany answered.
"No war is done without blood," I replied. "It is better you accept that fact sooner than later."
"Even so, I will avoid blood as much as possible."
"Hmm?" I looked at Dany but decided to agree with her for now. "I shall keep my silence while you talk, but if you need advice, hold up your finger, and I will whisper it to your ear."
"Thank you, Theon," Dany replied. "I want to see what kind of men we will fight."
"Arrogant," I said as Dany looked at me to continue. "They all will be arrogant and prideful, your titles will mean nothing to them, and they will see you as a little girl."
"Then I shall be a little girl," Dany nodded. "And let my men slit their throats."
I laughed at that. It seemed that Dany understood what would happen better than I expected. I hope she can keep her calm when they start throwing insults. Well, it was better that she spoke than me, as I would not tolerate someone thinking they were in a higher position, especially when they were nothing but sellswords.
Unlike Dany, I couldn't look weak among my men. They looked up at me as if I was their king and god. Someone like me could not have any weakness. That way, they would follow me to any scenario no matter how bad our chances were, but if I started showing weakness, they would begin to doubt me and our victory. It would only be a matter of time before they left me.
…
The sky started to change colors as the wind blew the dust and sand. Everyone was prepared for a battle that would happen at any time—sharpening their blades and putting on their armor. There was tension in the air. While the Freedmen looked restless for their first battle, the Ironborn drank some ale as victory was already theirs, and the Unsullied stood without emotion and waited for an order.
"There they come," Thoros said as he looked at the men approaching.
I wasn't surprised that they accepted a parlay. Who didn't want to see dragons? While few clever would try to see our strength, and curious ones would like to hear what Dany had to say. The Unsullied worked fast and already dug our camp and prepared spikes of birch trees. The Unsullied knew how to prepare the camp. And their commander Grey Worm had a good head on his shoulders.
Ser Jorah could be seen returning with three captains of Stormcrows sellsword company. I stopped sharpening my sword and walked to Dany's tent, where she rested. I motioned to our guests before Dany could ask why I was there. Strong Belwas and the wizard saw it and stood near Dany. Soon the Viper came in too.
Three men came. They should be equal in power in their company. Prendahl na Ghezn was a thick Ghiscari with a broad face and dark hair going grey; Sallor the Bald had a twisting scar across his pale Qartheen cheek, and Daario Naharis was flamboyant even for a Tyroshi. I didn't care for any of them, but Daario looked dangerous, so I kept an eye on him.
"You would do well to take your rabble elsewhere," Prendahl na Ghezn said, and I wanted to laugh at him but kept silent. "You took Astapor by treachery, but Yunkai shall not fall so easily."
"Five hundred of your Stormcrows against ten thousand of my Unsullied," said Dany. "I am only a young girl and do not understand the ways of war, yet these odds seem poor."
"The Stormcrows do not stand alone," said Prendahl.
"Stormcrows do not stand at all. They fly at the first sign of thunder. It would be best if you were flying now. I have heard that sellswords are notoriously unfaithful. What will it avail you to be staunch when the Second Sons change sides?"
The Dragon Mother had teeth. I couldn't have said it better. These sellswords aren't worth my time, but if we can get them to our side, I have no problem wasting time. But it seems that Prendahl was too proud and refused to believe Dany words or chose to trust the slave army of Yunkai. It did not matter what they were thinking. Soon, they would know that victory was ours.
"You fight beside bed-boys armed with spears." When she turned her head, the twin bells in her braid rang softly. The bells indicated her victories. "Once the battle is joined, do not ask for mercy. Join me now, however, and you shall keep the gold the Yunkai paid you and claim a share of the plunder besides, with greater rewards later when I come into my kingdom. Fight for the Wise Masters, and your wages will be death. Do you imagine that Yunkai will open its gates when my Unsullied are butchering you beneath the walls?"
"You know not what you are speaking of, woman," His pride overcame the fear.
"Woman? Should it insult me? I would return the slap if I took you for a man." Dany chuckled and looked at the captain. "I am Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, the Unburnt, Mother of Dragons, Khaleesi to Drogo's riders, and queen of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros."
"What you are, is a horse lord's whore," I have warned Dany of it, but it surprised me how foolish this Prendahl was. "When we break you, I will breed you to my stallion."
"I'm quite hungry," I said before Strong Belwas opened his mouth. "A crow for dinner sounds quite nice. Should I prepare it for her Grace too?"
"If they choose wisely, then these captains shall eat and drink with us," Dany replied. "If not, I would be delighted to have crows for a meal."
"Our answer is no," said Prendahl na Ghezn as all the captains stood up.
As they left, Daario looked back at Dany. His blue hair and beard lingered for a moment before he left too. I saw his eyes. They were filled with lust. What I didn't know was for what? For Dany's pale skin or the power she wielded. It didn't matter as the captain of the Second Sons came after an hour. I could smell the arrogance in this one. It was foul.
"I believe I fucked your twin sister in a pleasure house back home. Or was it you?" The captain didn't even introduce himself, but we knew his name was Mero.
"Mero?" I asked, feigning surprise. "There you were hiding, and I was looking for your tight ass all over the Seven Kingdoms. No whore screamed my name as I fucked her as you did."
"Speak another word, and I will have you at your knees sucking my cock," Mero looked at me with fierce eyes, and I laughed at him but stopped when Dany looked at me.
"Brink me your Second Sons, and I will stop him tearing your holes," Dany said with a small smile, and it took a lot for me to stop laughing. "Explain to me how you propose to defeat ten thousand Unsullied with your five hundred. Innocent as I am, these odds seem poor."
"My Second Sons have faced worse."
"They did, and they ran; it is no secret."
"That was many years before the Titan's Bastard led the Second Sons."
"So, it is from you that they get their courage?" Dany turned to me. "I am sorry. I know how much you want to play, but kill this one first when the battle is joined."
"If you insist, your Grace," I replied, feigning disappointment.
"Of course," Dany said to Mero, "You could run again. We will not stop you. Take your Yunkish gold and go."
"Had you ever seen the Titan of Braavos, foolish girl, you would know it has no tail to turn."
"Then there is no talking with us," Dany said. "Take a wagon of our wine and share it with your men. For it shall be the last wine, you will ever taste."
"I shall take it and drink it," Mero replied, standing up and leaving. "When I have you between my legs, you shall smell it on me."
"Theon, I thought you would keep your silence," Dany looked at me.
"My tongue slipped," I replied but wasn't a bit apologetic. Even I was surprised by how crass these men were. "But I will apologize. Still, none of them are worthy of anything. That bastard Mero is a fool and too proud of his position even to consider having him. That Prendhl seemed to have kin with the Wise Masters."
"It is not them I need, but their men," Dany said.
"You don't need them," I replied. "Ironborn alone can crush them, and with the Unsullied, we would surround them."
"I will have to agree with the Ironborn for the first time in my life," The bear said. "At most, we would win a thousand men. They will have no loyalty to us. Once a bigger force comes, they will stab us in the back."
"There better sellsword companies that we can buy, your grace," The Viper added. "Golden Company, Company of Rose, the Windblown, and so on. There are plenty with a good reputation. If you want, I could contact them."
Oberyn's words eased Dany's worry. She didn't want to spend her men when it could be avoided. I could admire her for it, but we were at war. The enemy will not care how many they will lose if they can win. Holding back will only hurt us more. But she decided to make it work no matter what. And as the Wise Masters came, her actions were sealed.
They offered gifts like we were Dothraki. Dany asked only for one thing, to free the slaves. It was no surprise that they refused. Yet it did anger Dany, and with our advice, she resolved for a siege. As night fell, I was already planning our action with Dany and the wizard. I was shocked at how well the wizard knew about warfare, and Dany wasn't a fool either.
She wanted to attack before dawn. And I agreed. It was a time when they least would expect us. Too bad we didn't have many mounted forces, and my men in the ships couldn't come from behind them without notice. Destroy the armies between Yunkai and us; the city would fall to my hands at most in a month.
Dany agreed with the plan, and the wizard had no problems with it. It gave me some time to use my warging abilities to scout the armies of Yunkai and see which side was the weakest. It would be even better if Yunkai opened their gates for the retreating armies when I crush them, as it would let me sneak inside. But I don't think the Wise Masters are benevolent enough to care for their men. In the end, our decision was sealed when a certain blue-haired man came and presented the head of his fellow captains.
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