Chapter 39: Barbecuing the Vulture
"Where are the people?" When the Vulture King arrived at the location the scout had described with his troops, he found there was no hunting party of three to five hundred people at all.
"Damn it, retreat." The Vulture King immediately realized something was wrong, turned his horse around, and prepared to flee. But what answered him was not only his subordinates who were also trying to escape, but also an overwhelming rain of arrows shot from unknown positions.
A feathered arrow struck a soldier wearing chainmail beside the Vulture King squarely in the neck. Seeing his best-equipped soldier fall beside him, the Vulture King understood that the situation had already gone beyond his control.
"Retreat, quick retreat, disperse and retreat!" The Vulture King, ignoring everything else, spurred his warhorse, trying to quickly reach the mountain forest to shake off the ambush. He still had a portion of his troops who had not yet caught up; as long as he could gather them, he still had a chance to turn things around.
As long as Vulture's Roost and his remaining men still stood, he still had hope.
Unfortunately, what greeted him was a surging wave of heat and Dornishmen covered in flames, screaming as they rushed toward him. The Vulture King was instantly thrown to the ground by the blast of scorching air.
He saw the bronze-hued dragon slowly emerge from above the mountain forest. Dragonzel, clad in armor, sat astride the dragon saddle, his expression cold and unreadable. The thunder of hooves sounded from every direction.
"I surrender! I surrender! I can help you deal with Lord Uller of House Uller, I can—" Before he could finish speaking, an iron sword swept across his side, knocking him off balance. Just as he tried to continue, a meteor hammer smashed into his helmet.
The steel caved in at once. The Vulture King felt his thoughts descend into chaos, his vision blurring red. He tried to speak, but no sound came from his mouth.
The next blow came from another longsword. It sliced through his chainmail gorget, leaving a shallow wound along his neck.
No, I cannot die. I am the Vulture King. I still have a mission. Uller, you Seven-cursed bastard, I will have my revenge. Run. I must run.
The Vulture King staggered, attempting to flee, but a mace struck his helmet again.
This time the helm dented even deeper. Seeing that the blow had not killed the foe outright, a Knight sworn to House Tarth glanced briefly at the mace in his hand with confusion. Just as he prepared to wheel his horse for another strike, he saw Vermithor diving from the sky once more. The Knight quickly turned to pursue other fleeing enemies.
A torrent of dragonflame poured down, engulfing every Dornishman in its path in roaring fire.
Including the Vulture King.
He was freed by flame.
Red Mountains.
A sizable but simple camp had been established here. The Knights of House Uller had halted with the reinforcements promised by Lord Uller. The effort to recruit fresh men for the Vulture King had met with little success. Prince Qoren of Dorne had ordered the gates of Sunspear closed and commanded his guards to arrest "Old Vulture," leader of a black-market gang within the city. Left with no other option, they had moved westward with what support House Uller could spare.
Fortunately for them, they had not yet encountered a dragon.
Lord Donald Tarly stood upon higher ground, gazing coldly at the camp below. At his side, the hunters and cavalry of House Tarly waited in silence. The more than twenty Dornish heads at the feet of the Huntsman Lord were trophies of their advance.
His forces had pushed deep into the Red Mountains, taking narrow paths to bypass Dornish patrols at Prince's Pass, marching swiftly to meet the signal Dragonzel had described.
The signal was Prince Valarr astride Silverwing.
Silverwing lay upon the high ridge, silent and obedient.
"Prince Valarr, you may proceed."
Valarr inclined his head and lowered his visor. Silverwing launched into the sky. After gaining height, she leveled her wings and glided toward the camp below.
"Advance!"
The forces of House Tarly began their steady advance.
"Dragon! Dragon! Dragon!"
The camp erupted into chaos. Panic spread the moment Silverwing descended.
"Avoid the dragonflame! Avoid the dragonflame!"
The Knight shouted, but Silverwing's fire answered him. At the same time, the thunder of House Tarly's cavalry charge rolled across the mountains.
In the instant before the flames consumed him, the Dornish Knight had only one thought.
House Uller is finished.
Weel City.
Lord Uller of House Uller regarded the household Knight before him with suspicion.
"You claim the Vulture King has received our men?"
"Yes, my lord." The Knight bowed. "The Vulture King will reach the border within two days and strike at House Tarth and the new territories of those three young lords on your behalf."
Lord Uller exhaled slowly.
At last, he could rest easy for a time.
He accepted the cup of wine offered to him and drank.
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