Awaiting the Horselords (Open)

[Torin Lannister]

Ser Torin Lannister was the first to arrive. Some of his men had arrived with him and others were coming, to arrive early in the morning. He sat atop his horse, gazing out over the scene. His men were busy establishing a base, erecting tents. The Lannister colours were flying high. The others that responded to the call to arms would see them easily enough.

The area was wide and grassy, an open plain. Plenty of room for the soldiers that would be required to fight the expected horselords. Forty thousand horsemen who rode better then even a Knight. Out fighting one was a different matter but he had no belief that enough Knights to meet them in a charge would come. Far too short notice and good Knights were too rare. The rest of the armies would have to suffice.

He held his sword in one hand, the reigns in the other. It was the scabbard he was holding to be precise, the fine red scabbard. He would enjoy testing his blade and swing against a charger Dothraki howler.

[triminac]

The Antaryon Army was incredibly lucky with this invasion, for Cracklaw Point was a short sail from Ridharji. In only a day after organizing they had landed at the Point and his men had begun marching to the rendezvous. For miles Kharjo saw sign of no marching soldiers for the gathering army, and that's when he begun to worry. What if he was the only one to send soldiers? Even if the Dothraki were no sailors they could certainly overwhelm them. His forces number only one eighth of the savages if the count was correct. The young lord dwelled on this for some time as he rode his grey destrier, Zephyr, towards the meeting point. It was not long before he began to hear the sounds of metal clanking and men shouting. The Lord and his retinue drew their blades in caution, hoping they hadn't just happened upon the invading army, but were quickly relieved by the sight of Lannisters Banners. With excited haste the army marched forward double time and reached the encampment in moments.

As the soldiers under the Antaryon banner started to set up their own camps, Lord Kharjo dismounted his steed and head into the Lannister encampment, Ser Dato'Ra, Ser Azzadah, and five Myrmidons in tow. Commander Kayd had been left in Ridharji to act as his steward. Kharjo knew if he wanted the least amount of casualties he would need to be leading the men himself. After several minutes of nothing he gave a message to a runner.

"Tell your commanders if they should like to spare some lives, meet me in the large grey tent with a banner of a silver sword flying high above it. We meet for a war council, and when any others arrive inform them as well." His light Bravosi accent left little to be misheard, for in his years of speaking with common Westerosi peoples his once thick dialect broke down considerably. With that the Bravosi boy headed back to his own encampment to his tent already pitched and banner waving. Damn they were efficient.

Inside, Lord Antaryon rested against the support beam, examining his reflection in his blade, Quiksilver, while he awaited the arrival of the army commanders, if they decided it prudent to come.

"Do you have any plans, milord?"Dato'Ra inquired.
"A few, but they are only the obvious ones, I need to see what forces we have when everyone has marshalled their armies here. And I need the cooperation of each commander in devising a working strategy that they are willing to follow. I'm not entirely certain they will listen to a nameless lord. And still, we may find that there is a strategist better than myself, but that is unlikely."
" Very well sir, but I want you to remember, this isn't one of our war games. This is real battle, if something goes wrong our men will never meet their families again. Think in the best interest of our soldiers, even if that means retreat is the best option. I would much rather we be known as cowards than strewn across these fields." Ser Azzadah spoke this time. He didn't share the views that Kharjo and Dato'Ra did. He was a firm follower of the previous Lord Quintio and wanted what was in the best interest of the people of Ridharji.
"Ser Azzadah, if we become cowards, we will die anyways. "

[rets]

The Stark banners fluttered in the wind as they came upon the Riverlands. The ride was long and quite arduous, mountains and snow had impeded them and forced them to go a way which was a little longer. Tristan had hoped they would not be the first there and luckily they appeared not to be, a large Lannister host had already assembled as well as what looked like a Minor House who seemed to outnumber the Lannisters, Tristan must be going blind. He was sure the Lannisters would bring an amazing host, just to show off their numbers and money.

The Stark host was small, but they still numbered above 1,000. They took their time, putting up their camp, making sure it was one of the greatest kept and most majestic camps in the area, Tristans tent was of course larger than others in the Stark army, Ser Selmy had also been supplied with a large grey coloured tent which was to be put up where he wished for it to be put up. The Stark camp was located about a half-a-minute walk from the Lannister and Antaryon camps, the Starks wished to keep to their own and not aggravate problems with the Lannisters as it was already a thought in Tristans head that the Lannisters could very well turn around after this battle and steamroll the Stark forces in the Riverlands.

Tristan sat in his tent, looking over some maps of the area, reminding himself to voice his doubts about trusting the Lannisters post-Dothraki Battle.

[Torin Lannister]

The rest of Ser Torin's host arrived, the proud golden army of the Lion. They more then doubled the number of troops present and made the Lannister host the largest present. That was good. It was how things should be. Others began to arrive, a host from The Vale and the Starks. So few from the North, so few.

From atop his horse he could see all around him, until he was approached by one of his aides. "Ser, we received a word from the Valemen, Lord Kharjo, they wish you to join them for a War council."

"Kharjo is no Lord, he's not even a Ser. His father was a man with money and nothing more. He isn't even an experienced leader. If we'll come together under hosts tent to discuss the battle it will be at the table of a man who has seen real battle." Torin was of course talking about himself.

"My wife shall arrive soon leading more from the Vale. See to it preparations are made, begin pulling up extra tents and let her know I mean to speak with the Starks. They can't harm me, we still have the sisters in Kings Landing. When we return there shall be an actual meeting to discuss the forces." Ser Torin looked down to his aid and the boy ran off.

With that the Lion pulled his heavy cloak over his shoulders once more, making sure the clasps were secure. He still couldn't escape the chill of the wind in the Eyrie. His mighty horse carried him over to the Stark encampment, his sword was at his side but he certainly had no intention of using it. "Stark, we need to speak." he bellowed, a lone Lion roaring into a wolf den.

[selmy]

Ser Barristan and his few hundred had arrived with Tristan Stark, it had been a long march but they were hardy men. His lots pitched in with the rest in getting up the tents, there was so many. It had been a long time. There was a great number from the Vale and only part way into the day a number more from the Westerlands came in to reinforce what was present of the Lannisters already.

When one Lannister approached the Stark encampment, Ser Torin Lannister to be precise, Ser Barristan brought himself up beside Tristan. "I am at your side." He didn't think Torin the type to cut down Tristan here and now but with the Lannisters you never knew, you really didn't.

[Lena Arryn]

Lena's forces rode in like an army of death, blue and black with glinting steal and Falcon's adorning their banners and crests.
Man had expected Lena to take the Lion on her breast after marriage, but many had been wrong. The Arryn woman still proudly kept the Falcon upon her Shield and tabard and didn't intend to change it. She even planned on any future children wearing both the falcon and the lion, if it was good enough for King Joffrey- the spineless twerp- it was good enough for a son of Lena Arryn.

When they reached camp a page met Lena as she dismounted her horse.
"Mi'lady, your husband is with the Starks."
Lena nodded to the page. "Then I shall go to him." She handed her reins to a boy who might as well have been her squire and turned to the rest of her men.
"Make camp and set up tents, I'll return when I've retrieved my husband from the den of wolves." She said as if Torin was a child picking fights.
Laughter erupted from her men, as they stood by or sat atop their horses.
The Lannister army probably wouldn't take kindly to these sorts of jokes, but they couldn't touch the men of the Vale now, not with out bringing down the hammer of their Lord's wrath at upsetting his wife.
Or so they thought. Torin would probably do little in way of favors for Lena, she did nothing in the way of favors for him.

Moments later Lena arrived at the encampment the Stark's were setting up, good sturdy tents they had, meant for surviving the wind and the cold, much like the ones her men would be using.
She rested her hand on the hilt of her sword, saying nothing and standing at Torin's side.
"Ser Lannister." She said quietly just so he'd know she was there.

[triminac]

"That...bastard!How dare he?"The courier had returned to Kharjo bearing the words of Ser Torin Lannister ver batim. Enraged and insulted, the Bravosi nearly killed the messenger on the spot.He barked at him to leave and so the runner did, tail between his legs.

"My father was nothing more than a man of money? What does he think Tywin is? What right does a Lannister have to condescend another, what has this Torin built?! Nothing! He has only destroyed! I brought stability to my people, few as we may be. Experience means nothing when faced with sheer intelligence and cunning, I don't care how many battles he has seen, he is a fool to refuse my counsel! Oh how I should ring his neck for this!"

" Milord please, calm yourself. It will do no one any good for you to get angry, you have to keep your mind clear. "Ser Azzadah spoke softly, placing his hands on the young lord's shoulders to try and relax him."If you would only look, you would find that perhaps you and Ser Torin aren't so different. You both lived privileged lives, given the best you could receive, your fathers were incredibly wealthy, and you're both angsty, stubborn asses."Azzadah laughed at the thought of the two so similar, yet so at odds. Kharjo cast off the old man's arms and turned away from him.

"I am nothing like that highborn trash! "
"Please, milord, for the time being grit your teeth and accept his arrogance, you may find him to be a valuable ally. " Azzadah's advice rung in Kharjo's ears as his head dropped in acceptance. For now, he thought for now. With great reluctance, Lord Antaryon left his tent and walked back into the Lannister camp en route to the Lannister main tent, gripping is sword handle and face twisted with anger. Slowly he pulled it back into his usual emotionless mask he wore so he would not insult this Noble Ser.

[rets]

Tristan sighed as he saw the Lannister approach, it seems things would become tense before the Dothraki had even arrived. His voice boomed through the Stark encampment, even though Tristan was inside his tent he heard it as clear as daylight shines. "Stark, we need to speak." He stood up, his cloak and armour looking gleaming, ready for the battle ahead, the wolf pelt was draped on the top of his shoulders, signifying his importance as a Stark.

With one hand on his sword he exited his tent swiftly, looking to meet the Lannister who now stood in the middle of his camp. A woman rode with the Lannister, she bore her own sigil and set of armour, a spouse or Knight perhaps, Tristan didn't know and didn't much care. He didn't seem to care much at all these days for the other houses. Tristan turned to Barristan while he was slowly walking from his tent to the Lannister and whispered to him "Keep on your toes Ser Selmy, I do not expect him to take us by surprise until the end of the Battle with the Dothraki" He stopped before the Lannister, he recognized him as Torin, the woman had the features of an Arryn oddly enough, why would she ride so close to a Lannister. Troubling times.
"Is there something you wished for Lannister?"

[Torin Lannister]

Ser Torin was joined by his wife, Lena. He gave her a nod but little else, for she had so far almost taken an effort to burn any efforts he made to make their marriage bearable. Cold in person as she was in bed. She didn't even refer to him as "Torin."

"You are Tristan? I am Torin, we met when my family rode with King Robert to Winterfell to bring your father to King's Landing. I have no quarrel with you, nor Ser Barristan." And he didn't for the most part. He had no care for Tristan's brother who would claim himself a king and make war on the South but that would be dealt with.

"In another place we could be here to cross swords, but not today. The Dothraki are sailing and we few are what has assembled to fend them off. So for these few days let us put our family disagreements aside and be allies." They didn't have to be friends, but allies. For now.

"Consider it with Ser Barristan and them come." he turned on his horse and pointed to one of the Lannister tents. "I'm bringing the Commanders together we might discuss our resources and how to best prepare a defense." With that he turned away and got ready to head back to his tent. "Come my wife, let us prepare. There is much for the Commanders to discuss." At least he could be confident that she would attend that meeting, her professionalism for war if nothing else.

The Lion rode back to the tent, a large table had been set up on a wooden floor. It was all solid. Lannister's prepared for war properly. There was a large map of the area across the table, running from one end to the other. The Lion took seat at the head of the table. His eyes gazing out over the map, looking for which ports would the first they could use well. They may not even need a port.

[Lena Arryn]

Lena's shoulder's stiffened when he called her wife. Not that she had any right to be upset, he could be as cold to her as she liked, he was only proving her point further.
She nodded to Tristan. "I hope to see you at the council master Stark." With that the Arryn woman turned her horse about and rode behind her husband back to the encampment.

When they were alone in the tent Lena stood at the table to Torin's right, her arms were crossed and her lips were pursed into a thin line as she looked at the map.
The Dothraki still outnumbered them, with all their combined forces, they'd need all the help they could get.
"You may want to invite the boy Khajo to sit at your right hand in my place tonight." She said finally. "I heard he was offended at something you said, we need his men, so it's best for you to smooth things over."

[carrow]

As Ser Drane approached he could already see a large in camp, he peered at the banners from the distance, Lannister, Stark, Arryn and a few others of the lesser nobility. On the journey to the Riverlands the seriousness of the situation had dawned on him, a Dothraki horde loose in Westeros would be disastrous for all of them. He began to wish he had brought more men, but inevitably that was how he would feel. He did have other commitments. Besides, he had left his brother in charge, one of the few people in the world he trusted and he knew that if needed, he would send reinforcements.

His host began to set up camp as he continued to ride forward with a handful of men, he was looking for Torin Lannister, the son of his banner lord should be leading this battle and he would do whatever he could to make sure that happened. There were only a handful of contenders for that distinction and he assumed that Torin's new wife would side with him. As he slowed his horse the distrustful glances of some of the soldiers from the other parts of Westeros. He ignored them, he wouldn't be the one who destroyed the fragile alliance that had been forged to battle the Dothraki.

He finally reached Torin's tent and dismounted his horse, he was shown into the tent by some of Torin's soldiers. "Ser Torin," he said in a respectful tone, "It is good to see you again. I have brought over a thousand of men to fight and more are coming of your father's bannermen will be arriving soon." Time was of the essence right now and every single soldier was needed. "How big a force do we have right now?" When he had arrived at the camp it had seemed huge but it was hard to judge, so many people in a small space. Rumours had been circulating of a truly massive Dothraki army that would sweep across the Seven Kingdoms.

"Is there anything I can do for you? Or help you with?" Drane was eager to show his usefulness and loyalty to the Lannisters, even when preparing for such a huge battle Drane was always looking to the future and planning his next move.

[Torin Lannister]

"You would have me make a minor from the Vale my right hand when the Commander of all the Vale is at my side now? Over a supposed bruised ego? I will not. He is a grown man, he will accept his place at the table as is right by station." Torin had no time for it. "I need you take place at my right hand. A unified leadership."

Just then Drane arrived, Ser Torin rose from his seat with a smile. "You are a welcome sight old friend. It is good to have a trusted ally here for we are not yet prepared." Ser Torin offered a hand for a firm shake, then pointed to a chair. "Sit and let us take. Numbers are not with us yet. I have just more then twelve thousand, my wife brings over six thousand from the Vale. The Starks of Winterfell bring barely over a thousand. How many do you have? And how many more are coming?" It didn't need to be repeated that the enemy was rumoured to be forty thousand strong.

The Lion was back in his seat when he reached for a jar of wine before pouring three goblets full and sliding to the two present, knowing the others would be along soon.

[Lena Arryn]

Lena opened her mouth to protest her husbands judgement when Dane Carrow entered.
She closed her mouth and felt her jaw tense. The more she got to know Torin Lannister the more she felt that their marriage would end with an annulment. She would never share her bed with some one so boorish that they plowed down the common man and wounded those not born into noble houses with sharp words and pointless exertions of power.

When Torin began going over the numbers with Dane Lena began to pace for a moment, then wine was offered. The woman forced her self to sit and take the goblet, drinking deep.
"We stand at nearly twenty thousand before you arrive Carrow, I trust you were able to find the difference between our forces and a bloody slaughter at the the hands of savages?"
She leaned forward after her long sip ended. Lena could drink with the best of the men, but she didn't have the body mass they did, so she always had to pace her self.

[tywin]

Lannister men marched along the River Road, passing Sarsfield - a pride of lions with a thirst for Dothraki meat. Lord Tywin rode alongside some of his bannermen, discussing the battle ahead.

***OOC***

Tywin and the Lannister army he commands are marching to the Riverlands. They will arrive in 48 hours.

[targaryen]

"You will lead my army, Ser Vardis" breathed Emre as he and his most powerful lords and knights gathered in council. The knight nodded in understanding while the other men nodded in approval. "I will ride with the army and will join the other high lords at the war council. I will sup with Tywin and break bread with the Young Wolf, while feigning interest in the tales of the fool Mace Tyrell in the name of uniting all against the Dothraki". Emre rose to continue his address, "If the Dothraki had come to Westeros before Lena left the Vale I would have shut our gates and let the savages ravage the lands and smallfolk beyond. But my hand has been forced by cruel fate. We ride tonight".

***OOC***

Emre and the Arryns are leaving the Vale. They will arrive in the Riverlands in 24 hours.