Chapter 48: Mountain March

Nonda Maple, a Rockborn clad in white animal pelts and chainmail, rode beside Eddard, having become a guide for the Northern Army.

Nonda Maple and his two sons had been taken prisoner by the North; his youngest son had fallen ill with an infected wound and was nearly dead, but Eddard immediately ordered Maester Wuse of the Dreadfort to treat him, saving the boy's life.

Maester Wuse was the only maester in this Northern Army, and only noble lords could receive treatment from him when injured.

To thank Eddard and Maester Wuse, Nonda knelt before the Heart Tree and swore fealty to the Duke of the North.

With Nonda as their guide, the Northern Army's march on Skagos went much more smoothly. Nonda was as familiar with every surrounding mountain peak, every stream, and even every village as the Forest Clan members who knew the forests of the Wolfswood.

What pleased Eddard even more was that Nonda Maple was something of a minor noble; he served Leinei Fengye, the leader of Fengye Ting, often accompanied Leinei Fengye to meetings of the leaders of the Nine Great Clans, and had even sat in on some of the Rock King's meetings at Abyss Keep, granting him access to information known only to the upper nobility of the Rockborn.

"Iron Bitch" Helen Pyke had crossed the sea and burned two-thirds of the Northern Army's provisions, and the North's supplies would be exhausted in a month; if the war dragged on, it would only lead to the total destruction of the Northern Army on this island, so Eddard ordered the Northern Army to strike directly at Abyss Keep.

In this way, to protect the ancestral seat of the Crowl clan, the Rock King might be forced into a decisive battle with the Northern Army.

However, the path forward was difficult. Skagos was mountainous and hilly with rugged mountain roads; standing on a peak and looking down, Eddard saw the winding mountain paths, the towering peaks that pierced the clouds, the frost-blue lakes, and the flame-red maple forests, and could not help but marvel at the craftsmanship of nature.

Yet, this land had become a killing field; the Rockborn would strike from mountain ravines, caves, or mountain paths from time to time, with Rockborn slingers hurling watermelon-sized stones and archers launching sneak attacks with cold arrows. The slingers' stones could easily shatter the skulls or knees of Northern soldiers.

In this mountainous terrain, the role of scouts was very limited; the Northern scout cavalry led by Fellan and Robett Glover found it difficult to provide warnings against enemy ambushes in the mountains, and the cavalry suffered heavy casualties instead, forcing Eddard to abandon cavalry scouts and choose to let the warriors of the mountain clans scout.

The Rockborn attacked in groups of ten or twenty, disappearing into the woods or mountains after a single wave, and their guerrilla tactics were a constant source of frustration for the Northern Army.

Fortunately, the warriors of the mountain clans, led by Liddle, "Big Bucket" Wull, and others, gradually became familiar with the Rockborn's fighting style; the mountain clans were just as adept at mountain warfare as the Rockborn, and the price the Rockborn paid for each ambush grew higher and higher.

"Lord Eddard, no one wants to fight," Nonda said to Eddard, who was riding beside him. "During his conquest of Skagos, the Rock King Samlo Crowl stained his hands with the blood of all the major clans and tribes, including the Magnar clan and the Stern Clan. Most Rockborn were coerced by the Rock King into going to the battlefield."

Eddard said: "There is hostility between the major tribes; do you think the Northern Army can exploit the hatred between the Rockborn clans to win this war?"

Nonda shrugged, "I'm afraid it's difficult. Without an external threat, the Rockborn tribes attack each other, but the Rock King Samlo Crowl has, after all, unified the tribes for over a decade. His rule may be on thin ice and rife with undercurrents, but the appearance of the Northern Army will make the Rockborn united as never before."

Eddard looked at the distant peaks, where an eagle circled in the sky, "Once the Rock King is dead, the situation will be different."

Eddard believed that as long as Samlo Crowl could be killed, the Rockborn alliance would crumble, and the various Rockborn clans would fall back into infighting. The Rockborn would never support "Iron Bitch" Helen Pyke; a woman could not rule the Rockborn, let alone Helen Pyke, who was a woman from a foreign land who worshipped the Drowned God—the Rockborn would never follow her.

"What kind of man is the Rock King, exactly?" As the army slowly advanced, Eddard asked Nonda, "Is he the type who likes to charge into the fray? Or does he prefer to command from the rear?"

Nonda said: "When Samlo Crowl was young, he liked to charge into the fray, and he killed many enemies on the battlefield, but now that he is nearly fifty, he rarely goes to the battlefield."

Eddard was somewhat disappointed; if Samlo Crowl appeared on the battlefield, Eddard would have the archer Fellan try to shoot him, or send the Bulaofosi Water Dancer Syrio Forel to attempt an assassination, or have Great Jon lead the elite cavalry from the Rills and Winterfell to launch a surprise attack. Now it seemed that a decapitation strike would be difficult to succeed.

Nonda said: "Although Samlo Crowl has stayed away from the battlefield, every time he appears before the Rockborn people and warriors, he rides his mount, a unicorn, to display his power."

Eddard felt a chill, "Is it true that the leader of the Rockborn rides a unicorn into battle?"

Nonda said: "Of course it is true. In the hearts of us Rockborn, the unicorn holds a sacred status and is rare in number. When an old tribal leader dies, the new leader must ride a unicorn before the Heart Tree to prove his right to rule. If the unicorn rejects the new leader, the clansmen will spurn him and turn to support other warriors who can ride the unicorn."

A truly peculiar custom. Eddard said: "Is it difficult to ride a unicorn?"

Nonda smiled, "After many old tribal leaders died, their rightful heirs would rather give up the succession than face the unicorn. At the coronation ceremony of a new leader, it is common for them to be gored or trampled to death by the unicorn; only those who are agile, strong, and clever enough can leap onto the unicorn's back and tame it."

It sounds more dangerous than taming a wolf. Eddard said: "As long as we bring our forces to the gates of Abyss Keep, I believe Samlo will ride his unicorn out to meet us."

Nonda was somewhat worried, "Lord Eddard, it is very difficult for Northern warriors to capture Abyss Keep; if the Rock King knows..."

"Woo—" A horn sounded, echoing through the valley.

Drums began to beat all around. Rockborn slingers appeared on the steep mountains, pushing down massive boulders that fell from above, and some soldiers were crushed into meat paste by the giant stones. The slingers, looking down from above, let out wild laughter.

The archers of Deepwood Motte returned fire; after a volley of arrows, the wild laughter of the slingers on the mountain instantly turned into screams, and some slingers fell from the mountain after being struck.

Jory Cassel, the Captain of the Guard of Winterfell, rode over.

"Lord Eddard, the enemy is shouting and charging from multiple mountain paths; the number of Rockborn in this wave seems quite large."

Eddard said happily: "Let them come!" In any case, the Northern Army was short on provisions.

Jory Cassel appeared very flustered, "Lord Eddard, but this wave of Rockborn is very different; our cavalry is finding it hard to hold them back, and their leader is riding a strange mount—a unicorn!"

(End of chapter)