Chapter 15: The Power That Belongs to the King
This time, for the eastern advance, the Clegane Territory's soldiers were almost entirely mobilized: 100 Clegane Warriors, 400 Thorn Guard, 100 Clegane Longbow Legion, and 200 Clegane Longspear Legion, totaling 800 warriors. With an additional 300 Auxiliary Soldiers responsible for military provisions, the total force reached 1100.
For the Clegane Territory, an expedition of this magnitude had not occurred in over a decade. Lord Glynn could clearly feel the excitement of his people.
Under the Lord's command, Steward Hershel collected as much dried meat as possible from within the territory. After all arrangements were completed, the Clegane Army marched east.
...
On the fourth day of the march east, the army encountered its first battle.
After a month of continuous training, the Clegane Longbowmen became even more skilled, and several volleys directly routed the attack of over 500 Mountain Clansmen.
As dusk approached that day, a few veteran Household Guard finally erupted.
"The continuous marching is already exhausting. Today we fought and won, but there's still no wine, and no camp followers either, and even plunder is forbidden!"
It wasn't that they were disloyal to their Lord, but their habits had suddenly changed too much. Dissatisfaction, unhappiness, suppression, and other negative emotions, coupled with their naturally volatile temperaments, finally erupted.
The few making a ruckus didn't understand that such behavior could bring chaos to the camp.
Military orders were absolute.
Glyn deeply understood the principle that a merciful commander loses control of his troops. To quickly change the old habits that affected combat, his demands for soldier discipline would become even stricter.
...
Sensing the commotion outside, Glyn, holding his horsewhip, stepped out of his tent and quickly mounted his horse. On the way, he casually grabbed a soldier's longspear and, without hesitation, threw it towards the Household Guard making the loudest ruckus.
"Thunk!" With a sound, the longspear pierced the Household Guard's chest and exited through his back. The force of the longspear was so great that the entire person was sent flying several meters, and finally, with the man still attached, the longspear was deeply embedded in the ground, its shaft still swaying.
The soldiers gathered nearby felt their breath catch, and suddenly fell silent.
Only the slow and rhythmic sound of hooves remained in their ears.
Glyn slightly tugged the reins, and the horse beneath him shook its head with a soft jingle, walking slowly among the crowd.
Glyn's impassive gaze swept over the crowd. A pressure like a great mountain weighed down heavily, making the soldiers tremble uncontrollably and spontaneously kneel before Glyn.
Glyn's voice was much louder than usual: "I told you, you cannot gather and make a ruckus in the camp!"
"Look at me, look at your Lord. If you dare to defy my proclaimed laws, then it is treason against your Lord. There is only one outcome for treason: death!"
The people of the Clegane Territory, situated on the relatively isolated Crackclaw Point, were indeed backward in their level of civilization. Glyn's reasons for defining certain behaviors as bad habits were beyond their comprehension; explaining more would only confuse them.
Since they couldn't understand, there was no need for tedious explanations. He could only let the soldiers remember through their bodies that the Lord's orders were inviolable.
"I repeat, soldiers of Clegane, during wartime, there is no wine, no women!"
"During wartime, you will only obey orders!"
"If you win the war, I will reward you greatly. I will reward your bravery, reward your faithful obedience to my orders! Farmland, houses, fine food, fine wine..."
Glyn pointed his horsewhip towards the soldiers closest to him and said, "You few, stand up and answer me."
The few people he pointed at stood up tremblingly.
"Answer me, do you understand? Can you obey orders?"
Several people quickly replied, "Yes," "We can," "I guarantee it."
Glyn then pointed elsewhere and asked the same question.
"Speak louder! Did I not let you eat your fill? Shout for me: Obey the Lord's orders!"
"Obey the Lord's orders!"
"Obey the Lord's orders!"
"Obey the Lord's orders!"
The soldiers' shouts grew louder and louder, their voices rising in waves.
Glyn, who was originally indifferent, finally showed a faint smile on his expressionless face.
Glyn then ordered the soldiers to add meat to their dinner.
The soldiers, who had just pledged their determination to the Lord with hoarse throats, began to roar again, ignoring the pain in their throats.
...
As the Clegane soldiers advanced, the Mountain Clansmen tribes finally understood that the Clegane warriors were not a force that a single tribe could face. In their haste, several major tribes formed an allied army.
An allied army of over 3,000 Mountain Clansmen gathered all over the mountains and plains on the opposite side.
The Clegane Longspear Legion, under unified command, orderly formed a three-layered defensive formation.
The Clegane Warriors, 50 men per group, were divided into two groups, closely flanking both sides of the Longspear Legion formation.
Behind the defensive formation were the 500 Thorn Guard and the Clegane Longbow Legion.
The Wildlings' horns sounded, initiating the charge.
Each Clegane Longbowman carried 40 arrows. As the over 3,000 Mountain Clansmen launching the attack entered the effective range of the longbows, which began at 200 yards, they would face a baptism of arrows.
...
In Light Whisper City, two Septons of the Faith of the Seven who had actively requested to accompany the army gazed at the battlefield, their hearts incomparably shaken.
"This is no longer a battle of equals."
"That's right. If the Clegane Longbowmen numbered ten thousand, they would be unrivaled."
"After lying dormant for more than ten years, this House is about to rise under the leadership of the young Lord. If there is no external intervention, the entire Crackclaw Point will soon fall into his grasp."
"Have you decided to intervene? If you decide, I will quickly contact the High Septon of King's Landing. Or perhaps, we can try to directly contact Hand of the King Jon Arryn. He might be more concerned about this place."
"But I wish to speak boldly for a moment. Crackclaw Point is the land of the First Men; they have never trusted outsiders. The roots of the Old Gods are deep here. The young Lord is more willing to support us. He needs post-war stability and governance, and he hopes for the wisdom of the Seven Gods."
"..."
"He has conditions!"
"Oh? Septons, besides bringing divine light to the suffering world, what else can we do? Is it a few pitiful copper stars from a poor Septon's mouth?"
"You're right. It's not copper stars, and it's not Gold Dragons. What he wants is the right to appoint and dismiss the Septons of the territory! Ha, this is the power that belongs to the King!"
"This is truly tempting. If he gains the support of the young Lord, the entire Crackclaw Point will enter the embrace of the Faith of the Seven. This is a great achievement, a new chapter being created in the history of our Faith!"
"This is truly a difficult offer to refuse."
(end of chapter)"Access the first 100 chapters of this novel for free on my Patreon. Patrons get exclusive access to 50 advanced chapters, with at least 50 new chapter posted every week."