It barely was the crack of dawn when the first horns of battle echoed across the Lannister camp.
At the sound of it, men rushed out of their cots and headed straight for their weapons while their squires helped them wear their armour.
Horses were being saddled, boots were being worn and there was chaos all around as everyone rushed to get ready.
Tyrion was amongst them as Shae helped him wear temporary unfitting armour since his private custom-made one was left at Casterly Rock. He did not like it but he barely paid it mind as someone brought him a horse while panic ensued all around.
He looked around, barely being pulled back by Bronn as a few knights ran close to them on their horses.
"l do believe I owe you once more" he commented, feeling his heart beating faster at the realization of how close he was to being trapped under the hooves.
"Yeah well, do not die so I can get my payment" he said, taking the reins of a horse held by a squire.
Tyrion took a chance to study Bronn, seeing him rather calm but on guard while Shae was holding onto the dwarf's arm for dear life; frightened and worried.
Suddenly, through the chaos of battle; a familiar voice reached them.
"To your stations! I want to see every ready soldier to the front!"
Visenya's powerful commanding voice seemed to boom above the chaos.
Through a cloud of dust, the powerful hooves of her black mare were heard as she came to a halt close to them. She sat on top of her mount, dressed in her armour but missing her helm. Her sword was by her side and her bow strapped across her body.
She looked as fierce and dangerous as the stories told about her from the fight against the Silver Lions to the battle at the Trident. The years had not taken the energy from her, her face serious and calm despite what was going on around them.
She stared down at Tyrion, Shae and Bronn; looking even taller and mightier on top of the midnight black animal that had its own front armour.
"Ser Gregor is waiting for you and your tribesmen. Do not be late Tyrion, timing is important" she reminded him, her voice emotionless and yet commanding.
Without waiting for him to say anything, she guided her horse away and soon let it gallop through the tents as more men joined her; heading straight for the gathering point.
Tyrion just watched her go, the first time seeing her in the heat of battle and oh boy; those stories did not do her justice. Yet, it did make him feel odd considering how she was up and ready while he had to be woken by Bronn.
"If your good-mother was not married, I would try my luck with her" Bronn commented, making Tyrion pause his thoughts as he was helped on his horse and was handed an axe.
"If my dear father ever perishes in combat, I will let her know there is a replacement available" he said back, somehow finding the courage to joke despite the pressure that they had to move.
The horns were the sign of the Northerners approaching, being spotted by the scouts on patrol. The men from the North were led by Roose Bolton, the number of men he commanded being little less than half of the total men Robb had carried his banners and almost all were infantry.
The plan had been set from the day before and the disciplined Lannister soldiers were quick to take their positions under their respective commanders.
Kevan commanded ten thousand men alone, in the centre, with Lords Lefford, Lydden and Serrett at his side with three hundred heavy horses. His foot archers were also arranged in three long lines east and west of the kingsroad. Between the archers were squares of pikemen, and behind them were ranks of men-at-arms wielding axes, swords, and spears.
On the right, Visenya commanded four thousand knights and other heavy lancers, among them Ser Flement Brax and members of Houses Crakehall, Swyft, and other families with Ser Addam Marbrand as her right hand.
Ser Gregor Clegane commanded the vanguard on the right. At one thousand men, they were entirely mounted but consisted of free riders, sells-words, and raw fieldhands and small-folk from Lannisport. They also included Tyrion Lannister, Bronn, and his three hundred Vale mountain clansmen.
From the high ground of a hilltop, Tywin commanded the reserve of five thousand men, half mounted, half afoot.
One would look at Tyrion's men and wonder why all those undisciplined men were placed there but if one knew Tywin Lannister enough; they would already have an answer. Suspecting that it was young Robb leading the army against them, the Old Lion offered him a tempting bait of a weakened side.
The Stark boy would get the bait and charge straight there, leaving his sides exposed. It was then when Kevan and his men would wheel to the left for a flank, driving them towards the Green Fork; straight on the heavily armoured and experienced knights under Visenya.
A simple attack on two fronts, they would trap the Northern army; giving them no chance to even escape or truly fight back.
The battle started as the Northerners marched forward only for Kevan's archers to fire volleys of arrows from the kingsroad.
At the same time, The Mountain led his men towards the shielded wall made mostly by spearmen from House Karstark. Breaking through due to his immense size and sheer force, he left an opening for the mountain men of Tyrion to pass through along with the rest of the vanguard.
The Northmen's line began to crumble under the assault as Tyrion and Bronn joined the fight with the short lion managing to defeat several enemies, including a close fight with a tall northerner whom Tyrion only overcame because his horse bit the man's cheek; giving Tyrion the opening to kill him.
Yet his victory was short-lived when a knight with a morning star managed not only to wound him but also to throw him off his horse. Not wishing to kill the short man, the knight asked him to yield and be spared but Tyrion was smarter than that.
Given the chance, he acted upon his first impulsive thought and used the spike on his helmet to eviscerate the horse, which fell on the knight; effectively disabling and trapping him.
It was then that Tyrion saw how the fight had moved past him and he could witness the true massacre his parents had planned.
Kevan's pike-men pushed the Stark lines against the hills behind them while his archers fired against the Northmen behind shield walls. The attack, as it was expected, forced many to try and move to the left to avoid the arrows and try to escape by passing through the Green Fork River.
However, Visenya's men had already blocked their way and started to kill one soldier after the other. The experienced knights, from which most belonging to her and Tywin's personal guarding group; showed no mercy to their enemy while they rode their horses side by side; along with the heavy lancers.
The Dragoness was hard to miss with men around her as she handled anyone stupid enough to try and attack her. Acting as second bait, many Northerners thought they could take her down for good or ensure she was captured and they would be praised for their bravery.
Yet, none even managed to come close for it was either her sword or the sword of one of the knights that ended their life.
Once their numbers started to drop dramatically and the morale of men fell, only then did Roose Bolton desperately try to pull his men back.
Tywin, though, did not give him the chance to do much as he led his reserve behind the van, along the river and destroyed any chances of escaping.
In the end, it was evident to many which side would win.
By the time the battle ended, the ground and the river were filled with bodies; blood polluting the soil and the waters. The majority of losses were suffered by the North, as only a small number managed to escape along with Roose Bolton.
The rest had their bodies lying on dead mounts or the ground, having faced an enemy that in the end they could not win.
Tyrion looked around him as he leaned against a cart that was used to pile the dead bodies of Lannister's men and allies. He was injured by that morning star and yet still stood, although he swore sometimes he felt like emptying the contents of his stomach.
Bronn was by his side, covered in blood but he treated it like an everyday thing; more used to such conditions and situations.
The dwarf had no comment on the losses from the tribesmen's side as he simply tried to ignore the stench of dead men, animals and blood while the Lannister forces were busy rounding up important prisoners.
The sound of horses galloping made him focus forward again and saw his father, riding their way in his mighty armour. The carved lion heads were a good indication of his superior rank, his golden cloak strapped across his chest diagonally while two bannermen rode by his side; all on 3 white horses.
They came to a halt close by and Tyrion could feel the judging look of his father. Yet, he pushed himself to stand despite his injury to show his mighty father that he was still standing and had done just fine for the first time.
"You are injured" was the first thing he told him.
"Good of you to notice. I see we won" he replied, deciding not to test his luck now of all places.
To his surprise, his father scoffed.
"The scouts were wrong. There were not 20.000 men, they were less" he informed him, something he had come to realize upon hearing the numbers and connecting the dots from what he saw while he was on top of that hill.
"Did we get the Stark boy, at least?"
"He wasn't here"
"Well, where was he?"
"With the rest of his men, obviously" Tywin replied with sarcasm, finding this game of questions and answers to be ridiculous.
Before any more questions could be asked, someone shouted.
"Stop them! Runners!" a soldier claimed and everyone could see two desperate Northerners having stolen two horses and were galloping straight for Tywin.
One held a sword and the other a lance, using it and the speed of the horses to kick or kill anyone trying to stop them.
However, they did not expect someone to come from their rear until one arrow found its way to the back of the man with the sword.
He fell to the side, dead and the horse stopped galloping once it realized it no longer had a rider.
The other man looked behind him at the fallen comrade, only to see a black blur catching up to him from his right.
Visenya, in all of her terrifying glory, rode her black mare and followed him like the Stranger.
She grabbed another arrow and aimed at the lancer.
The Northerner looked forward again, seeing being far closer to Tywin and getting ready. If only he could get in enough close distance, he could throw the stolen lance and end the Old Lion once and for all.
His banners men were ready to encounter him but Tywin lifted his hand, stopping them from moving.
It baffled the Northerner but did not slow down, taking the chance.
His chance never came for the moment he straightened his back at the right angle; Visenya took the chance.
Visenya had the perfect posture for this.
One hand was stretched forward to keep her bow stable as the other held the arrow and pulled the string back. She had remained in that position for seconds now and when the chance appeared; she let the arrow imbedded itself at the back of his neck and come out from the front of his throat.
The attack left him choking on his own blood and he immediately fell forward, resulting in causing the horse to stumble upon him.
"Correction, we had runners" Tyrion commented. Leave it to the Lioness to protect her mate.
Visenya's black mare jumped over a random body while she remained on top of the saddle. She led her horse into a gallop, her hands still holding on to the bow as she rode with only her legs. Despite the jumps of the horse over the piled bodies or the galloping pace, her upper body remained stable and never messed with her aim.
The black mare stood out, representing a demonic animal that sometimes stomped over the heads and limbs of fallen soldiers while heading their way. Its black armour was reflecting the light, barely distinguishable in the heat of battle.
Visenya lowered her bow and let out a whistling sound, forcing the horse to slow down to a trot and eventually walk as she approached them. She had trained that mare herself, with some help of course, to be able to command her with whistling signals for when her hands would be occupied using the bow.
She felt her hair sticking to the back of her neck, the rush of adrenaline having increased her body temperature. She had blood splattered across her armour, and hands and some specks of it could be seen on her face as she removed her helmet and let her white hair be free again.
Unlike the rest of the Lannisters, her helm did not have a full face visor but instead was more open; fitting for an archer. If one took a good look at it, one would see a Lion carved on one side and a three-headed dragon on the other; a subtle way for her to honour her family and roots.
"Good mother" Tyrion greeted her as he elbowed Bronn on the lower side to close his open mouth since he could not reach him and shut it himself.
"l see you haven't lost your Dragon sight after being around Lions for so long" he joked.
It was more of a rumour and gossip than a title, given to her when she was younger due to her incredible ability to find her target. Many joked that she could see like a dragon, justifying the unique shade of her eyes, and that was the reason she could shoot from a distance and on horseback with little to no hesitation.
Although, after failing to take down Robert; Visenya did not truly believe those rumours. That failure, though, became her primary focus to practise more and more of her skills in archery to be able to pull such stunts in battle.
His joke was not approved by either of his parents, who were simply too serious and annoyed by the fact that Robb Stark was not present.
At the same time, Tywin wished to know what had taken place and merely looked at her.
"Those two pretended to be dead and ambushed a soldier. Tried to get their attack on you in one last attempt" she explained shortly.
"How many did we capture?" Tywin asked her as she halted her mare in front of his.
His white stallion moved its head, nibbling on the side of the mare's head; a proof that those two horses were perhaps as acquainted as their riders.
"Important ones around 8, including a Karstark and three of Lord's Frey sons" she informed him, as she had been busy moving around the battlefield to coordinate the capture of the prisoners and how they should be rounded up.
Tywin was not surprised, having seen the Frey banners amongst the men. However, that could mean one thing.
"You think the Freys and the Starks allied?" she questioned him, reaching the same conclusion.
"It looks like it and we might have a better idea of where the young Stark might be. Make sure the prisoners tell us what they know, tell the men to use any means necessary to get that information from them"
She grabbed the reins of her mare with one hand, the other holding her helmet.
"Leave it on me. I know exactly whom to let in charge"