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Jamie’s POV
Bronn and I ride ahead of the men we managed to gather; nearly five thousand men. I approached any Lords and Ladies of the south and only asked for volunteers to come with. This five thousand will not be enough to break the lines of the Dead but it is better than arriving alone.
Then again, Bronn followed me so better five thousand men than the two of us arriving alone. Bronn has done nothing but mouth me off in what I have done. However what could the alternative be if we did nothing?
“If I lose my balls because of this travel, I will kill you before one of those dead fuckers can. It will be your head so you won’t come back to get me, cunt.” Bronn shouts while shivering in the freezing cold.
The snow storm makes it troublesome to get to Winterfell within haste. I am surprised that my balls have not frozen off yet. My horse shakes its head off the snow covering its head and neck. The hood of my cloak gets blown off my head but I pull it back up to try to stay as warm as I possibly can.
I shiver in exhaustion at the thought that we have another two days before we arrive to Winterfell. I can only hope that I do not freeze by then in traveling day and night to get there before the Army of the Dead does.
Suddenly Bronn hits my arm and I shout at him, “What?”
“Listen, fucker.” He tells me exactly like he did when he heard the Dothraki coming.
I hear nothing except the sound of the snow storm. Until the sound changes to an erupting movements that is within our distance. I glare around as do the men behind us. The horses begin to get nervous. I begin to circle mine to try to calm the horse down.
I look to Bronn until his eyes to go something behind me. My eyes turn to find a rider approaching. The rider is fully armored as well as is his chestnut horse. The armored rider has the skin of what appears to be a fox on his shoulders and arms.
In my years, I have not seen any rider such as this one especially with the full head helmet. The head helmet is menacing to stare at, almost like a black leather skinned demon mask. The rider gallops up, riding alongside Bronn and me.
“Enjoying your freedom from your mad sister, Ser Jaime Lannister?” The masked rider questions me.
“Who are you?” Bronn asks the rider.
“I am the Desert Fox. And you are Ser Bronn of the Black Water. You certainly have killed the right people to get where you are. I look forward to killing the dead alongside you.”
Bronn has a look of admiration that even a random rider knows of him. The erupting noises appear to come closer and closer toward us. I still do not see anything ahead due to the snow storm. My attention is brought back to this Desert Fox.
“Back to my question, enjoying your freedom, Ser Jamie Lannister?”
“It is not exactly freedom in this cold, Desert Fox. Where do you come from?”
“Understandable. I came from King’s Landing. We are traveling at great haste. I was hoping we would meet you on your travel to Winterfell. I would love to hear the moment you turned your back on Cersei Lannister. Not many live to tell the tale.”
“The Desert Fox speaks truth, Jamie. Do not bother, Fox. He has not told me how it happened either.”
“That is a shame. I can only imagine the priceless look when it happened. I am all ears if or when you tell the tale. I know we all would thoroughly enjoy it.”
“We?”
The Desert Fox glares at me and without looking at their true face, I can tell that there is a smile on the rider’s face when I questioned him. The Desert Fox is about to answer but the erupting of the ground is stronger than before.
I glare around wondering where that erupting sounds are coming from. I hear a chuckle come from the masked rider. I wonder why the chuckling as the masked rider points to the far right further ahead of us.
I see ahead of the King’s Road where the Desert Fox is pointing. My sight takes a moment to see through the snow storm. My mouth drops when I finally see what is making the erupting noises of the earth. I cannot believe what my eyes are seeing.
I only ever heard of them through Cersei when she mentioned the Golden Company, a total of twelve war elephants. The elephants are massive, ferocious beasts. Their legs are like tree trunks, their bodies larger than a house. They have a long snout like a large sea serpent.
The Desert Fox rides ahead to catch up with about three thousand men that are marching shortly behind the Elephants; these men look to be from the Golden Company. Did Cersei change her mind about sending men out to help in the fight against the Dead?
I ride forward to catch up with this so called Desert Fox. My horse tries to avoid going forward but I urge the horse to do so when we approach close to the elephants. I begin to see how these great beasts are made for war.
The Golden Company somehow managed to strap enormous carriage like towers on the back of the elephants. I see maybe over ten or more archers and spearmen on the back of these animals. They are covered in gold banners, bands and trappings of gold and brass on the carriage like towers.
Their size is intimidating alone. My horse and I could get crushed with just half a step of theirs. They are magnificent. I wonder how they direct them in battle or traveling like they are. With a horse, you use your body, feet and hands to do so. How do they do it with the elephants?
Bronn catches up, glaring at these mighty animals walking before us. We both see two men at the tip of the neck of each elephant holding what appears to be almost like large reins. I see where the reins are connected. They connect to the elephant’s enormous ears almost like sails. That is how they manage them during travel and battle. It is impressive.
I do not know how they managed to tame them but the results are effective. Their elephants are known to be one of the most brutal beasts of war in Essos and now they will be in Westeros aside from Daenerys Dragons.
Their massive feet leave an imprint through the snow to the ground. The footprint alone tells me that their feet can trample any enemy on the ground. But one of the main things of these elephants is their tusks. Each elephant has a total of two massive ones on their right and left side of their mouths. Their tusks are thicker, longer and sharper than any spear or arrow such as the ones that Qyburn made for the Scorpion to attempt to strike down a dragon.
I believe that one good blow of their tusks to the chest of a dragon would be enough to kill one. I notice that their tusks appeared to be painted in a gold paint to symbolize they belong to the Golden Company of Essos.
I manage to get my horse close enough to one. I reach my hand out to touch the skin of the elephant. And just a brief touch of them, I knew right away that it will take more than an arrow or common spear to cause these beasts harm just like the Dragons. Their skin is tough, almost like leather hide. Not even the greatest skilled horseman could take out one of these elephants. Only a dragon can take these magnificent war beasts out.
I ride up to the Desert Fox. “Did Cersei Lannister send them?”
“No. She does not even know they are missing. I sailed the Golden Company elephants here for more than she realized. These men came at volunteer. They did not want to sit by in the Great War. As for these elephants, they are the oldest elephants they had to give for the war and got all the breeding they could from them so they allowed for these twelve to come. This will be their last war, win or lose.” The Desert Fox says.
I immediately stare at the Desert Fox when those words were spoken aloud. It is something my father, Tywin would say if he was still here. I can only imagine his words if he could see me, Cersei and Tyrion.
“How do you know these men?” I ask the Desert Fox.
“We Foxes of the Sunset Sea have many dealings throughout the world. The Golden Company is one of them. We help with their weapons, granary, gold and numbers on the battle field when necessary. When they were paid to come here to Westeros to fight for Cersei Lannister, I called in our favor. This is the result.”
“Foxes of the Sunset Sea? What kind of name is that?” Bronn asks.
“Not the best name however it is better than Dickon.”
Bronn begins laughing uncontrollable at the mention of the name, Dickon. However I do not laugh since I learned I know Dickon Tarly and his father were burnt to ashes by Daenerys Targaryen dragon breath. I do wonder how his wife is grieving the loss of her husband and first born son.
The Desert Fox places his hand on my shoulder for a moment; it is almost like the Fox knows what I am thinking about. “Not to worry about Lady Tarly. I have some news of her for her second son, Samwell Tarly when we arrive to Winterfell. He is free to return home and much more.”
“That is right, Samwell Tarly. I believe he was in the Night’s Watch.” I recall the last thing I ever heard about his second son. The passing Lord Tarly disowned his second son.
“He counsels the King in the North and the closest thing to a brother that King Snow has. Samwell Tarly killed a Thenn even a White Walker. He may not be a fighter but he is a killer just like we all are. His father was a stupid cunt and deserved the death he got. Dickon did not deserve death by fire. He died before his time however he chose to stand with his father to the death. That is all on him, no one else.”
Bronn seems to like the Desert Fox the more time we spend with the Desert Fox. We all travel silently in the cold for a bit until the Desert Fox asks, “Would you like to hear a poem of them, Ser Jaime Lannister and Ser Bronn of the Black Water?”
We shake our heads yes then continue to look at these mighty elephants before us. The Desert Fox begins to tell the poem while Bronn and I watch their every movement that is the exact description of them in the poem.
‘Grey as a mouse
Big as a house
Nose like a snake
I make the earth shake.
As I tramp through the grass
Trees crack as I pass
With horns in my mouth
I walk in the East
Flapping big ears
Beyond count of years
I stump round and round
Never lie on the ground
Not even to die
Elephant am I
Biggest of all
Huge, old and tall
If ever you’d met me
You wouldn’t forget me
If you never do
You won’t think I’m true
But old Elephant am I
And I never lie’
Every word of the poem is befitting of them. Not a single detail was left out of the mighty war elephants before me.
Out of nowhere, one of the elephants lets out a trumpeting but yet rumbling roar. I cover my ears in its high-pitched tone that can be heard for miles around. After the one lets out a rumbling roar, the others let one out almost at once. It is as if they know they are off to war for possibly the last time.
I wonder the same for myself. I’m aware that my arrival to Winterfell even with five thousand men at my back will have the Northerners call for my head. But now my head will not be called for as loudly when they see these mighty elephants in my arrival.
I smile in amazement of them. My eyes stare ahead where the Desert Fox is now leading the Golden Company men and elephants. We all travel together as an army to the one place I never imagined I would return to, the seven hells of Winterfell.
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Author’s Note
Hey everyone. I wanted to give credit of where I got the inspiration for the War Elephants of the Golden Company. I looked up any war elephants in our world, thoroughly looked into George RR Martin books of the Golden Company and of course, Lord of The Rings elephants. I made some small changes so they would be different and unique in their own way. As for the poem, I take no claim to it. It goes to its rightful owner and genius writer, Tolkien. I hope the chapter is a good read. Please let me know your thoughts in the comment section. More chapters to come. I hope everyone is well. Have a good day/night. - Faith Hammett XOXO ❤️🙂
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