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After the liberation of Astapor, Dany's host marched north along the coast, towards the coastal city of Yunkai. The road distance was about 320 miles (515 km) (1). However, about 9 miles (~15 km) from the city they encountered a Yunkish slave army, supported by two mounted sellsword companies: The Stormcrows (on the Yunkish left) and the Second Sons (Yunkish right). Each of the sellsword companies numbered about 500 men, and the total strength was estimated to be 5.000 men. Dany's army was superior, both numerically and qualitatively, and numbered several thousand armed freedmen (2) and a few dozen mounted Dothraki, in addition to her 8.600 fully trained Unsullied. But the freedmen were untrained and lightly armed, in stark contrast to the heavy elite battalions of the Unsullied. Dany's host also consisted of tens of thousands of kids and women and other non-combatants.

Dany decided to negotiate with the slavers and captains of the sellswords, hoping to turn the sellsword over to her side and lure the Wise Masters of Yunkai to release the city slaves. The captains of the Stormcrows, Prendahl na Ghezn, Sallor the Bald and Daario Naharis, are invited to her tent, but her offers are recjected by their spokesman, Prendahl. Mero, the captain of the Second Sons admitted that she's worth fighting for, and after Dany gave him a wagon of wine he promised to bring her an answer next morning. The envoys from Yunkai, led by Grazdan mo Eraz, were enraged by her terms which said that the Wise Masters were to open the city gates in three days, release the slaves and let her enter the city. Nonetheless they brought her terms back to Yunkai.

After dark had fallen, Dany revealed to her commanders that she wanted them to attack the enemy host an hour past midnight. She had planned all along to take the enemy by surprise, and she hoped that the Second Sons would be drunk on the wine she gave Mero. The battle plan was outlined by Dany herself: A surprise attack on both enemy flanks by the Unsullied, led by Grey Worm, their captain, and Ser Jorah Mormont, the supreme commander of the army. Her kos, Jhogo, Aggo and Rakharo were to lead her mounted warriors of about 30 men in wedge formation against the enemy center. Arstan Whitebeard and Strong Belwas were held back to guard her pavilion during the battle (3). The practical details of the plan were worked out in an hour.

Near midnight the Unsullied caught Daario Naharis approaching the camp and it turned out that he had killed the other captains and he surrendered the Stormcrows over to her. He pledged his sword and Dany accepted, aware that she risked being betrayed. Before he returned to his men, he was told to attack the Yunkish in the rear when the attack began. Dany hoped that the hundreds of campfires would distract the enemy scouts, and thus give her men the element of surprise. Jhogo's riders would also take care of any scouts who put their plans in jeopardy.

The attack was launched a few hours after midnight, and the Stormcrows attacked the enemy in the rear, as promised. The Second Sons were too drunk to fight and were unable to support the slave army. Surrounded from all directions, the Yunkish troops broke and threw down their weapons, while the sellswords yielded.

Almost 200 Yunkish infantry were killed, and the rest were taken captive. The Second Sons only suffered light casualties (4), but their captain had fled when he realized that the Stormcrows had betrayed them. Dany's own losses were minimal, only a dozen men had been killed or wounded. The battle had lasted for a few hours.

Dany's host headed for Yunkai the next day, and the army was deployed when they arrived before the city walls. On the morning of the third day the gates were opened and tens of thousands of slaves were set free. The city had been liberated without further confrontations.

(1): This figure is based on their relative map-positions and the estimated distance between Yunkai and Meereen.

(2): "... tens of thousands preferred to follow her to Yunkai ...", "... but only one in ten was strong enough to fight, and none was trained...", Dany (3p475).

(3): Of course, her camp was protected by regular troops as well (see General Notes for details). Arstan and Belwas only represented her 'inner perimeter' defense.

(4): "... Two hundred dead, Yunkai'i for the most part.", Jorah (3p487).

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