Post by The Stranger on Apr 8, 2008 9:35:06 GMT -5
Beric looked out of the window and watched the people far down below as they were moving off to their homes. The sun was setting and the people of Sunspear had their days work behind them. To Beric it seemed like it was only just beginning. He knew now what was to happen, he knew that the northern lords must be close to marching, and even though he had faught against countless men, he couldn't help but feeling a little scared.
Someone laid their hand on his arm and when he turned he saw it was Aryanna. "Ber... you've been staring out of that window for hours. You haven't even eaten!" Beric looked down. "I wasn't hungry." he mumbled, trying to turn to the window again but Aryanna's grip tightened and she forced him around. "Now you are acting like a little child, Ser Beric Dayne. You are not a child. You are my husband and a knight."
"And I'll soon be dead, Ary."
His blunt reply seem to hit home, in a way he didn't want it to. A tear appeared in his wife's eye and he quickly went to hold her, slowly stroking her back and whispering to her. "Ary, I'm sorry. I was only scared. You know, those pirates on the coast; i've faced them countless times! But this is something different. These are all the northern lands against us!" For a moment he paused, then his voice returned, a hint of anger in it. "All we want is our damn independence. And what do we get? War!" He calmed again and walked Aryanna over to their bed. She sat down and Beric poured her some wine. "There is something I want to talk to you about." He placed a hand on Aryanna's tummy, the size of which had only mildly increased.
"If I do not... if I do not return, then the naming of the child will be up to you. If it is a girl, name her whatever you want. But if it is a boy... then name him Arthur, for that is a strong name, especially in my line." Beric kissed his wife on the cheeck and left the room. He had a lot of things to do. Earlier in the day, just after the meeting, he had asked Lord Fowler if he could take some lessons in tactics with him. The Lord had said he would be busy but he told one of his other generals to meet with Beric and teach him some things.
As Beric entered the large room a man of somewhat small size greeted him. "You must be Ser Beric, am I right?"
Beric nodded and shook the mans hand. He took a glass of wine that was standing there and guided it to his lips but suddenly his hand was empty, the glass breaking and spilling on the floor. The general smiled. "A tactician must think clearly. A clouded vision leads to failure." Beric grimaced but seated himself. And so they began.
At first the general was just pointing at maps, detailing the strategies of famous battles that had been fought in Dorne and other places. Then, he drew up battle scenarios, asking Beric what troops he would move where, smiling when he was correct and frowning when he wasn't. They sat for hours and Beric's head became very heavy. He was talking about how to attack a flank that was made up out of heavily armored spear-men when the general stopped him. "I think you have learned enough today, Ser Beric. I see you have a talent for commanding, and in theory you do well." For the first time this night a desperate look appeared on the mans face. "Let us just hope that you do well in practice."
It was very late when Beric finally got to bed. He had decided to drink, he thought he deserved it and yet he felt bad. As he lay there, putting an arm around Aryanna, he couldn't help but going over tactics hin his head.
'Charge with the cavalry but leave the infantry to strike in a delayed charge.'
'Spearmen defend against uncoming light horse'
'Let main force swarm in then trap with... the hand... the hammer.'
Sleep would not find him so he got up, dressed himself and went down to the training yard. He felt a little desperate, cramming in as much practice has he could but when he got to the open yard he already saw a fair number of men practicing their skills. He approached a rather large man and told him to train with him, attack in the most vicious way the man knew.
Beric was tired and drunk, but with a sword in his hand it made no difference. This man was good, but he was not as good as Elijah had been. 'I actually underestimated the man... I should have known.' The man was coming at him, swinging ferosciously at him with his longsword, but Beric parried every hit, his body moving the smallest amount it had had, conserving his energy. He waited, he deflected blows... he waited, and when the time came he was ready. He had just caught a thrust that was meant for his belly and so he shot to the mans' side, thrusting his sword down onto his wrist, then
bringing it up crashing against his helm. Beric helped the man get up and smiled. "I thank you for this. Now I think
I can finally sleep."
Ser Beric Dayne improves towards Grandmaster in Sword
Ser Beric Dayne improves to Expert in Battle/Command
Someone laid their hand on his arm and when he turned he saw it was Aryanna. "Ber... you've been staring out of that window for hours. You haven't even eaten!" Beric looked down. "I wasn't hungry." he mumbled, trying to turn to the window again but Aryanna's grip tightened and she forced him around. "Now you are acting like a little child, Ser Beric Dayne. You are not a child. You are my husband and a knight."
"And I'll soon be dead, Ary."
His blunt reply seem to hit home, in a way he didn't want it to. A tear appeared in his wife's eye and he quickly went to hold her, slowly stroking her back and whispering to her. "Ary, I'm sorry. I was only scared. You know, those pirates on the coast; i've faced them countless times! But this is something different. These are all the northern lands against us!" For a moment he paused, then his voice returned, a hint of anger in it. "All we want is our damn independence. And what do we get? War!" He calmed again and walked Aryanna over to their bed. She sat down and Beric poured her some wine. "There is something I want to talk to you about." He placed a hand on Aryanna's tummy, the size of which had only mildly increased.
"If I do not... if I do not return, then the naming of the child will be up to you. If it is a girl, name her whatever you want. But if it is a boy... then name him Arthur, for that is a strong name, especially in my line." Beric kissed his wife on the cheeck and left the room. He had a lot of things to do. Earlier in the day, just after the meeting, he had asked Lord Fowler if he could take some lessons in tactics with him. The Lord had said he would be busy but he told one of his other generals to meet with Beric and teach him some things.
As Beric entered the large room a man of somewhat small size greeted him. "You must be Ser Beric, am I right?"
Beric nodded and shook the mans hand. He took a glass of wine that was standing there and guided it to his lips but suddenly his hand was empty, the glass breaking and spilling on the floor. The general smiled. "A tactician must think clearly. A clouded vision leads to failure." Beric grimaced but seated himself. And so they began.
At first the general was just pointing at maps, detailing the strategies of famous battles that had been fought in Dorne and other places. Then, he drew up battle scenarios, asking Beric what troops he would move where, smiling when he was correct and frowning when he wasn't. They sat for hours and Beric's head became very heavy. He was talking about how to attack a flank that was made up out of heavily armored spear-men when the general stopped him. "I think you have learned enough today, Ser Beric. I see you have a talent for commanding, and in theory you do well." For the first time this night a desperate look appeared on the mans face. "Let us just hope that you do well in practice."
It was very late when Beric finally got to bed. He had decided to drink, he thought he deserved it and yet he felt bad. As he lay there, putting an arm around Aryanna, he couldn't help but going over tactics hin his head.
'Charge with the cavalry but leave the infantry to strike in a delayed charge.'
'Spearmen defend against uncoming light horse'
'Let main force swarm in then trap with... the hand... the hammer.'
Sleep would not find him so he got up, dressed himself and went down to the training yard. He felt a little desperate, cramming in as much practice has he could but when he got to the open yard he already saw a fair number of men practicing their skills. He approached a rather large man and told him to train with him, attack in the most vicious way the man knew.
Beric was tired and drunk, but with a sword in his hand it made no difference. This man was good, but he was not as good as Elijah had been. 'I actually underestimated the man... I should have known.' The man was coming at him, swinging ferosciously at him with his longsword, but Beric parried every hit, his body moving the smallest amount it had had, conserving his energy. He waited, he deflected blows... he waited, and when the time came he was ready. He had just caught a thrust that was meant for his belly and so he shot to the mans' side, thrusting his sword down onto his wrist, then
bringing it up crashing against his helm. Beric helped the man get up and smiled. "I thank you for this. Now I think
I can finally sleep."
Ser Beric Dayne improves towards Grandmaster in Sword
Ser Beric Dayne improves to Expert in Battle/Command