Post by dornishprince on Apr 8, 2008 10:22:56 GMT -5
Elijah and Holland rode in silence as they made their way from the training grounds after another grueling day of preparing for the impending invasion. Lately, they had been working on fighting on horseback, something that Elijah would be in desperate need of soon enough. As they rounded a bend in the road near the Spoiled Serpent, Arnaz the jailer ran up to them and said between gasping breaths, "There's...trouble down....by the gates!"
"Catch your breath, man," said Holland, "surely the gate guards can handle it."
"Too many...they're going to...be overwhelmed." said Arnaz panting.
Elijah had heard enough, he spurred his horse into a gallop and shot off through the thoroughfare. Holland quickly followed suit, though he was several lengths behind. Approaching the gates, Elijah saw that a group of five, no six men were accosting the two guards, bradishing farm instruments and swords. Before they could get any closer, one of the assailants ran a guard through. He fell to the ground in a lifeless heap.
Elijah, all thought of a peaceful resolution gone, drew his greatsword and took a man full in the shoulder with a powerful downswing. His horse spun as he wrenched the blade free.
Holland had time to loose two arrows before he was upon them, one taking a man in the chest and the other thunking harmlessly off the stone wall near the gate. He drew his sword and entered the fray, immediately cutting down one of the men wielding a sword.
As the remaining three scattered, Elijah sprang nimbly from his horse and landed to the side of the other sword wielding man; the one who had killed the guard. The two began to slowly circle each other. "What is the meaning of this!!" roared Elijah.
"Exactly what it looks like," said the man. Elijah could tell that his opponent was no stranger to the weapon he was holding, "We refuse to stay here and wait to be slaughtered." His sword shot towards Elijah's chest as he lunged forward.
Elijah deflected the blow and returned with a backhand slash, the two locked blades, "So instead, you start a slaughter of your own," he said through gritted teeth. The Dornish Prince pushed forward, disengaged and brought his greatsword down in a viscious arc. The man stepped forward, raised his blade and deftly blocked the attack. Once again their blades locked.
"All the man had to do was let us pass," he spat, "Why defend the indefensible." He gave way a bit and then spun rapidly, bringing his blade around to cut at Elijah's leg. Elijah hopped back but was a bit late. He felt the man's sword slice his leg at the thigh. It was a minor wound but still stung as he felt blood seep into his breeches.
The man's blade became a blur, seeming to sense that the flesh wound he inflicted had guaranteed victory. Elijah defended well, taking another light wound across his shoulder as he waited for an opening. All of a sudden, it was there and he swiftly brought his sword down parallel to the ground and drove it forward into the man's stomach, impaling him.
Meanwhile, Holland had also dismounted and was engaging the two remaining men, one more of a boy than a man, armed with pitchforks. He moved in and out slicing casually at their weapons, spreading them out to give himself room to work and to negate the advantage they had with greater numbers and longer implements. They were clearly not soldiers and it wasn't long until the older of the two tasted Holland's steel. Taking a slash from right shoulder to left hip the man grunted and fell; dead before he hit ground.
He turned his attention to the boy who, upon noticing Elijah kicking the soldier from his blade, had sprinted towards him screaming, "FATHER!!! NO!!!"
By giving away the element of surprise and turning his back to Holland the young man had made two fatal errors. He didn't even feel Holland's sword pierce his back because, a split second prior, Elijah's sword took his head off at the neck.
Both men stood, gasping for breath as their blood pounded in their ears. Long seconds passed and became minutes.
"We need to see you to the maester, Elijah," grunted Holland.
Elijah looked at him emptily and motioned towards the other guard who lay unconscious on the ground, "This man too, then. Let's go."
-------
Elijah attains Master swordsmanship (greatsword)
Elijah attains Apprentice horse riding
Holland attains Expert swordsmanship (longsword)
Holland attains Noteworthy horse riding
"Catch your breath, man," said Holland, "surely the gate guards can handle it."
"Too many...they're going to...be overwhelmed." said Arnaz panting.
Elijah had heard enough, he spurred his horse into a gallop and shot off through the thoroughfare. Holland quickly followed suit, though he was several lengths behind. Approaching the gates, Elijah saw that a group of five, no six men were accosting the two guards, bradishing farm instruments and swords. Before they could get any closer, one of the assailants ran a guard through. He fell to the ground in a lifeless heap.
Elijah, all thought of a peaceful resolution gone, drew his greatsword and took a man full in the shoulder with a powerful downswing. His horse spun as he wrenched the blade free.
Holland had time to loose two arrows before he was upon them, one taking a man in the chest and the other thunking harmlessly off the stone wall near the gate. He drew his sword and entered the fray, immediately cutting down one of the men wielding a sword.
As the remaining three scattered, Elijah sprang nimbly from his horse and landed to the side of the other sword wielding man; the one who had killed the guard. The two began to slowly circle each other. "What is the meaning of this!!" roared Elijah.
"Exactly what it looks like," said the man. Elijah could tell that his opponent was no stranger to the weapon he was holding, "We refuse to stay here and wait to be slaughtered." His sword shot towards Elijah's chest as he lunged forward.
Elijah deflected the blow and returned with a backhand slash, the two locked blades, "So instead, you start a slaughter of your own," he said through gritted teeth. The Dornish Prince pushed forward, disengaged and brought his greatsword down in a viscious arc. The man stepped forward, raised his blade and deftly blocked the attack. Once again their blades locked.
"All the man had to do was let us pass," he spat, "Why defend the indefensible." He gave way a bit and then spun rapidly, bringing his blade around to cut at Elijah's leg. Elijah hopped back but was a bit late. He felt the man's sword slice his leg at the thigh. It was a minor wound but still stung as he felt blood seep into his breeches.
The man's blade became a blur, seeming to sense that the flesh wound he inflicted had guaranteed victory. Elijah defended well, taking another light wound across his shoulder as he waited for an opening. All of a sudden, it was there and he swiftly brought his sword down parallel to the ground and drove it forward into the man's stomach, impaling him.
Meanwhile, Holland had also dismounted and was engaging the two remaining men, one more of a boy than a man, armed with pitchforks. He moved in and out slicing casually at their weapons, spreading them out to give himself room to work and to negate the advantage they had with greater numbers and longer implements. They were clearly not soldiers and it wasn't long until the older of the two tasted Holland's steel. Taking a slash from right shoulder to left hip the man grunted and fell; dead before he hit ground.
He turned his attention to the boy who, upon noticing Elijah kicking the soldier from his blade, had sprinted towards him screaming, "FATHER!!! NO!!!"
By giving away the element of surprise and turning his back to Holland the young man had made two fatal errors. He didn't even feel Holland's sword pierce his back because, a split second prior, Elijah's sword took his head off at the neck.
Both men stood, gasping for breath as their blood pounded in their ears. Long seconds passed and became minutes.
"We need to see you to the maester, Elijah," grunted Holland.
Elijah looked at him emptily and motioned towards the other guard who lay unconscious on the ground, "This man too, then. Let's go."
-------
Elijah attains Master swordsmanship (greatsword)
Elijah attains Apprentice horse riding
Holland attains Expert swordsmanship (longsword)
Holland attains Noteworthy horse riding
Hope you all are well and happy.