Post by The Stranger on Apr 8, 2008 12:31:02 GMT -5
His heart began thumping faster, and a line of sweat, despite the breeze of the sea, broke out on forehead and threatened to sting his eyes until Lewys used his sleeve to clear it off. In every direction there were ships. To his right sat the innumerable war ships of the Arbor, led by Lord Redwyne and the Cuy knight. To his left were more of the western ships that he commanded, and also nearly as many ships from Highgarden, led by young Aegon Tyrell.
The ships were in battle speed now and the castle of Lemonwood reared up in the distance, large and distant. Lewys, whose ship was the lead of the western navy, was still two hundred yards behind the leading Reach ship, which was flying the colors of House Cuy. They were coming up on the shore now, and the battle drums were beating hard and rhytmic, seemingly in step with Lewys's heartbeat. He barked out orders to his crew and boarding party, all loyal men from Deep Den. The rest of the westermen under his control were from Lannisport, eager to rid themselves of their treacherous reputation thanks to their murderous overlords.
Lewys stood at the prow of the ship, waiting to see any army forming up on the shore. There was none. Their going to try and make us siege. Maybe it is their only hope. We will storm it, though, and they will die. They will all die. Lewys gazed at the castle, the wind blowing his thin brown hair backwards, his large, hollow pool of eyes shining mysterious as ever.
Ser Edric Cuy's men landed, ship by ship. They formed a shield wall, closely packed together, and Lewys watched with enthusiasm as they slowly marched forwards, step by step, arrows and crossbolts deflecting harmlessly off their shields. The reachmen were almost to the keep when Lewys's own ship beached in a furious collision, throwing many off balance. Laughing like a mad man, he ordered his troops onto the beach. "Let's kill some Dornish bastards, lads!" he bellowed, his voice unusally deep and boisterous. The men laughed and voiced their agreement. More ships, from the west and the mander, had landed now and were forming shield walls of their own.
Lewys climbed off the ship into knee deep water, before making his way onto the hot sand. Raising his sword and pointing it towards the castle of Lemonwood, he once raised his voice, turning to his men with fire in his eyes. "For the King!". "Aye, for the King!" the men responded, and the shield wall was quickly formed, careful not to have any gaps in their line, lest an arrow should be placed perfectly between two shields.
They had walked a hundred yards, two hundred yards, arrows thumping into their shields every second. Lewys's back ached and sweat was dripping from his hair. Finally, they were upon the walls. "Ladders!" Lewys yelled at the men behind the shield wall. A minute later the siegemen returned, ready to prepare for the storm of the castle. "Lose the shields, men! Time to kill!" The westermen threw down their shields, some dying instantly from a torrent of arrows. One hit Lewys in his side, barely piercing his heavy mail but bruising his chest nonetheless. Shrugging it off by the pure adrenaline of the battle, Lewys hurried his own men up the wall. When the last one had went, he himself went up the siege ladder. The defenders on the wall were falling back quickly, being overwhelmed by the thousands of men crawling inside the walls. He heard moands and yells from the other side. Before he knew it, he was at the top, and he leaped over into the castle of Lemonwood.
His own men were battling a score of defenders, but resistance was stiffer to his left where the Tyrell men were trying to break through. Without thinking, he rushed forwards, taking a man in the back with his sword. Turning, he slashed another man in the back of his neck, his sword coming out on the other side. He had no shield, as he had thrown it down on the beach, so he knew the slighest mistake would mean death. A small, stocky, bearded man, noticing Lewys for a commander, rushed at him, throwing a spear while he was at it. Lewys just ducked in time to allow the spear to fly over his head, slamming into the back of a fellow dornish man. The man was on him now, jabbing with the point of his spear. Parrying twice, Lewys slammed his forearm into the man's jaw, sending him stumbling backwards. He slashed his sword across the man's face, cutting off his nose and producing a gut wrenching scream from the dornish man. Lewys gave him the gift of mercy and turned to lead his men against the defenders fighting the mander men.
Two hours later, blood decorating the walls of Lemonwood, the many flags of the allied forces went up from the inner keep, flapping in the wind. Thousands of men raised their voices in victory, proud of their triumph and sad of the friends that had fell with them. The leaders, Lewys included, met in the inner keep, discussing all that had taken place.
Results:
Lewys improves towards master Command
Lewys improves towards grandmaster Swordsmanship