Post by The Stranger on Apr 13, 2008 13:29:48 GMT -5
Robb's mind was reeling. When will the slaughter end? When will it end, Robb, when!? The voices were shouting at him, distracting him from battle. "Shut up!" Robb screamed aloud. I'm going mad. Just ignore it. Kill, kill, kill. Just kill. That is what he had been doing for hours. He was past the point of exhaustion; and so were the men around him and the men he was trying to kill. Both armies had long since stopped rallying and pushing back; the two hosts were merely staying locked in a futile battle while thousands more perished every hour. Robb looked to his left and to his right, where no signs of the West, Vale, or Mander armies remained. They had all been killed. It's just the Far Reach and Dorne. Just Alex and Fowler.
His brother had been slain nearly two hours ago; Robb had backed off the line for some water and to give out new directions when the news had come to him. He had merely nodded at the man. "No harm will come to his body, see to it that he is put under whatever shade you can find and tended to by those who know medicine. A few men, no more. The rest of you will continue to fight. If you wear the Red Huntsman as I do, then you will avenge my brave brother. Now go."
That had been all. He had pushed it from his mind; although it had hung there, right on the edge of his thoughts, an ugly beast threatening to swoop in and kill him at any moment. The only thing that had eased his mind and heart was the sound of bones and muscles being destroyed by his greatsword. You will all die, snakes. Every one of you.
An arrow flew an inch from his face and one of his sworn men in the belly. Cursing, Robb raised his own shield for protection and slashed at the enemy. Young Tomas Bulwer fought beside Robb, hacking at the enemy at every opportunity. Robb liked the boy fiercely, and fought Tomas's enemies as much as the ones attacking him.
Something was happening to Robb's right, but he could not see what it was. A dornishmen stepped up in front of Robb after cutting down one of his Horn Hill men with the point of spear. Robb slammed his shield into the man's face, breaking his teeth and sending blood down his face. The man took a step back but Robb pursued, beating down on the enemy's small shield until he fell to his knees. Another dornish stepped up and tried to slip his spear into Robb's side, but Robb quickly parried and gutted him open. He moved back to the fallen enemy, but yet another, and another dornishman attacked. Robb back on his heels, now fighting two enemies and another that was rising. His shield was being battered but he quickly jabbed his sword through one of the men's eye, killing him instantly. The other man rose and again Robb was fighting two men. He took a slash on the forearm before one of the helm. Being beaten backwards, suddenly the man on the right fell, as Tomas Bulwer stepped up from the side and cut him down. Laughing, Robb fought with renewed strength, killing the man in front of him and returning to the line, cutting down foe after foe.
Robb had let the vanguard at the beginning of the battle, scouting ahead as had become his job. Alex trusted him completely now, and Robb's leadership had improved dramatically. He had led the van and fought in the brief battle of Godsgrace, too. He had seen 50,000 men gathered to fight this battle; there remained less than 20,000.
Suddenly, Robb heard the cheer from the right. It was his own men cheering, the reachmen, claiming victory. Fowler's standard had fell, the Dornish being pushed back, now turning and running.
"What happened? You!" Robb snapped to a rider. "What has happened?"
The man smiled a grin of pure joy. "Lord Tarly!" he said simply, before noticing that it did not make sense, and added, "Lord Irwyn has cut down the Stone Hawk! Fowler is dead! The war is won."
Robb stared at the man for a brief second, and felt his joy. Then he remembered his brother.
After the battle Robb visited Bret, and sobbed.
Results:
Robb improves from Master (improved) sword to Grandmaster.
Robb improves from apprentice to noteworthy scouting.
His brother had been slain nearly two hours ago; Robb had backed off the line for some water and to give out new directions when the news had come to him. He had merely nodded at the man. "No harm will come to his body, see to it that he is put under whatever shade you can find and tended to by those who know medicine. A few men, no more. The rest of you will continue to fight. If you wear the Red Huntsman as I do, then you will avenge my brave brother. Now go."
That had been all. He had pushed it from his mind; although it had hung there, right on the edge of his thoughts, an ugly beast threatening to swoop in and kill him at any moment. The only thing that had eased his mind and heart was the sound of bones and muscles being destroyed by his greatsword. You will all die, snakes. Every one of you.
An arrow flew an inch from his face and one of his sworn men in the belly. Cursing, Robb raised his own shield for protection and slashed at the enemy. Young Tomas Bulwer fought beside Robb, hacking at the enemy at every opportunity. Robb liked the boy fiercely, and fought Tomas's enemies as much as the ones attacking him.
Something was happening to Robb's right, but he could not see what it was. A dornishmen stepped up in front of Robb after cutting down one of his Horn Hill men with the point of spear. Robb slammed his shield into the man's face, breaking his teeth and sending blood down his face. The man took a step back but Robb pursued, beating down on the enemy's small shield until he fell to his knees. Another dornish stepped up and tried to slip his spear into Robb's side, but Robb quickly parried and gutted him open. He moved back to the fallen enemy, but yet another, and another dornishman attacked. Robb back on his heels, now fighting two enemies and another that was rising. His shield was being battered but he quickly jabbed his sword through one of the men's eye, killing him instantly. The other man rose and again Robb was fighting two men. He took a slash on the forearm before one of the helm. Being beaten backwards, suddenly the man on the right fell, as Tomas Bulwer stepped up from the side and cut him down. Laughing, Robb fought with renewed strength, killing the man in front of him and returning to the line, cutting down foe after foe.
Robb had let the vanguard at the beginning of the battle, scouting ahead as had become his job. Alex trusted him completely now, and Robb's leadership had improved dramatically. He had led the van and fought in the brief battle of Godsgrace, too. He had seen 50,000 men gathered to fight this battle; there remained less than 20,000.
Suddenly, Robb heard the cheer from the right. It was his own men cheering, the reachmen, claiming victory. Fowler's standard had fell, the Dornish being pushed back, now turning and running.
"What happened? You!" Robb snapped to a rider. "What has happened?"
The man smiled a grin of pure joy. "Lord Tarly!" he said simply, before noticing that it did not make sense, and added, "Lord Irwyn has cut down the Stone Hawk! Fowler is dead! The war is won."
Robb stared at the man for a brief second, and felt his joy. Then he remembered his brother.
After the battle Robb visited Bret, and sobbed.
Results:
Robb improves from Master (improved) sword to Grandmaster.
Robb improves from apprentice to noteworthy scouting.