Post by The Stranger on Apr 13, 2008 16:19:17 GMT -5
Walking up the stairs, Beric could still not believe it. Gaharr Tohn had always treated him well, so why had the man pretended
to be dead? As they entered his room Janos, who was lying on his bed, looked up sleepy-eyed. "My Lord Beric, who's this?" "A
friend. Janos, I think I spotted that young girl who gave you such big eyes near the docks yesterday. If you run you can catch
her up." Janos, suddenly wide awake, sprung up and left the room. Gaharr's laughter boomed through the room, albeit not as
loudly as Beric remembered it. "So, my friend. I believe there is a few things I will need to ask." Gaharr eyed Beric and nodded.
"I too have some questions. What did that young soldier mean when he said my Lord?" Beric grimaced as he heard the question.
"It seems my family as been made almost extinct. Every single Dayne has been murdered.. well, apart from me, which makes me
Lord by default." Gaharr looked aghast. "I am... I am sorry, Beric. Please, ask what you may." Beric sat on his bed and stayed
silent for a moment. Then he looked at his former foster father. "Why? Why did you pretend to be dead? It broke my heart." "And
mine, Beric! And mine! It was your father, he told me to do it. As you know he had no great love for you, otherwise the bastard
may have raised you by himself. It wasn't your fault that your mother died, but he seemed to disagree." Gaharr looked for
somewhere to sit, and finding a chair, put it to good use. "He wanted your life to be as hard as possible. I don't know wether
he hoped for you to die, or just learn a lesson, but when he came to me I severely disagreed with him. However, he was a Dayne
and I just an old sellsword, so I had to agree to it. I am so sorry Beric. I have been searching for you these past... eleven years
is it?" Beric only nodded. He had to take it all in. "I hope you can forgive an old man, Beric. I am 64 and would not be able to
survive another broken heart." "I know... god, Gaharr, it's been a hard past few months. I would like it much if a friend could
hear my story." Gaharr nodded and Beric began to pour out his heart.
Twenty minutes later, the two men walked back down into the common room. Beric nodded his friend goodbye and sat at his table, while
Gaharr went for the door. It was good to have a friend, yet he still felt somewhat strange. He had never truly forgotten about the
man, but now that he was back he felt like he had never truly known him. "Like a child knows and old man." Beric mumbled to
himself as he nibbled at his loaf of bread.
When Gaharr returned, the two went out to the yard. Gaharr pulled the halber off his back and held it like a true master. Beric
looked around and saw that the few windows leading to the yard had been shuttered. "Gaharr, there is something I have not told you
yet. Something I must show you." He walked over to the stables and reappeared a moment later, a sheathed sword in his hands. He
had found the perfect hiding place for it, a place that he was sure no one even knew existed. "That's a well decorated hilt and
pommel. Got it especially crafted for you?" Gaharr asked when he saw it. "You could say so." Beric replied in a thin voice,
unsheathing Dawn. The shock was clearly visible in Gaharr's eyes and he stepped back. "Ber... Beric... is that?" "It is indeed.
Your fosterling has the honor of being The Sword of the Morning." Gaharr scratched his head in wonder, staring at the beautifull
blade. "Last I knew, this sword was wielded by... I can't even remember his name." "Many men had held Dawn, most recently Timm
Vikary, formerly Dayne." Gaharr nodded and walked to the centre of the yard. "So, do you want to test an old man's skills and
show him your own?" Beric nearly smiled as he walked towards Gaharr. "If you are going to be my guard, then I will have to make
sure you can still fight."
And fight they did. Beric was surprised how nimble the old man was for his age, and height. He fought with a grace that seemed
bizarre. To see such a massive man wielding a Halberd with such precision, such ability, was astonishing. The old sellsword made
fighting look like an art and Beric was glad this man was his friend. For the first time since fighting against the Lord Lydden,
Beric faced a challenge, and it was glorious. Several times Tohn nearly forced Beric to his feet and Beric was finding it hard
to get around his former foster father's defence. It had felt odd to fight against a waterdancer, and Janos was proficient at the
spear, but this was something completely different. Beric didn't know the first thing about fighting with a halberd, let alone
defend against one and so he had to adapt what he knew. Finally, after sparring for what must have been a good hour, his age caught
up with Gaharr and the man's attacks were not as ferocious anymore, his guard lower than before. Gathering all his strength, Beric
forced the man down and held Dawn against his neck. "Hah! Boy, you sure know how to fight. Now, give an old man quarter, so he can
share some wine with his talented fosterling."
For the first time since the news of Aryannas death Beric smiled. The smile turned into a chuckle and the chuckle into a laugh.
It felt good to have someone around that he trusted completely. Someone who understood him... someone who challenged him.
Gaharr Tohn enters Lord Beric's service as a personal guard (thus becoming his npc)
Lord Beric Dayne advances towards grandmaster with the greatsword.
to be dead? As they entered his room Janos, who was lying on his bed, looked up sleepy-eyed. "My Lord Beric, who's this?" "A
friend. Janos, I think I spotted that young girl who gave you such big eyes near the docks yesterday. If you run you can catch
her up." Janos, suddenly wide awake, sprung up and left the room. Gaharr's laughter boomed through the room, albeit not as
loudly as Beric remembered it. "So, my friend. I believe there is a few things I will need to ask." Gaharr eyed Beric and nodded.
"I too have some questions. What did that young soldier mean when he said my Lord?" Beric grimaced as he heard the question.
"It seems my family as been made almost extinct. Every single Dayne has been murdered.. well, apart from me, which makes me
Lord by default." Gaharr looked aghast. "I am... I am sorry, Beric. Please, ask what you may." Beric sat on his bed and stayed
silent for a moment. Then he looked at his former foster father. "Why? Why did you pretend to be dead? It broke my heart." "And
mine, Beric! And mine! It was your father, he told me to do it. As you know he had no great love for you, otherwise the bastard
may have raised you by himself. It wasn't your fault that your mother died, but he seemed to disagree." Gaharr looked for
somewhere to sit, and finding a chair, put it to good use. "He wanted your life to be as hard as possible. I don't know wether
he hoped for you to die, or just learn a lesson, but when he came to me I severely disagreed with him. However, he was a Dayne
and I just an old sellsword, so I had to agree to it. I am so sorry Beric. I have been searching for you these past... eleven years
is it?" Beric only nodded. He had to take it all in. "I hope you can forgive an old man, Beric. I am 64 and would not be able to
survive another broken heart." "I know... god, Gaharr, it's been a hard past few months. I would like it much if a friend could
hear my story." Gaharr nodded and Beric began to pour out his heart.
Twenty minutes later, the two men walked back down into the common room. Beric nodded his friend goodbye and sat at his table, while
Gaharr went for the door. It was good to have a friend, yet he still felt somewhat strange. He had never truly forgotten about the
man, but now that he was back he felt like he had never truly known him. "Like a child knows and old man." Beric mumbled to
himself as he nibbled at his loaf of bread.
When Gaharr returned, the two went out to the yard. Gaharr pulled the halber off his back and held it like a true master. Beric
looked around and saw that the few windows leading to the yard had been shuttered. "Gaharr, there is something I have not told you
yet. Something I must show you." He walked over to the stables and reappeared a moment later, a sheathed sword in his hands. He
had found the perfect hiding place for it, a place that he was sure no one even knew existed. "That's a well decorated hilt and
pommel. Got it especially crafted for you?" Gaharr asked when he saw it. "You could say so." Beric replied in a thin voice,
unsheathing Dawn. The shock was clearly visible in Gaharr's eyes and he stepped back. "Ber... Beric... is that?" "It is indeed.
Your fosterling has the honor of being The Sword of the Morning." Gaharr scratched his head in wonder, staring at the beautifull
blade. "Last I knew, this sword was wielded by... I can't even remember his name." "Many men had held Dawn, most recently Timm
Vikary, formerly Dayne." Gaharr nodded and walked to the centre of the yard. "So, do you want to test an old man's skills and
show him your own?" Beric nearly smiled as he walked towards Gaharr. "If you are going to be my guard, then I will have to make
sure you can still fight."
And fight they did. Beric was surprised how nimble the old man was for his age, and height. He fought with a grace that seemed
bizarre. To see such a massive man wielding a Halberd with such precision, such ability, was astonishing. The old sellsword made
fighting look like an art and Beric was glad this man was his friend. For the first time since fighting against the Lord Lydden,
Beric faced a challenge, and it was glorious. Several times Tohn nearly forced Beric to his feet and Beric was finding it hard
to get around his former foster father's defence. It had felt odd to fight against a waterdancer, and Janos was proficient at the
spear, but this was something completely different. Beric didn't know the first thing about fighting with a halberd, let alone
defend against one and so he had to adapt what he knew. Finally, after sparring for what must have been a good hour, his age caught
up with Gaharr and the man's attacks were not as ferocious anymore, his guard lower than before. Gathering all his strength, Beric
forced the man down and held Dawn against his neck. "Hah! Boy, you sure know how to fight. Now, give an old man quarter, so he can
share some wine with his talented fosterling."
For the first time since the news of Aryannas death Beric smiled. The smile turned into a chuckle and the chuckle into a laugh.
It felt good to have someone around that he trusted completely. Someone who understood him... someone who challenged him.
Gaharr Tohn enters Lord Beric's service as a personal guard (thus becoming his npc)
Lord Beric Dayne advances towards grandmaster with the greatsword.