Post by The Stranger on Apr 19, 2008 11:51:05 GMT -5
Robb and his men from Horn Hill, along with an assorted company from Uplands, Sun House, the Arbor, and Three Towers, rode out of Godsgrace. They stopped less than a league away; this had been the location of the nearest village. Robb had not been sure what had happened to, but some said the Lydden knight from the West had destroyed the inhabitants and burnt the buildings. A few of the buildings remained, including a few homes, where people crowded in. The inhabitants had clearly not all been killed, as each small home was currently housing more than ten people for lack of other shelter.
Riding with Ser Keldon beside him, Robb dismounted and walked through the city. The people cowered in fear, and one man even shot a crossbolt through one of the soldier's forearm. Cursing, the man fell, writhing in pain. Robb had a few men take him back to the maester for care before addressing the people. "Villagers, people of Dorne, we are not here to harm you. What has happened in the past was done by evil people, both on our side and by your so called brave leader, the Lady Blackwood, who sailed out of Dorne to save herself as soon as we started to march to Dorne. No, we are not here to harm you. We are here to help you; we wish to start by rebuilding your homes. Will you let us do this, and rest in the shade of your homes when we need a break? We are not used to the desert sun, and it tires us quickly." He gave a friendly smile to all who watched him, most with sullen or mistrustful eyes. He had brought his trusted man, Ser Meryn Flowers along, he had put the knight in charge of making sure none of the villagers tried anything funny. Somehow, the knight had even cried out in alarm two seconds before the peasant let the crossbolt fly at the soldier. His observation was truly amazing.
Finally the village leader nodded his approval and Ser Keldon shouted out the orders. Robb had command of the host, but Ser Keldon was more experienced in construction matters. He had recently even supervised the rebuilding of the port at Lemonwood.
Bringing in the wagons of wood and tools, the men set to work, the sweat beginning to drop almost immediately. Robb encouraged them and commanded over the rotation of workers; no man was to work for more than half an hour before being switched out with fresh workers. The peasants soon began to trust the men, and the women and children even brought the men cold drinking water. Robb himself took his own turn at working, hurting his thumb when he whacked with his hammer, to the amusement of himself, his men, and the villagers. It all went very well and Robb left the village that day in a better mood than he had been in a long time.
They returned the next day and repeated their work; as they did the day after, and the day after that, and the day after that. Finally after a week, the hundreds of men had rebuilt enough small homes for each family to have their own. The village elder thanked Robb and Ser Keldon, and invited them to come back at any time. Robb invited the man and his pretty daughter to sup in the castle hall that night, to which the man, amazed, shook his head in acceptance. The host did not return back to Godsgrace, but instead rode on, two leagues to the south. Another village, the same sad story. Survivors crowding into what little shelter was available.
These survivors were a bit more trusting, as the rumor of the work at the nearby town had reached them. Another week and the results were the same-- in terms of shelter and quaility of homes, two villages were returned to normalcy or even better. The food was still scarce, but Robb aided that the best he could, by taking some of the bread and cheese, which every castle had a lot of, and passing it out to the hungry villagers. They thanked him greatly for it.
Robb could only hope this was the beginning of a stronger bond between the Dornish and the rest of Westeros.
Results:
Robb improves to noteworthy stewardship.
Robb improves to novice leadership.
Ser Meryn improves to novice observation.
Ser Keldon improves to apprentice construction.
Riding with Ser Keldon beside him, Robb dismounted and walked through the city. The people cowered in fear, and one man even shot a crossbolt through one of the soldier's forearm. Cursing, the man fell, writhing in pain. Robb had a few men take him back to the maester for care before addressing the people. "Villagers, people of Dorne, we are not here to harm you. What has happened in the past was done by evil people, both on our side and by your so called brave leader, the Lady Blackwood, who sailed out of Dorne to save herself as soon as we started to march to Dorne. No, we are not here to harm you. We are here to help you; we wish to start by rebuilding your homes. Will you let us do this, and rest in the shade of your homes when we need a break? We are not used to the desert sun, and it tires us quickly." He gave a friendly smile to all who watched him, most with sullen or mistrustful eyes. He had brought his trusted man, Ser Meryn Flowers along, he had put the knight in charge of making sure none of the villagers tried anything funny. Somehow, the knight had even cried out in alarm two seconds before the peasant let the crossbolt fly at the soldier. His observation was truly amazing.
Finally the village leader nodded his approval and Ser Keldon shouted out the orders. Robb had command of the host, but Ser Keldon was more experienced in construction matters. He had recently even supervised the rebuilding of the port at Lemonwood.
Bringing in the wagons of wood and tools, the men set to work, the sweat beginning to drop almost immediately. Robb encouraged them and commanded over the rotation of workers; no man was to work for more than half an hour before being switched out with fresh workers. The peasants soon began to trust the men, and the women and children even brought the men cold drinking water. Robb himself took his own turn at working, hurting his thumb when he whacked with his hammer, to the amusement of himself, his men, and the villagers. It all went very well and Robb left the village that day in a better mood than he had been in a long time.
They returned the next day and repeated their work; as they did the day after, and the day after that, and the day after that. Finally after a week, the hundreds of men had rebuilt enough small homes for each family to have their own. The village elder thanked Robb and Ser Keldon, and invited them to come back at any time. Robb invited the man and his pretty daughter to sup in the castle hall that night, to which the man, amazed, shook his head in acceptance. The host did not return back to Godsgrace, but instead rode on, two leagues to the south. Another village, the same sad story. Survivors crowding into what little shelter was available.
These survivors were a bit more trusting, as the rumor of the work at the nearby town had reached them. Another week and the results were the same-- in terms of shelter and quaility of homes, two villages were returned to normalcy or even better. The food was still scarce, but Robb aided that the best he could, by taking some of the bread and cheese, which every castle had a lot of, and passing it out to the hungry villagers. They thanked him greatly for it.
Robb could only hope this was the beginning of a stronger bond between the Dornish and the rest of Westeros.
Results:
Robb improves to noteworthy stewardship.
Robb improves to novice leadership.
Ser Meryn improves to novice observation.
Ser Keldon improves to apprentice construction.