Post by The Stranger on Apr 28, 2008 23:01:10 GMT -5
Roose flipped through the books as he sat in his solar, the cup of mulled wine now lukewarm and untouched. He found the words entrancing, as they were things that he had not grown up with. It had taken him a while to finally master the art of reading, and he still struggled with a few words, but he was fairly literate now. He found picked up one that was at the bottom of the pile. "Ah, Eddard's...." Roose said to himself.
He had taken a liking to the journal of one Eddard Stark, and from all accounts it was the very same one who had ridden with Robert Baratheon during the Stag king's famous rebellion against the Targaryens.
He opened to one particular passage that read:
"I was finally invited to one of Brandon's tutoring sessions with father. Brandon sat there the entire time looking board, while father talked and talked about the virtues of honor, valiance and lordship." At one point he turned right to me and said. "Though a strong sword arm is important, the most dangerous weapon any wolf can have is up here." My father said this as he tapped his forehead. "Learn to fight with that, and you'll win a dozen fights out of a dozen."
Roose looked up from the books, and thought on that for a while. Perhaps he would have a sit down with Cassel, and talk about the strategy and tactics require to conduct a war. Roose, already a master general for his age, would have to learn more. And so he invited the maester to come up to his solar.
Roose listened patiently as Maester Tomas tutoured him on the different kinds of war, of far past battles and near ones as well. He showed Roose several books, not the stupid illuminated ones that were more stories than accounts of actual battles, but old reports and first hand accounts of several commanders in the field. Roose felt himself grow particularly interested in a particularly rare book, one which recounted the battles of old Ghis against Valyria.
"As you can see my lord, the Freehold's trump card were their dragons. Before them, whenever that was in the meridian of time, Ghis ruled supreme, some say they even held a few islands off the coast of Dorne. Their might came from their absolute dominance of the field. For even when they were outnumbered their armies were so well trained that they could outflank, outmaneuver, and outpace any other adversary. It was said that their ranks of Unsullied could change formation withing thirty seconds depending on normal circumstances."
Roose nodded, and was about to say something when Cassel uninterrupted them and informed Roose that it was weapons training in the courtyard. Roose threw an apologetic smile to the irritated maester, but eagerly followed the castellan of Winterfell into the snowy training yard.
============================
Roose held his young adult body tensly, measuring every movement. His breath misted in the subzero weather, and sweat froze on his brow as he and several guards sparred together. Beside him Cassel stood, shouting instructions. "Keep your guard high! Never use a low guard!"
Beside Cassel sat a snowy Blizzard, who watched in interest as Roose fought. When the young lord fell tumbling to the ground after a particularly harsh blow to the head he could have sworn he had seen a look of amusement in the wolves eye. "Oh fuck you," Roose muttered, standing up and brushing the snow off of him.
"Remember m'lord! The blade is not the only part of a sword!" Cassel shouted as Roose continued fighting among the falling snow. Suddenly as the guard, a young man by the name of Rhodri parried one of his blows, Roose swung the pommel of the training sword around, pinning Rhodri to the wall. "Yield," Roose said with satisfaction.
Results: Roose gains Grandmaster in Battle, Master in Greatsword
He had taken a liking to the journal of one Eddard Stark, and from all accounts it was the very same one who had ridden with Robert Baratheon during the Stag king's famous rebellion against the Targaryens.
He opened to one particular passage that read:
"I was finally invited to one of Brandon's tutoring sessions with father. Brandon sat there the entire time looking board, while father talked and talked about the virtues of honor, valiance and lordship." At one point he turned right to me and said. "Though a strong sword arm is important, the most dangerous weapon any wolf can have is up here." My father said this as he tapped his forehead. "Learn to fight with that, and you'll win a dozen fights out of a dozen."
Roose looked up from the books, and thought on that for a while. Perhaps he would have a sit down with Cassel, and talk about the strategy and tactics require to conduct a war. Roose, already a master general for his age, would have to learn more. And so he invited the maester to come up to his solar.
Roose listened patiently as Maester Tomas tutoured him on the different kinds of war, of far past battles and near ones as well. He showed Roose several books, not the stupid illuminated ones that were more stories than accounts of actual battles, but old reports and first hand accounts of several commanders in the field. Roose felt himself grow particularly interested in a particularly rare book, one which recounted the battles of old Ghis against Valyria.
"As you can see my lord, the Freehold's trump card were their dragons. Before them, whenever that was in the meridian of time, Ghis ruled supreme, some say they even held a few islands off the coast of Dorne. Their might came from their absolute dominance of the field. For even when they were outnumbered their armies were so well trained that they could outflank, outmaneuver, and outpace any other adversary. It was said that their ranks of Unsullied could change formation withing thirty seconds depending on normal circumstances."
Roose nodded, and was about to say something when Cassel uninterrupted them and informed Roose that it was weapons training in the courtyard. Roose threw an apologetic smile to the irritated maester, but eagerly followed the castellan of Winterfell into the snowy training yard.
============================
Roose held his young adult body tensly, measuring every movement. His breath misted in the subzero weather, and sweat froze on his brow as he and several guards sparred together. Beside him Cassel stood, shouting instructions. "Keep your guard high! Never use a low guard!"
Beside Cassel sat a snowy Blizzard, who watched in interest as Roose fought. When the young lord fell tumbling to the ground after a particularly harsh blow to the head he could have sworn he had seen a look of amusement in the wolves eye. "Oh fuck you," Roose muttered, standing up and brushing the snow off of him.
"Remember m'lord! The blade is not the only part of a sword!" Cassel shouted as Roose continued fighting among the falling snow. Suddenly as the guard, a young man by the name of Rhodri parried one of his blows, Roose swung the pommel of the training sword around, pinning Rhodri to the wall. "Yield," Roose said with satisfaction.
Results: Roose gains Grandmaster in Battle, Master in Greatsword