Post by The Smith on Apr 30, 2008 1:30:45 GMT -5
The Wall suited Torrhen Keath. Each day he would rise at dawn and train in the practice yard until his muscles ached. The men he fought were other new recruits; mostly commonborn, and none a match for him. He never lost, but the repetitive motions soothed him somehow. Torrhen’s other duties were equally monotonous. Some days he would spread heavy bags of gravel on top of the Wall. Other days he would chop down the trees that grew too close to the Wall. He rarely spoke to his sworn brothers, but he did not mind that. He just found he did not have much to say to them.
Torrhen’s routine was broken one day when he returned to his quarters to find a small message rolled under his pillow.
If you wish to leave, come to Harwin’s Hook two nights from now. – M.
Torrhen studied it in private, then tossed it into the hearth. Harwin’s hook was a small rock formation on the coast, less than a day’s walk from Eastwatch. And the note’s author… Torrhen was reasonably certain who that was, as well.
//////////////////////
Torrhen considered the message for a long time. If he was to be honest, he liked the life he had now more than the one he had under Blackwood’s service, and the one he’d have if he left the Wall. But if he stayed on the Wall, Torrhen Keath would never be more than a footnote. And that was not something Torrhen could abide.
Torrhen left at midnight. The stables were not guarded; the Wall tended to turn a blind eye on its brothers who decided to go whoring in the late hours of the night, and as far as any knew, that was all Torrhen was doing. He rode for hours, the winter night’s chill biting through his black furs and leathers. He was nearly to the Hook when he heard voices.
Torrhen did not move from his course, and three dark shapes resolved themselves from the night.
"And so I says to him, why don't you watch where you -- ah! Err, hello to you, Keath," One of the riders said. Torrhen recognized him as another watchman from Eastwatch. His two companions were as well. "Off to visit the good ladies at Shambleton?"
"No," Torrhen said, "I am leaving."
"Leaving where?" the other man asks hesitantly.
"Leaving the Night's Watch," Torrhen says shortly.
"You know... you know we can't let you do that, Keath," the watchman says, a trifle uncertainly. "Let's just all go back to Eastwatch, maybe find some ale."
Torrhen took his longaxe from his back and held it in one hand. His other hand slid to a throwing axe at his belt. He said nothing else, but waited for the others' reactions. When one reached for his sword, Torrhen struck.
The thrown axe hit the first in the chest, sending the man flailing backwards off of his horse with a scream of pain. The other two swore and wrenched their blades free, and then Torrhen was upon them. His axe swept through the cold air with a savage grace. He batted aside a stroke from one ranger's blade, then removed his head at the neck. Torrhen wheeled his horse and attacked the other, each strike coming more swiftly and savagely than the last. That man soon fell from his horse as well.
Torrhen stopped to finish off the wounded, each with one sweep of his long axe. Then he wiped the blade clean and continued on his way, not looking back.
Half an hour later, he arrived at the designated meeting point. A small boat waited for him. Torrhen spoke no words to the men crewing it. He merely set his horse loose and stepped in. The men rowed him out to a larger ship, which set sail immediately.
Torrhen flexed one hand. Free, he thought, But to do what?
Results:
Torrhen Keath leaves the Night's Watch.
Torrhen Keath gains Expert Throwing Axes.
Torrhen Keath advances towards Grandmaster Axes.
Torrhen’s routine was broken one day when he returned to his quarters to find a small message rolled under his pillow.
If you wish to leave, come to Harwin’s Hook two nights from now. – M.
Torrhen studied it in private, then tossed it into the hearth. Harwin’s hook was a small rock formation on the coast, less than a day’s walk from Eastwatch. And the note’s author… Torrhen was reasonably certain who that was, as well.
//////////////////////
Torrhen considered the message for a long time. If he was to be honest, he liked the life he had now more than the one he had under Blackwood’s service, and the one he’d have if he left the Wall. But if he stayed on the Wall, Torrhen Keath would never be more than a footnote. And that was not something Torrhen could abide.
Torrhen left at midnight. The stables were not guarded; the Wall tended to turn a blind eye on its brothers who decided to go whoring in the late hours of the night, and as far as any knew, that was all Torrhen was doing. He rode for hours, the winter night’s chill biting through his black furs and leathers. He was nearly to the Hook when he heard voices.
Torrhen did not move from his course, and three dark shapes resolved themselves from the night.
"And so I says to him, why don't you watch where you -- ah! Err, hello to you, Keath," One of the riders said. Torrhen recognized him as another watchman from Eastwatch. His two companions were as well. "Off to visit the good ladies at Shambleton?"
"No," Torrhen said, "I am leaving."
"Leaving where?" the other man asks hesitantly.
"Leaving the Night's Watch," Torrhen says shortly.
"You know... you know we can't let you do that, Keath," the watchman says, a trifle uncertainly. "Let's just all go back to Eastwatch, maybe find some ale."
Torrhen took his longaxe from his back and held it in one hand. His other hand slid to a throwing axe at his belt. He said nothing else, but waited for the others' reactions. When one reached for his sword, Torrhen struck.
The thrown axe hit the first in the chest, sending the man flailing backwards off of his horse with a scream of pain. The other two swore and wrenched their blades free, and then Torrhen was upon them. His axe swept through the cold air with a savage grace. He batted aside a stroke from one ranger's blade, then removed his head at the neck. Torrhen wheeled his horse and attacked the other, each strike coming more swiftly and savagely than the last. That man soon fell from his horse as well.
Torrhen stopped to finish off the wounded, each with one sweep of his long axe. Then he wiped the blade clean and continued on his way, not looking back.
Half an hour later, he arrived at the designated meeting point. A small boat waited for him. Torrhen spoke no words to the men crewing it. He merely set his horse loose and stepped in. The men rowed him out to a larger ship, which set sail immediately.
Torrhen flexed one hand. Free, he thought, But to do what?
Results:
Torrhen Keath leaves the Night's Watch.
Torrhen Keath gains Expert Throwing Axes.
Torrhen Keath advances towards Grandmaster Axes.