Post by The Smith on Oct 27, 2008 17:45:13 GMT -5
Monterys found Ser Aurane honing his longsword. “It’s time.” he told the man. The older knight nodded and rose, following Monterys, his cracked leather boots scraping against the steep stone steps as they went down the stair. A small courtyard opened off the armory. Monterys found two shields, two half-helms and a pair of blunted tourney swords. He offered one to Ser Aurane who took it without a word and took the other in his right hand. Monterys slid his right arm through the loops of the shield, grasping it tightly
“It would not do to spar with our proper swords.” chuckled Monterys. “Someone might get hurt.”
Ser Aurane said nothing but smiled grimly. The young pup wants to try his mettle does he? Aurane may have been ageing, but he wasn’t ready to allow his protégé defeat him just yet.
“Well Ser Waters.” smiled Monterys. “Let’s see what you make of me.”
Ser Aurane raised his blade in reply and Monterys moved at once to the attack. They danced beneath the quickly setting sun as their blunted swords sang their steely song. Ser Aurane was content to let Monterys lead the dance for a while, but finally he began to answer stroke for stroke. Once he shifted to the attack he caught Monterys on the thigh, on the shoulder, on the forearm. Thrice he made Montery’s head ring with cuts to the helm. One slash ripped the shield off his left arm and Monterys was forced to retreat before the slashing sword of the older knight. By the time they lowered their swords, Monterys was bruised and battered.
“We will dance again” Monterys promised Ser Aurane. “On the morrow and on the morrow. Every day we’ll dance, till I’m as good as you.”
Ser Aurane opened his mouth and laughed lously. “Aye my young knight. That day will be a long time coming!”
Come the next day, none of the other Lannister knights, including Ser Aurane, who merely grinned widely at Monterys every time he saw him, were so bold to make mention of the young Velaryon's bruises and cuts. To the casual observer they looked to be no more than just the regular buffetings gained from falls at the quintain. Dudley was more than just a casual observer though. He had no such qualms about mentioning Montery's injuries, looking closely at them before saying suspiciously. “They must have lusty wenches here in Kings Landing to leave you with love bites like that!”
Monterys could only smile weakly at Dudley and feign ignorance. Dudley was keen to make sure his men were in top condition for the Tourney and would have most likely forbidden Montery's extra training and especially the method of it. As such Monterys wanted to keep his extra training secret. He also didn’t want his increasing prowess at arms to become well known around the Tourney Town.
And in the days that followed, Ser Monterys and Ser Aurane fought further. They fought inside a stable as a one-eyed mule looked on, and in the empty cellar of an inn in Tourney Town as well as a score of other places that prying eyes could not readily observe.
Eventually it became too difficult to keep his training activities from Lord Marbrand. When Monterys lay abed too late one morning, Lord Dudley inquired as to the reason and discovered that Monterys was being beaten to a pulp by Ser Aurane in extra training sessions after the other Lannister knights had finished their own knightly exercises.
"So Ser Aurane is a better knight than what we suspected?”, Dudley asked with some surprise, eyeing with some revulsion the state of Monterys’ torso, as the young knight sat up with a grimace. "Do you think that you are a fair match?"
"I doubt not that we are fair match enough," Monterys said. "As you know, I have been well trained to arms of all kinds, both by my grandfather and by the men-at-arms of Dickon Brax. I can hold my own against any of your men with light weapons."
“Except Ser Aurane it seems!” observed Dudley shaking his head.
Monterys nodded ruefully. “It would appear so. I’m getting better, but he still bests me each and every time.”
"If you think that you are of roughly a match," Dudley said shaking his head again, "the matter can go on. But had it been otherwise, I would protest that the advantage of age to Ser Aurane on foot and with a sword is so great that it's almost murder to place you in the lists together. With sharp weapons you’d be little more than mincemeat!"
"There is," Monterys said, "at most no greater difference between us than between a strong man and a weaker one, and these, in the ordeal of the melee, I have to meet in the lists.”
Dudley frowned. “The melee and the horseriding events which we’ve entered are coming up. Your frequent bouts must stop before either you or Ser Aurane are seriously injured or incapacitated . The Seven forbid we lose either of you for the melee.”
Monterys shook his head. “I have pledged to continue to spar with Ser Aurane, until I have defeated him.”
Lord Marbrand rolled his eyes skyward.
“Very well then. Then let it be this. We are sorely dull for want of amusement, until the tourney begins in earnest for us. Let you and Ser Aurane enter the melee ground to-morrow, and fight it out for our amusement. If you win, therein lies the end of it for good. If he should win, you shall not spar again until after the Tourney and our part in it. Agreed?”
Monterys nodded eagerly.
"That is agreed, then," said Dudley. "I will have a piece of ground marked out on the edge of the camp to-morrow morning. It shall be kept by my men-at-arms, and there shall be a raised place for myself, who will be the judge of the conflict….and a couple of my friends. Ser Karlon Bywaters for one would be most interested. Will you fight on foot or on horse?"
"On foot, on foot," said Monterys. "It would be a pity that knightly exercises should be brought to scorn by any failure on our part on horseback. On foot at least it will be a fairer struggle."
"What arms shall you use?" the Lannister lord asked.
"Oh, swords of course and mayhap a battle-axe," said Monterys with a laugh.
Dudley nodded and re-affirmed his stance by warning once again. “You fight one more time – this time properly. And that is the end of it – agreed?”
Monterys nodded.
"Send my armorer to me," Dudley said; "we must choose a proper suit of armour for you. I fear that mine would be of little use being too big; but doubtless there are some smaller suits among my friends."
"For this bout, the simpler and lighter the better," Monterys said. "I'd rather have a light coat of mail and a steel cap than heavy armor and a helmet which would press me down, and a visor through which I could scarce see. That is of course a must for the melee, but for an individual bout against Ser Aurane the lighter the better. After all if my sword cannot keep my head, sooner or later the armor would fail to do so too."
The armorer speedily arrived, and the other knights and followers of Lord Dudley were called in and the case stated, there was soon found a coat of fine linked mail, which fitted Monterys well. As to the steel cap there was no difficulty whatever.
"You must have a plume at least," Dudley said, and took some feathers from his own casque and fastened them in. "Will you want a light sword and battle-ax?"
"No," Monterys said, "my arms are pretty well used to those of the men-at-arms. I could wield my grandfather's sword, and that was a heavy one."
The news that a fair fight was to take place between two Lannister knights by the permission of their Lord Dudley and that all was to be conducted on regular rules, caused a stir of excitement and novelty amongst the Lannister knights that night.
Nowhere was life duller than among a large body of men kept together for any time under canvas, and the thought of a proper combat of this kind, before the thrill of the tourney melee excited general interest.
The next morning in a meadow at a short distance from the camp, a body of Lord Dudley’s men-at-arms marked off an oval space of about an acre. Upon one side of this a tent was pitched for Lord Dudley and others of his friends from the other regions of Westeros that chose to observe the fight. A small tent was placed at each end for the combatants. Round the enclosure the Lannister men-at-arms formed the ring, and behind them a dense body of spectators, mostly small folk gathered.
Dudley still had misgivings about the contest and had reserved to himself the right of throwing down the baton when the combat was to cease, and he determined to avail himself of this right to put a stop to the conflict before either party was likely to sustain any deadly injury. Meanwhile he and his friends were laying wagers on the winner, with most supporting the older, more experienced knight Aurane Waters.
When the nobles had taken their places a trumpeter sounded his instrument, and the two combatants advanced on foot from their ends of the oval space. A murmur of surprise and dissatisfaction broke from those that had wagered on Monterys.
"My Lord of Ashemark," sputtered Karlon Bywaters angrily. “Should you have said that the difference between the two was too great to allow the combat to bem possible. Ser Waters appears to be big enough to take your kinsman under his arm and walk off with him!"
The difference was indeed very striking. Ser Aurane was arrayed, at his request and with Dudley’s acquiescence, in a full suit of knightly armor, but without the gold spurs which were the distinguishing mark of a member of the nobility. With his helmet and lofty plume of feathers he appeared to tower above Monterys, who, in his close-fitting steel cap and link armor seemed a very dwarf by the side of a giant.
"It is not size, but muscle and pluck will win in a combat like this. You royal knights need not be afraid that my young friend will disgrace me. He is of my kinsmen, though the kinship is not close.
Ser Karlon’s brow still remained furrowed.
"Very well” Dudley said in response, "To show you my confidence in what I have said, I will wager my gold chain against yours on yonder stripling."
"Methinks that it were robbery to take your wager," said Karlon. "The difference between their bulk is disproportionate.” He smiled. “However, I will not balk your wish. My chain against yours!"
However Karlon being a fair man and wishing to see a good contest, could not resist going down to Monterys and giving him some pointers about fighting in a battle. “I have gained most of my experience in melees and indeed in real battle.” he explained to the young Velaryon, “..but the principles are the same even in a fight such as this. Take note of what I have said my young knight and use them well.”
Monterys nodded and solemnly thanked him for the advice.
The rule of the fight was that they were to commence with the weapon of his choice, but that either could, if he chose, use the other weapon allowed to him. Monterys surprisingly chose to use his axe against Ser Aurane’s axe
With the axe Monterys gained but slight advantage over his adversary, whose superior height enabled him to rain blows down upon the young man, which he was with difficulty enabled to guard; but when the first paroxysm of his adversary's attack had passed he took to the offensive, and drove his opponent back step by step. With his ax, however, he was unable to cut through the armor of Ser Aurane. However in the course of the encounter, guarding a severe blow aimed at him, Monterys' ax was struck from his hand, and he then, seizing his sword, made such play with it that his foe dropped his own ax and took to the same weapon.
In this the superior height and weight of his opponent gave him even a greater advantage than with the ax, and Monterys knowing this, used his utmost dexterity and speed, as well as the new found knowledge he had gleaned from Ser Karlon Bywaters in fighting a battle, to avoid the sweeping blows showered upon him. Monterys was more naturally inclined to wielding a sword in any case. By his improved positioning and increased confidence with the sword, Monterys had been enabled to strike one or two sweeping strokes, always aiming at the same place, the juncture of the visor with the helmet.
At last his opponent struck Monterys so heavy a blow that it beat down his guard and struck his steel cap from his head, bringing him to the knee. In an instant he was up, and before his foe could be again on guard, he whirled his sword round with all its force, and bringing it just at the point of the visor which he had already weakened with repeated blows, the edge of the sword stove clean through the armor, and Ser Aurane was struck senseless to the ground.
A great shout broke from the Lannister portion of the crowd as Monterys leaned over his prostrate foe, and receiving no answer to the question "Do you yield?" rose to his feet, and signified to Lord Dudley who had kept near that his opponent was insensible. Dudley grinned, claimed his gold chain gleefully from Ser Karlon and raised Montery’s arm in the air declaring him the winner to all.
At last Ser Aurane began to stir. Monterys helped him up and in the spirit of their shared knighthood the two men embraced to further nods of approval from Lord Dudley and Ser Karlon and some cheers from the remaining spectators.
“Well done,” said the older knight ruefully. “I knew the day was coming when you would best me, but I had hoped it would not be so soon.”
Monterys, exultant at his win was prepared to be gracious. “It was a hard fight Aurane. I look forward to someday facing you again.”
He put his arm around the older man’s shoulders.
“But in the meantime, I think we both need a drink.”
Results:
Monterys Velaryon begins to improve towards Master in Longsword
Monterys Velaryon becomes Expert in Battle.
“It would not do to spar with our proper swords.” chuckled Monterys. “Someone might get hurt.”
Ser Aurane said nothing but smiled grimly. The young pup wants to try his mettle does he? Aurane may have been ageing, but he wasn’t ready to allow his protégé defeat him just yet.
“Well Ser Waters.” smiled Monterys. “Let’s see what you make of me.”
Ser Aurane raised his blade in reply and Monterys moved at once to the attack. They danced beneath the quickly setting sun as their blunted swords sang their steely song. Ser Aurane was content to let Monterys lead the dance for a while, but finally he began to answer stroke for stroke. Once he shifted to the attack he caught Monterys on the thigh, on the shoulder, on the forearm. Thrice he made Montery’s head ring with cuts to the helm. One slash ripped the shield off his left arm and Monterys was forced to retreat before the slashing sword of the older knight. By the time they lowered their swords, Monterys was bruised and battered.
“We will dance again” Monterys promised Ser Aurane. “On the morrow and on the morrow. Every day we’ll dance, till I’m as good as you.”
Ser Aurane opened his mouth and laughed lously. “Aye my young knight. That day will be a long time coming!”
Come the next day, none of the other Lannister knights, including Ser Aurane, who merely grinned widely at Monterys every time he saw him, were so bold to make mention of the young Velaryon's bruises and cuts. To the casual observer they looked to be no more than just the regular buffetings gained from falls at the quintain. Dudley was more than just a casual observer though. He had no such qualms about mentioning Montery's injuries, looking closely at them before saying suspiciously. “They must have lusty wenches here in Kings Landing to leave you with love bites like that!”
Monterys could only smile weakly at Dudley and feign ignorance. Dudley was keen to make sure his men were in top condition for the Tourney and would have most likely forbidden Montery's extra training and especially the method of it. As such Monterys wanted to keep his extra training secret. He also didn’t want his increasing prowess at arms to become well known around the Tourney Town.
And in the days that followed, Ser Monterys and Ser Aurane fought further. They fought inside a stable as a one-eyed mule looked on, and in the empty cellar of an inn in Tourney Town as well as a score of other places that prying eyes could not readily observe.
Eventually it became too difficult to keep his training activities from Lord Marbrand. When Monterys lay abed too late one morning, Lord Dudley inquired as to the reason and discovered that Monterys was being beaten to a pulp by Ser Aurane in extra training sessions after the other Lannister knights had finished their own knightly exercises.
"So Ser Aurane is a better knight than what we suspected?”, Dudley asked with some surprise, eyeing with some revulsion the state of Monterys’ torso, as the young knight sat up with a grimace. "Do you think that you are a fair match?"
"I doubt not that we are fair match enough," Monterys said. "As you know, I have been well trained to arms of all kinds, both by my grandfather and by the men-at-arms of Dickon Brax. I can hold my own against any of your men with light weapons."
“Except Ser Aurane it seems!” observed Dudley shaking his head.
Monterys nodded ruefully. “It would appear so. I’m getting better, but he still bests me each and every time.”
"If you think that you are of roughly a match," Dudley said shaking his head again, "the matter can go on. But had it been otherwise, I would protest that the advantage of age to Ser Aurane on foot and with a sword is so great that it's almost murder to place you in the lists together. With sharp weapons you’d be little more than mincemeat!"
"There is," Monterys said, "at most no greater difference between us than between a strong man and a weaker one, and these, in the ordeal of the melee, I have to meet in the lists.”
Dudley frowned. “The melee and the horseriding events which we’ve entered are coming up. Your frequent bouts must stop before either you or Ser Aurane are seriously injured or incapacitated . The Seven forbid we lose either of you for the melee.”
Monterys shook his head. “I have pledged to continue to spar with Ser Aurane, until I have defeated him.”
Lord Marbrand rolled his eyes skyward.
“Very well then. Then let it be this. We are sorely dull for want of amusement, until the tourney begins in earnest for us. Let you and Ser Aurane enter the melee ground to-morrow, and fight it out for our amusement. If you win, therein lies the end of it for good. If he should win, you shall not spar again until after the Tourney and our part in it. Agreed?”
Monterys nodded eagerly.
"That is agreed, then," said Dudley. "I will have a piece of ground marked out on the edge of the camp to-morrow morning. It shall be kept by my men-at-arms, and there shall be a raised place for myself, who will be the judge of the conflict….and a couple of my friends. Ser Karlon Bywaters for one would be most interested. Will you fight on foot or on horse?"
"On foot, on foot," said Monterys. "It would be a pity that knightly exercises should be brought to scorn by any failure on our part on horseback. On foot at least it will be a fairer struggle."
"What arms shall you use?" the Lannister lord asked.
"Oh, swords of course and mayhap a battle-axe," said Monterys with a laugh.
Dudley nodded and re-affirmed his stance by warning once again. “You fight one more time – this time properly. And that is the end of it – agreed?”
Monterys nodded.
"Send my armorer to me," Dudley said; "we must choose a proper suit of armour for you. I fear that mine would be of little use being too big; but doubtless there are some smaller suits among my friends."
"For this bout, the simpler and lighter the better," Monterys said. "I'd rather have a light coat of mail and a steel cap than heavy armor and a helmet which would press me down, and a visor through which I could scarce see. That is of course a must for the melee, but for an individual bout against Ser Aurane the lighter the better. After all if my sword cannot keep my head, sooner or later the armor would fail to do so too."
The armorer speedily arrived, and the other knights and followers of Lord Dudley were called in and the case stated, there was soon found a coat of fine linked mail, which fitted Monterys well. As to the steel cap there was no difficulty whatever.
"You must have a plume at least," Dudley said, and took some feathers from his own casque and fastened them in. "Will you want a light sword and battle-ax?"
"No," Monterys said, "my arms are pretty well used to those of the men-at-arms. I could wield my grandfather's sword, and that was a heavy one."
The news that a fair fight was to take place between two Lannister knights by the permission of their Lord Dudley and that all was to be conducted on regular rules, caused a stir of excitement and novelty amongst the Lannister knights that night.
Nowhere was life duller than among a large body of men kept together for any time under canvas, and the thought of a proper combat of this kind, before the thrill of the tourney melee excited general interest.
The next morning in a meadow at a short distance from the camp, a body of Lord Dudley’s men-at-arms marked off an oval space of about an acre. Upon one side of this a tent was pitched for Lord Dudley and others of his friends from the other regions of Westeros that chose to observe the fight. A small tent was placed at each end for the combatants. Round the enclosure the Lannister men-at-arms formed the ring, and behind them a dense body of spectators, mostly small folk gathered.
Dudley still had misgivings about the contest and had reserved to himself the right of throwing down the baton when the combat was to cease, and he determined to avail himself of this right to put a stop to the conflict before either party was likely to sustain any deadly injury. Meanwhile he and his friends were laying wagers on the winner, with most supporting the older, more experienced knight Aurane Waters.
When the nobles had taken their places a trumpeter sounded his instrument, and the two combatants advanced on foot from their ends of the oval space. A murmur of surprise and dissatisfaction broke from those that had wagered on Monterys.
"My Lord of Ashemark," sputtered Karlon Bywaters angrily. “Should you have said that the difference between the two was too great to allow the combat to bem possible. Ser Waters appears to be big enough to take your kinsman under his arm and walk off with him!"
The difference was indeed very striking. Ser Aurane was arrayed, at his request and with Dudley’s acquiescence, in a full suit of knightly armor, but without the gold spurs which were the distinguishing mark of a member of the nobility. With his helmet and lofty plume of feathers he appeared to tower above Monterys, who, in his close-fitting steel cap and link armor seemed a very dwarf by the side of a giant.
"It is not size, but muscle and pluck will win in a combat like this. You royal knights need not be afraid that my young friend will disgrace me. He is of my kinsmen, though the kinship is not close.
Ser Karlon’s brow still remained furrowed.
"Very well” Dudley said in response, "To show you my confidence in what I have said, I will wager my gold chain against yours on yonder stripling."
"Methinks that it were robbery to take your wager," said Karlon. "The difference between their bulk is disproportionate.” He smiled. “However, I will not balk your wish. My chain against yours!"
However Karlon being a fair man and wishing to see a good contest, could not resist going down to Monterys and giving him some pointers about fighting in a battle. “I have gained most of my experience in melees and indeed in real battle.” he explained to the young Velaryon, “..but the principles are the same even in a fight such as this. Take note of what I have said my young knight and use them well.”
Monterys nodded and solemnly thanked him for the advice.
The rule of the fight was that they were to commence with the weapon of his choice, but that either could, if he chose, use the other weapon allowed to him. Monterys surprisingly chose to use his axe against Ser Aurane’s axe
With the axe Monterys gained but slight advantage over his adversary, whose superior height enabled him to rain blows down upon the young man, which he was with difficulty enabled to guard; but when the first paroxysm of his adversary's attack had passed he took to the offensive, and drove his opponent back step by step. With his ax, however, he was unable to cut through the armor of Ser Aurane. However in the course of the encounter, guarding a severe blow aimed at him, Monterys' ax was struck from his hand, and he then, seizing his sword, made such play with it that his foe dropped his own ax and took to the same weapon.
In this the superior height and weight of his opponent gave him even a greater advantage than with the ax, and Monterys knowing this, used his utmost dexterity and speed, as well as the new found knowledge he had gleaned from Ser Karlon Bywaters in fighting a battle, to avoid the sweeping blows showered upon him. Monterys was more naturally inclined to wielding a sword in any case. By his improved positioning and increased confidence with the sword, Monterys had been enabled to strike one or two sweeping strokes, always aiming at the same place, the juncture of the visor with the helmet.
At last his opponent struck Monterys so heavy a blow that it beat down his guard and struck his steel cap from his head, bringing him to the knee. In an instant he was up, and before his foe could be again on guard, he whirled his sword round with all its force, and bringing it just at the point of the visor which he had already weakened with repeated blows, the edge of the sword stove clean through the armor, and Ser Aurane was struck senseless to the ground.
A great shout broke from the Lannister portion of the crowd as Monterys leaned over his prostrate foe, and receiving no answer to the question "Do you yield?" rose to his feet, and signified to Lord Dudley who had kept near that his opponent was insensible. Dudley grinned, claimed his gold chain gleefully from Ser Karlon and raised Montery’s arm in the air declaring him the winner to all.
At last Ser Aurane began to stir. Monterys helped him up and in the spirit of their shared knighthood the two men embraced to further nods of approval from Lord Dudley and Ser Karlon and some cheers from the remaining spectators.
“Well done,” said the older knight ruefully. “I knew the day was coming when you would best me, but I had hoped it would not be so soon.”
Monterys, exultant at his win was prepared to be gracious. “It was a hard fight Aurane. I look forward to someday facing you again.”
He put his arm around the older man’s shoulders.
“But in the meantime, I think we both need a drink.”
Results:
Monterys Velaryon begins to improve towards Master in Longsword
Monterys Velaryon becomes Expert in Battle.