Post by The Smith on Nov 6, 2008 22:42:20 GMT -5
Lord Cregan turned one last time, and looked at the walls of Winterfell, before he commanded his men to ride. He had just left the meeting that Lord, no King, Stark had summoned them for, and was heading back to Cerwyn Castle to send out a call for all able men under his command to go and report themselves to his castle.
He did not agree with the course they were taking, at least not while the Horned Wolf had so many followers in the North, but the Stark boy was his liege lord and they shared blood, however little it maybe be, so he would follow the orders anyway. He rubbed his chin, trying to come up with how to make the best of a situation like this, and pressed his legs together, urging the horse to start moving again.
He sat across his horse, lost in thought, as his friend, Hamish Harclay, came riding up to him. The young clans man was dressed in simple leather armor over warm wool clothing, favoring light armor over the chain mail, unlike most of the men in Cregan's retinue. Hamish had not been inside of the castle, so he knew nothing of what had transpired inside.
“Is it true, Cregan?” he looked at his friend. “The men say that the Lord has proclaimed himself King, and we are on our way back to gather men to fight for him”
Cregan gave his friend a simple nod, leaving his trail of thoughts to speak with his friend instead.
“Yes, we have a King of Winter once again. He wants us to gather the men and protect the Barrowlands against Ironborn raids. The other will head south to Moat Cailin, to meet with the southern army when they turn against us.”
He paused for a while.
“I want you to ride and speak with your father, to see if you can get the clans involved in this. They would be answering to your father and you only. Your orders can be discussed later, when we know if we have your clan on our side.”
Hamish looked at his friend and saw that this whole ordeal was weighing on his mind. He gave him a nod.
“I will leave immediately, Cregan, but if I could offer some advice. Try and talk to the Horned Wolf, before taking any actions against him. He is a honest man, and probably wants as less bloodshed as we want.”
Cregan nodded and watched as the clan-man left the retinue, heading toward his home-terrain. He returned to his thoughts again.
- - - - - - - - -
Cregan watched as more men rode in through the gates to the castle, but it was no way close to the men that he had sent call to come. He had heard the news that the Horned Wolf had called for men to join him in battle against King Stark and Lord Reed. Cregan had tried his best to get his men to join him here, but as of yet only half of his men had answered and come to the castle.
Cregan turned and looked at his uncle, who had agreed to aid them in the protection of the Barrowlands. The man had a worried look upon his face, as the last of the group had ridden through the gates.
“This Horned Wolf are doing real harm to the North, without any bloodshed, nephew. He has us so divided that half of your men has decided to refuse your call to arms. This is not good. What is the King doing about it?”
Cregan shrugged.
“I don't know, uncle. Last I heard was that he was about to leave for Moat Cailin, but I think he understands that he needs to deal with Rickon, and has to wait to join them down south. I just wish there was someway that we could solve this deal without fighting our own men.”
Brandon nodded.
“Yes, but I am sure that you will think of something, nephew. Now if you excuse me, I will go see to the group that just arrived.”
Cregan stood and looked at the sky, trying to come up with a way to diminish the impact the Horned Wolf was creating.
- - - - - - - - -
The morning was cold with no hint of the sun behind the gray clouds. The yard already rang to the tune of the swords of a dozen men sparring. Cregan walked the yard surrounded by the familiar and comforting sounds of metal touching metal. He watched some of the younger warriors that was not experienced, and corrected things that he saw needed correction. He talked with the men that had answered his call, thanking them for doing what was right for the North.
He even took the time to spar with some of them, to raise their trust in him.
He put the men in small groups of ten, and took out them in the wilderness around Cerwyn Castle and had them train different battle situations, everything from common battle to ambush.
Results
Lord Cregan Cerwyn improves to Noteworthy Leadership.
Lord Cregan Cerwyn advances toward Expert Battle Command.
He did not agree with the course they were taking, at least not while the Horned Wolf had so many followers in the North, but the Stark boy was his liege lord and they shared blood, however little it maybe be, so he would follow the orders anyway. He rubbed his chin, trying to come up with how to make the best of a situation like this, and pressed his legs together, urging the horse to start moving again.
He sat across his horse, lost in thought, as his friend, Hamish Harclay, came riding up to him. The young clans man was dressed in simple leather armor over warm wool clothing, favoring light armor over the chain mail, unlike most of the men in Cregan's retinue. Hamish had not been inside of the castle, so he knew nothing of what had transpired inside.
“Is it true, Cregan?” he looked at his friend. “The men say that the Lord has proclaimed himself King, and we are on our way back to gather men to fight for him”
Cregan gave his friend a simple nod, leaving his trail of thoughts to speak with his friend instead.
“Yes, we have a King of Winter once again. He wants us to gather the men and protect the Barrowlands against Ironborn raids. The other will head south to Moat Cailin, to meet with the southern army when they turn against us.”
He paused for a while.
“I want you to ride and speak with your father, to see if you can get the clans involved in this. They would be answering to your father and you only. Your orders can be discussed later, when we know if we have your clan on our side.”
Hamish looked at his friend and saw that this whole ordeal was weighing on his mind. He gave him a nod.
“I will leave immediately, Cregan, but if I could offer some advice. Try and talk to the Horned Wolf, before taking any actions against him. He is a honest man, and probably wants as less bloodshed as we want.”
Cregan nodded and watched as the clan-man left the retinue, heading toward his home-terrain. He returned to his thoughts again.
- - - - - - - - -
Cregan watched as more men rode in through the gates to the castle, but it was no way close to the men that he had sent call to come. He had heard the news that the Horned Wolf had called for men to join him in battle against King Stark and Lord Reed. Cregan had tried his best to get his men to join him here, but as of yet only half of his men had answered and come to the castle.
Cregan turned and looked at his uncle, who had agreed to aid them in the protection of the Barrowlands. The man had a worried look upon his face, as the last of the group had ridden through the gates.
“This Horned Wolf are doing real harm to the North, without any bloodshed, nephew. He has us so divided that half of your men has decided to refuse your call to arms. This is not good. What is the King doing about it?”
Cregan shrugged.
“I don't know, uncle. Last I heard was that he was about to leave for Moat Cailin, but I think he understands that he needs to deal with Rickon, and has to wait to join them down south. I just wish there was someway that we could solve this deal without fighting our own men.”
Brandon nodded.
“Yes, but I am sure that you will think of something, nephew. Now if you excuse me, I will go see to the group that just arrived.”
Cregan stood and looked at the sky, trying to come up with a way to diminish the impact the Horned Wolf was creating.
- - - - - - - - -
The morning was cold with no hint of the sun behind the gray clouds. The yard already rang to the tune of the swords of a dozen men sparring. Cregan walked the yard surrounded by the familiar and comforting sounds of metal touching metal. He watched some of the younger warriors that was not experienced, and corrected things that he saw needed correction. He talked with the men that had answered his call, thanking them for doing what was right for the North.
He even took the time to spar with some of them, to raise their trust in him.
He put the men in small groups of ten, and took out them in the wilderness around Cerwyn Castle and had them train different battle situations, everything from common battle to ambush.
Results
Lord Cregan Cerwyn improves to Noteworthy Leadership.
Lord Cregan Cerwyn advances toward Expert Battle Command.