Post by The Smith on Nov 10, 2008 22:32:00 GMT -5
After a long and tiresome travel, King Gariss Stark enters his solar, where a warm bath was prepared for him. He sighes quitely and walks forwards, closing the door behind him.
On the morrow, he felt more refreshed and rejuvinated, having slept in an actual bed for the first time in months. He yearned to roll over, and catch another hour of sleep, but he knew he must rise.
He went down to breakfest to find the hall nearly full. He had allowed his men to eat with him, taking rotations on who was allowed to feast in the hall. He knew others were out in the marsh around cauldrons of warm stew.
He enjoyed his meal, speaking with the soldiers and lieutenants of his army, sitting with Umber. Lord Reed was nowhere to be seen, but Gariss knew him to be around.
At midday, he entered the training yard, where about a score of men were sitting around. Curious.
"Should you all not be at work?" Gariss jested, as many were of his personal unit. "I recall this being a training yard."
"Well, m'lord," Zach said coming out from behind one of the larger men, his black hair pushed back as always. "I took it upon to me suggest the men a skirmish. The way I see it, this is the first proper training yard we've seen since Winterfell..."
"How about it, yer Grace?" one of the men asked.
Gariss only smirked.
/ / / / / /
The training yard had been cleared, and set up with large boxes and obstacles, as to impare the vision of the other's bulk of their force. The result was a large amount of space, made into a weak maze; a single wide path running down the middle. Gariss and near a score of men sat on one side of the field, blunted swords in hand, while a score was across the field, Zach at their head. Zach has the larger force, but Gariss had his strategy.
Zach acted first, sending his first regiment of men out against Gariss. Ten men started forwards, out of the right wing. Gariss, being given the time to arrange his troops, set out a garrisson of three men, who ran, screaming and charging, swords raised in the air.
Shocked at first, Zach's men flinched, Gariss's men leapt into the depths of the men, knocking down a man each, before two were struck down. The third, who knocked down another man, turned and began to run back towards Gariss and ten men. As the reamining five men grew nearer, they passed a large box, and on the other side, another five men jumped out, the initial man turning, as they caught the remaining men by surprise, knocking them out of the battle switftly.
Gariss turned to view his opponent, the numbers now him his favor. He marched forwards. As he approched, and they crossed a box, they found that the place where Zach should be, there was nothing. Immediately turning, Gariss shouted a command to turn his men just in time on an ambush set up by Zach. The two forces battled it out, Gariss knocking down three men himself. In the end, it was Gariss and six men against only Zach.
"Well, then, Zach," Gariss laughed. "Let us settle this. You and me." Gariss stepped forwards as Zach grinned.
The two faced each other, armed. "Get ready," Zach declared, as he had before everytime they sparred.
"Always," Gariss replied quietly, initiating the conflict by testing a swing of his sword at Zach. The man parried it easily and countered with a ferocity owed to him.
Gariss barely raised his sword in time, deflecting the blow, and going on the offense. Pushing his sword to the side, Stark strikes him in the thigh, though it hit hard. His leg stiffened, and Ed knew it would bruise.
Gariss only smirked.
Angered,Gariss' good friend pushed his attack, raining a flurry of blows down upon Stark, who is pushed back by the ferocity and speed of is opponent's sword.
Stark eventually catches his blade with the other, locking them, and pushes hard, causing Zach to fall backwards, though he is back up in a flash. Though he was not quick enough, as Gariss strikes again.
Frantically raising his sword to block the blow, Zach makes contact with thin air, for the strike was a feint. Stark strikes Zach's other thigh, sending a sharp pain through his leg and up his back.
Wincing, Zach lowers his sword for a split second, and in a fluid motion, Gariss spun around his guard, bringing his pommel up into the Zach's helm with his whole body weight, denting the helm and stunning the man. Bringing his sword down in an arc, Gariss takes out the man's legs, making him crash to the grown.
"Maybe next time you will be ready," Stark said, musing for the first time in a long time. He smiled as he reached down to help his friend up man up.
Results:
Gariss Stark arrives at Moat Cailin.
Gariss Stark advances towards Grandmaster Sword.
Gariss Stark advances towards Master Battle.
Zach Faire advances to Master Sword.
Zach Faire advances to Noteworthy Ambush.
On the morrow, he felt more refreshed and rejuvinated, having slept in an actual bed for the first time in months. He yearned to roll over, and catch another hour of sleep, but he knew he must rise.
He went down to breakfest to find the hall nearly full. He had allowed his men to eat with him, taking rotations on who was allowed to feast in the hall. He knew others were out in the marsh around cauldrons of warm stew.
He enjoyed his meal, speaking with the soldiers and lieutenants of his army, sitting with Umber. Lord Reed was nowhere to be seen, but Gariss knew him to be around.
At midday, he entered the training yard, where about a score of men were sitting around. Curious.
"Should you all not be at work?" Gariss jested, as many were of his personal unit. "I recall this being a training yard."
"Well, m'lord," Zach said coming out from behind one of the larger men, his black hair pushed back as always. "I took it upon to me suggest the men a skirmish. The way I see it, this is the first proper training yard we've seen since Winterfell..."
"How about it, yer Grace?" one of the men asked.
Gariss only smirked.
/ / / / / /
The training yard had been cleared, and set up with large boxes and obstacles, as to impare the vision of the other's bulk of their force. The result was a large amount of space, made into a weak maze; a single wide path running down the middle. Gariss and near a score of men sat on one side of the field, blunted swords in hand, while a score was across the field, Zach at their head. Zach has the larger force, but Gariss had his strategy.
Zach acted first, sending his first regiment of men out against Gariss. Ten men started forwards, out of the right wing. Gariss, being given the time to arrange his troops, set out a garrisson of three men, who ran, screaming and charging, swords raised in the air.
Shocked at first, Zach's men flinched, Gariss's men leapt into the depths of the men, knocking down a man each, before two were struck down. The third, who knocked down another man, turned and began to run back towards Gariss and ten men. As the reamining five men grew nearer, they passed a large box, and on the other side, another five men jumped out, the initial man turning, as they caught the remaining men by surprise, knocking them out of the battle switftly.
Gariss turned to view his opponent, the numbers now him his favor. He marched forwards. As he approched, and they crossed a box, they found that the place where Zach should be, there was nothing. Immediately turning, Gariss shouted a command to turn his men just in time on an ambush set up by Zach. The two forces battled it out, Gariss knocking down three men himself. In the end, it was Gariss and six men against only Zach.
"Well, then, Zach," Gariss laughed. "Let us settle this. You and me." Gariss stepped forwards as Zach grinned.
The two faced each other, armed. "Get ready," Zach declared, as he had before everytime they sparred.
"Always," Gariss replied quietly, initiating the conflict by testing a swing of his sword at Zach. The man parried it easily and countered with a ferocity owed to him.
Gariss barely raised his sword in time, deflecting the blow, and going on the offense. Pushing his sword to the side, Stark strikes him in the thigh, though it hit hard. His leg stiffened, and Ed knew it would bruise.
Gariss only smirked.
Angered,Gariss' good friend pushed his attack, raining a flurry of blows down upon Stark, who is pushed back by the ferocity and speed of is opponent's sword.
Stark eventually catches his blade with the other, locking them, and pushes hard, causing Zach to fall backwards, though he is back up in a flash. Though he was not quick enough, as Gariss strikes again.
Frantically raising his sword to block the blow, Zach makes contact with thin air, for the strike was a feint. Stark strikes Zach's other thigh, sending a sharp pain through his leg and up his back.
Wincing, Zach lowers his sword for a split second, and in a fluid motion, Gariss spun around his guard, bringing his pommel up into the Zach's helm with his whole body weight, denting the helm and stunning the man. Bringing his sword down in an arc, Gariss takes out the man's legs, making him crash to the grown.
"Maybe next time you will be ready," Stark said, musing for the first time in a long time. He smiled as he reached down to help his friend up man up.
Results:
Gariss Stark arrives at Moat Cailin.
Gariss Stark advances towards Grandmaster Sword.
Gariss Stark advances towards Master Battle.
Zach Faire advances to Master Sword.
Zach Faire advances to Noteworthy Ambush.