Post by Horas on Nov 11, 2008 23:45:04 GMT -5
Ryam Flowers walked among the Seven’s Army, seeking a partner to spar with. He came upon a man dressed in brown and tan leathers under a coat of finely made chainmail tooled with a striding huntsman on one breast and a longsword hanging from his left hip. The man looked at Ryam, his eyes focusing on the young bastard’s blunted sword and he beckoned him forward.
“Would you care for a spar, Ser?” the man asked amiably, and Ryam smiled.
“Certainly, although I am no Ser. I am still merely a squire, and my name is Ryam” Ryam replied, shifting into a defensive stance. “I assume you are a Tarly, but you don’t look quite well-dressed enough to be the Lord,” he said bluntly.
The other man laughed loudly. “My father will get a kick out of that one. You are correct, Ryam, I am no lord, but I am the heir to this place,” Samuel Tarly said, gesturing up at Horn hill. He also shifted into a fighting stance, and moved toward Ryam hefting his blunted longsword.
The pair exchanged several blows, and the steel striking steel rang out, getting lost in similar sounds that pervaded the military camp. Ser Samuel moved cautiously, testing the younger man’s defenses, seeking an opening. The duel went on uneventfully for several minutes, and it appeared as though the two men were evenly matched. Samuel had superior footwork and was stronger, but the young man was quick and agile, able to evade many of Samuel’s strikes.
As the knight circled around, Ryam flicked out his sword, and landed a stinging blow on Samuel’s left hand, one that would have severed his fingers had the blades been live steel. He drew back in pain and surprise, and then a smile crossed his face.
“Well struck, Ryam. If you’re still a squire, you might ask the knight you serve to give you a set of spurs, for you certainly fight well enough,” he said, and then leapt forward to attack again. This time he relied on his superior strength and training, and though Ryam was able to strike him again twice, one on the leg and once on his arm, he gritted his teeth and kept up the attack, eventually putting the younger man on his ass.
Samuel extended a gloved hand to Ryam, who took it and hoisted himself to his feet. “Well fought, Ser Samuel, well fought indeed. I serve Lord Varner, and I am sure he will knight me when the time is right.” Ryam laughed on the surprise that he saw on Samuel’s face. “We have met fleetingly before, Ser, several years ago when Lord Varner visited your father on some business, when I was but a page.”
“That is why you looked familiar, I suppose,” Samuel said, and clapped Ryam on the shoulder. “If you serve the White Weasel, you must know Master Flea,” he said in a quiet voice.
“I know of him, as any man does, but fleas tend to keep out of sight and in dark places, Ryam said slyly.
“Fair enough, I suppose. Walk with me, Ryam, and I’ll buy you a drink,” Samuel said, and the pair turned to walk toward one of the taverns that existed in the small town that had been constructed under Horn Hill’s walls.
The next day Ryam Flowers rode north out of the camp, accompanied by three more men that he had hired with Samuel’s gold. The two men had talked long, and created the beginnings of a plan to acquire for Samuel an item he desired. Ryam knew him to be a good man, and a friend of Lord Varner, and he was intrigued by the proposal that Ser Samuel had laid before him, and he relished the challenge. After the four riders crossed the border into the Mander, they turned slightly east, in the direction of Greycopse.
Ryam Flowers improves toward Master Swordsman
Ryam Flowers improves to Expert Espionage
“Would you care for a spar, Ser?” the man asked amiably, and Ryam smiled.
“Certainly, although I am no Ser. I am still merely a squire, and my name is Ryam” Ryam replied, shifting into a defensive stance. “I assume you are a Tarly, but you don’t look quite well-dressed enough to be the Lord,” he said bluntly.
The other man laughed loudly. “My father will get a kick out of that one. You are correct, Ryam, I am no lord, but I am the heir to this place,” Samuel Tarly said, gesturing up at Horn hill. He also shifted into a fighting stance, and moved toward Ryam hefting his blunted longsword.
The pair exchanged several blows, and the steel striking steel rang out, getting lost in similar sounds that pervaded the military camp. Ser Samuel moved cautiously, testing the younger man’s defenses, seeking an opening. The duel went on uneventfully for several minutes, and it appeared as though the two men were evenly matched. Samuel had superior footwork and was stronger, but the young man was quick and agile, able to evade many of Samuel’s strikes.
As the knight circled around, Ryam flicked out his sword, and landed a stinging blow on Samuel’s left hand, one that would have severed his fingers had the blades been live steel. He drew back in pain and surprise, and then a smile crossed his face.
“Well struck, Ryam. If you’re still a squire, you might ask the knight you serve to give you a set of spurs, for you certainly fight well enough,” he said, and then leapt forward to attack again. This time he relied on his superior strength and training, and though Ryam was able to strike him again twice, one on the leg and once on his arm, he gritted his teeth and kept up the attack, eventually putting the younger man on his ass.
Samuel extended a gloved hand to Ryam, who took it and hoisted himself to his feet. “Well fought, Ser Samuel, well fought indeed. I serve Lord Varner, and I am sure he will knight me when the time is right.” Ryam laughed on the surprise that he saw on Samuel’s face. “We have met fleetingly before, Ser, several years ago when Lord Varner visited your father on some business, when I was but a page.”
“That is why you looked familiar, I suppose,” Samuel said, and clapped Ryam on the shoulder. “If you serve the White Weasel, you must know Master Flea,” he said in a quiet voice.
“I know of him, as any man does, but fleas tend to keep out of sight and in dark places, Ryam said slyly.
“Fair enough, I suppose. Walk with me, Ryam, and I’ll buy you a drink,” Samuel said, and the pair turned to walk toward one of the taverns that existed in the small town that had been constructed under Horn Hill’s walls.
The next day Ryam Flowers rode north out of the camp, accompanied by three more men that he had hired with Samuel’s gold. The two men had talked long, and created the beginnings of a plan to acquire for Samuel an item he desired. Ryam knew him to be a good man, and a friend of Lord Varner, and he was intrigued by the proposal that Ser Samuel had laid before him, and he relished the challenge. After the four riders crossed the border into the Mander, they turned slightly east, in the direction of Greycopse.
Ryam Flowers improves toward Master Swordsman
Ryam Flowers improves to Expert Espionage