Post by Horas on Jan 6, 2009 12:59:04 GMT -5
Since Stafford Mallister had sent word that the troops would soon be leaving to re-take Driftmark, Monterys had found it difficult to sleep. As a result he was up early and as the sun climbed into the sky he found himself riding into the city from Wormwood Manse.
It wasn’t long before he had arrived at the large drill square in the middle of the Red Keep, where the Gold Cloaks practiced fighting in formations, or simply sparred against one another. Straw mannequins had been attached to stakes for mock foes, and Lord Monterys had already picked up a long wooden sword to practice his strikes, when he heard bootfalls behind him.
The lord whirled and saw his brother Lyonel carrying a longsword in his hand.
Lyonel, already at nineteen a man of imposing build that promised to be broader than his elder brother, grinned wolfishly at Monterys. Before Monterys could ask in surprise what his younger brother was doing in the Red Keep, Lyonel charged forward, swinging his sword in a huge arc at Monterys' head. Monterys barely had time to raise his wooden sword in defence, meeting the slash of Lyonel’s weapon. The training weapon immediately exploded into splinters, sending shards flying in all directions One of the shards narrowly missed Monterys' left eye. Monterys staggered back, reaching up to find a splinter lodged in his eyebrow. Grimacing Monterys pulled the splinter out, pressing a fist against the wound to staunch the bleeding. Lyonel pulled back and again grinned at his brother. If he had noticed Monterys' bleeding head he made no comment. Snarling Monterys whipped his own longsword out of its’ sheath and leapt towards his foe.
Himself surprised, the younger knight managed to get his own sword up barely in time. Monterys' sharp steel blade left a shiny scar in the dull steel of the Lyonel’s sword. The two came together in a flurry of blows, sparks flying with each strike. Monterys pushed him back entirely across the square and then swung a savage blow aimed at the his brother’s chest. Lyonel stopped the blade with the cross piece of his own sword and the two stood locked together, each breathing heavily sweat pouring down their faces.
“What in Seven Hells do you think you’re doing?” snarled Monterys.
“Forbid me to fight in Driftmark will you? I’ll show you how I can fight!” Lyonel snarled back.
Lyonel shoved his brother backwards, and then leapt forward with his sword. Monterys slid smoothly to one side, evading the others blade by inches instead of trying to parry the blow. Lyonel lurched forward beyond his center of gravity and Monterys slashed at Lyonel’s left arm with his own sword. He twisted the blade and struck his brother with its' flat, sending him flailing to the ground.
Monterys looked down at his brother, before collapsing on the ground beside him. They simply lay where they fell for long minutes before speaking.
"Well fought," Lyonel finally said gruffly. "How's your eye?"
"Caked with blood," Monterys replied, "and swollen shut. It won't be a problem, I think. How's your arm? I tried to hit you with the flat, but my sword is sharp." The sword lay on the ground on Monterys' right side, where he had dropped it as he fell.
Despite the fight, Monterys looked fondly at his younger brother.
“I don’t doubt you can fight Lyonel, but re-taking Driftmark will be dangerous. If I fall, then you will be the new Lord of Driftmark. If we both fight and fall, then the Velaryons will once again lose Driftmark. Where the sense in that?”
All Lyonel could do was nod, but Monterys sensed his disappointment. He even sympathised with his younger brother, but the stakes were too high to risk both of them in the upcoming battle.
Finally the two brothers rose to their feet and clasped hands. Lord Monterys stopped at the Maester's Tower in the Red Keep. The maester there fretted over his condition, but Monterys waved off his concerns and sat patiently while the man poured boiling wine into his wound and bathed his bruises.
Results
Lord Monterys Velaryon increases to Master Longsword.
Ser Lyonel Velaryon increases to Expert Longsword
It wasn’t long before he had arrived at the large drill square in the middle of the Red Keep, where the Gold Cloaks practiced fighting in formations, or simply sparred against one another. Straw mannequins had been attached to stakes for mock foes, and Lord Monterys had already picked up a long wooden sword to practice his strikes, when he heard bootfalls behind him.
The lord whirled and saw his brother Lyonel carrying a longsword in his hand.
Lyonel, already at nineteen a man of imposing build that promised to be broader than his elder brother, grinned wolfishly at Monterys. Before Monterys could ask in surprise what his younger brother was doing in the Red Keep, Lyonel charged forward, swinging his sword in a huge arc at Monterys' head. Monterys barely had time to raise his wooden sword in defence, meeting the slash of Lyonel’s weapon. The training weapon immediately exploded into splinters, sending shards flying in all directions One of the shards narrowly missed Monterys' left eye. Monterys staggered back, reaching up to find a splinter lodged in his eyebrow. Grimacing Monterys pulled the splinter out, pressing a fist against the wound to staunch the bleeding. Lyonel pulled back and again grinned at his brother. If he had noticed Monterys' bleeding head he made no comment. Snarling Monterys whipped his own longsword out of its’ sheath and leapt towards his foe.
Himself surprised, the younger knight managed to get his own sword up barely in time. Monterys' sharp steel blade left a shiny scar in the dull steel of the Lyonel’s sword. The two came together in a flurry of blows, sparks flying with each strike. Monterys pushed him back entirely across the square and then swung a savage blow aimed at the his brother’s chest. Lyonel stopped the blade with the cross piece of his own sword and the two stood locked together, each breathing heavily sweat pouring down their faces.
“What in Seven Hells do you think you’re doing?” snarled Monterys.
“Forbid me to fight in Driftmark will you? I’ll show you how I can fight!” Lyonel snarled back.
Lyonel shoved his brother backwards, and then leapt forward with his sword. Monterys slid smoothly to one side, evading the others blade by inches instead of trying to parry the blow. Lyonel lurched forward beyond his center of gravity and Monterys slashed at Lyonel’s left arm with his own sword. He twisted the blade and struck his brother with its' flat, sending him flailing to the ground.
Monterys looked down at his brother, before collapsing on the ground beside him. They simply lay where they fell for long minutes before speaking.
"Well fought," Lyonel finally said gruffly. "How's your eye?"
"Caked with blood," Monterys replied, "and swollen shut. It won't be a problem, I think. How's your arm? I tried to hit you with the flat, but my sword is sharp." The sword lay on the ground on Monterys' right side, where he had dropped it as he fell.
Despite the fight, Monterys looked fondly at his younger brother.
“I don’t doubt you can fight Lyonel, but re-taking Driftmark will be dangerous. If I fall, then you will be the new Lord of Driftmark. If we both fight and fall, then the Velaryons will once again lose Driftmark. Where the sense in that?”
All Lyonel could do was nod, but Monterys sensed his disappointment. He even sympathised with his younger brother, but the stakes were too high to risk both of them in the upcoming battle.
Finally the two brothers rose to their feet and clasped hands. Lord Monterys stopped at the Maester's Tower in the Red Keep. The maester there fretted over his condition, but Monterys waved off his concerns and sat patiently while the man poured boiling wine into his wound and bathed his bruises.
Results
Lord Monterys Velaryon increases to Master Longsword.
Ser Lyonel Velaryon increases to Expert Longsword