Post by The Smith on Jun 29, 2009 7:07:11 GMT -5
The Riverlands; August 571
Ser Aaron's Valemen geared up in time to talk to the men that Lord Tully had taken captive in the riverlands. The thirty-odd knights on horseback rode north from Tully's mixed darmy, toward Lord Horrway's Town. The forests of the riverlands were thick south of the Trident River, so the knights were forced to manouver their horses carefully through the trees.
A few days outside of Lord Horroway's Town, the squad made campe and retreated into their tents to escape the torrential dounpour that pounded hte forest around them. Ser Aaron's pavilion was small, at least compared to those belonging to most men of his station, and austerely furnished His bedroll was the same simple mat as his men used, and for this light march he had forsaken the small writing-table that he usually brought with him on campagin.
The heir to the Eyrie stretched out on the bedroll, having removed his swordbelt and coif, laying them on the ground next to him before drifting slowly off to sleep.
The Vale; August 571
Ser Selwyn led his knights back down the High Road, moving west from the Bloody Gate toward teh riverlands. He felt rather foolish for having failed to bring any men to his small force of knights, as Aaron had officially requested him to do, although he was pleased to learn that Lord Brynden had camped his army in the riverlands guarding the crossing of the Trident River.
The short column, conisting of less than a score of men, made good time down the High Road heading out of hte Vale. The fomer Knight of the Bloody Gate rode at the head of his men, eyes scanning the surrounding cliffs and outcroppings as he chatted casually with one of his knights, Ser Vayon Redfort. The chirping of a small bird echoed across the rocks from behind the column, just has Selwyn punched his friend on the arm for a quip about his mother.
"Who was she, Sel?" The man asked. Selwyn smiled knowingly, and ignored the question by taking a long pullfr om his hip flask.
"I'll give you a hint, Ser. She's dead now and was a Lady of the Stormlands."
Vayon laughed. "That narrows it down precious little. Probably one of the Queen's ladies," he complained, snatching the flask and taking a drink himself. Another bird's chirp rang out again, though this time it seemed to come from ahead of the short column. Selwyn frowned, just as he heard the sound of a bow twanging, and an arrow sprouted from the top of Ser Vayon's breastplate.
A dragon, whose wings were bent and malformed, stood at a riverbank and roared defiantly, its rage echoing across the otherwise serene setting. On the opposite riverbank a Stag knelt, sinking onto its knees as if it were going to drink, and bowed its head to the dragon.
Atop the stag's rack of antlers pertched an eagle, which raised its wings threateningly and screamed a keening reply to the dragon's roar. The echo of laughter could be heard in the eagle's scream, its taunt blatantly obvious. A black stallion stood a few feet away from the pair, staring pensively across the river as if it were studying the reptilian beast across the water.
The dragon screamed again in defiance, and then sank to its own knees, obviously bowing to the trio. The eagle's screams rose to a fever pitch while the stallion calmly turned and began to walk slowly back up into the mountains. The dragon roared a third time, but this cry was distinctively pleading. The stallion was unaffected, however, and it continued to walk slowly away, while the raptor flapped its wings twice before rising into the sky and flying off in the opposite direction.
Selwyn drew another arrow from his quiver and knocked it to his bow. He released quickly, the feathered bolt burying itself in the neck of one of the attacking clansmen, a man who sported a large burn covering half of his face. The Burned Man keeled over, spraying blood onto the rocks around him. The clansmens' amush had noot had its desired effect; only two Valemen had been taken out of the fight in the first volley, the majority of Selwyn's men having taken cover behind the rocky outcroppings that flanked the High Road.
The skilled knights were not overwhelmed by numbers as the clansmen were wont to do in the mountain passes, and eventually were able to repel the attackers with their superior skill and weaponry. Selwyn moved about the field after the wildlings had been scattered, collecting his spent arrows, or at least those that were still in workable condition. He organized his men, only one of whom had died in the fight, although several had ssutained axe and arrow wounds. The men turned back westward, and began to make their way toward Lord Horroway's town.
The Riverlands, September 571
Ser Aaron sat atop his horse's back, preparing to march back east; Lord Brynden Royce had recalled his armies back to the Vale of Arryn, and would be heading to the Eyrie eventually, via the Bloody Gate. Ser Selwyn Stone stood next to Aaron's horse, looking up at the man he considered his younger brother.
"Stay with the King, Sel," Ser Aaron said, smiling. "Represent the Vale, if you can, and try to keep us informed about what's happening at court. Father and I will be at the Eyrie waiting to see how the situation shifts, presumably."
Selwyn nodded, and Aaron spurred his horse to follow the army of Valemen that had begun to march eastward, back toward their home, a place Aaron had not seen in nearly five years.
Ser Selwyn Stone improves to Noteworthy Archery
Ser Aaron Royce improves to Master Greendreaming