Heathton, part deux.

[Teirney Lannister]

“Then I suppose it’s a good thing you are not in battle at the moment,” she asserted firmly as her hands removed his helm with deft agility.

[Deleted]

Bloodraven looked at her for a long moment. Then she bent over, shaking with laughter.

[Teirney Lannister]

Aerie stared at the woman, her mouth slightly ajar in gaping surprise. "Hilarious," she said faintly, her teeth clicking together in indignity.

[Deleted]

"My name is Alla Hunter," the woman said, still chuckling. She had a deep voice, and was tall and very strongly built. "Lady Aranya's cousin. Lots of crossdressing was going on at that ball, if I remember correctly. Lady Piers who we both gaped at, Prince Elena the Dragonknight, and the Great Bastard Alla, Bloodraven." She chortled again.

[Teirney Lannister]

“You have an impeccable sense of humor,” Aerie retorted flatly, thinking vaguely of the many ways she could set the bouquet of red roses in her chambers on fire. “You and Lady Aranya must have been delinquents in training together when you were young. You remind me very much of her.” She smiled ambiguously.

[Deleted]

"I remind you of Aranya?" Alla chuckled and shook her head. "Well, maybe a little. I didn't see much of her growing up, in truth. She was a bastard, and never visited Longbow Hall in her life. My grandfather wouldn't have it. But I met her many times later.

She smiled and leaned back a little in her saddle. "When I came to King's Landing I heard about you, and asked her if there really was a woman King's Justice. She snorted and said yes, so I asked you to dance. When I realized how intrigued you were by me, I decided to let the charade go on." Alla's eyes twinkled. "I am sorry I could not be your shining knight. It was rather fun, however."

[Teirney Lannister]

“I wasn’t looking for a shining knight,” she suddenly grated with a harshness that surprised even her. The vehemence had swelled from nowhere. Checking herself, she smoothed out her expression and summoned calm over herself. She churned out a slight smile. “I was demoted from King’s Guard. That lasted for all of two seconds. Now apparently I’m a commander as well. I don’t quite understand how that happened.”

[Deleted]

At Aerie's vehement denial, Alla studied her with sympathetic eyes.

"Perhaps it happened because you worked for it and demanded it. That is how it should happen. You are so angry, my lady. What is wrong?"

[Teirney Lannister]

“Things don’t happen the way they should,” she corrected tonelessly, staring at nothing in particular. “I’m fine. There are no shining knights, or fairness, or sensibility. That’s not the way things work in this world.”

[Deleted]

"I don't think so," Alla said gently. "Every maid has a knight, even if she is a warrior maid, or an ugly maid, or a big maid like me. And there are shining knights - though they may not wear bright helms or carry famous swords, or be handsome and dashing."

She nudged her palfrey forward, and they rode through the little village at a slow, ambling pace. "Things don't always work out the way they should, aye. There was a boy I loved when I was younger, but I was taller than he was, and he'd have none of me. That was a bit hard. But I've moved on from it. The other day a young Lannister knight was flirting with me - and last week so were you." She winked. "You didn't become Kingsguard, and you are bitter. But you are King's Justice."

[Teirney Lannister]

Aerie smiled without malice at the girl’s naivety and shot her an amused look. “Love is a little more complicated that clashing heights,” she observed dryly as they walked, letting her eyes wander to the training men every once in a while, “but anybody who would leave you for something like that hasn’t qualified for the word. I have yet to see this love people always sigh and sing of”—she said the word with a kind of contempt—“but it’s endearing that you have such faith.” She took a second to snort at a man with absolutely laughable form swinging a spear, and redirected her attention to Alla. “Don’t worry. Not achieving King’s Guard bothered me for about as long as my appointment lasted.” If only she could be upset over something as trivial as that. She envied this girl for her light spirit. It reminded her of the time she had had one as well…Time had wrought her into a hideous creature.

[Deleted]

"I've seen love," Alla said. "My parents, until my father died battling Hallise the Burned, which made Uncle Robar the Lord of Longbow Hall. I know that Lady Aranya and Lord Selwyn loved each other. And they say Lord Baldwin loved Lady Serena. They had so many children together."

They tied the horses outside an inn and Alla went in and got two mugs of chilled beer for them. "It's so hot," she said, lifting the mug to her lips and drinking thirstily. After a long draught she wiped her mouth and continued, "I'm sorry you're upset, Lady Aerie. If I could help, I would."

[Victarion]

Jorah watched them leave. He shrugged, Aerie could meet her men later. He took his horse to the top of a hill and when he reached the peak he found the men lined up in formation. He allowed himself a small smile. They were magnificent, the Unsullied had trained their bodies in the fashion that crafted theirs. Everyday their morning started before the sun had risen. Without food they scrambled up a nearby hill, stones in rusacks bouncing on their backs. When they reached the bottom again they took out the stones and took them to a nearby dirt road, where they used them to improve it.

After that it was breakfast, which consisted of lentils, and watered wine. Then more training, pushups, running, and more pushups. Then lunch, which was cornmeal, milk, and radishes. Then they went they did weapons training, they learned how to use the spear, the sword, the pike, and a new weapon Jorah was employing, the halberd. They hadn't yet started on infantry formations, but Jorah was confident that they would catch on quickly. The stupid, and the undiciplined had been sorted out fast, so only the best remained. After drills it was supper, again it was lentils, watered wine, and for a treat, plain bread. This army would win on a vegetarian diet. For their last activity before the sun went down they went and mined the rocks they would use the next day from a nearby quarry.

Jorah's crimson Lannister cloak flapped in the breaze, and his hand rested on Brightroar. "Who are you that stand down there?" He yelled. The men answered back in unison. "Soldiers!"

"Good, because I don't need men, and neither does your king. We also don't need warriors. For the man is week and cowardly, and the warrior vain and stupid. We need soldiers, they will buy victory for the realm! I need all of you to be as fast as the wind, silent as the forest, ferocious as fire, and immovable as a mountain."

"Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain!" The men shouted once again, it had quickly been established as their motto.

"You are to be the best fighting force in the world. You shall have the discipline of the Unsullied, and the minds of maesters. You shall be the thin sharp sword between the ribs of an enemy, not the fist that strikes a blow. When we hit it shall precise, calculated, lethal. We shall be sure of victory, the victorious soldier wins first and then go to war, while defeated soldier gos to war first and then seeks to win."

The men gave a shout, not a roar, Jorah would not have mindless cheering. Jorah allowed himself another smile, and it was not hard to see the resemblance between him and Kingslayer once again. "It is said that a Lannister always pays his debts. I am endebted to you, you have given me a commision that will last a life time. And I shall repay you tenfold by making you into the most lethal, deadly, fast force the world has ever seen."

[Victarion]

Jorah entered the inn, and at his back were three men. He sat down at Aerie's table and ordered a mug of beer, in which he squeezed a lemon. "These three bastards are your officers. They haven't been trained in the manner of the other soldiers, but then again your job will recquire those with a sharp mind rather than a sharp body." He smiled. "Me, I have both, but then again I'm not one of your officers, so you'll have to make do."

The first one stepped up, a boy, no more than thirteen. "Me names Bean mamn, grew up in Flea Bottom."

The second, an older fat man stood, he reaked of lemon water, and sweat stained his shirt. "You are meeting the acquaintence of Valaar Mopatis, from Pentos, anything you be needing, I can get."

A plain faced man stood, but did not bow. "Name's Pate, retired sellsword."

"Rely and trust these men more than your own family. The first to won't be doing any of the fighting, but are your intelligence officers. And your my special operations officer. Of all those in the army close to the commander none is more intimate than the one who holds this position; of all rewards none more liberal than those given to him; of all matters none is more confidential than those relating to secret operations. In other words Aerie Blackwood, your my second in command."

[Teirney Lannister]

“I’m not upset,” Aerie insisted, taking the mug distractedly, “but I think you’re helping anyways, even if I don’t necessarily agree with you. So, I’ve been meaning to ask: What brings you to the quaint little town of Heathton today?”

Aerie looked up to see Jorah Lannister squeeze into the table with three worn men as his side. She immediately slid her chair closer to Alla’s, serving only to make herself look like a fool and bitch at the same time. He made her feel vaguely uneasy, though she knew very well that the reason behind it was stupider than she could describe. Still…

“Alla, this is Jorah Lannister. Jorah, this is Alla Hunter.” Then she settled back to listen to what he had to say. Her eyebrows rose dangerously when he introduced the first man—boy.

“Him?” she questioned incredulously, thinking he could be no more than fourteen. “But he’s only a child! You might as well let Aranya’s Brendyn become an intelligence officer as well!”

Still ruffled, she heard him out and allowed him to introduce the remaining men, bobbing her head in listless greeting. It was at the last of his words that she balked. She felt a mixture of amazement and horror, for this appointment sounded far too much like another she had many years that had ended with her severely fucked up long after its finish. “That, erm, sounds wonderful,” she said unsteadily with mounting dismay, “such an honor…” She was so stupid, just stupid, stupid, stupid!