Post by The Smith on Jul 26, 2009 17:15:28 GMT -5
Ser Armand was bored in King’s Landing. He’d come to meet with Lord Velaryon to discuss a marriage with his eldest sister. The meeting had gone favorably, but Lord Velaryon had prompltly sailed away with the Royal Fleet to secure his own lands of Driftmark. Armand could not begrudge him that campaign, but he wished they could have come to a conclusive decision before Velaryon left. Since he decided to remain int eh capital until Velaryon returned, or at least was in a position to exchange ravens, Ser Armand found himself with more free-time than he had had in years.
He’d been busy running duskendale for nearly a year before coming to the capital, and before that there had been nearly continuous fighting at his father’s side. He approached the Red Keeps’ stables again, searching for his own horse inside the massive complex. He found the brown courser in a stall deep inside the stables, and when Ser Armand arrived there, another man was standing nearby tending to a horse in a nearby stall.
Ser Armand did not recognize the man who towered over even the horse, until the man turned around, and they both burst out laughing. His older brother Aaron often spent time in the stables, for both brothers had inherited their father’s love of equines.
“Now that we’re at peace you should probably get back to practicing your lance, eh brother?” Armand said slyly, and he saw a sour look cross Aaron’s face.
“We’re not at peace yet, brother, you seem to forget our cousin’s lamentable fate. The dragonbitch will not let anyone in to see him, for fear they will assist in his suicide,” Aaron replied, rolling his eyes. The two men were both saddling their respective horses as they spoke, and when they were ready they led their hoses out of the stables and over towards the lists that were currently empty.
They rode to opposite ends of the short lists that were part of the Red Keep’s training yard. They spurred their horses, and the the two geldings charged down the lists, as the brothers sitting in their saddles both couched their lances.
The pair crashed together, both lances striking squarely on the other’s shield and exploding from the impact. Armand’s lance was expertly placed, and it was clear who was more skilled with the weapon. Aaron’s shield arm shuddered all the way to the shoulder while Armand seemed to have been unaffected by his brother’s strike. They rode their horses back towards the ends of the lists and snatched up new lances.
Aaron spurred his horse first, charging forward before Armand charged as well, but when the pair came together Armand’s lance struck square on his brother’s shoulder plate, skimming the side of the shield and splintering into two large pieces on impact. Aaron rocked in his saddle, nearly falling backward off the horse but recovering gracefully. He was closer to their father’s skill on horseback, though neither of them was close to Brynden’s skill.
The two rode against each-other half a dozen more times, and Aaron had been knocked into the dirt thrice before he was able to unseat his brother, who was struck cleanly in his chest and went sailing off his horse’s back onto the ground. Armand stood stood, laughing and rubbing his head, as his brother dismounted.
“Well struck Aaron, that one almost hurt,” he said with another laugh, as the two brothers led their horses back to the stables. They rubbed the beasts down, and fed them both several carrots and apples before walking down into the city to the Bronzehall, where both were living while in the capital.
Ser Aaron Royce gains Beginner Lance
Ser Aaron Royce improves toward Grandmaster Horseriding
He’d been busy running duskendale for nearly a year before coming to the capital, and before that there had been nearly continuous fighting at his father’s side. He approached the Red Keeps’ stables again, searching for his own horse inside the massive complex. He found the brown courser in a stall deep inside the stables, and when Ser Armand arrived there, another man was standing nearby tending to a horse in a nearby stall.
Ser Armand did not recognize the man who towered over even the horse, until the man turned around, and they both burst out laughing. His older brother Aaron often spent time in the stables, for both brothers had inherited their father’s love of equines.
“Now that we’re at peace you should probably get back to practicing your lance, eh brother?” Armand said slyly, and he saw a sour look cross Aaron’s face.
“We’re not at peace yet, brother, you seem to forget our cousin’s lamentable fate. The dragonbitch will not let anyone in to see him, for fear they will assist in his suicide,” Aaron replied, rolling his eyes. The two men were both saddling their respective horses as they spoke, and when they were ready they led their hoses out of the stables and over towards the lists that were currently empty.
They rode to opposite ends of the short lists that were part of the Red Keep’s training yard. They spurred their horses, and the the two geldings charged down the lists, as the brothers sitting in their saddles both couched their lances.
The pair crashed together, both lances striking squarely on the other’s shield and exploding from the impact. Armand’s lance was expertly placed, and it was clear who was more skilled with the weapon. Aaron’s shield arm shuddered all the way to the shoulder while Armand seemed to have been unaffected by his brother’s strike. They rode their horses back towards the ends of the lists and snatched up new lances.
Aaron spurred his horse first, charging forward before Armand charged as well, but when the pair came together Armand’s lance struck square on his brother’s shoulder plate, skimming the side of the shield and splintering into two large pieces on impact. Aaron rocked in his saddle, nearly falling backward off the horse but recovering gracefully. He was closer to their father’s skill on horseback, though neither of them was close to Brynden’s skill.
The two rode against each-other half a dozen more times, and Aaron had been knocked into the dirt thrice before he was able to unseat his brother, who was struck cleanly in his chest and went sailing off his horse’s back onto the ground. Armand stood stood, laughing and rubbing his head, as his brother dismounted.
“Well struck Aaron, that one almost hurt,” he said with another laugh, as the two brothers led their horses back to the stables. They rubbed the beasts down, and fed them both several carrots and apples before walking down into the city to the Bronzehall, where both were living while in the capital.
Ser Aaron Royce gains Beginner Lance
Ser Aaron Royce improves toward Grandmaster Horseriding