So this takes place during the first battle of Robert's Rebellion. In my opinion, the beginning isn't as good as I thought :P. I plan for this story to contain many P.O.V's of Robert's Rebellion for each battle, and I think I might end it off at the Tower of Joy. But anyway here's the first chapter!
Chapter 1: Marq Grafton
Ah Gulltown….the City has seen better days. Once King Aerys executed Lord Rickon and Brandon Stark, he demanded Lord Jon Arryn also execute Eddard-now Lord Eddard Stark- and Lord Robert Baratheon. But the two were like sons to Jon, and gave back an answer of defiance. Marq Grafton, who stayed loyal to the Targaryens, gathered the royalist men of the Vale to prevent Robert Baratheon from sailing to Storm's End…..but all they got in return were the rebels under the command of Jon Arryn sieging the castle.
Marq was currently dressed in a black surcoat emblazoned with the burning yellow tower of House Grafton over a shirt of fine mail. His Barbuta Helmet was in his left hand, while his right hand held onto the hilt of his sword like his life depended on it. His sword was in his scabbard, which was attached to his hip, while his shield was strapped across his back.
Sighing, he remembered how he thought he could easily capture Robert Baratheon, not expecting Jon Arryn to know of his plans and bringing the rebel army to take the city. Everyday they blockaded the city, he thought it would be his last. They could assault the walls, but what were they waiting for? Time? For Marq, his job now was to barring the rebel's use of the port….
If I can have the port burned down, this would disable the rebel's use of the port…..but it'll ruin the trade with the Free Cities as well as eliminate a path for us to escape.
Marq was currently walking around the courtyard of Gulltown, with the Targaryen loyalists bearing the sigils of House Grafton and Targaryen. One figure stood out, as he decided to stay loyal to the Targaryens rather than side with his family against them. Lyn Corbray was a thin man. He was handsome, and had shoulder-length brown hair. But he was vain, reckless and hot-tempered;He was still a friend to Marq, however, and was glad he decided to fight alongside him.
"Marq!" He ran over to Marq, his armor shining from the sun as the sigil of House Corbray-three black ravens in flight holding three red hearts-was carried by some knights in his service. "The Rebel army are about to assault the walls, and Robert Baratheon himself is going to help lead the charge!"
"Robert Baratheon himself! Then Jon will most likely assault the gates while he attacks the wall. I need you to protect the gates from the enemy. I can defend the walls"
"I shall! May the seven protect you!"
"And for you also"
***(TIME SKIP)
'If only we had some wildfire,' Marq mused as he heard the screams of men.
Ladders, siege towers, and battering rams were spotted by Marq as his mind raced frantically, trying to figure out what to do. The siege towers could be taken down by the city's own siege equipment on the walls, and the battering rams could be destroyed by pouring boiling oil from the walls and then lighting the dowsed fools on fire. The ladders, however, were a different story. One could easily take down the holders of the ladders with archers, but ladders themselves were not easily destroyed unless you could aim with the wall's own siege equipment as quickly as the ladders were moving. That generally never happened. The only way to take down a ladder was when it finally got to the wall, but the enemy would simply pick it up again.
'We're outnumbered, and out of options!' Marq thought
"My lord," Lyn said, coming back from the gate "I think I know a way we can hold them."
"I'm open to suggestions" Marq replied.
"Their siege weapons are going to get to the walls," he explained, "we won't be able to do anything about that, but we could slow them down. I know you wanted to save the boiling oil for the battering rams, but by the time they get here, the siege towers will have already overwhelmed us. Let us save the oil rather for the walls themselves, so we can set the front of the walls on fire when the siege towers arrive."
"They will stop in their tracks, or be burned," Marq said with a large smile, "Good work my friend. I'll make sure the plan shall commence. You go down to the gates and defend them!"
"I shall!" Lyn ran back down to stairs, but as soon as he left the rebels under Robert Baratheon scaled the walls. They had arrived under nightfall, unseen, and their job was to scale the walls and get the gate open from the inside!
Robert Baratheon was the first to scale the wall, and Jon Stone-a knight in the service of House Grafton- charged at him. It didn't even last a second. Robert Baratheon swung his warhammer in his direction, and smashed his head in. His sword and shield dropped to the ground. Robert turned to Marq, who readied his sword and shield in return. Robert swung his warhammer in his direction, however this time Marq dodged with ease and swung his sword at Robert. Robert brought up his warhammer just in time, and the sword bounced off the metal. Robert swung again, aiming for his chest. Marq barely had enough time to block the strike with his shield, and it went flying from his grasp. It hit the ground with a thump, and as Marq saw Robert bringing his hammer down he went for his shield, dropping his sword in the rush of survival. He brought his shield up just in time as the Warhammer struck. The Warhammer hit the shield dead in the center, and split in two. Marq threw one half of the shield at Robert as he ran back for his sword. The half hit Robert's helmet, but blinded him for a second which allowed Marq to get his sword.
Marq noticed that more rebels were now climbing the wall, and that soon he would be outnumbered. He gripped the handle of the sword, and looked at Robert in the eye and said "Fuck you". He charged at Robert, his sword aiming for Robert's chest. Marq realized his mistake too late, and should have never stayed still in front of Robert. By the time he reached him, Robert swung his Warhammer and it hit Marq directly on the chest. His sword flew out of his hand as he was hit with such force that he fell off the wall and landed in the courtyard.
Marp hit the ground with a large thump, losing the feeling within his legs and then his arms. His mouth filled with blood and his eyesight grew dim as he watched Robert Baratheon carve a bloody path to the gate.
Lyn…..
Everywhere Marq looked, arrows were being rained upon his troops as Jon Arryn finally took the gate to the castle-with Robert Baratheon fighting his way from the inside. Lyn was fighting like the warrior himself, slaying any men who got near him. His party of knights were fighting as well as he was, but they were soon dropping like flies as soon as the enemy archers were taking shots at them.
Marq tried to get up, but the taste of blood, sweat, and bile filled into his mouth and he fell back down. He couldn't breath, as it felt his chest had been caved in. He was certain he broke his ankle, but couldn't scream out in pain in fear that every breath he took, every action he did, was his last. Marq wanted to live, not die…...not now. Never seeing his wife or his son…..
And on the day, Marq took his last breath and died, shamed for his failure of defending Gulltown. To never again to see his wife or his son…..to never know the fate of Robert's Rebellion.
