The night was long and cold. Symond Knighton shuddered beneath his cloak as he dreaded the nights to come. Winter was almost upon Westeros and the weather could only get worser up in the north. Symond stared into the night sky which was dotted with snow. Being a man of the Reach, he had never seen snow like this. He had asked the drunk man at the last tavern if winter was upon them.
"Young man", The man laughed scratching his balding head, "Like me old man used to say 'Autumn blows you a kiss, and winter fucks you hard'. This is just autumn's kiss, my friend and if yer can't stand it, yer better head south as fast as you can." Then the man went back to fondling the whore at his lap.
Symond hugged his knees as he waited for daylight. He was just 2 days north of Moat Cailin. If he could travel patiently he could meet his old friend Sylvert at Riverrun. Then it was back to Hornhill and the service to Lord Tarly. Symond dreamt of Cecily Tarly and her wonderful breasts. He remembered how she stood for him in the stables, as naked as her nameday. Lord Tarly never found out that his eldest daughter was sleeping with his best knight and sworn shield. Symond hated Lord Tarly. A prickly old man with white hair, Lord Gauwyn Tarly constantly scolded all of his servants. He was fond of whores, much to the chagrin of his wife Lady Jeyne. He was the father to seven bastard sons who were known throughout the Reach as the Seven Huntsmen for their prowess in the battlefield. Symond rememered the times he served at Lord Tarly's kitchen as a potboy. He remembered Spoon, the soft voiced cook who was always kind to him and her sweet teats. Spoon took his virginity when he came of age at four-and-ten on his nameday . He slept dreaming of her teats bouncing as she rode him to heaven.
Symond woke up at dawn and saw the first streaks of sunlight spread across the cold morning sky. He saddled Count, his black destrier and continued on his way south. Symond was only three-and-twenty and the youngest knight in Lord Tarly's service. He ran his hand through his silver hair and remembered how Spoon used to do it to him. Spoon was such a sweet woman before Lord Gauwyn noticed her. He gave commands for his then master-at-arms Ser Wilbur Redwyne to take her. For one week, the whole castle heard Spoon's screams and moans as Lord Gauwyn continued to rape her. Few months later Spoon gave Lord Tarly his sixth bastard son Jakys Flowers.
"Where the fuck you think your going?" a sharp voice tore through Symond's thoughts. Symond turned to see a large man with a great black beard mounted upon a pale white mare. He was surrounded by four large mounted men. One of them carried a chained giant banner showing that they were Umber men of Last Hearth. " Who the fuck are you?"
"I am Ser Symond Knighton of Hornhill. Now can u return the favor by telling me who you are?"
"A Pisspot knight, eh? I am Morys Umber" The giant man roared."Now we have heard of a certain knight wearing the Tarly Huntsman abusing the owner of a Tavern called Sixth Maggot in our lands. My Lord Uncle sent me to deliver swift justice to the accused knight." He drew his sword.
The situation was escalating too fast. Symond knew that he could nit take all five men at once, specially when one of them was the Drunken Giant. " My lord the man was raping a young girl. Justice had to be ser..."
" We need none of yer southorn justice up here. The man paid for his services."
"But the girl hadn't even flowered..."
" That's none of yer business, Ser Symond." The Giant Bellowed." Now would you head up the Wall or should I take your Head."
Ser Symond drew his sword. "How about neither" The Umber men charged. Symond bought up his sword to block the blow of the first man. He then ducked his head as a javelin whizzed past his ear. He opened the javelinthrower from balls to brains in one swipe and drew his dagger in his other hand to deflect the attack of Morys Umber. The impact shuddered through his arm as he made a mental note of the Drunken Giant's Strength. Another Umber guard charged from his right. Symond brought his sword to meet the man's attack but he went low driving his spear through Count's neck. Morys took the knight's fallen sword as an oppurtunity to try and batter the unbalanced Symond with his sword. Symond leapt clear of his horse, throwing the dagger into one Umber man-at-arm's chest. He then tore the throat of the next two guards with ease as they carelessly charged him. That left Symond and the Drunken Giant. Symond swung his sword at the Giant as he brought up his sword to defend himself. Morys then used the momentum of Symond's attack to propel him turning around and jabbing at Symond's waist. Symond writhed in pain at the cut as he brought up his sword to meet Morys' next swing. The steel sung across the woods as the two men battled each other. After about an hour Morys managed to deliver a shattering blow to Ser Symond's sword which brought him to his was about to finish him off. Ser Symond slide to his right as Morys blow clanged on the ground. He then brought his sword across the Drunken Giant's belly. Blood oozed out of Morys as he staggered to the floor.
"Finish me, you fucking coward" He taunted," Or are you too craven to do it, ya little southron cunt" Symond clenched his fist.
"I think not, Animal! " Symond spat near Morys' head. "You will die painfully as you remember me before you descend onto the seven hells. I came north to arrange a marriage between your lickspittle cousin Wanys and Lady Cecily, you blustering fool. It was for your House and yet you threw it away."
He left Morys screaming into the skies as he saddled Morys' horse and started heading south.