Chapter nine
The wars to come
The battle was well under way by the time Justin and the small group of soldiers he was put in command of arrived. Justin saw dead Lannister's with their throats ripped open most likely the work of Robb starks DireWolf Justin thought to himself. Soon they were in the thick of the fighting. Justin swung his sword down upon a Lannister soldier almost splitting the man's head in half before turning round to clash swords with another soldier. The steel seemed to sing with each swing of their blades as he battled the man. Justin has thought the soldiers to be simple peasants boys but the soldier he clashed swords with had him on the back foot now. Then a arrow shot through the man's neck spitting blood all over Justin's face. As he wiped the blood from his face he had spotted the archer who made a shot. One of the lads Justin's father had put him in command of the man simply nodded before taking down two more Lannister soldiers with his bow.
Not long after they arrived the battle was finally over. Men lay dead or dying on both sides as the cut throats went to work. This was a major victory Justin thought to himself. As he made his was through the dead and dying he found his father cleaning the family sword Eaglesbane a valyrian steel blade rumoured to have been been the blade Tormund Maxward had used to injure the Eagle. "Father, is the news true? Did we capture the king slayer?" Justin sounded like an excited child being told they'd be lemon cakes for dessert. "Aye, bastard killed the Karstark boy. Rickard will want his head for that" his father placed the blade back in the scabbard before gingerly standing, blood trickled from his leg and Justin noticed a large gash on this father's upper thigh. "Surely he'll heed the word of Lord Stark? If Lord Stark even means to keep him alive" "a thirst for vengeance can drive any man to do foolish things, if I lost one of you boys, well I'd probably want the man who killed you dead before your body was cold" Justin pondered on that thought for a moment. What if one of them fell in battle? If it was his brother who fell not only would Justin be heir to Eaglesend but he'd be the one marrying Wynafryd Manderly. Whilst Justin was sure she was a beauty that's not what he wanted, he'd always want Rina, his heart belonged to her. He would be honour bound to marry Wynafryd though, breaking a marriage arrangement had led to houses feuding for centuries and even led to a rebellion before. Was he willing to sacrifice his own happiness in exchange for duty and honour? He did not want to think of it. He knew he would eventually do his duty, even if it meant sacrificing his happiness. "So little sparrow, what did you think of your first battle? Was it as exciting and honourable as the tales tell?" Justin turned to Danard, he knew his brother was mocking him but he would not let it go without a response. "No, I killed men for flying the wrong banner, men who could have women and children waiting for them at home from whatever pig farm or village the Lannister's dragged them from. The smell was the worst though. I didn't think dead men would smell so bad" Justin stared down as his hands, they were caked in blood and mud will it ever wash off? Will I ever be clean again? Justin thought to himself. "Aye the smell is bad, but what do you expect? Men shit themselves when they die. Many more will have already shit themselves when they saw or host coming through the tree line. Don't ponder on it too much little sparrow, you'll drive yourself mad" Danard placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled before walking away quickening his pace to match their father's.
A few days had passed since the battle and the progress south was quicken then he had expected. Justin spent the majority of this time in camp sparring with Dexard and drinking, he had wished to be permitted into his father's tent to go over future plans but he was turned away almost every time. As Justin walked through the camp he had seen many of the men he commanded around a fire eating and drinking all expect the archer who saved his life. He sat away from the rest fletching arrows and humming to himself. "What's your name lad?" The man looked up at Justin a look of equal confusion and concern in his eyes. "Mi'Lord?"
"Are you simple lad? I asked you your name" the man quickly scrambled to his feet, the arrow he was fletching falling to the ground as he did. "Duncan Mi'Lord, that's my name. I'm from Millmouth south of Eaglesend" Justin had a better look at the man now, he was thin as a whippet and around the same height as Justin. "How did you come into my Father's service? And how are you so skilled with a bow?" The man looked down at his feet either too ashamed or too scared of his answer. "Cap'n Bernard caught me poaching Mi'Lord, I should take your hands he says, but he offered me a place in your Father's service, I've need for good Bowmen he says and so here I am" Justin placed a gloved hand on the man's shoulder patting it."I'm glad you are here Duncan, if not for you I think my father would already be mourning a son" Duncan nodded, smiled and went back to fletching his arrows as Justin continued on through the camp. He found it difficult to find his tent most nights, it seemed as soon as the camp has been set up they were moving again. He had already walked in twice on solders having their way with camp followers and tavern girls before he had finally decided to keep Dexard standing outside his tent when he was away.
A few days later the news came. Justin had seen grown men openly weep at the news. Lord Eddard Stark had been executed on the orders of the boy King Joffrey Baratheon. Justin's Father took no visitors that day and from all accounts did not eat. Many men had lost their appetite at the news. Captain Bernard rode out and was yet to return. Many called him craven and cursed him but Justin rode out after him. He found the old captain by a lake fishing rod in hand and a pile of fish stacked to his side. Justin hitched Thunder to a near by tree and slowly approached the old soldier. "Looks like a mighty feast tonight eh old man?" Captain Bernard turned placing the fishing rod gingerly to the floor before approaching and smiling. This was not a friendly smile though. It was a smile of courtesy, his eyes were filled with sadness and grief as many other eyes had been. "I'm sorry for abandoning my post My Lord, I felt I needed some time alone. Fishing had always cleared my mind" Justin smiled at the old man taking off his gloves and reaching into the side of his saddle bringing a long length of wood with string and a hook attached. "Remember on my 9th name day Bernard I had asked you to take me to the Lake and fish with you? You said I should be strong enough to catch a Minnow or a Bluegill but that day we both brought back Trouts. Mayhaps we can bring some back again" the old captain's smile seemed far more genuine this time as if Justin had just told him the war was over and his beautiful daughter was marrying a strong and noble knight. They stayed there fishing for hours as the sun began to set beneath the sky. "The men will still call me craven. Even if we bring back all the fish in the seven kingdoms, they'll see me as a deserter, who would follow a deserter?" Justin turned to the old man who even now could barely make eye contact with him. "I would follow you into all seven hells and back if you asked me to. Your men don't just follow you because you're their Captain, they follow you because you inspire them, you turn farmers and poachers into soldiers and impudent little Lords into respectful and honourable Knights" "you spent most your childhood int the Reach you should not give me credit for the man you have become, we should head back before it gets too dark My Lord" with that the two men filled their saddlebags with their haul and rode off back towards camp. "You don't give yourself enough credit Bernard, I may have been eleven when I left but for the first eleven years you shaped me into the man I would become, you showed me the true meaning of loyalty, patience and respect, never forget that old friend" the rest of the ride back was uneventful save for Justin and Bernard sharing a wine skin together. Soon we'll be on the move again and soon the war will continue. I have to cherish my time fishing and drinking and eating with my men whilst I can. Justin brought the fish to the men under his command and ordered them to gut and descale them so they could feast that night. Once the last of the fish had been eaten Justin made his way back to his tent. As he removed his sword belt from his waist and laid down Justin closed his eyes and prayed the dreams would not come back to him and for once the gods listened.