Ashara
280 A.C Old Lady
Ashara straighten herself out and stepped around the bath water pulling on the robe she had on closer. Elia was on the other side and looked about as comftarble. They needed the bath badly their last one was weeks ago and Simon made it clear they would not die by poor hygiene on his watch. The last incident of men attacking them was still in their minds, true no other incidents had happened. This didn't make them anymore comftarble and thankfully her wrist had healed better. Still Elia and she both felt filthy and wanted nothing more than a bath.
"Come we must just do this quickly" Elia said and removed her robe. Her tanned skin was beautiful and despite what Elia might think she liked her skin it felt exotic. Slowly Elia entered the bath and sighed content from the warm water. Which was warm by fires lit underneath to heat the stone and consequentially the water. Ashara sighed and dropped her robe as well naked as the day she was born and entered the water. Despite her apprehension Ashara sighed feeling the cleansing of the warm water on her skin. Though Ashara would allow herself the moment to think on her own physical appearance. By far not the only quality she felt she could boast. She was all the same endeared by it, she was tall, her breast firm and lifted. Her eyes her favorite feature about herself held the Targaryen lilac colors but her hair as black as midnight caught the envy of many a servant and many a man.
"You're thinking of him" Elia said suddenly. Ashara opened her eyes blinking and looked to her friend with a raised brow.
"Of whom?" she asked curious.
"Oh don't try to hide it, you were thinking of Lord Stark" Elia said scrubbing her arms with a sponge.
"I don't know what you mean" Ashara said but could not stop the smile on her face. True she had drifted to Eddard when her mind wondered to the men who eyed her with lust and thoughts of conquest. Like she were a prize to own and others to be envious off. Yed Eddard didn't see her as such, no he saw more of her. When Eddard, her Ned looked on her it wasn't through her he didn't just see her for her body. Ned wasn't the most handsome man. Rhaegar and Robert Baratheon stood out most among the three best friends. He was quiet, and by all accounts she shouldn't have noticed. Yet he came to her shy and kind, without a trace of what she from most men. He talked to her and he was interested in her thoughts.
Ned her Ned was unlike any man she met, when one thought him weak he would bare his fangs and remind them the silent wolf Was all wolf. He slew the Hollard brothers, stromed a keep with just two men at his side and rescued the king! Her Ned wasn't a fool he was smart and his tales often left her wondering more of his home. The North was foreign to her and she wanted to know more about him and his family.
"Fine maybe I was thinking of him" Ashara smiled somewhat mischievously. Just for now they could forget this entire situation.
"Well he did seem kind" Elia smiled at her and washed her hair.
"He is kind, and oh so sweet. We talk for hours and he tells me of his home and burdens" Ashara sighed, she could not believe how she had fallen for him. He was so different, gods if more men were like him she would be in heaven. Ashara chuckled slightly, then again if that were so he wouldn't be so unique, so gentle a soul that still held the ferocity of a warrior. She would admit that she wanted to ride the wolf. See that a side of him that would ravage her.
"Oh what could you be thinking for your ears to turn red" Elia smirked at her and Ashara laughed.
"Ned I wonder how he is under the sheets, or furs in his case" Ashara chuckled and felt the tension of the day ebb away at her. Opening her eyes she looked to her friend and smirked making her way over to her.
"I hate this place, and I'm stressed all the time" Ashara lamented but didn't lose her smirk.
"Oh? And what pray tell brings that smirk to your face?" Elia asked, though she seemed somewhat aware of what was happening. Elia turned to her and Ashara easily snaked her arms around her waist and one hand squeezed her buttocks. Elia smiled shyly, that shy demeanor popped from the strong woman she had recently showed to Ashara. It was fine by her, she liked her meek friend as she was and the gods she was frustrated and angry at her situation.
"Ashara…I don't know" Elia swallowed and felt her nerves get the better of her.
"Oh come now you have had a man…Its almost the same" Ashara whispered their lips inches apart.
"I…" Elia couldn't finish as Ashara kissed her friend deeply and lovingly. Their bodies soon melted into one and Ashara let her frustrations out. Their lips locked their hands wondered and Ashara moaned into their kiss before her free hand guided itself to Elia's womanhood. Her friend gasped and the time was no longer their concern. Pleasure and their shared love of friendship and trust was all that mattered until they exploded in release and both laid down holding each other close by the baths side.
"That…was nothing like with Robert" Elia confessed shyly as she buried her face in Ashara's breast one hand absently stroking Ashara's breast. Ashara cradled her friend and hummed smiling one hand on her soft behind the other stroking her wet hair.
"I should hope so I don't believe I have a cock to speak off" Ashara said and they both laughed.
"Ashara may I confess something to you?" Elia said suddenly voulnerable and Ashara looked down to her friend.
"I don't love Jaime Lannister" Elia confessed and Ashara found that to be rather obvious.
"How can you love someone you neve met?" Ashara replied simply but with understanding.
"That is not really the confession" Ashara wondered briefly, if what was to come next would be about Robert Baratheon. He was certainly charismatic and his bond with the prince and Eddard Stark was something to beholden. He seemed kind enough and Ashara had seen him play with the children in the fountain briefly. Ned spoke well of him as well so he must be a good man with those qualifications Ashara would give her blessing to Elia.
"I prefer prince Rhaegar" she said and Ashara blinked.
"Oh?" was her only response and her friend looked up at her grinning.
"You thought I was going to say I loved Robert didn't you?" she chuckled and untangled herself from Ashara stretching and standing.
"Aye I did" Ashara followed suit and both began the process in dressing in their old dresses, that still had the wear and tear of their captivity.
"I met him briefly, we just talked and found we had quite a bit in common. He was kind and loved music he told me of his love for books. He told me of his adventures with Robert and Lord Stark". Elia recalled smiling.
"Just call him Ned, he would mind not in the least" Ashara grinned.
"I would not impose, Prince Rhaegar only his truest of friends and family call him such…and his lover I suppose" Elia smiled at Ashara as they stood and stretched drying their bodies with towels.
"He would consider you a friend for you are my dearest one. Trust me Ned is hardly one for formalities. But enough of Ned tell me more of the prince." Ashara knew somewhat of him with Ned and his tales.
"Nothing much to say, we only had some time to spend together, we talked. He told me of his favorite books and the tale she learnt as a child we exchanged the tales and he even played his harp for me. The music he played was beautiful" Elia said sighigng.
"He and Ne dare quite alike, both gentle souls but warriors by duty" Ashara said somewhat romantically. True enough among the three men Robert was the only one who seemed to love and want to be a warrior. He was meant to fight and win battles, Ned had told her both him and the prince agreed that Robert Baratheon was happiest when he was swinging his hammer. She hoped this wouldn't mean he would not enjoy something beyond war. He was Ned's dearest friend so Ashara while normally would call him a warmonger and never so much as speak to the man. He was Ned's friend however, and soon to marry into Ned's family, so if nothing else she enjoyed Robert for his charismatic nature and jolly nature.
Leaving their bath their ever constant protector waited for them, the smiling knight once again took his shift and followed them. Walking down the halls still in need in repair, they ran by a cracked door not fully closed due to the broken door.
"This isn't good" Simon said and both girls stopped, the smiling knight made no move to stop them from listening.
"Milton got caught!" an outlaw she did not know said. Old Ulmer rasped next growling clearly anger.
"That bloody idiot, I told him not to wear that fucking Martell doublet" he rasped and he seemed to move and shuffle about.
"Who caught him the prince?" Simon spoke up.
"Nay it was some new cunts, the third man from the song" Longneck if she remembered spoke his voice barely hearable from his whispers.
"From the… the Stark lad?" Simon said and Ashara felt her heart flutter. He was here in the Kingswood! Ned had come for her! A small sense of regret came over her for briefly forgetting her friend but she waved it off. She was merely excited about it, she wanted to see him now! Gods if ned showed himself before her right now she would take him where he stood infront of all these outlaws.
"What are they doing next?" Ulmer rasped.
"Moving to Kings Town, to regroup with the prince." The unkown outlaw said.
"Then there is where we strike when they are moving we move in force and take them" Simon said and Ashara felt her heart clench.
"Much as we would love for more coin, we should just end them" Longneck whispered.
"Kill them? One of them is the next heir to the Stormlands killing him would bring an actual to our doorstep" Simon reasoned.
"Fine, kill the other two, Northerners anyways they won't do shite about it" Simon dismissed the death of her Ned and whoever this other man was.
"Good gather the lads and keep an eye on them. We strike the moment they move." Ashara paled and Elia looked to her and took Ashra's arm ushering foreward.
"Someone you know little bird?" the smiling knight as always smiled at her back. Ashara didn't bother answering and Elia led her away. She would be on her knees tonight, and the days to come praying that her beloved prevailed.
Eddard
280 A.C Blackwater Bay Fishing Town
Ned with beated breath saw the fishing town from the Lady of Lys, as she dropped anchor just a row from the bay. Wanting to move he got the men he would need assembled, counting Robert and Brandon, ten men marines from the ship. Two row boats were prepped and they rowed to shore with their horses on three more row boats. Entering the peer Ned quickly ordered his men to action and send back the boats with orders to Faustus sail back to Duskendale and tell his castellian Mark Ryswell to write letters to House Tully of the precense of his brother. His father's instructions which made Brandon moon a bit but he got over it quick enough.
"Alright lads, we take rest in the inn for the night than make for Kings Town join up with the prince" Ned ordered his men and Brandon looked on with a grin. Ned ignored his brother and Robert just ordered the men around to sattle horses and ready for the march in the morning. His brother came to him chuckling his tone in wonder if Ned had to guess to see him commanding men.
"My brother, commanding men of his own a keep and a pretty girl to rescue" Brandong smirked and Ned rolled his eyes.
"What? You can't be the only one to get the power brother" Ned said half joking.
"And you bite too? Gods where is my brother and who are you?" Ned laughed at that, true enough. He was different, so much so than when he came here a mere boy too shy to say no to Robert. He grew into someone he never envisioned being. Eddard Stark he never had self-doubt but he did fear what all boys fear. Disappointing his father, the name Stark was already scoffed at by the Southern lords. Savages who knew nothing beyond fighting in a frigate cold land.
Ned showed them what the north was. Warriors, when he rode out of Duskendale with his king. He showed them the north were lords not just with words. Ned met his people led them and already they loved him more than their previous Lord. Ned was a man now, he would continue to do his father proud as best he could.
"Well I had to grow up sometime" Ned responded to his brother.
"So you did brother so you did, now come let us drink and enjoy our time before we depart" Brandon made a B-line for the tavern. Ned shook his head and made sure with Robert the men were set. Following Brandon to the tavern they found him after leaving him alone for only an hour with half the bar drinking in merriment. A wench on his lap a mug of ale in the other and men toasting in this strangers name.
"Shite that's how I look like from your point of view?" Robert chuckled.
"Sometimes" Ned said and began walking down to sit on a table near his brother.
"What of the other times?" Robert said.
"Like a drunken idiot" Ned smirked and both laughed ordering some wine. Ned and Robert spent the rest of the day drinking and enjoying a good time with Bandon. Ned even arm wrestled one of the patrons and won himself some pennies. Ned just offered like a good sport to pay for the next round and their merriment continued. By nightfall Ned ordered his men and Robert and Brandon half sauced to bed for they would ride with the sun rising.
Entering his room in his Inn Ned put his sword by his bed and his hunting knife tucked under his pillow. He was no longer in a friendly place after all. Lying in bed with thoughts of Ashara Ned drifted off to a dream filled with children laughter and the laugh of the woman he loved by his side. Morning arrived and Ned dressed up, he armored up as well in mail with a leather doublet. His sword at his hip Ned went to the town to see his men getting ready for the ride to kings Town. Putting on his riding gloves he found Robert down looking over the men along with Brandon. Looking about Ned smiled and readied for the turning to his horse he looked down the road and raised a brow. A man stepped out of the tavern they had gone to last night.
The man was in orange in a leather doublet, no commonfolk could afford leather, much less dyed. Ned hummed and looked to his men. Robert and Brandon looked busy and Ned on a haunch grabbed the reins of his horse and went after the man. The people paid him no mind so he was free to ride unmolested through the streets. Ned walked after him until the man turned just around the corner of a house. Ned followed and found the man with two others. Walking to them they turned to him and their once smiling faces turned sour.
"What can I do for you…m'lord" Ned knew he stuck out as highborn with his clothes and manner of walking.
"the doublet of yours, are you Dornish?" Ned asked simple enough and the man looked to his friends before answering.
"Aye Dornish" he remarked and looked ready to leave but Ned spoke again.
"You don't have the Rhoynish accent" Ned looked to them his grey eyes half narrowed.
"M'lord you seem a busy man…maybe you should rejoin your friends" his friends stood.
"Offcourse, may I know the house you serve the coat of arms?" Ned said and took a step back for them.
"Martell" he said, somewhat smug.
"Offcourse and their coat?" Ned felt his lips pulled up slightly, something in his chest burned and the moment the words left the man's lips he acted.
"I don't remember" He said now looking angry.
"Offcourse, well as they say fortune favors the bold" Ned finished and his arm lashed out catching the doublet wearing outlaw offguard. Ned could be no more certain he was such.
"Wha-" Ned pulled him forward by his undone doublet and smashed his forehead against his nose. His forehead felt slightly wet and the crunching sound was lovely to his ears. His friends reacted slow trying to get clubs stuck in their belts. While Ned pulled the doublet outlaw and smashed his nose, Ned reached with his right hand on his right on his hip. Grabbing the pommel underhand Ned unsheathed his sword about halfway up and caught the club of the man to his immediate right. Turning Ned punched him with all the might he could father and blood flew from his mouth. Taking the rest of his sword out holding it underhand he swung and cut the man's throat open.
Grabbing his sword flat against his forearm Ned lifted it to block the club from the left man. Ned without remorse or thought of honor. Ned smashed the man's groin with his knee hard. Just as swiftly he brought his sword to bare parallel to the ground and thrusted with such ferocity that might be unwarranted. Ne slew the outlaw with fury in his grey eyes the sword pierced cloth and the already gasped man let out a breathless yelp as the sword punctured his heart and longs before sticking out of his back. Gritted Teeth Ned growled and drove the blade nearly to its hilt in anger into his chest. Turning he saw the doublet stranger stagger up and make a break for the woods edging the town. Ned shoved the corpse off his sword and calmly mounted his horse. Snapping the reins he ran down the outlaw, leaning forward closing on his prey Ned held his sword so the flat end faced his target. Galloping past Ned struck the man on the head sending him tumbling to the ground in pain. Stopping and rounding back, he pointed his blade at the staggered foe. Just as he did so Robert and Brandon arrived with the men and circled the outlaw.
"Gods man I look away for just…who's he?" Robert raised a brow at the man on the ground glaring and holding his broken and bloodied nose.
"Does he look like a Dornishman to you Robert?" Ned replied simply.
"None like any we have met" the man glared and Brandon somewhat lost asked the man his name. A useless gesture to Ned he cared not for names only answers.
"Your name outlaw I shall have it" Brandon said gruffly.
"Fuck off" he growled. Ned sheathed his sword and stepped off his horse his anger still controlling him. Ned with fury punched him acoss his cheek laying him out on the ground. Taking his knife from his belt he kicked his legs apart and put his foot the outlaws left thigh and Ned knelt on the other leg keeping him pinned. Ned pressed the blade to his crotch.
"I need your tongue, alone to make you talk. Name give it to us now or I start by cutting one of your balls off" Robert and even Brandon looked to him. This wasn't him this wasn't gentle Eddard they knew. This wasn't the quiet wolf even no he was baring fangs howling and growling lashing out at anything.
"Gah! Fuck alright! Milton, its Milton!" he yelled fear evident in his voice when Ned threaten his manhood.
"Good pick him up take him to the Inn and I want guards posted outside the Inn and room. I want to talk to him personally" Ned ordered standing and returning to his horse letting his men follow his orders. Turnng he snapped the reins and rode off for a moment, he felt…queasy and the anger that controlled him before made way for shame and fear.
Robert
280 A.C Blackwater Bay Fishing Town
"Shite, I need to see to him" Robert said to Brandon, Ned's actual brother looked troubled by it. He was the older brother yet he found himself somewhat powerless to follow. Robert couldn't blame him, Ned was fostered away and had only some visits. Robert knew him better and that no doubt bothered the man. He asked constantly about him, when they drank and Ned had been sulking on the ship. When Brandon acted well…like a brother Robert thought of Stannis, and Renly. His baby brother Renly doesn't know him. Stannis even is almost as stranger, Robert knows not what makes his brother feel joy if the sour mop ever felt it. Robert rode after Ned with a nod and his thoughts on Stannis and Renly, he was a piss poor brother, more a brother to men who weren't his blood.
Not that he hated that, Robert never felt more alive than with his brothers, fighting more so when they are behind him. Now riding up to his friend on the outskirts of the town, Robert looked to Ned who looked at the woods with an unreadable expression. What could he say? He never saw Ned like that, angry and rather hateful. This thing with Lady Ashara Dayne was quite something dear to Ned but the gods this was truly almost frightening. He never knew Ned capable of uttering cruel enough words to threaten to cut a man's balls in front of an entire town.
"I'm fine Brandon" Ned said grunting. So he had been expecting his actual blood brother? Robert wasn't offended he just wondered if his brother had done similar things when they had been together.
"Not him but all the same are you alright Ned?" Robert replied.
"I don't know" he sighed forgetting his earlier statement all together.
"I just think I nearly cut a man's balls off" laughed Ned shaking his head grinning.
"Aye I almost felt like I was going to say to calm down. Never seen you like that" Robert grinned back but Ned lost his momentary joy at the mention of that.
"I don't know what came over me I was frustrated angry true. But I didn't think myself to say that" Ned said.
"Your woman was taken against her will. I doubt you would be happy to see a man responsible for it" Robert tried to comfort his friend.
"Right…I just I hope she's okay…the gods know that if they did anything to her….I will have no mercy" Ned said his lover…the woman he felt in his heart his bones, his very soul as his long life partner. She would be saved and he would finally ask her for her hand. He cared not what the Lord of Starfall wanted. He would have her. For once in his life Ned wanted something, he had always just gone along and accepted things humbly never ambitious never expecting much. Now he wanted her, he wanted Ashara she was the sole thing Ned found a drive to obtain in his heart. She for all the gods grace chose him, meek Ned a second son with nothing much to him besides a keep to hold for his brother and help him. Ned wasn't the most handsome compared to his two best friends or his brother. Yet Ashara the woman who had so many men after her loved him.
"No man will deny you that Ned. Just remember who this lady of yours fell for" Ned looked to him surprised by the words.
"Hey I have my moments" Robert smirked and turned his horse returning to the Inn. Ned quickly caught up next to him with a small smile on his face.
"Come on let's make our friend talk Milton was it?" Ned said.
"Aye he's already been put in a room just waiting for your words of convincing" Robert said and they both rode off to make the man talk.
Rhaegar
280 A.C Kings Town
This was becoming tedious the brigands had remained silent since their big assault for quite some time. So Rhaegar ran day to day operations scouting with force and then small parties along with questioning of the villagers. Few leads and the ones Rhaegar and Arthur found of worth they didn't quite know how many men to commit in fear of another ambush. The days dragged on and soon a month had past and nothing concrete. The only solace he found was that Robert and Ned had sent word from Dragonstone to say they would be going to the fishing town on the Blackwater. They were due to arrive as a matter of fact in a few days.
Rhaegar didn't want another incident so he decided to make a party fourty men armed and in combat formation to meet Ned and escort him here. Rhaegar spent most of the day picking the men and the route they would take by midday Arthur arrived with Lord Crakehall and his squires from another mission to the southern villages.
"Arthur how did it go?" Rhaegar asked somewhat already knowing the answer.
"Nothing the people however gave us more directions this time east.
"Well it's something I suppose Ned should be here tomorrow or a few days I sent some men ahead. But they haven't returned with any words" Rhaegar sighed and shook his head.
"Well let's hope they return and escort our lads here." Arthur said and left to be with the men and then read reports. Rhaegar walked back to the Inn and finished the reports of the scouting the day grew dark and he ran through two candles. He went to bed his armor on its stand and Blackfyre with his belt wrapped around his hilt by his bedside. Laying down Rhaegar sighed into his pillow tired and fell asleed tucked himself deep into the sheets.
He felt tried, and groggy and something pounded vaguely and muddled noises felt at the edge of his mind. Rhaegar felt like he was hot and threw the sheets off of him, the pounding insisted grunting Rhaegar opened his eyes watery and coughed, somke! The seven hells smoke the pounding from his groggy state the loud cracking of wood splintering made him turn his teary eyes to his door. Arthur and some of the men broke the door down with an axe.
"We must flee! Come they set the Inn on fire! Come on!" Arthur yelled and Rhaegar slipped on his boots and took Blackfyre with him Stopping to stare at his armor, there was no time to take it…the last gift his father gave him before going over to madness.
"Shit" he said never in his life had Rhaegar uttered a curse but when he felt like he was leaving behind the part of what once was his father he felt the need to. Quickly Rhaegar exited his room Blackfyre in hand as the smoke got thicker and the flames became visible and the screaming of men and women all around. Rhaegar courhching low and a cloth to his mouth from his pocket exited the Inn. Chaos reigned outside as the storage room they had rented was also lit ablaze Rhaegar gritted his teeth and quickly tried to get the situation under control while the people and his men lost their cool all around him
"Water! We need more water!"
"The wail fill buckets and start moving!"
"My son! Oh gods I cant find my son sirs please!"
"Order! Order I say men rally!" Rhaegar tried yelling over the chaos, Robert would have been a better option his voice was loud enough to bother the long dead.
"Order you cunts! Your prince is talking to you!" yelled Lord Crakehall and gathered most of the attention.
"Dig the ground! Use the dirt for we shan't have enough water! Pour the dirt over the fires! Go!" Rhaegfar ordered and if to free his hands he tied Blackfyre back on his waist.
"Come on! Move it!" Rhaegar said shovels not stored in their bigger supply room and men began digging the dirt of the town. While digging and coordinating the movement Rhaegar looked to the store house handing buckets of dirt with his men. Going near the side Arthur joined him brining lads to shovel buckets into the fire. From the back door it opened three…well young boys no older than fourteen if he were to guess came from it. One had a burn he was nursing the others looked fine but the one with the torch on his hand was familiar. He had a sword on his hip and he looked to them, Rhaegar opened his mouth but closed it just as quickly it was the lad from the elders house.
"Run!" one of his friends yelled and bolted the other threw the torch at Rhaegar who ducked it.
"Grab them!" Rhaegar yelled and Arthur cursed when as if the gods were proving cruel a piece of burning ceiling crashed down before them lighting one of their men on fire.
"AAAGHH!" he yelled depsertely and the buckets previously meant to douse the flames went on him as he rolled on the ground yelling.
"Wait Rhaegar!" Arhtur tried his hands up the heat overwhelming.
"Go around go!" Rhaegar yelled and sprinted after the young boys. Holding Blackfyre from waving around his hip he was on their tale his strides were longer and he was catching up to them. They turned to the main street but Rhaegar was on their tail. His men were so busy they hardly payed notice to him running after the boys.
"Cut them off!" he yelled and some of his men feebly tried to but they escaped their grasp. Rhaegar cursed and they turned another corner going for the wall Rhaegar followed them a house was there and the door closed just as some feet shuffled around it. Not breaking speed he cursed hoping the door was as thin and weak as it looked he burst forth and broke it down throwing his body against it. The door broke in lock destroyed the door caved at the middle. Rhaegar groaned falling into the house. The boys looked terrified and scrambled. The elder's grandson took his sword and Rhaegar still on the ground scrambled up. The boy swung down at him and Rhaegaro his hands grasped wood he brought it up and thanked the gods when the sword looking old and disused stuck on some timber meant for the hearth.
Parrying the sword aside and Rhaegar punched the young man's gut bending over he dropped the hand. Rhaegar pulled him by the shirt over and behind him smashing his face against the adjacent wall. The boy groaned and was down for the moment. Rhaegar stood and Blackfyre gleamed dangerously as he unsheathed it and looked to the boy's one of them had a pitch fork the other a kitchen knife.
"Yield and you will be treated fairly…don't and I might slay you here." Rhaegar said almost pleadingly.
"Don't let me be a man who slays children" Rhaegar said and pointed Blackfyre at them. One of them looked down behind Rhaegar and the boy stood groggy with his sword Rhaega turned his face. The boy grasped the sword and Rhaegar heard the movement.
"Fools" Rhaegar shook his head and tried his best to disarm the boys, the first lad with the pitchfork stabbed at Rhaegars head Rhaegar parried the strike cut the pitch fork at the half. Rhaegar stepped forward and hit the boy with pommel on the face. The one with the kitchen knife got closer for Rhhaegar would wound him griveioulsy if he used Blckfyre. Grunting Rhaegar moved to the side and the boy cut him on his chest. Putting his foot out the boy yelped and fell yelled in pain. Rhaegar turned the elders grandson came at her sword high above his head, too high and Rhaegar lips set in a frown feet planted firmly. Lifted his boot and kicked the charnging boys chest. The sword flung from his hands and he fell down breathless. The one with the broken pitch fork charged and Rhaegar simply lifted blackfyre and the boy stopped ead the point just barely grazing his chin.
"Yield" Rhaegar said voice low clearly angry now. The boy dropped the stick and fell to his knees hands up. Rhaegar stepped back and felt something wet hit his boot.
"On the ground boy, face down hands above your head don't move" Rhaegar orderd and he did so, the elders son was gasping for breath and held his chest in pain. Looking down to the third boy blood was pooling around him.
"Oh…gods" Rhaegar sheathed Blackfyre and flipped the boy over he fell on the knife plunged into his chest. The boys eyes teary and wide, Rhaegar didn't need to be a measter to know it. He was dead, with his dead Arthur finally showed up with men.
"My Prince" Arthur said just now he noticed he was also in just a white shirt and sword at his hip.
"He attacked me I fended him off and he fell on his knife….seaze the other two come on" Rhaegar sighed rubbing his face as his men as told. Arthur came to him and put his hand on Rhaegars shoulder.
"Rhaegar" he said personally now.
"Forget it, the fire whats happening" Rhaegar sighed.
"Almost put out, but half the Inn collapsed." Arthur sighed. Rhaegar cursed and looked to his wound on his chest his white shirt red with the stain of his blood.
"Are you alright?" Arthur asked.
"Aye just a small cut the maester will take care of it right now let's worry about the fire." Rhaegar said and walked out to help with the fire. It wasn't until the sun was peeking above the trees, the light filtering giving way to the smoke of the dead fires. The Inn was half destroyed the boys confessed to trying to kill him for the Kingswood Brotherhood, they weren't members but hoped to be so with this act. The storage house was burnt most of their food and clothes and equipment was burnt and unrepairable his armor gone with the Inn's collapse. The town had gathered putting the fire out killed four of Rhaega's men, the fire from the storage room spread to a neighboring house. The people inside had been trapped four of his men went in saved their family but four of them died the house collapsing on them. From the townsfolk two dead three if he counted the boy that tried killing him. A maester took care of his wound and looked over the prisoners on Rhaegars insistence, nothing but a few bruised bones.
Their wounds though minor meant they wasted the maesters time, the two remaining fools denied the Nights Watch saying they would rather die than serve him. Rhaegar tried persuading them but it ended in naught but them giving undying loyalty to a cause that did not exist to a man they did not even know. He put them before the villagers and the village elder who looked to his grandson looked ashamed. Kneeling Rhaegar had his executioner ready one of his men who said he had no problem doing so.
"Mercy!" the cries went out along with others for the boys Rhaegar held his hands up to speak.
"People! I gave mercy and they proclaimed loyalty to the outlaws the same outlaws that killed my men and kidnapped my betrothed and her friend" Rhaegar said.
"Good people! Look at this madness! Your Inn is burnt and your storage and even a house leaving a poor family roofless!" Rhaegar spoke with such passion and pain the folk looked to him awed. Putting his hand to his chest, Rhaega still in his night shirt the dried blood on it.
"Your people are dead! My men are dead saving that poor family!" Rhaegar pointed to the family in question the man of the family spoke out.
"True! These brave lads saved us! Down with the outlaws and their baseless promises!" the chant went up down with outlaws loud and furious from one of their own disowning them the rest followed.
"I promise you again that I offered mercy and offer it yet again" Rhaegar said and turned to the boys on their knees hands chained behind them.
"Right now once more do you wish to join the Nights Watch? Forget this useless cause for outlaws who care for coin and nothing more" Rhaegar said, the boys foolish enough yelled in anger at the people.
"Cowards! The brotherhood gave us food! Coin! They kept us from the real murderers and these slavers" he yelled. The people muttered and then despite the situation Rhaegar felt sadness when the people began calling for blood. Having enough Ned looked to his man and nodded, he returned the Nod and went to the first boy. With a swift swing of his sword he cut his head off. The other boy yelled about freedom or some such nonsense and died just as quickly. After the executions and the burying of the bodies Rhaegar and Arthur were approached by a mysterious man. He said he would confess something important to Rhaegar with the promise of coin and immunity. Arthur threaten to just torture the man but Rhaegar had enough with the dead boys. So they agreed and they met in the Elders house and he talked to them.
"Your friends have been here since yesterday" he said.
"What? What of the men I sent?" Rhaegar asked.
"The Brotherhood have decided to strike in force against your friends and killed the messengers. Before they could arrived here" he said and Rhaegar sighed.
"When will they attack?" Rhaegar asked.
"The moment your friends leave and are in the woods, which I believe will be any moment" the man said.
"Gods… Arthur mount up and get the men all you can I don't care fighting and ready in an hour we ride as soon as we assemble" Rhaegar said and stood up.
"Find me some mail and leathers" he orderd a guard who nodded and left to do the task. This ended now the town no longer supported them this informant was enough proof of that. When he reunited with Ned and Robert they would mount a full assault on the outlaws and end them once and for all. The men were gathered in a few hours fifty good men all at the ready though somewhat tired he still felt full of energy, in leather and mail he looked to Arthur, Lord Crakehall and his squire Jaime Lannister.
"Let's save our compatriots" Rhaegar announced followed by a resounding yell of approval and the party riding off with speed to the fishing town.
Alright we are nearing the exciting conclusion of the Brotherhood arc! The boy reunited after being apart. But will Rhaegar make it in time? Or will the brotherhood have more hostages to deal with? Find out next time!
Man this chapter was fun to write I swear!
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