Chapter 3

Dutch Lane

The sun shone through the window onto Dutch's face. He rose from his bed and cracked his neck, he got dressed and headed out to the training grounds to meet with Brynden Tully. Grinning, he approached the elder man, "Hey old man, ready for training?"

"I would rather be an old man then a green shit." Brynden replied, tapping the flat of his sword on the boys shoulder. "Now grab your sword. You remember everything I taught you, or do I have to repeat myself?"

Dutch headed to the rack and retrieved the blunt sword. He drops into his stance, sword raised.

"If either of us is forgetting anything he will be the one on death's door."

Dutch charges at the old swordsman and swings for his ankles, Brynden leaps back and makes a quick swipe at his head. Dutch is able to dodge the blow, but this leaves his stomach exposed for Bryden's foot. As the the leather boot collides with his stomach he feels the air shoot out of his lungs and his knees hit the ground. The boy goes with the blow and rolls away, trying to put as much distance as he can between him and Brynden. Brynden charges forward slashing. Dutch was barely able to keep the blade from crashing against his skull as he blocked and parried the relentless blows. Brynden"s blade soon pins Dutch's to the ground and brought the back of his hand across Dutch's face. Dutch grit his teeth, the faint taste of blood in his mouth. Dutch, launched himself at Brynden with all his might slamming his head into his tutor's chin. He put everything he had into another swing, aimed right for Brynden's head. His opponent dodges the blade almost effortlessly, before ramming the blunt blade into Dutches leg.

"You have a long way to go but you're not the worst squire I ever had."

Dutch, tired and bruised, limps over to the castle wall and sits down against it.

"Wow! Not the worst? I never would have expected such praise."

"Get used to it, that's the best you'll get from me. Also you might need the motivation to make it through today, you're going to watch over Robbert Arryn."

"Seriously!? for how long? Not sure he can stay away from his mother's tit for more than a couple hours." Dutch adopted an innocent look, "I'm just joking... mostly, when do I need to start watching him?"

Brynden looked at the sun, just clearing the treetops to the East, "You have a couple of hours to prepare. Get your shiniest Armour on."

"I'll go bathe then."

Brynden took a deep breath, wrinkled his nose and held a finger up to check the direction of the wind, "Good idea, I'll come fetch you when it's time."

Dutch made his way to the bathing house and spent a good hour in the hot pool, letting his muscles relax and rest. When he was finished he strapped on his finest polished steel armour. The Boar Sigil of House Lane engraved on the breastplate. He made his way to the Eryie entrance and stops, Mya Stone is escorting Lord Nestor Royce to the entrance. Nestor thanks her and heads into the castle. Dutch changes directions and heads straight for Mya. "Hey Mya!" He shouts as he jogs over to her.

"Ah Lord Lane."

Dutch smiled grew bigger as she called him Lord. "Lord Lane? Awfully formal."

"Well you deserve it, you're almost a man grown."

"I'm hardly a lord, just waiting for an opportunity to escape with some fair maiden."

"Oh." She smirks "What is this maiden? Does she wear a beautiful dress with hair that flows past her shoulders, waiting for you to save her from an evil group of bandits?"

"No, this maiden doesn't need saving, she could do that herself. This maiden is more of a companion than some distressed princess."

"Interesting, Well I will be staying here for the night so I can escort Nestor back to the moon gate, are you doing anything?"

"I need to watch the prince, his mom is busy and he needs a good tit to suckle."

"Oh so you will be breast feeding him for her?"

"Of course! who else has tits as great as mine in the Vale?"

"I could think of a couple."

"You know... now that you mention it, I could too."

Dutch took a few steps closer to her until he heard Brynden shouting. "Dutch where the bloody hell are ya." Dutch's smiles practically jumped off him. He let out a annoyed sigh .

"Guess I should get going." He turns to where he hears Brynden shouting. "I'm over here!"

Mya gave an amused chuckle. "If you ever have time, come and find me, there isn't much to do on this cold mountain."

" I will." He turn and heads off to look for Brynden but quickly throws a quick wink over his shoulder at Mya. The young woman shakes her head and turns to go smiling. He didn't know if that was a good response or not. He quickly meets up with Brynden.

"Where were you?"

"Well I was getting ready to polish some stones but you got in my way." Brynen looks confused, he shakes his head and ignores the comment.

Dutch follows Brynden around the castle. As they grow closer to Robin's room he begins to hear some very high shrieking and yelling, he couldn't make out the words but the tone and volume matched Lysa Arryn perfectly. He followed Brynden into the chambers and discovered that he was right. Lysa Arryn's face was a shade of red that he had grown familiar with.

Lysas eyes turned to the him and Brynden. "Ah you're here. Dutch I will not be gone long, I just have some matters to discuss with Nestor. But should anything happen to my little Robin." She kept her cold gaze on the young lord. She didn't need to finish her sentence. In a annoyed grunt she quickly leaves the chamber. Brynden whispers over his shoulder as he walks after Lady Arryn. "You will be fine."

Dutch turns to face the young Robin. "My lord." Robin turns to Dutch. "Would you like to fly through the moon door?"

Dutch was surprised at how long it took him to ask that. Usually he asked that right when Dutch would enter the room. "I must decline my lord. I may be good with a blade but flying not so much, I'm sure if you ask your mother she will let you watch some of the prisoners fly." Robin smiled at that, which made Dutch feel uneasy.

As the Day went on Dutch began to miss the painful training with Brynden, at least he could return the pain to him. He had to do every single little command Robin wanted. Every time he thought about saying no he knew he would just threaten him to send him through the moon door, and knowing his mother that could happen. This only angered him more when he thought about how the servants at his castle never did half of what he said, It was mostly because his father wanted him and Jasper to not depend on others for simple tasks like getting dressed or running a hot bath. Dutch thought he did it only to save gold on a birthday present since all he did was allow him and his brother to take advantage of the servants, still he does acknowledge that it made him and his brother better people, but that didn't mean he had to like it.

It felt like hours had passed until Lysa Arryn walked through the door. "Dutch you may leave." Dutch tried to hold back a scream of joy. "Yes my lady." He walk out the door and noticed Brynden. Brynden gave him a sly grin. "So, how was it watching the young lord?" Dutch glared daggers at him. "Never put me in that situation again." He quickly dashed off to find Mya Stone. It only took him a couple minutes to find her, the only problem was her company, Mychel Redfort, one of the best young swordsmen in the vale, a gallant, handsome man who was humble and a fairly polite person. Dutch felt that he and Mychel would actually get along if he didn't know that Mya had a crush on him.

"Hey Mya, Mychel."

They both turn to see Dutch walking up to them

Mychel: "Dutch, I thought you were watching Lord Robin."

Dutch: "Lysa kick me out when she was done with her meeting."

Mya: "Thats perfect. Me and Mychel were just talking about getting some people together to celebrate."

Dutch: "Celebrate? Celebrate what?"

Mya: "Mychel's Knighting, He was knighted last week and wants to celebrate."

Dutch clenched his teeth. "Oh, that's great to hear."