Chapter 15 – Part 2
The proud lion
Ned
For all the songs and stories of battle there was some things they never could capture. The sounds, smells and sights on the battlefield had no words that could do them justice.
Men shit themselves when they died, and the smell hung over the battle from within the first death. The smell was mixed with the tang from all the blood spilt over the field. Ned could even smell some vomit where a green boy had brought up his guts. Men also cried for their mothers when they lay dying, and it could be heard even over the shouts of men still fighting and the clashes of swords. Ned always felt bad for those men unable to move and without any dignity.
His eyes stung with sweat as he moved through the battle the chaos making it hard to decipher who was friend and who was foe. He was certain some men had been killed today by those they broke bread with just hours before, caught up in the fear and the panic. Stannis's men had come by sea and over the river meaning a battle on two fronts. Ned was trying valiantly to hold off the invading army, but they had had to fall back and regroup twice already running further into the city. The numbers of Stannis's army had been under reported and Ned knew he was in trouble.
He called for somebody to get a message to the king who was further back watching the chaos unfold. "Tell his grace, this is his city. His realm. He's needed to rally the troops." Ned only hoped the boy would listen.
He continued to fight encamped in a square only three blocks from the Red Keep killing every man who entered swinging unsure if friend or foe as blood covered any finery people were wearing until he heard the horns blowing and Joffrey rode into the square.
"What do you need my lord?" He asked acting so much like a king it almost fooled Ned if it wasn't for the fear in the boy's eyes.
"We need more men to hold the road up to the Red Keep. The men we have are exhausted and demoralised. They need a leader and for all the battles I fought in to help your father win his crown I was never that. That was your father, and it needs to be you." Ned said as he kept scanning the numerous streets leading onto the square.
"There are no more men. The reserves were sent to the blackwater as the battle there became too much for the men we sent originally." Joffrey sounded worried but then he straightened up and for a moment, despite his blond hair and smaller build, Ned saw his old friend. "Men! Men of kings Landing hear me now. We fight and we bleed. Not for me. Not for a crown but for our city! These men coming into our city with murder on their minds will not stop until we stop them! They will rape your women and kill my own family. I fight with you to protect them all. I need your swords I need your arms and I swear on my crown, on my life, I will kill them and drive them back!" Joffrey lifted his sword and it seemed to have worked. The men had a new energy and the blows they landed on the incoming forces were harder and truer. Ned had hope.
Ned stayed by Joffrey as they both continued the fight although Ned was tiring his arms growing wearing Joffrey seemed to relish in each kill. Shouting his number after each one. It was not very noble, but Ned couldn't find the energy to care. It was when Ned looked over to see a sword about to hit true on Joffrey's side, the kingsguard focused on the threats in front of the king, his heart stopped, and he jumped in and pushed the man down. Pain exploded in his side as the sword found flesh between his armour.
Ned lay on the floor the man pressed against him as Ned had stuck his sword through the man's heart trying to focus on his breathing and to push the body off his he heard a thunderous noise. Thousands of horses were making their way through the city and Ned despaired. His thoughts turned to Cat and the children, and he sent a quick prayer to the old gods to watch over his children. He then thought of Jon and the secrets he had kept from the lad; he could only hope Lyanna would forgive him.
The floor below him vibrated as the horses came closer and he tried to shout, to tell Joffrey to get back to the Red Keep and barricade it but he could not be heard above the noise. The last thing Eddard Stark saw before it all turned black was the standard flying high, of a golden lion on a field of gold. It was the Lannister's.
Short chapter today but a important one! Without Tyrion's idea's the battle went very differently! I'm still unsure on how to write battle scenes but I am reading more to get idea's ready for the big ones coming up in the story. I hope you all had a magical time no matter what you celebrated the last few days. Until next time, whenever that will be.
xxxcrazyxladyxxx