Orryn
We were facing each other in the courtyard. Few people were watching, but among them were almost all the Stark children, Ser Borys and Ser Hugh.
It was nothing serious, we were just wearing armor and training swords, but our eyes were never miss each other.
"Finish him Snow, the idiot from the south is feeling too much for my liking." Theon teased, but Snow said nothing.
"Go on Lord Orryn, show the bastard his rightful place!". Hugh shouted back and only earned bad looks from the Starks, they really were a united bunch.
I tightened my grip on my sword and shook the shoulder of the arm that carried my shield. Ser Borys pressed his hand on my shoulder and spoke softly.
"You know you're going to lose, don't you? Just seeing him lets you know that he's more natural than you with a sword."
"A battle cannot be determined until swords cross."
"That's where you're wrong boy, the battle is decided just before the swords cross." Ser Borys said harshly before slapping me hard on the back.
I took a step forward and Snow did the same. We began to circle the courtyard, one step at a time, waiting for the first gap. I took another step forward and attacked with a thrust, not because I had seen a gap, but because I wanted to make him change his position, to force him to do something.
Snow not only parried my blow with his shield, but performed a spin, followed by a hard side slash. I didn't defend his blow so classily, I just parried it with the edge of my shield and stumbled to the side, but I didn't fall. I planted my right foot and attacked from above.
Snow defended with his shield once again. I expected him to parry the high blow with his shield and give me a low opening to hit him in the stomach, but Snow knew this feint and lunged upwards, the tip of his sword scratching my cheek even though it was blind.
I tried to retreat but Snow followed me, striking several times and keeping me on the defensive behind my shield, I couldn't go on like this.
I let him land a clean blow to my ribs, only to have the chance to crash into him using my shield as a battering ram.
I grunted in pain, not just from the blow, but from the loud impact that followed as our shields clashed.
We were close, close enough for long swords not to be effective, that is in Snow's case. I gripped the handle of my sword tightly and punched him in the face, the handle in my hand serving as a weight to amplify the force.
It was Snow's turn to stagger backwards, and my turn to deliver a flurry of blows. He cowered further and further behind his shield with every step backwards he took, but none of my blows got through cleanly.
Trying a sideways cut, from the inside to out, I knew it was over when I saw Snow's eyes, they were clear and focused and I had exposed too much.
Just by deflecting the attack to the side with his shield, Snow applied a cut in the opposite direction to mine. If it had been a real fight he would have cut my throat, if it had been ordinary training he would have stopped the sword and since what we were doing was neither, the Bastard's sword hit me in the face.
The impact was strong, I fell to the ground and I knew there were no words of surrender, I was already defeated when I fell.
It was silence that greeted me, no sound followed when I sat down on the dirt floor. Hugh had a shocked look on his face and Ser Borys just looked at me as if to say, 'I told you so'.
I tried to get to my feet but staggered to the side, still dizzy from the blow. Snow tried to help me, but I took a step back, not wanting him to touch me, and stood on my own.
"I'm sorry, my lord!". Snow started to speak, but I looked at him coldly.
"I'm sorry? Excuse me? Do you think I'm a joke Bastard? Do you think I deserve your pity?". I said as close to anger as I'd ever come in my entire life.
"He just wants to apologize, you idiot!". Little Arya shouted.
"He shouldn't apologize! We fought, we made our points to each other, and if he regrets anything he did in this courtyard, then he shouldn't even have come in here." I said it with a grimace and found it hard to breathe.
I spat some blood on the floor and Ser Borys approached. "Your nose is crooked, probably broken."
"We have to take him to the maester now!". Hugh said hurriedly, but Ser Borys silenced him. His gaze met mine. Dark brown, hard eyes, and beneath his moustache I could see discontent.
"I wonder what your father would say if he saw you making a scene like that."
I had no answer for him and just nodded before closing my eyes and waiting.
"Ser Borys, we must take him to the maester! It's Lord Orryn's health we're talking about!". Hugh spoke up once more and won Robb Stark support.
"Open your bloody mouth one more time Hugh, and I'll drag you back to the capital by the balls!". Ser Borys snarled and pinched my nose, putting it back in place with a sharp movement. "Let that be a lesson to you."
"Yes sir." I answered politely and bowed to the Starks before leaving, not saying another word.
They looked at me, all the Starks children together. I was strange to them, they were strange to me.
I had caused this fight for nothing and I paid the price, it was the Starks' day and I wouldn't get in the way anymore, they could celebrate with their brother.
Uncle Robert marveled and laughed when he saw my face, I told him it was an accident at the training ground. Lord Stark, on the other hand, looked at his strangely quiet children. I didn't stay long for lunch this time, and left claiming to be tired, no one could really blame me.
Halfway to my quarters I saw Snow once again. I tried to ignore him but he took notice and bowed. "I appreciate your words yesterday Lord Orryn, they've given me a lot to
think about."
"I don't remember trying to teach you anything last night." I replied dismissively.
"But you taught me, and you gave me the hardest punch I've ever received." Snow said seriously.
"So I guess the Nordics hit too weakly, you kept standing after I punched you".
I commented coldly and a silence formed. I should have left right there, but I stayed for some reason and so did Snow.
"I have a bastard cousin". I said it again, without thinking, without knowing why I had said it.
"Is he your friend?" Snow asked.
"No... I've never met him. I know he's my age, I know we were conceived on the same day, the whole kingdom knows that. Just as it knows that he stays at Storm's End in
hiding, away from his mother, his father, everyone."
When I said that, the silence returned and I began to walk to my quarters, but Snow remained still.
"I would have liked to have known him, to have been his friend. Edric Storm... that's his name. I would have liked to have known the land of my ancestors, but I was never
allowed to." I said without turning around. "Then believe me, Snow, you were lucky."
The royal group made their way to the Darry family castle, near the Trident. Lord Eddard Stark was heading south, he would become the hand of the king whether his son
fell from a tower or not.
Orryn pondered his attitude towards the Stark batard. He'd spent little time with the family, only giving his condolences to Lady and Lord Stark and turning to his men. He was
currently sitting outside in front of a fire, just... looking at it. The Starks awoke something in him...
"Cousin, I see you're still walking among those men of yours? How about a stroll along the banks of the Trident?". Joffrey said smiling as he approached Orryn. Lady Sansa was also with Joffrey, and she seemed to be uncomfortable with this suggestion. 'She wants to spend time with her perfect prince, and he wants me to humiliate myself so he can brag to the bride'. Orryn thought.
"It wouldn't be polite cousin, I don't want to interrupt your walk with your fiancée." Joffrey nodded, ignoring the look he received from Lady Sansa. "Come on, cousin, that
won't be a problem. Come on, I was telling you about that hunt where I shot a huge boar, remember?".
"How could I forget? Quite a hit your cousin". Orryn smiled and inwardly rolled his eyes at Joffrey's lie.
They walked along the Trident, Joffrey encouraging Lady Sansa to drink more of his wine. Orryn tried to keep his distance, but Joffrey always called him to confirm one story or another, and with every sip of wine, Lady Sansa believed more and more.
A sound caught their attention and when they went to check, they saw Arya with a young boy, both with sticks playing with swords.
"Arya!" Sansa shouted, her face red from drinking.
"Ouch!". Arya shouted after being hit by the boy's stick.
"What's going on here?" Joffrey asked menacingly.
"We were playing, then we're going to hunt for Rhaegar's rubies in the Trident." Arya said puffing out her chest. "Now get out of here!".
"And you boy, you think you're a knight, don't you? I saw you hurt my fiancée's sister." Joffrey grumbled and drew his sword. "Let's draw your sword!".
The boy trembled visibly and Orryn decided to intervene. "He's no squire, cousin, he's just a servant."
"Mycah, his name is Mycah!". Arya shouted and Orryn gave her a hard look, wanting the girl to just shut up.
"A servant shouldn't play with someone of Lady Stark's stature. He must know his place...". Joffrey said, smiling and pressing the tip of his sword to Mycah's cheek.
"Joffrey...". Orryn put a hand on his shoulder. "Keep walking, I'll discipline the boy instead".
"Can I count on you to do that?" Joffrey asked with a raised eyebrow. "I still have a walk to take."
"Yes cousin, the servant will know his place, you can always count on me." Orryn said humbly.
"He didn't do anything wrong! I asked him to come with me!". Arya shouted and pushed Orryn.
"Freeze, girl!" Orryn snarled and slapped Arya's face, not too hard, but still knocking her off balance.
Sansa choked, partly from the slap Arya had taken, partly from what came next. Arya's wolf, Nymeria, had her teeth embedded in Orryn's arm.
Gritting his teeth in pain, Orryn saw Joffrey's face turn white with fear. "Continue your walk cousin, I still have to discipline the boy... and Lady Arya's dog."
Joffrey nodded and quickly sheathed his sword. "I'll see that beast killed, Orryn, and the girl punished, you can be sure of that."
Even with this oath, Joffrey quickly left with Lady Sansa. The girl was frightened and just looked at her sister, but said nothing.
"Make the wolf let me go!". Orryn said to Arya, his teeth about to crack from how tightly they were clenched.
"No!" Arya replied defiantly.
Orryn tried to grab her with his other hand, but Nymeria squeezed his bite even harder. "Urgh!". He squealed in pain. "Do you even realize what you've done?" Orryn asked the girl. "Defying Joffrey like that won't do anyone any good."
"He won't do anything to me! I'm not afraid of him".
"Yes, but what about your friend? He's nobody..." Orryn said, looking at Mycah out of the corner of his eye.
"My father would never allow that to happen."
"You'll find out how many things your father really is powerless to do and how many things he really doesn't care about. Now tell the wolf to let me go."
Arya pressed her lips together but nodded. "Nymeria, let go."
The wolf obeyed and Orryn felt as if a weight had been lifted from his arm. He ignored Arya's gaze and walked over to Mycah, still paralyzed on his feet and shaking like a reed in the wind.
A hard punch to the face knocked the boy to the ground, his lip bleeding, and though angry, Arya restrained her wolf once more.
"Take this bag... there are ten gold dragons in it and another 50 silver stags. Go back to your family and get out of here, the further away from the royal caravan is better." Orryn said as he threw the boy a bag on the ground.
"My lord... that's too much I don't... I don't...". Mycah started to stutter, but Orryn just gave him a hard look.
"Go!". He ordered and Mycah ran. "As for you, learn that your actions have consequences, the sooner you learn that, better."
"We were only playing". Arya said, still glaring at Orryn.
"It's not about playing with the servant or not, it's about all this... defiance, you spoiled, dumb girl. If something happens to that boy, know that it's your fault for not being able to hold your tongue!". Orryn said sharply before leaving to return to the camp.
On his way back, Orryn's arm throbbed and blood trickled down his sleeve. He had managed to clean himself and change his clothes when men came for him to stand before the king.
The room was full, the king and queen were in the hall, as well as Lord Stark and his daughters.
"What the hell happened here?" King Robert ordered.
"Her wolf, father, bit Orryn like a mad beast!" Joffrey said to his father.
"Liar, she only defended me!". Arya said, contradicting the prince.
"You're a liar!". Joffrey shouted back.
"Oh, hush! Orryn, what happened?" Robert asked his newly arrived nephew.
"There was nothing too funny, just a scratch. Puppies often bite in the early stages of training." Orryn answered simply, but didn't fail to notice Lord Stark's gaze on her arm.
"Well tell them cousin, the butcher's boy was there and hurt Lady Arya, when we tried to separate them the wolf attacked you savagely." Joffrey said, his green eyes focused on Orryn.
"The boy was disciplined according to the law and your grace. I beat him with a stick for daring to touch a woman of noble birth. As for the wolf, it was just an unfortunate accident and no damage was taken." Orryn reported.
"Come on cousin...". Joffrey began once more, but Robert silenced him.
"That's enough! This is a waste of time. Ned, discipline your daughter and make these 'accidents' never happen again." Robert said, standing up.
Joffrey approached Orryn with a hard look, but Orryn just shook his head. "I know you did it for me, cousin, but I did it for you." Orryn whispered to the prince. "I can't let you down with your future father-in-law, can I?".
"The wolf has bitten you, the beast must die." Joffrey whispered back.
"Before he bites me, cousin, I'd put my arm through yours any day." Orryn replied and Joffrey nodded, somewhat stiffly.
"We'll continue this conversation later...".
Leaving the room quickly as soon as he had spoken to Joffrey, Orryn came to Ser Borys' ear: "Take five men and help the butcher's family get out as quickly as possible. I've already given them money, but they must leave quickly."
Ser Borys nodded in agreement and left with the men. Orryn planned to return to his tent to treat the wound that he felt bleeding once again from his racing heart.
"Lord Orryn, a moment of your time." Lord Stark called out to him on the way.
"Yes my lord?" Orryn said seriously.
"Your arm, let me see your arm." Lord Stark demanded.
"I don't owe you that kind of satisfaction Lord Stark, Hand of the King or not."
"You lied to the king, Arya told me everything that happened. Show me your arm." Lord Stark said impassively, his gray eyes focused on Orryn.
He felt small in front of the man, a veteran of two wars, he felt helpless.
"If you know what happened then you don't need to see my arm. You know I hit your daughter and the wolf defended her. No side is being wronged."
"I insist." Lord Stark spoke without moving an inch. Swallowing dryly, Orryn pulled up the sleeve little by little to avoid the pain.
Lord Stark's eyes focused on the deep wounds on the boy's arm and he decided to touch him.
Orryn's reaction was to cringe and stifle a groan, which made Lord Stark sigh. "It's broken, the wolf squeezed so hard she broke your arm, fortunately not too badly."
"It'll fix itself, I'm sure." Orryn said stubbornly.
"I don't know how to rate you, boy. A brute for beating up an underage girl, or something else for defending the wolf and the butcher's boy? Either way, I'll take you to the maester to have that arm looked at."
"That won't be necessary, my lord." Orryn said, pulling his arm back.
"That's an order Orryn." Lord Stark said with steel in his voice.
Sighing, Orryn knew he couldn't beat the man. "Yes my lord."