:-[Chapter 26]-:
Barristan and Lewyn looked at each other, the decision made at this exact moment for the both of them. Their honor and reputation would suffer, yes. Their family would probably suffer also but they knew they couldn't stay with the Crown. The Burning of Duskendale had brought them to the edge, but the letter has actually push them over it.
"We are leaving the kingsguards. The king and the prince are not fit to rule They bring disharmony within the realm. Our conscience cannot bear to be serving them any longer. We asked if you would take us, as they will certainly one day launch an offensive against the North."
:-[T.A.B]-:
:-[Moat Cailin's main courtyard, many months later]-:
Harry Winterstorm dodged the sword blow that went over his head. Many months had passed since the defection of two kingsguards of King Aerys, Second of His Name. The North had accepted to give asylum to the two men in exchange for their services. The lord of Moat Cailin decided to use them not to be mere bodyguards, but to train the many stronghold's warriors.
As the lord of the place, the young wizard had the immense privilege to train everyday with Barristan Selmy and Lewyn Martell for at least two hours, sharpening his already great skills with the sword. He was presently fighting, and losing, against the stormlander.
"Move your feet, my lord. Staying in movement is important. The art of swordplay is not just swinging a sword." said wisely Barristan Selmy while blocking a strike from Harry's shield.
"Why don't you use our combine power, Master?" offered Hedwig, who was looking intently at the scene.
"Because I need to train by myself, and this is only a spar, girl." answered mentally the young lord before reconcentrating his all his attention on his spar. The man was the fastest and the strongest opponent he had ever faced, and he wasn't even serious.
After what seem to be hours but was barely half of one, Barristan stopped the fight. Sweat was pouring out and a young servant boy quickly bring water to both men. It was a rule with the now ex-kingsguard, no wine or ale during sparring. Already wanting to create a militarism mindset, the lord of Moat Cailin readily agreed to that rule for any men or women under his orders.
"Enough, my lord. You are getting better and better by the day. You are a natural with the sword and shield." said Barristan with a satisfied smile.
"Does not feel like it." grumbled Harry, picking up his shield that the other knight had manage to put on the ground.
"Like I said to you many years ago, Harry, it is because you always insist to fight against tougher or more opponents than the normal man would do." laughed Ser Rodrik, who had decided to observe his former protégé.
"War isn't fight against only one opponent. It is against multiple and more often than not, the other side always have someone bigger or stronger than you." said a tired Harry.
:-[T.A.B]-:
:-[King's Landing, the Throne Room]-:
The sight was horrific. There were seven pyres within the Throne room. Inside of it was seven peoples burning to death while nobles, knights and the Crown were watching. Not a sound was heard, with of course the exception of the screams and the two peoples left fighting in the middle of all of it. Many bodies were left to bleed on the stone ground.
One of the knights left standing was abhorring a gigantic manic smile. The man was playing with his adversary very easily. The poor man only had his shield left to protect himself but sadly for him, the rules were to the death.
"Mwah ah ah ah! Fight you fucking coward!" laughed the crazed man. "You dropped your sword like you dropped your balls you fucking piece of shit! Fight! Fight!"
By some miracle from the gods, the crazed man slipped on a body of a felled knight. He lost his foot and felled to one knee, managing to keep his balance by putting his hand on the ground. The other knight used this huge opportunity to grasp a mace that was forgotten.
"I am Victor Tyrell!" screamed the man from the Reach. "I shall not be vanquish by scum like you!"
With a victorious roar, he smashed his mace against the man helmet with all of his strength. A thunderous crash resounded within the Great Hall. The helmet flew into the air and felt in the hand of a noblewoman. The crazed man had his eyes revulsed in the back of his head. His body fell on the ground with a resounding bang.
Thunderous applause rise from the crowd. The champion of the Reach was the favorite for being one of the new kingsguard. The seemingly winner put his arms in the air, roaring with all of his might at the crowd.
Suddenly, all of the applause went dead in an instant. Victor was so enamoured with his own victory that he didn't even notice. He was blowing kisses to the crowd when a monstrous shadow behind him grabbed him.
"Mwah ah ah! Die you piece of shit!" screamed the laughing man. The Tyrell man was push in one of the many pyres. He was kept there by a foot on his back while his face was burning.
The screams of Victor Tyrell were the last heard in the Throne Room, the seven heathens having died moments ago in agony. The reactions were at a complete opposite than with Victor's presume victory earlier. Nobody was speaking a word. The noblewoman that had previously catch the winner's helmet dropped it quickly when the foul man was approaching her.
Clapping was heard, coming from the Crown's side. King Aerys was clapping like a mad man in company of his eldest son. His cackling was giving the creeps to everyone present in the Throne Room.
"Well done, well done! What a sight to see! What a show." laughed out loud King Aerys. "Where did you find this man, my son?"
"In the Crownlands. He is an errant knight that is only precede by his reputation about his fierceness and ruthlessness in battle, as you can see. He killed all of his six opponents by himself when it was a free for all. Now with Simon Toyne, we are back at seven Kingsguards, like the gods intended to."
"Aye. His performance was most impressive, just what the kingsguard needed in these trouble time." confirmed the king. "The last ones, may they rest in the Seven Hells, didn't have the guts to have what it takes to be part of this group." said Aerys while clutching the Iron Throne with all his might. His knuckles were becoming fast white, only thinking about the traitors Barristan Selmy and Lewyn Martell.
"What is your name, brave knight of the Crownlands?" inquired the leader of the Seven Kingdoms.
"They called me, the Smiling Knight, you grace." smile the man. There was something demented in his eyes. He was always in bouts of small giggling but every men knew the knight was deadly with his sword. "I've received an invitation from his grace here to participate and I could not resist! Mwah ah ah ah ah!"
Most women in the hall were terrified of the Smiling Knight as his reputation as a rapist and murderer preceded him. They were hiding behind the men who themself didn't feel reassured by the criminal who was about to become a member of the kingsguards.
Many things had happened within the last few months since the treachery of Barristan Selmy and Lewyn Martell. They were both stripped of their title of knights of course. Harvest Hall, the Selmy's castle was put to the ground by the Targaryen's loyalist forces and kept by the Crown. Lord Steffon Baratheon had no other choice to stay in Storm's End and watch one of his bannermen burn to the ground because of one man, Barristan The Bold.
The Martells were asked to bring the head of Oberyn Martell, but Dorne felt in an even more isolationist state with almost no news coming out of the southern kingdom. The border was close to any kind of trade with Westeros, be it by land or sea. No ravens were coming in or out.
Jon Aryn, ruler of the Vale of Arryn, decided to become as much as neutral as possible in the situation, not wanting another war this late in his life. The Rebellion of the Sistermen have taken a huge toll on the older man.
The Reach was or course licking the Targaryen's arsehole. Mace Tyrell had given gold coins to the Faith Militant, happily saying out loud that the gods had told him to do so. Prince Rhaegar was all too happy to see the army of the Faith coming back. Only in the Reach, they were rumoured to be around five thousand men in only a few month, attracting many who didn't have a meal or simply wanted to be part of something bigger than themselves.
The Westerland, the Riverlands and the Crown had the most change. Jaime Lannister had been betrothed to Catelyn Tully. Her sister, Lysa Tully had been promise to the very young son of the Fat Flower, Willas Tyrell. The most surprising news, however, came directly from the prince himself, he decided to marry Cersei Lannister, in a move that shocked the entire Realm, as his king father had refused many years ago the offer of Tywin. This incredible alliance between four kingdoms was something that put fear in many non-believers of the Seven inside the Seven Kingdoms.
House Blackwood had been exterminated by House Bracken, with the very poorly hidden support of the Crown and House Tully. The survivors that managed to flee went North, in the terribles conditions that was the Neck, until word was spread. The crannogmen were ordered to bring as many survivors as possible they could find in Midgard. Only a few hundreds, mainly women and children, managed to successfully arrive alive. The surviving member of the assault of Raventree Hall were forced to cut the already dead weirwood tree, remove all of its roots and burned it all before themselves burning to death on pyres.
The Iron Islands, using the fact that winter still hasn't force them to stay had use the situation to raid the border of the Riverlands, getting salt-wives and what they wanted the most, wood. Ever since Quellon Greyjoy had died of old age on the Salt Throne, his oldest son, Balon Greyjoy had decided to reinstate raids on the mainland.
Rickard Stark, now the ex-lord Paramount of the North hadn't been idle either. He betrothed his eldest son, Brandon, to Barbrey Ryswell, thus honoring his promise to marry his son inside the North. Every single of his bannermen had to send at the minimum a hundred men and their family to Midgard to help populate it. With the prospect of living in the city of miracles, it hadn't been hard to find volunteers. Thousands of smallfolk were now living in the city Harry created making his warriors even more numerous.
Harry himself had married Sura finally under the Great Weirwood Tree of Moat Cailin. Has promise, Rickard had performed the ceremony himself before the Old Gods, therefore uniting them. His new lady had been sad to leave Lyanna but now the young woman was ready to face this new incredible challenge.
Speaking of Lyanna, the young girl was now almost at twelve years of age and was practicing every single day without missing Winterfell in the least. Yes, she missed her big brother, but Moat Cailin was so full of wonder and magic that she fell in love with the place. Lady Maege was still at her side, showing her the art of archery even if she was one of the best, like Benjen.
Benjen, when offered by his father to return to Winterfell, had immediately refuse, saying that his friends were here and would not miss the incredible training the Spear of Dorne, Lewyn Martell and Barrisran the Bold were providing him with.
Rickard second son, Eddard, was the first to choose to permanently stay in Moat Cailin, with both the approval of his father's and friend's. Like Harry, Ned was sparring everyday with both legends present in the North, becoming a great warrior himself.
Back to the Throne Room, the Smiling Knight was looking around him, only to see terrified looks sending his way. He relinquishes in this feeling ever since his first murder so many years ago. His terrifying laugh chilled the blood of almost everyone present.
"Ser Gerold, please proceed to the intronization ceremony." ordered King Aerys.
"Your grace, this is a common criminal, a villain. The honor of being in the kingsguard should be..."
"Enough, Hightower! Do not forget your place. A kingsguard should be what, hmm? Acting with honor? We just had two traitors at the same time. Those fucking northerners use their foul magic on them. Barristan and that Dornish man were too weak to resist the pull of that sorcerer, Harry Winterstorm."
Gerold didn't say anything else, wisely choosing to stay silent. He held his head high while being properly chastise by his king. His brothers beside him didn't say a word as well, not wanting to face a pyre. The Lord Commander walked until he was near the Smiling Knight and started the ceremony of intronization.
:-[T.A.B]-:
Prince Rhaegar was happy with his father's decision to appoint the Smiling Knight as a member of the kingsguard. Now, he has two men ready to do almost anything he ordered to do. Arthur was becoming less and less of the man he uses to be. He was the shadow of the Sword of the Morning that came to his uses years ago. Ever since the Burning of Duskendale, the man was getting weaker by the day.
With the eviction of all the heathens house in the Realm apart from the Iron Islands and the North, the first part of his plan to eradicate all those unbelievers was done. The High Septon and himself were getting in more meetings almost every weeks. The Faith Militant was gaining more power due to the man's many sermons.
The Targaryen Heir was pacing around his room. Now, he needed his father to launch a crusade against the infidels. He could hear voices telling him that the heathens were about to attack themselves to avenge their numerous defeats against the superior Andals. For some weird reason, his father, Aerys, didn't hear the voices as he did.
"Could it be because he is not chosen?" said aloud Rhaegar, looking at the only mirror in his bed chamber.
His reflection looked at him with disdain. "You fool. You think Aerys the Rapist is the one to lead the Seven Kingdoms in a Great Crusade? Don't make me laugh."
"But he is my father and king. What else is there to do but wait for him to die?"
"Who said you must wait? Kill him and become king."
"W-What? I cannot commit the crime of kinslaying. The smallfolk would never..." stuttered Rhaegar.
"The smallfolk will follow the Will of the Seven if you told them it is so, fool. Kill him. They already believe you to be their Voice." said the other self. "Your father is not the man who will lead a united kingdom in a great crusade. You are. Kill him."
"But how? How to kill my father? I would need support."
"You already have your support. By marrying the Hand of the King's daughter, you are allying yourself to your one of your most powerful allies. You will be good brother with the Tullys and the Tyrells by alliance. Kill him! You have support within the Kingsguard itself."
"Yes, yes... I'll kill him!"
:-[T.A.B]-:
Prince Rhaegar Targaryen entered the Iron Throne room with a confident step. He busted through the entry door without a care in the world. His father, surrounded by Targaryen's men and Gerold Hightower, was sitting on his family throne.
The Heir to the Crown had managed successfully to bring to him many members of the kingsguard to his cause. With him was Arthur Dayne, Oswell Whent, Jonothor Darry, Simon Toyne and right behind him, the Smiling Knight. Of course, the garrison he had brought from Dragonstone was with him, creating an impressive sight for the nobles present. The sun was shining through the windows
"Ah, my son. To what to I owe this pleasure? Are you returning to Dragonstone? I hoped you don't intend to take this many of my kingsguard." frowned slightly the king.
"No, I am not returning to Dragonstone, Father." answered the Prince. "You don't need to worry, anymore. You no longer need to bear the weight of your crown. I've taken care of everything."
Rhaegar, remove his hood and cloak, revealing himself all dress in his black and red armor. He had shaved his long beard entirely with the exception of a small goatee. His hair was almost shoulder length. What the people couldn't see well, were his eyes. Something was gleaming inside of them. He draws his sword any started to climb up the many stairs of the Iron Throne. Once he arrived at his king father, he grabbed him by the shoulder and forced him to his knees.
"My prince!" screamed Gerold Hightower. "What are you doing!?"
"Succeeding my father."
Without another word, Rhaegar plunged his sword thought King Aerys, Second of his Name's neck. The man gasped in pain but couldn't say a word. His crown felt from his head to the stairs, falling from them until it arrived at the bottom of it, broken in pieces. The new kinslayer sat down the Iron Throne, covered in the blood of his now departed father.
"This kingdom is now mine. And from it shall arise a new one. I declare the crusade against the heathens of all the known world has officially begun." said King Rhaegar, First of His Name.
:-[T.A.B]-:
Author note: The last scene is heavily inspired by the scene where Arthas from Warcraft III when kills his father. I hope you liked it!
Thank you everyone for reading Chapter 26 of The adventure begins! Please let a review in the comment, letting me know what you think about my story of what you would like to see.
If you are interested in becoming an Alpha or Beta reader, contact me!
Criticism is always welcome as long as it is constructive.
To Wrixel: Thank you so much for your review. Same here! Barristan always seem to only follow orders. At least here like you said, he shows some backbone by simply saying: No, it's enough.
To Qhristhian: Dorne entrará definitivamente en acción. Los Hijos del Hierro pueden o no ser parte de la compañía, aún no estoy seguro. ¡Gracias por leer!
To paulmoss: Thank you so much paul! I hope you like the chapter. Please tell me, what do you like in the story?
To rajeshkont: On that you can be sure my friend! Anything to get rid of the northerners.
To Sheploo: Hell yeah! Harry and the Starks will definitively use them for sparring!
To Claudiomir: Thank for reading!
To Ptool: May or may no happen
To Mark1: You should have your answer next chapter my friend! Stay tuned! PS: Don't forget the crystal Harry found!