The Fight
289 AC, Wintertown...
"Did your father also leave for war?" Jon asked he continued to be dragged down the streets.
"Aye, just this noon. Heard the squids burnt down the Lannisport, is that true?" Rodrik asked.
"Where did you hear that?" Jon asked in wonder.
"One of the merchants coming from the South told me," said Rodrik.
"Yes, Lord Stark told us that the Lannisters asked for help from the king." Jon's words were telling a different story from what Rodrik heard.
According to what Rodrik heard, Lannisters swore vengeance upon squids and it was the king who offered to help Lannisters. When he told this to Jon, he just laughed and said that the merchant probably came from the Westerlands.
Rodrik was not knowledgeable about these things so he noted it down to his mind. He was not going to believe the words of merchants again.
Rodrik and Jon run down the streets and finally arrived at the promised place. At least twenty boys were gathered there and they were talking amongst each other while waiting for something.
"Finally," said Benny as he groaned, "It has been more than three hours…"
"Oh shut your trap, Benny! We could only come now." Rodrik said and pointed to Jon, "This is Jon, he is our trump card."
Jon greeted the boys but they looked at him with bewilderment. Just as the murmurings were rising amongst them, one of the boys with blond hair came forward, "You told me there would be others. What is the meaning of this, Rodrik?"
"I only told you that there would be no hiccups for the war. I never spoke about bringing more boys beside yours." Rodrik snorted, "Besides, you will get your coppers so don't even think about meddling in our gang's dealings, Lenny."
"Hmph, we will see that when you can't settle the payment." The butcher's boy backed down seeing the stares around him. Normally, he would have dragged this matter into a fight but he wouldn't gain anything doing this.
"Okay then, let's make our way to the backyard of the whorehouse." said Rodrik.
"Aye!"
"Let's go!"
"Death to the whoresons!!"
Boys yelled at the top of their lungs as they brandished their wooden swords. Benny gave a sword to both Rodrik and Jon.
Young boys numbering around twenty crossed throughout the streets with puffed out chests. Rodrik was leading the group and just behind him was Benny and Lenny. Even adults were opening the way for the boys.
They left the borders of the town and came upon a field. Nearly thirty lads were waiting for them with, similarly, wooden swords and sticks in their hands.
Before the group was a boy with a pretty face but cold looks. He was around 14 years had a long stature. The lad smiled upon seeing the pacing boys. "Here I was wondering when would you guys come out… You made me wait long, no one makes me wait for this much."
Rodrik snorted upon hearing the words of Rony and stopped at his tracks. The group following also stopped and waited for Rodrik to speak.
"Did you wait for us to fill your big mouth with our cock like your mother, whoreson?" Rodrik grabbed his crotch as he spoke and his words were followed by laughter by his group.
Angry yellings came from the other end of the opening as Rony's face turned red from anger. It was no secret that his mother was a whore but no one dared to tell this to his face.
Besides, the reason why he could own the backyard of the whorehouse so easily was him living there.
"You will rue this day when I'm done with you, bastard!!" Rony tried to charge the newcomer group but his boys didn't let him.
There were rules even among the boys regarding the wars and they needed to be handled properly. Breaking the rules was the biggest no in the streets, as the one who broke them would have to face all of the town boys.
Rodrik smiled upon seeing his enemy incensed but still, he did not let them wait too long as he came forward and spoke the words that everyone was waiting for.
"On my challenge, by the ancient laws of Wintertown… We met at this ground to settle for good and all who holds sway over Whore's Backyard!" Rodrik's gaze wandered around his enemies as the words slipped through his lips and he spat on his hand, waiting for his enemy.
Rony snorted and shook off the boys holding him. He came forward while spatting on his hand. He grabbed Rodrik's hand and said, "I accept your challenge as the owner of Whore's Backyard."
As the proper greeting and rites were done, both parties needed to go back to their group. However, Rony still held onto Rodrik's hand and smiled creepily.
Rodrik looked at him questioningly but before he could utter any words, Rony headbutted him and yelled, "Ne one calls me whoreson!!"
Rodrik's gang did let this down and run forward while crying out for blood. Likewise, Rony's lads also charged in.
As both sides clashed with each other, Rodrik fell to the ground with a bloody nose and Rony climbed onto him. His fists rained upon Rodrik as he tried to protect himself.
Just as Rony was going to throw another fist, a foot wearing a black boot threw him off Rodrik. Rodrik saw a boy with curly hair fending off Rony.
He stood up while staggering. He looked around and found his wooden sword laying on the ground. He picked it up and went forward towards Rony.
It was Jon who saved him from being beaten up on the ground and he was the one fighting Rony. Rodrik had to admit, Jon was pretty good with a sword as Rony was near to defeat.
Rodrik circled them while looking at how others were doing. Surprisingly, despite having numbers Rony's gang was getting beaten down.
Butcher's boy, Lenny, was busy beating a boy's pretty face while one of his lads held the boy down.
On the other hand, Benny was ganged by three boys but he was holding his ground. His fat body was no obstacle to him as his moves were quicker than a thief's hands. He was parrying and dodging the sword strikes. It was apparent that his uncles taught him a few moves.
Rodrik finally reached behind Rony and his eyes crossed with Jon. They nodded their head and Jon continued to hammer Rony with swift attacks while Rodrik slowly took a few steps and finally hit Rony on the back of his knee.
Rony knelt on the ground with a grunt as Rodrik kicked him on the back and made him fall to the ground. He continued to kick him and only stopped when the grunts of the boy ceased down.
Rodrik was about to put his foot down on Rony's face when a small boy came running from the town. He was out of breath while trying to speak.
"Guards…" The boy tried to speak but no one cared about him and continued their fights.
The boy took a deep breath and yelled with all his might, "Guards!!!!"
Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at the boy. Then their eyes turned towards the town and saw the men in armour coming down the hill towards the open ground.
It took only a breath of time for the boys to gather themselves and run away, forgetting the fight. Rodrik rose from the ground and just as he was going to run away with Jon and others, he saw Rony lying on the ground and still moaning.
He mumbled about whoresons but still, grabbed Rony and threw his arm around his own shoulders. He carried him away slowly as guards closed on them. Jon also helped him by grabbing Rony from the other side.
The three were the slowest and far behind the other boys so they were first to get caught. Rodrik tried to escape from the guards' hands but their grip was not something a boy of his age could escape.
"Lady Stark was very angry hearing you run out of the castle, lordling." said one of the guards.
"He is no lordling, Harold. He is a bastard." The other guard chimed in.
"Aye, but still someone higher than us," Harold said.
From the looks of it, the reason why the guards came running was Jon. Rodrik knew that it was a risk calling him but still, he was the only one who could help him to win this fight.
"What should we do with the other two?" one of the guards asked.
"I know the pretty one, he stays with one of the whores from the brothel. But the other one is probably just a town boy." Harold said while searching whether there was anything that could be considered a 'threat' on the boys.
He found a bag of coppers in Rodrik's pocket and stuffed them in his robes, "We could buy two beers with these," he said as Rodrik swore to make the man pay for it.
In the end, they decided to leave the boys near the town and take Jon away. Rodrik did not struggle and let himself be dragged to the town.
They left him and Rony near the town and continued their way up to the streets. Rony was already awake but he was uttering no word.
Rodrik helped Rony until the doors of the brothel and then he continued his way to his home. He tried to open the door but it was barred from inside. He banged it a few times but there was no one opening it.
He looked up to the sky and saw it was dark already. He went behind the house and tried to see inside through the window. His own bed was occupied by a fat monster.
He banged the window and woke up the boy. Jason rubbed his eyes and looked at the source of the sound. He creased his brows and went to the window.
However, instead of opening the window, he closed the wooden cover. Rodrik was shocked, the bastard was not letting him in. He was going to let his father know what they have done when he returns.
His nose was still aching because of what Rony did. He did not know where to go during the night as the fat whore and his fat son was not letting him in his house.
He thought about going to Benny's house but stopped himself. If he has done something like that, every boy in his gang would be mocking him by tomorrow. Besides, he did not want to owe anyone.
There was a small haycock behind his house and that was where he was going to sleep tonight. Lucky he was as the season was not wintering yet.
He lay on the haystack and closed his eyes. The sleep came easily to him as he was already tired due to the fight.
…
The first lights of the day fell upon the cold body of Rodrik. It was not winter, yet the nights were cold in the North. He woke up stretching his arms.
The first thing he did after waking up was checking the house. The windows and the doors were still barred and entering inside without breaking anything did not seem possible.
In the end, Rodrik decided to try his chances later and went out to the streets. The outcome of the fight was already decided but he was wondering whether Rony was going to honour it or not.
He waited for others in the alleyway but the first to come was the butcher's boy, Lenny.
Morning, Rodrik." He smiled cheekily and opened his hand towards Rodrik, "My boys counted good the day before. We've got thirteen down so that makes it thirteen coppers."
"About that…" Rodrik's face twitched as he tried to think of a way to wriggle out of this situation.
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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