Chapter 19: A Spar with a Kingsgaurd
Eddard
Seagard
Eddard Stark stood on the battlements of Seagard, looking out over the arriving armies of the Riverlands and the Crownlands. The banners of several houses fluttered in the breeze, their colors vibrant against the backdrop of the approaching forces. Leading the troops were Edmure Tully, Arthur Dayne, and Ser Barristan Selmy.
He was surprised to find the siege of Seagard still ongoing when they arrived, he had only planned to battle the Iron Fleet here and had hoped The Tullys had already led the armies of the Riverlands to lift the siege. In the end, he and his men had to do it themselves.
He smiled, thinking of how Robb and Maekar had distinguished themselves in battle. Robb had even killed Rodrik Greyjoy.
'The Bloody Wolf, Quite a name' he thought with pride.
His nephew too had been called a new title the people haven taken to calling him the Prince of Winter some called him Prince in the North these worried him the most he wanted Maekar to stay in the north where he would be safe the south had taken too much from their family already.
Descending from the battlements to meet with them on the ground, he saw Willam Dustin.
"So, they finally come," Willam said.
"They have," Eddard replied. "Come, let's greet them."
Eddard and Willam made their way to meet the leaders of the arriving armies. Eddard spotted Lord Blackwood first.
"Ned," Tytos said, greeting him warmly.
"A bit late, are we?" Eddard said in good-natured jest.
Tytos shook his head, frustration evident. "It was a muddle of events, Ned. We were delayed by the fucking king himself, and our future lord went along with it."
Before Tytos could continue, Arthur Dayne and Edmure Tully approached.
Tytos excused himself. It was clear he was angry at the two approaching figures. Willam went with Tytos as Eddard turned to the two men.
Arthur and Eddard greeted each other. "How is my sister?" Arthur asked, concern in his eyes. "Is she safe?"
"Yes," Eddard assured him. "The Ironborn did not touch Northern soil. We were able to defeat them at sea."
"Ah, the new fleet," Arthur said, nodding appreciatively.
Eddard then turned to Edmure, his expression hardening. "Why were you delayed?"
Edmure hesitated. "We waited for the armies of the Crownlands."
Eddard frowned. "That was a foolish decision."
Arthur interjected, his voice calm but firm. "It was the king's decision."
"Then it was a foolish decision by the king," Eddard added without missing a beat.
"You are the heir to the Riverlands, Edmure. You should have raised the armies and come here immediately."
Arthur's eyes narrowed, and he was about to retort when Eddard spoke again.
"Let's not dwell on it anymore. We need to plan our next steps."
"We have already decided, Eddard. We will wait for the royal fleet and then invade the Isles," Arthur said.
"I see, but let us have a council anyway. This afternoon is good, don't you think?" Eddard said.
Arthur was silent for a moment before nodding.
"Good," Eddard said, walking away.
In the afternoon, the Lords of the Riverlands, Crownlands, and the North who were present gathered in the great hall of Seagard. The hall was filled with the murmur of voices and the clinking of goblets as the lords settled in for the meeting. Jason Mallister stood first, addressing the assembly.
"I want to extend my deepest gratitude to Eddard Stark and the lords of the North for their help in lifting the siege of Seagard," Jason began. He then continued his speech, where Eddard was sure he could detect the hidden barbs directed at the late arrival of the Riverlands' armies.
As Jason finished his words, he stood and thanked the lord for his kind words. Then Arthur stepped forward to explain the Crown's plan to invade the Iron Islands. He listened to the plan he had already heard before this morning. There were murmurs and some arguments against the Crown's plans, notably from the rebel houses. He noted the tension, understanding that the wounds from the rebellion had yet to heal fully.
As Arthur finished, he asked, "What is Lord Lannister planning? Will he join us as well?"
"Lord Lannister will be leading his armies here as well, after he dealt with the Ironborn invading the Westerlands," Arthur replied.
Some lords called out that the Stark fleet was already here and they could use that and the Mallister fleet to invade. This was met with arguments that the Crown's plan was better. Seeing the council devolving into a fight, Eddard stepped forward to address them.
"I can lead the Stark fleet to assist the Royal fleet in the Reach." he began.
"Why wait here with a good fleet? My ships are tested and proven to be effective against the Ironborn. The conflict at sea would end sooner if we were to assist the Royal fleet."
Many in the hall nodded in agreement with his plan. Arthur also seemed to agree. The plan was agreed upon when Jason Mallister suggested that both fleets could trap the Iron Fleet in the south and finish them off decisively.
The meeting concluded with a consensus: the Northern fleet would sail south to engage the larger Iron Fleet in the Reach, coordinating with the Royal fleet to deliver a crushing blow to the Ironborn.
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Arthur
Seagard
As the evening approached, Arthur and Barristan made their way to the yard for a spar. Their conversation soon turned to the new Northern fleet.
"What do you think of your goodbrother's new fleet?" Barristan asked.
"I am surprised by how effective it is," Arthur confessed.
"The western coast will be far safer now that the Starks have their own fleet," Barristan said, always seeing the positive in things.
As they approached the yard, they saw someone with the Stark look training with a sword.
"Is that...?" Barristan began.
Arthur looked closer. He saw a boy with the Stark look but he was too pretty to be a Stark in his opinion.
'Prince Maekar' he thought Eddard did tell him the Prince was here.
"Yes, that is Prince Maekar. Lord Eddard mentioned he was here." he replied.
He had also heard how the prince had captured Theon Greyjoy and proved himself during the Battle of Seagard. He had wanted Prince Aegon to show his leadership and skills to the kingdoms during this conflict, but all the lords and smallfolk could talk about was Prince Maekar and his bravery during the battle of Seagard.
"Prince Maekar," Barristan called, approaching the yard.
"Ser Arthur, Ser Barristan," The Prince said, nodding respectfully.
"Your form is good," he remarked.
The Prince smiled. "Thank you. I'm familiarizing myself with the sword again, as I've been relying on my spear for too long."
"Oh, you use a spear?" Barristan asked, intrigued.
Maekar nodded. "It served me well, but I found it difficult to use during the battle last week."
Arthur nodded in understanding. "A sword is better against armored knights."
"I might learn to use a spiked mace like my namesake, or..." he paused, a smile playing on his lips, "a warhammer."
Arthur's face twitched slightly at the mention of a warhammer, remembering how Robert Baratheon had grievously injured Rhaegar with one. "A warhammer is a powerful weapon," he said, his voice neutral. "But it requires great strength and skill to wield effectively."
"Yes, a challenge I'm willing to undertake," the prince answered.
Arthur turned to The Prince, a glint of challenge in his eyes. "Would you care for a spar, Prince Maekar?"
The Prince smiled and nodded. "I would be honored, Ser Arthur."
The two squared off in the yard, drawing a crowd of onlookers eager to witness the match between the famed Sword of the Morning and the young prince. They began slowly, circling each other.
Arthur moved first, his sword a blur as he tested The Prince's defenses. Maekar parried, but he was initially on the back foot, still reacquainting himself with the feel of a sword in his hand. His strikes were precise and powerful, driving The Prince back step by step.
But as the spar continued, The Prince's confidence grew. He began to adapt, his movements becoming more fluid, his parries and counters more effective. He was even close to landing a few blows on him, which he acknowledged with a nod of approval.
He was impressed by The Prince, but the spar was still one-sided. His experience and mastery of the sword were evident. He controlled the pace of the fight, his strikes calculated and relentless. Maekar did his best to keep up, but it was clear he was outmatched.
Finally, The Prince conceded, lowering his sword and stepping back. "It was an honor to fight you, Ser Arthur," he said, breathing heavily but smiling.
Arthur nodded, sheathing his sword. "You have skill, Prince Maekar. Continue training with the sword. You have great potential."
The Prince nodded. "I will."
The Prince sheathed his sword and bowed slightly. "Thank you for the spar again, Ser Arthur. I must meet with my cousin now."
Arthur watched as The Prince left the yard, his respect for him growing. Barristan stepped up beside him.
"He's good," Barristan said, nodding in approval.
Arthur sighed. "He is as good with the sword as Aegon was before he started slacking off and neglecting his training."
Barristan looked thoughtful. "Perhaps the king should bring Maekar back to the Red Keep."
Arthur shook his head. "Rhaegar believes Maekar to be safe in the North."
Arthur thought about how different things would have been if Maekar had stayed in the Red Keep as he had suggested to Rhaegar years ago. Would Maekar and Aegon have been friends like he was with his nephew Robb, or would their relationship have been worse? But Arthur felt Barristan's words were like a prophecy. He felt Maekar might return to the capital soon. He wondered how the power would shift when that happened.
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