บท 19: Here we stand!
The bells on the island signaled another raid but Dacey felt that this time something was different.
She and her sisters hastily got out from their beds and put on their green, leather armors.
They just went outside the doors where they saw a group of guards running in the direction of the shore.
"What's going on?!" One of the girls grabbed the soldiers arm to stop him.
"It's the Ironborn m'lady!" The soldier was clearly distressed, he shook her hand off gently and started to run again.
The girls looked at each other before going back to their room and grabbing their weapons.
Lady Dacey a morning star, Lady Alysanne a mace, Lady Lyra two short axes and Lady Jorelle a big two handed axe.
They made their way out into the open, the view would be beautiful if not for the burning huts around the shore line that was covered by lifting fog and accompanied by the screams of people and clinking of iron.
"Let's go!" Jory, as the eldest was the first to make a move. Her big body and cracked teeth did not hinder her fame on Bear Island.
Even as a nine name days girl her fighting prowess and strength were on a different level. She was a true She bear and she basked in the title's glory.
Her sisters like all the other women on the island were trained in the art of combat since they could walk.
Speeding down to the shore they paused. The view was terrifying even if it wasn't the first raid they saw from the squids or the wildlings. Unfortunately this was not a normal raid... no. 15 ships closing in on them were too much even for their brave people.
"Looks like this will be it sisters." Dacey said and held her morning star tighter. She was a strong contrast to her siblings, her beauty could topple a city but her warrior spirit didn't lack compared to the rest.
They moved forward halfway and saw their mother's big as a bear figure hacking an Ironborn in half.
Blood and guts splattered all around but the girls just stepped on it without even as much as a wink.
"Mother!" They shouted as the woman dried her face with her sleeve from the lingering blood.
All around the soldiers of house Mormont were fighting and dying.
Screams of pain from both sides filled the area, blood turned the water red.
"Go to your cousin and help him defend the shore!" There was no time for regret as the bear woman knew that if they loose this fight, her girls will die one way or another or worse be used as breeding tools for squids.
Then it all began.
The term Ladies wouldn't be accurate as the girls hacked and smashed their way through enemies.
In single combat they could lose after defending for some time but the perfect teamwork and abnormal strength allowed them to gain the advantage they needed.
Soon they arrived only to witness the second Ironborn ship landing at the beach and the third closing in.
They saw their cousin Jorah but now all hope was lost.
The only thing they could do was die fighting like a real Mormont women.
They made their resolve and charged ahead, only to hear a great horn sounding out seconds later and watch as the fighting briefly stopped...
Tears of relief dropped down Aly's and Lyra's cheeks.
Like saved from the gates of seven hells they saw a group of new ships with yellow sails with two axes and a black crown coat of arms ramming into the defenseless Ironborn fleet from the back.
"Here we stand!" Shouted Jory with her loudest voice and the soldiers of house Mormont gave their loudest battle cry in their lifetime just after.
~ Brendan
Seeing the Mormonts losing at the beach I probably made one of the stupidest decisions in my life.
"Ram the ships into the beach!" I shouted only to see the captains mouth wide open.
"Now!" Can't he see that with every moment we wait more of the North men will die? If that happens this trip here won't get us anything.
"But my lord the ships..." I had enough of this. I understand not getting involved in the strategy but I'm still his lord.
"You will ram the ship or I will gut you open here and now!" I grabbed the handle of my sword. I usually don't show this type of behavior. I don't have to.
"Yes my lord. Full ahead! Brace for impact!" He shouted and grabbed the rope next to him.
"My lord you're sure that's the best solution?" Ser Arthur stood next to me.
"I'm sure it's not. But it's the fastest one." I said and hugged the rail.
"This will be fun..." Ser Bryce always seems to find a way to amaze me.
"Impact!" We waited after the shout but the impact wasn't that bad but for me...
The sand stopped the ship about ten meters from the shore, Davos will curse me to death as it's probably stuck.
Unfortunately I was flung to the side of the rail barely managing to grab a rope with my right hand looking in slow motion at Arthur and Bryce panicked faces and as the rest just started to get up. No one managed to react to stop me from falling. Murphy's. Fucking. Law!
I felt into the water fortunately on my legs thanks to the rope.
"Follow the lord! Follow the lord!" I could hear the captain screaming with more then a hint of panic in his voice.
Can't blame him. I'm only seven but luckily my body looks older. If I die here they would probably follow soon after because of my mother's wrath.
I saw one man looking at me and start to nock and arrow and take aim with his bow.
My shoes sunk into the sand and I could feel the sand and water going inside of them.
My leather armor still was alright, but every step felt heavy.
I pulled out my shield from my back as fast as I could only to hear a cling on it no more than a second later.
I unsheathed my sword and got ready as I was instructed to on my training, but it was unnecessary as a second after the arrow was loose he had one in his forehead as well.
Sword and shield even if lighter than the normal ones still felt very uncomfortable.
I think the hot blood of my father makes me make the irrational decisions in this types of situations. I'm looking for a thrill and it's not the first time I did that...
I enjoy danger and... I enjoy killing.
Not the peasants. No. But when it comes to my enemies... I will not show any mercy if I don't get anything from it.
"That was dangerous my lord..." Ser Arthur jumped just few seconds behind me.
The sound of splashing water informed me about my people standing behind me and from the sound of it it's about 20 men with the rest still coming.
I looked to my right where the second of our ships just landed.
"To the death!" I shouted to motivate my men. They can't think I'm scared since I'm already here.
"You will stay with us young Lord." Ser Bryce had one of his moments when he was serious.
"How do you expect me to motivate my men otherwise Ser Bryce?" I said bringing my shield up and moving forward with just the top of my head and my eyes above it looking at the situation before me.
"Preferably from the back my lord!" I almost stumbled, stopped and hid behind my shield when my men started to gather around me with their shields and looked at Ser Bryce after he said it.
"Just saying..." he mumbled.
I already had enough men to mount an assault. I didn't plan for it to be like this but here we stand.
"Day and night!" My own voice made my blood boil. Not the sound of it, but the meaning behind my words... my house words! My family words!
"Ready for war!" The reply from my men that were just as me pumped on adrenaline and ready for blood came swiftly.
"Chaaarrrggeee!" I shouted, pointed my sword to the front and moved forward step by step. Not too fast but not slow as well. I made sure my every step is steady and stable as per my training even if it's in the sinking, wet sand.
I watched how my men charged in formation with their shields up passing me, but that was to be expected. I'm not going to run in the vanguard and I know some of them will die.
I almost moved out of the water when the back part of the squids assault that was fighting on the island broke up to meet my men.
The sound of metal from the shields, armors and swords hitting each other was different than I imagined, when the two forces collided, it changed to a cacophony of screeching and painful screams nothing like in the movies.
I passed another body of one of my men with an arrow in his eye, then another with one in his tight and a broken spear in his throat.
The lad had still open eyes and his hand was clenched on his throat. Like that will help him.
Out of the water I saw the chaos in front with every step closer, I felt my body tensing up.
My men surrounded me and started their own fights, it was hard to see who is who when they are all covered in blood.
Since no one knows, you just fight whoever attacks you and leave the ones in similar armor and that was how it happened in my case...
Ser Arthur was fighting with two Ironborn at the same time but I only glimpsed at him and the rest.
A moment is enough if you lack concentration in battle to kill you.
Ser Bryce on the other side had his hands full as well.
My senses were as high as they possibly could, everything around felt silent... my body lighter than usual obeyed my every command.
I moved my head to the side evading the spear that was thrown at me as it impaled the shield of the man behind me.
Tens of thoughts in my mind in this single moment played scenarios how to evade it in accordance to my unfinished training.
I could sidestep, parry with a sword, block with shield but the one that was 'talking' to me like a voice of addiction was to simply move my head to the side and not let my eyes off from my enemy.
This is the second time I felt it... The first one was when I fought in my sparing with an older squire.
With leveled breath I saw the surprise in the squid eyes and ugly yellow teeth when he cursed at my move hoping for a fast kill, even if he was about ten meters from me.
My senses could almost feel the stench of his breath.
He pulled out his sword and charged breaking through by pushing my fighting men with his shoulder to the side.
Closer, closer and closer. I watched him like in slow motion as he was almost upon me.
His right hand slashed down with wide arch from the top right to bottom.
Wide swing with a lot of force but slow... too slow...
In the corner of my eye I could see Ser Bryce trying to intercept the man but he would be too slow.
I pulled my shield now attached to my left forearm up under an angle making his sword slide from it to my side.
I shuffled just one step forward, my sword hand moved back and forcibly stabbed. I felt it sinking into his gut.
Nothing blocked it so I twisted my sword and with all my might moved my arm to my right opening him up.
He spit blood from his mouth straight onto my face but I'm sure I didn't even blink.
It felt great! Fighting to the death felt great!
My body on reflex pulled the swords back when he knelled after dropping his sword and grabbing his stomach, but the next moment my sword found his throat with a simple stab.
The feeling was blissful! So blissful that it was exasperating! I wanted more and more and I was going to get it.
I moved again ignoring my men after making sure there's no danger around me.
The next angry man came at me with a spear. I could promise I was smiling the moment when I saw him.
Just the though of the next challenge and struggle gave me the feeling similar to climax.
I don't know if he underestimated me or something else as with my armor on I looked more or less like a teen but the man tried to stab me with his full force.
You never commit into a stab with full force. You won't be able to recover to defend...
His thrust was slow, but accurate. If he would be faster he would get me in my groin area. He was not.
Again side step to the left and I turned my body to the side at the same time so my left shoulder and shield was facing him.
I lifted my sword and dropped it cutting the spear that passed me and his right forearm that was further up the shaft with it.
Scream of pain rings in my ear, I won't give him time to recover so my sword moved from the bottom in an upper left direction while I took another step closer to him.
My sword at his throat and his painful look directed into my exited eyes as if he was begging for mercy...
I moved my sword fast and the blade opened his throat where the artery was and again covered me in a fountain of warm blood.
No mercy will be given today.
"No mercy!" I articulated my burning feelings.
I wanted to check my surroundings again, but my body told me that something's wrong.
On instinct I lifted my shield to my face level where I felt the danger was coming from, for it to be impacted by an arrow.
Lowering it I saw an archer picking another one from his quiver just for him to be impaled by an axe in his chest in a blink of an eye. The axe was thrown from behind me.
I looked back... Ser Bryce.
"You owe me one kill now!" I shouted with a smile and moved again hearing his "Huh?" from the back this time joined by both of my sworn shields as they finished their own fights.
We moved as a group, more and more of my men joined us when I saw a beautiful girl around my age fighting with two squids with her morning star and shield with roaring bear sigil on it.
She was clearly being pushed back and on the verge of losing the struggle.
I saw another man going her way but it seems she didn't see him.
I winded my hand with my sword to the back and threw it.
It swished few centimeters behind her back while spinning and impaled the man in his chest stopping him. She felt the wind from it and looked behind her.
Then I charged again.
I grabbed my second sword from my right hip and pulled it in reverse grip while running.
I smashed my shield into the side of one of her attacker's when he was making a step for him to loose balance and fall.
Nailing him to the ground with my shield I knocked the breath out of him.
Then while being on top of him a simple slash of his throat while smiling and looking him in the eye changed the game to two on one in our favor.
The man was hesitating for a moment but the girl didn't give him the time to think about his options as she swiped her weapon aiming at his left ribs.
When the Ironborn stepped to the side and wanted to retaliate I came in with my own strike aiming at his leg.
I came in low, hooked my swords blade behind his bent knee and retreated before he managed to swing at me leaving a nasty, deep cut on his leg.
Like I imagined him to, he dropped to his knee and the girl smashed his head to bits when he lost concentration.
The fight continued for a while, 20 minutes more perhaps as our superior numbers overwhelmed the three Ironborn ships crews that landed on the island.
"Here we stand!" I heard a man's voice shouting after the battle was over being followed by Mormont's war cry.
I was happy with my three kills before and the 6 after I teamed up with the girl. Even if I had the support of my guards that were ready to intervene at a moment notice.
I was also proud of my men. We did suffer losses but this was war.
"Day and night!" It was my turn.
"Ready for war!!" Every soldier from my house screamed like never before still feeling the adrenaline running through their veins.
"Death?! Not today!" I shouted unknowingly creating what was later known as our motto like the Lanisters debt thing.
"Death?! Not today!" they repeated happily.
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