บท 19: Chapter 18

Time waits for no man and war rages on.

Weeks had gone by since Robert's defeat at Ashford. Coming out injured with a pierced shoulder from an arrow shot by the Elden Lord from about 300 paces was the talk of the war so far. No one has ever hit someone from that range the fact that the rebellion almost ended if only Robert was a few paces backwards.

The Elden Lord moved his troops towards Duskendale to join up with their forces only to Reach there and realize the royal army had moved on to the Stony Sept chasing Robert. They decided to stay and protect the way to the capital until their return.

He took that opportunity to drill his men more in the ways of war. Their formations. Attacking together in units of three, a regiment of them would carry large shields to block attacks and arrows while having long pikes to skewer incoming men and behind them will be archers raining death from above.

They trained in this way for months before they got news of the defeat of the royal army in the Stony Sept by the rebellion by Ned Stark who protected Baratheon.

Jon Connington was a mess. He felt that if he was more ruthless he would have nipped the rebellion in bud. He returned to the capital to inform the king. Aerys was wroth with him and exiled him, stripping him of his lands and titles. Jon left Westeros the next day in grief.

The royal army converged together and was led by Lord Velaryon. We had some skirmishes with the rebels. Small victories here and there, some losses too. I had gained a lot of fame for my strength of arms and army as we tore apart army after army with me slaughtering men left and right. I earned another moniker, The Stranger's Son.

Westerosi nicknames are weird I tell you. We heard Maidenpool was about to be attacked. I and 5000 men were dispatched as reinforcements. We arrived to see a battleground with dead men littered all around.

'Fire and Blood!!!' I screamed as our battlecry and so did my men as we started galloping to join the fray.

From atop my horse I cut a bloody path towards the centre of their formation. I saw the two men wearing House Mooton's banners, must be Myles Mooton and his brother Jonos Mooton. They were being attacked by a huge hulking man with a war hammer and were barely holding on.

Before I could reach them Jonos was killed with a hit to the head by the hammer. Myles was hysterical and making mad attacks while who I believe is Robert Baratheon blocked everything with his shield.

I approached Myles quickly from behind and dragged him behind me as Baratheon's swing almost took his head off.

'Ser Myles! Leave and rally your defenses. Leave him to me!'

'Never he killed my brother!' Ser Myles screamed as he got back to his feet and readied himself for battle once more.

'You are outmatched, my friend. If you fall your house will be in dire straits. Leave him to me.'

Ser Myles looked at me before he took off towards Maidenpool. I looked back at Baratheon and smiled,

'You escaped me last time. My regret is that I didn't end this rebellion early.'

'Come at me, cunt.' said Robert as he readied his hammer. I readied Destined Death.

'I have given thee courtesy enough.'

We immediately clashed weapons trying to overpower each other. I was surprised. This is the first man in the same strength class as myself. If I remember correctly my super soldier Serum only improved me to the human peak of this world.

So Robert Baratheon is the peak of strength in this world. Good to know.

(Ps: Robert is the normal human peak, Gregor Clegane breaks the upper limit of strength abit.But that comes with its own issues.)

A deadly dance of steel unfolded as I dodged another hammer swing while my blade was cut into his shield. He swung and missed then punched me in the chest which pushed me back.

'You know what? Fuck this!'

I started using mental computation to slow down how I perceive time by pumping myself with adrenaline. I saw Robert going for a swing from the left I dodged under it and all of a sudden I was behind him. I swung Destined Death across his back cutting both armor and skin.

Baratheon screamed briefly before trying to gather himself and try again but as he turned to attack me I slashed through his armor again from the front in the shape of an X. With that he fell to the floor in pain.

This is it… I just need to stab him right here to finish him. A whistling sound was heard briefly as an arrow embedded itself into my shoulder.

I was shocked. In panic I tried to find who it was but all I saw were more arrows coming at me. I retreated quickly out of their range constantly moving as more arrows kept coming. Eventually I found a regiment of my mine and collasped within their formation. I looked over to see men wearing House Selmy's banners dragging Baratheon onto a horse and escaping with him as the rest of their army retreat.

'We defeated those rebel scums!!' screamed Myles Mooton from the battlements as men cheered along with him. Personally I was tired. I almost killed Robert again this time personally. I am not sure if I should report that to Aerys. The madman might strip me of my titles as Connington. No. News should not officially reach him of how close I was.

I met with Myles and told him about my fears that can he remove that part from the battle reports. He said men will talk about it regardless, I countered as long as it is not from an official source Aerys won't care. He eventually caved in and agreed.

As for me… well I am more or less done with the war. I have helped out as much as I can. I still have not gotten any rewards for my service. I am not a dog and Aerys most certainly is not a dragon. I decided to move my remaining men (1200) to Dragonstone to help protect House Targareyan's ancestral home.

As I languished on Dragonstone there was chaos brewing in the rebel camp.

[Ned Stark Pov]

'Robert!!!You are still not well. Sit the fuck down.' I said chastising my friend who almost got himself killed by a minor lord they overlooked at first but no longer.

We heard the report of the battle from Arstan Selmy who saved Robert's life as one more second his head would have been removed from his shoulders.

'Bah. Pox on that. Selmy get over here.' said Robert ad Selmy came closer.

'Do you know who that knight was?'

'Yes. He's quite famous in some circles. He has even defeated Arthur Dayne before. He was Queen Rhaella's sworn shield before he became a lord. Quickly became one of the richest minor lords. Even you, Lord Stark should have heard of him. The new glass gardens in the north are from him.'

Someone who helped the North prepare for winter almost cut down our cause.

'Arstan… in the battle you saw if Robert challenges him again how will it go?'

'I am sorry my liege but you will die even faster. He was not taking you seriously until you punched him. After that he methodically and quickly broke you down before almost killing you. I recommend we all stay away from him on the field.'

Robert was in a complicated mood. After the maesters closed up his injuries he was told that he would be scarred for life from those three strikes. He didn't have a problem with it but this is the first time he really felt his mortality in this war. He was a dead man walking only because of the courage of the Lord of HarvestHall.

'Selmy when we win this war ask me of any boon and I'll grant it.'

'Thank you my lord.'

After Arstan left leaving only Robert and I, I sighed and picked up a glass of wine and drank it.

'The Elden Lord ehh. That man killed about a dozen men to reach me. Saved that Mooton boy all before he almost killed me,Ned.'

'But you survived. That's what is important. We need up and about soon to boost morale. You have had an aura of invincibility throughout this war. Sorry to say but it's gone. You need your damn charisma to carry us to victory.'

'I know I know. I will have to put a lot of fuckers in the ground to build it up again. That guy… Ned if you see him move to another part of the field. You can't beat him.'