personal6

Greyjoy rebellion part 1

289 AL

Edmure POV

At the Seagard, I have served as a squire to Lord Jason Mallister for three years already. He has accepted me in his household with open arms. Lord Jason is an honorable and courteous man, never have he raised his voice at me, he was a good teacher too, taught me how to joust, how to sail, and many other things. His son Patrek was a couple of years older than me, and way too different from his father, he isn't as half as courteous or honorable as his father, he likes to drink and women, well he has talent at hawking, which he taught me.

So he became my best friend, the hawks are such amazing birds, they are way too smart, Patrek has shown me how they can easily find his or her partner, how they can get back to their home, from anywhere in the world. It gives me ideas, so I have asked to be given a hawk too but was refused, as I have to learn how to care for them first before I could get my own.

As time went being here, I learned a lot and become quite loved by smallfolk, merchants, and highborn alike. My reputation as a studious and dedicated young man has spread a long way, but that wasn't enough, it was just a start. Soon the war will start, I wish I could warn Lord Jason of the coming attack, but I couldn't, I shouldn't know of it, I could say I had dreams, about it, but Greenseers are considered heretics, and the most devout people would hate me for being one.

"Do you want to have some drinks with me at the tavern?" One day Patrek asked me. "I heard a new girl have come to serve, and she has the biggest tits, in the Seven Kingdoms."

"Yes, yes, and most diseases in her cunt in the Seven Kingdoms, I am not interested, I have the training to do," I answered him as I always do.

"Come on, you're already five and ten, you should have more fun, so what if you miss a day of training?" He replies to me.

"I am just five and ten, so what if I miss some fun?" I reply.

"You and your clever words, you know that there are girls all around that would love to meet with the heir of the Riverrun." He tells me.

"Yes, and try to use me for something," I tell him back. "Thinking that I am just some boy, they will tell me sweet words, oh, and look after a year I have a bastard, now she will demand me to support him, I am not interested."

"Ah, always thinking of the worst, fine be grumpy old man, I going before father finds about it." He says to me.

"I know, I know, I will tell him that I have not seen you and don't know where you have gone," I tell him, before he could ask me to do so, it wasn't the first time he has done so.

"Ha, that why we are best friends." He laughs and leaves for the town.

As Patrek left to have some fun, I went back to the courtyard to continue my training, with a few knights sparring with me and giving me pointers. I wasn't great at swordsmanship, but long hours spend training made me better than most. Still, I knew that a war was coming, so I have dedicated more time and effort to my training than ever before.

Jason POV

Looking at the courtyard where Tully boy was sparring with other knights brought me a smile, at first I thought it was just another ploy for Hoster to wiggle for more power, but even if it was, I am glad I had Edmure as my student. Teaching him was satisfying, he was a focused young man, I know he has some kind of goal he wants to accomplish and that is very admirable. Most boys his age are aimless, without a purpose, just doing what they are told to do, being what others wish for them to be.

But Edmure Tully wasn't such a boy, he has set his goal high, whatever that goal is, it lets him focus fully on the things he must do. If only my own son was as half dedicated as he was, then I wouldn't have to worry so much, damn him and his whoring and drinking. At least Edmure holds him down sometimes, otherwise, I would fear the worst.

Taking a last look at the boy, I went back to my solar, the times seemed to be uncertain, the Greyjoys have been gathering forces and I can only hope that they don't think of doing anything foolish. Well if they decided to come to my lands, I would throw them back to the seas, still, I will have to watch out for them in the coming years.

It is time to think of Patrek too, of his future, he would not do it himself, but I only have one son, and if something would happen to me, I couldn't trust him to look after Seagard. So much work I have to do, and I am not getting any younger, maybe one of the daughters of ser Keryl Vance would be fine for him, it was said that they are quite beautiful.

Edmure POV

It was another day, just like any, Patrek boasting about the girls he has bedded and how much he had drunk. Lord Jason, lecturing him, of his lacking proper behavior, and then commenting how he could learn more from me and Patrek just laughs at it, not taking it seriously. So when a bell rang three times from the Booming Tower, Lord Jason got tense as everybody else who has heard it, it was the first time in three hundred years that this bell has rang.

"To arms, to arms." Lord Jason yelled.

"Lord Jason, what it is?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

"The Ironborn, go to your room, Edmure." He told me.

"But my lord, I am your squire, it wouldn't be honorable for me to leave you in the battle," I reply to him.

"You still too young, my boy." He says.

"I am already man grown, my honor compels me to follow you to the battle, please my lord." I pleaded with him.

"Fine, you stubborn fool, but you won't leave my side, do you understand me?" He agrees and asks.

"It is my duty to follow you, my lord," I answer him.

"Very well, get armed and meet me at the gates." He orders me.

So I went to the armory and got my armor, my shield, and sword, I was sweating, as fear and anticipation fell on me. Having fastened my armor, settled my helm on my head, and readied my sword, I left for the gates. At the gates I saw Lord Jason with his winged helm, readying his horse, as the stable boy brought me Rain and I sat of my stallion and rode next to Lord Jason.

"Be prepared, Edmure, I know that you're a skilled warrior, but this is a battlefield, everything could happen, don't get lost in the heat of battle." He tells me and then turns to others. "Men! Those Ironborn fucks think they can just come here and do as they want, lets show them how well our swords will cut them, let's bring them back to the sea, where they came from."

With his booming voice and words, the knights and soldiers readied their swords and as the gates opened, we rode to the town with a fierce cry. In the town, some buildings were on fire, I could hear screams from houses, it didn't take long to meet our enemies. The Ironborn were on the foot, charging at us like some madmen, I followed Lord Jason, as we trampled the fools.

Riding on my stallion, I cut someone's head in half as he wasn't wearing a helm to protect himself. It seemed that it was common for Ironborn to wear light armor at best. We were pushing them back to sea, as Lord Jason has said. I cut one after another, as adrenaline filled me. Going further and further into the lines of the Ironborn, I felt like there was nothing that could defeat me, well until someone knocked me off my horse.

"What do we have there? A fish among the eagles." Said the man who knocked me down as he swung his ax at me.

Rolling to the side, I quickly stood up, but now I have lost my shield and sword, I knew, I should have brought a second weapon. The man looked at me and smiled, running at me with his ax, swinging at me from above, I had to fall back to avoid it, but then he just kicks me at my guts, my plate armor with the symbol of my house, didn't help me much there. As I fell to the ground again, he brought his ax at me, while holding me with his knee. Taking the ax shaft with my hands was the only thing I could do, to stop it in front of me.

"I will cut you like a fish you are." He taunts me as the ax blade closes to my neck.

It could have been the end of me, if his head didn't fly off his shoulders, I just looked at the headless body with shock, as blood fell on me.

"Are alright, Ed." Patrek comes to me and lifts me up. "Father told me to look for you as you weren't near him."

"I fine, I think so, shit, how is the battle going on?" I asked and wiped the blood from my face.

"Ha, father has killed the Greyjoy boy, who was leading the Ironborn, now they running back to the sea." He laughs and holds me up.

Looking around, I could see only dead Ironborn, and the blood that was running everywhere, the smell of it all was too overbearing for me to take. So I took out my helm, and dropped to my knees, as I emptied my stomach, I was surprised to see that Patrek was fine as he holds my shoulders.

"Don't worry, the battle is won, I still remember the first time I fought some bandits with my father, a couple of years ago, you're were still too young to come with us." He consoles me.

"I fine, we should go back to Lord Jason," I said after wiping the vomit off my mouth.

"If you say so." He agrees with me and we go back to others,

When we come to Lord Jason and see that the Ironborn ships are burning, it dawns on me that the battle is truly over. It was a short battle, the fools have decided to rush at us while wearing lightly armored, or no armor at all, we just went through them like a hot knife through butter.

"There you are, Edmure, I told you not to separate from me." Lord Jason says to me.

"I'm sorry, my lord." That is the only thing I could say.

"Well, at least you are fine." He replies. "Go get cleaned up and rested, we have a feast to prepare for."

With those words, he pats on my shoulders, and I went on to my room. After having a bath and dressing in clean clothes, I went to a dining hall, where men were celebrating the victory. Patrek took me to his table and started to boast how he saved me, then told of my great struggle against an Ironborn.

Deciding that it would be best to leave him to it and taking his offered drinks, in my defense, I wasn't thinking straight. So when at that point, I was too drunk to remember what happened next, wasn't my fault. The last thing I remember is that more and more men started to get drunk, the singing and dances followed soon. At this point, my memories left me.

The next morning I woke up with a splitting headache, not realizing where I was, looking around I found myself in my room, just that I was on the ground and Patrek was sleeping in my bed. Feeling the urge to vomit, I went for the pot. I never will get drunk again.

…

After cleaning the mess up, I dressed in presentable clothes and went to have breakfast, as I felt how empty my stomach was at the moment. After having a light meal, as I could not eat much, if I wanted to keep it inside of me, I was summoned to Lord Jason's solar.

Thinking how much he will reprimand me, for failing to follow his orders, I took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Only after hearing Lord Jason's invitation, did I stepped inside, seeing him standing by the window, looking at the town, beneath the castle.

"You have summoned me, my lord," I say.

"Yes, do you know why?" He asked.

"Because of my failure to follow your orders yesterday," I answered and lowered my head.

"Nonsense, lad, I wasn't any better at your age, charging straight to the battle, without thinking for anything but my boiling blood." He tells me. "No, Indeed I was worried about you, but I knew you could protect yourself."

"Then why have you summoned me, my lord?" I asked with relief, I thought I have disappointed him.

"The King is coming here, to go and beat the Ironborn at their islands." He says. "I wanted to ask if you wanted to join him."

"I have disgraced myself, my lord," I tell him. "I wish to redeem myself."

"I see, you always were a dedicated lad." He replies to me. "I will speak to the King and ask for you to squire for ser Barristan when they arrive."

"I don't understand, won't you come too?" I asked confused.

"No, I have sustained an injury, it would be foolish of me to go fight another battle so soon." He answered me. "Seagard wasn't the only place attacked it seems, the Lannister fleet was destroyed, so now lords have gathered with the King and are marching towards here, the rest will come from Lannisport."

"I see, what of the Ironborn fleet?" I asked.

"It was destroyed by Lord Stannis Baratheon." He answers. "I don't know the details."

"When are we expecting the King?" It was my chance to prove to myself that my dream isn't just a dream.

"In next week." He told me. "Now go, and get prepared."

"Yes, my lord," I replied and left the solar.

Jason POV

Damn the lad, almost getting himself killed and I had to knight my son for saving his life, who become too smug about it. Still, I can't blame him, he has done fine for himself riding through the Ironborn with nobody to stop him. Everybody was the same, as your blood starts to boil and you feel like nothing will bring you down, you don't look back, but only in front of you as the enemy stands in your way.

The lad was already beat down about his actions, there wasn't any more reason to reprimand him. If only my own son would learn some humility, damn him now he will become even more reckless, becoming a knight.

With the King nearing, I have to prepare ships and supplies they would need, damn my shoulder, I have strained it fighting that arrogant Greyjoy.

Once this war is done, I will need to rebuild my town, find a wife for my son that would keep him in check. Edmure's time here will come to the end, I know that he will earn a knighthood in the coming battles, and with it, he won't have a reason to stay. In the time he spended here, I come to look at him as my own son.