EPTChapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Geoff (Incontrol)
Markus’ tangled brown hair danced to the rhytm of the southern breeze. The twenty year old general’s fingers could feel the earth of the Riverlands for the first time in his life, but Thorzain had no time to enjoy the soft green grass. He sprang to his feet and charged at Geoff, the longsword burning with fury in his cold hands. Geoff jumped back and parried, but then pressed the attack. His long two-handed greatsword was made for executing crushing blows, not for blocking them. The swords greeted each other and were driven apart, only to meet again. He had the reach on Markus’, but he didn’t have a shield to block incoming attacks. Offense was the way to go here. High, low, overhand, he rained down blow after blow on Thorzain, so hard that the iron kiss produced fiery sparks of yellow. Sideslash, overhand, constantly attacking, following him around and driving him further and further back. He hacked, he slashed, again and again and again, faster, faster and faster. Thorzain did not break, he never did. Markus had always bragged about his unbreakable defense at feasts, but sometimes even the boldest of brags are the plain truth. Breathless Geoff took a few steps back, and pointed the sharp end of his sword at the soil, giving them both a moment of respite.
“Not bad. I think you’d have a good chance against my mother”, Geoff grinned.
“Based on your swordfighting skills I shouldn’t be too worried. However, based on your appearance, she might very well be a nine feet high mountain giant, in which case you can consider me absolutely frightened.”
“You’re lucky this is just practice, I wouldn’t hurt you”, Geoff smiled mockingly.
“As if you could.” Markus answered with words and then with steel.
Geoff whirled the greatsword above his head, and dropped it down upon his friendly foe. He continued to press the attack for minutes, hours, years. His sense of time slept when his sword was awake. The dance went on, blow after blow, cut after cut. The swords rang and sang as they hit each other in a clash of thundering steel, and suddenly Geoff was the one being pushed back. His sword didn’t sear into the sky as high as before, his blows didn’t follow each other as quickly as they did a few minutes ago, and Geoff realized he was defeated. He felt the blunted steel hitting his leg, and fell to the ground. Markus stood above him laughing, his sword pointed at Geoff’s throat.
“Maybe I should be the King in the North,” Markus smiled.
“There’s always someone better, I’d rather meet you in the practice yard than on the battlefield. You’ve surprised me with your skill. Next time I see your mother I’ll tell her how big you’ve become, and then she will way the same about me.” Geoff said.
“You seem to have forgotten all about the sword at your throat… your Grace.”
“Clearly you haven’t. Your mother also never forgot about my sword.”
“Get up, fat king, before I really do it”, Thorzain laughed.
“What...I’m just a naturally big guy. I am not fat.”
“You armor disagrees, I can softly hear the joints crying out of misery. Let’s go eat now, I heard we’re having wild boar tonight. But maybe you should go for a few raw carrots instead.”
“I hope your military advice will be as hilarious as your jokes, general Thorzain.”
They had established their camp at the northern edge of the Riverlands. They were officially in enemy territory, yet Geoff did not expect any resistance until they reached the Twins. The river Trident ran through this green valley, and the only way for an army to cross it was the bridge of the Twins. House Merlo controlled it, and they were sworn to the Roots of Riverrun. Charging the castle head on would be a messy affair, Geoff hoped someone would come up with a plan at tonight’s dinner meeting. He did not fear the military strength of House Root, but he would not underestimate them. Steven Bonnel lead the armies, and he was a devious one. His skills with the sword had never been impressive, but this very imperfection made him so dangerous. He didn’t think like a warrior, he would not leave his castle riding towards glory with a shining sword in his hand. No, he would step from the shadows into the light where you’d never expect it, and then crush you. Geoff expected him to stay in Riverrun, and use the castle’s high walls and the natural river, that forced besiegers to split their army into three separate camps, to make up for what he lacked in numbers. Until the lions of House Satouri arrived at least, only then could he risk leaving his fortress and meeting the power of the North on the field.
Their dinner tasted and looked superb, as it always did in the general’s tent. Bearskins decorated the cloth walls, while drinking horns and skullcups dressed the table. Geoff took his place at the head, with Benjamin and Markus by his side. A brewing heat warmed the air, and the smells of roasted pork and boar filled the tent. Geoff and his twelve generals enjoyed the small feast, while discussing their next move. He would consider it a rathr tedious affair if his generals didn’t come up with at least six reckless plans to either charge the front, perform sneak attacks that were actually reckless frontal charges at dusk or dawn, and one brilliant idea that was no more than an overly complicated frontal charge, which would no doubt get half of the army cut to pieces.
“I say we jump them, just like that. BAM, the bastards will be death before they realize what for the gods is fucking them up so hard!” The Greatjon, a 7 feet high beast with a long and thick grey beard, of House Umber said.
“One.”
“No, no, no! You have no sense for military planning, mate. I say we wait till night, and then jump them!" Lord Kastark’s idea was approved with a couple of loud yays!
“Two.”
“GOD NO. You’re all wrong. If we want to take that bridge, all we got to do is use a small taskforce to infiltrate the castle while we storm the walls, and let them open the gates for us!" A slightly intoxicated lord Dustin yelled.
“Three. The castle is integrated into the bridge, there’s only one accessible wall. If there’s one men in the entire north that can climb a heavily protected wall unnoticed, I will eat my boot. No, I will eat both of my boots.”
“You are all thinking this through too much, what we want to do is attack at the first light of morning. Every Northman is worth ten southerners, twenty if they’re still half asleep!” Lord Mormont of Bear Island said.
“Four.”
“BY THE GODS NO! Listen up ya oafs, I have thought out a scheme. We will send down small boats, canoes if you will, underneath the bridge. When night falls these men will grapple themselves up and invade the castle from beneath. When they’re inside they will shoot a flaming arrow, which will indicate our main army to move twenty yards forward. Then when they are near the gatehouse, they will fire a second arrow. If it’s a blue flame, we move ten more yards forward. If it’s the green flame, we TAKE OUR LADDERS AND RAMS AND COMMENCE THE BUTCHER WORK, THE KING IN THE NORTH!!!” Lord Glover bursted out in joy upon sharing his plan.
“THE KING IN THE NORTH”, all except Markus roared the words.
“And five, the sixth one will have to be good to top this.”
“We don’t have to fight at all, “Markus said.
“We are of the North, of course we will fight mate!" Benjamin laughed.
“A guest arrived before the feast, an emissary if you will. He requested to have a word, and I have granted him so much. My lord, please enter.”
The man stepepd from the shadows into the light. He wore a dark hood and a lush sable cloak. His brown beard was neatly trimmed, and his face younger than one would presume for a man his age. Two dark leather gloves went up towards his head, and slowly pushed the hood down.
“Greetings, your Grace”, he tittered.
“Bonnell…WHAT IS HE DOING HERE, MARKUS?” Geoff couldn’t believe this, was his general really stupid enough to let him into the camp.
“Don’t worry, your Grace, devious plans are not the reason of my presence. Why, devious schemes against you aren’t anyways." He giggled.
“Speak, or lose your head.”
“O, then I better get my tongue moving. I come here with a proposition, one that will interest you greatly. Surprisingly very little backstabbing involved, at least not aimed towards you. I understand you want to take King’s Landing, and my own sweet Riverlands unfortunately stand in your way. You could solve this with steel of course, which your generals are a big supporter of, I do not doubt.”
“I am a big supporter of it too, if that steel would happen to take your head off.” Geoff’s eyes had grown dark with anger.
Bonnell sighed. “Always so…violent, I myself am a man of great peace.” He put his hand on his heart and smilingly said “Nothing but love in here.”
“Love and a sword if you don’t get to the point.”
“Hah, where was I.”
“You know exactly where you were.”
“Indeed I do. As you know Ilyes Satouri, the young lion, great, great man is coming to join my defenses. I am filled with joy!” Steven mockingly said. “Yet, I have no love for him in my heart. Nor for king Dongraegu. I do have love for these strong, brave rebels. Fighting for what's good, your motivation comes from a place of love, and my heart is all about love." He was amused by his own words.
"I directly command half of the Riverland’s army. If I join you, more, if not all, will follow for sure. And luckily for you that’s exactly what I want to do! Bring the wine, we have to celebrate this joyful news!”
“And why would we trust you, all you do is lie. And it's all you've ever done.”
“True...and true. "I expected my", he sighed deeply, "troubled past would make me seem like...a fraud." He shook his head in disgrace. "That's why as a token of good faith, I will get rid of the Satouri’s for you. All of them.”
Geoff considered these words for a moment, he did not like the man, but any ally was welcome these days. The crown had them heavily outnumbered with the recent Satouri support. Yet words are wind, and no one blew harder than Steven Bonnell.
“You mean to close your gates when his army arrives?” Geoff asked.
“O no no, I will open them." He giggled again. "Give that handsome boy a cup of my finest wine and some roast beef! He and his men will go to bed as happy as they ever have. Knowing the boy he will be head over heels in love with some Riverland whore. Will sleep joyfully, like a rose.” He tittered.
Bonnell poured himself a cup of wine and took a long sip. "Mmmmmhhhmmmm, you have good taste my lord." He locked his deep brown eyes at Geoff's and smiled with an evil twitch.
“And then I will close the gates, and slit their throats. Ilyes Satouri will go to sleep a butterfly, but he will wake up a worm.”
