Sellsword Ch. 03

We spent the rest of the time cuddling, kissing on her bed until I had to leave her, and with a kiss on her lips I left for the courtyard fully dressed in my armor, with my sword and dagger on my belt.

As I reached the courtyard, Robert was saying his goodbyes to Lady Catelyn. Fresh snow was falling now draping the entire castle in a snowy blanket.

Lady Catelyn and Robert spoke some words, and I saw her crying as he kissed her promising to return to her.

As we both took to our horses, saddling up together I saw Serass stand at Lady Catelyn's side with her hands entwined at her waist watching me now fully dressed.

I smiled, and saw her smile back at me warmly.

With us both saddled on our horses, we said our farewells and rode out with our forces into the snow, and towards Southwood.

Two Days Later, Outside of Castle Southwood, Ancestral Home of House Brackon

We reached the outskirts of Castle Southwood within two days of hard riding through the snow, and as we reached it some of our loyal forces were already encamped around the Castle besieging it.

There were a half a dozen siege weapons, already propelling their deadly payloads at the castle's defenses, and its walls.

As Robert rode into the siege camp, everyone bowed to their Liege Lord, and Warden of the North in respect.

We both dismounted our horses, seeing the damage the besieged castle was taking. Most of its walls were crumbling away, and two of its four sentry towers were destroyed.

"How long until the gates give way, and we can implement entry into the keep?"

Robert asked a sergeant-at-arms who was commanding the camp, a Knight of some name.

"Not long, ma'lord. A few more hours, and the gates will become parchment for us to cut through."

Robert nodded.

We set up camp within the siege camp, extending its size and numbers considerably.

As night came, fires were burning away, and cook fires as the soldiers ate and drank out the siege. Castle Southwood only had so many supplies, and provisions stockpiled they could live off, at most a month or two they could withstand starvation.

As we ate suckling Pig, and Boar the Castle was living on the provisions they had inside which did not compare to what we had.

By morning, the gates of the castle were destroyed beyond repair, and we all mounted our horses to attack.

"Are you ready to get Lord Brackon, Koran?"

Robert asked me unsheathing his sword, as he sat atop his horse.

I nodded, unsheathing my own sword on my own steed.

"Good man, let's go!"

He roared like a bear to us all, including his forces that had abandoned their siege weapons for the ground assault.

We charged, with as many mounted horsemen as us ahead of us. Men-at-Arms, spear-men and arches ran behind us in formation.

We rode together, me and Robert through what remained of the Oak gates.

There were a few guards of House Brackon attempting to hold the gates, but as I rode at Robert's right flank I slashed my sword out, killing two guards as they attempted to use spears against me.

We rode together, and I saw Robert cut down three soldiers and one Knight who attempted to take him on mounted on his own horse, but Robert cut the Knight's head almost clean off in the melee and the body fell from its horse.

Soon inside the courtyard, directly outside of the castle's keep we faced two dozen soldiers and a few knights who attempted to block our entry.

But our archers cut them down from behind us, with crossbows and long bows. We rode into the yard, and cut down whoever was left to stop us.

With all resistance gone, we dismounted our horses as walls and towers around us burned and crumbled into disarray.

"Inside, no harm is to come to the Brackon women and children. They are to be taken as Wards for House Icefold. Any soldiers who stand in your way, cut them down."

Lord Robert ordered to his men, including myself.

We used a battering ram on the last gate of the keep, breaking it down into splinters of wood. I eventually caved in, and we ran inside. Inside the great hall, women and children of House Brackon were at the back as a dozen soldiers stood between us and them.

Lord Brackon himself like a coward, was hiding behind his wife and children in full armor.

We were all on foot, wielding swords, maces, and spears. Soon the melee broke out between us and the guards, but we cut them down. I killed a Knight in full-plate armor who strode towards me, and after parrying some of his strikes I cut my sword deep into his thigh and with another swipe opened his throat.

Another stupid young Knight, barely in his new armor for long blocked my path. He was no match, I cut him down severing his head from his body. His helmet still on clanged to the floor, in a pool of blood.

"Move in! Do not hurt the women or children."

I shouted out to be heard, and Robert repeated it for me in good measure in his Lordly voice.

The last several guards stood in our way, defiant to their last breath.

But they were made short work of by myself, Robert and two swordsmen.

There was panic crying from the women and children, as Lord Brackon hid behind them and his Oak throne.

"Grab the little whelp, we'll execute him in the courtyard."

Robert ordered, and I strode forwards past the dais and behind the throne to grab Lord Brackon by his neck and drag him out of the great hall, as he screamed and begged for his life.

"Guards, stay with the women and children. No one is to be harmed, understood?"

The several guardsmen he had left to protect the women and children nodded their consent, and he strode out behind me into the falling snow once more.

In the courtyard surrounded by loyal Lords and vassals, and their men Lord Brackon was begging for mercy as I dragged him by his neck into the snow. He even kicked me in my leg, so I gave him a kick back for his defiance.

He should have had some courage, to face Robert's sword like a man.

I threw him to the floor.

"On your knees, Lord Brackon."

I ordered him, and slowly he did as he was told begging and praying to the God and Goddess for intervention, and mercy.

He was a portly man, not a warrior with a large stomach and graying beard and hair.

Robert walked past me clutching his great broadsword in hand, no longer the long sword he used in battle.

"Lord Rostak Brackon, you are hereby found guilty of treason to the throne and to your Liege Lord, and Warden of the North. House Icefold has always carried out punishments personally, like my father and his father before him I will wield the sword that takes your treasonous head. Your children, and wife will be spared as will your family. They'll be taken in as Wards to my House, and when the time comes they will be allowed to return here to Southwood to rebuild your House and by the God and Goddess's will, they will bring respect and honor to this House once again."

Robert strode around Brackon as he pissed himself in the snow, blubbering like a child for leniency. Robert wielded his sword with gloved hands, and looked down at Rostak.

"Do you have anything to say in your defense, Lord Brackon?"

He was still pissing himself, blubbering to the God and Goddess. But even the God and Goddess punish disloyalty, and treason to a good Lord who never once raised his sword, and nor did his father for any small slight or matter as Rostak did with House Bricon.

"I beg for your mercy, Warden! I beg it! Let me live, so I can bring that same honor and courage back to my House. I will serve your will better than before, I will be your loyal vassal once more."

But Robert had already made promises to take Rostak's head for his treason.

"I am sorry my friend, but you had a chance to do that when you were invited to take your pledge of allegiance. You put your wife, family and your children in danger and even hid behind them, trying to save your own life over theirs. The God and Goddess watch over you, for you will be punished for these sins in the snow and ice."

Robert turned and brought his broadsword up over his head, and with both hands on its handle he brought it down on Rostak's head severing it from his body in one swipe.

There was a splutter of blood from the stump of his neck, and his body slumped sideways into the snow still.

"May they have mercy on you, for I shall not."

Robert sheathed his broadsword onto his horse, and turned to me.

"It's over, courier arrived this morning with news that Clairemont and Toras fell within a matter of hours."

I nod.

"That's some good news."

Robert nodded.

At that moment the guards who we had stationed to watch over the women and children of House Brackon stood at their sides, as they watched their father, grandfather's body slump in the snow.

"Take the women and children, and Lord Brackon's family inside to collect their things and prepare them for travel to Oakwood."

Robert shouted at the men, who nodded hearing them inside the hall once more when I noticed a young blonde girl, Brackon's eldest daughter Christine watch me and Robert, alongside her mother Lady Juliet who had matching hair of her daughter and piercing blue eyes.

I hoped they had no thoughts of taking up a sword to House Icefold, because even Robert could not take such an act of defiance without taking their heads.

All of Lord Brackon's children were over the age of eighteen, as was his son Michael and they were all ordered to collect their things for travelling to Oakwood. Castle Southwood was handed over to a Lord vassal of Robert's for safekeeping until the time came for Robert to hand it back over to the Brackon heirs.

Within an hour, the new Wards including Lady Juliet and her daughters and son were saddled on horses, and we rode for Oakwood at haste.

They said nothing, the youngest of them were being comforted by their mother after seeing their father's execution.

As we rode into Oakwood, Lady Catelyn with her hand maidens next to her including Serass greeted us all.

But I couldn't break away to see Serass, first we had to speak to the Brackon children and their mother about their new roles as Wards in Oakwood in the great hall.

They were all ushered into the great hall, as the wood fire was prepared and candles decorated the hall. There were a few guards standing by in case the children, or Lady Juliet attempted to escape.

Robert sat in his chair raised on the dais as Warden of the North was expected to be seated, with his wife at his side and Serass at her side. Sir Reynolt and I were stood at his left side staring down at the small group of a dozen women, and one young body. Lord Brackon's heir to his House, and Castle Southwood.

"Lady Juliet, and Lord Michael of House Brackon. Due to your father's treason, and turning on his Liege Lord, and me he was executed for this defiance. I gave him two chances to stand down, I offered him an invitation to Oakwood here to bend the knee, to prove he was not harboring treasonous plots against me, he refused. He then held on, and did not surrender his forces at Southwood, Clairemont or Fort Toras. I would have forgiven him, and let him live if he had taken my pledge of allegiance, I would have even let him live had he stood down his forces but he did not. Your father was defiant to the end, Two chances of mercy were more than enough, I am not a fool to offer him mercy after he took battle to his Liege Lord. And so I decreed from the moment of his defiance, that you and your children, his family would live and serve as Wards to House Icefold, until such a time I deem right for you to return to Southwood and regain your father's House and return to being a loyal vassal to me. You will not be harmed, mistreated or punished for your father's crimes. You will be looked after, treated like high-born ladies that you are, and you Michael as his son. You will one day take over his role, and serve me from Southwood. Until that time, you are my Wards, my guests and sadly in some form prisoners here. It is not a punishment, you are being treated in the best way I could think of short of executing you all for his treason. My wife, Lady Catelyn will find suitable quarters for you all and roles here in Oakwood. Michael, you will be brought up to fight for the honour your House once stood for, under my Castellan Sir Reynolt Tollar, he will teach you how to fight, how to hunt and when I have the time I will tutor you myself. Are these terms deemed reasonable by you all?"

He asked Lady Juliet, and the young Lord Brackon as they were the ones to make the final decision.

Lady Juliet sensing they had actually got a good deal out of all of this mess, stepped forward, holding her son by his shoulders to support him.

He was barely eighteen seasons old, with a growing stubble beard across his jaw, and blonde hair like his mother and sisters.

"These terms are deemed reasonable, Lord Icefold, Warden of the North."

Young Lord Michael said in a very young voice, trying to sound authoritative as his new role expected of him.

"Then there is nothing more to be said, or done. Lady Catelyn will show the girls and Lady Juliet around the grounds, Castellan Tollar will show you to your quarters and let you know the layout of Oakwood."

Robert said standing from his chair, and everyone bowed in response.

Everyone slowly dispersed, no more need for guards to march the Wards around as Castellan Reynolt came over to Michael, and gently ushered him out into the courtyard. Lady Catelyn with Serass did the same with the women, and their mother into the castle but obviously followed by two guards.

It was too early to lax our security of these new Wards, and hope they didn't try to hurt or kill Lady Catelyn in private.

I knew I couldn't be alone with Serass with this new duty of showing the Wards around, and setting them new roles. That would probably last all day long, so I sat at the table as Robert lifted the great chair he just sat in and placed it at the table. We both sat down, as the guards left us alone in the hall together.

Wine and food was already prepared for us on the table, and so he poured me a goblet of wine and one for himself.

"How many men did we cut down at Southwood?"

He asked me.

"About ten a piece I think."

He laughed, but it wasn't a joyful laugh.

"I really did think Rostak would have laid down his arms, surrendered when we besieged Southwood."

I looked up from my goblet of wine.

"Would you have let him live if he had?"

Robert looked at me.

"Honestly, yes. But the moment he chose to take the battle to us, at that moment there was no going back. I had to take his head for that insolence, that defiance. I gave that stupid old fool two chances to back down, to save face and still live and both times he threw it back in my face Koran. If I hadn't taken his head after that, the South wouldn't respect us. The King would have feared his Warden had gone soft up here, and maybe he would have thought of replacing House Icefold. They may still think we are weak, after making Rostak's whole family Wards, instead of taking their heads for their father's crimes."

I moved closer to my old friend, seeing he was hurting inside.

He was a bear of a man, but even bears have hearts and Robert had one great one in himself. He had proven that today.

"It is never said, taking people as Wards is soft. It's a legitimate tactic you can take, the South knows that. Had you let Rostak live, then yes they would have thought you were weak. But you did it, and you did it well Robert."

Robert drank his wine.

"What about young Michael? What do I do if he is harboring revenge in his mind for his father, to perhaps take up the sword once again once he returns to Southwood?"

I looked at his eyes, he looked so tired and drained.

"Another matter, for another time Robert. He's your Ward, he's not threat yet and when he does become one we'll deal with it. You were merciful to House Brackon, and his children."

Robert laughed, but it wasn't a happy one either. More full of malice.

"That slimy little cunt hid behind his own children, and his wife to avoid my sword. Using them like shields, I've never come across such a man to do that in my life."

I drank my own wine, still both of us wearing our battle amour and weapons.

"I never expected that of him, he was a coward, and defiant to the end."

"His children saw it, they witnessed his cowardice. Maybe Michael and the ladies will see you were more of a man, than he was."

I said trying to support Robert.

"Maybe."

Was all he said in response, there was a short silence of us drinking together until Robert spoke.

"I really thought I missed war, when we rode to Southwood. But when I had to take Rostak's head, I came to realize. I don't miss it, I would rather avoid war and bloodshed altogether."

This was a new side to Robert, I had never seen before. He was a man who was at my side in battle, who seemed to enjoy fighting. But I hadn't seen him in a few years, and he had obviously changed. He spoke like a real Lord, the true Warden of the North would. Peace was only on his mind, but sadly if it came to it he was willing to fight.

"Hopefully no more war comes, Robert."

I said raising my goblet, and he slowly clinked his own against mine.

"I hope so, Koran."

We drank for hours afterwards, speaking about things ranging from war to how House Icefold was faring recently. We spoke into the night, reminiscing about memories we had fighting alongside each other, and the women we bedded.

*****

All feedback is appreciated, please let me know if you like this series and I will continue it. I believe this is one of my better works I have written.