26 Traveling through the Vale

There is something is going on in the castle , And I could feel it in the air. Because for some reason most of major lord in Vale hurriedly leaving the Eyrie . And I think lord Arryn secretly ordered his most trusted bannermens to prepare for something.

I know that Jon Arryn knows that war is coming and he's already preparing for it. If I think about it , It is Jon Arryn who will actually declare the war in the first place . Well it's 281 AC and I have lots of time so there's no pressure for me, So I should enjoy the time I'm here in Vale.

So Lord Royce , Lord Redfort and Lady Anya Waynwood and her son and hair Morton Waynwood is also leaving .But yesterday they invited me to visit there home I could not find a valid reason to refuse so I accepted the invitation. And packed our stuff to ride to there castle Ironoaks.

Morton and I truly get along with eachother very much and he's a good sparing partner and always liked to learn some new moves . And also we talked about being a father , And how the new experience to become one .

His little brother Donnell is getting along with my squires as well . And he expressed that how envious he was that my squires has already traveled to 4 kingdoms out of 7 and also the capital.

And lady Anya Waynwood is in her carriage taking glance from the Windows . And some times having some small conversation with me. I talked with lady Anya about the queen of thrones how she and her son used my singing talent to entertain her guests but instead of reward she threatened me to leave her castle .And also some jokes about how foul mouthed Ollena Tyrell was, And that made this milf laughed.

I kinda know every intelligent woman like to think her self superior to other .I could see that she's quite happy that I'm bad mouthing someone maybe she doesn't like, Or that I'm complementing her about how beautiful and intelligent she is . I some time looked at Morton who is talking with Rick whom I gave one of my sword to carry, And I can see Rick explaining my sword to Morton like it's some kind of lightsaber and he just observing it like a hawk. But did not even care about someone is flirting with his mom ? . So anyway, I was back to the conversation I having about the Reach with her.

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Oh I know that everyone likes to be complemented and especially woman who concerned about her age . But in my eyes she is in her prime and it will take at least five years to fade the beauty and body she has.

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And this mature women is widowd twice and she didn't take another husband after that. But maybe she thinks everyone is Lost interest in her or thinks that she's cursed. And I know lots woman have that kind of history in westeros. or maybe she's just feeling a little lonely and seeking some attention .And I could see that her son's are keeping there distance. And they are spending too much time seeking glory and other stuff. So when I felt that I was free enough with her, I asked her some personal questions. And what I learned it actually made me sad.

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So I also spoken to Morton about it too .I could see that Morton kinda openly dislike her because she is still the regent of Ironoaks and his is matured and also having hair of his own and could not call himself lord just hair.And that's what he complained to me that his mother is a power hungry woman who won't give him his birthright . I could understand that staying in mother's shadow is making every lords to look down on him and that leaves him kinda friendless. I also could say that he's a oaf like Mace Tyrell in a different way. That's why lady Anya is still in control of the politics of his house . And Morton is not suitad for politics, he makes lots of wrong decisions. like me actually too friendly with strangers, So i just told him that I will speak to his mother about it if I can.

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And her other son Donnell is squiring for his older brother and having great ambition to become a knight of Gate. I know it's a highest honor in Vale , To guard the Bloody Gate that has been never taken. So he spends his most of the time training .

And lady Anya's youngest son is fostered in another place and won't return at least 7to8 years. Hm... I bet that she doesn't get along with her daughter in law as well. Because if I think about it ,her daughter in law that she's pregnant so it's Lady Anya's duty as a mother in law to stay with her, right ?

I kinda understand how lonely she is because of her family dynamic . Ok somehow I think I'm getting involved in someone else's family matters , And that is a dangerous thing I should stay away from it.

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We're riding nearly day in this mountain Roads, It has become the night time and we started to make our camp for the night. Tonight we're making some chicken barbeque. Also I have brought some fine wine that Robert gave me . So we made a small party night with it.

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But we did not know that it was a bad idea to make fire in the night . The fire might scare the carnivore animal but it also attract some unwanted people as well.

I was sleeping in my tent but I waked up for some reason . And my instincts is telling me that danger in coming so i waked up two of my squires that is guarding my tent from there dreems . I have to punish this two later .

" Ahm Rick ,Colt wake up , wake up you idiots"After waking They stand straight in confused manner but I told them " wake the Others and arm yourself Now " . After taking in what I ordered them, they hurriedly left . But I could see were surrounded by nearly 30 to 40 or more people in the woods , And they are are coming straight to our camp . This is bad the Waynwoods are consist of 25 totally but 18 of them could fight and rest of are maids and servants of lady Waynwood. I shouted at everyone in the camp "Ambush" . I was still shirtless because it has been sometimes that I liked to sleep this way . And main reason is I have companions .So I started getting more confident in my abilities ,So i liked to sleep without armour , And I don't have time to wear one.

I could see that the Waynwood gaurds in our camp is readying themselves and I saw ser Morton is also with them ,and he took circle formation around his mother's tent and the battle begun. I'm quite impressed with there fast response , well it's basically there own lands and something like this is always expected for them .

But why did this mountain raiders attacked us now ? I actually don't know but if they want me dead then I could only guess that's bloodreven is behind this . I know he has certain amount of control over those that share the firstman blood. And I know how to stay out of varys the spider or I could take some measure against him . But bloodreven doesn't have those restrictions so I'm kinda helpless in that front if he thinks that I'm a threat to him. But I don't think sending some mere savages is enough to kill me, Because this body is basically made for killing them. Or he's just testing my capabilities , Because this mountain men's are basically vikings without armour or ship's. And this Warden body just love's killing them.

Or I'm just simply being paranoid about everything . This ambush is just might a coincidence , But I don't think they attack people with a group this big ? well that doesn't actually matter now.

So I just started my one sided chopping and slashing at this none armoured savage mountain peoples, that coming at us from every direction . Me and my subordinates are doing well and we already killed dozen of them.

But that can't be said for the Waynwoods and I could see few them already lost there lives . So I signaled at my subordinates " Rick ,Claw,Alfy, Morty go help Ser Morton and Hale and Colt you both take wounded in to the tent... Now" . And with a nod they just ran there to help and defend there group .

And I just started running around with my sword slashing that poor souls just came in front of me like a shinigami, I feel like I'm dancing around the battlefield . And I could count that I already killed 20 of them. After that I returned to the main tent . But one thing that puzzled me when I looked at their corpse, It's that none of this savages is under 25 Year old at least . And why is it important ? because they only took the best of there clan for some mission that they couldn't japordice.

But when I came near the main tent the casualties of our side also not good . Because nearly all of guards they brought is laying dead and also Morton is on the ground bleeding , And one my subordinate too and another one howling on the ground with Both hands on his left eye, And 4 of my subordinate and two of the guards left , They are fighting the same amount of group . And Rick duleling with one my sword with big ugly man who also has a sword that glistening with damascus pattern . So this guy is the leader of this bunch , And he just injured my subordinates and a friend with that cheat sword . I'm truly pissed right now and death would be a mercy for him . I ran straight at them and I just hit his head with flat side of the blade and he just blacked out . I will torcher him later. Rest of the raider started running now that there leader is down . But the real killing is started when people that starts the retreat.

I just looked all around me , And all I can see is dead body . The experience is nothing very extraordinary , Because it's like I have already done it lots of time.

I saw Rick who is exhausted and two of the gaurds that left after this chaos. " Rick go help Colt and stop his bleeding , And you Ser's hurry and take off Morton's armour and apply some pressure on the wounds. " Then I looked at Morty " Hale take Morty inside ".

Then I heard someone scream inside the tent.

"Alfy Claw with me " then we entered inside saw two of the raiders have gotten in by cutting the tent from other side . And body's of servants laying everywhere and one of them has grabbed lady And the other one grabbed Donnell . Then one of them spoke " Take one step and I will break this pretty woman's neck ". And before I could reply Claw just throw a dagger at his forehead and he just dropped dead. Then I grabbed lady Anya before falling. And I just looked at the other savage asked him not so politely " I give you two options one if you harm him you will die in most cruel pain and the second you escape with your life "

Clever , he choosed the second and ran into cut area of the tent that they created to enter.

And I just signaled Claw and he took the dagger back from the dead and imbedded it on the that cowards back .

Out of all of my subordinates only Claw is most ruthless I must say . And learned most of my knife throwing skills .So i let him hold on to one my blacksteel dagger.I never thought this could be very handy in a situation like this.

" My lady are you okay did they hurt you anywhere ?" I asked her but I know she is not okay. but she did replied" Yes I'm feeling a little better now, you have my thanks Ser for saving me and my son " then she looked around and after seeing the dead body's she just put both hand on her face and started to sobb in my chest .

But then she remembered something and asked me " Where is Morton ser , where is my eldest son ? " the concern on her face is evident , So I replied to her " My lady he is injured but nothing serious he'll live" . after hearing my reply she and Donnell ran outside the tent.

We also came out and saw her crying besides Morton . When I looked at him he's sleeping and both Ser's did a great job at stopping the bleeding with a fresh clothes.

Then I looked at Colt who is unconscious, he was slashed from behind in his back .Hale is cleaning his wounds . Then I looked at Morty who seating near and his both hands keeping pressure in his left eye with some clothes . He lost one of his eyes , and I know that his in great pain , I looked at my other subordinate " Rick did you cleaned his wounds properly ? " . And he replied " Yes ser I did and also used some alcohol to clean it " .

" Great "Then I knelt down to speak with morty "Morty can you speak lad ? " he just looked at me with one tired eye." Eye ser I can can , I just lost an eye not my mouth " he replied.

Well he's in good spirits .

" Hm.. good then, that damn mouth is all we need , and don't worry ones we take you to a Maester you'll be fine. "

Then I took Rick Claw Alfy Hale and two other knights and collected all the body's and burned them and that took us whole night. And the leader of this bunch died in a horrible manner because we cut all of his limbs.

So in morning I told the Two Ser's to ride fast with extra horse and bring the Maester and more guards with them when they return.

They looked little hesitated but I reassure them that I will protect there lords and lady with my life . Then they took permission from Lady Waynwood and hurriedly left for the Ironoaks to get help.

We also took whatever supply we could .And we put Morton , Colt and morty in the carriage with his brother Donnell and Alfy will drive the carriage .So Lady Anya will be riding with me and Stromwind wii have to put some extra weight on his back again so I told my horse " sorry buddy " and he replied with snort .

So we resumed our travel and lady Anya started to guide us as much as she can .

(AN) sorry for the writing quality guys.

And all of your comment is always appreciated no matter the purpose it is ment.