Dander

His back hit the snowy ground, as it had every day since he started sparring with Jaime. "Are you alright?" Dander looked up through the slits of his helmet, "Of course!" he answered the blond. Jaime grinned, his smile as dazzling as his golden armour, and extended his hand, "Need some help?" Dander nodded and grabbed hold of his friend's forearm.

It took Jaime all his might to pick Dander off the ground. After which he had to catch his breath, "I really don't understand how you can move in that armour." Dander chuckled and picked his poleaxe off the ground, "The gods take and give." Jaime nodded solemnly and turned towards their camp. "I still don't understand why he's coming with us."

Dander turned to see who Jaime was talking about, he frowned as his eyes landed on the rather large Merrett Frey. They had never gotten along with the other squire. But it had come to a brutal fight when Merrett mocked Dander. Jaime, enraged, had challenged the bully to a duel. The following fight ended with Merrett bloody and bruised and Jaime standing above him, a splintered sword in hand.

"If we're lucky someone will beat some sense into him at the tourney." Dander said as they headed toward their tents. Jaime chuckled, "I'll do it myself if no one else manages." That made him laugh, "I'll be the one to do it, no need to worry."

As they entered the nearly disassembled camp, Lord Sumner called out to them, "We'll be heading out soon, don't worry about getting changed. It'll be good for you two to learn to ride long distances in full armour." They both nodded and changing directions headed towards their horses.

It wasn't long till they were back on the road heading east, passing farmers and villages. It was refreshing for Dander to be back in the wild, with that familiar smell of nature around him. Jaime chuckled from next to him, "Are you reminded of home?" He nodded, "It brings back memories."

"Like what?" Jaime asked, an eyebrow raised. "Family, friends." Dander's gaze switched to the hills covering the land before them, "My mother, she was strict sometimes, but once in a while she bought me something I really liked. Now that I think about it, I notice that I was quite a difficult child. Having to raise me by herself must have been hard."

He turned back to Jaime and saw the older boy, looking to the ground, grief in his eyes. Dander was about to ask what had happened when he stopped himself. Jaime wouldn't want to touch the topic, that just wasn't him.

Dander sighed and turning back towards the road, watched, as the great green fields of the Reach passed by.