Chapter 167

Inside Castle Black, he could see a large number of men had gathered and were trying to watch something in the middle.

Cheers of Bolton, Starks, Umber and Karstark made him realized that the boys were probably having a spar.

Curious, he climbed the stairs to get a proper look at the spar.

In the middle of the large crowd that filled Castle Black's courtyard to the brim, he could see a small circle in which the Bolton boy was fighting against Robb, Smalljon, Harrion and Jon Snow.

He rubbed his eyes looked at the scene once again.

He had not heard anything about Domeric Bolton being a swordsman. From what he had heard so far, he expected the boy to be a commander who sat on his horse and watched the battle from the back of his forces.

To fact that the Bolton knew not only how to swing a sword but was rather good at it was surprise for him and everyone else judging by the stupefied looks on their faces.

He watched as the Bolton darted in between his four opponents. He blocked Robb's swing, locked blade with Robb and then swung the Winterfell heir in a feat of immense strength until Robb was being used as a shield against the other three opponents.

Then the Bolton head butted Robb before kicking him toward the other three, forcing them to scatter after which he quickly went after Harrion Karstark who tried to block the flurry of attacks coming his way but failed miserably due to bad footing and was disarmed before the other could come to his help.

Jon and Smalljon quickly joined the battle but Robb didn't.

He looked back and saw Robb kneeling on the ground with the help of his sword and clutching his stomach with the free hand in the place where he had been kicked a moment away from the Bolton.

It seemed like Robb was out of the fight as well.

He looked back at where the Bolton was fighting Jon and Smalljon simultaneously, moving around the field quickly so that he would only have to fight one swordsman at a moment.

Then the chance came. Smalljon let out a battle cry and broke the unspoken agreement between Jon and him to fight from a safe distance.

The Bolton used this chance to maneuver Smalljon between himself and Jon.

Smalljon didn't even last a second.

One moment he was letting out a battle cry and attacking the Bolton, the next moment, in a feat of great skill and agility, Bolton had him down on the ground, disarmed and disoriented.

Now only Jon and Bolton were left.

The whole castle was filled with the chants of "Bolton! Bolton!"

Even the men of the Night's Watch who he thought hated the Bolton were openly cheering for him.

Then again, their choice was either the Bolton or the bastard.

And who would cheer for the bastard.

The spar went as expected.

Jon did not show a sudden increase in skill and manage to last longer or even turn the tables on the Bolton boy.

The difference between their skill was just too great.

Jon was disarmed a few moments later, with the Bolton's blade pressed against his neck.

And here he was thinking about even cheering for the bastard. If only because he disliked the Bolton boy.

The whole castle burst in cheers after the last opponent was defeated and the Bolton boy showed himself above the common masses by giving the bastard a hand and helping him up.

Then he smiled and waved at the spectators, showing his pearly white teeth while doing so.

By the Drowned Gods he wanted to punch the ponce in his perfect teeth.