From Westeros to Essos : The Crusader King
It had been a moon since Konrad had started getting trained by both Ser Tyrek and his cousin and while the young boy didn't complain even once about the pain and the struggle one had to go through, neither Tyrek nor Andar could believe just how much Konrad had progressed in such a short amount of time.
Yet that was just the beginning of his journey, something all three of them were clear about, especially the young boy, who by now realized just how hard the path he had chosen to walk was.
"Care to have a go, cousin?" Andar asked with a grin.
Konrad turned his head and saw his older cousin coming towards him carrying two wooden swords. Between sparing with Tyrek or Andar, Konrad would always choose his cousin, mostly because even though he was losing, Andar wasn't too hard on him compared to Ser Tyrek who would punish him with even more spars.
"What's your preference, Ser Royce?" One thing he learned about his cousin was that every time he would call him Ser Royce, Andar would always grimace at that name, almost like he didn't believe he deserved to be called like that.
"The usual, my dear squire. First one to be hit losses." Andar smiled as he put a hand on his sword before, he whirled and drew it sword. It was by no means a kid's toy, but it was still not metal heavy kind of a sword, which even though he tried once, Konrad was unable to lift from the table. Yet, despite that, the wood was still painful enough when getting hit by it.
Before Konrad could react, Andar whirled his blade up to the high Woman's Guard, trying to teach his cousin that there was more than one of cutting someone.
At the same time, Konrad stepped, moved one foot off line, and suddenly he had his sword in two hands. Still trailing out behind him. Not wanting to give his cousin an easy time, Andar circled to his right, forcing Konrad to step in, his sword rising to make a flat cut at Andar's head.
Andar easily parried Konrad's cut with his sword, then counterattacked with a quick thrust at his cousin's chest. Konrad barely managed to dodge the point of the blade, feeling a sharp pain in his ribs as the wooden tip grazed him making him stumble back, trying to regain his balance and catch his breath.
"Come on, Konrad, you can do better than that!" Andar taunted, smiling confidently, something that Konrad was not keen on watching. "You are a future lord! Come on cousin fight back!"
Konrad gritted his teeth, cursing his inability to fight properly. He did have the memories of a Teutonic knight, but they were bluntly speaking not made for his young body. Yet, the years of training were still there, helping the young lord in the long run. Ignoring his pain, he charged at Andar, hoping to catch him off guard by swinging his sword wildly, trying to hit any part of his cousin's body. Sadly, for the young lord, Andar easily dodged and blocked his attacks, before putting some distance between them.
"Is that all you can do cousin?"
Another failed attempt and another taunt from his cousin, that's all it took for Konrad to finally understand what he was doing wrong. Not wanting to lose again, he tapped into those memories, trying to channel them into his sword and his body. He tried to ignore his pain and fatigue, to overcome his fear and doubt, and to act like a knight, not a child.
Using everything he could remember, he waited for Andar to make a mistake and more importantly to lower his guard. As he watched his cousin's movements carefully, Konrad saw Andar raise his sword for a high cut, exposing his left leg, and before his cousin could realize that, the young lord seized the opportunity and swung his sword at Andar's leg, hoping to hit him hard and make him fall.
Truth be told, Andar was surprised by Konrad's sudden attack. He didn't expect his cousin to be so bold and aggressive. He tried to block Konrad's sword with his own, but he was too late and his cousin's sword hit his leg.
Andar staggered back, losing his balance and dropping his sword. He looked down at his leg, seeing a bruise forming on his shin while Konrad, stood over him with a triumphant grin. The young lord was all a smile, happy to win against his older cousin.
Or so he thought.
A few seconds ago, just when he lost his sword, Andar grabbed one of the smaller swords that he had strapped on his leg and pointed it at Konrad's chest, slightly putting some pressure on the boy's chest. When Konrad saw his cousin smiling wackily at him, he knew he lost.
"Nice try, cousin. But you forgot one thing. One must always be prepared for the worst. Ser Tyrek taught me that." Andar paused when he saw the look on his cousin's face. "But don't worry, Konrad, you did exemplary good
After Konrad and Andar left the yard and walked inside their home, a man who looked like he was not enjoying at all the heat of Myr, quickly got up from his hiding spot before making his way down an alley. As he walked towards the alley, looking around to make sure no one was watching him, the man couldn't help but curse his look as well as his lord for leaving him in this bloody place. Just as he walked into the alley, thinking that he could finally go back home, he felt something piercing his leg. When he looked down, he saw an arrow going through his leg.
Not being able to do anything in his situation, the man grabbed his sword and prepared for whoever was coming after him and that was when he saw a figure standing over him. A man wearing chainmail and holding a crossbow in one hand while at the same time having his other arm close to his sword. But as someone who fought in the Rebellion and saw the King's Landing sacking, the man recognized a Lannister when he saw one.
"Lannister!" He spat on the ground, wincing in pain.
Aiming the crossbow at the man, Tyrek decided to find one more about the one who wanted Konrad dead. "Who sent you?" Tyrek asked in a cold and stern voice. "Who wants Konrad dead?"
The man looked genuinely surprised when he heard Tyrek's words. He had expected to be killed on the spot, not interrogated, but then he quickly remembered that his lord had told him that their target was being hunted down by sellswords and assassins.
So rather than giving the man any information, he decided to play dumb, hoping to buy some time or find a way to escape.
"Konrad? Who is Konrad? I don't know what you're talking about. Please, don't kill me. I'm just a poor traveler who got lost in this city. I don't mean any harm."
Sadly, for him, his rather thick Northern accent made Tyrek doubt his decision to attack the man, after all the Northerners could be everything but child murderers.
As someone who was raised in the King's Landing, Tyrek was not fooled by the man's poor attempt at lying. He could tell by his thick northern accent that he was not a mere traveler, but a spy or an assassin sent by someone who wanted Konrad dead or mayhaps someone who was just searching for the boy's whereabouts.
Nevertheless, he decided to press the man for more information, hoping to get some answers. He grabbed his sword and knocked the man's sword out of his hand with a swift strike before pointing it at the man's chest, threatening to pierce his heart if he did not cooperate.
"Don't play games with me, you scum. I know you're lying. You're not here to see the sights, you're here to kill Konrad. Now tell me, who sent you? Who wants Konrad dead? And why?" Tyrek demanded, pressing his sword harder against the man's chest. "Speak, or I'll make you bleed."
The northern man winced in pain before accepting his fate. "Fucking hell, Lannister. You've got me. I'll tell you everything, just don't kill me."
He took a deep breath and said in a raspy voice, "I'm one of Lord Reed's men, from Greywater Watch. My lord sent me here to find where the young lord lived, so that his father, Lord Hand, could reunite with the boy."
When he heard the man's words, Tyrek's expression changed from anger to confusion. If Howland Reed had sent his men here, then by all the Seven, by now the Starks and even Lord Arryn knew where Konrad lived.
"Does Lord Reed know about this place?"
"Yes, ser. One of my friends followed you from Pentos before sending a letter to Lord Reed which in turn sent more men to watch over the young lord." The man paused for a second to look down at his wound before continuing. "Seven attempts, that's how many times we protected the young lord from sellswords over the last two moons. Now will you fucking help me?"
Since Lord Reed already knew about this place, there was no point keeping it hidden so instead of killing the man like he should, Tyrek decided to help the man and brought him inside the house surprising both Konrad and Andar alike. After all, this was the first time in years, that another person had walked inside their home, not to mention a wounded man.
Ignoring the stares of the two boys, Tyrek helped the man to the nearest empty bed before he rushed to get a bucket of water and some cloth.
While Tyrek was busy taking care of the wound of the northern man, who had introduced himself as Benjen Slate, Andar, who had been watching the whole scene, decided to ask Tyrek, who the man was.
"Ser Tyrek, who is this man?"
Looking at Andar for a few moments, Tyrek just let out a sigh before explaining everything to his ex-squire. When he heard the explanation from Tyrek, Andar didn't know how to react, but thankfully for him, he quickly realized that now that their home had been found, they would have to leave Myr and find another place to live. And that meant that they would be vulnerable to attacks on the road.
Before he talked thought, Andar took a look at Konrad, who by now, went back to read his new book about the dance of dragons, seemingly ignoring the elephant in the room.
"We are leaving tonight then?"
"We are, Andar. I want you to prepare our essentials and get Konrad ready, while I and our new friend here talk about something. Once you are done packing go outside where our horses are and wait for me there.
Hearing Tyrek's words, Andar nodded and left to pack some of their things, while Konrad followed him reluctantly, still holding his book. Tyrek and Benjen were left alone in the room, where they could talk more privately.
At the same time, Benjen looked around the house, which was spacious and comfortable, with fine furniture and decorations making him wonder just how the ex-kingsguard managed to get such a fine house.
"What will you do with this house, Lannister? It's a shame to leave it behind. It's a nice place to live."
Tyrek shook his head before answering in a grim voice, "We can't keep any more thanks to you and your friends. And while I even paid the man whom I bought the house from, well for his silence and discretion, I doubt he'll keep his word once we're gone. If you want it, you can have it. I'll give you the key and the papers. You can do whatever you wish with it. Stay here, sell it, burn it, I don't care. It's yours."
He tossed the key and the papers to Benjen, who caught them with surprise and gratitude.
"Thank you, Lannister. Frankly, we could use a house in Myr."
"Also, if it wouldn't be too much of a chore, the young lord has a letter for his father that he wants to send to him. Would it be possible for you to send it to Lord Stark and from there to Lord Arryn?"
Benjen was surprised to hear that, but there was no reason to deny it, after all this worked in his favor.
"No problem, ser. I think I can send the letter before the end of the moon. Is that all?"
"That's all, Slate. Now if you excuse me, I have to get ready to leave this place before more prying eyes come here and bother us."
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