50 armored, and armed knights stood in my keep with hands on their swords, staring at me.
Ser Brynden the Blackfish sat in a chair that I assumed was meant to normally keep court with. Although, it might as well have been a dinner chair, for all the grandeur it had.
No wonder my father never stayed here.
"I will ask once, and you better have a damn good answer. What was that out there?" Brynden asked. "Keep in mind that all these men are knights. Knights that keep to the Faith, to the Seven."
I took a deep breath, pondering on how to continue. I could lie and say that I had no idea that would happen. Nobody would believe that, hell I was traveling with a damned weirwood in my bag as far as they know. They would think it was my plan all along.
So no lying.. Might as well be the truth then.
"It started after Brandon sliced my chest open." I said while drawing a line with my finger over the scar underneath my clothes.
Or at least a half truth.
Nobody asked any questions, so I decided to continue.
"They were dreams at first, at least I thought they were. I dreamt of the Maester walking the halls of Riverrun with milk of the poppy in his hand, headed to my rooms. In my dream, when he opened the door to my rooms I would wake up and he would bje entering with the exact same look on his face and vial in his hand."
While I was telling the story, I made sure to look around to all the men in the room with me. I made it a point to look them in the eye and hold it. I wanted to portray that I was being sincere, when I really wasn't.
"I dreamed of Yohn Royce standing in his bronze armor winning the melee in Harrenhal. And so I bet on him to win it when we arrived. Did I not Ser Brynden?" I asked as I pointed towards him.
"Aye, you did." Brynden said with a nod.
"It all changed when I rode with Lord Tully to Raventree Hall. Were there any men here that were there that day?" I asked.
"I was." Ben said, with his arms crossed in front of him. He looked at me curiously, but not with the same weariness the others did.
"I visited their famed tree one night, curious about the dreams I had been having. I had a wound on my hand from sparring, almost healed. I used that hand to touch the tree and it took blood from the wound! The next thing I knew, the tree was in full bloom. If you were there, Ben, then you'll know it's true!" I said pointing to my friend.
"Lord Blackwood said it was a blessing from the Gods and a good omen for Lord Tully." Ben confirmed my story.
"Why did you hide it?" Brynden asked quickly.
"Because of this?" I said as I spread my arms around me. I said it quickly and emotionally to get my point across. "I was born in the light of the Seven, same as you all were. I did not ask for this, I was given it."
"Given what?! What is this, Petyr!?" Brynden roared as he leapt from his chair.
I clenched my jaw as a bit of anger seeped into me. How could I have been so stupid? I should have just planted the tree at night like I had planned. Instead I had to go get myself killed.
"The stories call it greenseeing." I said, finally revealing what I was. "I am a greenseer."
It became quiet in the room then. The silence lasted a long time. The entire silence I was pondering on just how to get out of the situation. Could I kill them all? 50 knights in a confined room? Hell no. I might get through five before I was stabbed to death.
Fuck.
What if I could get some of them on to my side?
"COME ON OUT NOW!"
All heads in the room turned towards the door, as we had heard where it came from. I knew what it was immediately. There was no doubt in my mind that the rest of the mountain clan that had taken over the village was outside.
Apparently the knight closest to the door didn't and he opened the door quickly.
"No!" I cried out.
The door opened, and immediately a spear was shoved into the knights throat, beneath his helm. The attacker withdrew it quickly. Ben, as he was close to the door also, acted quickly and shoved the soon to be dead man away from the door and closed it quickly.
I immediately pushed past the knights and moved to the stairs, to get on top of the tower and look down at our attackers. I climbed the stairs to the third floor, where I found a bound and gagged naked woman on the Lord's bed of the keep.
I pointed to her. "Get her unbound and clothed." I said to the knights who had followed me up.
I looked around the bedroom but didn't have time to take it's details. All I wanted to know was if there was a way to the roof. There wasn't. Of fucking course. But there was a stained glass window on either side of the room. One looking towards the village, another towards the sea on the other side.
That was a luxury that not many people could afford. How in the fuck had my father paid to get them installed?
It didn't matter, that was our saving grace.
I moved back downstairs quickly until I found Brynden and the other me. He looked at me with a glare. "They've got the door surrounded." Brynden grunted.
"I've got a plan." I said. "I need ten men." I called out to the knights huddled around the room with their swords out.
Ben stepped up immediately with a nod, but literally nobody else did.
"What are you waiting for you ingrains, go with him. You, you, you, go!" Brynden yelled at his knights. Ten of them joined me immediately. I almost asked why he trusted me. He hadn't even asked for my plan or anything. It gave me hope that he would put this greenseeing business in the past.
"When you hear fighting outside, charge!" I told Brynden before moving up the stairs with my men.
We reached the third floor quickly. "Alright, we're going to bust these two windows out at the same time. We'll do the front, to make it seem like we're trying to gain information and talk to them. The back we will use to scale down and flank them." I said as I drew my sword.
Ben drew his quickly not challenging anything I said. Luckily for me, I didn't have to explain myself to the other men. Maybe it was because they knew it was a good plan.
Once he was in position I held up my fingers. One, two, three! I stabbed.
The crash of glass could be heard, and I quickly rid the window of any shards that might cut us on the way down.
"Fuck you!" Ben yelled out the window before stepping back quickly.
Immediately a spear flew into the window and hit the ceiling before dropping to the ground.
"That got their attention." Ben said with a shrug before moving over to the other window with me.
"I'll go first." I said as I looked out the window. There was nobody that could see us fall down, thank the gods, the new and the old. Luckily there was a smooth patch of grass to land on before it turned to a small cliff. I stuck a leg out of the window and motioned for Ben to grab my hand.
"To make it as short of a fall as possible, lower me as far down as you can." I said as I took his hand. "Do it for every man, we don't need anyone to break a leg in the fall."
I motioned to another random knight to grab my other hand. He paused for a moment, before gaining his manhood again and taking my hand.
I shimmied myself out the window, quickly depending on them completely. I was light however, much lighter than the rest of them.
"Let me go on three. One, two, three!"
They let go and I looked down to place my feet correctly. I hit the ground with a thud and hard impact before rolling with the momentum. It wasn't that bad, all things considered.
Now to repeat it with ten more men.
It took a while for someone else to gather the courage to stick a leg out, and I thought that they abandoned me at first. But sure enough, Ben's leg was next. Next thing I knew he was falling, and with a grunt he landed and rolled as I did.
Horsemanship training was good in this scenario. It is important to know how to fall as a knight to avoid injuries.
One by one, nine more men fell to the ground.
Then I realized one detail that I hadn't thought about. There was hardly nothing to shield us from the sight of the men if we rounded the corner of the Keep. And I didn't know if ten men could defeat the rest of the clansmen on the other side.
No, we would need to flank wide enough that they wouldn't notice us.
I moved to the edge of the small cliff, only to see a shorter fifteen foot drop to the beach below.
I didn't even hesitate. "Follow me." I said as I crouched down and vaulted over the edge onto the sand.
The men grumbled but followed me quickly.
As soon as the last man had made it, I began jogging down the beach to the north. Everyone followed me. We ran for about three minutes, at a decent pace.
The first opening I saw to get back over the natural sea wall, I took. I climbed up the man made stairs in the wall and peaked my head over to see how far we were. The mountain clans were about 200 yards away and I deemed that enough for us to sneak around. So I kept myself low to the earth and bent over as I ran west, to get out of the line of sight of our attackers.
Another 100 yards or so and I turned south to make it back towards the village. This time though, I did not stay upright and instead sprinted towards the village where I eventually made it to the back of a house.
Seven of the knights behind kept up with me and arrived shortly. The other three were a little out of shape and arrived sucking in deep breaths of air.
We stayed there behind the huts to catch our breath. Nearly every living thing was near the tower, waiting for the showdown that was bound to happen soon. It had been about 15 minutes since they had confronted us.
I carefully peaked my head around the hut.
I found about 70 mountain clansmen facing opposite of me, around 40 yards down the main road. They were in no sort of formation, just kind of standing around waiting for a fight. I also saw Gimli, about 20 yards away along with the other horses of our party. Someone must have moved them out of the way for the fight. It would be smart to take the horses after they killed us, after all.
A plan formed.
As I looked around however I found that we hadn't gone unnoticed. My eyes found the eyes of some of the townsfolk hiding in their houses.
None of them said a word, they only nodded towards us. At least I had the support of my people.
I turned back around to the knights who had caught their breaths at this point.
"The horses are between us and them. We will mount quietly but quickly. It is much harder to kill a knight on horse back and we will have reach." I said quietly. "I will mount, and kill the leader with my bow. Once the arrow looses, we charge. We need to distract them enough to let the rest of the men out of the keep and into the fight. Understood?" I asked.
Ten nods.
I nodded back and looked around the house once more to make sure we were clear. As soon as I saw we were, I began moving quietly.
A commotion happened then, and I saw Brynden at the top of the window yelling down at the men below him. A perfect distraction. He must have seen us and figured our plan out quickly.
I reached Gimli and mounted him quickly, grabbing my bow and an arrow. The other men made a lot of noise getting on the horse, but with the distance, and the distraction from Brynden nobody turned around.
The last man mounted and slowly drew his sword while taking up a shield. I nodded.
I took a deep breath, aimed for the most important looking person, and shot. Immediately, I leaned forward for Gimli to charge while drawing another arrow fast enough to activate Quickdraw.
The leader fell to an arrow in the neck.
I shot twice again before someone alerted them to the charging cavalry behind them. Two people died from arrows in the heart and neck, and then I dropped the bow and drew my sword.
For the mountain clans, who fought unorganized and spaced out, a Calvary charge was deadly. Gimli ran over one man as I sliced the neck open of another.
All eyes turned towards us, and Brynden took advantage of it immediately. While I trotted around the battlefield deflecting spear thrusts and dealing death with my sword, ten more men got out of the door and charged into the mountain clans. Soon it was 50 knights against about 50 mountain clansmen after the charge.
In the end we lost two men, one of whom was a man that charged with me and the other was the knight who opened the door and took the spear to the throat.
To summarize, it was a massacre.
I jumped down off of my horse when it was all done. Bodies lay on the ground, dead or bleeding out. Knights sat down, nursing wounds and cleaning blades. The towsnfolk crowded around, now that the fighting is over.
"Peytr Baelish!"
I turned to where Brynden Tully stood with a sword in hand, a smile on his face, and bodies laying on the ground around him.
Well shit. I had hoped they forgot about everything. I thought as I assumed what he was talking about.
Brynden walked towards me, with all eyes on him. I still held my sword in my hand, and prepared myself to go toe to toe with the legendary Blackfish. He walked up to where he was within arms distance of me, but he did not raise his blade.
"Kneel." He said.
Dread pooled in my stomach. He meant to execute me? After I had just saved our lives? Had we not gone on with my plan and just tried to run out of the door, they would have picked us off one by one.
The muscles in my arm twitched. Then cheers and howls from the knights around me clued me in to what was really happening. Ben had a smile on his face, as did most of the others around him.
I was being Knighted…
I dropped to my knees before Brynden quickly and dropped my sword.
"In the name of the warrior I charge you to be brave, as you have this day. In the name of the Father I charge you to be just. In the name of the Mother I charge you to defend the young and the innocent. In the name of the Maid I charge you to protect all women…"
With each sentence, Brynden touched a sword to each of my shoulders. And at the end of it, he brought his sword up to his chest pointing at the earth beneath him.
"Rise Ser Petyr Baelish, knight of the Seven Kingdoms."
Ping!
Ser Petyr Baelish title attained!
Commander status attained!
Please pick three options to continue!
Commander Talents
Slot 1: Slot2: Slot 3:
Cavalry Gathering Support
Locked** Peacekeeping Attack
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Commander Skill unlocked!
Unrelenting Charge! (Advanced.)
Troops under your command charge headstrong into battle giving them 5% strength and 5% stamina! Cavalry troops receive 10% strength, 10% Stamina!
Locked**
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Locked**
I dropped my head, to pretend like I was praying, while I was actually concentrating on the game.
Cavalry, Peacekeeping, Attack.
I stood up and waved at the people clapping and cheering. It was a good day.
"Petyr, come talk with me for a moment."
I followed Brynden into my keep with a smile on my face. We had been working since the end of the battle and my knighthood, cleaning up the bodies and piling them onto a pyre that had been hastily erected a good distance in front of the new weirwood tree.
Tonight, we would light it and have a small feast. I still had to go out and collect a pig and deer for such a thing however. There was still plenty of daylight to accomplish the task.
"What did you want to talk to me about?" I asked curiously as we got out of hearing distance from everyone else, even if I knew deep down what he was going to say.
"You were brave today." Brynden said.
"Thank you." I said, but left it at that.
"But do not think I have forgotten about your magic, nor have the men." Brynden continued. "You gave me a good excuse to get rid of you as a squire without dishonoring you, I want to be honest with you. Enjoy knighthood, and tonight, for it will be the last time we speak to each other, gods be willing. You're no longer welcome in Riverrun, or near my family."
And then he walked out of my keep.
I stood there for a moment, a little shocked by the admission by Brynden. I knew that he thought it was a bad thing for me to know. I knew that he wanted me to torture myself with the information.
But honestly I was happy. That was literally the best outcome I could possibly imagine for the scenario. In fact, I had to force myself from not crying out in happiness lest Brynden change his mind.
Now I just need to convince Ben to stay.
I held my breath, and loosed the arrow in my hand.
I drew another quickly as my first target dropped to the ground, dead from an arrow through the eye and into the brain. It's kin took off into the woods, but it didn't make it five steps before my second arrow hit it right behind the shoulder, piercing it's heart. It tried to moved a few more steps before it's body finally gave out.
"Your skill with a bow is outstanding honestly. Two boars in ten seconds, amazing." Ben said from over my shoulder. "Why did you even bring me with you? How did you even know they were here?"
I whistled loud enough for Gimli to hear and follow before moving forward through the woods, ignoring the other hogs of the pack running away.
"I need another horse to carry one of the pigs, obviously." I joked as I slapped his arm. My eyes darted to the words above his head.
Ben 'Red' Rivers:
Companion Lvl 75
Ben is a good friend and will have your back through most scenarios.
Commander Talents (Advanced) - Infantry, Peacekeeping, Defense
Shield of the Gods (Advanced)
For 20 seconds, any troops under Ben's command receive 5% more stamina and defense.
Locked***
Locked***
Locked***
Locked***
It was the first time I had read the entire prompt in full detail, and I loved it. He was absolutely someone I wanted to keep by my side and fight with.
"But in reality, I did ask for you to come for another reason." I said, getting serious as we approached the pig on the ground. Gimli came trotting up, with Ben's horse in tow at the same time.
We reached down and lifted the dead pig up and onto the back of the horse.
"Brynden and the rest of the knights are leaving tomorrow." I said, breaking it to him cleanly. "He sees me as an abomination, and a sin." I continued. "He only knighted me to get rid of me."
"Ser Brynden would not do such a thing!" Ben said, defending the Blackfish.
"He told me himself." I said honestly as I tied the pig down on the back of the horse.
Ben paused and stared at me. "Why are you telling me this?" He asked seriously.
I looked him in his eyes, and as sincerely as I could I told him. "I want you to stay." I said. I held his gaze for a while and I could see the gears turning in his head.
Eventually I led Gimli over to the other pig on the ground. Ben followed and wordlessly we picked the pig up and put it on the back of Gimli before tying it down.
"I did not reveal all of the dreams I had." I revealed, deciding that I couldn't trust Ben to make the right decision himself. I would need to convince him.
"What else did you see?" Ben asked, taking the bait.
"I saw you and I fighting side by side in a war. I saw us marching, fighting, and winning a war beside others who I will keep secret. I saw glory for both of us, but even more importantly I saw land and gold for your deeds, even a new name beyond Rivers." I told him, trying to appeal to the bastard side of him.
Ben leapt on to his horse, and I followed his lead.
"Ben." I said before he could ride off. He looked back at me and I left him with a partying gift to think about on the ride back to Baelish Keep.
"I did not see Ser Brynden Tully."
That night we drank the last of the wine we had brought on our journey, we ate pork and spinach and leafy greens. I even made sure to pay the farmers more than what was owed for the fruit of their labor.
The people celebrated as the flames licked high into the air. We danced around the fire, and prayed to the new gods and the old.
Life was good.
"Good luck on your travels. Thank you for accompanying me here and helping drive off the mountain clans on my land. Any one of you will be welcome at Baelish Keep so long as I breathe air." I said as I waved a hand at them.
"Thank you Lord Baelish." The Blackfish said as he turned his horse and began leading it down the path that would take him to the Eyrie and then Riverrun. He had a wedding to get to in about thirteen months anyway.
That's when everything would change.
Unfortunately, I saw Ben amongst the Blackfish party of knights. I was extremely disappointed to see him turn his back on me.
I vowed to seek him out in the future wars and continue trying to recruit him. He had too much potential for me not to take advantage of it.
I watched them until they disappeared over the last hill I could see.
Change Peacekeeping to Gathering.
Ping!
Gathering Commander Skill equipped!
Gathering skill tree.
My vision began filling with black smoke, before a constellation of stars appeared in front of me. The game screen had changed since the last time I had seen it. Before there had only been a weirwood constellation.
Now there was the constellation of a horse on the left side of the screen, with the weirwood constellation in the middle, and finally a sword constellation on the left.
Underneath the Cavalry constellation, there was a LVL 2 beneath it. Underneath the weirwood tree, there was a LVL 10 beneath it. Finally the attack constellation there was a LVL 2 underneath it.
I selected the Cavalry constellation. Immediately my vision zoomed in on the constellation to the first 'star'. It was exactly how it was viewed in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
The first star had a 0/1 above it.
1 Talent point available.
'Unlock?'
Increases March speed of Cavalry units by 3%
'Yes'
The star lit up, and the pathways to the next three skill trees lit up signifying that I could unlock them if I had the unlock points. I did not have any more talent points for this constellation so I exited it.
I immediately dove into the Weirwood tree constellation.
The first star was easy to remember as it allowed me to grow weirwood trees. I followed the constellation path and it brought me to two different options.
The left option had a 0/2 above it.
9 Talent points available.
'Unlock?'
Grants a domain to a weirwood grown by Petyr.
'Yes'
'Unlock?'
Futher extends the domain of weirwoods grown by Petyr.
'Yes'
I moved to the right of the star, to see what the other option allowed me to do.
0/2
'Unlock?'
Inside the domain of weirwood grown by Petyr, top soil be made available immediately.
I couldn't select yes for this option fast enough. It was too valuable for me.
'Unlock?'
Inside domain of weirwood grown by Petyr, crop production increases by 1%.
Another easy decision for me. I immediately selected yes and spent the talent point on the star.
I continued down the constellation of the Weirwood tree and spent 5 more talent points to increase the domain of weirwoods up to a hundred yards for every tree.
I immediately went in and spent the one talent point in the attack constellation that led to a .5% increase in attack for all units led by me.
Time to start planting. Exit.
I heard the hoof beats, and I looked up to make sure I wasn't under attack. I smiled at who it was but I did not stop covering the weirwood cutting up with soil until it was standing on its own.
I ran my hand down the blade in my hand, creating a cut, before I let it drip on the small weirwood tree. Just as the others I had planted that day, it immediately sprouted up and grew to about as I was on top of Gimli. Not completely full grown, but enough to activate all the buffs I could get.
"I will have to get used to that, won't I?"
Ben 'Red' Rivers sat on top of his horse, looking down at me as I sheathed the dagger in my hand I had been using to plant weirwoods.
"You will!" I said as I hopped on top of Gimli. "What made you return?" I asked seriously as I began moving down the road. My destination was 100 yards, so that I could plant another Weirwood tree.
"Signs of more mountain clansmen. I wouldn't be much of a knight if I let you face them alone." He answered as he looked down to the town.
I rode beside him and offered my hand to him. He gripped it.
The start of something beautiful!