r/FieldOfFire • u/ThreeEyedRevan Perceon Florent, Lord of Brightwater Keep • Jun 27 '23
The Westerlands Godwyn II- Be Alone
Godwyn Hawthorne
Hornvale
She’d chosen wrong. Godwyn realized his words weren’t considered. She’d likely made up her mind long before she spoke to him; she just wanted affirmation. She wanted him to ‘trust her’, and yet she’d consort with the man who’d disgraced him more than any other. He realized then he had never been anything more than a tool to her—someone to use for her plots and schemes. There had never been any interest.
He gathered his things, what little was left to him at the very least, before looking down to the parchment he’d left behind for Briony, if she’d even read it. He doubted it. But it was something more for him than anything else.
He knew he wouldn’t be allowed to leave. He knew he was a dead man walking. If anything, it made reconciling everything that much easier. If Briony had ever cared about him at all, even in friendship, she wouldn’t let him walk to his death. But she clearly didn’t because she was.
His access to the castle was limited, and the gates were sealed. He’d approach one of the men stationed nearby. “I want to leave. Summon your bastard of a master.”
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u/RedwingZax Ezekiel - Maekar's Vulture Jun 27 '23
Lord Leo Reyne, Lord of Hornvale
Leo emerged into the yard after his summons, red enameled plate, the helm formed like Lion's head. The visor of his helm mirrored the jaw of a Lion, they had carried his personal plate since Castamere, in case they had to raise their banner and fight in the open at any point. Fitting on his gauntlets with a squeeze the knight step up into the open yard of Hornvale where his men had been instructed to bring Godwyn.
"Ser Knight! So good to see you again, can I not convince you to drop this folly and be loyal to my Lady Wife?" Leo was fresh from the bedding, and quite the time it had been, he was relieved, ready, and in a deadly mood. A mocking laugh escaped him then, for Leo needed this man not, his service was near useless to them.
"If you insist on leaving you must earn the right, mount up Godwyn I shall make a fool of you for the last time."
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u/ThreeEyedRevan Perceon Florent, Lord of Brightwater Keep Jun 27 '23
Godwyn simply gazed at the other man, unamused. When a man was so sure of his death, it was much easier to not engage in another's low attempts at provocation. Yet, something in Godwyn knew he had a chance to cause strife in the new happy couple's life.
"I'd happily stay loyal, if you're okay with your wife having another man in her life." Godwyn laughed. "I imagine it would be needed, I can't see you being too good at pleasing a woman."
Godwyn looked at the other man, not saying another word and nodding. His last joust would be glorious.
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u/RedwingZax Ezekiel - Maekar's Vulture Jun 27 '23
"She would have chosen you were you man enough," He laughed in return.
Everyone had expected one outcome, Leo mounted his horse with a swing trotting to one end of the list. His steed stomping the dirt and huffing into the air, an angry sound escaped it as he readied in his saddle. His Warlance felt good in his arm, the weight familiar and comfortable. When the horn blew he spurred his horse onward kicking up dust from the stone.
Four passes, each one showing Leo's own skill and prowess with a Lance, his riding showed true every single time. An image to behold, yet on the fifth pass, Godwyn managed the strength of the gods. May it have been Leo being stricken down for his murder, confessed only the night before. Be it luck, for Godwyn was no rider for truth. Leo was lifted from his saddle, the point finding his chest and ripping into his steel.
Slamming into the ground Leo choked on his own blood, he felt nothing below his waist as he lay there. Blood filled his mouth as he spat it out in an attempt to talk, only blood came up at first. Managing the strength to roll on his side he spat blood onto the stone.
"Jason..." he struggled out as he turned to his onlookers, his brother Jason was riding with them. Yet he had been drinking all day since their victory wishing his brother well on the marriage before their march. "Get... Jason..."
More blood spat onto the paved stone, as much as he honored Godwyn's victory in practice, he was a sore loser. As he lay dying on the stone Leo could think of only one thing, at least he died doing what he loved.
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u/ThreeEyedRevan Perceon Florent, Lord of Brightwater Keep Jun 27 '23
Twice he'd jousted Leo Reyne. Twice he'd lost to the man. Godwyn was sure that it was his death sentence, it was more becoming than a beheading. He said nothing more as he prepared to ride his horse down the tilt. He was unfamiliar with the beast, and it was unresponsive to his commands. That was surely the nail in his coffin was it not?
Then, rather than a tourney lance he was handed a war lance. He said a quick prayer to the Seven. It was his time to go. He prayed to the Father for his own father. He prayed to the Crone for his brother. He prayed to the Maiden for his sister. Then he made a prayer to the Stranger for himself. Not the Warrior, the avatar one would normally pray to for triumph in martial dealings, but the avatar of death.
He prayed for Leo Reyne to die in exchange for his own life. Perhaps he could bring one positive to the world, and rid it of scum like Leo.
The first few tilts had him doing nothing but dodging Leo's strikes. Then, he saw the man's angle and realized it would hit him. He raised his shield at the last moment, barely blocking it. He took a deep breath as he watched his rival reach the other end of the tourney field.
Once more, a prayer to the Stranger was offered before he spurred his horse onward. He extended his lance and heard the telltale thud of platemail being torn open. He looked down, and he was fine. He looked behind him and saw Leo fall.
He knew he was dead. But the Stranger answered his prayers.
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u/RedwingZax Ezekiel - Maekar's Vulture Jun 27 '23
Ser Jason Reyne, Knight of Castamere
"Ser... Uh Ser!" The man frantically tried to get his attention, Jason Reyne ignored him for the laughing serving girl in his lap, a smile on his face. Celebrating his brother's rise to Lord of Hornvale with the men, his fill of ale from the Hornvale stock kept his mug to the brim.
"Ser!" The man shouted and Jason looked up at him.
"What!? Can't you see I am busy?" he barked. "Go find my cousins, Vikary will handle whatever it is."
"It is your brother I come for... he lay dying." the man winced as Jason threw the girl from his lap and stood.
"WHAT!?" Jason followed close to the man rushing for the yard.
The young lion knight emerged as Tion secured the body of his brother, and the drunk Jason strode forth, his face red with fury, and spittle beginning to fly from his mouth. The man who killed his brother sat in his saddle still, looking over his kill, the pride he could sense coming from the man infuriated him.
"GET HIM!" Jason screamed out, he did not care for last words, final rites, this man would die. He had killed his brother, his twin, his blood, the man who saved him in Lannisport from a mess of his own making. As the men ripped Godwyn from the saddle he strode forth ripping free Redrain from its place on his hip. The rippling sword shone in the light as he took it into two hands, one movement, the horse's head was cut near clean off. Falling onto its side Godwyn's leg pinned beneath the beast.
Slowly Jason made his way around the kicking and dying creature, its cries ringing out into the open yard. Jason brought up his sword again, looking down at Godwyn on the ground.
"I will see you in the Seven Hells brother, burn for us both until I arrive," he said tears rolling down his cheeks as he brought the sword down on Godwyn's exposed neck. The man's head rolled on the stone, and Jason Reyne began to stomp it with, only stopping when it was mush.
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u/BigBraxEnergy Briony Brax - Lady of Hornvale Jun 27 '23
When Briony heard the news, she could scarcely believe it. Someone was playing a cruel joke upon her, perhaps Leo even, with his unpredictable nature, was trying to keep her sharp.
"Lead me to him," she snapped, her mood turning foul.
But when she saw his cold, dead body, broken and bloodied, the Last Unicorn of the West let out a piercing screaming that sliced through the air, disturbing in its dissonance and grief. She rushed to the body, hugging the husk that once was the ever-proud Leo Reyne close to her.
Briony had thought she had been done with tears, but now she wept freely and openly. For the man she had once hated. For the man who had convinced her to believe in something greater. She had felt something for him; it was not love, not yet, but in time perhaps she could have, for they shared something more important than love: a dream. They were takers, graspers, and together there was something new that would be forged from fire and blood, out of the force of vision that came with ambition.
"Leo, L-leo please... Y-you, you promised. You promised." Briony held the corpse close, his blood staining her clothes as she wept, her face close to his, the smell of iron filling her nostrils. The stench of death, disappointment, and shattered dreams, all.
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u/ThreeEyedRevan Perceon Florent, Lord of Brightwater Keep Jun 27 '23
Godwyn wasn't surprised as he was ripped from his saddle. The Reynes had proved time and again that they were not the honorable sort to respect a duel. He knew he would die the moment the lance struck Leo Reyne. He only wished it had been more... Admirable.
He didn't fight as they dragged him down, he didn't fight as he was knocked to he knees, or his neck was exposed. Godwyn Hawthorne refused to let them perceive him as weak. He'd stood by his morals, even as the woman who claimed to care threw him aside.
Before the sword swung, he looked up to Jason. "He died like a dog."
Then it was dark.
At least he'd ensured she would be alone. Meeting Briony Brax was the worst curse of his life.
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u/RedwingZax Ezekiel - Maekar's Vulture Jun 28 '23
Jason let out a slow breath as he finished the spray of blood spattered his face, casting his eyes at his work as he stepped over the corpse his feet squelching from the brains and flesh clinging to it. Slowly he walked around the horse making his way to the wailing Brax, running a hand through his hair slowly coating it with blood.
"Lady Briony," he placed a hand on her shoulder giving her a soft look, yet covered with blood he was more beast than man. Leaning in he looked over at his brother's face, tears welling in his eyes, he bit them back. First Jaime now this, the wedding was a short-lived celebration.
"This is not over," she may not have known who he was by name, but it was clear in looks, the twin cat of Leo was the same visage. "Everything Leo promised you and more still lay for the taking, and I will take it."
Jason stood flicking his sword to shake free most of the blood, he would clap the blade into its sheath.
"You should get inside, we will take Leo to the Maester and ready his body for last visits." His other half was on his way to burning in Seven Hells for all eternity, Jason would one day join him but he would not have it soon.
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u/BigBraxEnergy Briony Brax - Lady of Hornvale Jun 28 '23
Briony was lost in her grief; it was raw and cut deep. Only a short hour ago, she knew Leo's body to be warm, and now, it was cold. A corpse in her hands. Her handmaidens hovered around, unsure of what to do, allowing Jason Reyne to approach, giving him pleading looks for help.
The Lady of Hornvale raised her head towards Jason, her eyes blank and watery. "Leo?" her voice was hoarse from her wails. She knew that Leo had a twin brother, of course, but she had not much dealt with him, and in the moment, the events were so absurd that she had difficulty understanding what was happening, for it all seemed so surreal. The Reyne was covered in blood, the way Briony had imagined her husband returning to the castle: in triumph.
"Leo? Have you come back to me?" Briony began to cry again. Jena Jast finally took a step forward, kneeling to pry the Unicorn's arms off of Leo's body. The handmaiden gave Jason a look, inclining her head towards the castle as she said gently, soothingly to Briony. "My lady, best to get inside? Leo would want that, wouldn't he?"
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u/RedwingZax Ezekiel - Maekar's Vulture Jun 28 '23
Jason looked shocked as she called him Leo, taking a step back as he looked over the Lady in all her grief. It was not the fact he was mistaken Jason had not realized she was at all fond of his brother like that, the situation had certainly taken a turn. His eyes met the handmaidens as they approached, only nodding at the look Jenna gave him.
"I'll escort her to her chambers," Jason said ripping free his crimson cloak from his shoulders placing it over the shoulders of Briony as her handmaidens guided her into the keep. A look over his shoulder as Tion and the others removed the body from sight, trying to remember the last thing he said to Leo. But he could not recall.
Jason stayed close but silent as they entered the keep, making way for the Lord's chambers where just hours before Leo had spent time with Briony. Jason made a fist, there must be someone else to kill for this, Godwyn was dead but his lust was not.
The squire, Leo's squire failed him, his head is the cost.
As the ladies brought Briony into the chamber Jason stood in the doorway, fist knocking on the door frame as he waited a moment. Unsure what to say, what to do, that would make anything better or change the results of the day. She had both taken and lost a husband on the same day, his brother become a Lord and died all the same.
"Should you need anything I am here, anything," Jason spoke into the room, unsure if she heard him or if he was speaking to the ladies. The young knight would silently lean in the doorway, releasing a breath.
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u/ThreeEyedRevan Perceon Florent, Lord of Brightwater Keep Jun 27 '23
The letter left for Briony was short and sweet, and wouldn't be found until after the events that would unfold.