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Post by The Gambler on Jan 4, 2014 23:30:54 GMT -5
Cyrax's wing seemed to move freely without a meter of ash protruding from it. White flames engulfed the ballistae crews atop the central keep before they had time to redirect them from the batterers below to the greater threat in the sky.
The oaken gate below split open at precisely the same moment, the men apparently inspired at the dragon's renewed assault. The royal forces rushed within to take the keep.
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Maekar
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Sam/BlueLion
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Post by Maekar on Jan 4, 2014 23:38:24 GMT -5
Maekar landed Cyrax in the bailey and leapt down to the ground, striding up toward the broken gates. He kept his shield raised against arrow fire from the walls as he approached, but as more and more loyalist men streamed inside, it was only a matter of time before the castle was theirs. Teams of eight had been pre-assigned, and once the castle doors were breached, groups of men separated off from the man melee, and moved up into the castle to seize control of the rookery, the Lord's solar and apartments, the armory, and the store-rooms. Maekar himself moved through the doorway into the keep with his sword drawn, and began to search for whoever was leading the enemy troops in order to end this conflict expediently.
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Post by The Gambler on Jan 5, 2014 16:15:23 GMT -5
As Maekar entered the broken doors, his men split off to their appointed tasks. The sounds of butchery could be heard throughout the keep, the Knight Inquisitor not even having to raise his blade as he ascended to the Lord's Solar.
Within, there was a Warriors Son marshal who had apparently elected to die on his feet rather than surrender, having taken four soldiers with him before he finally fell.
Lord Francis Fossoway was upon his knees, having surrendered immediately. He was thin, distressingly so, with a dark head of hair and a face like a weasel.
"My lord!" he said desperately, sycophantic tendencies rising. "You have rescued me!"
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Maekar
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Sam/BlueLion
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Post by Maekar on Jan 5, 2014 16:23:08 GMT -5
Maekar snorted contemptuously. "Do you have any information that might save your miserable life, Lord Francis? You had three hundred men here, and yet you opened your gates and gave them over to the enemy to be used against the crown. As it stands now your fate will be death, though your rank entitles you to the sword, rather than the noose. Can you tell me anything that might give me reason to choose another fate for you this day?" he asked.
Maekar ordered the banners of the Faith and House Fossoway thrown from the battlements, to be replaced by his own arms, the black dragon with its wings outstretched, on a field of crimson. Above Maekar's personal arms, of course, flew the royal banner of House Targaryen and the King, a three-headed dragon, crimson on black. Men were sent to take Lord Fossway's family, if any, into custody as he questioned the lord himself.
"I do not have all day, so speak," he said in a dangerously soft tone.
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Post by The Gambler on Jan 5, 2014 16:33:11 GMT -5
"I had no choice!" Fossoway, wailed, throwing himself at the mercy of Maekar, slobbering on his armored boots. "The Fossoways have bled more than any other house in this was. Our trees are bare of fruit."
"They kept me hostage the instant I opened my gates!" he continued sobbing, desperately trying to remember of something that could save him. "Give me time to think! I do not handle pressure well, my lord. Not like yourself."
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Maekar
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Sam/BlueLion
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Post by Maekar on Jan 5, 2014 17:02:42 GMT -5
"I had no choice!" Fossoway, wailed, throwing himself at the mercy of Maekar, slobbering on his armored boots. "The Fossoways have bled more than any other house in this was. Our trees are bare of fruit." "They kept me hostage the instant I opened my gates!" he continued sobbing, desperately trying to remember of something that could save him. "Give me time to think! I do not handle pressure well, my lord. Not like yourself." "With three hundred men within these walls you could have held here for at least a few days, long enough me to have arrived to raise the siege." Maekar replied. "His grace the King raised you to this seat to hold Cider Hall, not to yield it to the first enemy force you see. In the name of King Maegor, the second of his name, King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, do I, Maekar of Dagonstone, Knight Inquisitor of the crown, sentence you to die." He looked dismissively away from Fossoway, and to his men. "Put him in irons, and his sons with him." |
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Post by The Gambler on Jan 5, 2014 19:11:22 GMT -5
"Nooooo!" Fossoway continued to wail, clutching Maekar's legs as they attempted to drag him away, the sons at least going with more dignity than their father. "I sent a raven to His Grace when we opened the gates. I am a leal servant!"
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Maekar
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Sam/BlueLion
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Post by Maekar on Jan 5, 2014 20:00:19 GMT -5
"Nooooo!" Fossoway continued to wail, clutching Maekar's legs as they attempted to drag him away, the sons at least going with more dignity than their father. "I sent a raven to His Grace when we opened the gates. I am a leal servant!" Maekar ignored the man as he was dragged away. He ordered that any Faith soldiers who survived to be hanged, and when he was confident the castle was secure, he made his way to the ravemty, seeking the Master. |
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Post by The Gambler on Jan 5, 2014 20:03:11 GMT -5
There was no Maester in the rookery, the Citadel not having assigned a new one after the last had been slain by royal troops the third time Cider Hall was taken. A thin septon with a bald head was present though, manning the birds in his stead. He favored Maekar with a cold stare as he entered, the tension in the room heavy.
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Maekar
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Sam/BlueLion
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Post by Maekar on Jan 5, 2014 20:29:58 GMT -5
There was no Maester in the rookery, the Citadel not having assigned a new one after the last had been slain by royal troops the third time Cider Hall was taken. A thin septon with a bald head was present though, manning the birds in his stead. He favored Maekar with a cold stare as he entered, the tension in the room heavy. "I must send a bird to King's Landing, Septon. Which of these are bound for the Red Keep?" He asked, eyeing the man. Not waiting for an answer, he sat down to write a short letter to the King. King Maekar, titles titles
We have taken Cider Hall back from the Faith once again, and Lord Fossoway is in custody awaing execution for his cowardice and ineptitude in the face o our enemies. When the remainder of my army arrives here, we will march south to Highgarden and from there begin planning the assault on Oltdown. If your grace would hear my reccomendation, I would suggest that your grace name either Prince Maelys or Prince Aemon as Lord of Cider Hall to replace Lord Fossoway. A man with a dragon will hold Cider Hall more easily and being sure that our line of supply is securely held will be invaluable when we move south.
Maekar of Dragonstone |
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Maekar
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Sam/BlueLion
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Post by Maekar on Jan 5, 2014 20:30:16 GMT -5
There was no Maester in the rookery, the Citadel not having assigned a new one after the last had been slain by royal troops the third time Cider Hall was taken. A thin septon with a bald head was present though, manning the birds in his stead. He favored Maekar with a cold stare as he entered, the tension in the room heavy. "I must send a bird to King's Landing, Septon. Which of these are bound for the Red Keep?" He asked, eyeing the man. Not waiting for an answer, he sat down to write a short letter to the King. King Maegor II , titles titles
We have taken Cider Hall back from the Faith once again, and Lord Fossoway is in custody awaiting execution for his cowardice and ineptitude in the face of our enemies. When the remainder of my army arrives here, we will march south to Highgarden and from there begin planning the assault on Oltdown. If your grace would hear my reccomendation, I would suggest that your grace name either Prince Maelys or Prince Aemon to replace Lord Fossoway. A man with a dragon will hold Cider Hall more easily and being sure that our line of supply is securely held will be invaluable when we move south.
Maekar of Dragonstone |
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Post by The Gambler on Jan 5, 2014 21:10:54 GMT -5
The appointed raven flew, the septon glaring at the bastard as he did the work.
"This is pointless. Even dragons cannot contend with the gods. Has that not been proven already?" he asked.
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Maekar
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Sam/BlueLion
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Post by Maekar on Jan 5, 2014 21:16:38 GMT -5
"Perhaps it is so," Maekar replied with a sigh. "Time will bring us the answer. Do I have your sworn word that you will take no action nothing against the Crown, or against my forces here, nor anything to aid our enemies? It is his grace's decree that any of the Faithful who do not swear so be hanged, but I have no desire to see any more bloodshed than I must."
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Post by The Gambler on Jan 5, 2014 21:22:41 GMT -5
"Then prepare your noose, abomination." the septon replied, with no fear. "Your enemies are my gods. I would rather be a martyr for them than a servant of your crown."
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Maekar
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Post by Maekar on Jan 5, 2014 21:37:41 GMT -5
Maekar nodded, and gestured for a few men to take the Septon down into the bailey, where gallows' were already being constructed for the survivors. The Faithful who had not been killed in the fighting were all made the same offer; swear a holy oath to lay down their arms and to never again take them up against the Crown, nor do anything to aid the Crown's enemies. Those who did, were allowed to leave Cider Hall with a day's rations and a pony; those who did not would be hanged.
Lord Fossoway was brought out as well, and a block, and the bawling man's head was forced into it. Ser Maekar struck his head from his shoulders with one mighty blow of his sword, and the man's sons were offered the option of the Wall, or their father's fate.
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Maekar
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Post by Maekar on Jan 6, 2014 21:08:30 GMT -5
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Two days after his army arrived at Cider Hall, Maekar began to march south again. The road to Highgarden was not paved nor a thoroughfare like the Roseroad, but it was more than a simple dirt track running parallel the river. It was less than two hundred miles from Cider Hall to Highgarden, and traveling would take about nine or ten days at the pace Maekar intended to set.
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Post by The Gambler on Jan 7, 2014 1:36:39 GMT -5
The army arrived at Highgarden without incident, which struck Maekar as odd. Ambushes were typically frequent when royal troops ventured this far into the Reach, yet it appeared the Faith's strength had been diverted elsewhere.
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all alone and also really bored 
Hopefully going to kickstart the festival too