House of the wolf

Hand´s tourney

 

Feeling excited for the day ahead first thing I do is dress in the grey and blue silk clothes I went through so much trouble for. I put my grey cloak with red patterns on over it as I won´t compete until later in the day and I don´t want to reveal it yet.

 

It has nothing to do with not wanting to avoid dealing with Ned's judgmental eyes as I will sit beside him for most of the tourney so I will definitely not reveal my costume until time comes to compete.

 

Arya won´t attend preferring much rather spend time with her dancing master than “watch stupid tourneys” As a future competitor in the tourney that stung but now I realized I never told Arya I was going to compete but she has already gone to the lesson.

 

Going with Ned´s entourage to the tourney a few of his vassals will compete in the joust to win glory for the north. 

 

The crowd cheers when it sees the Hand of the King approaching his seat I take the seat to his right and smile at the crowd.

 

Then the crowd cheers again for the King and the Royal family to take their seats I smile and wink to Myrcella and she smiles and waves at me.

 

Robert raises his hand for the crowd to settle down the King was about to speak when Ned stands up all of a sudden making Robert swallow his words shocked not expecting something like this to take center stage like this. Neither did I for that matter.

 

I stare in shock as Ned starts talking about the Night´s Wacth´s dire need for aid and makes a passionate speech about Castle Black the last remaining stronghold on the Wall and its disrepair.

 

And point to Yoren in the crowd clad in black who traveled to King´s Landing to recruit people for the wall

 

And I just stare at Father like I´m seeing him for the first time I did not expect him to end up taking my advice and appeal to the public for help but thought he would do it through posters or a statement he would make at the meetings where the smallfolk get to address the King.

 

But here at the start of the tourney in his name, well he´s got their attention it certainly is a stirring speech but can a speech really stir up people enough to walk thousands of miles away from the heat into the frigid north to die? No instead of doing that the crowd just cheers after his speech. 

 

At most tens of people among the thousands among the crowd will take the black. But that is what it has come to the north stands alone I sigh as Ned sits back down and nods to Robert who´s still shocked but gathers himself and announces the tourney´s beginning.

 

The jousts are first and among our Guards who take part are Jory, Alyn, and Harwin 

 

Jory is beaten by Lothar Brune after unhorsing a Frey and a Redwyne not bad but also really not good when you consider he is the captain of our guard 

 

Alyn is beaten by Balon Swann a capable warrior and Harwin is beaten by Meryn Trant a kingsguard 

 

A capable performance but it brings no glory to the North I guess it falls onto me huh. 

 

Before the finals of the joust, it is announced the archery competition will take place.

 

Standing up I shake off my cloak and put my wierwood bow by the chair on my back and jump off the platform into the arena to the shock of the crowd as they start roaring at the spectacle laughing I wave at the crowd and blow a kiss to Myrcella and I hear the women squeal.

 

Lining up side by side with my competitors I see men and women from all over the world lord´s and lowborns all here for this victory I just close my eyes and start to do the breathing exercises Barristan taught me and the targets lined up all start to come into focus scattered along the path up to about 100 paces just like in the barracks just like I trained for. 

 

Opening my eyes look to see I hit all the targets up to 80 paces like I´ve been in some sorta trance and just woke up I start to look beside me at who´s still competing and realize it is just three of us left.

 

Surprisingly one is a commoner a skinny man with red hair face deep with focus but a confident smile on his face. 

 

The other Is a black man wearing colorful feathers I heard he is an exiled prince 

 

We all look at each other but I look away first step forward and confidently take aim and shoot …Thunk! Hit the target 90 paces away.

 

I did this to put pressure on whoever shoots next 

 

And lo and behold the exiled prince misses but the red hair hits the target.

 

Red hair is confident by the smirk he´s giving me.

 

I smile back “Hey Red hair? How about a little bet?” 

 

“Oh a bet I´m afraid I have nothing to give you, my lord,” He says mockingly

 

“Oh but you do If I win you´ll join the Stark house guard” the crowd exclaims at the suggestion 

 

“And if I win” 

 

“I´ll owe you a favor 

 

“Is that not a little bit unfair I bet a lifetime of my servitude and you only a favor”

 

“Haahah you said it yourself there is little else you can offer me and don´t underestimate a favor from me. So what will it be do you accept the bet or are you too scared?”

 

“Hmmp I´m only scared of the gods! The bet is on” the crowd bellows in excitement 

 

 Slowly stepping up to the mark next to him I draw my bow steadily until my arms stop taut but not budging “You think being fearless is good for you well let me remind you that fear…” My arm is still steady aiming at the target as I slowly turn my head to look at him in the eye. “Is not something you should reserve only for the gods” let loose still looking him right in the eyes without blinking until I heard Thunk!

The crowd goes wild at my showmanship while it looked mighty impressive in reality all it shows is that I´ve got steady hands. But it was effective at getting under his skin I see him start to sweat as he lines up his target aims takes a deep breath and fires…tink! it scuffs the edge of the target not sticking to it which means I just won the Archery competition a purse of 10000 gold dragons. 

 

The crowd starts chanting “The Daring Wolf” over and over which I guess is my new nickname.

 

As Robert bellows “Edwyn The Daring Wolf you put on a fine show! The purse of 10000 golden dragons is yours and well deserved” He cheers even worse than the crowd.

 

I raise both my arms in the air to cheers then spread them out for to quiet them down “My king may I speak and make a request?” 

 

“Request? Speak boy what is it”

 

“I wish to support my father´s appeal for the watch please take 3000 gold dragons from my reward and offer 10 gold dragons to any who sign up for the wall and swear the oath!”

 

“I ask you to allow the making of a petition guaranteed by the crown that the men who sign up for the Wall will have the money sent to their families on arrival to Castle Black"