1-7
It had been over a decade since Weiss had felt this way, the adrenaline coursing through her veins, running away from men, nay, beasts that wished to kill her or perform unspeakable things on her. The scully maids of the Gold Keep had loose lips, Weiss knew some information on the Ironborn. How they worshiped their Drowned god of the deep sea, how they had raided Lannisport countless times throughout its long history, and how they had burned the city at least thrice. Weiss never thought she would live to see it happen a fourth time, or at least, during Lord Tywin's lifetime. The Old Lion was a fearsome man, intelligent and cold, who suffered no opposers to his rule. Weiss' Father had petitioned the man to open the silver mines of Castamere, to no avail. She personally would've given it to a loyal house, or form another cadet branch from one of the lesser Lannisters. Admittedly, the new owners would've had a significant mess to clean out, but there's no sense wasting good silver by leaving it in the ground.
"Don't look back, My Lady!" Ser Tylan's voice was cold and firm as he covered their retreat. Mother, Alis and Alysanne were just ahead of her, with Robart now taking the lead while holding her Mother's wrist. Even from her position near the back, Weiss could see the shadows of his short sword, dark castle forged steel made out of the finest ores. Its length was perfect for fighting in the tight hallways of the Gold Keep, long enough to kill, but short enough to allow a full swing through the corridors. "Their armor weighs them down, we can outrun them."
That was assuming that those intruders were the only Ironborn in the Gold Keep. A bold, yet likely wrong assumption. In order for these Ironborn to have infiltrated the Gold Keep so quickly, the operation had to have been planned. They must've already been in Lannisport to strike so quickly, but without any proof, they were just guesses and fantasy. All Weiss truly knew was the incompetence of the Lannister guards who allowed so many to enter the Gold Keep. Those who died to the Ironborn should consider themselves lucky, especially if they were at fault for this mess.
"Head back from where we came." Ser Tylan yelled towards Robart, having to raise his voice to be heard over the crying that escaped the throats of Alis and Alysanne. Weiss would have preferred if they cried silently to not attract anymore unwanted attention. There could be more raiders in the keep. "We shall fortify one of the rooms there."
A decent idea, if they holed up in one of the rooms they just passed by, the raiders would likely reach them soon. Weiss could hear their footsteps, faint, but drawing ever closer. If only she had Myrtenaster and was at her full strength in a grown woman's body, she'd easily be able to subdue all of them. Their group soon passed another intersection of corridors, with Weiss giving it a brief glance. She regretted it almost instantly.
She spotted three bodies against the floor, parts of their bodies hidden by the shadows of the night, yet the torches that lit the way revealed a brutality that would've traumarize any other girl her age. It looked like a bloodbath, their Lannister armor half scavenged and caked in blood and gore. The air smelled like iron, as if the Stranger himself was stalking through the walls. Weiss swore she saw a few shadows move, at least four men were hiding in the darkness.
Ser Tylan noticed, and used his body to block her view. "Keep going my Lady, I swore to your Lord Father that no harm would come to you and Lady Ceria, and a knight always keeps his vows." He said in between breaths. Ser Tylan was old, and his chain armor was slowing him down. And yet, he sounded almost excited to be in combat once more.
"We need to stop soon!" Weiss said loudly. They had already lost Joston, Byren and Tarik, Weiss wasn't going to lose Ser Tylan too. Alis and Alysanne were also slowing down, not used to running for their lives, and their crying made their breathing erratic. "If we continue like this they'll just pick us off one by one."
While they had the advantage of knowing the layout of the Gold Keep, Weiss also had no idea how many other raiders had infiltrated the castle, and how many guards were still amongst the living. They needed something to even the odds, a more defensible position for instance.
Robart pauses in front of a single door, and letting go of Mother's wrist, struggled with the keys on his belt for a few seconds before finally unlocking the door. "In here my Ladies." She thought the door looked familiar, but she couldn't place it in the dark and with her worry.
The moment the door creaked open, Weiss heard a loud battle crying coming from behind her. She turned her head at just the right angle to see an Ironborn raider charging straight at them with a long axe, alone, with his beard covered in spittle and drops of red. Ser Tylan immediately pushed Weiss in the direction of the storage room before turning to face the mad man.
"Raaaaagh!" The Ironborn yelled as Ser Tylan stared him down, both hands on the grip of his longsword. The Ironborn was faster, younger, and much larger as he crossed the distance in a few seconds.
Yet, Ser Tylan's sword moved like it was an extension of his own body, not fast, but not too slow. His longsword struck the shaft of the axe, using the Ironborn's slowed movements to move out of the way. Ser Tylan's movements were precise and calculated, he fought knowing his own limitations and using his years of experience.
"Die." Ser Tylan growled, lifting his longsword for an overhead strike. The Ironborn barely lifted his axe in time, Ser Tylan's blade impacted the weapon's shaft, causing it to splinter.
Weiss felt Robart lift her up by her armpits. "Into the room, my Lady, we shall handle it from here." She would've felt embarrassed if this wasn't a matter of life or death.
Weiss nodded slowly as she allowed Robart to guide her away, her eyes never leaving Ser Tylan's back as he kept up his assault. The Ironborn stared at him with confused eyes, while giving ground, his rusted and old chain armor clinging to his body. Relaxing his grip, Ser Tylan gave her a brief side glance.
"I shall see you when this is over, Lady Weiss." He gave her a confident grin as he swiped against the Raider's flailing strike, forming a thin red line across his cheek. The Ironborn yelled in pain and rage. Either at the implied humiliation of being toyed with, or just because his prey wasn't dying as easily as he hoped.
"Die old man!" The Ironborn overextended himself, raising his axe high in the air, giving Ser Tylan his opening. His sword sliced into the gap between the Ironborn's helmet and neck guard. Any others curses or yelled died in his throat as he choked on his own blood. Robart tried hiding the view as Weiss reluctantly entered the room.
"Robart! Go get reinforcements and bring them here. I shall protect the Ladies. Where there is one Squid, more are sure to come." Ser Tylan ordered. Mother, Alysanne and Alis were already in the room, near the back wall. "Bar the door."
Battle cries started to draw closer, causing Ser Tylan to look down the hall with a tight jaw.
"Yes Ser." Robart flashed them a sad smile, while Ser Tylan's large grin was the last thing Weiss saw before the door was closed shut. She felt a surge of hope, before it was smothered in some rage at the sheer idiocy she was seeing.
That dolt! He should've joined them in the room! Weiss wanted to yell and scream at the old knight, yet not a single noise escaped her throat. Why were the people here such idiots and morons? Weiss felt her body shake in rage, the letter opener still hidden in the sleeve of her night gown. She felt someone wrap their arms around her small, thin body.
"I'm here, Sweetling." Mother whispered into her ear in the darkness. It took a few seconds for Weiss' eyes to adjust, her aura allowed her to see better than an average human, but was still inferior to the night vision of a faunus. Mother ran her thumb under Weiss' eyes, wiping away an imaginary tear. She probably thought Weiss was crying due to her shaking. It would make sense, and given her age, was to be expected.
"W-What happens now?" Alysanne was the first to speak up. Weiss gave her a brief glance, her two friends were holding each other's hands, their faces marked by rivers of tear marks. She resisted the urge to sneer at their useless nature, they were kids and never even trained for this. It wasn't their fault, not in the least.
"We wait for relief." Weiss answered, her voice hard. "Casterly Rock must've seen the flames and received Maester Harmune's raven. Lord Tywin must be on his way."
With Father fighting off the Ironborn in Lannisport and the docks, reinforcements from Casterly Rock would be their best hope. Lord Tywin could summon hundreds of knights and riders at a moment's notice, Weiss was sure that help would be coming soon. However, it would take time to muster them, especially with the limited technology. Even with Casterly Rock being just over a mile away, it took time to rally troops and start marching.
A deadly silence soon came over them, allowing Weiss to get a good look at the room, as good as it could be in the darkness. It was a large storage room, filled with blankets and covers that would be in use once Winter arrived. Not a single useful weapon, but it did have a sturdy door for an entrance at least.
The silence was soon disturbed by the sound of metal clanging and fighting, just outside of the door. Weiss balled her hands into fist as she heard Ser Tylan yelling curses through the openings. She closed her eyes shut when the fighting died down after who knew how long. Mother held her even closer, so close that Weiss could feel her breath on the skin of her cheeks.
Someone outside the door started struggling with the doorknob, unable to open it without the key Robart had taken with him. It was probably not a good sign, combined with the silence from Ser Tylan, but she held out some hope. Maybe he'd won?
"Fuck." Weiss heard someone groan, their voice little more than whispers in the back of the storage room. It wasn't Ser Tylan's voice, it sounded cruel and dark, like nails scratching a chalkboard. Well, so much for that hope.
"Just use the axe." Another voice said. Mother gasped, pulled Weiss against the back wall. Not even a second later, a loud thud slammed against the reinforced door, and another, and another.
"Weiss, Alysanne, Alis, get behind me." Mother whispered, using her body to shield the three girls. Alysanne started to sob again, her nose dripping with mucus that leaked down to her mouth. Alis cried silently.
"I don't want to be a salt wife." One of them said in between breaths. She couldn't tell which one, their voices sound alike from all the sobbing and terror.
Soon, after what felt like an eternity, an axe head made its way past the wooden door. Even in the darkness, Weiss could see an eye staring at them from the opening.
"We have some pretty ones in here, Lions by the look of it." Another gravelly voice said before disappearing. The axe head returned in its place as the Ironborn continued their efforts, now properly motivated by an actual prize that appeared to be waiting for them.
"Father above, please grant us your justice." Mother started to pray under her breath, holding an arm out in front of Weiss, as if to shield her. "Mother above, please show us your mercy. May the Warrior defend us and give strength to those who fight for our sake."
Weiss slid the letter opener into her waiting hand, hiding it behind her back.
"Most beautiful Maiden please grant us courage, oh mighty Smith give us your strength." Mother continued her chant when the door finally failed them, bursting open. Mother flinched, but remained steadfast and continued her prayer, her voice wavering.
Four Ironborn blocked the exit, mostly wearing boiled leather and light mail shirts. Only one of them wore a half-helm, battered and bloodied. Half-Helm held the long axe, while the other three held short swords.
"You're right Clud." Half-Helm said, turning his head towards his friend to his left. 'Clud' had a pox marked face with a downward curved nose. "They are pretty ones."
"Hehe." Clud formed a lecherous grin. "I told ya."
"Grab 'em, Darron." Half-Helm pushed the short man to his right forward. "I always wanted a high born salt wife." He had a dagger attached to his belt, still in its sheath.
"Mother." Weiss whispered low enough for the older woman to hear. "Close your eyes and don't open them until I tell you, please."
"W-What?" Mother stuttered, drawn out of her prayer.
"Do it, and cover Alysanne and Alis' eyes too." Weiss stepped around her Mother's arm, walking in the direction of the approaching Ironborn. She didn't turn back to see if her Mother had listened to her.
"That's right, come 'ere girl." Darron, a short man with a thick and bushy black mustache, licked his brown teeth. "Good to know these clawless lions taught you we-"
Weiss launched herself forward, using her aura to enhance the strength in her legs. With the letter opener aimed forward, she sliced into Darron's throat without a second thought. That caused warm, red liquids to coat her hand. Before he had even fallen to the ground dead, Weiss was already on the move. One down, three to go.
She formed a glyph beneath her feet, launching herself in Half-Helm's direction. They hadn't expected her to fight back, much less kill one of them. To be fair, expecting a seven year old girl in Remnant to fight back was unexpected, let alone here. Dropping their guard would be a fatal mistake. With adrenaline still coursing through her veins, Weiss jammed the letter opener into Half-Helm's right eye.
"Aagh!" Half-Helm screamed in pain, twisting his head to the side and causing the letter opener to snap in half, leaving Weiss with just the handle. Two down, two to go.
"Damn it." Weiss muttered, throwing away the useless handle and grabbed Half-Helm's spare dagger. She should've used her aura to enhance the letter opener's strength. Half-Helm continued yelling and screaming on the ground, clutching the side of his face with the still impaled blade protruding from his eye like a tower.
Clud and his friend stared at Weiss with wide eyes, confused and frightened by their fellow raiders dying and being gored within the span of a few seconds. Weiss held the dagger in a reverse grip, its handle was too long for her hands, but her aura would ensure she wouldn't drop it. She missed Myrtenaster, this dagger felt foreign in her hands. Weiss preferred rapiers.
"A witch." One of them, not Clud, muttered. Weiss' eyes briefly darted towards her Mother, who was shielding Alysanne and Alis with her body, her blue eyes closed shut. Good, they didn't need to see this right now.
Good, with all the bloodstains that decorated Weiss' nightgown, Mother didn't need anymore stress alongside the threat of being taken a saltwife or killed. Nor did her friends.
"Yah!" Clud suddenly regained his senses, charging Weiss with a wide swing. Weiss dodged it, using her shorter stature to get in close and stabbing the back of his knee with the dagger. It sank into the meat, causing him to stagger and fall forward a bit before regaining his balance.
"Gah." Clud fell to one knee, bringing his short sword back around to try and take off Weiss' head. A quick backstep took care of that, causing the blade to whistle through the air but not hit anything. There was an opening in his elbow, only protected by boiled leather instead of mail.
"Hear me roar." Weiss said coldly, swinging the dagger with all her aura enhanced might, parting Clud's arm from the rest of his body. With the blade strengthened by her aura, it easily sliced into flesh and bone. He stared at her in shock before yelling curses, grasping his stump of an arm. A spray of red coated the two of them. She wasn't too worried, blood loss would take him down, she just had to wait it out.
Weiss was about to finish him off when she sensed a stab in her direction, so she moved her head to the side just enough to allow Clud's friend's short sword to sweep by her. He impaled Clud who kept screaming in pain. Some people just had no luck.
"You four should've attacked me all at once if you wanted to stand a chance." Weiss sighed and narrowed her eyes. Clud's friend tried another swing, but Weiss was faster and her dagger's shorter length allowed her to bury it in his neck without having to adjust its length. Weiss felt his body spray warm liquids onto her cheeks. Three down, one to go.
"M-Monster-" The Ironborn choked out before falling on his side. How ironic, they were the ones who wanted to kidnap Weiss, her Mother, and her friends to rape and do as they pleased. And she was called a monster? Pathetic.
Weiss finally straightened her back with shaky knees, refusing to allow the dagger to slip in between her fingers, just in case any more raiders were bold enough to face them. This wasn't the first time she had killed, Weiss had done so once or twice during the White Fang's invasion of Vale, and during the Breach. She usually didn't see their final moments, and it was hard to remember that the people here were much more fragile due to their lack of Aura. She looked back at Half-Helm, seeing that he'd finally died, or at least whatever graey matter he had inside his head had finally realized he was dead. Four down, all done.
"Weiss? Weiss!" Mother screamed, and a few footsteps later she was fussing over Weiss. "B-Blood! There's so much?" She didn't give the dead bodies another look, Mother already looked like she was about to throw up. She couldn't blame the woman, it was not a pretty sight.
"There is no need to worry, Mother." Weiss gave her a reassuring smile as she wiped a few drops of blood from her forehead with her red stained sleeve. "None of it belongs to me." She felt bad for the maids who would have to clean it, maybe they should have it burned instead. At least it wasn't her outfit back on Remnant, that was considerably more difficult to clean up afterwards.
They were interrupted by the sound of horns and trumpets blasting through the walls, and the loud sound of what could be, hundreds of men pouring into the Gold Keep. Mother licked her dry lips, unsure of what to say. Weiss resisted the urge to make a joke about the cavalry showing up, she wasn't Yang after all.
"You should return to Alysanne and Alis, just in case more Ironborn arrive." Weiss tilted her head to the side cutely, to try and comfort her Mother. Mother nodded slowly, her eyes glazed over and confused as she stumbled back to the two scared ladies. They'd kept their eyes shut even without Mother covering them, so they needed the comfort more, at least at the moment. Maybe later, she'd freak out around her mother.
Weiss turned her attention back to the broken door. She would've preferred a sword, but even with her aura, she wasn't sure how well she would be able to wield it with her current height. The dagger would have to do for now. She grabbed another from Clud's catatonic, if not already dead, body. Two daggers were always better than one, and she was exhausted, not used to having her aura enhance her body.
They lost track of time, with Weiss using all of her strength to keep an eye on the door, when suddenly, she heard the sound of loud footsteps marching. Reinforcements from the Rock? Or was it the other raiders that had infiltrated the Gold Keep?
She relaxed her grip on the daggers, held them too tight and they would fly out of her hands. The marching drew closer, causing Weiss to hold her breath for a few seconds. A familiar face appeared from the right side of the door.
"Robart." Weiss released the breath she was holding. The guard rushed into the room, his eyes confused by the four dead bodies. She could understand why, that was quite a mess, and from someone who was supposedly untrained no less.
"My Ladies! Help has arrived." He flashed them a bruised smile when another figure walked through the door. Robart moved to help Mother and Weiss' friends stand, while casually stomping on the heads of the dead raiders. Evidently he was not going to take any chances with them, seemingly dead or not.
The newcomer wore heavy plate armor, with a golden lion etched onto his red breastplate. The Knight was tall, taller than even Father and thin. His full-helm looked like that of a roaring lion, and hid all but his green eyes which were visible even in the dark. His gaze was aimed at the four dead Ironborn, and the bloody dagger in her hands.
"Did you do this, girl?" His voice was deep, cold, and experienced. He sounded familiar, but for the life of her, she couldn't place him.
"Yes, my Lord." Weiss said respectfully, with a slight nod. For him to wear such expensive and glamorous armor, he must've been from the main Lannister branch. There was no heraldry, just the Lion, so he wasn't a sworn sword, the voice sounded aged and it obviously wasn't her cousin Jaime, but who?
"Impressive." The Knight said, finally removing his helm, revealing an older man with blonde hair that was slowly turning gray. He had a neatly trimmed beard so blonde that it blended in with his skin. "Not many men could take on four warriors and survive, even amongst my best men, even less a young lady such as yourself. Very impressive."
Weiss' eyes widened slowly as she quickly gave him a proper curtsey, pressing her lips into a thin line. "Thank you, my Lord."
It was the proper thing to do when in the presence of the ruler of the Westerlands, Lord Tywin Lannister.
The Old Lion of the West.
A/N
This is the longest chapter in A Song Of Weiss And Fire so far. If I had combined it with the previous chapter, as per my original plan, it would've had over 6 thousand words, maybe even reach 7 thousand.
Longer chapters such as these are only possible with the help of all my readers! We really enjoy reading all of the comments.
"Don't look back, My Lady!" Ser Tylan's voice was cold and firm as he covered their retreat. Mother, Alis and Alysanne were just ahead of her, with Robart now taking the lead while holding her Mother's wrist. Even from her position near the back, Weiss could see the shadows of his short sword, dark castle forged steel made out of the finest ores. Its length was perfect for fighting in the tight hallways of the Gold Keep, long enough to kill, but short enough to allow a full swing through the corridors. "Their armor weighs them down, we can outrun them."
That was assuming that those intruders were the only Ironborn in the Gold Keep. A bold, yet likely wrong assumption. In order for these Ironborn to have infiltrated the Gold Keep so quickly, the operation had to have been planned. They must've already been in Lannisport to strike so quickly, but without any proof, they were just guesses and fantasy. All Weiss truly knew was the incompetence of the Lannister guards who allowed so many to enter the Gold Keep. Those who died to the Ironborn should consider themselves lucky, especially if they were at fault for this mess.
"Head back from where we came." Ser Tylan yelled towards Robart, having to raise his voice to be heard over the crying that escaped the throats of Alis and Alysanne. Weiss would have preferred if they cried silently to not attract anymore unwanted attention. There could be more raiders in the keep. "We shall fortify one of the rooms there."
A decent idea, if they holed up in one of the rooms they just passed by, the raiders would likely reach them soon. Weiss could hear their footsteps, faint, but drawing ever closer. If only she had Myrtenaster and was at her full strength in a grown woman's body, she'd easily be able to subdue all of them. Their group soon passed another intersection of corridors, with Weiss giving it a brief glance. She regretted it almost instantly.
She spotted three bodies against the floor, parts of their bodies hidden by the shadows of the night, yet the torches that lit the way revealed a brutality that would've traumarize any other girl her age. It looked like a bloodbath, their Lannister armor half scavenged and caked in blood and gore. The air smelled like iron, as if the Stranger himself was stalking through the walls. Weiss swore she saw a few shadows move, at least four men were hiding in the darkness.
Ser Tylan noticed, and used his body to block her view. "Keep going my Lady, I swore to your Lord Father that no harm would come to you and Lady Ceria, and a knight always keeps his vows." He said in between breaths. Ser Tylan was old, and his chain armor was slowing him down. And yet, he sounded almost excited to be in combat once more.
"We need to stop soon!" Weiss said loudly. They had already lost Joston, Byren and Tarik, Weiss wasn't going to lose Ser Tylan too. Alis and Alysanne were also slowing down, not used to running for their lives, and their crying made their breathing erratic. "If we continue like this they'll just pick us off one by one."
While they had the advantage of knowing the layout of the Gold Keep, Weiss also had no idea how many other raiders had infiltrated the castle, and how many guards were still amongst the living. They needed something to even the odds, a more defensible position for instance.
Robart pauses in front of a single door, and letting go of Mother's wrist, struggled with the keys on his belt for a few seconds before finally unlocking the door. "In here my Ladies." She thought the door looked familiar, but she couldn't place it in the dark and with her worry.
The moment the door creaked open, Weiss heard a loud battle crying coming from behind her. She turned her head at just the right angle to see an Ironborn raider charging straight at them with a long axe, alone, with his beard covered in spittle and drops of red. Ser Tylan immediately pushed Weiss in the direction of the storage room before turning to face the mad man.
"Raaaaagh!" The Ironborn yelled as Ser Tylan stared him down, both hands on the grip of his longsword. The Ironborn was faster, younger, and much larger as he crossed the distance in a few seconds.
Yet, Ser Tylan's sword moved like it was an extension of his own body, not fast, but not too slow. His longsword struck the shaft of the axe, using the Ironborn's slowed movements to move out of the way. Ser Tylan's movements were precise and calculated, he fought knowing his own limitations and using his years of experience.
"Die." Ser Tylan growled, lifting his longsword for an overhead strike. The Ironborn barely lifted his axe in time, Ser Tylan's blade impacted the weapon's shaft, causing it to splinter.
Weiss felt Robart lift her up by her armpits. "Into the room, my Lady, we shall handle it from here." She would've felt embarrassed if this wasn't a matter of life or death.
Weiss nodded slowly as she allowed Robart to guide her away, her eyes never leaving Ser Tylan's back as he kept up his assault. The Ironborn stared at him with confused eyes, while giving ground, his rusted and old chain armor clinging to his body. Relaxing his grip, Ser Tylan gave her a brief side glance.
"I shall see you when this is over, Lady Weiss." He gave her a confident grin as he swiped against the Raider's flailing strike, forming a thin red line across his cheek. The Ironborn yelled in pain and rage. Either at the implied humiliation of being toyed with, or just because his prey wasn't dying as easily as he hoped.
"Die old man!" The Ironborn overextended himself, raising his axe high in the air, giving Ser Tylan his opening. His sword sliced into the gap between the Ironborn's helmet and neck guard. Any others curses or yelled died in his throat as he choked on his own blood. Robart tried hiding the view as Weiss reluctantly entered the room.
"Robart! Go get reinforcements and bring them here. I shall protect the Ladies. Where there is one Squid, more are sure to come." Ser Tylan ordered. Mother, Alysanne and Alis were already in the room, near the back wall. "Bar the door."
Battle cries started to draw closer, causing Ser Tylan to look down the hall with a tight jaw.
"Yes Ser." Robart flashed them a sad smile, while Ser Tylan's large grin was the last thing Weiss saw before the door was closed shut. She felt a surge of hope, before it was smothered in some rage at the sheer idiocy she was seeing.
That dolt! He should've joined them in the room! Weiss wanted to yell and scream at the old knight, yet not a single noise escaped her throat. Why were the people here such idiots and morons? Weiss felt her body shake in rage, the letter opener still hidden in the sleeve of her night gown. She felt someone wrap their arms around her small, thin body.
"I'm here, Sweetling." Mother whispered into her ear in the darkness. It took a few seconds for Weiss' eyes to adjust, her aura allowed her to see better than an average human, but was still inferior to the night vision of a faunus. Mother ran her thumb under Weiss' eyes, wiping away an imaginary tear. She probably thought Weiss was crying due to her shaking. It would make sense, and given her age, was to be expected.
"W-What happens now?" Alysanne was the first to speak up. Weiss gave her a brief glance, her two friends were holding each other's hands, their faces marked by rivers of tear marks. She resisted the urge to sneer at their useless nature, they were kids and never even trained for this. It wasn't their fault, not in the least.
"We wait for relief." Weiss answered, her voice hard. "Casterly Rock must've seen the flames and received Maester Harmune's raven. Lord Tywin must be on his way."
With Father fighting off the Ironborn in Lannisport and the docks, reinforcements from Casterly Rock would be their best hope. Lord Tywin could summon hundreds of knights and riders at a moment's notice, Weiss was sure that help would be coming soon. However, it would take time to muster them, especially with the limited technology. Even with Casterly Rock being just over a mile away, it took time to rally troops and start marching.
A deadly silence soon came over them, allowing Weiss to get a good look at the room, as good as it could be in the darkness. It was a large storage room, filled with blankets and covers that would be in use once Winter arrived. Not a single useful weapon, but it did have a sturdy door for an entrance at least.
The silence was soon disturbed by the sound of metal clanging and fighting, just outside of the door. Weiss balled her hands into fist as she heard Ser Tylan yelling curses through the openings. She closed her eyes shut when the fighting died down after who knew how long. Mother held her even closer, so close that Weiss could feel her breath on the skin of her cheeks.
Someone outside the door started struggling with the doorknob, unable to open it without the key Robart had taken with him. It was probably not a good sign, combined with the silence from Ser Tylan, but she held out some hope. Maybe he'd won?
"Fuck." Weiss heard someone groan, their voice little more than whispers in the back of the storage room. It wasn't Ser Tylan's voice, it sounded cruel and dark, like nails scratching a chalkboard. Well, so much for that hope.
"Just use the axe." Another voice said. Mother gasped, pulled Weiss against the back wall. Not even a second later, a loud thud slammed against the reinforced door, and another, and another.
"Weiss, Alysanne, Alis, get behind me." Mother whispered, using her body to shield the three girls. Alysanne started to sob again, her nose dripping with mucus that leaked down to her mouth. Alis cried silently.
"I don't want to be a salt wife." One of them said in between breaths. She couldn't tell which one, their voices sound alike from all the sobbing and terror.
Soon, after what felt like an eternity, an axe head made its way past the wooden door. Even in the darkness, Weiss could see an eye staring at them from the opening.
"We have some pretty ones in here, Lions by the look of it." Another gravelly voice said before disappearing. The axe head returned in its place as the Ironborn continued their efforts, now properly motivated by an actual prize that appeared to be waiting for them.
"Father above, please grant us your justice." Mother started to pray under her breath, holding an arm out in front of Weiss, as if to shield her. "Mother above, please show us your mercy. May the Warrior defend us and give strength to those who fight for our sake."
Weiss slid the letter opener into her waiting hand, hiding it behind her back.
"Most beautiful Maiden please grant us courage, oh mighty Smith give us your strength." Mother continued her chant when the door finally failed them, bursting open. Mother flinched, but remained steadfast and continued her prayer, her voice wavering.
Four Ironborn blocked the exit, mostly wearing boiled leather and light mail shirts. Only one of them wore a half-helm, battered and bloodied. Half-Helm held the long axe, while the other three held short swords.
"You're right Clud." Half-Helm said, turning his head towards his friend to his left. 'Clud' had a pox marked face with a downward curved nose. "They are pretty ones."
"Hehe." Clud formed a lecherous grin. "I told ya."
"Grab 'em, Darron." Half-Helm pushed the short man to his right forward. "I always wanted a high born salt wife." He had a dagger attached to his belt, still in its sheath.
"Mother." Weiss whispered low enough for the older woman to hear. "Close your eyes and don't open them until I tell you, please."
"W-What?" Mother stuttered, drawn out of her prayer.
"Do it, and cover Alysanne and Alis' eyes too." Weiss stepped around her Mother's arm, walking in the direction of the approaching Ironborn. She didn't turn back to see if her Mother had listened to her.
"That's right, come 'ere girl." Darron, a short man with a thick and bushy black mustache, licked his brown teeth. "Good to know these clawless lions taught you we-"
Weiss launched herself forward, using her aura to enhance the strength in her legs. With the letter opener aimed forward, she sliced into Darron's throat without a second thought. That caused warm, red liquids to coat her hand. Before he had even fallen to the ground dead, Weiss was already on the move. One down, three to go.
She formed a glyph beneath her feet, launching herself in Half-Helm's direction. They hadn't expected her to fight back, much less kill one of them. To be fair, expecting a seven year old girl in Remnant to fight back was unexpected, let alone here. Dropping their guard would be a fatal mistake. With adrenaline still coursing through her veins, Weiss jammed the letter opener into Half-Helm's right eye.
"Aagh!" Half-Helm screamed in pain, twisting his head to the side and causing the letter opener to snap in half, leaving Weiss with just the handle. Two down, two to go.
"Damn it." Weiss muttered, throwing away the useless handle and grabbed Half-Helm's spare dagger. She should've used her aura to enhance the letter opener's strength. Half-Helm continued yelling and screaming on the ground, clutching the side of his face with the still impaled blade protruding from his eye like a tower.
Clud and his friend stared at Weiss with wide eyes, confused and frightened by their fellow raiders dying and being gored within the span of a few seconds. Weiss held the dagger in a reverse grip, its handle was too long for her hands, but her aura would ensure she wouldn't drop it. She missed Myrtenaster, this dagger felt foreign in her hands. Weiss preferred rapiers.
"A witch." One of them, not Clud, muttered. Weiss' eyes briefly darted towards her Mother, who was shielding Alysanne and Alis with her body, her blue eyes closed shut. Good, they didn't need to see this right now.
Good, with all the bloodstains that decorated Weiss' nightgown, Mother didn't need anymore stress alongside the threat of being taken a saltwife or killed. Nor did her friends.
"Yah!" Clud suddenly regained his senses, charging Weiss with a wide swing. Weiss dodged it, using her shorter stature to get in close and stabbing the back of his knee with the dagger. It sank into the meat, causing him to stagger and fall forward a bit before regaining his balance.
"Gah." Clud fell to one knee, bringing his short sword back around to try and take off Weiss' head. A quick backstep took care of that, causing the blade to whistle through the air but not hit anything. There was an opening in his elbow, only protected by boiled leather instead of mail.
"Hear me roar." Weiss said coldly, swinging the dagger with all her aura enhanced might, parting Clud's arm from the rest of his body. With the blade strengthened by her aura, it easily sliced into flesh and bone. He stared at her in shock before yelling curses, grasping his stump of an arm. A spray of red coated the two of them. She wasn't too worried, blood loss would take him down, she just had to wait it out.
Weiss was about to finish him off when she sensed a stab in her direction, so she moved her head to the side just enough to allow Clud's friend's short sword to sweep by her. He impaled Clud who kept screaming in pain. Some people just had no luck.
"You four should've attacked me all at once if you wanted to stand a chance." Weiss sighed and narrowed her eyes. Clud's friend tried another swing, but Weiss was faster and her dagger's shorter length allowed her to bury it in his neck without having to adjust its length. Weiss felt his body spray warm liquids onto her cheeks. Three down, one to go.
"M-Monster-" The Ironborn choked out before falling on his side. How ironic, they were the ones who wanted to kidnap Weiss, her Mother, and her friends to rape and do as they pleased. And she was called a monster? Pathetic.
Weiss finally straightened her back with shaky knees, refusing to allow the dagger to slip in between her fingers, just in case any more raiders were bold enough to face them. This wasn't the first time she had killed, Weiss had done so once or twice during the White Fang's invasion of Vale, and during the Breach. She usually didn't see their final moments, and it was hard to remember that the people here were much more fragile due to their lack of Aura. She looked back at Half-Helm, seeing that he'd finally died, or at least whatever graey matter he had inside his head had finally realized he was dead. Four down, all done.
"Weiss? Weiss!" Mother screamed, and a few footsteps later she was fussing over Weiss. "B-Blood! There's so much?" She didn't give the dead bodies another look, Mother already looked like she was about to throw up. She couldn't blame the woman, it was not a pretty sight.
"There is no need to worry, Mother." Weiss gave her a reassuring smile as she wiped a few drops of blood from her forehead with her red stained sleeve. "None of it belongs to me." She felt bad for the maids who would have to clean it, maybe they should have it burned instead. At least it wasn't her outfit back on Remnant, that was considerably more difficult to clean up afterwards.
They were interrupted by the sound of horns and trumpets blasting through the walls, and the loud sound of what could be, hundreds of men pouring into the Gold Keep. Mother licked her dry lips, unsure of what to say. Weiss resisted the urge to make a joke about the cavalry showing up, she wasn't Yang after all.
"You should return to Alysanne and Alis, just in case more Ironborn arrive." Weiss tilted her head to the side cutely, to try and comfort her Mother. Mother nodded slowly, her eyes glazed over and confused as she stumbled back to the two scared ladies. They'd kept their eyes shut even without Mother covering them, so they needed the comfort more, at least at the moment. Maybe later, she'd freak out around her mother.
Weiss turned her attention back to the broken door. She would've preferred a sword, but even with her aura, she wasn't sure how well she would be able to wield it with her current height. The dagger would have to do for now. She grabbed another from Clud's catatonic, if not already dead, body. Two daggers were always better than one, and she was exhausted, not used to having her aura enhance her body.
They lost track of time, with Weiss using all of her strength to keep an eye on the door, when suddenly, she heard the sound of loud footsteps marching. Reinforcements from the Rock? Or was it the other raiders that had infiltrated the Gold Keep?
She relaxed her grip on the daggers, held them too tight and they would fly out of her hands. The marching drew closer, causing Weiss to hold her breath for a few seconds. A familiar face appeared from the right side of the door.
"Robart." Weiss released the breath she was holding. The guard rushed into the room, his eyes confused by the four dead bodies. She could understand why, that was quite a mess, and from someone who was supposedly untrained no less.
"My Ladies! Help has arrived." He flashed them a bruised smile when another figure walked through the door. Robart moved to help Mother and Weiss' friends stand, while casually stomping on the heads of the dead raiders. Evidently he was not going to take any chances with them, seemingly dead or not.
The newcomer wore heavy plate armor, with a golden lion etched onto his red breastplate. The Knight was tall, taller than even Father and thin. His full-helm looked like that of a roaring lion, and hid all but his green eyes which were visible even in the dark. His gaze was aimed at the four dead Ironborn, and the bloody dagger in her hands.
"Did you do this, girl?" His voice was deep, cold, and experienced. He sounded familiar, but for the life of her, she couldn't place him.
"Yes, my Lord." Weiss said respectfully, with a slight nod. For him to wear such expensive and glamorous armor, he must've been from the main Lannister branch. There was no heraldry, just the Lion, so he wasn't a sworn sword, the voice sounded aged and it obviously wasn't her cousin Jaime, but who?
"Impressive." The Knight said, finally removing his helm, revealing an older man with blonde hair that was slowly turning gray. He had a neatly trimmed beard so blonde that it blended in with his skin. "Not many men could take on four warriors and survive, even amongst my best men, even less a young lady such as yourself. Very impressive."
Weiss' eyes widened slowly as she quickly gave him a proper curtsey, pressing her lips into a thin line. "Thank you, my Lord."
It was the proper thing to do when in the presence of the ruler of the Westerlands, Lord Tywin Lannister.
The Old Lion of the West.
A/N
This is the longest chapter in A Song Of Weiss And Fire so far. If I had combined it with the previous chapter, as per my original plan, it would've had over 6 thousand words, maybe even reach 7 thousand.
Longer chapters such as these are only possible with the help of all my readers! We really enjoy reading all of the comments.