6. Setting the Tone

Gavyn of Old Town, sat on the floor, slurping down a bowl of broth. He didn't even realize what was in store for him. In truth, none of the 5 chained men realized what was in store for them, all they knew was that they were happy to be getting a good meal after days.

Gavyn had come in on a ship from Old Town that brought fresh goods directly to Casterly Rock. He and his 5 mates had snuck off the ship at night to see what they could pilfer. Unfortunately, Merys, had been helping the other kitchen staff inspect and take inventory of the goods from Old Town. It was her mother Mya who became concerned when she didn't see her daughter return to the inner section of the Rock.

Mya had alerted the other staff and they set off looking as Merys was looked on as a sister and daughter to all of them, she had grown up in Casterly Rock. Her father was a sailor who had died during an Ironborn raid, off the coast some 10 years ago.

Unfortunately, they had been too late. The staff caught Gavyn in the act of dumping her body into the sea. She had been raped and her head bashed in. The others were caught trying to return to the ship and Gavy had claimed that all 5 of them were in on it. Tytos for once had not baulked, and sentence Gavyn to death, but had yet to sentence the other 4, even after their captain had pleaded on their behalf.

Gavyn was to be executed on the following day after the majority of the noble guests had left from the feast 2 nights ago. Fortunately, Tytos wouldn't be troubled with this decision. I was about to past sentence in my little training yard.

It was by the time they had finished their meal; 2 women had entered the yard accompanied by one of my new guards. Their eyes went wide when they saw the men chained against the far wall and one even began to scream bloody murder as she tried to lunge at them. Robar was quick enough to grab hold of her.

The already nervous men, became even more uneasy as realization dawned upon them. Whatever they were here for, wasn't going to end well. Mya's presence was all that was needed when they realized who the screaming woman was. I didn't know if it was hope or stupidity that had caused them to believe that they would have a chance of leaving Casterly Rock. Or they would be allowed to take the Black.

Regardless of which it was, there punishment wouldn't be swift. I was here to personally see to it. I looked Mya in her eyes and I could see the burning hatred she had for them. That was all that I needed to satisfy myself. I began by pointing at the younger of the 2 Dornish men who were amongst the 5 prisoners, he was in his early 20s.

"Unchain him and put him to kneel in front of me." Two of my guards quickly moved to carry out my order. As the frighten man began to beg.

"Please, please, my lord, mercy, I beg of you, the Mother's mercy my Lord."

"The Mother's mercy, was that what you gave Merys when you raped her?" I coldly asked as he was forced to the floor to kneel.

"Please, mercy, I never touched the girl, I was only there to steal, we, only after a few coins, mercy my Lord. Gavin was the one who saw her, he tried to to convince us to…"

"LIAR, YOU ALL WERE IN ON IT AND FORCED ME TO GET RID OF THE BODY!" Gavyn shouted. That was all I needed to hear. The others at this point were trying to get to him to silence him. When I had taken them from the cells, he had been kept in a separate cell. They had already tried to beat him to death before.

"ENOUGH, BREAK THAT UP AND GAG THEM IF THEY WONT BE QUIET." I shouted. My men quickly acted and got the other 4 under control.

"As for you, I will give you one chance, I will allow you a sword and shield. Defeat me and I will allow you to take the black, fail and I will punish you, is that understood?" I asked while menacingly looking into his eyes.

On my que, Ser Garrand, took a training sword and a shield and threw it on the floor. These men had probably never had a sword in their hands, yet I was making him fight for his life. Was it fair? No at all. Did I care? Not at all.

"Please my Lord, it wasn't me, I never touched her. Please, mercy, mercy my Lord, mercy." He begged and threw himself on the floor trying to reach for my foot to beg, but began to scream as he found my heal on his hand. I had ground his hand and heard his bone crack as I placed all of my weigh into it. I had force all of my approximate 120lbs, that was including the weight of my gear and equipment.

I forced the weight down as he screamed, he now grabbed with his other hand trying to lift when he heard a loud "CRUNCH". His collar bone was broken as I brought the dull practice blade down on him. I took my foot off of his hand as to my surprise, he was screaming even louder. My blade then landed several more times at full force, the blows aiming for his legs and arms.

"Tie him up and gag him. Drag him to the side." My orders were just loud enough to be heard over the screaming man. I soon realized that everyone including the other prisoners were in shock. 'Did I go overboard?' Quickly taking back the initiative. "DO NOT MAKE ME REPEAT MYSELF."

The two closest guards regained their composure and carried out my orders. I took my time and sat down and calmed myself. I took a sip of my cool, medieval Gatorade; water, salt, a splash of lemon and a dab of honey. Something I ordered made this morning when I went to the kitchen, that along with a pot of bone broth. I had anticipated that I would be exerting myself this evening.

After a couple of minutes and the 1st man had been secured. "You! 2nd from the right!" I pointed to one in the middle. "Same deal to all of you, if you can defeat me, I'll let you take the Black."

The guards unchained him and took his gag out. As soon as they got him near the sword and shield, he grabbed it and charged. He had telegraphed what he was trying to do, he wanted to try and tackle me to the ground. To use his size and height advantage to overpower me. However, he was too clumsy, I saw right through him.

I easily side stepped him and lashed his back. The blow was shallow and he turned trying to swipe at me with the blunt sword but I just ducked under and connected with his knee and he went down. I swung my blade at his hand and disarmed him. He tried to turtle up with the shield and all I did was strike his shins until he had given up his head and with one blow, I had knocked him senseless. "Tie and gag him." I ordered. This time the guards acted on command.

I again sat down and caught my breath. Everything repeated itself for number 3, he had feebly tried to put up a fight, but I quickly dispatched him with a blow to the ankle and then quickly disarmed him when he fell. The guards then seized him and tied and gagged him. I took a couple minutes and just sat there concentrating on my breathing while my eyes were closed.

Only Gavin and another remained. The other man was the biggest of the 5. He was probably in his early 30s, his black hair was shaggy and he had a wispy beard. He was about 5'11", 210lbs. he had several scars on his face and his nose was crooked, it had been broken before but had not healed back quite straight.

I had intentionally let the others go first; he was the only one that hadn't flinched after the first prisoner had been dealt with. He had the look of a man who had known violence for his entire life. He would be the toughest of them.

Whatever happened he had resolved himself to fight, he wasn't going to let himself be slaughtered like a sheep. Part of me doubted myself. This would be my first real challenge I thought. He slowly approached the sword and shield left on the ground before approaching me slowly.

"Anytime you are ready." I responded while assuming a single hand back right stance. My Observe skill was now being pushed to its limit, I had been using it all evening, but now I pushed it to its limit. I was going to try and anticipated all of his moves. His hands showed no sign of tightening around his grip. He was leaning into his left leg. 'He's going to feint and then charge while slamming me with his shield.'

As soon as he moved his right hand I went to intercept with my sword, aiming for his knuckles. I would disarm him as quick as possible. I wasn't going to take any chances. However, I couldn't have been more wrong. To my shock he had chucked his sword at me instead of following through with the swing.

'Oh shit.' Went through my head as I had flinched. He had grabbed me with his now free hand while I was tumbling back. My back slammed on the floor and his weight on top of me. He had quickly tossed his shield and was now grabbing my own trying to pull it from my hand.

As he finally managed to pull it free. He found a dagger sticking in his chest. Then it was pulled out and stuck inside again and again. I looked over and saw Garrand standing there with his mouth open. Garrand who had just been about to intervene was now a couple of feet away eyeing the dagger in my hand. I had hidden one behind my shield since the start.

As his blood sprinkled on me, he had an incredulous look on his face. Garrand regaining clarity as to what had happened, grabbed the man and pulled him off of me. He then helped me to my feet.

Adrenalin was pumping through my veins and I felt a high come over me. "Huh, was that what I looked like?' As I stood there covered with the prisoner's blood. I couldn't help think, 'Was that what I looked like when I got killed?' The prisoner was lying there just bleeding out with a look of disbelief on his face.

Not wanting to lose momentum. I called for the stunned guards to unchain Gavyn. He immediately began to beg for his life as he pissed himself. The guards tossed him forward on my signal and I began beating him mercilessly. I struck him repeatedly with the flat of the blade. This continued for more than 20 blows while I taunted him.

Finally, his survival instincts went from fright to fight and he grabbed the sword that had been intended for him. I only gave him enough chance for half of a swing before I struck him down and continued beating him. His back, his ass and his legs had been struck over and over with the flat of the blade. He screamed for mercy, but I didn't give him any.

...............….. 

Ser Garrand Prester POV

I couldn't remember if there had been a time in my life when I had been surprised and shocked repeatedly in such a short space of time. I had known from the time I had come to Casterly Rock, the Lordling Tywin Lannister was not like any other children, including the other nobles I had known and grown up with.

Tywin Lannister was a monster. Only now had he stopped beating the piece of shit Gavyn. If Tywin hadn't, I had already intended that I would take matters into my own hands. But for a boy of 10 to be this brutal. He stood there covered in the blood of the prisoner he had killed before. He had dealt the rapist more than a hundred blows before the sword had fell from his hand. Gavyn lay there shaking unable to move, his skin rend and bloodied and turning black and blue.

I had been ready to intervene before the dead man could hurt him but to my shock, he had already stabbed the man once before I could push him off. Then he just stabbed him over and over again, not flinching as the blood squirted over him. For a boy of 10, if he was able to not be shaken by this, he would be a man to be feared.

"Both of you, bind and gag him." I gave the order for the guards to deal with Gavyn.

"Ser Garrand?" I heard him say quite softly.

"Yes, my Lord?"

"Have their legs and arms broken. Tie them by their feet. Hang them from the balcony on the Western side of this level. I wanted a guard posted, and rotated. Only when they stop breathing, then you have my permission to let them go, right into the sea. Am I understood?"

"Yes, my Lord." It was all I could say. Tywin Lannister, the complete opposite of his Lord Father. I knew the boy was cunning and brave, but now I had to add brutal and decisive. He had never hesitated once in his orders, no matter how grave. May the Mother have mercy on his enemies.