Trials and Tribulations of the Oathkeeper

Chapter 166: The Dragon and the Griffin (Part 2)

Steel clashed and clanged upon impact, men shouted and cursed; wolves lunged through the air in the small space. As everything was ablaze around them, Robb and Jon stood shoulder-to-shoulder against Connington and his men. Sandor and Arya had their fair share of keeping them away from the hostages even as a great section of the walls starts to collapse around them, revealing the ferocious wildfire inferno below gradually getting more potent with each explosive blast. Maegor's Holdfast begins shakes and many try to keep their balance. Time was a precious thing; and it felt it was growing shorter.

"Stupid boy," Connington cursed, deflecting a blow from Robb and parried. "Your grandfather and uncle were tried and tested, yet they failed in the end."

"The North has never forgotten the crimes House Targaryen has committed," Robb grunted. "Never again will the dragons' tyranny terrorize this land!"

Jon attempted to land a decisive blow from behind with Longclaw, but Connington anticipated the charging thrust and sidestepped and elbowed him in the face.

"You think that will work on me, Prince Aegon? I've been fighting in many battles since before you or any your cousins were born. I have nearly 30 years of combat experience and my time in exile across the Narrow Sea only served to make me stronger," he said. "Prince Rhaegar was stronger than me, easily one of the best swordsmen of his time. You disgrace his legacy."

"And yet you lost to Robert Baratheon at Stony Sept because you got careless," Jon countered. "You're being careless again, Connington!"

Again being reminded of his failures at the Battle of the Bells angered him. "SILENCE, BOY!" he shouted and grabbed Jon, flinging him over his shoulder. "The same mistake will NOT be repeated here! This will not be another Battle of the Bells! This time, I am going to do what I should have done twenty-five years ago! Since you're all in one spot, all of King's Landing... will burn!"

Above them, chunks of the ceiling fall onto the floor – forcing many to scatter in different directions. With a knowing look, Sandor rushes forward. Arya engages three of Connington's guards and easily dispatches them; her experience in her first battle at Winterfell against the undead proved useful. The Hound easily dispatches each of the sellswords sent to engage him in turn. Grey Wind—although wounded with two crossbow bolts—tore out the throats of three more before being surrounded by four guards and stabbed repeatedly. Ghost, howling in anger, lunged at each of them individuals—latching onto them with its teeth and biting down hard.

"That will never happen," Jon responded. The White Wolf moves to intercept each of Connington's swings, bringing Longclaw around to parry and sweep, thrust and dodge. Although the Targaryen-Stark held his own, Connington was older and more experienced in the art of warfare.

"You still have much to learn, Prince Aegon. Pity you were brought in by the wrong family."

"Ned Stark took me in and raised me as his own after my mother died on the birthing bed! It was Lyanna's dying wish to her brother, my uncle. Everything he did, growing up with a bastard's name, he did it to protect me. Talk about House Stark all you want, but my cousins ARE my family and I won't let you hurt them!" He pushed him away. "What you're claiming as justification does not undo what was already done. The war is over." Jon cannot argue; he's seen too much horror already. He doesn't care about his own skin but his cousins Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran and Rickon – that's a very different matter.

"This war is not over until every single man, woman and child of the Baratheon line is extinguished forever, boy," Connington countered.

"I won't let you do that, Connington!"

"The moment the walls were breached the battle was over. You compromised yourselves; exposed your vulnerable flanks for us to exploit. Queen Daenerys gave you lots every chance to surrender peacefully, but you stubbornly refused all the same and chose to take up arms against House Targaryen again."