Wolf of Númenor

Chapter 18: Battle, Regrets and woe

Robar;

The Holy hundred might be a group of pious knights, but they were well equipped and disciplined considering their origin. Hasty told his men to ready themselves for battle; the horses were being mounted, swords sharpened one last time, men moving into formation. He stood with Loras, Jon, Bonifer, and two others of the hundred; they were going over the plan one more time.

"When the battle starts, we wait for Stannis's forces to reach the wall; once the fighting is at its thickest, we attack. We go straight to the center, towards the gates, once that part of the army has been taken care of, we move to the side to finish the rest," Loras said, pointing at a drawing in the dirt.

"My brother will send some of his forces out as soon as we rout the main force and give them a way out of the keep," Bonifer added.

"Good, we are going to need more men to pull this off efficiently," Jon said.

"I do have something that might help us even further," Robar said.

"Say it, don't keep us in suspense," Loras said.

"By the banner, I have seen, I believe lord Fell is the one leading these troops, so I thought that we should focus on him; if he is slain, they will be left without a leader."

"Cut the head off the snake," Jon said.

"Precisely," Robar said.

"Lord Fell will probably be in the center of it, leading his troops as they attack the gates. Our plan doesn't change much; just take care of him if you get the chance," Bonifer said, and the rest nodded.

"All is ready, Ser Bonifer," a man said as he approached them.

"Now we ride to battle then," Robar said.

"May the Crone light our way, and the Warrior gives strength to our arms," Bonifer said, and his men repeated the verse with equal fervor.

"Men of the faith indeed," he thought. He was a follower of the seven but not a devout one like these men. His father always said that their house descended from the first men and not the Andals and that they have relations with the Starks of Winterfell. Once he first saw Jon, there was no doubt that they shared blood, Jon looking like his younger brother Waymar, with the same hair and gray eyes. His own eyes were gray too but much paler than Jon or his brothers. That was the second reason he decided to go after Jon; he owned the man his life, yes, but when he looked at him, he could see his little brother, the one that should have been here alive and well. He could not help Waymar, but he will not fail Jon, they were kin and brothers of the Kingsguard, and Robar will do what is needed to keep Jon safe.

He and Jon walked up to their horses to find Grenn there, the hundred have him some armor and a sword to wield in the ensuing fight. Green was looking at the blade when Robar approached him.

"Ready for what is to come?" he asked, and Grenn looked at him.

"Yes," the man answered.

Looking at how he held the sword, Robar had to ask. "Do you know how to use that thing?"

"Of course, I know how to use a sword; you stick the pointy end into the other man," Grenn said, and Robar did his best not to laugh. What Grenn said was right, but it was more complicated than that.

Robar patted the man and the back. "Just don't get yourself killed, alright?" he said with a small smirk.

"You think I can't take care of myself?" Grenn asked, agitated.

"Have you ever been in a fight with a professional swordsman?" Jon asked, but Robar already knew the answer.

"No," Grenn said, and Robar could see that some of the anger was gone, now replaced with uncertainty.