Roads to Power

288AC

My sword clashed with another of the squires; he was a couple of years older, but even though I was only thirteen, calisthenics exercises kept me in a moderately better shape than most people of similar ages. We were fighting on the training grounds outside of the darke keep, with a few men-at-arms overseeing us. *Clang.* The squire tried to hit me with his blunt sword at my side; I could already see his telegraphed moves. It was easy to predict what he would likely do next, where he would attack, and the apparent feints and tricks with his sword. As he went to do an overhead slash at me. I positioned my clean sword to reflect the sun in his eyes, causing the squire to squint and be blinded for a split second. I then sidestep his slash and get closer to him in his personal space; I hit his sword, holding his hand with the blunt side of my sword. "Ouch!" He yelped in pain, dropping his sword on the ground. I then punched him in the chin, and he dropped like a sack of potatoes, grunting and holding his mouth as blood came out of it.

"Well done, Damien, that is the best swordplay I have ever seen," proclaimed the master-at-arms, otherwise known as Ser Merywn or Merywn the Swift, as he clapped to congratulate me on my new victory. My eyes met his similarly dark ones, and we smiled. Well, most, if not all, dark soldiers were terrible and very weakly trained, only slightly better than freshly trained levies due to our house's decline over the years. Or I could also have said that I used this time to spar because I knew the squires were either too drunk or tired. Instead of speaking my mind, going for the more diplomatic approach was better. "Well, I had a good teacher." His smile widened. "Your swordplay is perfect, but now you just need some experience. Others and I will clear out some bandits due to increased activity and disturbance of caravans. Would you perhaps want to accompany us, my Lord?" Well, this was interesting. My smile didn't slip out of my face as I answered him. "Of course, I will come; just give me some time to prepare." In contrast, there was no noticeable deception in his voice or body language. This was still a medieval world, and Westeros and he called me to exterminate some bandits, which was convenient for me to have an 'accident.' Well, if he tried anything, then he would be the one having a so-called 'accident' because while it is not likely, it could hurt to be prepared

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2 CHAPTER has arrived i have improved on some mistakes i have made last chapter such as it feeling too robotic in a sense, if you have a constructive criticism or have a suggestion where you think the story should head feel free to let me.