Chapter 34: Chapter 14: The Dornish Conspiracy (Part 2)

Seventh Moon, 8012

Throne Room of the Aegonfort

‘’By right of birth and blood…..I demand a trial by combat.’’ The old Dornish lord said, leaning on a cane, drawing forth a murmur from the court in the timber longhall of the Aegonfort.

Aegon was not surprised, it was hardly unusual for a lord to invoke this right when imprisoned, men claimed that the gods would favor the side that stood for righteousness, but in Aegon's mind, the only ‘’gods’’ involved in a trial by combat were the sword arms of the men involved, nonetheless Aegon would not attempt to subvert the man's right.

The King nodded slowly ‘’You have that right….will you be summoning a champion?’’

The crowd whispered in anticipation, the old Dornishman was clearly in a poor state, with his illness and his fall from the horse. Any sane man would elect a champion but tales of Lord Blackmonts brave yet stupid resistance had reached the court and with a man like that you never could be certain. The King hoped the man would elect to summon a champion, he did not want an old dying man to be cut down in his hall, if the man would die it would be swift, any duel would be a mummer's farce.

These fears proved unfounded as Lord Blackmont shook his head ‘’I am not the sort of man to have others do my fighting for me, but I can scarce lift a blade let alone swing one….my brother in law will stand for me….no need to send a raven, he is here in the city.’’

Aegon nodded, he had given the old lord the courtesy of a tower cell, traitor or not he was still a lord, no doubt the Lord Blackmont had managed to deliver a message informing his brother in law of his plans and summoning him to the capitol in haste.

The King turned to Orys, who had recovered from his wound in the tourney, though a cloth sash covered his eye.

‘’Have Lord Blackmonts champion found and bring him here at sundown….the trial will take place today.’’ Aegon commanded and his half-brother nodded and went to his task.

The King had a sudden urge to handle the duel himself, and why not he was capable, he was perhaps the best swordsman in the city, though his sister Visenya could match him and Ser Gawen Corbray would likely prove a challenge, his cousin Corlys would be tough fight as well, though the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard had less energy as of late due to his injury.

His thoughts were interrupted as one of his Kingsguard stepped forward immediately, approaching the throne.

‘’Your Grace…..when I was sworn as one of your Kingsguard I made a pledge that If I should fall let it be surrounded by the bodies of your enemies….I have no plans of falling today but let me make good on that pledge today….I protected the queen from harm during her tour of the Free Cities, and I fought well in your name during the Dornish war….let me stand for you your grace.’’ The Kingsguard said.

Aegon looked down at the face of Ser Harold Langward, the Kingsguard that represented the Stormlands.

The King gave a look towards Corlys, who nodded, Ser Harold might have been arrogant but none could deny he was a skilled swordsman, though Ser Gawen Corbray and the Lord Commander outskilled him.

The King nodded slowly ‘’I will give you the honor of representing me in the trial Ser Harold, make yourself ready for tonight….you shall have the use of both of my squires.’’

A Few Hours Later

Courtyard of the Aegonfort

The sun was slowly setting as both combatants presented themselves in front of the King and his court. The King had decreed the fight was to be held outside, he did not want blood spilt in his throne room.

Some in the court had suggested that benches be set up and a feast held, but Aegon had refused them, he had no intention of the trial becoming a spectacle, it was a trial, nothing more nothing less, but certainly not an event that warranted frivolity.

A cold wind from the bay blew in causing many in the court to mumble about the lack of seating, but Aegon was silent, his arms crossed.

Lord Blackmonts champion was little more than a hedge knight, lowborn who had married the Lord Blackmonts youngest sister. He did not look particularly impressive, having a pinched face, small dark eyes and rough yellow stubble. He did not have a squire so Corlys Velayrons own squire, Omer Bulwer, son of the runner up to the tourney of Kings Landing, attended him.

He wore a long black robe that reached his legs. On his chest he had a heavy padded cloth gambeson. He wore leather arm guards and gloves, his sword was plain yet well sharpened while his shield was freshly painted yellow with the black eagle of house Blackmont standing proud. He wore a leather helm with a steel guard over his nose.

Ser Harold Langward made the much more impressive figure, wearing the heavy white plate of the Kingsguard, a cloak as white as snow upon his shoulders while his face was fully obscured by a plate helm, save for his eyes. Behind him, Aegon's son Vaemond held his sword while Dalton Wynch held his shield, emblazoned with the sigil of house Langward.

The septon spoke a few words, holding out his crystal in front of the sun's dying rays asking for the gods to favor the man who represented justice.

Once the septon had finished, Aegon gave a curt nod and commanded the trial to begin.

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Ser Harold began the attack launching a succession of heavy strikes at the hedge knight who barely managed to block them, at the end his shield becoming wrent and broken, He retreated back to little Ormer Bulwer who handed him another shield and he returned to the fray.

‘’Yield…’’ Ser Harold called out and the hedge knight shook his head and the battle continued.

Ser Harold launched another downwards strike at the knight who was unable to get his shield up, the Kingsguards blade hitting the mans leather helm and gliding downwards, badly damaging the steel nasal guard and causing blood to drip down the mans face.

The crowd shouted encouragement from all sides, the courtyard mixing with shouts and the clash of steel on shield.

‘’Kill him!’’ the Ironborn Dalton Wynch cried out.

Ser Farrel caught a slash on his shield and launched one of his own but Ser Harold turned it away with his own shield with a tremendous clash of splinters, Ser Harold tossed it away and waved away the offer of a fresh shield, holding his longsword in two hands.

The hedge knight launched an attack but Ser Harold sidestepped it and the dance continued.

The Kingsguard retook the offensive, launching two more strikes but the hedge knight blocked one with his sword and avoided the other.

Aegon had to admit the Hedge Knight was fast as the man avoided another one of Ser Harold's strikes before catching another on his shield; he was clearly comfortable in his light armor, though he gave up ground too easily in Aegon's opinion.

Ser Farrel, who had been pushed near to the other side of the keep launched his own attack but the Kingsguard caught it on his blade and slashed downwards, cutting the man's shield hand and causing him to drop it to the ground, now both men stood, with only swords in hand.

‘’Yield…I have no wish to kill you Ser.’’ Harold repeated but was once again ignored by the hedge knight whose face was furrowed in concentration.

The two men exchanged blows as they made their way back to the center, both strikes being blocked.

Ser Harold looked much more comfortable, he was able to hold his longsword with two hands while his opponent could only hold it in one due to his wounded shield hand.

The Kingsguard, sensing this weakness brought his longsword in a sideways strike towards the man's left side, it was not the best of strikes, rather slow and clumsy, but the hedge knight was unable to get the sword to the opposite side in time before the blade hacked him square in the side of the neck, cutting through sinew and muscle, spraying blood.

The hedge knight collapsed in a heap, gurgling and coughing blood as red spittle poured out of his mouth before at last he went still.

The crowd began cheering for the Kingsguard who had not even suffered a scratch in the duel, Aegon noted the man's face was filled with no joy when he took off his helm, looking almost sad at his victory.

Aegon had ordered Lord Blackmont to be brought back to his tower cell to await execution, which would take place the next morning.

The King had no permanent executioner so he once again entrusted the role to the Dornish knight Ser Neilyn. That morning Michael Blackmont was taken into the courtyard and sentenced to die. Aegon had rejected the proposal that he be executed in front of the entire city, he would not make a spectacle of justice.

To his credit the man died well, there had been no fear in his eyes as he was led to the block and no move to avoid Ser Neilyns strike.

Ellaria Toland, Lady of Ghost Hill who had watched the proceedings from her tower cell realized a trial by combat was a fool's errand, she had no skilled warriors in her family and the Kingsguard were more than a match for any of her household knights so she consented to a trial in front of the court.

To her credit she spoke well, passionately detailing the burning of her father at Yronwood and the toll it had taken on her house, but in the end it was all for naught, she had no friends on the council and in a unanimous decision the small council delivered their verdict to the King…she was guilty of attempting to murder him.

The next morning she too was executed in the courtyard of the Aegonfort by Ser Neilyn. Ser Gawen Corbray had suggested that they place both traitors heads on spikes outside the city as a warning to traitors but Aegon had refused and had the remains of both sent back to their families.

So ended what the Maesters would refer to as the Dornish Conspiracy….two lords of proud houses lay dead in its wake, yet even King Aegon's greatest opponents could not argue the fact that justice was done both swiftly and fairly.

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