Game of Thrones Imagines Book Two

The banner "man" - Part 2 - Jory x Reader

Jory looked at the young man, as he removed the cowl from his head. To say that the boy was beautiful, would do him a disservice. This Sebastian Sharpe, nothing like any of the other men that served under him. And the Captain of the Guard couldn't help but feel slightly confused, as he saw the strange look in the latest recruit's eyes. A look that he wasn't sure that he could place. The captain putting it down to the fact that the young man had probably never expected to, not only come face to face with the Master at Arms, but also the lord of Winterfell himself.

Jory had to admit that he had been impressed by the young man's style. The way that he seemed to move so effortlessly around the arena. How he had made the seasoned bannermen look like nothing more than raw recruits. The captain noticing an unusual kind of elegance and grace in the way that the boy fought. Jory had never met Guthrie Sharpe, yet, just like everyone else, he had most certainly heard of him. He had heard of his bravery in battle, and his loyalty to the Stark family. How he had followed in his own father's footsteps and become a bannerman. About the man that battled with twin blades. Mowing down his enemies, with as much easy as a sharp scythe cut through over ripe wheat. And from what he had seen, his son was as gifted as he was. Though Jory wasn't going to be overly impressed, until the boy proved himself one more time.

"Not bad. I have seen better though." Jory replied. Ned fighting back a small smile. The lord knowing that he himself had rarely ever seen better. And that Guthrie had certainly taught his son well.

"I think that we could mould him into something useful, with time." The captain added. As he circled the young man.

"Tell me. Can ya fight as well with one sword, as ya can with two............?"

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(Y/n) watched, as the captain moved closer. The breath catching in her throat. She couldn't do anything but chastise herself for showing any emotion. For watching him so intently. For letting her heart beat so violently. The young woman sure that everyone around her must be able to hear the heavy thump. She couldn't help but curse at the gods for having this vision presented to her, at this time. The captain's dark eyes, something that she was sure that she would be happy to lose herself in for the rest of her days.

She had of course heard of Jory Cassel. The Captain of the household Guard. A loyal and trusted servant of House Stark. A warrior that had fought valiantly at the Siege of Pyke during the Greyjoy Rebellion, where he had gained the injury which had nearly taken his eye. The scar certainly not detracting from the young captain's appearance. Yet despite knowing all this, (Y/n) had never for one moment thought that he would be quite so beautiful. Quite so strong and commanding. The young Sharpe finding herself having to fight back the urge to kiss his lips. To discover how he tasted. To have him kiss her back, as he took her in his arms. To..................

"So, Jory. What do ya think of your new man?" Lord Stark suddenly asked. (Y/n)'s eyes growing wider, as the captain moved to stand before her.

"Not bad. I have seen better though." Jory replied to the question. (Y/n) finding herself huffing slightly at the answer. She had never been conceited enough to think that there wasn't room for improvement. That she still didn't have much to learn. But still, she knew that she was much better than 'not bad'. She knew that her father had taught her all that he knew. And to say something like that, was more insulting her father, than herself.

"I think that we could mould him into something useful, with time." The captain added. (Y/n) straightening herself, and puffing out her chest a little, as the captain circled her.

"Tell me. Can ya fight as well with one sword, as ya can with two............?"

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"Er........yes.........yes sir. I can fight as well with one sword as two." The boy replied hesitantly. Jory reaching down and taking one of the blades from his hand.

"Then prove it." Jory continued. The lord and master at arms moving out of the way, as the young captain said the words. Sharpe looking around the men as he waited for his opponent.

"My challenger?" Sharpe enquired, as he waited for one of the bannermen to step forward.

"Ya challenger is before ya, Sharpe. Now prove that ya can fight as well with one blade. Otherwise ya of no use to me, and ya can go back to whatever village ya came from. Because ya obviously wouldn't be good enough to be a bannerman." Jory retorted, as he took the stance. The captain not failing the fire that suddenly seemed to have ignited in the young man's eyes.

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"Sharpe!?" A voice came. The sound of her name being called, shaking her from her thoughts.

"Er........yes.........yes sir. I can fight as well with one sword as two." (Y/n) replied hesitantly. Her heart once again threatening to bust from her chest, as the captain reached down and took one of the blades from her hand. A tingle shooting all the way up her spine, as his thumb merely ghosted over her skin.

"Then prove it." Jory added. The lord and master at arms moving out of the way, as the young captain said the words. (Y/n) looking around the assembled bannermen. Wondering which would be her opponent.

"My challenger?" (Y/n) enquired. Noticing that none of the men appeared to be moving.

"Ya challenger is before ya, Sharpe. Now prove that you can fight as well with one blade. Otherwise ya of no use to me, and ya can go back to whatever village ya came from. Because ya obviously wouldn't be good enough to be a bannerman." The captain retorted, as he took the stance. (Y/n) unable to stop herself from feeling angry at his words. Unable to stop the stubborn fire that burned within her, from igniting in her eyes.

She could stand many things. She could take many insults. But, despite all Jory Cassel had done, and achieved, she was not going to let this man talk to her in such a fashion. She was not going to let anyone continue to insult all that her father had taught her. And even though, under other circumstances, (Y/n) would rather kiss him than fight him. If the captain wanted to see the full extent of her abilities, then that was what he was going to see.

"Very well, captain. I just hope that you will not feel too embarrassed in front of your lord, uncle, and men, when you find yourself defeated." (Y/n) growled, pulling her cloak from her shoulders, as she mirrored the captain's stance. Not a single man's gaze leaving the duo, as they both made their first strikes. The sound of metal against metal seeming to echo around the vast expanse of the great castle.