[CENTER][sup][h1][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/552698567689633813/1492189285179461712/Starpike_v3.png?ex=69da6d11&is=69d91b91&hm=76c4b40ba07cd235d3a6a06a92797b48b2594ab09c49f2a25e6c7b6a978aa638&[/img]
[b][color=f26522]S T A R P I K E[/color][/b][/h1][/sup]
[/CENTER]


	Starpike’s southern wall featured a small postern door leading down a narrow flight of stone steps carved into the rocky hillside upon which the keep sat. A quay built from the shore stretched out into the halfmoat where cool water offered tempting solace on a warm day. A private place for the inhabitants of the castle to warm themselves on the sunning stones, to swim and for the children to play in the meager stretch of sandy shore. In Antonine’s opinion it would never be warm enough to swim in the moorland, where even in summer the winds blew down fierce and cold from the red mountains. The boys were of a different mind. Halys Swyft arrived not three days past alongside the promised loot and reinforcements sent from the west. Ser Gyman Peake who’d escorted the captive child departed a mere two days after his arrival for Dustonbury taking ninety archers and leaving a mere ten of his number for Starpike. For a brief moment it felt that the castle became full again before shrinking back into its skeleton garrison as before. How long would their ten new bows grant them if the Dornish or Leo Tyrell arrived? Ser Derrium Daring insisted the hundred sixty men in the garrison, now swelled to hundred and seventy, could hold these walls for years until the food ran out. Antonie was not so certain, though she did not argue against the knight’s experience.

	Instead she tended to her duties as head of household, seeing to her ward and ensuring he felt as comfortable as possible in his new home. Halys was a boy of nine with a head of golden curls and weak chin. Despite his situation he put on a brave face with all the dignity and grace his noble name afforded. Antonie wasn't fooled by his act, for she had heard him weeping in his chambers on that first night when he thought nobody was near enough to hear. Antonie ached at the thought of how it would be to send her own children away to a far away castle, the implied threat hanging over their little heads. For a moment she thought to go and offer comfort, but her courage failed her and she left the child to cry alone. The Lord of Cornsfield would be safely out of the war while his heir resided here, that could be certain but, everything about this felt cruel to her. Halys found himself compelled to swear an oath that he would make no escape, nor allow any person to free him. He seemed forcibly cheerful while he promised upon the seven faces of god to be a good prisoner, like someone trying to make the best of a bad situation. Unfortunately it seemed her son Meryn was not making things easier.

 	There seemed to be a clash of personality between the two boys. They were perfectly courteous to each other to a point, both raised proper to mind their manners. However the sense of animosity between them could not be denied. Perhaps it was as simple that their fathers were enemies, and therein so were they. It started as simple challenges, as if the boys were testing each other’s courage and toughness. If they were walking the curtain wall around the castle and Meryn seemed to be staying too close to the center away from the edges Halys would suggest a game of walking along the merlons. When eating, if Meryn spotted something Halys did not favor the taste of, he would propose a challenge of eating as much of said culinary item in a short time as possible. Back and forth it went, each one rising to the challenge of the other without fail. They discovered Meryn was a better tree climber, and Halys the faster sprinter, and Meryn the greater swordsman and Halys the superior archer and on and on. The conflict culminated one morning when Meryn spotted Halys shivering ever so slightly when they were in the godswood and suggested immediately they ought to go swimming. After hesitantly giving her leave Antonie followed them out to the private space off the southern wall and observed them standing on a high rock over the water’s edge arguing who should be the first to leap into the chilled waters beneath.

	“Guest rights, I should be second.” Halys presented his case logically. “I cannot be sure the water is safe, what if there’s lizardlions lurking beneath the surface?”

	“Lizardlions!” Meryn scoffed at the absurd notion. “In the Marches? The water is too cold for snakes let alone lizardlions. Are you daft?”

	“Lizardlions live in the Neck and in Dorne.” Halys argued in turn, giving Meryn a shove that nearly sent the younger boy spilling into the water. “Dorne is close to here, and the North is much colder than the Marches. One might have swam into the ocean from Sunspear up the Mander, and then followed the tributary and into your moat. Do not call me daft either, I am smarter than you.”

	Meryn sputtered, unable to quickly compile a functional retort to the reasoning presented. “There’s no lizardlions in the moat.” He said at last. For the first time in their many interactions he glared at Halys, the mirage of his courteous demeanor wavering. “I assure you it is too cold for them. I have swam here many times. The only thing in that water is snails and little fishes.”

	“If you’ve done it many times why do you not jump? Or is it too cold for lizardlions and for you too? I think you’re just craven.” 

	That seemed the final straw for Meryn who pinched his nose and without another word leapt from the rock into the waiting water below. Halys let out an audible groan before he too jumped. The boys emerged from the water and waded ashore to the thin patch of sand that separated the wall and moat. They were glowering at each other still and noticeably shivering.

	“See any lizardlions?” Meryn spat wrapping his thin arms around himself.

	“No, but they would have made better company I think.”

	“You must not think much at all.”

	“Says the craven.”

	“Your father surrendered you, who's the real craven?”

	That it seemed proved to much. In heartbeat the boys were on each other, tussling in the sand. Antonie twitched from her seat on the stone steps, worried she may have to intervene. To her relief they were not throwing punches, biting nor kicking, merely wrestling. Antonie had seen much the same from her brothers, and her own sons. Able and Meryn were fiercely competitive, and wrestling remained one of their conflict resolutions. In fact, Able might have been the key to Meryn’s chances here. He never showed mercy to his younger brother, and more often than not would pin Meryn within moments. Halys was a fair inch taller than Meryn, and broader in the shoulder and fast, but he was no Able. Meryn kept pace, and proved skillful and eventually pinned Halys securing the older boy in a proper hold from which there proved no hope for escape. After a brief struggle Halys relented.

	“I yield.” He said in the same rueful voice he’d used to swear his vow to not escape.

	Meryn relented and let him up and they both sat still for a moment brushing sand from their faces. Halys looked sour and disappointed in himself, but a thoughtful look passed Meryn’s features “You’re faster than my elder brother Able.” Meryn said at last, and though Halys might not know it, Antoine recognized a genuine compliment from her youngest son. “I am sorry I named your father a craven. That was wrong of me. Ser Gyman said he fought bravely, and yielded only when the cause was hopeless.”

	For the first time since his arrival at Starpike a real smile spread on Halys’ face. “You're the strongest boy I’ve ever fought, and not a craven at all.” He said his tone lacked any of the false optimism it had carried before, replaced by something real. “You must show me how you did that chokehold, I could not break free.”

	“Sure.” Meryn showed him, and then they were playing like they had known each other all their lives. Wrestling and swimming and building sand castles and trying to snatch fish out of the water using only their bare hands. The coldness of water and opinion forgotten. Antonie could only shake her head and marvel at what strange creatures boys were. Bitter and fighting one moment, and then friends in the next. They played for hours before Meryn suggested he show Halys the castle town and all its inhabitants. Even offering to let the other boy ride Able’s old gelding grey. They raced past Antonie up the steps, begging to be let out to ride amongst the town. 

	“Very well,” Antonie gave her permission and they charged past towards the postern door laughing and jesting all the way.


______



	That evening when Atonie checked on her slumbering children she passed Halys door once again, and heard the muffled homesick crying from within. Taking a deep breath she eased the door open and walked in, finding the boy crouching by the window looking longingly to the northwest. he swiftly wiped the tears from his face, bearing a look of terrified embarrassment. She shushed him, and offered what comfort and solace she could to the little boy, so far from home and surrounded by strangers and foes.