DENYS

It would be the fight that would define the rest of his life e'en before it had begun he knew it would. He charged forward, his armor clunking against the stone laid into the earth of the marketplace. Steel met steel as Denys engaged Aerys' new Hand in single combat. During the fight, Denys managed to knock Connington's helmet off, only further enraging the red-haired youth. Around the fountain depicting House Tully's sigil, they fought, each attempting to use the fountain to their benefit to jump up for a higher stance, or to slip behind the statue itself, but it was Denys who slipped upon the wet stone of the fountain, and fell onto his back on the ledge of the fountain, his sword slipping from his grasp and plopping straight into the water. In that instant Denys saw the recognition in Connington's eyes, all he need do was slip his sword 'neath Denys' helmet and so would end the life of a traitor.

So this is how it is to end?

Knowing his life's end was near, Denys chose in that instant rather than resigning himself to it, to instead challenge it.

No, not this day!

He took his free hand in the fountain, cupped it and through the water straight into the unguarded eyes of Jon Connington as he drew back to swing his sword. The sudden contact with which the water met the red-haired man's eyes caused him to flinch, lose his balance, and fall to his knees, allowing Denys enough time to reach back into the fountain, grab his fallen sword and knock Connington's out of his grasp before he fully recovered from wiping his eyes. Denys was about to ask the man to yield as his prisoner, but Connington instead of giving up moved to reach for some weapon at his belt. Instinctively, Denys stabbed Connington down the opening at the neck of Connington's armor, slipping the sword 'neath the chain mail. Denys saw shock fill the eyes of Jon Connington as he pulled the blood stained sword from him after having left his mark. That face was the last one the griffin made as he fell over dead on his side. Denys however couldn't relish his victory over Connington's death as he took stock of the market around him.

The Stony Sept was filled with soldiers—Royal Army, Starks, Tullys, and Baratheons as well as Arryns. Men fought through the streets, on top of roofs, and in every square inch of this godforsaken walled town.

When the day was through, the Royal Army of King's Landing was no more. The Stoney Sept was bathed in blood, and a more than decisive victory for Robert Baratheon had been made to make up for the defeat at Ashford. The rebel forces had suffered some casualties, though not as severe as the Royal Army—the minuscule number of stragglers of which were taken as hostages to be sent to Riverrun.

Denys met with Lords Stark and Arryn when the fighting was over. Robert was still recovering from his wounds that had caused him to take refuge in this walled death-trap in the first place. Hoster Tully was also recovering from wounds he had received. Upon seeing his state the two Lords Paramount reacted as though the Stranger himself had come to visit them.

"Gods, Denys," commented Lord Stark, Ned as he'd known him growing up in the Vale. When his scheming father had sent Denys to the Eyrie to ingratiate himself into Lord Arryn's good opinion, Denys had befriended the younger Ned Stark and Robert Baratheon. They had enjoyed games of childish foolishness and learned all at once how to fight. Denys was the elder by a good half a decade, but his father had been so poor, he had been in the beginning upon the same level as Ned and Robert—though he had quickly made up for lost time with diligent practice.

"What did you do, cousin?" asked Lord Arryn, his suspicious eyes narrowing and examining him up and down.

"I slew Connington," announced Denys rather quietly. To his ears he almost sounded rather serene—when inside he felt far from it.

"With the Army of King's Landing defeated beyond rallying, and the Hand of the King dead—" began Lord Arryn

"That leaves nothing between us and King's Landing. Take the city and we might just be able to end the war," finished Lord Stark.

It was a slim chance, what with no word of Prince Rhaegar's location still, but if they hurried before word of the slaughtering that the Stoney Sept had become well-known enough to give the city enough time to fully prepare for a siege, they might just be able to catch it off guard and mayhaps, with the luck of the Seven, take it. They would have to march and march quickly upon the city—for that was all they could do, now.