By the time Griselda picked up her sword and roared toward Grover, she was already covered in bruises, on her face, arms, waist, and limbs. A second gash had even been carved into her cheek.
At some point, Ser Gregor Clegane, the Mountain, had arrived and was quietly watching the match.
He waved to Griselda, who stood panting, her eyes blazing with fury. "Gris," he said, "come here."
She ran over to him, clutching her training sword. Griselda had immense respect for Ser Gregor.
"When he attacks," the Mountain said, leaning down to whisper in her ear, "don't block. Don't dodge either. Let him strike first. Take the hit, then swing for his head. One strike. That'll knock him down. Go."
A blaze of hope lit up inside Griselda.
Right now, her only wish was to knock Grover flat on his back.
It wasn't just that he beat and humiliated her, he had insulted Bernie too. And on top of that, he mocked Ser Gregor's judgment, saying he'd picked a woman dumber than a pig to serve as Lady Jeyne's handmaid.
Those insults finally pushed Griselda over the edge. She'd picked up the heavy practice sword from the ground, its core filled with lead to match the weight of a real blade, to build strength and prepare for real combat.
Even then, Grover kept knocking her down over and over.
And each time she fell, he showered her with more vulgar taunts, starting with her hair and working his way down to her toes, insulting every part of her body.
Finally, he turned his mockery on Bernie's short stature, which sent the other men around them roaring with laughter. Grover even suggested Griselda share his bed that night and kick the "dwarf" Bernie out.
His filthy words didn't just enrage Griselda, they lit a fire in Bernie as well. The little man charged forward with a training sword to help her, only to be kicked flying by Grover in a single, effortless move. Bernie's head hit the ground hard, and he blacked out instantly.
That was the final straw.
Griselda turned into a bear on the warpath. But still, Grover knocked her down every time without breaking a sweat.
Then the Mountain arrived.
After he whispered in Griselda's ear, Grover began to panic. "Lady Julie, Ser Gregor shouldn't be interfering in our training! You've got to stop him!"
The men of the Clegane cavalry and Chiswick's crew had grown to admire and fear the Mountain in equal measure. Fear had started to fade with time, replaced more and more by genuine respect. In the harsh Stonehelm keep, more and more soldiers now dared to joke and laugh with Ser Gregor. Something was changing, quietly, imperceptibly. The fear was ebbing, the reverence growing.
Ser Gregor laughed. "Grover, let's make a bet. If Griselda knocks you down in three strikes or fewer, you forfeit this month's pay. But if you knock her down in three moves, I'll give you a gold dragon."
Cheers erupted around them. The soldiers clapped and whistled, urging Grover on to win the Mountain's gold.
Grover grinned broadly. "Get your coin ready, ser!"
Ser Gregor pulled a Gold Dragon, freshly minted with his own seal, from his pocket. "Knock her down in three, and it's yours."
"Deal!" Grover laughed and pointed his sword at Griselda. "Hey, fatty, fall down on my third strike and play along. I'll split the reward and give you a copper star!"
The men roared with laughter again.
Griselda glanced at Ser Gregor. He gave her a small, knowing nod.
She didn't doubt him for a second. In her eyes, Ser Gregor was something more than a man, he was a god come to life.
She charged.
Grover chuckled. "Let's see… your thighs, belly, shoulders, head, they're all wide open! So many targets!"
He danced back, drawing her in. Then, suddenly, he stepped forward and slashed at her left shin.
According to Julie's lessons, Griselda should have blocked or dodged.
But she did neither.
She stared at Grover, eyes wide, watching his blade come down.
A shin wound hurts like hell, it's just skin over bone. Griselda had no armor. Her training had been rushed, and she was unprotected.
Grover, meanwhile, was fully armored, outfitted to spar with new recruits.
His initial swing was just a feint, meant to bait her into lowering her guard. He was ready to pivot and counter with a quick spinning slash, maybe land a clean hit and knock her down gently, to show off a bit for Ser Gregor.
But Griselda didn't react.
She just stood there, glaring, as his blade came down.
Grover figured she'd frozen in fear, so he went for it.
He added force to his swing and slashed faster.
And that's when Griselda moved.
She planted her leg to take the hit and brought her sword down hard, aiming right for Grover's helmet.
CRACK!
Grover's blade slammed into her shin, and she screamed in pain, but her sword accelerated with explosive force and smashed into the top of his head.
He was wearing a helmet, but the impact rang out like thunder.
The metal dented inward with a dull crunch. Her sword snapped in two from the force. Grover saw stars. A deafening roar filled his ears, and his skull throbbed with pain.
Had it been a real greatsword or longsword, that blow would have killed him.
A heavier blade would have collapsed the helmet and crushed his skull like a melon.
Gasps erupted from the onlookers as Grover staggered like a drunk, and then collapsed with a heavy thud.
Several soldiers rushed over to him. When they saw the dent in his helmet was shallow, they finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The Mountain beckoned Griselda over, pride in his eyes.
"Do you know why you were able to knock Grover down?" he asked.
Griselda shook her head. She was still reeling from the shock of it all.
"When someone's attacking with everything they've got, they can't dodge or block mid-swing. I baited Grover with a gold dragon to stir up his pride. I knew he'd go all in. And I told you not to dodge or block, because you can't match his speed. If you keep reacting to someone faster than you, you'll always be one step behind."
"You hit him in the middle of his attack, when his guard was down. He hit you, but you hit him too. Anyone, no matter how strong, is most vulnerable when they're focused on attacking. That's when their defenses are down. If you strike at the right moment, you can bring down anyone."
Griselda's face lit up with excitement, her pain forgotten. "Even you, Ser Gregor? Could I knock you down?"
"Of course. If your timing is right, anyone can be knocked down."
"If this had been a real fight," she asked, "would I still have hit Grover?"
"You would've lost your leg, and he would've died. That was a double knockout strategy, meant for someone stronger than you. But if you're faster than your opponent, your sword will reach them first. If you're evenly matched, then strength becomes the deciding factor."
"I can carry two hundred pounds of grain," she said proudly.
"Good," the Mountain said with a smile. "That strength is your advantage. In close combat, speed, strength, and skill all matter. Keep training. Master the timing. And you'll be able to knock down anyone, even me."
"Yes, Ser Gregor." Griselda looked up at him, eyes full of reverence.
Her confidence had finally been born.
⚔────────
Visit my Patreon for more: patreon.com/vynthor
Extra Content Already Available:
The Mountain of Ice and Fire (GOT) – 56 advanced chapters!
Naruto: I Am Nara Shikamaru – 30 advanced chapters!
One Piece: Summoner of the 3D Zone – 38 advanced chapters!
Naruto: Wandering with Beauties – 38 advanced chapters!
That's a total of 224 chapters ahead of public updates!
With your support, I release 10 chapters per fanfics every week, keeping the stories alive and growing.
Thank you so much for being part of this journey!