The Battle of Allerton

Military: Battle

Sola's Vanguard and Duke Brennar Hayford's parties, having met on the road, were greeted together by ser Kyra Crowler on the steps outside of Allerton Castle.
As they made to enter the castle, however, they were set upon by men-at-arms in the livery of House Hayford of Haycastle. Amongst the casualties were ser Sola Somercrag, who took a crossbow bolt to the eye in the initial ambush.
Those on the steps soon found the doors to the keep shut before them and the gate out from the courtyard to the city shut behind them, with soldiers advancing on them from all sides.
Over the course of the battle it became clear that, despite the Hayford livery, the aggressor soldiers were a combination of hired brigands, mercenaries, and the men-at-arms of House Crowler itself.
Not for the first time, Mattheo Foxworth proved his initiative by leading a small party, including ser Tyon Cray, ser Arthur Buckhaill, ser Astris Conklyn and ser Ivvar Bonebrake in battling to the top of the walls to take out the crossbowmen raining down bolts on the beleaguered knights and taking control of the castle's gatehouse to open an avenue of escape.
Later in the battle the same group fought their way to a servant's door on the keep, battling through the kitchen, the great hall and eventually reaching the main entryway just as Duke Brennar, ser Boggs Leonhart, ser Elton Slaite and ser Sola Somercrag herself finally managed to break down the front door, pinning the last of the castle's defenders between them.

Although there were several injuries taken in the battle, miraculously ser Sola Somercrag survived her injury, albeit with the loss of her right eye.
The only other injuries of note were ser Tyon Cray, who took a crossbow bolt to the shoulder early in the battle while storming the walls with Mattheo Foxworth; and ser Barnabus Bridewell, who took a stab wound to the gut in the final fighting inthe entryway to the keep.
More troubling than the injured, were the missing. Somehow ser Kyra Crowler had escaped during the battle. More troubling still, Duke Brennar's son ser Edgarth Hayford and ser Edam Bracks were also missing.
They did, however, gain a hostage of their own, ser Kyra's son Brandeth Crowler.