章 6: Stepping Out
"Royal hunt!" Aemon was startled but thrilled.
Did this mean he was going to King's Landing?
"That's right. Word is, it's to celebrate the king's son's second name day. Nobles from all over the realm have been invited," Gonsor Royce said, rolling his eyes. "Our king acts like he has money to burn."
From tournaments to royal hunts, and now a birthday celebration for a toddler—it was as if everything had to be announced to the realm and turned into a grand festival.
"What a waste! He's supposed to be a king, not some reckless spendthrift," Gonsor grumbled.
Aemon didn't listen to the complaints. His thoughts were wholly consumed by the royal hunt.
With an unreliable father and an absentee mother, his life had revolved entirely around Runestone, and it felt as though King's Landing was a world away.
But King's Landing was home to people who shared his royal bloodline, to the dragons that carried the legacy of Valyria—and to his good friends.
"Hey, kid, stop pulling weeds," Gonsor barked, his gruff tone filled with disdain for the useless plants even goats wouldn't eat.
Aemon reacted immediately, grabbing William by the arm and dashing toward the castle.
He needed to confirm this news with his mother.
William, caught off guard, was dragged along by the sheer strength of Aemon's tiny hands.
After running nearly ten meters, Aemon skidded to a stop, turned back, and pointed at the towering Gonsor with a serious expression.
"You're in charge here. Make sure they keep collecting Ura Grass!"
Gonsor blinked, momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected to be given orders by a pint-sized prince.
The dignified Aemon added with a stern expression and a huff, "And you're to call me 'Prince.' No rudeness allowed."
After glancing up and down at the two-meter-tall man, as though committing him to memory, Aemon's attempt at menace fell short—his childish voice lacked any real bite.
Without waiting for a response, he dragged his sidekick away, leaving Gonsor standing there, baffled.
Aemon burst into the castle and headed straight for his mother to confirm the news.
It was true—a royal hunt had indeed been organized.
King Viserys himself had issued the decree, inviting all the realm's nobles to the royal forest to celebrate his son Aegon's second name day.
Lady Rhea, who had been drinking wine, explained further.
The raven sent to Runestone had explicitly named Aemon among those invited. She admitted she had intended to tell him the previous night but had held back, worried the excitement would keep him awake.
"Oh, this is wonderful!"
Overjoyed, Aemon dashed back to his room. Finally, he could leave Runestone and see the wider world.
Three days later.
The royal hunt was a major event, and nobles prepared meticulously for the journey. The Royces were no exception.
"Hyah, hyah!"
Lady Rhea led a contingent of fifty Vale knights, riding a brown warhorse with a calm yet commanding demeanor.
Several wagons followed, laden with supplies for the trip.
Inside one of the wagons, Aemon peered out, gazing enviously at his mother in her striking armor.
Though referred to as bronze, the Royce family's armor was actually unoxidized brass, gleaming a bright orange-gold.
Prominent members of the family wore custom-made sets, lined with calfskin and adorned with polished bronze plates.
Paired with a sturdy warhorse, the fully armed Vale knights exuded a formidable presence.
Across Westeros, they were a force to be reckoned with.
"So cool! When I become a knight, I want to look just like that," William said, trotting alongside the wagon on his small pony. In his mind, he was already planning to forge a rune-engraved suit of bronze armor as a family heirloom.
Aemon shot him a glance, pouting. "You should focus on pulling grass before you start dreaming about armor."
In three days, William had only managed to find two clusters of Ura Grass.
How useless.
William's face darkened in frustration. "What's the point of all that grass? Bronze armor is much better."
"And have you found any bronze armor?" Aemon asked, raising his chin arrogantly without even looking at him.
"Of course!"
Seizing his chance, William boasted, "My family owns an ancient set of bronze armor. And Gonsor's family has one too—I'll find time to get them for you."
It was just bronze armor, after all.
The Royce family was vast, with numerous cadet branches. Between them, they could easily scrape together a few relics.
"Wow, you're amazing, Cousin!"
Aemon immediately lit up with a smile, giving William a big thumbs-up.
He was a master of reading the room, his tone turning sweet and flattering in an instant.
The string of compliments left William flustered and grinning proudly.
"No need to thank me," he said, trying to sound modest as he lifted his chin. "It's only right."
Though William didn't fully understand what Aemon wanted, their bond ran deep, and he was determined to help.
After a few more words of praise, Aemon retreated back into the wagon, plotting his next move.
With the Ura Grass at Runestone nearly exhausted, the family collections were the next logical step.
Once he returned from King's Landing, he would raid every stash he could find.
Inside the wagon, two items sat neatly on the bench: a basket filled with Ura Grass and the furnace holding his black dragon egg.
"This is perfect. I've gathered enough Ura Grass to make a big mat," Aemon said, his chubby face lighting up with a smile.
In three days, he had collected 24 clusters of Ura Grass. With time running out, and the pasture nearly picked clean, it was the perfect point to stop.
He opened the Magic Essence Panel.
The new cards displayed on the screen—a green one and two blue ones—were all far out of his price range.
One blue card, [Strength and Vitality], caught his eye. It promised exceptional physical abilities, putting its user leagues ahead of others.
But the price was a steep 200 Magic Essence.
"No way I can afford that," Aemon muttered, suppressing his envy.
The golden hourglass at the bottom of the panel read: [Essence Count: 31].
The sight warmed his little heart.
Closing the glowing panel, he turned to the black iron furnace.
A rush of heat filled the wagon as he lifted the lid.
The dragon egg inside still showed no signs of hatching. Aemon sighed and stroked the shell gently.
"Discovered a magical item. Magic Essence +3 obtained."
The soothing notification brought a smile to his face.
The dragon egg never failed to deliver. Every three days, it provided 3 Magic Essence—a reliable, abundant source.
Once everything was packed, the group set off.
Lady Rhea led her team southward, leaving the rugged Mountains of the Moon behind.
Rather than take the long, treacherous journey overland to King's Landing, they would stop at Gulltown, the Vale's only port city, and travel by ship.
Peering out the wagon window, Aemon marveled at the passing scenery.
The world outside Runestone felt vast and endless.
By nightfall, they would reach their first stop.
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