In the fields where the Tourney is celebrated, on the outskirts of the city, dozens of merchants had set up their stalls selling all kinds of articles: felt, fruit, belts, shoes, furs, precious stones, falcons, metal objects, spices, feathers… Minstrels, puppeteers and magicians circulated among the public. Also whores and thieves, who took the opportunity to exercise their profession.
Lothar and the other guards walked close to Doran and Rickard. Lothar walked to his right, a step slower, behind him were two Martell guards and in front of him, a few steps away, another Martell guard. Richard had a Stark guard behind him and another next to him.
The smell of sausages and meats, which gave off a thick smoke when fried, reached the children's noses, and their mouths watered.
"Let's go get something to eat," says Doran, pointing to a stall that is selling skewers of sausages, meats and grilled vegetables.
Rickard nods and the group heads to the stall.
Rickard buys a skewer of sausage and a skewer of roasted vegetables while Doran buys a skewer of venison and one of rabbit. Doran also offers to buy food to the guards who initially refuse but Doran insists.
"You will be able to protect us better on a full stomach, without being distracted by hunger and the temptation of all this delicious food."
"If my prince insists." says Lothar with a carefree smile. The other guards followed his example and in the end the Northern-Dornish group made a large purchase from the vendor who thanked them profusely.
"Come back soon, my lords!" says bowing man.
"Doran I could have paid." Rickard protests as they walk away.
"Don't worry Rickard, I won a lot of coins with my bet on Velaryon." He reminds them with a grin.
Rickard winces a little as he remembers his great-uncle's defeat. Doran pats him on the back.
"Lord Rodrik had more skill, Velaryon's last shot was luck more than anything."
"Then why did you bet on ser Lucerys?"
Doran hesitates a bit before answering, finally deciding to tell him an altered version of his traumatic experience with the Wandering Wolf.
"Oh yes. I understand." He says to him with a disgusted face. "If it does you any good, I'll tell you that unfortunately I also suffered that agony on my last nameday."
The two look at each other and wince at the same time before smiling.
"Who would say that we will bond over shared trauma?" laughs Doran and Rickard joins in the laughter.
After finishing the meal they buy some drinks, must for the children and a horn of beer for each guard.
As they sip their drinks, the children sit among the puppet spectators, cross-legged on the floor, watching the show intently.
The puppeteers enacted the story of when King Baelor walked among hundreds of serpents to save his cousin, Ser Aemon the Dragonknight.
"- and then no snake dared to bite the blessed king, because the gods themselves protected him. The serpents parted before him and the king released the honorable knight from his cage." The puppeteer finishes the play.
The children cheer and clap their hands. Doran notices that Rickard was just as excited about the play as the other kids and smiles.
`No matter how serious they appear, children will always be children.`
**
After spending several hours walking among the stalls, eating a lot of food and participating in various games, the children return to the Red Keep and say goodbye there.
"Are you going to see the Melee tomorrow?" Rickard asks.
"Yes, Lothar will participate."
"Then I'll see you tomorrow, Doran."
"Yes, then we can go to the city markets if our parents allow us."
Rickard nods and follows his guards to his quarters.
As Doran walks to his quarters he can't help but stifle a yawn.
"Tired, my prince?"
Doran nods, it was a very busy day. After greeting his parents, his servants bathe him and dress him in his sleeping clothes. Doran falls asleep as soon as he touches his pillow.
**
The next day Doran gets up early and rushes to get dressed, by the time his servants go to wake him up Doran is ready to go.
"Let's go! Today Lothar is going to fight in the Melee!" He says excitedly as he runs out of his room. Myria yells something at him but Doran doesn't hear her, he runs past his guards and reaches the quarters of his parents.
He enters after a guard has checked to see if his parents are awake. He already made the mistake of entering their rooms without knocking when he was younger, it's a mistake he won't make again.
'I definitely didn't need to know how passionate my parents are,' he thinks with a disgusted scowl.
"Good morning sweetling." says his mother still dressed in her golden silk nightgown.
"Good morning mama." Doran greets her with a kiss on the cheek. Obella grabs him and covers his face with kisses, Doran tries to wriggle out of her grasp.
"Mother!" The prince complains once his mother lets him go.
"I didn't see you all day yesterday!" She protests with a pout.
"It's not my fault! You could have attended the archery contest." The little prince responds with his arms crossed, Doran makes sure to take several steps back so as not to be within reach of his mother and to be able to flee if she tries the same thing again.
He loves his parents but he still has some manly pride, or at least he likes to think so.
"Son, even I find that contest boring." His father comes out of the other room, dressed in pants and a loose shirt.
"Well, it was so much fun! I even sat with the Royal Family, and the king and I bet on the same contestant. And we won! I earned 90 golden dragons! And then Rickard and I spent the afternoon visiting all the stalls!" Doran excitedly tells them all the events of the previous day.
"Yes, that sounds like a fun-filled day." The princess says with a somewhat distant voice. Doran looks at her questioningly but she quickly changes her expression, smiles brightly at him and tells him of their plans for the day.
They will have breakfast with the crown prince and his family, and then they will go together to see the Melee.
Doran is not in high spirits at breakfast with Jaehaerys's family. He finds Aerys too vain and proud, as for Rhaella; Doran has nothing negative to say about her but the princess is too shy. Every time he tried to start a conversation with her the last week, the princess answered him with short answers and quickly she excused herself and left if they were alone or diverted attention to someone else if they were with someone from her family.
With Shaera and the crown prince he interacted little but he quite liked them.
What bothers Doran the most is that he will not be able to go to the Tourney grounds to be with his friend while he prepares to compete in the Melee, he was very excited to see all the contestants up close. Especially both Duncans, who he likes a lot.
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