บท 25: 25
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186 AC
Kingslanding
Daemon Blackfyre
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A moment? An Hour or two? I can't even tell as I focus entirely on staying upright and avoiding being brained by a blunted blade.
His swords swinging so fast I almost wonder if he had been holding back this entire melee just for this moment. I can tell now, that I won't be the victor of this match but that does not mean I will just bow out. Yielding is for cowards and I won't give him the satisfaction of holding that over my head.
If it was not for deciding to bring a shield I am sure I would of broke an arm at some point with the way he is seemingly aiming to tear me down piece by piece. My legs sting from repeated abuse but I have to protect my upper body or take damage that will send me out. I have never even seen him wield two blades before but he does it with a beyond just practiced skill.
Whether the blades swing together for a powerful blow or target different parts of my body it all seems experienced. It does not make sense, if he is this practiced he has to have a lot of experience but we have never seen or heard anything. It is almost like he has spent years practicing in the dark just for this moment to unveil the skill in front of the masses.
I grit my teeth feeling pain from my fingers to my chest from deflecting half-assed strikes from Aerion.
The crowd's cheers are loving this and I believe it is the only reason he has not tried to 'really' end this fight. I know for a fact he loves the attention and uses it to further his agenda, this is nothing more than a show to him. He is showing his skills with 'me' as his target dummy, his straw man to beat on. Yet there is nothing I can do, every counterattack is masterfully crushed and met with more pain.
I am starting to feel like a caged animal unable to do anything but take the abuse, my own pride keeping me from bowing out. My pride keeps me from taking a blow and falling to the ground 'defeated', instead I stand. I stand only to put my everything into defense and it is not enough, unable to match him.
For all the praise and cheering I have heard about my skills with the blade I can't even manage to land a solid hit.
Catching his eyes for only a moment I see nothing, not joy or excitement but nothing. He seems almost bored even as he puts on a show even the Warrior himself would be proud of. A monster slinging steel is what is before me, almost as monstrous as his mount. Is this the difference between someone who can hatch an egg and one who can't?
A 'real' dragon and a 'fake' dragon?
I grit my teeth and push off the ground with both feet and shield raised toward his chest, I have had enough. He spins out of the way and before I can react and stop my dash forward I feel a sword hit behind my knee and my leg gives out.
Tumbling to my side I pull my shield to block my upper chest and head, but nothing happens. Laying on my back panting like a dying hound I wonder what is happening as I lower my shield.
Aerion is standing where he was, looking down at me as he tosses both swords aside and puts his hands up as clenched fists. I catch his eyes once more and this time see them pleading with me, to stand. I could lay here and the match will end in just a moment when the king or someone takes pity on me.
But instead, I push off the ground and get in stance again ready to do some damage to him. If he thinks he can beat me as he did before without even a blade he is mistaken.
----
186 AC
Kingslanding
Aerion Targaryen
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So easily taunted now that his farce has been pulled away, though it will cost me later I suspect. I am almost a hundred percent sure Danny heard me somehow when I taunted Daemon earlier. Her frosty glare contradicts the fire in her veins as I have my back to her. I almost regret it but I would not get to 'play' with Daemon if I did not.
If Kin slaying was not looked at as the ultimate sin I would have just hit his neck too hard and had him see the 'you died' screen. Too bad, it would have the people of Westeros dislike me just on the principle of the title 'kin slayer'. If Daemon is to die it will have to be silently or in the dark, with no witnesses.
His mom would be livid if she ever learned of the foul play as well, and she is one of the cooler Targaryens so I don't really want that. She has little to no real political power these days so she could not do anything but she is someone I actually see as 'family'.
"You aren't tired?" I ask as he stands ups with shaky knees.
He answers by raising his shield and I snort, this fool could just yield.
But since he won't I guess I can knock him around for a bit making him look even more of a fool. I have shown what I can do with a blade enough today, I feel the urge to punch his dumb helmet. Maybe I will even break his nose or knock out a few teeth, a reminder of this day for him.
He holds his ground at least smart enough to know I will still walk him like a dog unarmed, so I walk toward him. He lowers himself and readies to slash at me with his blade as I enter his range. the blade finally moves. I casually walk into it smacking my right arm hard enough to leave a nasty bruise but not enough to deter me.
I quickly grab the blunted steel and wretch it from his hand, he is pulled forward from the tug and his chest is exposed. I step into his guard with his shield flailing up in the air trying to get his balance back. But he won't be seeing balance until this match is over, my armored knee to his chest ensures that.
My arm that had thrown the blade behind me clenches a fist and delivers it to his helmet as he hunches over like a shrimp. The coughing stops as he crumbles like a puppet with its strings cut and no longer moves. The sound of a horn blowing ends the melee as I roll Daemon onto his side and take off his helmet.
Can't have him choking to death or something.
I would say the melee was a succusses, I won't and got to publicly demonstrate my power over everyone here. I will probably start sitting Tourneys out unless the prize is worth the effort, at this point the gold is not as good as it was. Each chest of gold used to go straight into investments but by now the time I spend in a Tourney could have been used to make more gold.
I also have proved myself time and time again so by entering I am just bullying people. Sitting out to let others gain glory is the best move from now on, but sports is a different thing altogether. The sports leagues will start within a few years and I will be able to play in those all I want.
I help load Daemon onto a stretcher for a bit more of that good public image and finally take my helmet off and head to the Royal box.
----
"You should have broke his arms or his legs!" Shiera puffs up, where her grudge against Daemon comes from I have no idea.
He pretty much is tunnel vision on Danny so he never bothers her but Shiera has a bone to pick with him. Danny is still silent and stabbing me with narrowed eyes as I take a damp cloth to my arms and chest.
"I don't want to look cruel or brutal, I want to look like I am in a completely different league than everyone else. Fear is good in moderation but too much will spread into my personal and business life and cause me problems. Breaking bones by accident or because he made a mistake is one thing but holding his arm down and stomping on it is another. He has enough sense and skill to prevent me from outright breaking his limbs." Though if I cranked it up a notch he would have been limbless even with a blunted sword.
But too fast of movements and people start asking questions, and I don't want questions asked.
"I see." Shiera nods as she grabs another hot towel from the water basin and slaps it against my back before gliding it across my skin.
I peek at Danny in the mirror and she notices as a single eyebrow raises and I feel a fire light inside myself. I bite my lip and get back to cleaning off before we head to the feast to celebrate.
"You didn't really get hurt, except for this mark on your arm and a few on your side." Shiera checks me for wounds and makes sure to press on my bruise.
I roll my eyes as she pokes at me for a reaction but giving her one will only have her seek more.
"Shiera, I need to talk to Aerion for a moment before we head out, could you let Ser Richard know no one is to bother us on your way out?" Danny stands up and it seems she is tired of waiting.
"Huh? Oh, yea sure I can let him know on my way out..." Shiera pouts as if someone stole something from her and kicks her feet at the ground as she hugs her arms to her chest.
Danny narrows her eyes at the girl and gets a huff in response before Shiera walks out of the tent whipping her hair and arms around in frustration. I chuckle watching her throw a fit before the flap to the tent shuts and I feel hands press on my back.
"So, did you have a nice chat with Daemon?" She slides her hands around my sides and up to my chest as she kisses my back.
"Uhhh, yea I did..." She nods her head against my back as her hands curl and digs her nails against my chest.
She slowly slides her 'claws' down my chest doing no real damage but leaving red marks that start to fade. She kisses my back a few more times with her pillowy lips and starts humming as if in thought.
"What did you say?" I shiver as she stands on the tips of her toes and whispers into my ear.
"I just taunted him a little bit." She sets her teeth on my shoulder before lightly biting.
She transitions from biting to leaving a love mark as she lightly sucks at the skin and only stops once a red mark is left on my pale skin. She nods in approval before walking around me forcing herself between me and the table with the bowl of hot water.
"You said something to really get him angry... what was it?" Her fingers draw circles around my defined chest as she looks up with half-lidded eyes.
"Fuck it." I lean in and steal her lips knowing full well we will be late to the celebrations but I can't find it in myself to care.
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Pretending_Author
Pretending_Author Sorry to those who wanted Daemon dead but he needs to kick around a bit longer. There is not a 'big' bad guy in this story and instead, it is more chill so I need him to be around as a plot maker for a bit longer.
Thanks for reading!!!
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