บท 3: First steps
112 AC, Red Keep
Aegon Targaryen
Rays of sunlight covered my face and forced me to wake up.
I looked around and admired the luxury available to the Prince of the Seven Kingdoms.
Suddenly, maids rushed into my chambers.
I noticed that their arms were filled with fine robes.
'I guess I have to put them on'.
I sat on the edge of the bed and watched as the beautiful maids prepared the dresses.
No wonder the original Aegon was infatuated with them. They cared for him, loved him, and gave him the attention he craved since his family gave him none and instead put more pressure and responsibility on him. It is safe to say that Aegon and Aemond grew up without their own father. Even with Alicent and Otto around, there are things that only fathers can explain.
I wonder where his personality comes from. Was he exposed to something as a child? I mean, imposing himself on a maid certainly has nothing to do with drinking, but I think is a way of coping.
"Good morning, young sir. We have your clothes ready for the day. Do you need anything else before we help you get dressed?" said a maid whose name I did not know.
"Can you tell me what I have to do today?" I asked.
"I am sorry, my prince, but your mother told you to visit her as soon as you are ready, and she will tell you.
Then the maids started laying out the undershirt on the bed. They helped me stand up and tuck my arms into the sleeves, adjusting the fit so that it was tight but not too tight.
"My prince," all the maids bowed and began to leave.
...
I stood in front of my mother's chambers and looked directly at the guard standing in front of the door, it was the famous Ser Arryk Cargyll.
A great knight, an excellent royal guard for the Greens, and a good dog.
"Ser Arryk Cargyll," I greeted him coolly.
He stopped at the door and stared at me.
"Young prince," he responded in a kind tone. "Your mother has asked for your presence. Please follow me." His reply was short.
We entered the chamber and were greeted by my wonderful mother.
"Your grace, young Aegon is here," said Ser Arryk bowing.
Alicent seemed to write something but then she looked our way.
"Aegon, how are you feeling honey?" I cringed at her display of affection.
"I'm good mother, my memories are fine and I slept well," I said neutrally.
"Do you know why you're here?"
"No" I lied, It's probably because she wanted to check me and schedule my routine probably because I am of age to start lessons and training.
"Well, Aegon," my mother began, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of her lips.
"I have some exciting news for you. We have arranged for you to begin your training. You are still too young to be a squire but Arryk will teach you the basics of swordsmanship."
'Starting now would be advantageous, but I would like to be a squire for Criston'.
'Whatever, this is temporary and some training will do me good'.
"This is a great opportunity for you, Aegon," my mother continued. "You will learn everything you need to know to become a skilled knight. You will learn how to fight, how to protect, and how to serve the king."
I frowned at the last sentence, the king... my memories about my 'father' were hollow, the man didn't give a single fuck about me nor Helaena. The last time I saw him, from what I remember, was about 2 moons ago. He clearly favors Rhaenyra over his other children. It's actually insane. For example, when Aemond was lying there without an eye and he was interrogating him to find out where he learned his insult from? that showed a complete lack of emotion toward him. Sure, Alicent did some questionable things, but none of that has anything to do with Aemond. He's done nothing to deserve that treatment.
And more disturbing is the fact that he ordered the belly of his wife to be opened while she was begging him to stop...
I still needed to respond to my mother since she was waiting for my answer, but I also wanted an answer. Since I needed to develop my future plans, I wanted to quickly learn whether I was born in a show or a book. And honestly, I was curious about the way Alicent would respond.
"The King? But why didn't he come and see me after my fall, why should I serve him?" I asked in a childish tone so Arryk won't become suspicious of me or my mother.
She furrowed her brow "Aegon! Don't say something like that ever again, the king is your father and it's your job to serve him and the realm!"
'So it's the show verse uh... '
"Sorry mother" I tried to fake my sadness.
"What about the lessons with the maester, when will I start those?" I tried to divert the discussion.
My mother sighed and looked at me with a mix of disappointment and understanding. "Aegon, I understand that you may have some feelings of resentment towards your father, but it's important to remember that he is the king and it is our duty to serve him. As for the maester's lessons, you will begin them tomorrow. They will cover a wide range of subjects, including history, strategy, and diplomacy. It's important that you learn as much as you can to prepare you for your role as .... prince".
I nodded, trying to push away my disappointment in her.
'I know that you are acting, mother, so Arryk doesn't grow suspicious, but you are still naive if you think that licking the king's boots would change the succession'.
"I understand, mother. I'll do my best to learn everything I can." I replied diplomatically.
She gave me a small smile. "I know you will, Aegon. Now, let's get you dressed for your first day of training. Ser Arryk, please bring in the squire's attire."
As Arryk returned with my newly acquired attire, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of apprehension.
I knew that becoming a knight was going to be a difficult journey, but I was determined to succeed.
"Well, then you can both go to the yard".
"Yes, my Queen" "Yes, mother" We both replied at the same time.
...
Arryk asked me, "Do you wish to be a knight?" as we made our way to the yard.
I was caught off guard by his question.
'Why does he care? Does he want to test my character?'
It took me a moment to answer pondering about it, 'Is it only to learn self-defense?' 'To gain prestige?' 'Squires often learn about castle and siege warfare from their knights too'
'Or is it because a noble needs to earn respect by killing and fighting, so the noble has the monopoly on violence which leads to the legitimation of power'.
Still, I didn't want to draw attention, so I answered like a 5-year-old kid is supposed to say.
"It's because I want to protect my mother and become the strongest knight in Westeros!". I said while faking my enthusiasm.
Ser Arryk nodded, his face unreadable. "I see," he said. "I ask because not everyone who is chosen to start training truly wants to be a knight. It can be a difficult and dangerous path, and not everyone is cut out for it".
I frowned, feeling a sense of determination rise within me. "I understand that it will be difficult, but I am willing to do whatever it takes to become a knight. Please teach me how to become one Ser Arryk."
Arryk smiled at me. "I am glad to hear that, Aegon. I will do my best to help you along the way. And please don't call me Sir, Arryk will be just fine".
"Yes, Arryk".
...
After a while, we arrived at the destination
"Now take those protection pads and wear them, and then take that wood sword from the ground and show me how you use it" Arryk commanded.
I nodded and quickly put on the protection pads, taking care to adjust them properly. I then walked over to where the wooden sword was lying on the ground and picked it up. It felt heavy in my hands, but I knew that I had to get used to it.
Arryk watched me intently, his arms crossed over his chest. "Now, show me how you would defend yourself," he said.
I tried to remember everything from my past world and began to move through basic defensive techniques. I felt clumsy and awkward at first, but as I continued, I started to feel more confident in my movements.
Arryk walked around me, analyzing my technique. "You have a good foundation," he said. "But you need to work on your footwork and your grip on the sword. We'll work on that in the next training session."
"Now, you see that dummy there? Go attack him" Arryk said jokingly.
I nodded and turned towards the dummy, which was made of straw and hay, and held a wooden sword. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves, and approached the dummy, raising my wooden sword.
I swung my sword with all my might, but it only hit the dummy's arm. Arryk walked behind me and corrected my grip and my stance. "You're not using your whole body. Focus on the target and use your hips and legs to generate power."
I tried again, this time focusing on Arryk's advice and I could feel the difference in the impact. The dummy's arm fell off, and straw and hay flew everywhere.
"Good job, Aegon. Keep practicing and you'll get better" Arryk said with a smile.
I smiled back, feeling a sense of accomplishment wash over me. I knew that I still had a lot to learn, but I was excited to continue my training and improve my skills. Arryk's guidance would be crucial for me to become a knight and I was ready to put in the effort and work to achieve it. With a determined mind, I was ready to take on the challenges ahead and prove myself worthy of knighthood.
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