Honey and Blood

Connor Beesbury

He had messed up.

He hoped that the squire would have done poorly in the jousting tournament, just like Connor used to do every time he tried to ride a horse. However, the bastard apparently was a professional jouster and now everybody was gonna think that he had magically become a true knight with great skills. Connor could already hear his father excited about his son's magical transformation into a useful and honorable man. Connor kept serving himself Dornish wine by the pint to calm himself as he waited inside of the tent for the prodigal squire to come back.

He came in the full armor still on, sweat dripping from his forehead, and a big grin on his face. He seemed proud and immediately took off his helmet. His stupidly handsome face was smiling from ear to ear. It took him some time to read the room and understand what was happening. However, when he saw that Connor wasn't happy, his smile faded.

"-Did I do something wrong, my lord. - He asked with an innocent tone.

- Did you do something wrong? - Connor asked rhetorically. - You did nothing wrong at all, you knocked down all of your rivals.

-Is that bad? - He asked incredulously as he took off the rest of his chainmail. 

-Yes. - Connor said rather exasperatedly. - You were supposed to be bad at the tournament, lose in the first round. Just like I do every time. After such a demonstration of skills and dexterity, they'll know that something is up. 

-Oh. - He answered, finally taking off all of his armor.

-Oh, indeed. - Connor said rather shocked. - I can't believe it. You also gave the flower crown to the princess, now they'll think that I am galant as well. I hope that doesn't get me in troubled waters, my father and Lord Arryn do not get along. This might seem like an insult to Lord Arryn.

Connor stopped his rambling and sat down as the squire looked at him with a worried face.

-I am sorry, my lord. - He said rather shameful, pulling back his blue hair. It seemed like he meant it as well. - I didn't know that it was gonna be a problem.

-It isn't. - Connor said rather unconvincingly. - I'll just say that it was good luck or that my opponents were more drunk than I was. That sounds believable, doesn't it?

The blue-haired squired nodded in agreement. Connor relaxed a little bit, the squire kept looking at him with big dopey eyes. It made him flush a little bit, he seemed as if he was about to say something but he didn't dare.  Connor felt a weird knot in his stomach. He should probably get rid of him.

-You should probably leave. - Connor said to him gently. - Before my father arrives in the tent. He doesn't like when there are other boys in here without his permission."

The squire nodded in agreement and left the tent. Connor felt kind of bad to kick him out. There was a sad look on his eyes as he left and Connor felt bad, almost mean. Why was he getting himself in such a puddle over a simple squire? He sat in one of his chairs but before he could even draw a breath and relax a little bit before someone else was entering the tent. Connor was about to tell them to piss off but then he realized who was walking into the tent.

It was the Good Queen Alysanne, dressed in a black and red gown and wearing a crown over her escoffion. She was a terrifying sight, with her haunting purple eyes and the silver braided neatly tucked in under her escoffion. She was followed by all of her ladies in waiting and her personal guard Jonquill Drake, a woman who dressed like a knight. To his surprise, with her was Connor's father, Lord Lyman Beesbury, and for once he actually didn't seem angry or stressed. He had a smile on his face. Connor felt to his knees as he curtsied.

"-My Queen, what an honor to have you under my humble roff. - Connor said with the most galant voice he could muster. 

-The honor is all mine, Ser Beesbury. - Queen Alysanne said as she walked around the tent, everyone following her closely. - I must admit that I have not seen such display of dexterity and pure talent in quite sometime. If I remember correctly, the last time you participated in a tourney you got unhorsed and puked in your helmet. I am glad to see that there was some progress. 

- It must have been all merely luck, my Queen. - Connor said feeling some sweat dripping on the side of his face. - All of my opponents must have been drunker than me for me to achieve such victory.

-How modest of you. - Queen Alysanne said with a big scary voice. - Last time I saw you, you behaved so rudely that one might have thought you were raised in Essos. And now you are modest about you knighthood skills and you are galant enough to give the flower crown to my daughter on her weeding day. Daella said that she felt like a true princess and it was the first time a man approached her without her turning red like my dragon's flame. It seems almost out of character.

Connor felt a little bit of panic, could the Queen tell that it wasn't actually him that participated in the tournament? He knew what happened to people who crossed the Targeryans, their head either ended up on spiked at the gates of the Red Keep or they ended up in the stomach of their dragons.

-My son has grown, your majesty. - Connor's father said as Connor's brow started dripping from nerves. - He has  grown in to a firm and straight man. He no longer acts like a fool.

-I can see that. - The Queen answered. - Besides the winner's purse you've been awarded another prize, Ser Connor Beesbury.

-Another prize? - Connor asked with a trembling voice. 

-Yes, you'll get to escort my daughter and her new husband back to the Vale. - Queen Alysanne said. - There are a lot of Mountain Clans and my daughter refuses to take a dragon, so the trip is not the safest there is. She'll need an knight to protect her. That is your prize.

Connor knew that he couldn't refuse. Nobody refused a request from the Targeryans. He looked at his father and he was nodding in excitement. He had never seen his father so proud and so happy, it would feel wrong to refuse the proposition. Connor swallowed his nerves and nodded in agreement.

-It would be a pleasure, my Queen. - Connor answered not-so convincingly.

-She leaves early tomorrow, before the first lights of dawn. - Connor's father instructed him. - You are expected to take the same boat, so have your new squire take care of all of your equipment."

Queen Alysanne smiled to herself and left the tent with regal dignity, followed by everyone. Including Connor's father. Connor was left on his knees in the middle of the tent, with sweaty armpits and a drench forehead. He looked at the armor left behind by his squire, he need help again. He had eaten more than he could chew.

"-Seven hells. - Connor said under his breath."