the blind knight - rhaenyra targaryen

iv

There were several knights as well as Jessica practicing in the courtyard.

A few had begun to arrive from outside King's Landing, and were preparing for the upcoming tournament for the heir. Queen Aemma was possibly ready for birth, and the king wanted to celebrate.

Jessica, for the last few days since the tourney was announced, had been hounded by Alicent and the princess to join. Even the King had suggested she joined, so she did. The first and probably only female knight to participate would be joined by her cousin, Brianne, who wanted to see the capital for quite some time.

"Ser Jessica!" She hears, and she smiles at the sight of her cousin, eyepatch and all. "Brianne!" She cheers, hugging her cousin tight. The two separate, and Jessica smiles wider. "I can't believe my big cousin has become a stuffy King's Landing knight." Jessica laughs. "And you, a Westyran in the vicinity of Targaryens, hell has frozen over for you, I see."

"Last I heard, you were training young men of court." Jessica nods, placing her wooden sword down. "Where are your parents?" Jessica asks. "Mother is resting as her belly swells, and father is worrying."

"Are you ready to no longer be an only child?"

"Were you?" Jessica chuckles. "The twins were adorable, yes they cried a lot, but I miss them."

"Why don't you come home, cousin? We will feast in your name." Jessica feels a presence, and looks up to find Rhaenyra staring down at them with Alicent by her side. Brianne follows her gaze, and her smile drops as she looks back at Jessica. "No way." She whispers, making Jessica look back at her.

Above, Rhaenyra and Alicent began to walk down to the courtyard. "You and the princess?" Jessica frowns in confusion, but catches on, and begins to chuckle. "Oh! Gods no. I-I'd never." She laughs. "Ser Jessica!" The pair of cousins turn toward princess, and bow. "Princess."

"And who might this be?" She asks with a false smile. "Princess Brianne of Westyra, your Grace." Rhaenyra raises a eyebrow at the title, and Jessica notices. "I've told you of Westyra, it's in Essos. We say it's small, but it's larger because her father was the Magister and he owned a lot of territory." Rhaenyra doesn't notice her nerves as she stares at the girl's cousin.

After a second, she looks back at Jessica. "You're in the tourney, correct?" The redhead nods nervously. Jessica looks her over in her golden colored dress, and notices a necklace that wasn't there before. "You have a new necklace." She mutters, catching the Princess off guard.

"Oh, yes." She places her hand on it, surprised that Jessica noticed it. "It was a gift." There's a weird air between the four of them, and Alicent awkwardly looks at Brianne. "Hello, I am Lady Alicent Hightower."

"Hightower? I have not been to Oldtown in quite some time." The girl smiles. "Well, neither have I." Alicent chuckles with a bashful smile. "Would the princess mind if you gave me a tour?" Jessica frowns, looking over at Brianne. "I can give you a-" Brianne holds a hand out to her cousin.

"Aht. No, thank you, Jessie. I'd wish for the Lady to give me a tour." She gives her a knowing look, and Jessica scoffs as she looks back at Alicent as though she's scouring prey. "I'd love to." Alicent says, almost in a daze only Jessica notices. She looks over at Rhaenyra, who nods. Brianne smiles, looking at the princess. "I'll keep her safe." She turns, and holds her arm for Alicent, and the girl accepts.

The two walk off, and Jessica shakes her head. Westyrans were known for their undeniable charm. She turns back to Rhaenyra, who is already watching her. "I wanted to see you." The princess says with a smile. "How come?"

"I wanted to hear one of your stories, maybe partake in another lesson?" Jessica nods with a smile. "I was getting quite tired anyways." The two take off toward the castle, and end up in the Godswood where Rhaenyra and Alicent had been earlier in the day, but she didn't tell Jessica that.

"I do my best thinking here." The knight says, closing her eyes as she leans on a tree. "You're a very knowledgeable young woman, Ser Jessica."

"Usually you mean that as a jest." Jessica smiles, opening an eye to see her. Rhaenyra shakes her head. "I meant it. I enjoy your stories of old. You told me about Brianne, her dragon. How did she come upon it? I believe only Targaryens have owned dragons."

"Well, a long time ago, Maegor had many wives. He also had many mistresses. My ancestor, Yarra, was one of them. But she was special, he gave her gifts. He gave her a dragon egg, with no thought of it hatching. She was married off to Baron Westyra, the prince at the time, and the egg did not hatch until about 40 years ago, and it bonded with her father. A year ago, the Prince of Pentos took her eye and she was exiled. She found a cave where the dragon laid, burnt through Pentos, and she reclaimed her spot as a royal." Rhaenyra listens all the way through.

"Why did he take her eye?"

"She was arrogant. I advised her against her want to annoy him, but it was no use. No one listens to me."

"I do." Jessica laughs. "Barely." She responds. "I could teach you more history, better things than my family." Jessica suggests.

"Like what?"

"Do you know the succession of kings?"

"Aegon, Aenys, Maegor, and my father." She receives a nod. "Yes, I wish there was history of your family before the Doom, but I have found none." Jessica says with a pensive frown. "Do you want to see if we could find any?" Rhaenyra suggests.

"Oh, of course, your Grace!"

"Jess, call me Rhaenyra outside of court, I like the way it sounds when you say it."

"Okay. Rhaenyra."