THE LADY OF THE VALE

Chapter Three

Lady Alysanne

Sitting upon a large wooden crate in the training yard, I watched as Aegon and Aemond trained against Jace and Luke while Ser Criston Cole oversaw. I liked to observe the boys and their training, I found it enjoyable. Ser Criston Cole clearly dislike the Velaryons and I often thought about why that was. I was not stupid, in fact I was very intelligent or so the maesters had told me. It did not take a genius to figure out that he likely had some relationship with Rhaenyra before she was wed, I mean I was present on her wedding day when he killed an innocent man for unknown reasons.

Aegon smirked at me and I looked away blushing. Aegon had always had that effect on me, ever since his mother took me into her arms and raised me as if I was her own. He was a handsome prince, one with a cockiness that I found attractive for reasons I could not begin to explain. The training swords clanging rang out through out the training yard as the boys struck the straw filled mannequins alternating between each one. I watched as Aemond bumped the shoulder of Jace as they passed one another likely as slight payback for the pig incident of a few days ago.

I jumped down from the crate I had been perched on and brushed down my indigo dress. It was one which had gold detailing through out and a golden chainlike belt with embellished sapphires draped around my waist. My waist length brunette hair was let to lie down my back as only one braid was in it. A braid which came across the top of my head like a crown and some small golden pins were stuck through out it. I lifted up my dress and walked past the boys to where my white horse stood tied to a post. As I did so Aegon kept his eyes on me and I kept my eyes on him letting a flirty grin decorate my face. When I reached my horse I grabbed a brush and began to care for him. When I noticed the King Viserys I watching his sons and grandsons on the balcony I bowed to him before continuing on with the care of my horse. Aegon still stood watching me before he was interrupted.

'AEGON!' Ser Criston called his eyes away from mine and I let out a small laugh.

'I have won my first bout Ser Criston, my opponent pleads for mercy' He gave his usual cocky response.

'Then you will have a new opponent, you will spar me, you and your brother' Aegon let out a huffed laugh while Aemond joined him also. It was a laugh that stopped when Ser Criston Cole beat them with ease. I looked on as I noticed Ser Harwin Strong had made his way into the training yard and instructed his two sons to keep their weapons up. It was as clear as day that the two boys were his children, they looked nothing like Laenor and he preferred the company of men anyway. Unlike Alicent I did not hate the boys, it was not their fault that there mother had bed another man and not upheld her honour or duty. When I saw Ser Harwin begin speaking with Ser Criston I stopped brushing my horse and gave my full undivided attention to what I believed was about to be a shitstorm.

Prince Aegon

'Perhaps the younger boys would do better with a bit of your attention' Ser Harwin Strong spoke with Ser Criston as he fixed his own sword and I walked around the training yard. Tension began to build in the air.

'Do you question my instruction Ser' Criston spoke back to the commander of the city watch. The four of us boys stood in front of Ser Criston waiting to hear what training we would partake in next. Lucerys tried to get close to me but I pushed him away mostly because I was angry with myself for allowing Ser Criston to embarrass me in front of Alysanne while we were sparring. I know she laughed as his sword hit me in the back and I almost fell forward.

'I merely suggest you give all your students the same treatment Ser' Ser Strong responded to Ser Criston, as the tension built I gave a quick look to where Alysanne was and noticed she had come further forward into the training yard and away from her horse to watch what was going on.

'Very well, Jacaerys with spar Aegon. Eldest son against eldest son' Ser Criston forcefully grabbed the training armour of Jace while Aemond and I laughed for we both knew I was a much better swordsmen than Jace and I was older.

'Hardly a fair match' Ser Harwin said while I slapped the back of my nephew scaring him slightly. I looked to Alysanne once more and she shook her head as if to tell me to go easy on the strong boys. Her hands were clasped in front of her lower torso as she wore that dress of blue and gold. Gods she took my breath away every time I looked at her, she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. I spun my training sword in my hand as I faced Jace ready to spar.

'I know you have hardly seen battle Ser Harwin, but if you had you would know it is rarely ever a fair match' Ser Criston said trying to humiliate Ser Strong and I could not help but stifle a small laugh at his words. When Ser Criston told Jace and I to engage I did just that. I pressed forward swinging my sword at him quickly, his defence was weak and laughable allowing me to push him to the ground forcefully. I turned my back to him and laughed. What I was not expecting was for the boy to get up and charge back at me with the same force. As we engaged I pushed the straw mannequin on top of him causing him to fall to the floor.

'FOUL PLAY' Ser Harwin shouted in defence of his bastard son while Ser Criston made his way over to me saying he would deal with it. He spoke motivation into my ears telling me not to let the young bastard embarrass me. He even made reference to Alysanne who was watching. 'Pretty girls like her don't fall for weak princes' That is what he said to me and it rang in my brain.

'YOU!' I shouted to my nephew in anger as he received a pep talk of his own from his father. We engaged in fight once again, I used my boot to knock him to the ground and following the instruction of Ser Criston I did not let him get up. I felt the forceful hands of Harwin pull me away from his son. I was furious.

'DONT YOU DARE PUT HANDS ON ME' I yelled at him, he could not do this, I was the Prince although I suppose putting his hands on the offspring of my father was what he liked to do looking at Rhaenyra's children.

'AEGON' I heard the sweet voice of Alysanne call out from the sideline however her tone was not one which was sweet, instead it was stern and she gave me a tight lipped subtle head shake telling me once again I had taken things too far. I nodded my head to her slightly submitting to her stern glare and giving  apology. She returned a sweet smile back and relief filled my body at the realisation she was not too upset with me.

'Is this what you teach Cole, cruelty to the weaker opponent' Ser Harwin spoke as he picked up the training swords. I walked to stand closer to where Alysanne was, not next to her but a couple metres away. I could sense from the tension in the air that something was about to break out.

'Your interest in the Princes Jace and Luke is quite interesting Ser. Most men would only have that kind of devotion to a brother or a cousin' I held a breath as Ser Criston paused and Ser Harwin turned to face him. 'or a son' He finished and my breath came out. Ser Harwin lay his fists into the face of Ser Criston and I jumped back in shock. In an instant I went to stand in front of Lady Alysanne holding her behind my arm to protect her should the two mens fight get out of hand and she gets harmed. Alysanne put a dainty hand on my forearm and the touch burned my skin as flutters grew in my stomach. I had been this way around her since she was first brought to the Red Keep. She looked at my with those glistening lavender eyes and a face of fear, in return I gave her reassurance. I would not let any harm come to her, ever.

Ser Harwin continued to beat the face of Ser Criston as he lay on the ground. Ser Criston just laughed taking the blows as he began to bleed. The guards eventually pulled the two apart and Ser Harwin shouted for Ser Criston to say it again. I laughed slightly.

If it had not been obvious before this day, it was now. Ser Harwin Strong confirmed what we all believed. Jacaerys and Lucerys were his sons, his bastard sons.