Fury // Harwin Strong

52. The Enemy

''Soften your knees. Feet light.'' Criston remarked as the young princes were training together in the courtyard. Draeya of course was beating everyones asses.

''Keep your feet light and your hands heavy.'' Harwin instructed. He of course had taken a keen interest in the princess Rhaenyra's childrens training. They were his nephews. Gael lifted Luke's wooden sword up trying to get him to focus. Draeya didnt need training she was already amazing just like her mama. Harwin ran a hand through her hair. Haenry and Rhaegar were training too. Aemond and Haenry were sparring, Haenry had a lot of feelings after Draeya's affections about Aemond had been made public. Rhaegar was better than Luke, only half year or so younger than Luke but he had focus. Valyria, Haezel and Vaera were not the fighting type but they loved being near their family. Draeya had tried to get them to learn as well but Vaera liked her dragons and her cookies more than swords.

''This is the stuff, Lyonel. Lads that learn together, train together... knock each other down, pick each other up. They will certainly form a lifelong bond, wouldn't you agree?'' Viserys questioned as he watched from above. Viserys sat in his chair, as he often did for age did not suit him, he knew he was dying but wasn't every day a gift, he had lived this long, ruled this long to see his grandchildren brought into the world, to have beautiful children of his own. But he felt himself growing weaker. Viserys also liked seeing his sister so happy. So in love with someone that wasnt Daemon. He loved that Davina had found someone that loved her right, he thought it an impossible challenge but Harwin was always up for a challenge, for Davina.

''That is the hope, Your Grace.'' Lyonel agreed.

''Don't stand too upright, my Prince. You'll get knocked down.'' Criston warned and Aegon let out a grunt of distaste. ''Aegon.'' Criston began but his focus shifted when he saw Davina.  She smiled leaning into Harwin. Criston couldnt hear them but he saw the smile on Harwin's face widening. He wondered about what could have been. He wondered a lot of things. Rhaenyra had asked him years ago to be her whore in a sense and he rejected that because of his honor but seeing Harwin and Davina together made him long for family. Long for something he would never have. Not like them. Then Gael strode in and Criston's mood bittered. 

''I've won my first bout, Ser Criston. My opponent sues for mercy.'' Aegon said pompously and Criston turned back to Aegon.

"And I won my first bout as well." Draeya agreed, "Yet I seem to have no problems beating your and Criston's asses." Davina chuckled glancing to Draeya. 

''Well, you'll have a new opponent then, My Lord of the Straw. Let's see if you can touch me. You and your brother.'' Criston offered and Aegon and Aemond stepped forward, sparring swords lunging at criston but he was skilled warrior. The princes were yelling and grunting as they lunged and failed to knock criston down. 

''You're gonna have to do better than that.'' Criston said smugly.

"Haenry and Draeya against you Criston." Davina suggested. "But that's not really a fair fight..." Draeya spun her blade with precision and Harwin smiled proudly back at them. 

''Ah. Weapons up, boys.'' Harwin remarked coming up to Rhaenrya's children, his nephews. He was proud to call Jace and Luke his nephews, he got to say it loud and clear because Davina was their aunt. Even though the true parentage of their father, Gael, Harwin's brother was unspoken Harwin still got to call them his family without shame or guilt of any kind. 

''Give your enemies no quarter.'' Harwin glanced over at Criston and Aegon and Aemond, Rhaenyra's children seemed left out of the training most days. Draeya had tried to help them but despite their Strong genes Luke and Jace didnt have a knack for fighting yet. Rhaegar jumped forward his wooden sword colliding with Jaces. 

"Never know who or when the enemy will strike." Gael agreed. "You must always be ready."

"I'm not the enemy." Rhaegar declared. "I'm helping!" 

"That you are." Harwin agreed ruffling his hair. ''It seems the younger boys could do better with a bit of your attention... Ser Criston.'' Harwin remarked and Criston turned to him stiffly.

''You question my method of instruction, ser?'' Criston asked calmly.

''Oh, I merely suggest that method be applied to all your pupils'' Harwin suggested nodding to Jace and Luke. Daeron was bored, he didnt know why they were training all the time, it wasnt like there was a war at their gates. He smiled looking to Haezel fondly. 

"Focus Daeron." Davina instructed. 

"How can I when Haezel is so perfect?" Daeron countered honestly. 

"He's not wrong." Harwin agreed. 

''Very well. Jacaerys... come here.'' Criston agreed ''You spar with Aegon.'' Aegon chuckled seeing his younger cousin step forward nervously. ''Eldest son against eldest son.''

"Me too then?" Haenry offered stepping forward. 

"You take winner." Criston agreed. 

''It's hardly a fair match.'' Harwin remarked.

"You and me Criston." Gael offered smugly as he ruffled Jace's hair as he passed. "Although I think that is hardly fair... for you."

''I know you've never seen true battle, ser, but when steel is drawn, a fair match isn't something anyone should expect.'' Criston remarked smugly. ''Blades up. Engage.'' The boys attacked, Aegon being elder and larger got Jace down easily but Jace had fire and he jumped back up. Running back Aegon knocked the straw dummy over onto Jace.

''Foul play.'' Gael remarked and Harwin grit his teeth at the smug look on Aegon's face as he took Jace down. 

"They are practicing." Davina reminded him. "Push each other down and get back up." Harwin huffed out a breath but Aegon kept going.

''I'll deal with him.'' Criston moved to Aegon as Gael moved to Jace ''Plant your feet. You have a height advantage. Use it.'' Criston whispered. ''Advance on him...'' Aegon nodded and continued forward quietly before shouting

''You!'' Aegon shouted lunging down on Jace.

''Close with him. Press him backward!'' Criston encouraged as Jace tried to get up, tried to scurry away.

"Don't let him corner you." Gael demanded.

''Close with him! Stay on the attack! Use your feet!'' Criston went on, Harwin glanced back at him nervously as Gael shifted from foot to foot. Aegon grunted out as he kept swinging.

"Criston." Davina warned.

"Aegon don't hurt him!" Vaera demanded nervously as Draeya and Haenry pulled their siblings back farther away from the duel at hand.

"Ser Criston." Harwin sneered.

''Don't let him get up.'' Criston shouted ''Stay on the attack!''

''Enough!'' Gael shouted pulling Aegon back from Jace.

''You dare put hands on me?'' Aegon shouted in outrage.

''Aegon!'' Viserys called down, that was not very prince like behavior his outburst.

"You are better than that." Davina agreed.

''You forget yourself, Strong.'' Criston said calmly. ''That is the Prince.''

''This is what you teach, Cole?'' Harwin countered nudging his brother back. ''Cruelty... to the weaker opponent?'' Harwin got down picking up the sparing swords.

''Your interest in the princeling's training is quite unusual, Commander." Criston remarked.

"They are my nephews," Harwin reminded him. Criston looked to Davina. Her face was unreadable as Luke ran up to her nervously. 

 "And yours lieutenant..." Criston looked to Gael. "Most men would only have that kind of devotion toward a cousin... or a brother... or a son.'' Criston mused and Gael charged at him.

''Get back!'' the kingsguard yelled pulling the princes away as the men dueled.

'' Say it again! Say it again!'' Gael demanded as he was pulled back by Harwin, Criston lay bloody on the ground but a smirk on his face.

''Thought as much.'' Criston muttered.

"Seven hells." Davina muttered.