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~ The Princess and The Queen ~
- *Jacael Strong pov* -
This evening I was with my brothers and the Queens children practicing our swordsmanship with Ser Criston Cole. If we were back home, our father would be the one to teach us but mother insisted that when we're here we follow Queen Alicent's rules. I don't like Ser Criston one bit and the way I hear my mother speak of him, I know she feels the same. My Father doesn't like him either and that's why he plans to come here to check on us, I heard him say so before we left mother this morning. Even grandsire lyonel and King Viserys sat and watched us, which eases my anxiety.
I swung my wooden sword at the haystack dummy like we were all told to do. My brother Jacael and I moved forward together in order with Ser Criston glare on our backs. "Soften your knees. Feet light." He said to Aemond as he hit the dummy. Jacael and I stepped up next and I get a pat on the head by Aegon as we walk passed each other. "Keep your feet light and your hands heavy." He said and I wasn't sure which one of us he was talking to but I keep my head forward and tried my best to follow his instructions. The corner of my eye, I seen Aemond smacking Luke sword out of his hand and I reframe myself and keep focus.
I can never understand why Aemond chooses to be so hot and cold, sometimes he's nice and other times I want to punch him in the face. "Don't stand too upright, my Prince. You'll get knocked down." Ser Cole voice says from behind me and Luke stomps away. "Aegon." The knight says pulling the prince's attention from the girls. Baelon chuckles and shakes his head at his friends antics. "I've won my first bout, Ser Criston. My opponent sues for mercy." He said and I scoffed playfully as he ruffled up my hair as he passed. "You'll have a new opponent then, My lord of the straw." He said and i stopped what I was doing and watch just like my brother and the others did.
"Let's see if you can touch me. You and your brother." He said and Aegon sighed. "This is going to be good." Baelon smirked beside me and I frowned feeling the exact opposite. I catch a glimpse of my father walking up and I a bit of relief washed over me. Aegon and his brother stepped up to Ser Cole with their wooden sword and attempted to attack. Ser Criston fought them both off with ease making the two stumble and making me wince. Both brother paused, furious after nearly hitting one another and both of them striked at the same time only for the knight to smack their swords down.
Ser Criston added salt to the wound as he also grabs Aegon by the neck and pushing him toward his brother. Baelon and Jacaerys laugh as lightly as they could into their hand making me crack a smile of my own. "You're going to have to do better than that."Ser Criston taunts them before the attack him at once again. And just like the other time, they failed their attempts which is painful to watch. "Weapons up, boys." My father's voice scolds us from the side and we nodded and we followed his direction. "Give your enemies no quarter." He said with a wink making us smile softly as my hand tightened around the wooden handle.
"It seems the younger boys could do better with a bit of your attention, Ser Criston." My father said and then I knew that this practice would end on a bad note, you could tell by the now pissed off look on the knights face. "You question my method of instruction, Ser?" He asked. "I merely suggest that method be applied to all your pupils." My father says and Aegon pushed Luke making Baelon smack the back of his head swiftly. "Very well." He said after a deep breath which made me nervous all over again. "Jacaerys, come here. You spare with Aegon." He said before aggressively grabbing him by the collar making me clinch my jaw.
Baelon seemed just as upset as he bawled up his fist. "I can take Aegon." Baelon said and Aegon scoffed and Ser Criston shake his head and muttered a no. Aegon and Aemond laughed but if he hurts my brother I'm going to kick his ass...or at least Baelon will. "Eldest son against eldest son." Ser Criston says. "It's hardly a fair match." My father says. "I know you've never seen true battle, Ser, but when steel is drawn, a fair match isn't something anyone should expect." Ser Cole says as Aegon and Jacaerys walks into place across from each. "Blades up." He said and they hold up their swords.
"Engage." He says and Aegon is the first to attack. He moved fast and before you knew it, Jace was pushed to the ground. I winced as Aegon laughs and backs off and I look up to my brother who thought this was far from amusing. Jacaerys pulls himself from the floor and attempts to attack Aegon, and he was holding his own for a second before Argon pushed a dummy towards him. "Foul play." Father said holding onto Jacaerys shoulder. "I'll deal with him." He said and pulls Aegon back and gives him a tip just as my father did with Jace. "You!" Aegon shout and Jacaerys pushes father back and holding his sword confidently.
"Close with him. Press him backwards! Close with him!" Ser Coke shouted. "Quit it!" I shout making him roll his eyes and ignores me as Aegon keeps beating Jace down. "Stay on the attack! Use your feet!" He shouts and Aegon knocks Jace around making him stumble but he stayed on his feet. "Use your feet!" Ser cole shouts and that's exactly what Aegon does. "Don't let him get up. Stay in the attack." He said and my big brother doesn't utter a word before he marched towards the two as Aegon swings his sword down on our brother. "Bael-." Ser Cole begins a warning but it doesn't stop my brother from pulling Aegon back by the collar and hitting his chest with his sword making the Prince stumble back.
"Enough!" Baelon shout and Aegon screams before he attempts poorly to attack my brother. Baelon raises his foot and Aegon runs right into before flying back on his back making me laugh. Both my father and Brother helped Jacaerys from off the ground. "You dare put hands on me?!" Aegon screamed like a girl as he struggled off the ground. "Aegon!" King Viserys shout from above gaining our attention. "You forget yourself, Strong. That is a Prince." Ser Cole says and I roll my eyes.
"This is what you teach, Cole. Cruelty... to the weaker opponent." My father said as he picked up the fallen swords on the ground. "You interest in the princeling's training is quite unusual, Commander." Ser cole said and my father jaw clenched. "How so? Both of my sons are princes as well." He said bluntly. "Yet, your sons weren't fighting..not till the end." He said and Aegon and Baelon glared at each other. "Most men would only have that kind of devotion towards a cousin...or a brother." He said glancing at Baelon. "Or a son." Ser cole says and my eyes widen as my dad stiffens. It was only a second before my father turns around and lands a punch to Ser Cole jaw.
We all gasped and stepped back as my father show Ser Criston a real fighting lesson. "Yeah, kick his ass!" Baelon cheer making me laugh as I pulled Luke back. Two guards walked towards them as my father lays blow after blow against Cole's face. "Say it again!" My father shouts as the pull him off. "Thought as much." Cristion smiled as he laid flat on the ground and my brother walked towards him and kicked dirt in his face, the tip of his boot kicking Cole head to the side. "Not so untouchable as you thought, huh?" Baelon laughs before one of the four guards that was hold my father back pulled Baelon back. With a smirk Baelon and I walked back up to our mothers cambers.
