A different Joffrey Baratheon

Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8
    It took 2 weeks, it seemed after the major damage was taken care of that the gods, if it was, in fact, the gods, left me to heal normally. The Maester though still spoke of my healing being faster than normal although having slowed significantly from the initial burst of divine healing. He believed that my increased healing would stay with me for some time and that he didn't know the extent of what could be healed. The man offered to test it but I and those around me immediately denied such a thing. I was not going to be an experiment for the citadel of the faith. Though I did keep a nightly ritual of sending a prayer to the old and new gods. I felt they earned my words of thanks and I even gave off a prayer to the more obscure gods that I knew little about. I just hope it was the gods or I've been wasting my time.
    My mother after the initial shock seemed to disregard the gods altogether in the involvement of my healing and put it all on my blood. She privately, as I was moved to a different room from Bran due to my improved health, told me that she believed it was not the gods but my blood born from herself and my uncle... It was painful to have it so clearly confirmed by her but I couldn't just forget it and move on. Luckily enough my dearest Arya came in and my mother took a swift exit from the look I gave her.
    Speaking of Arya, my beautiful future queen of Westeros made the most absurd promise I've ever heard. Although, since it's her who made it I can't doubt that she will succeed in honoring it. When she told me what she promised I could only pull back in shock.
-That Night-
"Can you say that again little wolf? I think I misheard you."
She glared into my eyes with both a serious and annoyed expression. "I said, you deaf lion, that I promised to be the greatest Queen you could ever ask for... and that I would be greater than Nymeria the Warrior Queen..." She reddens slightly, "A-and I don't intend to back out on it so you better heal all the way and get back to training me."
-Present-
    What she promised honestly made me feel... I can't give it a name. But if I had to I would say that she made me feel superior... maybe powerful. Like I said I don't know. But Having a girl like Arya promises the gods such things and having such conviction on her face at the time too... I just knew she was the one. Any doubts that I would have had were gone that very moment.
    After that talk I had the Hound take up teaching Arya. He would report back to me daily on what was taught and how it went. Arya though would give me her version of events later that day after a bath and would sit next to me on the bed or a chair. Honestly, it was peaceful and I enjoyed it quite a lot. Sadly Bran had still not awoken from his deep sleep and many were doubtful of his recovery. Arya and I were very optimistic as were my siblings. His mother was basically catatonic being a danger to herself. I made myself useful and made sure to visit as often as I could with my injuries as they were but when I couldn't leave my bed the first few days Arya was happy to go by herself and speak to him on both our behalf.
    Now though I'm fully healed and it's been some time since I got back into the swing of things as a Prince. My training was extra hard on my body as it had weakened while I was bedridden but with how much I was working myself  I would be back to before the incident in no time.
Mother was adamant about keeping her promise of not going against me or Arya, but fully turned her back on the gods being the ones to have healed me and had instead taken hold of it being my blood... I don't know what she was thinking but I can't outright deny the possibility with how the Targaryens could withstand fire or how the Starks were even known to be wargs in years past... although not due to incestrial relationships there was clearly a possibility of something magical being involved. Even so, I won't humor my mother's crazed ideas. Though I don't have to do much as she made a promise and with Lady Starks warning she seemed even more inclined to follow  through with her promise.
She followed her promise to the letter. It made me uncomfortable at times when she asked me about what I thought of her plans that she had years in the making and if I was okay with them, most of them were not acceptable. Though that wasn't the worst part of her promise. I could use someone with plenty of eyes and ears around the kingdom like my mother for my future as king. I don't entirely trust the Eunuch. No, the worst part was her promise not to be intimate with anyone. She was fighting quite a lot with the King and after I pulled her away later I found out why.
"I won't let that man touch me. I won't let any man touch me. I promised you after all and even though I don't believe it was the gods' interference I don't intend to take any unnecessary risks."
I eyed her curiously. "Even Jaime?" I did not feel he was my uncle nor deserved any title that he held. I actually wished to take everything from him and then send him to Casterly Rock. At least then I could gain favor with my Grandfather and get that literal mother fucker out of my sight. I wanted to kill him in a million different ways and one of those just happened to be a poetic push from a tower. It would serve the fucker right.
My mother merely smiled and shook her head. "I said no one and I meant it. Unless you order me to I shall see myself as celibate as a silent sister... I do not deny that it won't be difficult but I shall withstand any urges I have. For you my Lion."
Her words and actions were enough for me to give her a smile. "Then here are your first real orders from me so listen well." The queen's eyes focused solely on me and listened with rapt attention. "You are to lessen your drinking of wine. It will hinder your efforts and I would be cross if you were to fall into bad habits. You will try not to invoke the King's rage as I rather not see you harmed by his hand so you shall do... " I shiver," at least to get him to ignore you. Are you following so far?" She swallowed and nodded. "Good, you are to come and join Arya and me in our sparring in the Godswood-"
"What, Why?" She interrupted. She looked surprised and confused and I couldn't help the sinfully handsome smirk that took over my face.
"Oh, Well isn't it obvious? I will not have a mother, someone that will be part of my court be weak and vulnerable to those who wish to use her against me. So you shall get your wish that you had as a young girl and learn how to wield a weapon... or multiple because let's be honest anything can be used in a pinch. Do I need to go on?"
"No, you do not... I am older than most when they learn such things." I snort.
"So what? Ser Barristan Selmy told me that even at his age he is learning things that improve his prowess with a blade. Why not have my mother start learning at merely 31 years of age? You have plenty of time to get ready. And I wish it so it shall be done, Yes?"
The woman had on that calculating look in her eyes as she seemed to think about what I said. But alas my word seems to have much meaning to her as she nodded finally after a time. "Anything else?" Smiling, I gave her the time to meet and what I wanted her to do before we met that evening. I mostly gave her suggestions on stretches to do and dismissed her.
And that was a few days back. Every day since then myself, Arya, Hound, and my mother would train. Sandor was quite pleased with being allowed to openly disrespect my mother in her training and Arya seemed to glow when she would be training alongside my mother, more so when she got to spar against her and win.
My mother was awful and annoying and quite frankly you couldn't even imagine a time when she was like Arya. But Arya seemed to see something in her and encouraged her every day without fail. My mother seemed to grow just a bit more fond of the young wolf and even would smile at her during training and spars. She gained points for being good to my little wolf. But she wasn't out of the woods yet. Dear Bran was still sleeping and had not awakened. And with our departure closing in, I and many others believed he wouldn't wake in time.
The Starks excluding Rickon and Sansa spent our last night with him. I said goodbye earlier that day to Bran before we left the next morning. And while it was sad to not see him wake up, on the other hand, it was nice to be going back home. Made better when I had my uncle ride as far as possible from my family carriage as possible seeing as it was housing my siblings and mother along with Arya as she and I made a deal that she would ride in the carriage until we got to Moat Cailin were herself, Jon, and I would ride together until she could go no further on horseback and needed rest. I did not push for more as she was VERY stubborn.
Speaking of Jon I had made him ride by my side and not vanish off to gods knew where. He was under strict words from myself and his father that he was to be with the carriage, by my side, or with Lord Eddard himself. He sullenly agreed and I had to have shown my amusement at his actions as he quickly glared at me and sat up back straight and went blank-faced. I couldn't help but laugh. I could already tell that this was going to be an interesting trek south.