Epiphany // Alicent Hightower

97. You Are Not Innocent

Lila loved Cannibal. For a dragon eating dragon, he was surprisingly gentle with Lila. Taelon was worried about leaving Cannibal in with the other dragons so he had a second pit made special for Cannibal. Lila promised that she wouldnt go see Cannibal without himself or Tommen there just in case.

Everything was going great. Lila was jumping happily at her lesson with Cannibal. Cannibal was still giving Taelon the I might eat you look but Cannibals gaze softened immediately when he looked to Lila. To Say Taelon was slightly terrified and Tommen refused to go near Cannibal after shitting himself when Lila pulled him to the new pits would be an understatement.

Taelon was the king. The king. He shouldnt be scared of dragons, he had a dragon. Especially not a dragon that his daughter of three was so excited to see. Make LIla the new queen, Taelon thought as she pranced into Cannibals pits, always welcomed Cannibal saying Hello big puppy! Then running up to him and hugging a giant leg.

Sure Taelon wouldnt win against a dragon but Nyra got pregnant again and that was something he could take his energy out on. Harwin Strong.

"I'm going to kill him." Taelon decided. Tommen perked up.

"About damn time... wait who?"

"Harwin." Taelon clarified.

"About damn time." Tommen declared. "I have an idea." Tommen ran off.

"A ritual challenge." Tommen pondered in the courtyard. "May thy knife chip and shatter!"

This knife will break then, Taelon thought.

"Harwin, I have been wanting to bash your head in since, Gods how old is Jace now?" Taelon mused and Harwin swallowed the lump in his throat.

Harwin cautioned himself that Taelon also was without shield, but he knew Taelon had no shield-fighter inhibitions. He wanted personal.

Fear coursed through Harwin. He felt suddenly alone and naked standing in the courtyard, seeing the fire in Taelon's gaze. Prescience had fed his knowledge with countless experiences, hinted at the strongest currents of the future and the strings of decision that guided them, but this was the last straw. Harwin saw that. This was his death hanging on an infinite number of mistakes.

"Fear is the mind-killer ..." Thorin warned seeing fear coursing through Harwin.

It was a cool bath washing over him. He felt muscles untie themselves, become poised and ready.

"Our King will sheath his knife in your blood, brother." Tommen warned. And at the last word Taelon pounced.

Harwin's motion was slowly timed, beautifully fluid, but so slow it gave Taelon the margin to twist away, backing and turning to the right.

Again Taelon attacked, violet eyes darkened glaring, and again Harwin slipped away to return too slowly on the attack. And again. And again. Each time, Harwin's counterblow came an instant late. Taelon blocking him.

Taelon's defensive reactions were blindingly fast, but they moved each time at the precisely correct angle they would take if a shield were helping deflect part of Harwin's blow.

Again, Taelon pounced, and this time he twisted to the right where Harwin had been dodging. Instead of faking back and out, Taelon met Harwin's knife hand on the point of his own blade.

Harwin rubbed at his hand. Blood dripped from the injury just slightly.

"Ah, that one hurt," Davina laughed out. Harwin glanced around seeing they had drawn a crowd. Jace and luke among Taelon's children, watching Harwin get his ass kicked. Aegon and Maekar were taking bets like Tommen had taught them.

"Thats how it feels!" Tommen declared a proud brother. Proud of Taelon for finally whooping Harwins ass.

"He's call the bear for a reason." Maekar reminded the people. Of course they hoped that Taelon would win but thats how you get the money Tommen had told them, misconception.

"Do you yield?" Larys questioned smugly. It was nice seeing him finally get the beating he deserved. Showed Harwin Strong was not invincible. Harwin looked to Taelon, he clearly wasnt done. Taelon held his hand out to the side and dropped his blade. Waiting for Harwin to make the next move. Harwin did the same.

"Come and get it!" Harwin demanded, and rushed.

As he rushed, he swung a powerful right. Taelon met him halfway, and lashed out with his own right. Taelon's punch was faster, and it caught Harwins jaw, he took it on the mouth, spat blood.

"Are we doing this?" Harwin questioned. Taelon hurled Harwin into the dust of the training yard with such force that a cloud of dust arose. Taelon rolled over getting back to his feet as Harwin gasped for breath, he was about to pull himself up when he just barely rolled from under Taelon's driving boot as Taelon tried to leap on him to stamp his life out. Or break his cock from where his foot was aiming.

Harwin scrambled to his feet, and lunged as he picked his hands out of the dust, butting Taelon in the chest. Taelon turned his head to keep it from his eyes and swung left to the wind, feeling it colliding with Harwins ribs. Harwin got a good punch in and another as Taelon tried to get his footing.

Harwins skull roaring with pain and dizziness, Taelon braced himself and started to swing in a blind fury, both hands going with every ounce of power he could muster.

Harwin met him and, spraddle legged, the two started to slug. Harwin was the bigger, and his punches packed terrific power, but were a trifle slower. It was nip and tuck, dragon eat dragon, and the two battled until the breath gasped in their lungs and whistled through their teeth. Sucking in a deep breath Taelon got up.

Taelon shifted his attack with lightning speed. He missed a right, and following it in with the weight of his body, slid his arm around Harwin's thick neck, grabbed the wrist with his left hand, and jerked up his feet and sat down hard. Harwin hurled his weight forward and to the left, falling with his body half across each other. It broke the hold, and they rolled free. Taelon came to his feet, and hurled himself at Harwin's leg in a flying tackle. Harwin went down, and as they scrambled up, Taelon hit him again and again, splitting his right cheek in a bone-deep gash, and splitting his lips.

"Stay away from my sister. Or I kill you next time." Taelon hissed before getting up. Harwin lay back on the ground. Panting for breath. Nyra moved closer but Taelon grabbed her arm pulling her back. "Stay away from Harwin, I mean it Nyra."

"Taelon what the hell-"

"Know that this-" He pointed a finger as a wheezing Harwin. "-is your fault too. You are not innocent. "