Dragon Blood

Chapter 7

The gentleman's guts fell, staining the crimson-red sand with blood. The crowd cheered and applauded vigorously celebrating the winning knight of this revolt and longing for the next battle.

Rhenys turned away her face in a show of displeasure and fear. Her hand didn't take long to look for Aemond's, who was next to her.

"What's going on, dragon's heart?" Aemond asked, worried about the fear that was reflected in the face of his beloved princess.

- I thought there was no bloodshed in the tournaments.

- There is, many can't stand losing to another gentleman, they like to defend their honor and pride.

- I don't know if it would be a great gift for me to see how men massacre each other.

"Customs of Westeros, Rhenys," river Aemond. "But you don't have to worry, I'm here for you, I always will be.

The children smiled, an action that was already very common among them, Aemond gave a small squeeze to Rhenys' hand to prove his point.

"Princess Rhaenyra, I ask you as your humble knight to grant me your favor!" A knight approached on his black horse and a spear, carrying the shield of a silver trout over red and blue colors, a Tully.

Rhenys saw his mother approach the gentleman and put a crown with flowers and ribbons on the spear.

- Aemond, What does favor mean, Aemond? I believe Septa talked about this but I don't remember it very well - the little princess turned her questioning look to Prince Targaryen.

- It's like wishing a gentleman luck to win the tournament, I wouldn't know how to explain it to you.

- And how do the gentlemen choose the lady they will ask for the favor?

- Depending on the gentleman, some look for the most beautiful lady, others the one who has the best position, a better surname, others choose their wives, fiancées or even their lovers.

Aemond soaked his lips in saliva and thought if he should ventilate his thoughts. But he was not a coward, as Aegon had told him a few hours ago before starting the Tournament.

- One day... Although the tournaments are not to my liking..." Rhenys directed his bright eyes to Aemond, Aemond's heart began to beat hard, as it had never done before. Aemond cleared his throat. - I will join a tournament and ask for your favor, dragon's heart, and I promise that I will crown you as Queen of Beauty and love.

Rhenys' cheeks soon acquired a reddish tone.

- It would be an honor for me, Aemond.

The cheering of the crowd was ignored by the children who smiled at each other. It wasn't until they heard another voice sound.

- My Queen! - Ser Criston approached with his horse to where the royal family was. - I ask for your favor to bring me luck in this tournament, like his humble servant!

Many observed the action in surprise, even many did not consider it appropriate for a gentleman to ask the Queen for that.

A small smile appeared on the lips of the Queen who gave her husband a look asking him for permission with her eyes, a simple courtesy so as not to offend him. Viserys gave her a slight assent. Making the Queen repeat the action that Rhaenyra did a few minutes ago.

The tournament continues with normality, blood and screams.

Ser Criston fought against the knight Tully who asked for the favor of Princess Rhaenyra. Al Ser didn't take much time to refer Tully, so Ser Criston was proclaimed the winner of the Tournament.

The children were holding hands at the seashore, with some royal guards behind them - although neither of them agreed, their mothers made it clear that they could not go out without them, so they both took the only option they had.

The sun was hiding and the red and orange colors flooded the sky while it was reflected in the sea. The sunset was proof of the long hours that Rhenys and Aemond spent exploring Marca Deriva.

"Princess Rhenys," said Ser Harwin Strong, her mother said that she did not trust anyone but him to accompany her daughter after learning that Ser Criston Cole would be Prince Aemond's guard at the request of Queen Alicent. "I feared that it is already late, we should return now, your mother will be worried about you. Ser Harwin said to the little princess.

"Don't worry, Ser Harwin, just a few more minutes, we'll see the sunset," Rhenys calmed him down with a smile. Gesture did not go unnoticed by Ser Cole who looked at the interaction with prejudice.

"Come on, dragon's heart," Aemond said as he pulled the princess, but always be careful not to hurt her. "We will lose the sunset.

Dragon's heart, the nickname did not go unnoticed by Princess Rhaenyra's royal guard.

Both children ran in the sand while laughing to finally sit in the sand, regardless of whether that was something appropriate for members of royalty, according to them they chose the best place since it was the one that left them right in front of the sun.

Ser Harwin saw with adoration the princess, his little girl, had grown a lot, he still remembered the first time he had her in his arms a few treacherous tears came out of his eyes that day, something that never happened to him before, but having the little baby with him, seeing her brown hair and how her little hand squeezed his thumb was enough to touch the heart of the man who could break the bones of any knight.

"And what happened yesterday with the cookies?" Aemond asked Rhenys.

- I gave them to Luke, at first he was proud and said that he didn't want them and wouldn't forgive me but then he took them and ate them all. I guess I already know what to do from now on to tame the dragon," Rhenys joked, Aemond laughed with her.

- Look, Aemond, the sun is hiding behind the sea.

"I see it, Rhenys," Aemond said with a smile as he rested his head on Rhenys' shoulder.

- It's a nice sunset, don't you think?

- I do, but it's even better because we're together.

Rhenys smiled. "Then I hope it's not the last one.

- It won't be, but unfortunately the sunsets are not so beautiful in King's Landing.

Rhenys sighed. - We'll manage to find some.

- Do you promise?

- I promise, Aemond.

Both looked at the sun that gave its last rays of sunshine for today and was hiding behind the sea, together by the hand.