Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken [Aegon Targaryen]

CHAPTER SIX - SPARRING

THE NEXT MORNING, VISENYA ASKED FOR HER PRESENCE IN THE TRAINING YARD. The queen wanted a sparring partner. Sarella quite eagerly agreed. The eldest Targaryen was known to be a warrior with skills matching Aegon's.

With her she took Jayne, whose archery skills no one could match. Jayne wanted and needed practice, too. She was the commander of Sarella's guard and the commander of Sunspear's entire host. If anyone needed to stay sharp, it was her, Jayne had told Sarella that morning.

So, she brought her along.

Visenya was waiting for them in the yard, and was twirling her sword, training by herself while waiting. It was unlike anything Sarella had ever seen, truly. The queen had skills, that was certain.

"Princess," Visenya greeted, once she heard them approach.

"Your Grace." Sarella inclined her head politely to the queen. "I thank you for asking us here. Both Jayne and myself must stay sharp."

"We have not formally met," Visenya said, extending her hand to Jayne. "Visenya."

"Jayne Sand. Commander of the Princess' guard and of all of Sunspear's great host." Jayne introduced herself stoically, as she always did, and shook Visenya's hand out of duty and respect, nothing else. Jayne Sand cared not for politeness.

"A bastard?" A single brow rose at Jayne's surname.

"We do not treat bastards as the rest of you do. With kindness." Sarella shrugged. "And respect."

She almost expected her comment to be a slight to her, but the Targaryens had proven to be different than most men and women of importance. Visenya grinned at her and jerked her head in the direction of the sparring swords in the rack. "Come, let's spar."

Sarella could easily say that she enjoyed using her spear and bullwhip more than her sword while fighting. Though, if it was to be equal, she would use a sword. She took one from the bunch, checked the balance, and stood in a ready stance.

"Are you ready, Dāria?" Her use of the Valyrian language surprised Visenya, whose brow rose again.

"Where did you learn Valyrian?" She asked and attacked, thrusting her sword in Sarella's direction.

"I have travelled all over the world, I know many tongues." Sarella stepped back quickly and blocked the blow with her own sword. "The Summer tongue, Lhazareen, Old Ghiscari, Dothraki."

"Dothraki?" Visenya was surprised at that, and Sarella explained as she attacked for the second time.

"I met a Dothraki sellsword at a brothel in Lys, befriended him, and he taught me." She blocked Visenya's attack and swiped at her head, just narrowly missing the top when she ducked.

Visenya ducked behind her and attacked from behind, to which Sarella spun around and the sound of the swords hitting one another echoed through the yard. The two women grinned and fought to keep their swords from their faces, pushing back against each other hard.

With her teeth gritted, Visenya eventually pushed back hard enough to make Sarella stumble backward a few steps. Visenya then ducked another swipe of her sword and drove her shoulder into Sarella's, causing her to fall. Her face hit the dirt, and as she turned back over onto her back, Visenya pointed her sword at Sarella's throat.

"Well fought, Queen," Sarella praised, "but you still have something to learn of the Dornish."

"What is that?"

"We do not give up so easily." With a quick swing of her leg, she swept Visenya's leg out from under her. Her sword fell from her hand, and Sarella grabbed it. She pinned Visenya's arms down with her knees and held both swords at the queen's neck, smiling triumphantly. "And that, is how it is done."

She stood, releasing Visenya, and stuck both sparring swords in the dirt. As she did, a slow clapping was heard from behind her. Knowing that it was not Jayne she turned to see Aegon.

"Well fought, Princess." His tone was not quite mocking, but not exactly not mocking either.

"Conqueror." She nodded to him and wiped the sweat and dirt from her brow.

He was not wearing his crown that day, nor was he wearing black and red. That day's clothes were a light cream colour. She wondered if he wore them to tease her. He most likely did.

"Visenya." He acknowledged his wife with a dispassionate kiss on the forehead and a rather unloving look in his eye.

"Come to watch the women fight, or will you climb down off of your high horse and join us?" Sarella asked. She looked up at him through half-closed eyes from the brightness of the sun, but could still see him smirk at the challenge.

"Do you think you can beat me?"

"I know that I can." She pulled one of the sparring swords from the dirt and threw it to him. He caught it almost effortlessly. "Come, Conqueror. Let's see if you can live up to your reputation."

Visenya and Jayne each got their own swords to spar with upon seeing that both Sarella and Aegon's focus was purely on one another. The sound of swords clashing was distantly heard as the two rulers readied themselves.

But, before they could begin, Sarella saw Lena running out of the castle out of the corner of her eye. There was a frantic and sad look in the girl's eyes, and her cheeks were red from running so far. And, Sarella noticed as she came closer, she was crying. "Princess! Sarella!"

Sarella looked away from Aegon and to her friend, frowning at the sight. Something was wrong. "What is it, Lena?"

"There was a raven from home. Sunspear was attacked. Myles. . . Myles is dead."

In that moment, all went silent. Sarella's breath hitched, and the only sound in the air was that of a sparring sword dropping and hitting the ground.