Bringing the Dawn

XIV.

Jaeron Targaryen

Greywater Watch, 299AC

"Keep your eyes open!"

Jon spun around and glared hard at the Knight.

"I am!"

"No, you aren't. Otherwise you would've seen my swipe at you from the side."

The younger shut his mouth at this, knowing there was no use in arguing with him. It had been almost a month since he'd arrived here under the guise of fostering. Although, it really didn't seem like that at all. It felt like it had only been a couple of days because he was just so busy. Much to his surprise, Howland found politics to be a hobby of his- despite not taking part in them himself. Every morning after breaking their fast, they met in his solar where he would quiz him with numerous scenarios. The first week of doing so, he'd embarrassed himself greatly because he only knew the absolute basics of said subject.

Whenever he was thinking into it in more detail, he simply only thought of the main Houses. Something he'd found out was stupid to do. Whenever a major House calls their banners, lesser Houses are obliged to obey through honour- but honour wasn't instilled in everyone. Meaning this was a stupid tactic. However, there was a blessing in the form that the older man had taken a note of all the Houses who pledged their support for Rhaegar during the rebellion, knowing that would be a good place to start in getting allies. He'll undoubtedly have the North, and there's a fair chance he'll get the Riverlands too through Catelyn, but that all depends on how it's presented to Hoster Tully when the time comes.

The blade came his way but this time he was prepared, having anticipated for Ser Arthur to strike close to his blind spot from his previous words. But right before the blades met, the other blade came his way and rested on his neck. Admitting defeat once again, he stepped away.

"Always be on high alert. Never let your guard down. You're focusing more on the one blade and using the other as a last resort type of thing. If you're going to learn how to master dual blades, you need to treat both equally the same."

Jon licked his lips to add some moisture to them, his clothes sticking to him now he was covered in sweat. The Knight was not letting up in any way at all. Once he'd caught his breath, he nodded to the older to confirm he was ready again. But this time, he went in with the correct mindset. As steel met steel from the training swords they were using, his thoughts began to replay everything that had happened in the last month. He'd received a raven from Ned the week prior, a response to him being here and a response to the one Howland sent from Castle Black regarding Arya and Sansa having what he called wolf dreams. He wasn't sure if the elder female did have them but considering they all were- there was a fair chance she had it as well. Like expected, Arya confided in him that she was dreaming she was Nymeria in the Riverlands, but Sansa remained tight lipped. He understood why if what they suspected was true, as Lady had been killed on Cersei's and Robert's orders.

Every morning after he'd had political training, the crannogman trained him on warging as it was a 'respite' as he called it. The first ten times he had done so, he failed miserably to make the connection. But on the eleventh, he finally did make it, but it was only for a matter of seconds.

"Good, it all depends on how strong your mind is. Warging is creating a deep bond to the point that one being allows its mind to be overrun."

He caught sight of the blade a fraction too late, but he managed to use his height to his advantage by ducking. It left him severely off balance, but it did allow for the blade to go over his head. Arthur smiling broadly before sliding both towards him. Not at the speed were it a real fight of course, but close enough that it felt real. That was the quickest way to learn how to wield a blade. Bending his head back to a point where it was extremely uncomfortable, the cold steel grazed over his neck and under his chin. Then he spotted the opening. Swinging his right blade up where Arthur's blades were still crossed meant he was slightly off balance. A fact that was proven as when he untangled himself, it loosened his grip ever so slightly on his second blade which allowed him to swoop in with his own secondary blade and disarm him of one of his swords.