It has been several days since I've been introduced to the world of Westeros from a first-person perspective. Lord Arryn is not getting better and is now confined to his quarters due to the mystery illness crafted by a certain queen and her grand maester. My time here has been as decent as one could hope for. I spend my days reading, training, calling servants to help me with menial tasks and avoiding my older sibling just in case.
Despite all that, I long for the time when I could pick up my phone and engage with my friends in the blink of an eye, put something on the TV to enjoy some convoluted drama, or even boot up a nice video game and immerse myself in a world I could only dream about, and the rest of the people here can hardly even imagine. I miss the people I had in my previous life. Their memories still tug at my heartstrings. Knowing that I might never see my friends, my parents, my siblings,... I could reminisce for days, but it's futile now.
Speaking of siblings, Myrcella has been a surprising boon to my stay here. At first, I found it awkward to play with an eight year old, when I'm mentally at least thrice her age, but I have managed to suppress that feeling, at first out of necessity, since an eight year old becoming too withdrawn would, ironically, draw even more attention to himself, but after a while, I genuinely enjoyed playing with her and letting my inner child have his moments of bliss.
As an added bonus, Myrcella, like any girl her age, loves to talk. A fact that is of great use when it comes to fitting in my new role, considering she would remind me about the events we went through together, thereby "curing my amnesia".
"You really don't remember what happened last summer in the Tower of the Hand?", she would ask in response to my prompts.
I could only shrug to that. "But we told this story about a million times! Fine, so…", and then I got to know what Robert and Jon were talking about before we interrupted their clandestine meeting. She got a few laughs from me, I got some information on Renly's failed arranged marriage.
My physical fitness has also slightly improved through many games of tag or hide'n'seek with Myrcella. My push-up count has increased from five to a whopping seven! That's a twenty percent increase! If I keep this up I might be strong enough to toss Robert over the Narrow Sea in a week or so.
Today, I woke up, got dressed by Breyna and proceeded to the dining hall. Greetings exchanged, royalty honored, last night's dreams retold, all that jazz. It almost reminded me of a functional family.
The functionality was not the highlight though, nor was it the delicious bread pudding. It was the lioness' words to me:
"Tommen, my sweet. Come to my chambers after you're done with Maester Rickard. I've made arrangements regarding your new lessons", her words were fanfare to my ears, and seem to have attracted the curiosity of the rest of the family.
"What's Tommen gonna do?", asked Myrcella sheepishly.
"Tommen will be attending lessons on swordsmanship." That got everyone's full attention now.
"Oh, and who will be teaching him?", father asked, so it probably won't be him. I find warhammers interesting only in 40k, anyways.
I've been thinking that Syrio might have been around and is willing to indulge the wishes of a little prince, but I guess I'll find out, now that everyone is outright staring at Cersei.
"Jaime." Cersei surprised me with that one. Wasn't he too occupied with guarding the king? What changed?
"Jaime, eh?", Robert ponders before turning to me, "Did you ask for Jaime or...?"
Is he offended that I didn't ask for him first? He already has Lancel as his squire, to no one's envy.
"Y-yes, father", I meekly respond, fearing his reaction.
"Bah, you kids don't know anything, I should be the one teaching you, father to son. Show you how to be a proper Baratheon", Robert said, and I can only imagine my new boyish self taking Robert's lessons in smashing men with a warhammer thrice my height and smashing women with hips thrice my width.
"Jaime teaching Tommen?", chips in my favorite sociopath, Joffrey. Oh boy, here we go. "Uncle Jaime is wasting time with the likes of him, unless he wants to spend his entire day learning about the habits of Tommen's cats. Tommen struggles with picking up a stick, much less a sword."
War it is, then, little Joffy.
"He should rather occupy himself with guarding his king.", finished Joffrey, as I put my response in motion.
"He probably does, yes. Ser Pounce would enjoy the company of a fellow knight.", I answer jovially, before hardening my expression. "Tell me, brother.", I continue in a deeper voice, "What happened the last time you expressed interest in the habits of cats?"
That was a straight kick to the hornet's nest. Joffrey takes some time to understand my reference before growing red with anger: "You watch what you speak", the boy warns me in a surprisingly calm tone that belies his true fury, "When I become king you won't be able to do that."
"What? Ask questions?", I respond off the cuff, now immersing myself in the meal, rather than Joffrey's pathetic threats.
Before Joffrey responds with something even dumber, our father cuts him off: "Quiet. Both of you.", he says, wearing a solemn expression. Guess they all remember the cat incident all too well.
The meal continues for a while under the tense atmosphere, Cersei intently watching me and Robert for picking on her golden boy, before Robert speaks up again: "I would like to attend your lessons as well, to see if your uncle is capable of teaching you." He pauses to enjoy some bacon, before proceeding: "If you ever want to be a big, strong knight like me, you can always let me teach you", he adds, showing a hint of self-pride in his voice.
At this point I am wondering what Cersei went on about when I first asked her. I have two legendary fighters vying for my attention, just to teach me to fight and nobody seems too preoccupied for it. Perhaps I should push my luck and invite Oberyn and Selmy as well?
Author's Note
Hello, dear reader. If you made it here, it means you're not hating the story so far, which makes me happy considering this is my first piece of writing. This prologue will last for a few more chapters before we dive into the plot. I find it fun writing about this calm before the storm that only the protagonist can see, and I hope you find it fun to read.
As for the rate of publishing, I hope I can provide a decent schedule, but I would like to publish a chapter done right much more than I'd like to publish a chapter done fast, so I write a bunch of chapters and see if they form a coherent whole, cutting them to fit if they don't. Until next time, amigas and amigos.