A/N: WHAT'S UP MUCKACHUNGAS!? It's Travez here! And I got good news and bad news! Bad news? As of writing this, my Covid Test came back positive! Damn it! Now I'm going to be missing work for the next 5 days! Though on the upside, I've got a lot of time on my hands, so I'm going to try and get the next pair of chapters (including this one) up and ready for you guys! So I hope you'll like what I have planned!
Also, I had to make a few changes… Again… To Vlad's party, but this time it's far more solid than before, but the two new characters are going to be a bit of a surprise for next time! I also had to make just a slight alteration to Lyanna, as, when I posted the last chapter, a fellow author, and the person who has been helping me set things up, Longclaw 1-6, suggested that I make Lyanna into a member of the Order of the Lycans, just a few minutes too late as I already posted, but I think I can make this alteration work!
Another thing I need to be straight with you guys is something I had also decided to set up into this Game of Thrones Story, and that is I'm going to be having Influences from the Legacy of Kain be the more prominent of all the other vampire lores than I have in this story. But other than that, it is still pretty much a D&D x Game of Thrones story, so things will be going steady as she goes.
I also am really grateful to how much you guys are liking this story, I mean 18 Favorites and 13 likes in just two days and already into the second chapter of the story? That's just bonkers! Thank you all. And I would like to give a few quick shout-outs to my two reviewers thus far:
-Perseus12: Thank you for being the first to review both of my chapters. I deeply appreciate it!
-TrollolPenguin: Thanks for the review and bringing up that one of the knights was a Frey! They definitely deserved it, and the beating they are going to receive in this chapter. Also thanks for pointing that out, I had been researching the Knights that beat up Howland and I couldn't find anything on the matter, until I looked up your comment and looked more closely at the Tourney in the Ice and Fire Wiki. So thanks man! I appreciate it!
On a final note, I would like to thank the one person who has not only been my soundboard guy, but also who has been helping make this all possible, Longclaw 1-6. He is a very talented author, he has written two of my favorite stories so far, "An Empire of Ice and Fire", and "My Father's Son" with the latter having a second book in it's series called "The Hedge Knight". He is also doing an awesome twist on Targaryen History, with his First Book in said series starting from the End of Aegon's Conquest to the end of the Maegor the Cruel's Reign called "Dragonshield". Personally I like this story, but I lost my place on where I was when I last read it, but trust me, it's great! I highly recommend you check these stories out!
In any case, I think that is enough out of me, please be sure to Follow, Favorite, Review, and Share this story with anyone and everyone you know who likes Dungeons and Dragons, as well as Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire Content! Catch ya on the flipside everyone! NAT 20!DRACARYS!
Chapter 2: The Knight of the Laughing Tree
Stark Tent, Harrenhal
Vlad smiles as Howland drinks down another Potion of Healing, "You know, Lord Draculya…"
"Just Vlad when we are alone, my friend." Vlad says, smiling.
"...Vlad… you could make a fortune selling these potions to the markets… But there is a reason why you aren't, is there?"
"Yes… Qyburn, my Maester, has told me of how the Citadel hates magic with a vengeance, and he was going to be excommunicated from the Citadel on the account he had uncovered a great conspiracy to get rid of all magic in this world. They have been manipulating events from behind the scenes to make sure any bloodlines that are known to have magic are thinned out so much that magic practically dies out." Vlad explains, "What's worse, they made sure the Dragons went extinct in their attempts to destroy magic."
"That's impossible!" Howland says, but then Lyanna walks over.
"But it makes sense… if you get rid of magic and hoard all the knowledge and wisdom in the world, you have the power to manipulate events to your liking." Lyanna explains, "But in any case, the feast will be taking place soon, would you care to join us, Lord Reed?"
"If I had proper garments, I would be more than happy to!" Lord Howland says, to which Vlad smiles and Benjen brings the Lord of Greywater Watch some clothes for the occasion. The group soon make their way towards the Dining Hall of Harrenhal and as they take their seats, they hear music playing, people singing and dancing, and many people feasting and drinking to their heart's content.
However, there is one person who catches his attention, a beautiful woman with hair of metallic gold with emerald green eyes and fair skin, and Vlad stands up, walking to her. Next to her is a man who looks near identical to her, and a dwarf with blonde hair, but with one eye green and the other black, stunning the Dhampyr for a second, but then he smiles as he sees the one he came to see turn to him. "Greetings…" She says, smirking a bit, noticing that somebody has their eyes on the two of them. "To what do I owe the pleasure of meeting one of the newest lords in Westeros?"
"I had come to ask, my lady, if you would honor me with a dance?" Vlad asks, smiling at her, offering his hand.
"I would like that…" Cersei says, smirking at him, and as the next song begins… Vlad takes the lead with Cersei Lannister, as the two of them move deftly and beautifully through the crowd, and Vlad shows he is actually quite the dancer, many of the lords and ladies stunned as the first part of their dance moves across the floor. "You are quite well versed, my lord…"
"I have had a bit of practice, my lady, my mother always insisted on me learning how to dance…" Vlad explains, "And I am honestly glad she forced me to study the art, saved me from many embarrassing situations at Strixhaven…"
"Tell me more about this Strixhaven…" Cersei says, smiling at him. Vlad smirks as he then pulls her into a spin as he looks into her eyes. "It must be quite the place if you refer to it so lovingly."
"It is indeed, my lady, a college like no other in the vast web of Material Realms… It is a School where many forms of magic are studied under powerful philosophies that the students expand upon during their time there." Vlad explains, "I chose Witherbloom Academy as my Alma Mater, as it focused on the arts of healing and the utilizing of the natural world to withstand the test of time." He smiles as he pulls her in close, and then dips her. Cersei blushes, but smirks as she rises back up from her position and the two continue their dance more, in which Cersei smirks as she looks into his eyes, only for her hand to place itself on his chest, and she is stunned as she looks at Vlad.
"You have no heart beat…" Cersei says, stunned, to which Vlad dips her again.
"Perhaps… It just needs… to be… rekindled…" Vlad says, his heart pounding in his head as his fangs begin to itch, seeking to taste of her as Cersei looks at him, falling into a deep trance. However, as Vlad opens his mouth, his fangs extending to partake of her wine of her flesh, the doors slam open, and Vlad raises her back up, in which everyone turns to see King Aerys II Targaryen enter the castle, and the two look at each other.
"Forgive me…" Cersei says as she lets go of Vlad and returns to her seat, Vlad doing the same, whilst pinching the bridge of his nose.
'You damned idiot!' Vlad chastises himself internally, 'You nearly took a bite out of here, and in front of everyone! Get ahold of yourself!' Vlad then begins sinking his teeth into some food, it doesn't matter what it is, as long as he can get rid of the itching sensation in his teeth.
"Hey you!" A voice calls, and Vlad recognizes that foul scent… "Pretty good moves you put on Tywin's daughter! How about you face me in a duel!"
"A duel?" Vlad asks, glaring at the Oaf as his claws begin to extend.
"Yeah!" He puts down a pair of cups, "A Drinking Duel!"
"Ugh… As if my day couldn't get any worse…" Vlad says, to which he looks at Robert. "Fine…" He walks over to Robert, who is laughing as he has their cups.
"No pauses… No spills… And No Regurgitation!" Robert Baratheon says, to which Vlad sighs as he their cups are filled.
"I know the rules…" Vlad says, sighing, "Last man standing wins…" The two then begin drinking, and, in this, Lyanna takes interest, hoping her creator can put the stag in his place. The First Cup goes down well for each of them, Vlad is not used to drinking alcohol, but he finds the wine they are drinking rather pleasant. "Hmmm, not a bad vintage, still, my home country made stronger stuff…!"
"Oh really? What kind of wine did they make?"
"It was a Honey-based Wine known as Mead, it is much harder to make, but it is delicious, much sweeter than any wine I could have ever tasted, and all you need is honey, water, and a special fungus known as Yeast. With these three ingredients, as well as careful monitoring, you get mead, but the best part about mead is it's versatility, you can add different crushed fruits, berries, spices, even honey from different flowers, and it would create different and distinct flavor profiles…" Vlad says, his cup being refilled. "I prefer a very sweet mead, in my honest opinion…" He smiles as he takes another drink with a smile on his face, whilst Robert takes his next drink and begins to sway.
"Could you make any mead for us…" Robert Baratheon asks.
"I could, in fact, I've been having my brewers run experiments in Moat Cailin into creating apiaries and working on producing mead as one of my primary exports!" Vlad says, smiling at the Lord of Storm's End. "As a matter of fact!" He claps his hands, and the doors burst open again, "I actually have a couple of barrels for everyone to try some!" Everyone cheers, and Vlad even brings out a bottle from his bag, and smiles as he uncorks it and pours it into a chalice, and presents it to King Aerys, who was watching amusement. "Your Grace, if you would honor me with the first taste…!" The King, smirking at the Dhampyr, gently takes the wine chalice into his hand, noticing the red coloration of the Mead.
"Tell me, what is the name of his particular mead?"
"Dragon's Blood, your grace…" Vlad says, "It is a Fireweed Honey mixed with the flavors of cherries and cinnamon!" The King smirks as he opens his mouth… Vlad's eyes widening as he sees the King's teeth, but keeps his mouth shut as he sees Aerys swirl the mead in his cup a bit, before taking a sniff, then drinking.
"Mmmm… Delicious…" King Aerys says, laughing hysterically, "That was the most delicious wine I had ever tasted!"
"Your grace, you honor me with such praise!" Vlad says, putting on a smile whilst screaming internally at his discovery.
"You, my lord, are truly a genius, whoever your brewmaster is, send him my way if you ever grow bored with him, better yet, I am willing to pay you for your best mead!"
"It will take time to fill such and order your grace, but when it is ready, I shall ship as many barrels as I can muster, for a fair price, of course!" Vlad says, Aerys smiling as he looks at the Lord, before waving him off to return to his seat. The rest of the night goes a bit somberly, until Aerys stands.
"My Lords and Ladies, thank you for joining us here tonight, for I have come to make an announcement… With the recent murder of Elia Martell, my son is in need of a new bride. Long ago, my ancestor, Queen Rhaenyra, had forged the Pact of Ice and Fire with the Starks of Winterfell, promising them a Targaryen Bride in return for their aid. This promise has, as of yet, gone unfulfilled, and while I have no daughters to offer the North, I hereby offer my eldest son and heir, Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, to House Stark, to fulfill that ancient pact. In a few short months after this tourney, Lyanna Stark shall marry my son, and the Pact of Ice and Fire will be complete!"
Many of the people there are shocked, and stunned silent… Robert Baratheon, having snapped out of his stupor, is fuming with pure rage… Tywin Lannister, who looks at his former friend with outrage and hatred in his eyes, whilst everyone else is almost terrified of the prospects of tomorrow. To add insult to injury, Aerys calls for Ser Jaime Lannister to step forward as the King draws a sword, having him kneel, then, to tip things over the edge, has the White Lion of Lannister swear the Oath of the Kingsguard. Vlad can see the madness brewing in the King's Eye and decides that maybe he should look into seeing if the Vampire has gotten to the King…
Later that Night…
Having signed up for the Melee, Vlad decides to break out the tools he will need to win this, and he sets out on a stand a set of Mithril Half-Plate Armor, which only covers his lower legs, Torso, and forearms with Mithril Armor, but aside from that, Vlad has a black and white Nature's Mantle flowing across his armor's back and shoulders, whilst bearing an Estoc on it's waist. An Estoc is a Longsword with a Rapier-like blade, long and narrow, but with a sharp enough edge to be able to cut if it needs to. Though he did notice something about his sword that he didn't before, as he never checked it's condition when it arrived with him. The sword, thought made entirely of metal, now has a damascened look to it. 'I think the people of this world call it "Valyrian Steel"...' Vlad thinks to himself as he then brings out his shield, marked with his family's sigil, a White Vampire Bat with Red Eyes on a Black Field. He smiles as he looks at the shield and places it on the rack, thinking back to the times he sparred with his brothers using live steel, the five of them always pestering him for being the weakest, but always encouraging to pursue his greater talents and to fight with grace and speed, rather than brute strength. He can't help but miss his older brothers now.
However that is when his mind turns to his brother and sister by choice, the two friends he had made at Witherbloom College, a brash and valiant Ghostslayer, a Hexblood whose blood is distilled from the strongest Bheur Hag in his world's history… And a woman… A Reborn who had been an attempted resurrection of a good and noble doctor whose memories and talents had been lost, yet she persevered and regained some of her memories last he saw her. If only they were here now… Vlad wipes away a tear, smiling, hoping those two idiots weren't getting into any trouble without him. However, that is when he hears something, a long and powerful howl, and he recognizes that sound… Werewolf! "No, it can't be!" Vlad rushes out of his tent towards the Stark Tent, and there are men shouting about a monster, and everyone surrounds the Stark tent, and Vlad can see from the lighting of the shadows that there is indeed a werewolf inside of it, much to his shock and horror. 'This is impossible, she was showing signs of being a Ghostslayer! Unless…' Vlad then turns to the sky, and sees the full moon on the sky. 'SHIT! I forgot! I had encouraged Lyanna to use the moon as her focus for when she transformed into a Dhampir!'
That is when Vlad puts his hands over his mouth and imitates the howl of a wolf… Almost a little too well, and the men around them pause, and the werewolf stops fighting and listens, jumping over the crowds as Vlad howls again, only to step in front of Lyanna as she charges, and he looks her dead in the eyes. The Werewolf snarls at him before sniffing him, then begins to whine. "Lord Draculya, what has happened to our sister!?" Brandon Stark demands.
"I apologize, I had thought your sister had been a Ghostslayer Blood Hunter, but it seems I was completely wrong…" Vlad says, "She is a Lycan Blood Hunter…"
"Blood Hunter?" Benjen asks.
"Blood Hunters are an order of mystical warriors who utilize blood magic to defeat the greatest evils in my world, sacrificing their life force in order to bring down great and terrible monsters. Lyanna showed all the signs of being a Ghostslayer, a Blood Hunter who ignited their weapons with radiant energy with their blood magic… That is what I thought Lyanna was, but I only realized a moment ago that…" That is when they hear little steps and see a little girl walking over to her.
"Wolfy!" The girl says, in which they see Prince Rhaegar rushing to her, and sees the creature. However, when he looks into the giant white werewolf looking at her daughter, not with hostility, but curiosity, he stops himself from reaching for his sword, and decides to watch. Princess Rhaenys approaches the werewolf, in which Lyanna lowers her head to the little girl and, miraculously, the little girl seems to tame the monster, to everyone's surprise. "Muna!" Rhaenys says, happily hugging the big wolf's head.
Rhaegar, realizing what Rhaenys sees in the creature, slowly approaches. "Lady Lyanna? Is that you?" Rhaegar asks, to which the werewolf looks at Rhaegar, and does, what appears to be, a curtsey, and everyone can see beyond the fur and muscle, the creature actually has breasts hidden by fur. Everyone watches nervously as Rhaegar approaches the werewolf, his hand slowly reaching up to her face and looking at her. "You are so beautiful…!" Rhaegar says, completely stunned by her appearance, in which Lyanna's tail begins to wag, but as suddenly as the transformation began, it is gone. With the full moon hidden by the clouds, everyone sees that Lyanna's dress is badly torn, with her skirt barely covering her lower body, whilst her blouse is covering a good portion of her breasts, though not entirely. That is when Vlad picks up some of the fur that fell off Lyanna rather than be absorbed into her body.
"Werewolves only shed during their first full moon… Before the Curse either completely consumes them, or in the case of a Lycan Blood Hunter, the Taming has been completed…" Everyone standing there is shocked as they try to comprehend what is going on. "Lady Lyanna, I saw you earlier utilize the Ghostslayer arts, how did you manage to do that if you are Lycan?"
"I do not know, my friend, I did say that I felt my powers waxing and waning with the moon as I continued to train over the past few months…" Lyanna explains, to which Vlad gives her a sword.
"Utilize your blood magic and ignite it…" Vlad instructs, to which Lyanna does, and that is where Vlad realizes his mistake… Her Crimson Rite was a Rite of the Flame, not a Rite of Dawn. "By the Gods, how could I have been so stupid! Your Crimson Rite is a Right of Flames! I forgot that each person who takes on the Crimson Rite of Flames has different colors of their flames that represent their personality! Yours was so pale and bright that I mistook it for a Rite of the Dawn!" Vlad places his hand against his face. "I am so sorry, Lady Lyanna, forgive me for making such a crucial mistake!"
"It is no trouble my lo-" Lyanna says, before her breath is caught and Lyanna backs away, the moon revealing itself again, and she begins to groan in pain. She backs away several paces, and falls to her hands and knees, screaming in agony as her skin tears open, revealing the white werewolf beneath, but, unlike before, Lyanna's brothers are not terrified, now knowing that it is part of her new abilities. "My lord…" Her voice says from the werewolf's maw, deeper, but other than that, unchanged.
"The Old Gods have blessed you, sister!" Ned says, walking to her, "They saw your wild spirit, and gave you a form most appropriate to your spirit, so that no man who is unworthy of you will be able to lay his hands on you and live!" Ned then draws his sword and kneels to his sister. "Forgive your foolish older brother, Lyanna… I hate to admit it, but I was blinded by my friendship with Robert, I should have known how terribly you would have reacted to being married to somebody like him…" He then goes on both knees and bows his head low to the ground. "Forgive me, my precious little sister!" Lyanna looks at her brother with softened eyes, only to retract her claws as Ned raises his head, then slap him across the face, sending him flying several feet. Ned sits up, reeling from the attack, only for Lyanna to approach him.
"Now we are even… I forgive you, big brother…!" she then does her best to hug her brother in this form, and Ned, though still reeling from the strike, smiles as he sheds tears, hugging her back. Meanwhile, Robert Baratheon, despite knowing she is more than likely lost to him, can't help but feel his blood racing as he looks at her. He then smirks as he thinks to the Jousts, and comes up with a plan, a basic one, but if he wants to win her affections, he will need to be smart about this and not use any underhanded tricks. Meanwhile, watching from within the Castle, King Aerys the Second smirks as he had watched the whole thing, and sips some of the Mead that Vlad had brought with him, and smirks as he thinks on how interesting this tourney may turn out to be.
The Next Morning…
The Events of the Tourney were laid bare to all contestants the night before, and would follow as such: A Mummer's Show, a Singer's Competition, a Horse Race, an archery competition, an axe-throwing competition, The Seven Sided Melee, and finally, the Jousting Competition, which were given a maximum of 5 days for competition, whilst the other two would before the other competitions, with the Archery and Axe-Throwing, along with the Horse Race and the Singer's Tourney being held on the First Day, with the Melee being held on the Second, and the Joust taking place over the remaining 5. Vlad smiles as he sees that, despite not taking part in the joust, Howland decided to sign up for the Archery Contest, in which Vlad was more than happy to put a heavy wager on the Crannogman, around a 5,000 Gold Coins, in which many favored other contestants, those that were not of the Crannogman. Vlad smirks as he sees his odds, and, over the day of Competition, Vlad was proven right, as it seems the Old Gods had favored their loyal servant, and gave strength to his arm and precision to his eyes, allowing for Howland to hit the bullseye almost every single time, and winning the whole contest, which Vlad only smirks as many of the nobles who placed bets on anyone but Howland were enraged, including three particular knights in general, who asked how they had lost to a 'Northern Savage', in which Vlad notices one of the squires of one of these knights had a particularly nasty burn mark on his face, along with a particular family sigil on his chest.
'A Frey, huh? Well the bastard deserves it after what he did to Howland…' Vlad thinks, smiling smugly as Howland leaves the arena with his prize, and Vlad smirks as everyone watches as Vlad leaves with all of the money he had earned from that one venture, smiling as his five thousand had quintupled to 25,000 with a smile on his face. Everyone gave Vladislaus a loathing glare after that, but he merely flashed his glowing eyes and scared them off… Vlad didn't pay much to the rest of the competition, as Vlad decided to look at the Roster for the Melee, and found himself facing off not only against the 3 Knights of the Squires who beat Howland, but also, surprisingly, Ser Oswell Whent and Ser Arthur Dayne, much to Vlad's surprise, but he smirks as he looks to see Ser Oswell walk over.
"It is good to see a fellow man who bears the sigil of a Bat upon his chest…" Ser Oswell says, "Ser Oswell Whent!"
"Vladislaus Draculya…" Vlad says, bowing respectfully, "It is also an honor to see such a venerated knight who bears the sigil of the bat as well. I hope that tomorrow will be a great day of combat, Ser Oswell!"
"You as well, my lord! Though I would say that Arthur Dayne is a tough act to follow, his dual wielding technique with two longswords is truly magnificent!"
"I've never seen his technique, but I have seen dual wielding techniques before…!" Vlad says, "A good day to you, ser!" Vlad bows and walks away, wanting to make himself ready for the competition on the morrow.
The Next Day…
Vlad smiles as he has his armor polished and ready to face the others in battle, and makes his way down to the arena where the battles are to take place, however, as he makes his way, he is stopped by Lady Cersei Lannister, "Lady Cersei, what might i do for you on this fine morning?" Vlad asks.
"Oh I have something I would like for you to wear during the Melee…" Cersei says, presenting Lord Draculya with a long strip of silk cloth, crimson with golden embroidered edges, and Vlad smiles as he looks at it.
"It would be my honor, My Lady…!" Vlad says, gently taking it from her and wrapping the cloth around his neck like a scarf, and securing it tightly with a strong knot. "I hope you enjoy this day of competition!"
"Oh I believe I will!" Cersei says, smiling as Vlad rides to the arena, who enters it with the other knights with a smile on his face, feeling a little more lighthearted and confident. The Knights gather before the King, though Vlad, his face hidden by his hood, is stunned to see King Aerys, despite being a Vampire, is sitting out in Broad Daylight, with only a bit of shade to keep the sun off him, and with what little of his skin is exposed to direct sunlight, he isn't burning.
'What's going on? King Aerys is definitely a Vampire, but all Vampires burn in sunlight! What in the name of Baator is going on here?' Vlad thinks, looking at the King, though he bows with the others before they dismount and their horses are taken away by squires, with Vlad taking his position amongst the seven. However, before the competition begins, Vlad steps forward, "As a newcomer to these lands, I would like to say it is a great honor for me to be here… Having said that…" He then points his sword to the Knights of House Haigh, Frey, and Blount, "Your Squires mercilessly, and without pity, attacked a friend of mine, the man who saved my life when I was lost in the Swamps of the Neck! I will not let this stand… And you'd better pray you are eliminated quickly… For if I get my blade to you, you'll wish I didn't…" Vlad retakes his position and glares at the knights before the signal is given, and Vlad, being faster than these pitiful humans, charges straight for the Knight of the Two Towers first, his Estoc flying forward with barely enough time for the Frey to react.
The Estoc pierces the Frey Knight's protections and strikes true, the other knights going at it with one another as Vlad holds his shield in hand and levies his Estoc in the other… The Frey swings his sword, only for the blade to bounce off Vlad's shield. Vlad smirks, having barely felt an impact from that strike and performs two quick strikes with his Estoc, the Frey knight falling to the ground with relative ease. Aiming his sword at the Frey's neck, the man cowers in fear. "I yield!" The Frey says, to which Vlad smirks and turns his back to the Frey, who picks himself up and leaves. He then sees Ser Arthur Dayne and Ser Oswell Whent are currently battling each other rather stiffly, whilst Robert Baratheon quickly defeats the Porcupine and Pitchfork Knights. Feeling out the Challenge Rating or Character Level of this competitor, Vlad can see this man is a 4th Level Berserker, but despite his fear, it seems the Porcupine and the Pitchfork managed to shave off some of the Stag's strength, making this a more even set.
'Wittle him down as much as possible before he decides to Rage… Then you have him, Vlad!' Vlad thinks to himself, flourishing his blade in a form of Salute before Robert charges at him. Blocking the oncoming attack with his shield, the Dhampir is shocked with how strong this barbarian is, 'He's stronger than I predicted! Not good!' Vlad things swinging his rapier, not noticing that his Spirit Bats start flowing off the tip of his Estoc, landing a powerful strike on the young lord's arm. Lord Robert, shocked at this looks to see a glowing light around Vlad's neck, a piece of cloth, but then Vlad goes in for another strike… Bats fly off of Vlad's sword as the Lord of Moat Cailin lands another fierce blow against Lord Robert, sending the Storm Lord flying across the field and onto the ground. Noticing his swarm flowing off his sword, Vlad breathes as Robert, in spite of his quick defeat, is laughing heartily.
"Good show, man!" Robert says, laughing, "Now that is how one of Ned's Bannermen Fights!" Vlad is actually stunned, seeing how much of a good sport he is about it, but then again, its probably because of how much of a barbarian he really is, and the two shake hands before Vlad goes off to the side to await which of the two Kingsguard will finish the duel between them. Much to nobody's surprise, Ser Arthur Dayne manages to end the fight rather swiftly, in which Vlad, having caught his breath, stands across from his opponent and performs his flourish with a smirk on his face.
"It's too bad I won't be facing the White Bat of the Kingsguard, but to battle the Sword of the Morning is indeed a fight worthy of my skills…" Vlad says.
"I am glad I meet your approval…" He picks up his two swords from the ground, "And now it begins…"
"No… Now it ends!" Vlad says, smiling as the two swordsmen stare at each other before Vlad charges forward, his Spirit Bats flying out of his cloak as he charges forward with his first strike, Ser Arthur parries it, along with the second incoming strike, to which Arthur counters with a flourishing blow to Vlad's shield with one strike, and then using a second attack, he knocks the shield away, to which Vlad snarls as he looks at the knight. Vlad's next two strikes are also parried away, only for Arthur to land two blows upon Vlad, the second doing more harm than the first. Snarling, at the hits, Vlad bares his fangs as he lands two strong thrusts into Arthur's chest, the Sword of the Morning coughing loudly as he feels the force behind those thrusts.
'He's stronger than he looks! No… It's not strength behind those blows… He striking with precision, striking at points that will cause great pain but also nonlethal damage… And why is there a swarm of bats flowing around each of his strikes?' Ser Arthur thinks, looking at him, 'Is it some sort of magic?' Ser Arthur stands, "How are you creating that swarm of bats?"
"It's part of my training as a Swarm Keeper Ranger, these spirits of nature take the form of bats, and thus lend aid to the damage I deal with my strikes… Honestly, if I could prevent them from doing so, I would, but I can't… All I can do is hold back their lethality so that I don't accidentally kill you…" Vlad explains, seeing Ser Arthur pick himself up. "Though if it were possible, I'd say you'd make a great Echo Knight, good ser…"
"Echo Knight?"
"Win or lose, I'll explain it to you when this fight is finished." Vlad explains, to which Ser Arthur nods and charges in, holding both his swords in hand. Arthur's first strike rings true as Vlad groans, but as the second strike comes in, Vlad realizes his theory was true as an argentine aura flows around the sword known as Dawn, and Vlad screams in pain as the sword hits home, the Dhampir sent sliding backwards. Coughing loudly, Vlad snarls as he stands up and goes for his own attack, landing a powerful first strike, but as Ser Arthur reels from it, Vlad jumps back, holding his estoc by the pommel of his sword whilst running his left hand along the length of the blade, the edge resting in the space between his index finger and thumb, and he charges at top speed, swinging his sword arm forward. "BLOOD FROM STONE!" Vlad shouts, landing a powerful blow on Ser Arthur, sending the knight flying backwards into the stands, people moving out of the way as the Sword of the Morning crashes into the wooden stands, breaking them upon impact, but the entire building is still standing despite the force of the blow. Ser Arthur, sitting up despite the pain, smiles as he looks at Lord Vladislaus.
"I yield…" Ser Arthur says, falling unconscious. As Vlad stands victorious, he swears he can hear the fanfare of his family's victory horns and organ playing as he sheathed his sword, but smiles all the same as he is named the winner of the Melee. King Aerys stands and claps for the Lord of Moat Cailin, in which everyone present cheers for the young Lord, and as Vlad waves to the crowds, he notices Cersei smiling at him, a look of desire in her eyes, and Vlad places his hand on the favor he has wrapped around his neck, smiling at her. However, that is when he notices two cloaked figures amongst the crowd, the Dhampir's eyes going wide as he sees what he thinks he sees, a familiar looking spell book in the hands of one of them, with multiple suture scars on the hands at the joints of each finger and the wrists, whilst the other wears what appears to be carrying a pair of whips on his belt. Blinking and rubbing his eyes, he sees the two had vanished, from view, a wave of disappointment flowing through the Lord of Moat Cailin, but decides to just collect his prize and leave.
The Next Day…
The Jousting Competition is just about to begin as everyone looks excited, and despite the temptation to test his luck again at the betting pools, Vlad decides against it, especially since he practically drained most of the betters of their coin for the rest of the tourney, plus those who couldn't pay their part of the winnings at that moment, which is still another 10,000 Gold Dragons, Vlad decided to let them off with I.O.U.s, written agreements to pay him back when they get the chance to or when he calls for it later on. Despite this, he made sure to make two copies of each of the papers, as well as the exact amount each person owes him, as well as possible ways to pay off their debts, which could be negotiated after the Tourney at Moat Cailin, if they so desired.
As everyone sits in the stands, Vlad looks at the Starks, and notices somebody is missing, 'Wait a minute, where is Lyanna?' Vlad thinks, looking around as he tries to find her. Unfortunately, soon the Knights gather in Tiltyard but, much to everyone's shock, a knight approaches the group, wearing mismatched armor, and wielding a shield painted with a Smiling Weirwood Tree painted upon it.
"What is this?" King Aerys asks, angrily.
"I come here to take part in this Tourney, your grace!" The Knight's voice echoes in his Helm… Vlad's ears picking up the subtle intricacies with his sharpened sense of hearing, picking up Lyanna's voice behind the helm, but the reverberations, and her attempt at masking her voice somehow working on the rest of the crowd, and even the King! "I wish to challenge the Hedgehog Knight, the Knight of the Two Towers, and the Pitchfork Knight to the opening round of this contest!" King Aerys, his eyes glowing slightly, studies the knight, smirks.
"And so you shall…!" Aerys says, smirking as he waves his hand, allowing for it to be done. Faster than any could imagine, Lyanna, the Knight of the Laughing Tree, defeats each of her opponents one after the other. The Three Knights who she defeated are prepared to ransom their horses and armor, but only for the Knight of the Laughing Tree to raise her lance high.
"Teach your squires the true meaning of honor, and that shall be ransom enough!" The Knight then rides off, in which King Aerys, baring his fangs in fury, commands his son, Prince Rhaegar, to capture the Knight. Rhaegar, not liking this, chases after the knight. For over an hour Rhaegar chases the knight into the woods, only for a swarm of bats and a blur of motion to knock Rhaegar off his horse, causing the prince to roll on the ground, turning to see Lord Draculya, his 9-inch long talons digging into the ground, his face having changed into something terrifying with every tooth in his mouth becoming sharp and predatory, whilst his ears have extended, his skin pulled taught against his skull, and his eyes glowing blue. Vlad snarls at Prince Rhaegar, in which Vlad charges at Rhaegar, only for a Horse to ram him out of the way, and the Knight of the Laughing Tree to jump off their horse, and transform into… Lyanna's Werewolf Form…!?
Lyanna snarls at Vlad, shaking her head, but then notices Vlad wink at her, and then charge at her, the two of them swinging their claws at one another, snarling and rolling in the dirt as Rhaegar looks on in shock. Vlad pins Lyanna's head to the ground, opening his mouth wide as he gets ready to land a bite. "STOP!" Rhaegar shouts, swinging his sword and placing it against Vlad's neck, the Dhampir stopping, "Don't you dare lay another finger on my betrothed… Or I'll kill you!" Vlad's face returns to normal with a smirk on his face, and moves off of Lyanna, who changes back to her armored form, the armor on her body having remained intact as Lyanna removes her helm. "Lyanna…" Rhaegar says, stunned, but smiling with a genuine look in his eyes, "You had done amazing…" Rhaegar says, smiling at her. "How did you manage to fool my father?"
"A little trick I learned, but I can't tell you whilst your father is looking for me…!" Lyanna says, to which Vlad gestures to a hut nearby, where Lyanna changes, with the aid of Dacey Mormont, a friend of hers, back into her proper gown.
"I still can't believe you fooled everyone with such bad acting…" Vlad says, "I saw right through it!"
"I fooled everyone else I needed to!" Lyanna says, "Thankfully it was easier to do thanks to many people being excited to see a mystery knight take on 3 of the most hated knights in the tourney, and give them each humiliating defeats after you managed to beat down Ser Frey single-handedly."
"Still, Lord Draculya, I need to know, have you been to King's Landing before?"
"No, your grace, I have not. Though I was given a look into the report your father sent out, and it is obvious that there is a Vampire at work here…" Vlad then pulls out a signet ring, "Maester Mikkan had this ring in his possession when I killed him…" It looks identical to the ring Rhaegar has in his pocket but the symbol is different. Rhaegar then brings out the ring he has and Vlad looks at it in shock, examining it. His memory does not fail him as he knows this particular symbol very well… "No… It can't be…!" Vlad then checks the other symbol on the one he found… The little color there is draining from his already pale face.
"What is it, my lord…?"
"Your grace, I think we're in real trouble… I don't think there is just one vampire out and about…" Vlad says, "But I think the 6 Vampires my friends and I were chasing must've somehow escaped to this world!"
"What!?" Rhaegar asks, shocked. "Then… What are we up against?"
"We are up against… The Legacy of Kain… Six Vampires each with their own unique strengths and weaknesses… The one my friends and I were fighting was known as Melchiah, the weakest of the 6… The others, from weakest to strongest, are Zephon, Rahab, Dumah, Turel, and Raziel… And whats worse…" He turns to Rhaegar, "I'm directly related to one of these vampires…"
"And which one of those might that be…?" Rhaegar asks… To which Vlad remembers in his youth, a beautiful woman who dove off a cliff to save him after he had fallen to what should have been his demise, a beautiful woman dressed in armor covered in seahorses, with a horned helm, wielding a trident, and when she hit the water, her gorgeous flesh burned away, scorched as if by acid, but she pulled him to the shore, only to be dragged away into the depths by a rogue wave, never to be seen again.
"My mother… Her name was… Rahab…"