THE TOURNEY OF THE ROSE
THEON GREYJOY
From the day he could walk he was told the words We Do Not Sow, we pay the Iron Price, what is dead may never die. The beliefs of the Iron Born. Once the Greyjoys ruled all of the Riverlands and what today is the crownlands. Harren Greyjoy ruled the largest Kingdom in the West. Then Aegon the Conqueror came with his Dragons and the Iron Born were driven to the Iron Isles. The Riverlands went to House Tully after Lord Edmyn Tully turned on Harren the Great and House Greyjoy.
So Theon stood in tears and disbelief when his father bent the knee to Robert Baratheon. At the age of seven Theon was taken from his home and family. But to his surprise Lord Stark talked kindly to him and eventually he befriends Robb and Jon. He wrote his father, mother, sister, and Uncles. They replied, but he got no letters from his father.
On his eighth name day, the Starks gave him a huge feast in his honor. Theon received many presents. At first Sansa avoided him, but later she started to accept him as part of the family. It was around the same time she started being nice to Jon. On his twelfth name day, his Uncles Victarion and Rodrick the Reader came to visit him along with his Mother Lady Allanys and his sister Yara Greyjoy.
Lord Stark gave them the Guest Wing of Winterfell under House Guard of course. Otherwise Theon was free to spend time with his family. While there Theon hunted, sparred, and rode horses with them. He was glad to see them, but sad his father had not come. When asked why they just told him that his father was a prideful man. When the time came for them to leave Theon was sad, but was extremely grateful to Lord Stark for inviting them to spend a week.
Eventually Theon came to think of the Starks as the family; the family he wanted his to be. Two months after his mother, sister, and uncles left Theon did receive a letter from his father…
To My Son Theon Prince of the Iron Isles
I am sorely disappointed in you boy…Eating and drinking with those Greenlanders. You befriend the sons of the very man who killed your brothers. The people who destroyed our ships and entered our home. We Do not Sow…We pay the Iron Price. Or have you forgotten everything I taught you?
My Son
It was Jon who convinced him to show him the letter. He told him not to take his father's words to heart. It was Balon's fault that Theon is in the situation he is in. Jon also reminds him that no one at Winterfell as ever mistreated him or looked down on him because he is Iron Born. You do not have to be your father or his father. Be a better man than Balon Greyjoy. Become a leader and show your people a better way of life.
Moved by Jon's words Theon strove to be a better person. He read more studied harder and was less arrogant than he had been. At the age ten and five he visited the brothel in Winter Town and had his first woman. Now he is traveling by sea to visit Highgarden and witness his first tourney. Upon arriving Theon and the Starks are introduced to the Tyrells and allowed to stay in the guest wing.
When he learned that there would be an archery contest with a prize of 10,000 gold Dragons, Theon immediately entered. The archery contest lasted all day and it came down to Theon and Lord Dickon Tarly of Horn Hill in a trick shot contest; which Theon won.
MARGAERY TYRELL
She is referred to as the Golden Rose, the Rose of High Garden. Margaery Tyrell is the third child and only daughter of Lord Mace and Lady Alerie Tyrell. While her father was against having Starks in his home, Maraegry's Grandmother convinced him otherwise. And she is able to finally meet her friend face to face for the first time.
"Sansa." She says smiling.
"Marg." Sansa replies and they hug.
After allowing them to settle Margaery takes her on a tour of Highgarden. The castle is the most beautiful in all of Westeros. White Castle of the Manderlys in the North comes close. There are fifteen hundred rooms not including the main hall, ballroom, the Sept, stables, and other support buildings. "So how did Lord Stark's banners take it when your brother chose the Volantis woman?"
"Not well, but you can't help whom you fall in love with."
"Your brother Jon is cute. Too bad he's a bastard."
"He is very talented. I told you he can draw, sing, write songs, and is the best sword at Winterfell."
"Well here Garlan is the best."
"How about a wager."
Margaery mockingly gasps, "Sansa Stark making a bet. What will your mother say?"
"Nothing if she doesn't find out." The two friends head to the training yard to watch from the balcony overlooking the training yard. and they had just arrived in time as Garlan who is ten and nine faces off against Jon. Garlan initiates combat attacking first. Jon blocks all his attacks and then goes on the offensive. Margaery could barely keep up as Sansa's brother disarms her brother and makes him yield.
"Told you pay up." Sansa says smugly.
"I didn't think anyone could move that fast." Margaery says. That night they feast, dance, listen to poetry, and a man tell stories. Margaery introduces Sansa to her friend Samwell Tarly who is ten and five. The next morning the tourney starts with the archery which is won by Theon Greyjoy. Then it's the melee, first individual matches, then a free for all. Thoros of Myr wins the melee.
That night after dressing for bed Margaery finds a letter in her drawer as she puts away her jewelry. She opens it and reads…
To Lady Margaery Tyrell
I have watched you from afar and now seeing you up close I am blown away by your beauty, your charms, your intelligence. I would enter the tourney, win it and name you the Queen of beauty and love. But alas it is not my time. At the tourney of Prince Joffrey and Lady Sansa I will win the tourney for you and name you as such…
I hope that I can win your heart as you have won mine…I shall see you tonight in your dreams
With deepest affection and regards
The Masked Dragon
Margaery is intrigued by the words of the letter and impressed at the boldness of the Masked Dragon to enter her room and leave a letter behind. She looked at the locks on her door. They had not been tampered with and yet somehow the Masked Dragon entered her room. "I will show you to grandmother on tomorrow."
Margaery falls asleep and dreams. She awakens the next morning with a smile on her face. After getting dressed she sends a message to Sansa telling her that she would see her later as she needs to speak with her Grandmother. "Morning Grandmother."
"Good morning sweetling."
"I need to show you something." She says handing her the letter.
"Did you see him?"
"No Grandmother at least not with my eyes. He visited me in my dreams Grandmother. I…It was real and I felt it. I know it in my heart." She says telling her about the dream with passion and deep conviction.
"I believe you sweetling. The question is…does this Masked Dragon have a claim to the Iron Throne? Is he working alone? Who are his allies?"
OLENNA
After Margaery showed her the letter Olenna Tyrell the Queen of Thorns' mind went into overdrive. She secretly tells the guards and servants to watch out for anything suspicious from among the guests. She is determined to know who the Masked Dragon is and how could her family benefit from him. Olenna is grooming her granddaughter to be a Queen one day and that will never happen with Robert Baratheon.
The King held a grudge against the Tyrells for supporting the Targaryens during the war. So she filled the Capital with her spies to find a weakness in Robert's armor or the Queen. Something she could use to blackmail them or weaken them for the kill. She had been playing the game of thrones for a long time and is determined to win.
Despite the joy of Maegaery's name day, there is an undercurrent with the Tyrell Family. The tourney starts today and to the disgust of Olenna Mace, and Allerie, Prince Oberyn is present and he is riding in the tourney. Years ago Willas and Oberyn rode against one another and Willas was injured in the tourney. His leg got caught up in the stirrups and Willas broke his leg. Oberyn and Willas had always been the best of friends, but the Tyrells blamed Oberyn for Willas' injury.
Olenna secretly promised every knight and lord who rode under the banners of House Tyrell an extra ten thousand gold Dragons to unseat Prince Oberyn. Oberyn rides on the first day in the ninth match and to her disappointment he wins the match in one lance.
WILLAS
He waits at Oberyn's tent to congratulate him. Soon Prince Oberyn Martell of Dorne rides up on his white horse. "Willas old man!" He excitedly says dismounting his horse. Willas isn't actually old he is twenty and four betrothed to the Lady of Golden Tooth, Alysanne Lefford. Both Oberyn and Willas had squired for Lord Errol of Haystack Hall. Oberyn was ten and six, just leaving and Willas was Eight. Within the year the two served they became friends despite their age differences.
When the day is done Willas goes to his room and gets ready for bed. He turns to sit down and freezes. A shadowy figure is in his room. "You…you're the masked Dragon aren't you?"
"I am."
"What do you want from me?"
"I came to heal your leg."
Willas feels a rush of emotions, but keeps his composure, "Why?"
"Your family supported mine during the war. And despite your father you will make a great Lord and Warden. May I?"
Willas tries to hold his emotions, but tears well up and fall from his eyes, "Yes please."
"There will be pain. Lie down and bite down on this."
Willas is given a piece of wood. He lies down and places it in his mouth. The Masked Dragon cuts away his legging and removes his gloves. Then his hands burst into blue flames. He touches Willas' leg and the flames spread across his leg. He grunts in pain with the wood in his mouth. He can feel his leg bone and muscle tendons mending beneath the skin.
"It is done."
"Thank you." Willas says using the most simplistic form of gratitude, but the word he uses does not fully express the depth of that gratitude. Then he thinks of a way he can show his appreciation for what was done to him. Willas stands up testing his leg without the use of a cane and smiles. Then he looks at the Masked Dragon and drops to one knee. "I Willas of House Tyrell heir of High Garden do pledge myself to…" He raises his head and looks at him.
"My name is Jaehaerys Targaryen…"
"I pledge myself to Jaehaerys Targaryen…I will keep his council and aid him in his time of need. I so swear by the father, the mother, the maiden, the crone, the warrior, the blacksmith, and may the stranger take me if I break this vow."
"Arise Lord Willas Tyrell my vassal."
"Do you have any requests of me my Prince?"
"I need you to speak with your Grandmother. Tell her what has occurred this night. Know this I have no faith in your father. If he had gone to the Riverlands as Prince Rhaegar requested, then the Targaryens would have won the war."
"I understand…My father…he's my father. He makes decisions, but my Grandmother is the real power in the Reach and it is because of her that our banners have not turned on us."
"Family is family…I leave it to you of whether or not to tell your father. I ask that House Tyrell send food and supplies to the Night's Watch. Warm clothes, food, equipment to build their own green houses and seed to plant food. I will contact you through my spymaster Richard Longmouth…Refer to him as Long."
"Anything else My…Are you a Prince or the rightful King?"
"King."
"Anything else my King?"
Willas watches as he removes a sword from his back, "For you and all who follow in your bloodline."
Willas un-sheaths the sword and gasps. The blade is Valyrian steel and the crossguard is gold and looks like a rose. The wire around the pummel, is gold and looks like vines. Etched in the sword above the crossguard are the words, 'Growing Strong'. "Thank you, my King." Willas watches as the Masked Dragon, puts on his glove, takes a few steps back and drops to one knee. Ice forms around him in a dome, then it shatters and he is gone.
Willas tests his leg, by jumping up and down. Then he swings the sword, he sheaths it and sits on his bed too excited to sleep. Eventually he lays down and does fall asleep. The next morning he is up early. He performs his morning oblations, dresses and rushes to his Grandmother's room down the hall. A few guards and servants stop what they are doing, shocked to see their Lord's son running.
"Willas! Good…" She stops noticing that he has no cane. "Willas you are walking without a cane!"
"Yes Grandmother."
"How?"
He tells her about his Masked visitor and shows her the sword. "He says his name is Jaehaerys Targaryen. Grandmother I swore an oath to him."
"Of course you did."
"Grandmother he asks us to send food, warm clothing, equipment to build greenhouses and planting seed to the Night's Watch."
"First Margaery and now you."
He frowns, "First Margaery what?" She tells him about the letter and the dream.
"He is here and Margaery has caught his eye."
"Yes but who is he?"
"Grandmother I think we should not push it. He will reveal himself to us in his own timing."
She nods, "You may be right." They decide to keep Willas's leg and the sword a secret until after the Tourney. But Willas has to tell his friend Oberyn, who is overjoyed to see Willas healed. This inspires Oberyn to win the Tourney in Willas' name. In the final match Oberyn faced off against Lord Jorah Mormont of Bear Island. Oberyn won five lances to three. Then he crowns his paramour Ellaria Sand, the queen of beauty and love.
When the tourney is over and their guests gone home, Willas can now reveal to his family his healed leg and the sword he named Thorn. With a new outlook on life Willas can resume his sword training and other things he enjoyed doing before his leg injury. He even asked Alysanne Lefford to stay after everyone left so that he could finally dance with her and go riding together.