It had been six months since Ser Steffon and Willam had accompanied Baelon to King's Landing and in that time not much had changed from their days in Runestone.
The Prince still spent his hours in the yard training among young Lords, though these ones were from places all over Westeros rather than just the Vale. At first Steffon hadn't thought Baelon had the makings of a good swordsman, the boy spent most of his time in the library and when he wasn't there it was because Alyssa dragged him out.
However the moment that he was made to start practicing Baelon threw himself into his training with focus that Steffon had never seen from someone his age. Now the boy was as good with the blade as any child his age could be and a match to even those multiple years older than him. With a few more years the Prince might become as good a swordsman as his father.
When not in the yard the Prince could still be found in the library or being dragged around by a Princess, though this one's hair and eyes differed from the other's.
Now the first tourney of Viserys' reign had started and an unknown knight had just dragged Dark Sister from the hands of Daemon.
As the mystery knight approached the stands the young Prince and Princess got up from their seats and moved so they could more easily look down on him.
"What is your name, Ser?" Baelon asked with the same charming smile he seemed to always have plastered on.
The knight bowed low, "I am Criston Cole, my Prince," The knight turned to Rhaenyra before again bowing low, "My Princess, if it pleases you I would give you the laurels for today's victory and humbly ask for your favor in the jousts tomorrow."
A smile spread across the Princess's face, "I would be more than happy to provide you this honor, Ser Criston. Though I don't remember a House Cole."
"You would not, Princess," Ser Criston bowed low once more, "My father was a Steward in Blackhaven, hardly someone you should take notice of."
"I see," The Princess's smile dimmed somewhat.
"Then congratulations are in order, Ser Criston," Baelon's smile stayed fixed in place, "For how far you have rose," Smiles and applause broke out through the noble and lowborn stands alike at the prince's words with more than a few Ladies gushing over the 'cute' scene.
The young Prince made friends easily and made peace with his enemies easier still. Though he was an adorable young boy of only six name days who always seemed to try his best at everything he did, so maybe that was obvious.
The Prince was motioning for Steffon to bend down, "I would like you to bring Ser Criston to my room later, Steffon," He spoke quietly directly into Steffon's ear, "A knight of his prowess might find a place among my own employ."
Ser Steffon didn't agree, he had been one of the men from the Crownlands who accompanied Prince Aemon to Tarth. He was there when Aemon died from a crossbow bolt meant for the Lord of Tarth and had taken part in the fighting afterwards, the 'Myrish Bloodbath'. Afterwards he entered the service of Prince Baelon and had served him and his house faithfully for ten years. What did Cole, who had won one melee by raising his flail against the Prince of Dragonstone, know of protecting a Prince and Princess?
"My Prince, I do not know if that is wise. Ser Criston fought well, it is true, but one melee a great knight does not make."
The Prince seemed to consider him for a moment and Ser Steffon was once again caught off guard by the intelligence held in his eyes.
That was what people meant when they called him the Conciliator reborn, Steffon thought. A boy of six shouldn't have eyes like that.
But the moment passed quickly and Baelon looked away, still considering. Weighing the pros and cons of his actions though Steffon couldn't truthfully understand why the decision was so important to the young Prince.
After a moment Bailon's face settled in determination, "Bring Ser Criston to my room," He said as finally as his voice could manage, "And bring the Cargylls too."
While Steffon could understand why the Prince would want the first tourney winner he had ever seen in his service he could not understand what he wanted with the Cargylls. They had not done near as well as Cole.
"I will send servants to fetch them, my Prince," It wasn't Ser Steffon's place to go against his Prince's direct orders. He would give what advice he could but if Baelon decided to employ every Hedge Knight in King's Landing then Steffon would go to every tavern and brothel personally to get them.
"Tell me, Sers, what do you plan on doing once the tournament is over?"
"I cannot speak for the Cargylls, my Prince," Ser Criston started, "But I had planned on traveling and finding other tourneys to compete in," Erryk and Arryk nodded their agreement.
Baelon had told his family that he would be dining privately, a matter which had greatly upset Rhaenyra, before inviting the three knights into his chambers to eat with him.
Steffon took a moment to examine the men sitting across from his Prince. Ser Criston Cole was tall and dashing with tan skin, black hair cut so it barely hung over his ears, and pale green eyes. Ser Steffon could see why the man had quickly become a favorite among the ladies at court.
Ser Erryk and Arryk Cargyll were shorter than Cole and more stocky with dirty blond hair and blue eyes. They were also younger than Cole and barely seemed like men grown but they looked strong enough and Steffon had seen them in the melee so he wasn't quick to dismiss them.
"That won't do, knights of your prowess deserve a place of honor. What would you say if a Prince offered you a job in King's Landing?" Baelon asked with his boyish smile. Ser Steffon couldn't help but crack a smile along with him, his Prince was still just a boy enamored with the dashing knights at the tournament.
No doubt Baelon had heard the comparisons to Jaehaerys and was trying to build a legendary Kingsguard of his own. Steffon wondered which of those storied knights he was to be.
"I would be honored, my Prince," Criston Cole had dropped to his knee with his head bowed low and after a glance between the twin Cargylls they followed his example.
Baelon stood up and walked up to the knights, "Do you swear in the name of the Warrior to protect me from whoever I deem a foe?"
"I do, my Prince," Ser Criston was quick to respond while the twins quickly followed his lead.
"Do you swear in the name of the Maiden to protect my sister and any Lady I deem necessary?"
"I do, my Prince," The three answered quickly this time.
"Do you swear in the name of the Smith to be steadfast in any order given you by me or those I charge you to protect?"
"I do, my Prince."
"Do you swear in the name of the Father to give good and just counsel when I am in need of it?"
"I do, my Prince."
"Do you swear in the name of the Mother to protect my sister and any children that the two of us may have?" Steffon wondered if Baelon understood how that sounded. He got his answer a moment later when Baelon cringed and his smile became just a bit more stiff causing Steffon to crack a grin of his own.
"I do, my Prince," At least the new knights didn't seem to notice.
"Do you swear in the name of the Crone to keep any secrets you hear under me private?"
"I do, my Prince."
"Do you swear in the name of the Stranger to give your life for mine or any of those I charge you to protect?"
"I do, my Prince," Ser Criston swore immediately but the twins were slower once again.
"You knelt as Hedge Knights," Baelon proclaimed dismissively, "Now rise as Sworn Swords to a Prince of House Targaryen."
The three knights rose to their feet and while Steffon could see the pride in the eyes of the Cargylls, Ser Criston looked as though he had just been named Hand of the King and Lord Commander of the Kingsguard at once.
"I will serve you faithfully, my Prince," He swore and the other two were quick to agree.
"I have no doubt you will. Now it is time for you to prepare for the jousts tomorrow. Report here afterwards and Ser Steffon will let you know what your job is."
"Then by your leave, my Prince," Ser Criston bowed low and left the room while the Cargylls rushed to do the same.
The moment they were gone Baelon was loosening the buttons on his doublet and kicking off his boots.
"Do you think that went well, Ser Steffon?" The Prince's grin was gone and if he had been this nervous during the whole ceremony then Steffon thought it a wonder how well his smile hid it, "Or did i make a fool of myself?"
Steffon took a moment to consider the question, Baelon had not made either Ser Willam or himself swear such an oath but he thought it was a fine one, "I thought you did quite well, you looked every part the young Prince."
A grin spread across Baelon's face, this one more akin to the one he wore when around Rhaenyra and Alyssa than to the charming smile he wore for the court, "So you don't think any of them would betray me in the event of a civil war?"
Steffon snorted, what went on behind a Prince's eye's would always be a mystery to him, "No, my Prince, Cole especially seemed eager to please," And just like that his smile was gone.
"Yes, I suppose he would be," Baelon muttered, "He is a nobody from nowhere. As long as I keep him to my side and do not slight him I imagine he could want for little else."
Ser Steffon thought his Prince's words more than a little ill spirited and assumed more about Cole than he was willing to but he said none of this to Baelon, "Well you have five now my Prince, only two more left."
Baelon snorted as he finished pulling his clothes off, "I'm not quite on the same level as the King, hopefully five able knights to go along with my Vhagar will be more than enough," For what, Steffon noted, Baelon did not say.
The young boy fell onto his bed with a sigh, "Outfitting those three is going to kill my funds. It would be easier to just fly them to Runestone and have them equipped there."
Now it was Steffon's turn to snort, "I'm sure your sister and mother would be happy for your visit," At that Baelon's smile slipped once again.
At first when Alyssa had heard Baelon was going to King's Landing she had gone to pack her things as well, so sure was she that she would accompany him.
The Princess had been a terror when it was explained to her that she was to stay in Runestone while her brother went to King's Landing alone.
The two had spent practically every hour that they were awake together, Steffon knew, and he thought separating them an act of cruelty. He didn't know why Daemon had deemed it so but he guessed that with their closeness many would assume that they were spoken for just as their grandparents and great grandparents had been before them.
Daemon had even gone as far as to forbid Baelon from visiting Runestone, permitting him only to fly Vhagar over the Kingswood and swearing that if Baelon left he would confine him to his room and Vhagar to the pit. Steffon didn't know how serious the man was but Baelon hadn't risked it so far.
A knock at the door interrupted Steffon's train of thought, "That must be Ser Willam here to exchange with you, Steffon. You are dismissed."
With Viserys not extending the Kingsguard to Daemon's son Baelon had only two guards in the capital so the two were forced to switch back and forth between each other throughout the day to let the other rest.
Baelon took a guard with him everywhere and required that one of them be in the room while he slept. Steffon thought this paranoia and knew Willam thought the same but Baelon insisted.
"And how did our Prince handle our new comrades?" Willam asked once Steffon had gone to answer the door.
"He handled himself well, the very image of a precocious Prince."
"He often is," Willam paused for a moment, "He will make a great King."
Ser Steffon's eyes narrowed, "I believe I have misheard you, Ser," He said, "Baelon will become a Lord not a King."
"The King has no son."
"What you are saying is treason!"
"If discussing the succession is treason then all the great Lords in Westeros would currently be hanging from a tree."
"The Queen has become pregnant once more."
"The Queen was wedded and bedded at ten and two, she had two stillborn children and one who died in the crib before having Rhaenyra at five and ten," He lowered his voice even further, "How likely is it that this one survives when all the others have died?"
"He has a daughter."
"Have you not paid any attention to the happenings of Westeros over the past three years? A woman cannot sit the Iron Throne before a male cousin or uncle. Should Viserys wish for his line to sit the throne after him then he will marry his daughter to our Prince as Jaehaerys should have done."
"I won't hear any more of this," Steffon made to leave but Willam grabbed his arm.
"Let me remind you, Ser, that you are the sworn sword of Baelon not Viserys, Aemma, or Rhaenyra."
"Aye," Steffon nodded before grabbing Willam's hand and wrenching it from his own, "And when our Prince declares that he wishes to become King I will be the first sword that declares him so," He promised.
"On that we agree at least," Steffon hated the smug look on William's face but he couldn't deny that they were in agreement.
When Steffon fell asleep that night it was to dreams of crossbow bolts and dragon fire.
AN
So… I'm not four hours late this time! Improvement, right?
Sorry about that, a new chapter is still planned for Friday but don't be surprised if it comes out Saturday or early Sunday as it seems I suck at posting when I'm supposed to.
Also please get on my ass about updating, I'm a chronic procrastinator so you guys making me feel bad for missing updates really does help me.
So a bit of a dark question but I've seen it talked about it fanfic about babies being either cut apart or crushed to get them out of the Mother, I also read about it on the Wikipedia about childbirth in the middle ages and forceps but I can't seen to find an article directly about it. If you have one for whatever reason I'd appreciate you sending it to me.
On a lighter note, what did you guys think of the latest HotD episode? I thought the twist was amazing and made me cheer out loud at the end but let me know what you guys thought.
Please point out any mistakes.