Chapter Five - Jason II
THWACK! THUNK! KLACK!
The sounds of wooden practice swords hitting either one another or the opponent's shield were heard all throughout the training hall of Casterly Rock as the young noble lords, numbering in the dozens from houses all over the Westerlands and even some from the Reach or Riverlands, did their best to try and beat their opponents. For many of the boys training in Casterly Rock's yard, it was simply a matter of making their fathers proud and keeping their family's image intact, whereas some merely wanted to defeat their friends and brothers to brag over them.
Jason Hill was now facing Morton Hamell, second son to Lord Darren Hamell of Hamelton. Gerion had joked with Jaime, Jason, and Tyrion that they were known solely for making ham and nothing else. This claim was repudiated by Kevan as the more responsible uncle cited their founding after the Andals invaded Westeros and wed the last surviving daughter & child of Lord Varin, a First Men house who worshipped the Old Gods. Genna then claimed that with how fat Lord Darren was, Gerion may have been correct, causing the three boys to burst into laughter as Cersei scolded them for being so immature.
The bastard son of Tywin Lannister thought to himself that young Darren Hamell lived up to his family name, appearing to be rather round in size. He had freckles on his face, plain brown hair, and a large gap in his teeth. Regarding his swordsmanship, Jason could tell he was not particularly good, but then again his older brother Mavek was not good either, as Jason saw earlier that he was easily beaten by Addam Marbrand despite standing and older.
Jason also saw Jaime winning against all of the squires and pages who opposed him, smirking at his defeated enemies. Jason decided to instead listen to his uncle Kevan, who advised them to treat their defeated foes with more dignity. For this reason, after Jason had knocked the sword out of Morton's hand, he picked it up and returned it to him.
"You're not bad," the bastard untruthfully said to the second son of his father's bannerman, "just a bit of work with your form and stance."
Morton Hamell nodded. "Thank you, Hill. Your swordsmanship is quite good."
"I'll agree with him," said a guard by the name of Taven, "you're nearly as good as your older brother."
Jason enjoyed Taven's company, for the man was a well-trained member of Tywin's household guard. He was a lowborn man from the outer streets of Lannisport who had worked his way into the City Watch. Jason had always been impressed with how Taven could be put on a higher pedestal than many of noble birth, not to mention how the Lannisport City Watch had brutal training for those who dared to join its ranks to enforce law and order in the city.
Taven had earned his place in Tywin Lannister's guard after he once defended a drunken Gerion Lannister from an unruly tavern patron in the heart of Lannisport. He was fortunate that Gerion remembered enough of that night to commend him for his bravery and suggest him to Tywin, who reluctantly agreed to take him into the guard of Casterly Rock as he was in debt to Taven for saving his brother's life.
Unlike much of Lord Tywin's guard, however, Taven did not travel with the Hand of the King to the capital, instead being assigned to watch over squires and pages training with sword, shield, and even horseriding for some. Jason and Jaime had just begun learning the basics of mounting a steed, and both of them enjoyed it greatly. Jason noted how his elder brother took to horseriding as easily as a singer did to strumming his lute, and it reminded him of how Jaime would truly be a perfect lord. Well, when it came to fighting, at least, since Jason knew Jaime cared not for politics or ruling.
But as Jason was thinking of that, he heard Uncle Tygett yell "MOVE!" as loud as possible. That meant that the lords on Jason's side would move to their right while the ones opposite him would do the same to their right. As he moved, Jason saw who his next opponent would be, and he cursed himself for not checking earlier. It was none other than Tarold Lannister, his cousin and oft-tormentor, who would be sparring with him.
Yet the bastard son of the great Tywin Lannister also smirked with some measure of delight, as he knew that Tarland would receive no safety here merely from his name. Uncle Tygett was known by many throughout the Seven Kingdoms as an excellent master-at-arms, and under his training, all pages and squires were relative equals. If some lord or lady whined about their sons, Tygett told Jason, then they could complain to Kevan whenever Tywin was off serving as King Aerys Targaryen's Hand.
As the boys prepared to spar against one another, Jason shot Tarold a wide grin, as if he were a cat who had found a mouse to kill. Tarold, knowing he could not merely use his name to defend himself in a sparring match, held his training sword in a position that was typical for an inexperienced, frightened boy.
"Y-you better watch yourself, bastard! Jaime will not protect you here!"
Jason let out a harsh and haughty laugh. "As if I were to need any protection from you, Tarold!"
The cousin let out a frustrated yell as he charged towards Jason, holding his training sword high above him to strike Jason. He would find his wooden badly miss its target as Jason stepped to his right side and, as Tarold passed him, swung his own sword to strike Tarold's side near his left ribs. Tarold yelled in pain as he quickly retreated.
"Lucky shot, bastard! Face me like a man!"
Jason laughed again, satisfied at his cousin's physical and emotional suffering. "Why don't you hit me like a man? Do you really think a good soldier would attack like you did or be stupid enough to stand there as such a stupid attack came towards them?"
Tarold let out an anguished battle cry and charged once more toward Jason, his sword lower than before as he planned to strike Jason across the chest rather than attack from above. He would not find such luck as Jason Hill brought his own blade down, aiming for the area near Tarold's hands so his training sword would be knocked out of them.
This worked, as Tarold Lannister, flinching at a sword being so close to him, would loosen his grip on the wooden weapon and see it fall to his side. Jason saw him stare at his fallen sparring sword, and when he turned around, Tarold would be greeted with the sight of Jason's own training tool pointed directly at his neck. It was also accompanied by a wide grin from the bastard boy who was releasing his pent-up anger against him.
"It must look bad for you," Jason said with satisfaction beyond comprehension, "to lose to such a mere bastard boy. But then again," he further provoked as he withdrew his blade, "with how much your parents loathe each other's company, maybe you're a bastard as well."
Normally, Jason would not dare to make such comments towards those with the Lannister name, but upon seeing his tormentor in such despair, he let go of his restraints on his speech. Was it smart for him to do this? Probably not. But he was still the son of Tywin Lannister, and like his father, he would not take insults from anyone he thought, no, he knew was unworthy of making such statements.
Breathing heavily with his face as red as the blood from a broken maidenhead, Tarold again charged Jason whilst screaming in anger. His sword was high above his head without bothering to defend himself, he would be easily dispatched by Jason, who stepped aside to the left as Tarold's wooden sword badly missed its mark. Jason would then charge at Tarold, who was caught unawares as he recovered from his inaccurate strike and was knocked to the ground as his bastard cousin caught him off-guard.
Seeing his cousin look back up at him, his puffy face red with anger and his eyes filled with the tears of a defeated boy, Jason smiled and realized he was satisfied. He reached his hand down to Tarold to pick him up only for it to be swatted away by the humiliated highborn lad.
"Have you had your fun, bastard," Tarold asked as he lifted himself from the floor. "You dare to insult me about my own father, yet I would wager your own father does not care for you, his illegitimate second son."
"I know that, you halfwit!"
The response flew out of Jason's mouth before he could think about what to say. As he heard it, Jason felt a sinking feeling within his stomach, as if a cold truth were washing over him like water in a bath. It was something he had always known but never stated, a fact he thought of every day even if his sister never tried to insult him with it.
Jason knew his father, Lord Tywin Lannister, had to go often to the capital and that he favored Jaime, his eldest trueborn son & heir, above his other children. Until now, Jason thought he had made his peace with that. And yet thinking now of his father made him realize how he had barely spoken with or received any attention from the man who everyone knew had brought him to Casterly Rock as a babe even whilst being married to a woman he dearly loved.
Jason broke out of his self-induced misery to turn back toward Tarold, whom he thought would continue to mock and jeer him. What he instead saw was Tarold looking at him in a confused manner, as if he did not get the response he was expecting from his oft-victim.
"But if he does not care for you," Tarold asked in a tone of genuine curiosity and shock, "why did he bring you here?"
Jason could not bring himself to look his opponent in the eyes. "I…I do not know."
So there the two boys stood. Having disliked one another for a long time, Jason Hill and Tarold Lannister came to the realization that their fathers cared little for them if at all. It was a sad truth but not an uncommon one for lesser sons in the Seven Kingdoms. Even trueborn boys could be treated little better than bastards if their father found no use for them, as only the heir mattered to the family's legacy.
"MOVE!"
The sound of Uncle Tygett yelling for the pages and squires to change partners broke Jason and Tarold out of their self-pitying stupors. The two boys quietly exchanged a "good sparring" with one another before moving down their respective lines. Jason saw that he would be facing his brother Jaime. This would cheer him up on any other day but after his recent match against Tarold Lannister, he was feeling sullen and dejected.
It would seem Jaime noticed his half-brother's melancholy. "Are you alright? Did Tarold continue to harass you?"
Jason looked at his brother before quickly turning away. "Oh, um, no he was alright. Just sparred with him is all."
"Are you sure? I can have a word with him later if that will make you feel better."
"No, Jaime, don't do it please." Jason took a deep breath and sighed. "Tarold and I decided to treat each other with respect from now on, whether during sparring practice or not."
Jaime had a look of surprise and even disbelief strung across his face.
"Well, whatever you two agreed to, it doesn't matter. Now you get the honor of being my next victim."
Jason smiled slightly at his brother's pride and arrogance. "You best be careful, Jaime. Today could be when I will finally best you."
The smiling brothers took out their wooden blades and began circling one another. With hearty battle cries, Jaime and Jason charged at one another as the former brought his training sword down on the latter, and Jason knew he had to find a way to counter Jaime's superior size and strength even if the difference in those categories was not significantly large.
He broke out of their clash and tried to strike Jaime in the shoulder. This would go poorly for Jason as his elder brother managed to block the sparring sword and use his strength to knock his half-brother's tool out of his hands to the floor.
Jason sighed. "So it's just like always, isn't it?"
Jaime smirked as he often did in any situation. "If your attitude is like that, you'll never beat me, brother."
"Now you sound like Uncle Tygett."
"I've always thought you were similar to Uncle Kevan, to be honest."
Jason laughed softly to himself as he went to pick up his sparring sword. He had just stood up after retrieving it when he saw near him what was Tarold Lannister being easily overwhelmed by his opponent. But this squire looked to be as big as a full-grown man, with black armor covering his body, and he was bringing his sword down hard upon his opponent. Jason would have felt some level of satisfaction seeing his bully experiencing such humiliation before today, yet now he felt rather…uncomfortable.
"Jason!"
He was snapped out of his staring by Jaime, who walked over to him.
"Are you sure you're alright?"
"I'm fine, trust me. But who is that behemoth of a squire over there?"
Jaime snickered. "The one knocking around Tarold? That's Gregor Clegane, heir to House Clegane. A damn monster he is, already being as tall as a man at just ten years of age."
He looks like the Warrior came to this world as a man and had a son, Jason thought to himself. Father is already feared by the entire country, and when that Clegane becomes a man, Father will be unstoppable. Or at least more than he already is.
Jason went back to the center of his space with Jaime and waited for his opponent to make the first move. Jaime rushed towards him at astonishing speed and brought his sword down from the opposite side. After some initial shock, Jason was able to block it with his own weapon only to realize Jaime was using that as a distraction, spinning around to strike Jason on the neck. Luckily, Jason countered his move with his wooden sword yet again, earning a smile from Jaime that could be almost described as bloodthirsty in nature.
"Nice move there, Jason. Didn't think you'd catch that one."
"Uncle Tyg taught both of us well, brother."
Jaime broke off and prepared to face his brother again. Jason similarly got into a fighting position only for his ear to pick up a sound that unnerved him greatly. Turning his head in hopes of locating the source, Jason saw that it originated from Tarold, who was being viciously knocked to the ground and beaten by that enormous Clegane heir. With a wooden sword being violently struck onto his back and brutal kicks to his side, Tarold Lannister could only cry in pain as he was cruelly beaten and humiliated.
Hopeful that this would be stopped by a mature figure of authority, Jason Hill looked around only to see that all of the adults were ignorant of Tarold's plight, apart from a few glances toward the situation that was quick to be replaced by further chatter. Many were focusing on other boys or instead indulging in conversation with each other.
Seeing the lack of intervention on his cousin's behalf, Jason had to be yelled at by Jaime to snap out of his thoughts.
"Come on, Jason! Pay attention to your opponent instead of some worthless bully who you wanted to beat into the ground earlier."
Jason had difficulty explaining his sudden concern to Jaime. "Sorry, it's just that-"
The two would then turn their heads toward the sight from before to see Tarold crying louder, having vicious strikes upon him from the sword of Gregor Clegane. Even as it was made of wood rather than steel, much to the fortune of Tarold Lannister, Clegane's strength was to the extent that it likely felt as if a warhammer was being smashed onto the boy's body.
Watching the horrific scene, Jason decided to do something very stupid at that moment. Well, "decided" would be a strong term as he ran as fast as he could over towards Tarold and House Clegane's beast of a boy. He did not put any thought into what he was doing, only that he was going to stop the violent beating he had witnessed.
Jason rushed into the space to get between Tarold and Clegane, ignoring the cry of "WAIT!" from Jaime or the stares of other pages and squires as he ran to stop what was viewed as a literal monster by any boy in the Westerlands. By the time Uncle Tyg or any guard watching could have intervened, it was far too late.
Tarold's savior got between him and Gregor Clegane, managing to black the enormous boy's equally large wood sword. Jason may have had good technique, but Gregor's strength was to the extent that his own tool knocked Jason's own out of his hands to the ground. Before the bastard could realize the severe error he had made, Jason could barely see a fist, wrapped around a wooden sword, come toward his face before it struck his left eye.
Pain was what hit Jason immediately as his knees buckled. It was as if a large boulder had struck his eye, only it was in the form of a rage-filled behemoth of a child. Jason tried to stand up only to be met with, from what he could barely glimpse from his right eye, another clenched fist coming down on him until it struck him in the right side of his jaw.
Jason fell to the ground on his hands and knees, the taste of blood now coursing throughout his mouth. It didn't taste too awful to his surprise, much like metal if he were to be specific. But that was the least of his issues as he groaned in pain.
"STOP!"
Uncle Tyg's voice roared in the training hall as Jason heard footsteps racing towards him. He felt a hand on his shoulders, and whilst Jason first assumed it was Gregor Clegane ready to strike him again, he quickly realized it was Jaime checking on him.
"Jason! Jason! Are you alright? Can you hear me?"
"Yeah, it hurts a lot though."
A groan escaped Jason's lips as Tygett moved to Jason's other side.
"Bloody hell, Jason! Are you alright?"
I can't afford to look weak, especially not to Uncle Tyg, Jason thought to himself. "I'm fine, really."
Tygett turned Jason's head to face his own. "Jason, try and look at me!"
The right eye opened as intended, but Jason could barely see anything from his left eye. It was as if it was forcibly squinted, pain erupting near it simply from keeping it open.
"Gods be good, that's swollen," Tygett whispered under his breath. "Taven, Garish, bring Jason Hill to Maester Sarwin's chambers immediately!"
Jason felt the hands lift him up and grab him. What washed over him was not relief at being spared more blows from Gregor Clegane, but shame. Jason had not only interrupted sparring practice, but he also had to be taken away due to his injuries. And for what? To defend someone who had done their best to make his life as miserable as possible (asides from Cersei, who sadly could not be humiliated in such fashion).
"Let me go…please…I can still fight...for...for House Lannister," Jason mumbled as a slight amount of blood resided in his mouth.
"Believe me," Taven told the boy, "you need to get that eye looked at so it isn't shut for good there. And looking at that Clegane boy, it's best we take you far away from him. Don't want you to end up in an early grave over some sparring squabble."
Jason could not find the strength to speak more as he was taken away to Maester Sarwin's room. He thought only one thing of particular note on the way to getting his wounds treated:
I hope Father visits me.
…
"Well, I am glad to inform you that the injuries you suffered, while certainly painful, will not be permanent to you."
Maester Sarwin tried to make Jason a bit more cheerful as the boy sat in relative glum on his table. At about fourty-two years of age, Sarwin was almost another father to Jaime, Jason, and Tyrion, whether he knew it or not. He was a lithe man, a scraggly black beard on his face that could not compare to the lack of hair on his head.
Yet for a man with long and skinny fingers, Sarwin had a warmth to him that seemed to make children in his care more at ease around him. As a maester, Sarwin could never marry to sire offspring from his own seed, yet he was never swayed by any melancholy from this notion when performing his duties to House Lannister. His robe signaled his humility, and the chain showed how much Sarwin would do in service to Casterly Rock.
Jason had looked up at Sarwin for a decent amount of time, and his negative feelings from the end of sparring practice still loomed over him.
"How long will this eye be swollen, Maester?"
"Oh, that? Likely no more than a week, two at most. And the bleeding in your mouth has stopped. Soon you'll be back in the training yard with young Jaime."
Jason showed a quick smile before looking at the floor again.
"Is there something wrong?"
Looking up, Jason saw that Maester Sarwin had a concerned look in his eyes.
"It's nothing, Maester. Really, it isn't."
"If it's nothing, young Jason, then surely you would not be so reluctant to tell me about it."
Sarwin sat back on his chair as Jason sighed, figuring at least that the maester was the best person to hear about this. The only person he'll tell is Father, though even that is bad enough.
"I feel that…that my actions earlier brought shame to House Lannister."
"For what? Saving your cousin Tarold from being beaten?"
"It was foolish. I do not even know why I did it."
"That bit is obvious," remarked Maester Sarwin. "You did not wish to see him get beaten further. 'Tis natural to have a measure of empathy for those who are unable to fight back."
"But I was a fool for rushing in there," said Jason in a self-critical manner. "I interrupted Uncle Tygett's sword training and did not do what I was supposed to. I'm not a Lannister, but as the son of my Lord Father, anything I do reflects upon him."
Looking at Sarwin for a reaction, Jason saw the middle-aged man ponder what was said. Maester Sarwin then sat down on his chair and faced Jason, leaning back to relax himself.
"Did I ever tell you where I came from? Before my years at the Citadel in Oldtown, I mean?"
Jason was confused by this question but decided to sit still and do as told.
"No, I don't think so."
"Well, you're the first one I've told this to asides from your father. Well, your uncle Gerion managed to manipulate me into telling him this tale as well. It was before your siblings Jaime and Cersei were born, after he replaced my hippocras with some strong wine from the Arbor. I can still recall Lady Joanna pulling him by the ear out of bed whilst hungover to apologize."
Jason laughed loudly, forgetting his sadness momentarily as he knew only Gerion would do something like that. Of course, his injury from prior made it hurt when he did so, but that would do little to quell the humor Jason found in Sarwin's statement. He would see Maester Sarwin sigh deeply in a tone that indicated annoyance from that unpleasant incident even almost a decade later.
"Yes, he found that funny as well."
Jason tried to silence his own laughter so the maester could continue. "I'm sorry, Maester."
"It's alright," Sarwin said. He put his hands on his knees as Jason quieted down, taking a deep brath as he prepared to recount his past.
"I was born as the third son of Lord Hamor Hawick. My birth house, House Hawick, was a lesser house in the Riverlands, and we were stewards to House Cox in the town of Saltpans. We were not a wealthy house…quite the opposite, actually. Nor did we possess significant political influence, even as my father tried so hard to gain it.
"My eldest brother and the family's heir, Jaroll, became a knight who married a girl from House Roote. My second brother, Folar, would squire for Lord Elimar of House Redfort and later earn his own knighthood, though he needed help from his lord to pay for armor due to our own house having little. Alas, I heard that both Lord Elimar and my brother Folar would lose their lives fighting the last Blackfyre pretender in Essos."
"I'm sorry," Jason stated with sadness and shock apparent in his voice, "I didn't know."
"It's quite all right," Sarwin reassured with a gentle smile, "I had not seen him in quite some time when it happened. But regardless, my father, whether for his own sake or his family's, desired for his children to attain influence and some sway throughout Westerosi society. So when I was eight years old, which just happened to be how old you are now, my father arranged for me to be sent to the Citadel as a novice in the hopes I would earn my chains and advise a powerful family.
"So there I was: a small boy sent to Oldtown, arguably the greatest city in the world, with nothing more than a small amount of money and some books. I was never good with swords nor with listening and learning the words of politics. To be honest, I was not good for anything at your age."
Sarwin chuckled to himself a tad before resuming.
"But when I was in Oldtown, I experienced so many wonders that were never possible before. I heard archmaesters give passionate speeches on ravenry and warfare, visited all sorts of buildings in the city, and saw all sorts of travelers. It took me thirteen years to forge my chain, which will forever stay on this dusty gray robe to show I am always to be a servant to the realm."
Maester Sarwin lifted the chain slightly to allow Jason to look at it. He saw different colors adorn the chain, from gold to black to bronze and even iron, before Sarwin set it down and resumed.
"So at twenty-one years of age, I was sent to provide wisdom and serve Lord Tytos Lannister of Casterly Rock. And here I am serving your father, Lord Tywin. I could have visited my family back in Saltpans were I to ask, and I'm sure my father was glad to hear of my appointment as a maester to the Warden of the West, but my place is here with my lord and his children."
"That was a good story," Jason said, surprised at his ability to stay interested throughout the entire tale, "but how will this help me?"
"Well, both of us were born as lesser sons who were brought up to make our fathers proud," Sarwin explained, "but we can find our own destinies in ways we cannot imagine. For you, I think a son of the great Tywin Lannister, with such gifts for both swordplay and reading, can do countless wondrous activities when you become a man. If your goal is to make your father proud, then I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that you can accomplish that."
Jason pondered the words told to him, though he grimaced at how the pain in his eye and mouth had returned since listening to Sarwin's story had distracted him from them.
"Thank you, Maester Sarwin. That makes me feel better."
Sarwin smiled at him. "That's good to hear. You just rest now while I tell your father of the extent of your wounds. I imagine you will not be able to spar with the other boys for at least a few days, perhaps a week, but hopefully, your uncles can find you something else to do."
As the maester rose from his chair, Jason figured this was the time to get as many questions answered as possible.
"Can my family visit me? Perhaps Jaime and Tyrion?"
"I don't see why not, assuming they are not preoccupied with other matters. Your wounds are not unfamiliar for boys who train against one another. This isn't a case of greyscale, after all. Just stay here for now, but once I inform your father of what occurred, I will 'set you free' to go around Casterly Rock in a manner that hopefully won't cause more injury to you."
As Maester Sarwin chuckled, Jason decided to ask another question.
"If you speak to my Lord Father, could you tell him that, as his blood, I did not mean to embarass him and that I can tell him about it if he visits me?"
Jason saw Sarwin's eyes falter slightly, as if suddenly struck with sadness. He's a smart man, Jason thought, of course he knows I want Father to visit me. I'm just an idiot for doing such a poor job at hiding it.
"I will certainly tell Lord Tywin of your bravery, at least if your uncle Tygett has not done so already."
In spite of the pain in his mouth, Jason welcomed the smile that grew on his face at that statement.
"Thank you, Maester."
Maester Sarwin smiled in Jason's direction before he left the room, the large chain around Sarwin's neck weighing him down along with the thick grey robe that was customary for those who served as maesters to the lords of the realm. Once the door closed, Jason laid back on his bed, taking in the silence around him.
He wondered what he could do in the days he was not able to spar with Jaime and the others. I could read a lot of books, he pondered. But that would get boring quickly, even with Tyrion reading alongside me. I could ask Father if I could venture with Uncle Gerion into Lannisport. At least that would be fun. Perhaps I would even be able to visit Uncle Kevan and Lady Dorna's residence in Lannisport for an evening.
As Jason indulged himself with these thoughts, he heard the door to the Maester's chambers open. Jolting up, Jason was pleasantly surprised to see it was Tyrion, his little brother born a dwarf, who had come to visit him.
…
Hey all! I am again SO sorry for the delay! April and the first half of May were CRAZY busy and I had a lot to do! But after some procrastinating and reconsidering how to finish the second half of this chapter.
With that in mind, I hope you enjoy! Next up is the first Tyrion chapter!