In one of the Red Keep's training training grounds, squires and other young nobles gathered. Orryn Baratheon, heir of Dragonstone, the next Lord of the Narrow Sea, was the center of attention.

It wasn't common for Ser Barristan Selmy to come and teach young squires, but Orryn was the king's nephew, he had that advantage, and when Ser Barristan taught, many wanted to see.

"You have taught the boy very well, Ser Justin. He has a good hand with the sword and is quite strong for his age." Ser Barristan commented from a corner as he watched Orryn fight a Rosby squire.

"Orryn is skilled, that's true, but he's no Arthur Dayne, Orryn himself knows that. Maybe that makes him a good student, knowing his limits, I mean."

Ser Barristan did not answer, but pondered. It was true that Orryn won fights against the other boys, but he was no genius with a sword. In fact, if you counted correctly, he only won 6 or 7 out of every 10 fights he fought.

Turning his attention to the boys fight, Ser Barristan saw just in time to see Orryn hit the Rosby boy in the stomach with the knee. As he bent over, many knights would have disarmed his sword, but Orryn kicked the boy's foot and knocked him down.

"He's... original." Ser Barristan commented, not knowing what to say, and Ser Justin put his hand to his face to hide it.

"Orryn does it a lot, punches, kicks, elbows. I've tried to put some reason with him, a knight shouldn't fight that dirty, but he keeps doing it when the going gets tough."

"And on horseback, is he a good knight?"

"Good in fact, a good shot with a spear, but he tames the animal badly, I'd say he's better with a sword". Ser Justin replied, and though it wasn't very obvious, Ser Barristan's disappointment was there, of course, he may have expected too much from the boy, but at least he was working hard.

As the training continued, King Robert Baratheon, first of his name, the Demon of the Trident, watched from a chair on a balcony above. He didn't want to draw attention, he just wanted to drink and watch. By his side was an old man.

"You know, Jon, I've always wanted a boy like me. A boy to swing a warhammer, to hunt with me, to be like me". Robert complained as he swirled his goblet of wine.

Jon Arryn, sitting next to him, straightened up and did his best to calm his pupil. "You've got Joffrey, he's still young enough to change if you try hard enough."

With a bitter laugh, Robert downed the rest of the goblet and tossed it back. The sound of metal hitting the floor was the only thing heard, and the king remained silent.

"His bloody mother has already spoiled him. Shall I tell you, Jon? The little shit will never be a warrior, he'll never inspire fear in his enemies like I do. I bet he'll never have a friend like Ned has for me".

"And this interest of yours in young Orryn...?". Jon Arryn asked uncertainly.

"Just watching him fight, you can see he's not like me, he's not a Trident demon reborn, but seven hells, I'd give one of my balls to have a son like him now."

"I know the creation of Lord Stannis had a good result on the boy, many comment on it, but it's not so much Robert."

"I'm not stupid, Jon. I know the heir I have, It's not what I want, but it's what I have. If he's not a warrior, I'll have to put a warrior on his side. Those damned Lannisters won't help, it has to be a Baratheon, a true Baratheon".

"Surely Orryn will be a loyal servant to Joffrey, just as Stannis is a loyal servant to you".

"That servant is my brother, and unbearable as it is, I never repaid Stannis for all he has done and continues to do".

"Do you have something in mind, Robert?". Jon asked, worried that Robert had already done something precipitate.

"I will make the boy heir to Storm's End. With the Narrow Sea Fleet and the Stormlands at Joffrey's side, he won't lose the throne... anytime soon. It will also force Renly to marry and have children, heirs of his own, if he wants to keep the Stormlands".

"That's... an interesting solution, Robert. But wouldn't it be better not to rush things? He hasn't even been here two days and you already have plans... let the boy experience the capital for a while before you crush his dreams."

"Haste my ass, honestly, Storm's End should have been Stannis' anyway. But I can wait a little longer...".

"Let the boy have fun, fight, hunt, be a young man".

"Beget a bastard." Robert said laughing.

"That's not..." Jon said reproachfully.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Robert nodded disrespectfully and went back to watching the training.

Orryn

"Hello Robin! You have space for another knight in your game?" I said, crouching down next to the boy.

"No!". He said rudely and turned away.

"Robin, be polite. This is a friend I bring for you." Jon Arryn, the King's Hand, said in a tone of negotiation with the child.

"I don't want any friends! I want my mommy, now!" Robin screamed and wailed, kicking all her toys.

Lord Arryn seemed embarrassed by his son's demonstration, but I stopped him from scolding him, I had to show him what he wanted to see.

"Too bad, Robin, I wanted to do my winged knight training and was hoping to have a squire to help me."

The boy's brown eyes lit up and he turned to me. "Winged Knight training? Is that true? I want to go! I want to go!".

"I don't know... only big boys can go... boys who don't cry or ask their mothers. Isn't that Lord Arryn?". I said, turning to the older man.

Sniffling and finally understanding what I was doing, Lord Arryn smiled at his son. "Yes Robin, I don't know if you can really take part in this training."

"I can! I can! I can!" Robin shouted with a weak cry.

Crouching down again, I put one hand on his bony shoulder and held out the pinkie of the other. "To be a winged knight, Robin, you can't scream or you'll scare the dragons. They're very shy these days, so promise me you'll stop screaming."

"I promise!" He said, intertwining his little finger with mine.

"Knight's oath? On the honor of all the knights of the Vale?". I insisted, not letting him go.

"Yes!"

"For the life of your lady mother and your lord father? Breaking an oath as a winged knight can bring great harm to both of you."

"I... I... I don't want anything to happen to my mother!" Robin said, starting to cry, but I stopped him.

"Robin, don't cry! Something bad could happen!". And he immediately swallowed his tears when I said that and even sniffled, forcing himself to stop.

Lord Arryn smiled and patted his son on the shoulder. "Your mother will be proud when I tell her."

"Really?" Robin asked, drying the corners of his eyes. "Where is she? I want to see her!".

"Yes Robin, your mother will be very happy when she finds out." I smiled at him too. "Would you like to have your first lesson now?".

He shook his head, still a little teary, but he accepted. I wrapped my hands around his thin, fragile body and picked him up easily.

Robin wriggled and struggled, almost screaming, but he remembered his oath and covered his mouth as I placed him on my shoulders.

"Hold my hands, Robin, let's go for a walk."

"I don't want to, get down!" He grumbled, but hadn't screamed yet.

"If you can't ride on my shoulders, how are you going to fly like the winged knight, eh Robin?".

"Just... just a little..." He said, gripping me as tightly as he could.

"Yes, we need to start with short flights. Shall we chase a maiden? No knight can be a knight without a maiden!". I joked as I imitated a horse and walked outside.

Two Arryn guards accompanied us, as did the servants who looked after the boy when Lady Lisa was away. This entourage joined my Baratheon guards and we went to a quiet courtyard in the castle to meet Shireen.

With any luck, Robin Arryn wouldn't be such a problem.

"And?" My father asked as soon as I entered his solar. He wasn't a man to waste time, so he didn't waste time with conversation...

"It's been a hard day." I said with a sigh. "Robert Arryn is spoiled, whiny and dependent on his mother. In fact, the whole problem lies with Lady Lisa and her strange upbringing of the boy. We made him play with me and Shireen in the courtyard with broomsticks for swords and..."

"I don't care about those useless details." My father cut me off. "Tell me, can you influence the boy or not?".

"Yes sir, I'm sorry." I said, bowing. "It's hard to say while he's still under his mother's influence, and I say that because our time together was interrupted because he... he defecated in his pants. The servants who accompanied him acted as if this were commonplace, even for a boy of his age...".

My father wiped his hand over his face. "How far the heir to the Arryn's blood has fallen..." Turning his eyes to me, he commanded me once more.

"And the prince?"

"I'm working on that. Joffrey likes a little flattery, but he's quick to make rash decisions… he doesn't like is being contradicted."

"Then keep trying, Joffrey will be your king and you need to show you can be at his court now." That was the harsh answer I received.

"Yes sir...".

"Is there anything else Orryn?" My lord father asked with steel in his voice.

"Joffrey is not easy, many attempts to get close to him are hard and ineffective because he doesn't care about anything but himself and his blond hair. Sometimes I can hardly imagine that we're cousins, that his father is Robert Baratheon, that he will be my king."

I saw my father's eyes grow hard as he stood up. I didn't dare move when he slapped me hard across the face and stared at me with his hard expression.

"Whether you like it or not, whether you want it or not, it's your duty. Joffrey will be your king and you will serve him because that is the law we obey."

"Yes sir." I replied, bowing my head.

"All you do is hold that position because there is no law that says it's yours just because you're the king's cousin. To fail in this duty is to fail our house, to fail your family and me, and I didn't raise a failed son, I don't have a failed son, do I Orryn?".

"No, sir." I replied even more quietly, my face hurting from the slap, I was sure I was going to get a purple mark.

"When Ser Davos comes, you will return to learn from him how to handle a ship and more about the sea. I'll include naval training in the letter I'll write to the master, and that will be on me."

I didn't answer after that, I could see that my activities were already full, that I would have a lot to do if that happened. My father knew that, he certainly did, he wanted to know what my answer was. I didn't want to disappoint my father, I couldn't disappoint him, I had to succeed.

"Yes sir."

Waving, my father crossed his hands behind his back. "You are dismissed."