Ch.1 The Prize (252 AC):
Aerys decided that he liked snow. It was cold yes, and downright lethal in the right conditions but on a frigid autumn night at the dour Castle Black, what else could possibly entertain a precocious child of eight years?
The young prince was wrapped in furs as he moulded the snow around him into something he could hide behind while his great rival, Rhaella was gathering snow into balls to use as ammunition. This was their second snowball fights in as many nights.
Their father Jaeharys was not typically adventurous, so it came as quite the surprise when he one day decided to visit the great wall that 'guarded the realms of men' as the black brothers so claimed. Rhaella was thrilled with the idea of travel, Aerys less so. Regardless the heir to the throne wanted to view the great landmark and he had brought his family kicking and screaming along with him.
'You have quite the skill with construction my prince' said Ser Bennard with mirth. The aging white cloak stood sentinel halfway between the two siblings. 'I am the shield that guards the realms of man' Aerys responded with faux seriousness before quickly dissolving into a fit of giggles 'I'll protect the realm from Rhae!' Aerys bellowed past him across the courtyard. 'The wall won't hold! I'll break it apart like a real dragon' came the reply.
'And what a dragon you are princess!' Bennard interjected. Having recently seen his 60th nameday, the knight was grandfatherly in his demeanour and always enjoyed guarding the children. After a few minutes he stepped out from between the pair, 'Are you both ready? Yes? Then begin!'.
Jaeharys Targaryen II watched everything unfold from the battlements of the castle. 'I will never understand how you never sired any children uncle.' he said, glancing at the man next to him.
Brynden Rivers was old even before he joined the watch. The Bloodraven could have had great-grandchildren by now had he wanted them. Instead, after a life filled with courtly intrigue and blood the king sent to the Wall, where he now stood next to the prince as Lord Commander of the Night's Watch.
'I will never understand how you can stand them' Brynden sneered. 'Your children dare to make a mockery of my order; do they not know our function is important?' He continued, eyeing the children with distaste.
No, Jaeharys thought, not the children. Bloodraven was eyeing Aerys with distaste. Despite his dark reputation he had avoided the boy since the royals had arrived, as if a boy of eight namedays was concerning to the man known as widely as the bloodraven. It was Jaeharys's turn to eye someone with distaste. 'Do not overstep uncle, they are merely playing around as children do. Your watchmen do not seem to mind.' And indeed, a handful of black brothers were laughing along with the children's antics.
Bloodraven was less than enthused. With little warning the Lord Commander swiftly drew the sword at his hip before slamming it into the stonework of the wall. As impossibly sharp valyrian steel cut through the stone with ease it let out an ear-piercing screech that echoed through the night. 'Men of the watch! Return to your posts' Brynden commanded, his voice carrying into the sudden quiet. He turned towards the prince make some remark…
…Only to find a blade pointed firmly at his neck. Jaeharys had been pushed aside as soon as the sword was drawn, in his place stood a kingsguard. 'You dare draw a blade in the presence of the crown prince!'
Bloodraven was not impressed. 'These men are mine to discipline as I please. Will you interfere with the operation of the nights watch?'
'He's only doing his duty uncle. I had hoped you were familiar with the concept' responded the prince with a glower. Jaeharys was furious. Drawing live steel so close to his person was frankly dangerous. It was the height of disrespect.
'You dare!' Brynden exclaimed with mounting frustration. He himself was on the cusp of going north of the wall for the last time. His replacement as lord commander was already laid out. His worldly possessions already accounted for.
The children of the forest awaited him. The three eyed crow awaited him.
His destiny awaited him.
Yet here he was, delayed due to a royal visit from a prince he did not even know the name of. Brynden would have left days ago if he could.
The plan was so simple. He would take the least of his men out on a ranging, and none of them would return. Whole expeditions sometimes perish while on a mission. Such things can happen. To go missing during a royal visit would look suspicious, however. Bloodraven did not want others chasing after him.
But he also could not accept such mockery.
'Let me show you duty' Brynden hissed. He grasped the sword at his throat and hurled it aside, the blade easily slicing through his glove into the flesh beneath as his hand closed around it.
Jaeharys backed up on reflex. His guard quickly regained control of the blade but was caught off-guard by Bloodraven's next actions.
Brynden had begun undressing.
'I am the watcher on the wall.'
He shrugged off the fur wrapped around his torso.
'I am the shield that guards the realms of men.'
He stepped out of his trousers as they dropped to the ground.
'I swore to die at my post, and I intend to do so.'
Brynden left his small clothes on, blood leaking from the cut in his hand to the snow beneath them. He no longer had any protection from the cold the cold. He spread his arms wide in an invitation to death.
'What do I care about royalty and its etiquette? are you capable of fighting in the snow like a man of the watch?'
Brynden was fully aware that the prince's constitution could not survive such hardship.
'I hold command here. This is how I lead. If it is such an insult to draw steel so near to your person, then perhaps you should stand further away.' Brynden turned his attention to the guard; 'I fear not the cold boy, but if you wish to kill me before it does then do so quickly.'
Jaeharys was somewhat chastened by the outburst. Sickly in general, he was relatively humble as far as royals go. With little experience in martial matters, he feared he may have been wrong to feel insulted. Still, such disrespect demanded an apology at minimum.
'Die at your post if you please but die with honour at least you fool.' Jaeharys hissed. 'Apologise to me. Loudly. Before the whole castle. You deal with cold all the time, so if you want to prove your dedication to duty then do something you really don't want to do.'
Brynden smirked internally. He saw an opportunity here, and he was going to take it. 'Allow me to do something better my prince. As an apology for tonight, I shall lead these men out on a ranging at dawn.' He gestured to the watchmen in the courtyard. 'I will tell everyone who listens that it was your idea, and when we return, chastened, you will look like a firm disciplinarian.'
Jaeharys severely doubted Bloodraven's sincerity but felt this was the best he was going to get out of the old man. Jaeharys and his family had walked atop the Wall earlier that day. He would be satisfied to never see Bloodraven again.
Jaeharys sighed in response. 'It will have to do I suppose.' He then turned away and walked back towards the keep, his guard close behind.
Brynden dressed himself quickly before retrieving his sword. It came free with nary a sound. He cleaned it off before sheathing it and marching off to make his final preparations. And they were final.
Rhaella watched the confrontation from the courtyard but could hear little of what was said beyond Bloodraven's shouted command. 'That old man must be mad' she muttered.
'Forget the old man, did you see his sword?' Aerys responded, his voice laced with wonder. The whole time, he couldn't take his eyes off the thing.
Dark sister.
She had a crossguard of solid gold forged in a waved pattern like the blade of a flamberge sword he'd seen a sell-sword wield once. There was a ruby inset in the middle, above a wrapped leather handle. The hilt was slightly shorter than on ordinary longswords with a golden pommel forged into the shape of a roaring fire. The blade itself had rippling patterns on the steel that gleamed in the moonlight with supernatural energy.
The Sword of the rogue prince. she Sword of the dragon knight. The sword of Legends. Aerys wanted it badly. If I spent the rest of my life fighting Aery's thought, that sword would be the prize that made it all worth it.
'A prize you'll never receive brother. You must know that bitter old man would never part with it' His sister said.
Aerys was so entranced he hadn't realised he was speaking out loud.
'Whatever. Why don't we play another game sister?'
'What did you have in mind?'
'Hide and seek. I'll seek first, you take ser Bennard and hide'
'I do not like this game my prince.' Ser Bennard interjected. 'I think it best you both go to bed early tonight.'
But the old knight had made a fatal mistake. He had invoked the bane of all noble children. An early bedtime.
'Only if you can find us!' Aerys shouted suddenly, dashing away from the knight. Rhaella did not need to be convinced. She sprinted in the opposite direction.
She did not make it far. In response to the madness Ser Bennard merely sighed. He was too late to stop Aerys but acted just a hair faster than the princess who was fortunately standing within his reach.
'Let go!' Rhaella squealed miserably, though her pout was truly adorable. 'Septa Moray!' The knight said, gaining the attention of an elderly woman who was conversing with a Targaryen guardsman. 'Escort the princess to her room. I will find the prince.'
The septa in question complied wordlessly, and once Moray had a hold of her, Rhaella knew to not argue further. Moray was usually quiet but always intimidating even to the adults.
The moment Rhaella was out of his hands Ser Bennard was moving. The prince had left visible footprints in the snow, leading him into the stables. The prince had chosen his hiding spot well. The stable hands were busily readying horses for the next ranging.
Ser Bennard did not think it wise to search all the stalls individually for it would greatly interrupt the work being done. Judging by the looks he was receiving just from standing in the entrance, he could not count on the watchmen to aid him either. The least disruptive course of action seemed clear to Ser Bennard.
After a moment's deliberation, the kingsguard stepped onto a hay bale to gain some height. 'AERYS!' he bellowed. 'You are a prince of a realm! Do not run from your guardians for some silly game. Come out here this instant or you will only further delay these watchmen. They know their duty boy. Do you?'
Aerys was unmoved. He had just finished making a deal with one of the younger stable boys shortly before the knight arrived. 'The prince isn't 'ere milord. he went back to 'is room.' Said a nearby black brother.
Ser Bennard marched off in annoyance.
'Thank you' Aerys spoke up after the knight left. He was barely hidden crouched down behind a horse.
'For what you're paying us, lyin' to that prick is easy. It's the next part that that'll be painful. More for you than us lot.'
It hadn't cost Aerys much in truth. Ten silver was half his weekly allowance. And to think the stable hands were going to share it.
'Are you sure you want to join us at dawn? I know you want to take aty's place, but even he is a few years older than you your grace. It's not my place to stop royalty goin north of the wall, but it's no place for lordlings.'
'I'm sure.' Aerys had to get a hold of that sword. He knew how to ride a horse. He could use his royal status to get most of the other watchmen to help him. All he had to do was separate the sword from its wielder, and he'll figure it out from there.
'As long as Arty's out by dawn they won't notice the switch.' Arty was a boy of ten the same height as Aerys with the same valyrian features. The prince hadn't asked how he became part of the watch.
'Then you'd best find a place to rest my prince. It will be a hard journey, and we leave at dawn.'
Aerys found a spot in the stables. He had never slept so roughly before. He would never sleep so comfortably for some time.
The castle was quiet come dawn.
Rhaella was still asleep. No one planned to wake her.
Arty had escaped his room through a window in the middle of the night. He too was sleeping all be it much more uncomfortably.
Jaeharys was awake to watch the expedition leave. He had to show face, especially as this expedition was supposed to be his idea.
Bloodraven was ecstatic, moving about with more energy than he'd felt in years. He did not know of Aerys's deception.
Everyone else in the expedition did know about Aerys. They were getting ready for a rather short journey before the truth is discovered and they are turned around.
Aerys was scared. The naivety of his decision was only now kicking in. It was, he felt, too late to turn back. The punishment would be legendary.
As the sun rose on a quiet Castle Black, a group of black brothers rode out to face their destiny.