Chapter 30: Chapter 12: The Tourney of Kings Landing (Part 2)

Two Hours Later

Aegon made his way back to the royal pavilion, Rhaenys, Vaemond and Nyel in tow, Visenya had taken Matarys back to the Aegonfort as he was too distraught to continue. The crowds had returned as well but the mood was much more somber and reserved than before.

They had moved an unconscious Orys to a nearby tent, a difficult task as it took several men to carry Orys, already a large man, in his plate armor. Grandmaester Arlan had managed to remove the helm and inspect the damage, Orys’s eye was completely destroyed, with chips of the ornamental golden antlers and the plate armor still embedded in his eye.

Arlan had removed the antler fragments as well as most of the chips of plate, when Aegon had asked if Orys would live, the maester nodded and said the shock would have killed most men but he was past the worst of the danger now, though he obviously would lose what little remained of his eye.

At this point, Nestor Royce had ran in, half armored and clearly devastated. He had offered his apologies and stated that this had not been his intention.

Aegon harbored no ill will to the Lord of Runestone, it was clear to anyone in attendance the tragedy was born of poor luck and chance, Orys had been blinded by a sudden change in the brightness and had not been able to recover, there had been no dishonor or malice on Nestors part.

Orys at this point had somehow overcome the numbing effect of the milk of the poppy and woken up, he managed to mumble to Lord Royce that he wouldn't have it said Orys Baratheon lost to the runner-up of the tourney and the only thing he could do now was to win the damn thing, Orys then promptly fell back into unconsciousness.

Once Aegon was ensured that Orys was about as fine as one might expect after losing an eye, he ordered the tourney to continue with the final joust, Lord Royce against Lord Bulwer.

It had taken 3 tilts for a winner to emerge, when Lord Nestor Royce managed a hit on Lord Bulwer that sent him flying, the crowd gasped as it was a heavy fall, but the stocky Lord Bulwer had managed to get to his feet, the seating section dedicated to those from the Vale erupted in a huge cheer that went on for several minutes.

Lord Royce had given his lady wife, Nynia Tollet the honor of being the Queen of love and beauty, a rather unremarkable woman with sad eyes and a bun of orange hair.

Aegon then stood in front of the two men, dismounted by now and facing the royal pavilion.

‘’Lord Bulwer…..step forward my lord.’’ The stocky knight stepped forward, looking more like a blacksmith than a knight without his plate armor.

‘’You have represented both the Reach and your House well….hundreds of riders participated in the tourney, and to be the runner-up is a great accomplishment.’’ The King began.

‘’It would have been a greater honor to win the tourney, but you honor me your words your grace.’’ Humphrey Bulwer said.

‘’I am told you have a son, Lord Bulwer?’’ Aegon continued.

The Lord of Blackcrown nodded ‘’A boy of one your grace.’’

‘’In addition to the runners-up purse, if you wish when the boy comes of age, I shall have him fostered here at the capitol, he shall serve as a page and then squire to Corlys Velaryon, Lord Commander of my Kingsguard.’’ Aegon said.

‘’I would be honored to accept your Grace…I shall see to it on his 5th nameday.’’ Lord Bulwer said, stepping back.

‘’Lord Royce….approach.’’ Aegon commanded and the Lord of Runestone obeyed, taking a knee.

‘’Your Grace.’’

‘’Rise my lord……hundreds of riders took the field over the past week, and yet you alone remain….I name you champion, you do your house a great honor with your accomplishment.’’ Aegon began.

‘’The honor of participating is reward enough for me your Grace.’’ Lord Royce said humbly.

‘’You shall be rewarded beyond just that Lord Royce….I grant you the greatest honor I can bestow upon you…..your youngest daughter will be betrothed to my second son Matarys…..your grandchildren will be niece and nephew to the future King.’’ Aegon began.

Lord Royce looked shocked but nodded his assent ‘’You honor my house your grace….I pray Demerei proves a worthy match.’’

‘’Furthermore, I will send my son Matarys to Runestone to be your ward….you have proven your merit and temperament today….I would not entrust my son to any victor, but you have proven your worthiness…I shall have him sent within the fortnight.’’ Aegon said, he noticed Visenya's eyes filled with surprise and a thinly concealed glare.

‘’I am unworthy of this Honor your grace….to raise a prince…’’ Nestor the Gallant began but Aegon smiled.

‘’Yet it is an honor you will take all the same my lord.’’ The King said and Nestor nodded.

Later that Evening

The King sat at his solar looking at the scroll Harlan Tyrell, his master of coin, had left with him, detailing the expenses of the tourney.

It had been a costly affair, with the King even borrowing money from the Iron Bank in Braavos, something he was loathe to do but necessary for the tourney to be held, since much of the treasury had been spent on further improvements to both the city walls and the red keep, the noise of both projects being heard clearly all the way in the Kings solar.

The debt will be repaid in two years time Aegon thought to himself, well ahead of the 5 year contract he had promised to repay the bank with.

‘’My queen…the King left orders not to be disturb….’’ The voice of Ser Garmon Hightower said on the other end of the door, but the door to his solar came flying open, his sister Visenya standing in the doorway, Ser Garmon protesting behind her.

‘’Leave us Ser.’’ Aegon nodded to Ser Garmon, who bowed and withdrew.

‘’You wish to send our son away…and you dont breathe a word of it to me ahead of time.’’ Visenya said, her voice cold with anger.

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‘’Visenya…I did not know who would win the tourney, I would not have sent him to anyone….Orys and Lord Royce were the two I was considering…If it had been a winner I was not familiar with I would not have.’’ Aegon began.

‘’He is our son..and…and he is touched. You know that, he should remain here with his family, not alone with people that do not understand his mind.’’ Visenya said with venom, by this point they knew that their son Matarys was what they called ‘’touched’’, a common condition for the Targaryens.

‘’Visenya…..leaving the capitol is exactly what he needs.’’

‘’Explain yourself.’’ His sister commanded.

‘’Our son is a sweet boy….but I fear we have enabled him, it was one thing when he played with kittens and imaginary friends as a boy of four, but he is six now, with no signs of changing…perhaps leaving the comfort of home is what he needs, he will not be a child forever.’’ Aegon said.

‘’We can help him……you don't need to send him away.’’ Visenya said, almost pleadingly at this point.

‘’Lord Royce is a kind hearted man, much like our son, but he is also a formidable warrior….he can teach our son the balance between the two…and Matarys should meet his betrothed, let them grow up together and the girl will understand his mind and learn to deal with it.’’ Aegon said gently.

Visenya nodded slowly ‘’Damn you Aegon….Damn you…..but you speak truly…..at least give him a few more days of childhood before he is shipped off.’’

Aegon nodded ‘’He will have a fortnight to say his goodbyes.’’

Two Weeks Later

Docks of Kings Landing

Rhaenys made her way to the docks with the rest of her family, light rain drizzling down.

It had been pitiful to watch Matarys the last few days, he had made rounds of the castle saying goodbye to quite literally everyone, members of the council, guards, servants, even saying farewell to servants he had never met.

Rhaenys had no children of her own, she was not a religious woman but she even grown so desperate to pray to the seven on some nights while others she prayed to the old gods of Valyria,  but they had not seen fit to answer her prayers.

With the absence of children on her own, she had done her best to help raise her sisters children, reading poems and singing them songs as young children, Nyel and Vaemond had long since grown out of it, but little Matarys still enjoyed those nights spent together, and she always humored his insistence that his imaginary friends be allowed to listen to the stories as well.

It's not right to send him away Rhaenys thought to herself, Nyel and Vaemond would have done well at another court, Nyel was courteous and gregarious, while Vaemond made for a fine squire, but Matarys was a gentle boy and would likely struggle at a court hundreds of miles away from his family.

‘’Can I bring Ser Whiskers with me?’’ Matarys asked as they slowly made their way to the ship.

‘A ship is no place for a cat Matarys besides you are going to the Eyrie, how do you think you will get him up there?’’ Aegon said, Lord Royce was master at arms of the Vale and spent his time at the Eyrie and its wasycastles, though Matarys would split his time between Runestone with his betrothed and the Eyrie with Lord Nestor.

‘’I hear they have a basket they bring food up in, Ser Whiskers would probably be very scared to be put in there, best he stays here.’’ Rhaenys said gently.

‘’What will happen to him, you wont let Dalton go near him right?’’ Matarys asked anxiously.

‘’Ill look after him.’’ Nyel said with a smile, putting a hand on her little brother's shoulder.

They soon reached the end of the dock where a small rowboat was waiting to take the young prince to the galley that would take him to Gulltown, where he would then be escorted to Runestone for a feast and then make his way to the Eyrie.

Rhaenys watched as her brother and sister embraced their son, her brother instructing Matarys on the proper way to greet his escort and what to say when he arrived to be hosted at the feast in Runestone.

Next came his siblings, Nyel gave him a hug and a gift of some sweetened almonds for the trip there.

Vaemond gave his brother some advice and a wooden sword to take with him to the Eyrie ‘’It will be hard for you there Matarys and it will take you time to get used to it, but listen to Lord Royce and he will teach you how to fight.’’

Last came Rhaenys who kneeled down and gave her nephew a hug.

‘’I have a gift for you, Matarys.’’ She said quietly.

‘’What is it?’’ Matarys asked with interest.

‘’Your brother will have his strength and his crown….your sister will be queen one day….but you little one….you will fly.’’ She said quietly, drawing the Dragon egg from the satchel she had brought with her.

It was a magnificent egg, white as fresh fallen snow, smooth as a chicken's egg without a single deformity or dent, as she took it out from the satchel, the sun which had risen to drive off the ran glittered so that the egg shone like a pearl.

‘’It's…its for me?’’ Matarys asked, slowly taking it from his aunt's hand.

‘’It is….but you must be very careful with it, especially when taking it up the Eyrie….keep it with you at all times and be certain to never misplace it….even at night keep it in your bed, if you should notice it moving inform the maester to send a raven to me immediately.’’ Rhaenys instructed. She had held on to the egg for over two years, hoping to be blessed with her own child, but her prayers had not been answered, but if she was going to give it away, now was the time.

Matarys gave his aunt a hug.

‘’I will miss you sweet boy.’’ Rhaenys said, giving the boy a kiss on the cheek as he made his way to the rowboat.

Rhaenys watched as the small boat made its way through Blackwater bay, praying once again to gods she did not believe in that the boy be kept safe.

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