47 The Black Knight

It did not take Aemon long to escort the Lady Redwyne to the Red Keep, nor did it take him and Percy long to find the tourney grounds. Of course he did not expect his brother Jaehaerys to be in a foul mood as Aegon helped him don a new set of jousting armor. Nor did he expect to find Rhaenys looking particularly murderous as she and Daenerys observe from the side while the former Queen of the Seven Kingdoms attempts to soothe her ire.

The armor clearly was meant for Aegon's bulkier frame as opposed to Jaehaerys' slim one, yet for reasons unknown to Aemon, Jaehaerys is the one who dons it.

Upon seeing Aemon enter their designated tent, Rhaenys' frown and glare vanish from her visage as if a mirage and a smile spreads across her face.

"Aemon." greets Rhaenys as the smile on her face dims and the frown returns to her face.

"Sister." replies Aemon as he uses his thumb to smooth out her frown. "I wonder which poor fool of a knight has drawn Jaehaerys' wrath?" he asks.

"A fool of a Hightower with a death wish." says Jaehaerys.

"And what could he have possibly done to have you don Aegon's armor to face him in the joust?" Aemon asks with a grin as he anticipates a good show.

"Nothing noteworthy." Rhaenys says with a roll of her eyes. "Jae is simply taking the slight personally as he is want to do."

"I will accept calls of bastardry but I will never accept calling my mother a whore, regardless of the world."Jaehaerys says.

"Aye, Jaehaerys has the right of it. That is an insult that should be answered for, regardless of whether it was meant personally or not." Aemon replies.

"Of course you would agree with him. The both of you are easily offended by the smallest of perceived slights." says Rhaenys while rolling her eyes.

"It is the fey in you both." chimes the Other.

"Jaehaerys is mortal still." Aemon argues.

"Perhaps, but he is at the very threshold. One simple ritual would have him join you as a mixture of fey and whatever monstrosity you dragonlords are descended from." the Other says.

"Hmmm." hums Aemon in agreement as he regards Jaehaerys with a curious eye, and for a brief moment a fey warrior's figure overlaps with Jaehaerys' before vanishing in a flash.

"Intriguing." remarks the Other.

"You saw that?" asks Aemon.

"Perhaps some form of future sight? Koios is the Titan of foresight and was known to predate the oracle." speculates the Other.

Before Aemon can answer him, the tent flap opens and Daemon, donning his own armor for the tourney, joins them as Rhaenyra and who Aemon believes to be Laena Velaryon follow him.

"Princess." greets Aegon with a bow while the others follow through.

"Rhaenyra, these are Princess Saera's children, Aegon, Jaehaerys, Rhaenys, Daenerys, and Aemon. They have chosen to return to Westeros to rejoin the family. Unfortunately the Princess is no longer living." introduces Daemon.

No matter how many times he hears it Aemon will never become accustomed to the story Aegon has chosen for them.

Somehow he and Daenerys stumbled upon a dying Saera Targaryen in Volantis and as a final fuck you to her father and mother she gave Aegon her blessing for them to masquerade as her bastard children. Children who did not come to be in this world yet were very much real in their own iterations of Westeros. How she knew that they were truly Targaryens is beyond Aemon, and in truth he theories that she did not truly care if they were Targaryens or not. It is moments like these that remind Aemon that there may be a higher power meddling at times.

"Cousins." greets Rhaenyra with a grin before pulling Laena by the arm and introducing her to them. "Meet Laena Velaryon, daughter of Princess Rhaenys." she says.

"Lady Laena." greets Aemon with a smile as he places a kiss on Laena's hand. Could her brown skin visibly redden Aemon is sure they would for Laena barely meets his eye before bashfully turning away.

"How cute." says an amused Aemon, causing Laena to glare at him.

"Stop harassing the poor girl Aemon." Rhaenys says as she swats his arm before turning to Rhaenyra and Laena. "Forgive my brother, women of beauty are a weakness of his."

"Slander dear sister." Aemon retorts.

"Arianne, Margaery, the Red Witch, Val… need I go on." Rhaenys says with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. "Not to mention Reina and Evelynn."

"I have not slept with the last two." Aemon retorts with a frown.

"Yet." chimes Jaehaerys, Aegon, and Daenerys from behind him, causing his frown to worsen.

Seeing the interaction of the siblings, Rhaenyra cannot help but giggle in amusement, especially upon seeing Aemon's frown and glare which lacks heat.

"It is a pleasure to meet you cousins, although you have left me in something of a dilemma, Aemon." Rhaenyra says before elaborating. "Ser Criston was meant to be my champion for the tourney yet the maester has deemed him unfit to participate." she explains.

"Unfortunately your knight does not possess the skills required to give credence to his arrogance." Aemon says with a shrug.

"Ser Criston is the finest knight of the realm. He has even beaten uncle Daemon." argues Rhaenyra with a frown.

"No offense meant to Ser Daemon princess, but there are fouler, darker, and more dangerous beings in the world than Ser Daemon and Ser Criston's morningstar." Aemon says, causing Jaehaerys and Aegon to snicker in amusement.

Hearing Aemon's words, Rhaenyra turns to Daemon only to find him watching the exchange with a smirk on his lips.

"Will you not defend your honor, uncle?" Rhaenyra asks.

"What slight has been made towards my honor, dear niece?" asks Daemon with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you not pride yourself on being dangerous?" she asks, causing Daemon to laugh.

"You speak of things you do not understand. I shall explain it to you at a later date, now make your request and return to the stands. I am sure that my brother will begin to worry soon at your absence." replies Daemon

"Fine." she says with a frown before turning to Aemon, a black ribbon embroidered with red dragons in her hand. "Be my champion in the tourney." she says, causing Aemon to raise an eyebrow at her.

"I have no interest in the tourney to be honest. These knights of summer cannot entertain me nor are they worth the display of my skills." Aemon replies with a smile

"If you win the melee I may be able to convince my father to give you a position at court." Rhaenyra says, killing Aemon's smile.

"Do not make promises you cannot keep princess." Aemon warns.

"I do not make promises I cannot keep." Rhaenyra says defiantly, ignoring Laena's whispers in her ear.

"In that case I would be honored to." says Aemon with a smile as he extends his right arm to Rhaenyra.

"Thank you." the princess whispers with a blush as she ties the ribbon around Aemon's arm before racing out of the tent with a giggling Laena.

As the two ladies disappear from sight Daemon turns to Jaehaerys. "Word has spread that the cunt Hightower's son had an altercation in the Street of Steel. I thought nothing of it yet here you are donning armor when your brother previously claimed that he would participate." he says.

"A foul mouthed little shit that one." Jaehaerys says, causing Daemon to grin.

"I will see you in the finals then." Daemon says before turning to Aemon. "I will have you added to the melee as a mystery knight. Do not disappoint my niece." he tells Aemon before leaving.

"Do you even own a suitable set of armor?" asks Rhaenys.

"I have no need of armor to face these knights of summer." replies Aemon.

"Perhaps not, but a mystery knight should be just that, a mystery." says his sister, before turning to leave the tent. "Come we shall at the very least find you a plain breastplate and a helm.

"And what of the joust? Do you not wish to see Jaehaerys compete?" asks Aemon.

"Jaehaerys is a man grown, he will survive my absence." she says, making Aemon chuckle before he turns to Percy.

"You can watch the joust with Aegon and Daenerys." Aemon tells him as he follows his sister in search of a chestplate and a helm.

…

…

…

The rolling of the drums heralded the beginning of the tourney as the herald finishes his introductory speech. Rhaenyra, unable to completely withhold her excitement, leans forward in her seat, watching as the knights enter the arena while the herald announces their identity.

Eventually the last knight enters, riding a horse black as knight and a set of armor with the same coloring, a mystery knight with a mocking, laughing weirwood depicted on his shield.

"And our mystery knight, The Black Knight!" announces the herald to the cheering crowd.

"That's Jaehaerys." Rhaenyra excitedly whispers to Laena upon seeing the long black hair streaked in silver flowing out of the helm and down the knight's upper back. "Do you think he will go far?" she asks.

"He defeated Prince Daemon in a duel." Laena says.

"Perhaps, but jousting and dueling are different." Rhaenyra says.

"We shall see." Laena answers with a laugh as Jaehaerys rides before the contestants and stops before Ser Gwayne Hightower, younger brother to Lady Alicen Hightower.

Upon seeing this Rhaenyra cannot help but steal a glance at the Lady Hightower behind her, though perhaps she should not have bothered considering the Lady herself does not seem worried.

By the time Rhaenyra has turned around the two knights have already taken their place at opposite ends of the arena.

With a shout Ser Gwayne spurs his horse on with Jaehaerys following suit immediately. The two clash in the middle, their lances hitting their targets for true yet Jaehaerys remains steadfast upon his horse while Ser Gwayne struggles not to fall. The second tilt is much the same, and so is the third.

"Our mystery knight plays with his food." says the voice Princess Rhaenys Velaryon, mother of Laena, causing Rhaenyra to turn to her.

"Or Ser Gwayne may actually be quite skilled." Rhaenyra tells her, earning an eye roll from Princess Rhaenys.

"Ser Gwayne possesses as much skill with a lance as he possesses the ability to birth children." Rhaenys says with a mocking smirk just as Ser Gwayne Hightower is unhorsed by Jaehaerys.

"Sword!" screams Ser Gwayne as he lifts himself from the ground.

Upon receiving his sword Ser Gwayne does not hesitate to launch himself at Jaehaerys, though he may as well have not bothered for Jaehaerys too lunges at him.

"Spineless, cockless, and skilless coward, as expected of a Hightower." Jaehaerys says as he effortlessly swats Ser Gwayne's sword away, seemingly not caring that his words offend The Hand and the second most powerful family in Westeros.

"Your house has never produced anyone or anything of worth and you have the audacity to strut about like a peacock looking for a good fuck. Your repute comes from your Hightower and even that was not constructed by you. No, you had to beg The Builder to have it built." continues Jaehaerys as he batters away at Ser Gwayne with none of the precision he had previously used against Daemon.

His words resound through the now silent arena as nobles and peasants alike listen to him disparage the hand's house while beating his son.

"You call me a bastard, but I'm not any fucking bastard. You call my mother a whore but you would have to bow before her were she here." Jaehaerys says as kicks Ser Gwayne in the chest, launching him in the air and landing heavily a few feet.

As he removes his helm, Rhaenyra can feel the tension multiply as Jaehaerys' visage becomes visible to all.

"Remember this, Ser Peacock, I hail from the two greatest houses in Westeros; whether now or in the past. And even if I am a bastard, Stark and Targaryen bastards have accomplished more than even the greatest trueborn Hightower." Jaehaerys says as he steps on Ser Gwayne's chest and places his sword at his neck "Now yield."

"Well, this is certainly a development." Princess Rhaenys says worriedly, though Rhaenyra wagers that she is far more amused and intrigued than worried.

Understanding the possible repercussions of Jaehaerys' actions, Rhaenyra turns to face her father in the hopes of gauging his thoughts; and as she somewhat expected he is more entertained and intrigued as opposed to offended.

The same though cannot be said for the Lord Hand, for his face is as red as an apple and he seems ready to commit murder. His daughter is much the same as she glares openly at Jaehaerys.

Before either her father or the hand can address what happened in the arena the maester approaches her father and whispers in his ear.

With a boisterous laugh he stands up and addresses the crowd, "It seems that today is a day for joyous news and children coming home. The children of Princess Saera Targaryen, daughter of Good Queen Alysanne and King Jaehaerys have returned home to Westeros. And as our Black Knight has demonstrated for us, her sons make for formidable warriors. And to add to this happy occasion the maester tells me that Queen Aemma has begun her labors. Let us enjoy this auspicious occasion!" exclaims her father, causing all, nobles and peasants alike, to cheer.

Author's Note: Here's the latest chapter. Sorry for not giving you guys a heads up last week. It was Easter and I don't update on major holidays. As usual, what do you guys think? And if you want to support me I have a patreon: patreon.com/servantambrosius