7 The winged knight

70 Ac

Many nobles of the realm from all corners of the 7 kingdoms started to arrive to the capital, Kingslanding on the roads that started to be built they were widely known as the King's Road made from Tarthstone an invention created by Galledon Tarth. Kingslanding was full of merchants peddling their wares and goods to the passing lords and ladies who came for the marriage of the Prince and heir Aemon Targaryen and Lady Jocelyn Baratheon. There was also a tourney held in their honor with Knights and nobles gathered to compete on horseback with lances and other weapons, seeking to win fame, honor, and prizes.

POV of a young smallfolk boy

Standing on my toes trying to see the arena I saw when they introduced the knights one by one to the people. After a knight with a gold lion on a red field came my favorite knight, sir Galladon Tarth the winged knight I watched as he rode into the ring with his helmet off showing off his short dirty blond hair and dark blue eyes. He looked tall sitting on his warhorse at 6 feet 2 inches, with his signature amour of a red and blue color scheme, with gold ornaments, and his famous wings made of black and white feathers fastened on his saddle. He is known as one of the best fighters and jousters in the realm, as he rode by the crowd started cheering madly as he had the love of the people for always donating his winnings to the poor. There was a time in the town of Saltpans when he tossed a bag of gold in the crowd which started a fight among the people, He later made up for it by giving the people food and drinks in the local taverns I hope he does so today as well.

All the knights competing went up to the king and his family sat to bow and make themselves known by the tournament announcer. Afterward ser Galladon went up to a lady in a red and white dress with beautiful red hair and green eyes. After talking for a short moment the lady tied her handkerchief to the knight's lance showing her favor.

The joust will consist of three passes if it even lasts that long. You receive one point for making contact with your opponent. You receive two points if you hit your opponent and break your lance. Finally, if you knock your opponent off his horse, you'll receive three points. Most knights who are knocked off their horses don't continue the joust and are allowed to withdraw with honor. There's also a rule that if any knight doesn't agree with the ruling of the tournament judge, they can settle the competition with hand-to-hand combat.

After half a day the last match of the day started with a wave of a flag two knights charge at each other, sir galladon has his lance lowered while he charges a knight in house Arryn colors hitting him with a perfect strike in the center of the knight's chest and knocking him off his horse and winning the tourney. The crowd goes wild and Sir Galladon holds his broken lance up in victory. He is then given a wreath of flowers which he quickly takes and drops on the lap of the lady who has given him her favor, the lady accepted smiling brightly at the gesture.

Pov King Jaehaerys I Targaryen

"He's really good isn't he," asked my wife the live of my life as we watched Sir Galladon Tarth of Morne defeat Rodrick Arryn. I hummed showing my acknowledgment my wife caught onto my mood and asked if I was still upset about the deal Galladon and I made to build the roads with his Tarthstone.

"He's a brilliant man it's true but his success has blinded him to the enemies he's been making due to his arrogance." For example, he has been a lord of a castle now for two years yet the citadel has not seen it fit to send him a measter. The reason for this is because of his University which has been undermining the citadel by bringing men of knowledge together to create and invent great new things, the citadel has not been so happy with their influence being challenged they have been sending me ravens almost every other day to have Galladon give his studies to them freely, so they may be able to share the knowledge with the whole of Westeros" the queen scoffed and raised an eyebrow and ask "will you"

I chuckled and shook my head saying no since that would set a precedent and have the other nobles paranoid, thinking about what would be taken next their rights, and privileges seven forbade their lands. we already ruffled some feathers after we put a stop to the right of the first night. they wouldn't have it.

Galladon pov:

Galladon looked up from the tree stump he was using as a table. On it was a wet stone he was using to keep his sword sharpened. Galladon was cleaning rhythmically with a rag. He'd been going at it for a couple of minutes, long after any grime would have been wiped away. The weapon had been clean when he started. It hadn't been used since he came to the capital but He needed the familiar motions. In an unfamiliar place. For Galladon, weapons maintenance was a ritual more than a chore, it was a chance for him to throw his mind toward something that wasn't the living sewage that this city was like his brother always said. He liked to think he was adapting better than most, or at least better than his brother who always had a perfumed glove on him at all times.Something I created a few years back, It has been a few years since we came to the mainland with Sir Jon my brother we traveled through the Stormlands with its dense forest that seems to go on forever, the Reach with its flat plains and fertile fields, the Westerlands with its Rocky Mountains full of wealth, the Riverlands with streams and rivers wherever you look and in my opinion the most beautiful of the kingdoms that is also where I earned my knighthood by saving lord mooton daughter from bandits at the age of 15. We then went to the north with its vast empty plains and snow-capped mountains, we didn't stay there for too long but it was an experience going through the neck a horrible one but one nonetheless. And now we are here in the Crownlands the last stop on our journey before we head home.

I remembered a time when we started to learn to fight from my brother Sir Jon he had walked up to me one night while we were setting up our tents for the day and told me "Go over to the second wagon, grab the wooden weapons stored in there, and come back." He starts clearing some ground to make a makeshift arena. I return with several different types of weapons.

When I finish helping Jon with the arena, he says, "Good, now all we need is a sparring partner."

I look puzzled. "You mean, I won't be sparring with you?"

Jon laughs. "Kid, even if I go easy on you, there's the possibility I might pummel you to death by accident. It's better you fight someone on your level, and gradually increase from there." He looks over at Garth. "What's your friend's name again?"

"Garth," you respond.

"He'll do. Hey Garth, come over here. I need your help with something." Garth quickly walks over.

Jon continues. "Okay boys, I'm going to teach you how to use a variety of weapons. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. Feel free to ask any questions you want, even if you think they're stupid; just make sure you listen to my answers, because I don't like to repeat myself." then he says "let see what we're working with" Garth looked scared to fight me because I was the one who took care of him I reassured him that it was alright to spar with me he nodded with a resolute face and went into his stance. Garth had a longsword and I a short sword with shield. I tried to move forward but he kept his distance and stabbed me multiple times for my efforts. Every time I move forward he just keep his distance and circles around.

Jon stopped us and I asked to change weapons since the short sword was useless against a long sword.

Jon scoffed and said "It's true that a longsword have a better reach and that is its advantage, but it also has a weakness what is it," he asked me I responded after thinking for a while and said "the closer I get the harder it is for him to use his sword effectively and since I have a short sword it is easier for me to handle it at close range.

He nods and pat me on the back and said "Don't forget to use your shield it's not meant for decorations now start again."

We nodded and went back to circling each other

Garth nods and starts stabbing at me again. I begin dodging the blows at first. I throw a couple of feints, moving forward a couple of times and causing garth to stumble, but garth is quick to get back into position. Out of frustration, Garth attacks with a deep strike, and rather than moving backward to avoid it, I move forward into the strike, parrying it away with my shield and with my sword, I hit his sword hand making him drop his sword, then I ram into him with my shoulder making him fall on the floor. then lay my sword on his neck after which he surrendered. Jon clapped and smiled "you see after getting past his guard it was easier for you win the fight so don't underestimate a weapon because of it's range, a dagger can kill you if used accurately." "now who's hungry?" he said taking out the rabbit we captured in the morning.

I look up from my thoughts when I hear Gerald walk in with some guards carrying a big chest full of gold which we won from the gambling dens. "How's our winnings this time Gerald" asked Garth sitting nearby.

"Ohh Garth it's better than expected so much more than the winning purse that Galladon won in the joust,"

I watched as Gerald took a coin from the chest and did something like Gollum with the ring in the hobbit.

murmuring something like "my precious"

"Gerald your greed is showing," I say

"Reel it in Gerald," said Garth

he broke out of his trance and within the blink of an eye he stood up straight with the gold still in his hands he looked down noticing the gold and started laughing like a madman followed by me and Gerald, after calming down Garth asked what we all wanted to know, "where to now my lord" I looked east with winds from the sea blowing the tent opened and smiled simply saying "home".