Mary Ann

'Someone is coming. They're strong.' I said as me and my brother Lyonel Ann scrambled to our feet with our weapons drawn ready to intercept.

Whoever that is coming is as strong as me if not stronger and they're alone so that's good. My brother and I are the last of our parents after they died in our village during the last Blackfyre rebellion. It was that same day my fortunes changed as in grief I unlocked conqueror's haki and knocked out the remaining soldiers before stealing a sword and fleeing with my brother.

News about me circulated the realm as everyone was interested in finding out about the peasant with Hashoku. I was eventually taken in by the Blackwoods. They treated me and my brother as wards. We were trained and educated alongside the heir and other nobles.At first I thought I was being groomed to be his wife, my hopes were dashed by Lady Blackwood.

'You think you are worthy of my son just because of Hashoku? Do not overstep peasant.'

It was then I realized nobles only seek their benefits. They only want to bind me to their house but not too closely because of my peasant roots.When I turned eight and ten I was knighted after clearing some bandits (codename for Brackens to these Blackwoods). I became a landed knight under the Blackwoods. I guess this was their plan all along. As long as my brother is safe and can get more out of life I'll do anything.

The bushes started shaking and a second later a tall man stepped out. He had the weirdest eyes I have ever seen or heard of. His eye balls where yellow with two outer rings forming around the pupils. He carried a massive sword on his back about the size of the legendary sword Ice of the Starks.

He had all black hair with a few strands falling down his face and the rest held up in a ponytail. He wasn't too muscular he was strong but had a slim frame. He was quite handsome if I had to say so. He walked closer to us and stared at us from a few paces away before saying.

' Its not everyday you meet The Sword Maiden on the road. Its an honor to meet you.'

'Its an honor likewise good ser.'

'I'm not a Ser. Thats for you Andals and soft southrons.'

'You're not a knight and you're this strong?'

'Of course. It wasn't easy. Your range of haki is really good if you could still sense me while I was suppressing my prescence.'

Wait hold on. Supressing his prescence? What the fuck is that. Is that something people can do with haki. Those damned Blackwoods were still holding back info from me. Want to turn me into an attack dog.

'Sorry sir but what do you mean suppressing your prescence?' asked my little brother.

The man sighed before looking at the campfire , he reached out for his sword, drew it and I couldn't hold back my shock. This fucker had Valyrian steel! If he was strong before he was dangerous as fuck now. I tightened my grip in my blade incase an attack falls.

He turned and sliced a log of wood of a tree behind him before carrying it to a corner of the campsite and sitting on it. He then looks at us and gestures to our seats. I looked aat my brother briefly before sitting down.

'First of what is haki?' he asked.

'What kind of question is that everyone knows what haki is. Its is the gift provided by the Seven and the Old Gods on humans to help us survive the world.'

'Wrong. I was taught the same thing but I came to another conclusion that I feel is correct. Haki is willpower.'

Blasphemy. If a Septon heard him they would try to silence him. That haki is the greatest gift the gods gave humanity. If he goes around saying these things he will get in trouble. I wanted to to warn him but at the same time I want to hear him out.

'What do you mean willpower?'

'I mean haki is simply using your will to interact with the world and attempt to pry some of the rules of you. Also how your will interacts with yourself.'

'So it isn't some mystical energy of the gods?'

'Yes. We simply found a way to weaponize our willpower my lady.'

This is groundbreaking. I could hear my brother take a deep breath. The consequences if this spread out as a new belief would be devastating for the Faith.

The man chuckled as he looked at us before saying,

'So based on that idea when I was younger I was running from a bear and it was gaining on me. So I tried supressing my prescence, it didn't work initially but I kept trying and running and while in the heat of battle after a sharp turn it just clicked. And from then on I excert my willpower on myself to prevent detection. To observation users I appear as a blank spot in their range that most won't give notice too unless in their line of sight.'

'You must be terribly strong. Are you going for Lord Tully's tourney?'

'Of course. I advice you to leave the melee and archery to me. I can't lose.'

'That's big talk and I'm a big girl. Want to put some coin where your mouth is?'

'Ha! Lets fucking go I'm betting five gold dragons on myself winning both.'

I smiled at that. Its been a while since I could talk to someone without looking for double meanings or insults down here.

'I'm putting ten gold that I would win one of them.'

'Ahhh my lady, I shall not go easy on you regardless of how beautiful you are dear.'

'Hey. Don't underestimate big sis. She has never lost a fight.'

The man looked my dead in the eyes with those haunting yellow eyes and said,

'Well then allow me be the first to lay you on your back my lady.'

I groaned uhhhh he's sarcastic too. He'll be an interesting companion on the the way there.