The Great Tournament

Aerion, after waking up and preparing himself for the day ahead, left his guest room. By his door stood Jaime Lannister, who seemed rather sleepy.

"Have someone stand in for you, you're the Lord Commander." Aerion sighed seeing his sorry state.

"I drank a little more than I should've." Jaime chuckled, admitting the truth. "And I could not rest either…"

"What made you so restless?"

"I… don't know."

"Really, now? You can be honest with me."

"..."

"Something Cersei related?"

"Perhaps…"

Aerion frowned, looking directly in Jaime's green eyes. "Is she worth it? Did you see how she completely disregarded you over me?"

"Honestly, I get the impression that she might have slept with more than just Edmure Tully." Aerion stated what he thought. "Of course, I could be wrong yet the fact remains that the bond you shared all those years ago is no longer the same."

"You should move on. There are plenty of better women in this world to go around, you know."

"I don't know…" Jaime replied.

"Hmph, then figure it out. This matter isn't really my concern other than your well-being. Regarding that… try to get some sleep."

"I'll see what I can do." Jaime turned and began to walk in the direction of his quarters.

"That's not just a suggestion, Ser Jaime, it's an order." Aerion added with emphasis.

"Hah... I'll do it to the best of my ability, Your Grace."

After Jaime faded from his vision, Aerion sighed in regret. It had not been his intention for things to end this way.

~

A dozen dragons soared through the night sky above King's Landing, most of whom landed before the Dragon Gate. One large dragon separated itself from the rest along with a smaller three-headed dragon, flying higher to the Red Keep and landing in one of its larger courtyards. Aerion and his retinue dismounted this dragon and landed onto the well-decorated courtyard ground.

"Finally back home, eh?" Viserys remarked.

"Sunspear still stands." Aerion replied, turning his attention to the crowd of people who had rushed to witness his return. "This is quite the welcome, though."

A wave of both lords and magisters almost smothered him in praise and warm words. It was not until he raised his hand did they cease. Although usually a keen listener, most of it was the same gibberish he had heard before.

"I'm sure there is much to be discussed, however, all that can wait."

"There must be a feast in His Grace's honour!" Viserys interjected. "Can't you see? The Emperor is slowly starving to death!"

Aerion chuckled along with the humoured crowd. "He's not wrong."

Aerion rejected the notion of a massive feast, leaving that for later. Instead, he sat with his family and had a lavish, spicy, dinner while he was at it. Although royalty, he could also enjoy more simple foods such as chicken with the right spices... especially if Dornish hot spices were involved.

"So, how's Volantis?" Aerion glanced at Daenerys and his mother after swallowing a piece of his chicken. "Is anyone giving you trouble?"

"No, not anyone in particular. It's only the group of magisters who have slightly more trouble following my orders. If it were you, they wouldn't dare question a thing you said."

"Is that so? Then what orders are you giving them?"

"I wanted the people of Volantis to be free, everyone deserves that right. I couldn't make any impactful changes yet..."

"Free?" Aerion scoffed. "You do know that such an idea stands against the New Valyrian Empire... and so, it stands against me."

"Would you be content with being held by a leash and serving one man's whims against your will?"

"Tch... why would I have to worry about such a thing?" Aerion shook his head. "Anyway, those who do not take good care of their slaves, find themselves losing them. They get everything they need... what more do they want?"

"Want... they want the freedom to-"

"So what if these slaves are suddenly 'free'... what will they do? Find themselves working under the same masters once again with fewer benefits than before. Oh, but they will be doing so 'willingly' now."

"If I wanted to end slavery completely, I could... with ease. But... my desire is not to find more of my people on the streets and dying of hunger with no one to care for them." Aerion had a taste of his wine, though his eyes had remained on Daenerys.

"This is a matter that must be done gradually and effectively, Daenerys. It's something you shouldn't concern yourself with. Am I understood?"

"Yes..." Begrudgingly, she nodded, turning her gaze away from Aerion's.

"Good."

"Well... that was quite the lecture!" Oberyn remarked. "Can I finish my dinner now?"

"Go ahead, I wasn't stopping you."

The subject changed and so, eventually, the tensions from before washed away.

~

Two days later.

The celebration started with multiple competitive events that were staged to last until the 28th day of the Second Moon, each with bountiful rewards for all those who displayed great skill. First, it was something rather simple; an archery contest testing who was the most accurate from a distance of 75 meters. After several hundred people went, it looked like an archer from the lands of Yi Ti would win... until a member of His Grace's guard stepped onto the contest grounds and struck the dead centre of the target all 5 tries with the standard bow.

"How..." The man from Yi Ti observed "Archer", the same archer who had hit Aerion's knee when he stormed King's Landing for the first time.

"Practice... practice and practice. You're pretty skilled, though, I'll give you that."

"Looks like your men take after you." Arianne stated.

"What does that mean?"

"They're far too keen to show off."

"Hahaha... well, who wouldn't want to if they could aim like that?

The archer rejected the reward for earning first place, instead he gave it to the person who was originally going to win. The man declined, feeling as he didn't earn it... and the cycle continued for a few loops until the man from Yi Ti gave in.

"You are kind."

"You need that money more than me so go ahead and take it." Archer shrugged.

"May I know your name, great archer?"

"I've discarded my old name a while ago... although simple, all my brother's call me Archer instead."

"Archer... it was good meeting you."

"Uh... sure."

Next, a dagger throwing competition in which Aerion participated and took first place with some difficulty. Since he was more than well off and only participated for fun, he removed himself from the rankings and gave his first-place earnings to his runner-up.

There were several more events such as lesser jousts and duel tournaments until it was the 26th, when the grand melee was hosted. The rules were strict on cheating, forbidding the use of any magic. Aerion, taking a dislike to the blunt weapons of ordinary melee's, allowed all standard weapons. The only catch was that killing someone or attacking after a man had already surrendered meant instant disqualification and further punishment if seen fit.

That being said, the number of participants was certainly fewer than it would've been. Not many people wanted to risk dying or being severely injured, after all. Still... the prize of fifty thousand gold dragons could change a person's whole life so it was well worthwhile.

Fortunately for the participants, it was Aerion who personally oversaw the event so every man who took part returned unscathed due to his healing magic. In the end, the victor was a relatively young, giant valyrian who seemed to be quite the experienced warrior.

"Fifty thousand gold dragons, all of which were well-earned. You even made a few Westerosi knights look like innocent pups... not bad, not bad at all." Aerion pat his back as one Soul Knight carried a brilliant chest containing exactly fifty thousand gold dragons. "Will you need help bringing this chest home? That can be arranged-"

"Well done, my slave, well done, indeed!" A rather wide man stepped foot onto the arena, backed by a few guards who approached the chest. "You've more than earned your keep this time."

Aerion frowned, stopping the slave owner's men in their path. "What are you doing?"

"Why, as his owner, everything of his possession is naturally mine. Is that not how slavery works, my Emperor?"

'This injustice...'

Aerion observed the slave's expression, who had bent before his owner. His dark blue eyes had very little light, almost closed away from the world. It seemed like his only purpose was to fight and nothing more.

'Survive...'

Aerion's violet eyes widened for a moment.

'That look... he reminds me of someone else.'

"Were you the one fighting on this tournament ground? This is a warrior's prize and so, this said warrior should spend this prize however he deems fit." Aerion declared.

"You're not his owner, you don't decide that."

"I am the owner of this gold." Aerion laughed. "And quite frankly, I now declare myself to be the master of this slave."

"What!? You can't do that... at least, buy him off me with gold!"

"Why must I buy a slave? I am THE Emperor. Everything in this World is mine if I deem it so." Aerion looked down on the slave master. "That being said, what can you do about it?"

Aerion opened his palm and a burst of pure scarlet flames erupted, frightening the guards who had approached the chest.

"Tyrant..." The slave master muttered under his teeth, retreating away from the arena.

"Hmph, it seems that a few laws must be changed." Aerion turned back to the valyrian slave. "Well... this must be new for you."

"I've seen several masters already."

"Join me." Aerion extended his hand. "And I will forge you into a proper warrior... a Knight of virtue. You will earn your freedom, too. Then you can decide whether or not you wish to continue serving me."

"... I see nothing better." He grabbed Aerion's left hand, helping himself back on both of his feet.

"Not a bad answer. Rest, for now. My Soul Knight will lead the way for you."

"Welcome to the most bloodied warband in all of the Known World!" The Soul Knight pat his shoulder before lifting the heavy treasure chest with both of his hands and walking towards the exit of the arena.

With the grand melee over, the day had no more events of interest for the day. Though, there was something far more exciting on the horizon... the Grand Joust. Before that, however, Aerion's actions at the end of the grand melee was a topic of great controversy. Slave owners, especially those involved in pit fights and such events, began to worry about the future.

"Why the sudden change of heart?" Daenerys questioned as they were returning to the Red Keep.

"Again, don't concern yourself with everything I do."

Viserys moved closer to Daenerys and whispered. "Aerion has a sweet spot for warriors. He thought that the slave owner was not worthy of all fifty thousand gold dragons... which is fair."

~

Aerion observed the long list of participants in the Grand Joust, all of whom were well-known knights or lords. Some lesser-known men had earned a spot in the lesser events while less capable highborn were granted the expensive option to buy their way in (not like they'd get far). His Kingsguard had all signed up for it, along with a few other people he knew.

The reward for first place was an irresistible one hundred thousand gold dragons and two valyrian steel swords, followed by fifty thousand gold dragons and a single valyrian steel sword for the runner-up. Lastly, the third and fourth places would earn ten thousand gold dragons each. Of course, as per tradition, first place would also be given the right to name a Queen of Love and Beauty.

There were 63 participants, however, for the 64-man tournament. One of the Westerosi knights had turned up sick and had withdrawn from the tourney in the morning...

"There are many eager men willing to fill that spot, my Emperor. Here is a list of the best ones." The aged tourney overseer stated.

"Why don't you participate again?" Arianne inquired.

"Scared of losing?" Jocelyn added. "It's understandable that you wouldn't want to fall to a nameless knight..."

"Scared?" Aerion laughed. "I'd fell half of these fools in a single tilt. I'm just giving them a chance by not participating."

"Sure... and when was the last time you practised jousting?" Jocelyn chuckled.

"A long time ago."

Aerion remembered the day he put down his blunt lance, realising that the pursuit of jousting was inferior to the one of swordsmanship and so it was a waste of his time. But he had great raw talent and a freakish understanding of the game, capable of felling all four of his Kingsguard just at the age of 14. They were still better than him at that time, of course, but he was capable of beating them.

"When I was still being raised in Sunspear."

"This tourney would be far more memorable if the Emperor himself and son of Rhaegar participated... especially if you made it to the top four. And if you won... the Emperor's declared Queen of Love and Beauty, well, that would just make a maiden's best memory in her life."

"What does that have to do with-" Aerion looked at Arianne's fiery yet requesting expression. "You want me to go through the trouble of winning this whole thing for you to have that title?"

"What, you can't do that? Or I'm not worth the effort?-"

Aerion pondered over the thought, finally deciding after the thought of the Tourney of Harrenhal crossed his mind.

"Very well... I will win this tournament."

Aerion grabbed the quil that laid beside paper containing the bracket and added his signature above the crossed-out knight's.

"It would only be the second time a host had won his own tourney." The tourney overseer stated.

"The first being a King of the Rock, Loreon Lannister, the second of his name," Aerion added.

"You know this fact?"

"I know many things."

~

And so, the Grand Joust had finally begun in earnest. For the first round, instead of having several jousts happening at once, if no one fell within the first two tilts, it was up to the overseer to decide who was the victor. This was to speed up the process in the less important rounds and have the same crowd watching the same jousts throughout.

When Aerion looked at his first opponent, he couldn't help but chuckle. It was one of the people who qualified through a fat payment of gold. Lord Renly Baratheon, to be precise. He was known for enjoying tourneys... but not for winning them.

"May the best Knight win, Your Grace." Renly bowed, acting in a humble manner.

"I will."

Aerion turned around without saying much more, his crimson cloak fluttering graciously with the wind as he walked towards his black destrier.