Arthur 39

293AC

When the Sword sailed into Dragonstone harbor, I was thirteen years old, my namesday passing just out of the Stepstones.

I had wanted to move a bit faster, but it was somewhat imperative that I wait a week in Sunspear to confirm the betrothal with Prince Doran Martell. It hurt a bit, leaving Ariane behind for now, and I already missed her face, but it had to be done. There was a war on, and I likely had a role to play in it, one that it would take months for me to properly address due to the repairs necessary on the maiden-fleet and the time it would take to call up my remaining resources.

In short, my course was to hurry up and wait.

I impatiently tapped my heel on the deck as we approached the harbor of the city. My city, it had grown since I was last here I could tell, which likely meant that executive staff was doing their jobs. That was a good sign given the bastardized half-feudal business model the company operated under, though it was annoying that the city had already managed to sprawl beyond the walls that were now finished, looking more like 1897 Dawson City than the sort of straight-laced organized industrial center I expected.

I would have to make sure I paid more attention that when I built my new capital.

Still, despite its semi-shanty nature, I couldn't help but smile as I saw the cities population, or at least what seemed like most of it, standing around the waterfront, with one of its central piers left conspicuously open.

My city had turned out to see my return alright.

I straightened my back and my collar both. Best to look as regal and dashing as possible, though really I just wanted to see my mother, and my little siblings as well. This was the first time I'd ever been away from her in this whole life, and it must have scared her half to death.

I took care to ground myself as we came into the pier.

It was probably a good thing that Asha hadn't woken up yet, that wasn't a conversation I was looking forward to, though it was one I would need to have with my family nonetheless.

I smiled as I saw her standing at the edge of the dock alongside my siblings, though after a moment I noted that she was also quite clearly pregnant again…

'Huh.'

It seemed that I got a new sibling every time I almost died, odd that.

I stepped off the gangplank letting my ridiculous cape flap behind me, no need to be any less dramatic than I could be, especially when the entire outfit had come out of Dyna from her household, though the design had been my idea.

When your wardrobe was modeled after a fancier version of Reinhardt Von Lohengramm's it was hard to go wrong.

I made sure to smile wildly as I walked down the dock, nodding to both my mother and to the wider crowd as I approached her.

Eric apparently managed to lose her grip and came running out down the dock, cheering. I caught him just as he got to me, ruffling his hair.

"Hey there, little guy, were you good while I was gone?"

"Yep," he said, surprisingly cheerfully. "They said you got lost, but I knew you would come back Arthuh."

"Yeah," I said, smiling, "and you got bigger too. I think I can still carry you though."

"Wait-waaeeeeeh" I scooped up the now laughing toddler, raising him up onto my shoulder though he was a bit heavier than before, and kept walking on down the dock.

"Hello Mother," I said, bowing slightly though etiquette didn't require it. "I'm home at last."

I almost yipped as I felt the tall woman's arms wrap around me, pulling me into her bosom with a tight hug, but my mind overcame my instinct, and I hugged her back with my free arm.

"I know you are…" she said, "I know… Never scare me that way again." She released me and I backed up away from her a bit under Edric's giggling. "You'll drive your mother's hair grey early, you understand?"

"I understand mother, and I certainly hadn't intended for the tropic-Hoof" I almost doubled over as a head rammed into my stomach and Shireen embraced me like a rocket let loose from its moorings. It took me a moment to catch my breath as my free-arm rubbed the top of her head gently "missed me huh?"

"Arthur," she said, tugging at my cape. "Arthur I thought, I thought-"

"Don't worry," I said kneeling down to hug her properly. "I'm here now, I'm here."

"I know, it's just…" I held Shireen tightly as she began to cry into my shoulder, before scooping her up alongside my brother which brought out a little yelp.

"Let's get going then," I said, turning to my mother. "I haven't slept in my own room for too long."

My mother nodded, gesturing to a carriage that waited to take us through the throngs on the coast.

As my eyes looked over the crowd, I paused for a moment, rubbing the back of my head.

"Actually mother…" she turned around in an instant as If daring me to ask what I wanted to and giving me second thoughts. Still, I was as stubborn as her if it came down to it. "Could I ride a horse instead? I need to showboat a bit."

Her gaze was firm for about a second, but then she reached down, pulling my siblings off of me and nodding sharply, once.

"You will be at the Grand-hall for dinner. There is a feast in your honor."

It wasn't a question, and I nodded in turn, wandering towards the crowd.

I was glad that I hadn't invented autographs yet.