Chapter 11: The Joust

Jon

The feast was almost ready to begin, just the procession of the king and queen to come to get things started, Jon was sat beside some of the sons and daughters of the more important lords. There had almost been a fight between Jaime and Kevan when it was decided, but Jaime refused to back down, if Jon couldn't sit at the high table he'd sit in an equally important place and that was it. If the Tyrell's weren't sat at the high table Jon knew Jaime would have insisted he sat there and Jon couldn't help but admire Jaime for it.

He looked around the table, the two Tyrell boy's and their sister were sat opposite him, Lancel and the Redwyne boys sat at the end of the table which Jon was glad of, none of them being his favorite people. The two Royce boys sat together talking to two lads from the Stormlands that Jon didn't know the names of, there were a group of girls from the Riverlands who'd almost been put as far away from Jon as possible at the Tully's request and he sighed, obviously it wasn't just Catelyn who hated him.

The doors opened and the procession began, the king and queen at the front both looking like they'd prefer to be elsewhere, Jaime accompanying Lady Olenna followed by Lord Mace and his wife, Lord Arryn walked alone slowly behind them while Tyrion walked with an uncomfortable very beautiful blond woman, a Hightower he thought, followed by Gerion and his sister Genna and lastly by Kevan and his wife Lady Dorna. They made their way to the high table and took their seats allowing all of those present to do the same.

"Finally, I thought they'd take forever." Garlan said with a smile.

"Grandmother looks happy." the younger Tyrell, Loras said.

"Well as happy as she ever is." he added before his sister gave him an admonishing glare.

"Lord Jaime was very gallant in accompanying her, don't you think so Jon?"." Margaery said a lob sided smile on her face.

Jon almost gulped when he realized he was being spoken to, he looked to Margaery and could see the amusement in her eyes, although he noticed it wasn't a mean or spiteful sort of amusement.

"Aye, Lord Jaime is very gallant, Lady Margaery."

"Just Margaery." the smile even warmer now.

"Of course, Just Margaery." Jon replied before they both broke out in laughter.

Garlan and Loras looked on in confusion as the two of them continued to laugh, before Margaery turned to them.

"A private joke, Marge?" Garlan asked.

"Not private, when we met Jon, I called him Lord Jon, he insisted he was just Jon although later when I met him again his young lady insisted he had a different name." she said and looked at Jon with her eyebrow raised.

"Yon." Jon said causing both of them to laugh once again.

Both Garlan and Loras turned to each other and then back to their sister and Lord Jaime's page neither understanding what the other found so funny.

"So where is young Joy tonight, did she not accompany you?" Margaery asked getting her laughter under control.

"No my lady, it's way past her bedtime and once she's heard her story she's out like a light."

"Are you the storyteller then?" Garlan interjected a small smirk on his face.

"Aye, my lord,," Jon said sheepishly as he glanced at the still smiling Margaery.

"What did you think of the melee Jon?" Loras asked.

"It was good, my lord, made me eager for the duels."

"Jon, he's Loras, my brother's Garlan and I'm Margaery, if we can call you by your name then you should do the same."

"It wouldn't be proper my lady." Jon replied.

"It would if we wished it, Jon." she said determinedly.

"You better listen to her Jon when my sister makes her mind up, it's better to just go along with her." Garlan quickly added.

"Especially when I'm right." Margaery said softly hitting her brother on the shoulder.

Jon sat there with a smile on his face, he looked to the end of the table where Lancel and the horrible twins were shooting daggers at him, before he looked back to Margaery and her brothers. Loras and Garlan were both talking excitedly to each other but she was looking at him that lob sided grin on her face and his smile immediately grew larger.

Jaime

Jaime sat at the high table beside Lady Olenna, the king sitting to his right already beginning to get drunk while his sister sat there fuming. Lord Mace and Lord Arryn were in intense discussion much to the chagrin of Lady Olenna by his side and it would have made Jaime smile if his attention wasn't captured by the events at Jon's table.

He looked down to see Jon in rapt attention while Lady Margaery spoke to him, his young charge hanging on every word and it reminded him of himself when he was younger and how Cersei could make the room disappear when she spoke to him, he smiled and turned to the lady beside him deciding to have some fun.

"Your Granddaughter seems to be enjoying herself, Lady Olenna."

"Was it your idea to place a bastard at my granddaughters table Lord Jaime." the women scowled at him.

"Jon is an honorable lad my lady, as my page my duty is to place him in a position worthy of him." he said annoyance clear in his voice.

"And a table with his betters is worthy of him?"

"Jon has no betters my lady."

"You think very highly of the boy Lord Jaime."

"I do my lady, Jon is a remarkable young man."

"In spite of his birth?" she asked leadingly.

"No my lady, because of it." Jaime said noticing the surprised look the woman gave him.

Jaime decided to change the subject before he said more than he wanted to, he needed to get the woman's focus on something else.

"I wished to discuss some matters with you my lady, when you have the time."

"Oh and what matters are those my lord."

"Relations between the reach and the west have never been how shall I put it, cordial."

"Indeed Lord Jaime they haven't, your father always felt what was he said, oh yes that we reached to far."

"My father was a man often blind to his own faults."

"And you my lord?" Olenna said mockingly.

"Oh me, I'm well aware of my faults my lady."

The two of them looked intently at each other, Olenna's look moving from suspicion to intrigued before finally settling on curiosity, good Jaime thought curiosity was a good thing as long as it was directed at him and not Jon.

Barristan.

Ser Barristan watched the room for threats but every so often his eyes were drawn to the dark haired young boy at the lower table. The boy was eagerly engaged in conversations with the Tyrell children, both boys seemingly peppering the boy for information regarding the duels, while the young lady asking questions about joy which Barristan found odd, what would a young boy know about joy.

When he saw him earlier his attention had been drawn to the boy, his frowns, his curious looks, his eyes and that smile, something about that smile had made his heart almost stop, whatever it was he couldn't quite place it, but there was something familiar about it, as he watched the boy he again felt like he knew him, like he should know him. It was like something on the edge of his mind and Barristan was annoyed with himself that he couldn't place it.

"Of course Lord hand, anyway my family can help we'll gladly do so." Barristan heard Lord Tyrell's voice and it grated on him.

"I thank you Lord Tyrell, the crown will of course be very grateful."

"Don't mention it my lord, Oh I don't believe you've you met my granddaughter have you Lord hand."

Barristan shook his head, subtle as ever Mace, he hated this, this game of thrones, nobles fighting with words over whatever scraps they can get from the kings table, he tuned to look at the king. Drunk again, groping the serving girls while his wife sat there disgusted, this was not a man worth serving, not like his prince would have been, a man worth serving, was he doomed never to find one.

Jorah

Jorah sat beside Ser Wylis, he had done well today, both had, but the drunk priest was crazy he thought as he looked at the man. Thoros had been unstoppable, the hound had found out to his cost and Jorah was glad he hadn't faced the fiery blade himself. He turned to look at the high table, there she was the most beautiful woman Jorah had ever seen, his breath caught in his throat, was she looking at him, surely not. He nodded to her all the same and when she smiled his heart felt like it would burst from his chest.

"Isn't that right Ser Jorah?" the jovial tone of Wylis interrupted his gazing.

"Sorry, Wyl, what was that?"

"I was saying, that today's fight was one for the tales, two northmen evenly matched fighting for an hour or more."

"Aye, Ser Wylis it was, you fought like a true warrior and I was lucky to take the day." he raised his tankard and crashed it against the other mans,

"The north remembers." he said loudly.

"Aye, the north remembers." Ser Wylis replied before they both laughed loudly.

Tyrion

Tyrion sat at the table his head pounding and his uncle being his usual annoying self, all right so Gerion wasn't actually annoying but by the seven did the man truly ratchet things up when people were hungover. Gerion never seemed to suffer the morning after sickness, not due to lack of drinking Tyrion knew and if his uncle had a secret well then he kept it to himself.

"Cheer up Tyrion, here drink this." Gerion said handing him a small cup.

"What is it?"

"Trust me nephew."

Tyrion just nodded and emptied the cup, it took only a minute or so before he felt his stomach begin to churn he looked to his smiling uncle as if to say why me, before he quickly jumped up and ran for the privy, passing Jon on his way out of the door, the look of surprise on the boy's face almost enough to make him laugh.

Running as quick as his stunted legs would carry him he made it just in time, opening the door his stomach emptied as he got inside, within a moment or two he was fine, his stomach stopped churning and he felt somewhat better. He left the privy and headed back to the hall each step making him feel more like himself, by the time he reached the table and drank a cup of water his sickness and headache had passed.

"What was in that cup uncle?"

"Just a remedy I picked up." Gerion said his ever present smirk on his face.

"We should market it uncle, it'd make us rich."

"Tyrion we are rich." his uncle said nudging Jon.

"Well richer then, Uncle Gerion's morning elixir."

Jon

Jon looked on in amusement as Tyrion tried to convince Gerion to either give him the recipe or to make some more, he broke his fast on the small oatcake and placed one in his pack for later, after they broke their fast he and Tyrion would be riding to Lannisport for a meeting with Ser Wylis and Jon was nervous.

Setting up the meeting was easy but actually helping Tyrion negotiate was not something he looked forward to, Jaime was putting a lot of faith in him and the thoughts of letting him down worried him. He looked to see Tyrion was waiting for him and quickly finished so they could get on their way,. The meeting needed to be done early so Ser Wylis could prepare for the joust and Jon was upset it would take his time away from Joy.

"Will you be bringing Joy to the joust Gerion?" he asked the older man.

"I'm afraid not Jon, the noise may be too much for her and I worry if she saw a horse get hurt."

"Of course, I'll try and pop in and see her before the joust then,"

"Thanks lad, I'll let her know, no doubt she'll ask for ya when I go see her."

Jon nodded as he and Tyrion left, they quickly made their way to their horses and despite Tyrion preferring to ride slowly, they instead rode quite hard to Lannisport. Once they reached the town Alyrs and Jors handed off the horses and they made their way to the Tavern to meet Ser Wylis. They found the man sitting alone for once his guards lounging against the wall.

"Ah Lord Tyrion, Jon, it's good to see you came so early, I worried you'd be late."

"Of course not good Ser, we wouldn't dream of it." Tyrion said taking his seat.

"So what can I do for you both?"

"My brother sent me to discuss a trading arrangement with you Ser Wylis."

"Trading Lord Tyrion, I'm not aware we have such an arrangement." the man said confused.

"Indeed not Ser Wylis, but I think that Lord Jaime and Lord Tyrion would like to rectify that situation." Jon added quickly.

"So what items would you like to trade?"

"Wood and ships my lord as well as discuss mutually beneficial trading routes." Tyrion said before Jon handed him a couple of pieces of paper.

"We have ore and minerals, good craftsmanship and weapon making and our own trading centers to help develop trade further, Tyrion added as he looked over the papers.

The two men spoke for over an hour with no agreement even close to being entertained, let alone agreed to, Ser Wylis seemed distrustful of the Lannister motives and Tyrion was on the verge of blowing up every time the man questioned them.

"Ser Wylis. I don't know what else I can say to you." Tyrion said the exasperation clear in his voice.

"Aye my lord, not sure what there is to say."

"You two are behaving like idiots." Jon said stunning the two men.

"Careful snow. You may be my liege lords son, but that doesn't give you the right."

"The right to what good Ser, point out idiocy when it's clearly being shown in front of me." Jon said angrily.

"Lord Tyrion and Lord Jaime are offering you something that your father and yourself would jump at normally, this deal allows for your family to make a great profit, it's larger than almost any deal you have at present am I right?"

"Aye, Snow that's true, but a deal with the Lannister's is not one my father would go for." Wylis said noticing the angry look Tyrion shot him.

"And why is that Ser?" Jon asked placing his hand on Tyrion's arm and shaking his head.

"How can we trust them Snow, you know what the north thinks of them."

"Ser Wylis, what does the reach think of your family?" Jon said catching the man off guard.

"When you came North, what did the north think of them?" Jon quickly added.

"But my father always said Lord Wyman is the smartest man in the north and his lealness is unquestioned." Jon said noticing the look of pride in Wylis's face.

"Aye he is that Jon, but what has that got to do with this?"

"Ser Wylis, you family was once unwelcome in the reach and suspected in the north, but the word of the Starks was good enough for that to be forgotten and now your treated with the respect your family is due, no one dare says a Manderly is not to be respected lest my father hear of it."

"Aye." Wylis said his chest puffed out.

"I may not carry my families name Ser Wylis but the blood of the Starks runs though these veins, is that not so?"

"It is Jon, let there be no doubt of that." Wylis said with a nod of his head.

"The Lannister's have treated me with nothing but care and respect, my father trusted Lord Jaime as do I, he is not his father Ser, he is a different man, a better man and knowing that and then turning down this deal is not what I'd expect from Lord Wyman's heir."

"You shame me Jon." Wylis said with a look of embarrassment.

"Not my intention Ser Wylis, I just wanted you to know that like the Manderly's when they came north, the Lannister's are worthy of a second chance also."

"Very well, I shall take this to my father, I'll recommend we sign it and let this deal bring our families and regions closer together." Wylis said as he picked up his tankard and watched Tyrion do the same.

"To the North and the West." Tyrion said as he cracked his tankard against Wylis's.

Jorah

Jorah walked over to his horse, it's caparison was his house colors and sigil, the black bear covering both sides of the horse, he looked down to the smoke grey ribbon tied to his hand and smiled, the thoughts of crowning the woman who gave it to him clear in his mind. She had surprised him by accepting his offer of a dance and even more so by giving him her favor.

"My lady would you honor me by giving me your favor."

"I would my lord, you would crown me then?"

"My lady I can think of no one else more deserving of the title than you/"

"Not even the queen."

"You would be the only queen I'd ever serve my lady."

His squire helped him mount the horse and make his way to the arena, he would be jousting first, facing Lord Jason Mallister in the first round a formidable opponent and one more experienced then he was. But Lord Jason didn't carry a favor from a beauty like Lynesse and would fall today of that Jorah was sure. As he finally made it to the tiltyard he looked to the stands and saw her smiling at him. He picked up the lance and moved to the end of the run looking down to see Lord Jason at the other end.

"Your Graces, my lords and ladies, welcome to round one of the Joust, our first two competitors representing the Riverlands Lord Jason Mallister and representing the North Ser Jorah Mormont." the crowd cheered as they were introduced.

Jorah raised his lance and faced down the tiltyard, at the herald's order the horses began to charge, his lance hit dead center in Mallister's shield forcing the other man to stumble but not fall, he barely even felt the hit from Mallister. He made his way back and his squire handed him another lance, kicking his horse into gear he charged yet again, this time the lance hit true and he watched as Lord Mallister was unseated.

"Victory to Ser Jorah." the herald announced to cheers as Jorah sought her out in the crowd, he saw her smiling at him and his heart lifted.

Jaime

Jaime sat watching as the jousts continued, he was itching to be out there but his uncle was right as host there was no way he could compete. Still it rankled him to see those competing when he knew he was better than most if not all of them. He watched as Yohn Royce beat the Blackfish and as Thoros fell to Lyle Crakehall, but he felt himself stir as he watched the mountain make his way to the tiltyard.

Gregor Clegane was a man Jaime would like to kill with his bare hands, what he'd done, what his father had sent him to do sickened him and the thoughts of him walking around as a knight after his acts shamed Jaime. He wanted to kill him but stayed his hand, the mountain was not his to kill, he turned from the joust where Barristan was lining up to look at Jon who's glaring at the mountain mirrored his own, no Jaime thought, not mine to kill at all.

Barristan

Barristan felt the muscles of his horse stir beneath him as he kicked it into gear, the firm ride focused him on the beast in front of him, he could raise his lance and no one would know he thought as he neared the middle of the alley, no I'd know, he lined his lance and struck good and true, but the mountain did not fall.

He rode back quickly and took another lance, lining himself up yet again he charged, as before the lance hit true and as before he barely moved the mountain, luckily the man's own lance work was average at best and Barristan barely felt the lance scrape off his shield. They lined up for a third time, the breathing of their horses could almost be heard by the crowd, Barristan's horse faring much better than his opponent's, his weight a much easier burden than the colossal mountain's.

He shifted in his saddle slightly to the left as he lined his lance, hitting Clegane square in the chest he smiled as the mountain crashed to the ground, he didn't even bother to see if the man regained his footing and just began to ride away when he heard a groan. Turning back he saw the mountain tear his helm off and look at him, did the man wish to carry this on with his sword, apparently not as he watched the mountain grimace and turn to walk away.

Jon

Jon cheered louder than almost anyone in the crowd when he saw the mountain unhorsed by the bold himself, two knights one the epitome of chivalry and the other the blackest of them all and it brought Jon an immense amount of satisfaction to see Barristan victorious.

"It'd be for the best if we set guards on Clegane later." Tyrion's said as Jon turned to him.

"Why?" he asked.

"Clegane is a bad loser Jon, who knows what he'll get up to if he's not under escort." Gerion said while Tyrion nodded along.

"Surely he wouldn't do anything here, this is his lieges land?"

"The mountains a rabid dog, one day he'll bite even us," Tyrion whispered as he took a drink.

"Then why keep him around?"

"Clegane had his uses for my father, deplorable though they were."

"But Jaime's in charge now Tyrion, why keep a monster like him now?".

"Jon, it's complicated, what Clegane did he did on my fathers orders, so he didn't break any laws."

"He broke the laws of the gods, the laws of decency." Jon angrily said.

"Aye but he committed no crime in the eyes of the king, believe me there's nothing I'd like more than to see him suffer for what he did, but as of right now there's nothing that can be done." Tyrion said hoping to calm him down.

Jon just nodded along, if in the eyes of the king the mountain was innocent then that didn't speak well of the king himself, he looked up to where the king was spilling more of a tankard over himself than he was drinking, no Jon thought this was not how a king should be.

Jorah

Jorah was furious, he beaten Hosteen and Ryman Frey and only a few moments ago dispatched Boros Blunt and while Lynesse had cheered him on for all of them, now as he got ready to face Lyle Crakehall the man's brother Tybolt was speaking to her and making her laugh. He grabbed the lance from his squire and almost had his horse in motion before the signal was given.

He charged down the field, his rage focused on the Strongboar, the larger stronger man should have proved a formidable challenge but against an angry bear he was no match. The lance hit with such force that Lyle's own lance shot from his hand as he fell, the crowd gasped at the sound as he crashed to the ground.

"Victory to Ser Jorah." he heard the crowd cheer as Crakehall staggered to his feet, Jorah nodded at the man his rage dissipating as he turned his horse to leave. He looked to the stands and saw her looking at him, the look in her eyes one of lust and he smiled, she motioned to his hand where her favor rested and he knew it then, she was his.

Olenna

Olenna sat beside her granddaughter watching the joust excitedly, she had never been one who enjoyed the marital pursuits but the news her son had given her the previous evening had filled her with glee.

"Mother we need to speak."

"What have you done now Mace?"

"Nothing mother, I spoke with Lord Arryn."

"I saw that, what does the old falcon want?"

"He asked for a loan mother, for the crown, it seems they're in need of help to cover costs."

"I'm not surprised given how this king spends, so how much does he want?"

"300.000 gold dragons mother."

Olenna had nearly choked on her wine, 300.000 gold dragons, why the hell would they need that much, surely the Lannister's would be willing to bail the crown out, unless. Of course the young lion wasn't being as cooperative as the old one, this was a huge opportunity, with the Lannister's out of the equation they could take advantage.

"And what did you tell them Mace?"

"That we'd be delighted to help of course, for certain considerations."

It was a rare occasion that Olenna felt pride in her son, last night had been one of the few times, she looked at him sitting beside Lord Arryn and felt it again.

"Are you enjoying the day grandmamma?"

"Very much so my dear, have you spoken to the prince yet?"

"I have but he's so young grandmother, he's uninterested in everything." Margaery said with a frown.

"Of course my dear, but it's important you engage him, even if he's too young to interest you."

"I know, I'll do better."

"I know you will my dear, we have plenty of time."

The Joust day two

Jorah

Jorah could feel his adrenaline pumping, yesterday he'd beaten Lord Whent after two broken lances in the final tilt of the day and was now down to two victories from crowning Lynesse, these two would be the toughest though. Facing him was Yohn Royce and the man was like rock, he'd already broken four lances off the man and nothing, not a budge, he lined up for the fifth tilt and raised his lance, the favor on his wrist waved in the air as he began to charge.

The lance caught the man square and true and while Jorah felt the hit Yohn had landed on him, he was sure his had done more damage, not enough to unseat the man but it had hurt him that was clear. He rode back and retrieved his sixth lance and lined up again. The two man faced each other down the length of the field, their horses straining to be set free, at the signal they rode and the lances hit their marks.

Jorah felt his shield fall from his hand, the force it had been hit almost tearing his arm from his shoulder, he looked to the rider less horse and realized he'd won, Yohn was unhorsed and staggering to his feet, the cheers of the crowd were drowned out though as he looked to see the beaming smile on Lynesse's face.

Cersei

Cersei was bored, incredibly bored, but worse than that she was incredibly annoyed, earlier in the day she and Joff had bumped into the two bastards while breaking their fast, what had annoyed her so much was the fact that they were breaking theirs in the same place. The thought of it, bastards eating with royalty and in her very own home, what was her brother thinking, not that her brother had been thinking clearly anyway.

She had ordered the serving girl to have them removed and the girl had looked at her like she had two heads, she'd have the girl whipped if she worked in the red keep but here at Casterly Rock it was her brother who was in charge and that made her furious. So when the girl didn't remove the bastards she sent Trant over to do so.

"Out now Bastard, and take the other little bastard with you."

"No, Yon not astrd."

"What did you say to me you little…"

"I wouldn't finish that if I was you Ser." Jon angrily said as he stood up.

"And why is that Bastard?"

"Because this young lady happens to Lord Gerion's daughter Joy."

"YOY." the girl said emphatically.

"His bastard daughter, now are you going to move or do you want me to drag you out."

"You do and it'll be the last thing you do, I promise you." Jon said moving to the man.

"What the hell are you doing Trant." Jaime's voice boomed as he entered the hall.

"Getting these two bastards out of the queen and prince's company." Trant arrogantly replied.

"You will leave this hall now and are no longer welcome in my keep, is that understood Ser Meryn." Jaime squared up to the now quivering man.

"Who do you think you are Kingslayer."

"I'm the lord of Casterly Rock, the Warden of the West and you will be removed from my presence either by your own feet or I'll have you carried out." Jaime said as his and Jon's guards entered the room.

"What's going on here.," Ser Barristan said from the door.

"I want this man out of here now, Ser Barristan, either you do it or I will, but it will be done."

"What the hell did you do Ser Meryn." Barristan shouted at the man.

"I was following the queen's orders, she wanted the bastards re…" he never got to finish, the punch from Jaime knocking him to the floor, he jumped up and went for his sword but immediately five swords were drawn and pointed at him.

"Remove yourself Ser Meryn, find somewhere else to stay, I'll take this up with his grace and Lord Arryn later." Barristan said as Trant was escorted from the room.

Her husband had admonished her, her, the queen, how dare he, force her to eat with scum and then blame her for trying to right that wrong, the man was an oaf, a fool and that bastard who did he think he was. The nerve of him refusing his queen, was that what Jaime was teaching him, well she wouldn't stand for it, bad enough Jaime felt he could do it but a lowly bastard, no he'd need to learn his place.

Jorah/Barristan

Barristan dismounted to help the man up, Sandor Clegane had proved him wrong both in the melee and the Joust, four lances he'd hit the man with all flush in the chest and in the end he felt the man had slipped more than been thrown from his horse. The fall had done damage though, his shoulder clearly hurting and the man had accepted his hand to help him stand, the two nodded at each other and Barristan went to ready himself for the final.

"Your Graces, my lords and ladies, good men and women of the west, I now present to you the finalists of the Joust, representing the crown, Ser Barristan the Bold, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard." the cheers of the crowd were deafening.

"His opponent, representing the north, Ser Jorah Mormont, the Bear Knight.." Jorah's cheers equally as loud.

The two men sat on their horses beside each other, they nodded and made their way to their respective ends, once they had received their lances they turned and awaited the signal, this time coming from the king himself.

"Good Knights, I wish you both Good fortune, begin." the king said before belching loudly and turning to his squire to fill his cup.

The horses rode fast and with purpose, the lances held firm as they crashed together both hitting off the shields. They turned and began once again with the same result, over and over, fourth tilt a hit from Ser Barristan, the fifth tilt a hit from Jorah, the sixth Jorah again, the lined up for the seventh time both men clearly exhausted and yet they rode towards each other once more.

Jorah could feel the pain, his shoulder throbbed, his chest heaved and yet he raised his lance and struck clean catching the bold across the chest but the older man did not falter, he did not move at all he simply turned and readied himself to ride once more and Jorah almost collapsed, was it a show?, was he not hurt?, did it matter? No he thought and he steadied himself to ride once more.

Barristan had been in epic jousts before, none more epic than the one at Harrenhall, he had broken six lances before his prince had unhorsed him and every time he thought of it he wondered how different things would have been if he'd have been victorious, would Ashara been happy being crowned by him, would his prince now be king.

He cleared his mind of the thoughts as his horse charged down the field, the lance feeling lighter in his hands than he thought possible, he struck and watched as Ser Jorah slipped but did not fall, he nodded to the man and lined up once more. As he rode past the pavilion he looked to see the king drunk as usual, to see the queen looking at everyone with disgust and her son looking like her mirror image.

He turned to see Ser Jaime and his young squire watching him intently, the young man gave him a smile and Ser Barristan almost fell from his horse, he looked at the boy again and saw the light reflect of his eyes, the dark grey almost looking indigo made him catch his breath. He rode and picked up his lance and shook his head trying to clear it for the tilt to come.

Jorah had almost fallen, everything he worked for almost coming to an end, he looked down to the ribbon on his wrist and steeled his resolve, this time he thought as he began to ride down the alley, his eyes focused on the man who stood between him and his prize. He gave it his all, every ounce of energy he had went into the stroke and he was rewarded as Ser Barristan fell.

"Your graces, My Lord and Ladies, the winner of the Joust, Ser Jorah Mormont."

He ignored the cheering crowd and barely acknowledged the handshake he shared with Ser Barristan as he made his way to where the garland was laid out, as it was placed on the end of his lance he rode to where she sat and held out the lance allowing the garland to fall into her lap.

"Lady Lynesse, I name you the Queen of Love and Beauty." he said and as the crowd erupted his heart soared as she smiled and put the crown on her head.