15 Chapter 14 - Beginning of the Joust

The next day, with the same amount of enthusiasm as the previous day, the audience made their way through the arena and to their seats, waiting for the most exciting event of the tourney to begin. With Orys being the champion of the melee, he was automatically granted a spot among the Top 12, but the others would now have to fight for theirs.

Many knights that had been injured in the melee had been prohibited from participation due to the medics not wanting their injuries to be aggravated. Hence, only 60 or some knights were participating in this event with Oberyn Martell, Renly Baratheon, Sandor 'the Hound' Clegane, a captain in the Royal Guard, and many more well-known knights and Lords were seen readying their horse and lances.

The many prestigious Lords of the realm were attending alongside their families. Members of the small council and the royal family were there as well. Though two people were noticeably absent. Them being the Crown Prince and his betrothed, Prince Orys Baratheon and Lady Sansa Stark.

People were not really bothered by the prince's absence and Sansa Stark wasn't exactly on the list of priorities for the people attending as they were about to see seasoned warriors hit each other with sticks while riding horses. But two people were very worried and interested to know the whereabouts of the young red head.

Those two being Lord Stark, the Hand of the King, and her father. And Petyr 'Littlefinger' Baelish, the Master of Coin. Eddard Stark was worried about his daughter's safety since no Stark does well in the South, and Baelish was interested in knowing her whereabouts so that he could gather any amount of dirt on the prince and use to his advantage.

Both of them however, soon got to know that she was spending the day with the prince and wouldn't be able to attend the joust. Eddard Stark's curiosity was calmed but he would still have words with his daughter and talk to her about wandering about. Baelish was disappointed as he wanted to bet against the young Stark once again, and leer at her since she was a carbon copy of 'his' Catelyn.

Both of them were broken out of their thoughts when the herald began announcing the start of the tournament.

~ The next day ~

Today, was the final day of the Hand's Tourney. Many knights had taken part in these events but only 16 of them had moved forward. These 12 included-

1. Orys Baratheon, the champion of the melee

2. Ser Barristan the Bold

3. Prince Oberyn Martell

4. Ser Jaime Lannister

5. Ser Loras Tyrell

6. Ser Hugh of the Vale

7. Jory Cassel of the North

8. Lord Beric Dondarrion

9. Thoros of Myr

10. Sandor Clegane

11. Tybolt Lannister, son of Tygett Lannsiter

12. Lord Yohn Royce, the Master of Laws, who despite being told to be careful due to his age, had still joined the competition.

These were the ones who were participating and would face each other in front of the crowd today.

Currently, Orys was standing outside his tent, taking care of his ride, a beautiful light brown mare that his uncle had gifted him on his 13th nameday, who he had named Sandy. He was already clad in his armor and was waiting for the herald to begin announcing his matchup when his guard called out, "My lord, Lady Sansa is here to see you."

Briefly surprised, he simply told him to let her come as he moved inside his tent. Sansa followed shortly after and went over to him before fiercely kissing him. Orys reciprocated it with an equal amount of passion but stopped himself before things would get out of hand.

"Someone is in a good mood," he teased as he traced his hands along the small of her back.

Sansa simply smiled back, "I am. From the time I started understanding words, I have been told by the Septa and my mother that I will be married to a Southern Lord and we would live the perfect life. I am happy to know it is becoming a reality."

Orys gave her a genuine smile. He might've not liked her character at the beginning of the show, but she shouldn't have suffered that much. Nobody deserves that. So, he was happy that she would live the life she dreamt of with him here.

"Yes, well, another one of your dreams is about to come true, my Queen of Love and Beauty," Orys said, and chuckled a little as he saw her eyes widened. Every lady of the realm dreamt to be crowned that title once in her lifetime, except maybe Arya. But to be crowned by the Crown Prince was an even bigger honor, so naturally she was very surprised. She thought that maybe Orys would crown his mother or sister.

She kissed him once again and this time, Orys let his hands wander around a little. He soon broke the kiss, when the herald's voice carried over to the tent, riling up the audience before the inevitable start of the Tournament.

"Oh! I almost forgot," Sansa exclaimed, "I came here to give you this." She said as she held up a red and gold cloth, that also had the sigil of a black stag on a yellow field, the colors of his houses. "I made this myself. This will provide you with good luck, so that you win," she said, as she held it up and asked, "May I?"

Orys smiled and nodded, allowing her to tie it to his bicep before making sure it stays there. He kissed her for the last time before he went out as he heard the herald call out his name, alongside Lord Royce's for the first match. "Don't worry, I shall win. For you," he said, before he walked outside and got on his horse, ready to beat the shit out of everyone he came across.