81 -Chapter 75-

-Chapter 75-

-29th day of the 3rd moon of the year 299 AC-

-3rd Person POV-

I smiled seeing Arya strike young Edric with increasing precision and said, "She's improving more and more rapidly."

"Hmm, she has a bit of talent... for a young girl."

I smiled and said, "I'm glad to see you're still as open-minded, Sandor."

"I'm just telling the truth, but I can also keep silent."

I rolled my eyes and then said, "I think I'm going to make Arya the squire of the Mystery Knight."

"You know who it was?" Balon asked, excited at the prospect of fighting against the knight he had quickly defeated due to Brienne's lack of endurance.

"Hmm, a woman," I said.

"Hahahaha, a woman, that giant can't be a woman," Sandor mocked with a scoff.

"Why? Because she would probably beat you up?" I teased with a sly smile.

"What? No woman could ever beat me," he claimed.

"Don't tempt me; I could find some very motivated women to make your face a bit more symmetrical," Arianne interjected, arriving behind us accompanied as usual by Tyene, who no longer wore her shawl now that the bruise I had caused had vanished.

"Your Grace, it's always a pleasure to see you," Sandor said in a forced tone, without meaning it in the least.

I don't know why but those two never got along. Arianne came to my side and asked, "What are you watching so early in the morning?"

"My sister," I said with a small smile.

"Your cousin, you mean," she corrected me.

"No, my sister," I insisted, frowning.

She smiled and mockingly said, "But is that a heart I hear beating under that block of ice?"

"Ha...ha...ha," I responded, devoid of any humor, which only made her laugh more.

"More seriously, why don't you go talk to her now that you're here?" she asked after having her fun at my expense.

"Because he's scared," Sandor mocked me.

"I'm not scared," I retorted, glaring at him.

"Yes, you are scared," Arianne agreed for the first time with Sandor.

"Ser Barristan, do you think the same as them?" I hoped the Lord Commander of my Kingsguard would defend me.

He maintained an impassive demeanor, though I could see the slight amusement in his eyes when he said, "You're scared."

I sulked, displeased, and then declared, "I don't care what you think of me, and to prove that I'm not scared, I'll go talk to her."

A silence fell as everyone watched me, realizing they were waiting for me to go, and then I said, "Later, not now."

"He's scared," Tyene chimed in.

I grimaced upon hearing the words of this little pest who kept a falsely innocent look with everyone except me and raised my hands, conceding, "Fine, since you're all against me, I have no choice but to prove you wrong."

-Arianne Martell POV-

"It's impressive, isn't it?" Ser Barristan remarked.

"What's impressive?" I asked, confused, slightly furrowing my brows.

"His ability to be two different people in public and in private," the old commander of the royal guard explained.

I nodded as I watched Aegon walk away and said, "Actually, I find it rather frightening."

"You're afraid he might inherit his grandfather's particular traits," the old knight instantly understood my concerns.

"If you're referring to his madness and unpredictability, then yes," I admitted, slightly worried.

He wasn't taken aback by my honesty and said, "I won't lie to you, since you're the future queen. I thought like you at one point, but the king is many things—cruel, tyrannical, quick-tempered—but he is not mad, nor is he unpredictable. He's an extremely thoughtful person for his young age and so far, he's been ruling the kingdom with an iron fist, something none of his predecessors, whom I had the great honor to serve, managed to do correctly."

"You sound like you admire him," I teased, trying to provoke a reaction.

"Because I do," he stated, his expression unchanging.

"He has brought peace to a kingdom that was unstable for decades, even since the Dance of the Dragons over a century ago. He dealt with what he had to keep, forge, and reshape his own kingdom. He could have executed the Lannisters, the Tyrells, the Martells, and the Starks because each, in their own way, wronged him—at least, if his grandfather had the same power as him..."

He didn't finish his sentence, and after a few moments, he added, "He has overlooked many things and the opinions and gossip of everyone to marry you. I hope you will repay the trust and faith he has placed in you, or at least give him a real chance to work with you."

I didn't know how to respond to such a passionate speech from such an old man who had seen so many kings fall with his own eyes, and after a few moments, I said, "He's lucky to have you, Ser Barristan."

The old knight smiled and shook his head, saying, "I'm the one who's lucky to serve a king as great as him before my death."

-MC POV-

"May I replace these poor squires?" I gestured for the squires to leave.

"It's not like I can say no," Arya stated.

"Why would you have said no?" I asked, waiting for her to attack.

She frowned and then attacked without warning, saying, "Because you've been ignoring me."

"I haven't ignored you," I said, rolling my eyes, even though I had done so a bit.

"Yes, you have ignored me," she insisted more forcefully.

"I haven't ignored you; I was just a bit afraid of what you thought of me after..."

"After what?" she asked, lacking any tact as usual.

"After my coronation, the war with the Tullys, your parents, and everything else."

"That's stupid," she said, attacking me again.

"Why?" I blocked her sword effortlessly.

"Because you're my brother," she said, delivering a powerful blow with her sword.

I smiled and said, "That's true, it's stupid."

She smiled seriously and said, "You're my brother, J...Aegon."

"Call me whatever you want; it doesn't matter," I interrupted her.

"You're my brother, Jon, and all your enemies are mine too," she declared.

I smiled, somewhat relieved, before embracing her and saying, "I love you with all my heart, little sister."