Chapter 5: Taking advantage of Appraisal.

The next day, Baelon got up at his usual time, before the sun rose. He pulled at his bedsheets, surprised to see Alyssa sleeping beside him again. He tucked her into the bedsheets and left the room. Upon opening the door, he saw two maids along with the regular door guards waiting outside the door.

"Marsia, Mary, you don't need to tend to me this early in the morning." said Baelon.

"Prince William, Lady Rhea ordered us to wait here every morning since you wake up early." said Mary.

"A prince does not need to bathe himself," said Marisa.

Baelon looked at the guards outside. Ever since he started waking up early, he told the guards to be quiet and not tell anyone. Then, he would sneak out and go to the library. Apparently, his mother had caught on.

"Fine, just do it quickly."

After they were done, Mary followed him to the library. On the way, Marsia said," Prince Bael~ I mean Prince William, I must perform my duties now."

"All right Marsia, you can go now." Baelon gave his approval.

With a short bow, she left the duo. Baelon asked Mary," Is Marsia going to tell mother that I'm awake?"

"How did you know that?" asked Mary surprised.

"It doesn't take a genius to figure it out Mary." said Baelon. 

"Prince William, why does everyone call you Baelon." asked Mary.

"My given name is Baelon Targeryan, but here, I am William Royce." said Baelon," It makes my mother happier, so I told everyone to call me William."

"Oh I see," Mary nodded.

"Just remember, call me Baelon when my father is nearby." said Baelon.

When they reached the library, Mary picked up Baelon and set him down on a chair made specially for his height so that he could reach the table. 

"Good morrow, Prince William. What book shall this lowly Maester bring today. Some books on geography, a brief history of the house of Royce perhaps."

"None of those, maester. I just want a blank piece of parchment and a charcoal stylus today." said Baelon.

Once he received what he wanted he thought for a while. He wrote down on his parchment the High-Valyrian symbols for courts, land, air, and sea. These are the four domains on which battles are fought. Since he had all the treasures of Camelot, he would be formidable once he was older, but he needed to plan ahead. For that, he needed people he could trust and fast.

He also wrote down the nine attributes shown. Using this, he could find talented people to help him rule and manage his own territory. After he was done, he folded the parchment and placed it in his pocket.

"Mary, set me down."

At his words, Mary picked him up and placed him back down on the ground. Baelon said," Mary, let's go to the training grounds."

"Yes, Prince William." 

The training grounds were where the knights, guards, and archers practiced. It was equipped with several training dummies, archery fields, and wooden swords and shields for practice. Those guards were required to wake up at almost 5 a.m in the morning. They sparred and practiced, training for battles and war. 

At this time, it was almost 7:30 in the morning. The sun had already risen. A couple of the guards noticed Baelon entering along with Mary. 

"Here again, so early in the morrow, Prince William." asked one of the guards.

"I don't like sleeping too much," said Baelon," Is it okay if I come and watch you again."

"Of course," the drillmaster Maurice nodded. Whenever Baelon came to visit, the people training would behave in their best manner, trying to have their name remembered by the young lord. They even showed off more, especially when the prince was accompanied by some beautiful maids like Mary.

Baelon came to the training grounds frequently, not to observe their demonstrations, but to understand the quality of the soldiers present. Most of these people had ratings from F to D in all the attributes. Maurice was a little better, with C-attributes. The rating on their status windows usually showed something from half-stars to 1 star out of five.

Baelon came here everyday to take note of the talents and try to foster him. On this particular day, he noticed a new person. He saw a guard, no older than 20, training the usage of his spear. Curious, he looked at his attributes and saw something that shocked him.

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Status Window:

★✦☆☆☆

Millet 21 ♂

Stats:

Leadership: 21

Bravery: 60

Strategy:22

Politics: 15

Ambition: 3

Attributes:

Infantry: D

Cavalry: D

Archery: B

Magic: F

Construction: D

Weaponry: F

Naval Warfare: D

Aerial Warfare: D

Speech: D

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Other than people from the nobility and some of the knights stationed in the castle guards, he had never seen a B-ranked attribute anywhere else. He strode towards Maurice and asked him," Maurice, who is the new guy."

"Oh him?" Maurice shrugged his shoulders," He's a new recruit named Millet. He just came two days ago. Nice guy. Pretty determined, but not really handy with weapons."

"Then I'll set him straight." Baelon walked towards Millet. 

"Mr. Millet." called Baelon.

Millet wiped away the sweat on his chainmail helmet and looked at the small boy in front of him. Recognizing his identity, Millet quickly got on his knee and bowed,"Prince Baelon. My Lord."

"You don't need to bow like that," said Baelon, while putting his arms on Millet,s chest, pushing his up. 

"Yes, my lord." Millet looked nervous. 

"I can see that you don't look comfortable with a spear." Baelon gestured to the weapon Millet was holding," Have you tried anything else?"

"I have used slingshots in the past, to hunt small game, but nothing else my lord." Millet scratched his head nervously.

"Have you tried using a bow?" asked Baelon.

"A bow?" Millet shook his head. 

"Then its perfect. Try it now." Baelon told him to use a bow and an arrow. 

Millet tried to refuse, but Baelon was adamant. Millet could only follow his orders. "Fine I'll do it, even though I've never used a bow." Millet said the last bit slowly.

In the archery field, Millet held a bow and notched an arrow. 

"If it's your first time, you should shoot from a closer position." said Maurice.

Millet sighed in relief, but Baelon refused," Here is fine."

Millet looked at Baelon, wondering if Baelon was trying to humiliate him, but he did not spot any ill intent from his tone, only confidence. Sighing, Millet focused on the target. Once he let go of the bowstring, the arrow sailed toward the target and landed approximately four inches away from the dead center.

"...A fluke…I'm sure that it's just a fluke." said one of the other archers

"Oi Millet, try again," said Maurice.

Thud Thud Thud Thud 

With each shot landing closer to the center of the board, Millet's confidence grew. 

"Amazing, you're so much better with a bow," said Millet's sparring partner.

"You were so damn well shitty with a spear," said another guard.

"You're really talented," said an archer.

"Really," Maurice rubbed the back of his head with his right hand. "Bows are not so bad after all."

Watching this scene, Baelon smiled. Maurice patted Baelon on his back," Because of you, prince Baelon, Millet will have a brighter future."

"I didn't do anything Maurice, I just helped a flame find its kindling." said Baelon. "Come Mary, let's go and eat breakfast with everyone."

As they walked away, Maurice yelled from behind," Thank you Prince Baelon!!!"

Baelon did not look back, but he waved with his his hand.