2 Riverrun

(AN: Grammarly is a dick and wouldn't correct my grammar so I apologise if there are any mistakes)

Daemon and Lyanna stood on the bank of the Red Forks River, their auras flared in a valiant effort to maintain the intense display of power. The strain was evident on their faces as they struggled to keep their auras at their peak. The air around them crackled with energy, and despite their determination, it was a demanding feat to uphold.

Lyanna, showing her indomitable spirit, pushed herself to the limit, falling to the ground but quickly rising again to reactivate her aura, albeit without flaring it. Her resilience was commendable, but even she felt the weight of exhaustion bearing down on her.

Daemon, too, felt the strain, trying his best to hold on to his aura as sweat poured down his forehead. The effort required to maintain the intense aura display was taking a toll on his body and mind.

Their mentor, Martyn Cassel, stood nearby, observing their struggle. Instead of offering encouragement, he chose to mock them for their perceived failure. His words carried a hint of superiority, aimed at highlighting their struggle and weaknesses.

"You call that flaring your auras?" Martyn scoffed, a condescending smirk on his face. "Pathetic! I've seen children wield their auras with more finesse than you two."

Martyn chuckled darkly, crossing his arms. "Giving up? That seems to be your speciality. Your auras are weak, and so are your spirits."

Daemon's fists clenched, his frustration growing. "Prick" he whispered much to Lyanna's amusement.

"You're too weak, too undisciplined. True aura users don't falter like you do." He continued

Despite the mockery, Daemon and Lyanna pressed on, knowing that pushing their limits was a vital part of their training. They were determined to prove their worth and master the complexities of aura manipulation.

After a grueling few minutes, Martyn finally relents and instructs them to take a break. Both Daemon and Lyanna release their flaring auras and collapse to their knees, gasping for breath. Exhaustion weighed heavily upon them, evidence of their intense training session.

Martyn's voice cut through the air, informing them of a 30-minute respite before they had to resume their training. Lyanna, still panting, couldn't help but voice her frustration. "This is all we've been doing for the past week," she complained. "When are we going to learn how to use aura abilities?"

Daemon nodded in agreement, wiping sweat from his brow. "Yeah, we've been practicing basic control and flaring our auras, but when do we get to learn the really cool stuff?"

Martyn's expression remained stern, unmoved by their complaints. "You can't expect to master aura abilities overnight," he replied sternly. "Training your auras is the foundation of it all. Without a strong foundation, your abilities will be weak and uncontrolled."

"But the bandit Big Pete had an Aura ability and he didn't have much more aura than Daemon" Lyanna reasoned as Daemon nodded.

Martyn shook his head as he looked at the two Aura initiates "You can't simply an aura users strength based on such a simplistic scale"

He then takes a seat on a log and gestures for the two to sit in front of him "What do you know about Aura abilities?" He asks them.

Daemon shrugs his shoulders looking at Lyanna who looks confident that she knows the answer "It's personal expression of aura where a person uses it to create unique abilities" she says smugly.

Martyn laughs "Seems like someone's been listening on their brothers training" he says making Lyanna go red.

"But you are right, however can you tell me what factors decide the kind of ability you can develop" he asks, however this time they are both silent as they didn't think there were any factors besides using aura.

"Every Aura user is born with a specific type of aura that will give them a certain affinity for certain aura abilities, while making it harder for them to learn others" he explains.

Lyanna's eyes widen as she starts to get excited "How do we learn what type we are!" She says practically commanding him to tell her.

Martyn laughs shaking his head before he stands up and picks up the cup of ale he was drinking from before pouring it on the ground, he then headed to the river bank filling it with water and heading back to the log. He then put the cup on the log before pulling a leaf off a nearby tree.

"This is water divination it's been used to discover aura affinities since the children of the forest still walked amongst us" Martyn explained as he placed the leaf on the cup. 

"If the volume of the water changes, the user is a Brute"

"If the taste of the water changes, the user is an Alchemist"

"If the color of the water changes, the user is an Archer"

"If impurities appear in the water, the user is a Magician"

"If the leaf moves on the water's surface, the user is a Manipulator"

"If something completely different happens, the user is a King"

Martyn explains all the possible Aura affinities that either of them could have. He then puts a hand around the cup and channels his aura "Have a taste" he says, both Daemon and Lyanna stick their fingers in and taste it.

"Ale?" Daemon says with confusion.

Martyn laughs heartily "I never truly appreciated my aura type until I realised I could make my water taste like ale"

Daemons eyes widen in recognition "So you're an alchemist?" He asks getting a nod in return from Martyn.

"I can change my aura into something else, for example this is my aura ability" he states as he activated his aura.

For a minute he stands still and closes his eyes while tensing his muscles and slowly his aura that surrounds his body turns to stone, Lyanna and Daemon look wide eyed.

"This is my Aura ability I call it Castling" he says with a chuckle at the joke though Lyanna and Daemon just look at him blankly.

"Anyway aura abilities are complex, I spent almost a year and a half touching stone with my hands and my aura, feeling it's weight and it's texture. I wouldn't have been able to change my aura into it otherwise" Martyn explains.

Daemon and Lyanna nod their heads eagerly as they want to discover their own aura affinity. Lyanna goes first as she activated her aura and channels it into the cup. The amount of water in the cup increases overflowing over the sides. 

"Ah just like your older brother, a brute, though with how hotheaded you are it doesn't surprise me" Martyn says with a chuckle getting one from Daemon as well until Lyanna glares at him.

"What can a brute do with their Aura" Lyanna asks curiously, she suspected she already knew but still wanted to know everything she could. 

"Well from what I've heard of your encounter with the bandit, he sounds like a brute type" he then turned to Daemon "You said his ability was called impact and he held his hammer up in the air before it would crash down at a speed nearly too fast to see" he asks getting a nod from Daemon.

Martyn rubs his grey beard as he thinks "What it sounds like he did was pour his aura into his hammer making it stronger but he also made it heavier, doing this he wouldn't need the strength to swing it that fast he'd just need to direct it" he explained.

Daemon scrunches his brow "But you said he wasn't very strong, if that's the case how did he get such a strong ability"

Martyn smiles "That is a good question lad, and it brings me to the main factor in creating Aura abilities"

"Vows and Restrictions, using these when creating your own ability allow it to surpass your current level of mastery" Martyn says to the duo as they listen with apt attention.

"My ability isn't very complicated nor does it exceed what I'm capable of, however you'll notice that the stone my aura mimics is much stronger than normal stone, this is because of the restrictions I placed on it" He continues.

"I must stand still when activating the ability"

"I must close my eyes when activating it"

"It always takes a minute to activate"

"These restrictions have allowed my ability to be stronger than it would usually as the restrictions could be fatal when in a battle if I've not prepared it beforehand" Martyn states.

"The bandit you faced sounds like he has similar restrictions, it sounds like he wasn't able to move when the ability is initiated and he could only swing downwards. Simple restrictions but they still make for a powerful ability when used in the right circumstances" Martyn says while rubbing his chin.

Lyanna was excited to say the least, she stood up and was ready to make her own ability "I can see that look, we won't be doing anything like that until you get good enough at the basics" Martyn says with a smirk

"Shroud, the most basic form of aura control, when you first control the flow of your aura and stop it from leaving your body you've achieved this"

"Suppression, closing off your aura nodes completely, an assassination and hunting technique but it has its users for warriors who wish to recover from battle"

"Enhance, when you flare your aura explosively, this increases your physical abilities, by how much? Depends on the amount of aura you can summon"

"Aura expression, your personal abilities that you'll eventually develop"

"These are the four basics I'll cover with you, you two are currently working on the third principe 'Enhance' as you have sufficient mastery in the others" Martyn states getting groans of disappointment from the two.

"Now get back to training, I'm going to take a piss" he says crudely as he walks off.

Daemon waited until he left and then put his hands around the cup channeling his aura into it. Suddenly the leaf burst into flames making him jump back in surprise. Lyanna who had walked back to the river didn't see it.

'King Type Aura, interesting...' he thought to himself.

———————————————————

(One week later)

In the center of the camp clearing, the air was charged with anticipation as Lyanna and Daemon faced their formidable opponent, Brandon, who had volunteered for the training. He was known as one of the best aura users in the North, and the immense aura shrouding him testified to his prowess.

Both Lyanna and Daemon had taken Martyn's advice to heart, focusing on training their 'Enhance' ability to increase the amount of aura they could access. As they stood with their auras shrouding them, they felt the energy surging through their bodies, fueling their determination.

Lyanna's eyes met her brother's, a mix of excitement and nervousness flickering in her gaze. She knew that fighting someone as skilled as Brandon would be a true test of her abilities.

Daemon, too, felt a mix of nerves and excitement. He understood the importance of gaining experience against other aura users and looked forward to this challenging opportunity to prove himself.

Martyn's voice rang out, his tone serious. "Remember, this is a training bout. The goal is not to harm each other but to gain experience in battling other aura users."

Brandon nodded in understanding, his aura pulsating around him like a shield. "Don't hold back," he said, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I'm not going easy on you."

With a nod of determination, Lyanna and Daemon readied themselves. They took a deep breath, focusing their auras, then they both flared their Aura's using 'Enhance' and charged at Brandon.

With a surge of frustration, Daemon and Lyanna charged at Brandon, their determination mirrored in their flaring auras. Brandon, however, maintained his calm and collected demeanor, his aura calmly flowing around him, not a hint of worry on his face.

Lyanna's anger at his smug smile propelled her forward with fierce energy. She lunged at him, aiming to punch away that self-assured look. But Brandon proved to be just as skilled in agility as he was in aura control. With a swift movement, he dodged her attack, effortlessly evading her punch.

In a moment of brilliant reaction, Brandon pivoted on his heel, aligning himself with Lyanna's trajectory as she sailed past him. She growled in frustration as her attempt missed the mark, her smug brother outmaneuvering her with ease.

Not one to be deterred, Daemon seized the opportunity and moved to strike while Brandon's focus was on Lyanna. Deciding to hit low, he aimed a punch at Brandon's midsection. However, with a quick and precise motion, Brandon managed to grab Daemon's fist, halting his attack.

A smug grin crept across Brandon's face as he effortlessly intercepted Daemon's punch. With seemingly minimal effort, he threw Daemon toward Lyanna, who, despite catching him, couldn't maintain her balance and fell to the ground.

Brandon's composure remained unshaken as he observed their struggle. "You two really need to work on your coordination," he quipped, his voice laced with amusement.

Lyanna, still on the ground, scowled up at him, her irritation evident. "Oh, shut it," she retorted, brushing off his comment.

Daemon got back on his feet, fueled by the challenge. "We'll get the hang of it," he said, his eyes locked on Brandon. "Just you wait."

Brandon chuckled, clearly enjoying the upper hand. "I'll be waiting," he replied with a taunting grin.

In the heat of the training bout, Daemon and Lyanna charged at Brandon with determination in their eyes, aiming to break through his defenses and finally land a hit.

Daemon threw a powerful punch at Brandon's midsection, his aura enhancing the impact. But Brandon's aura control was masterful. He shifted his body with fluid grace, dodging the attack effortlessly. As Daemon's fist sailed past him, Brandon taunted, "My apologies was that aimed for me!"

Undeterred, Lyanna followed up with a rapid series of punches, attempting to overwhelm Brandon with her speed. But he was like a shadow, slipping between her strikes with remarkable agility. He weaved in and out, taunting, "You're going to have to do better than that!"

As Daemon and Lyanna tried to coordinate their attacks, Brandon displayed an uncanny ability to anticipate their moves. Daemon went for a high kick, trying to catch Brandon off guard, while Lyanna aimed a low sweep. But Brandon seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. He sidestepped Daemon's kick and effortlessly hopped over Lyanna's sweep, taunting, "Too slow and too predictable!"

Regrouping, Daemon and Lyanna sought to outwit Brandon. Daemon faked a punch towards Brandon's head, hoping to distract him, while Lyanna went for a surprise attack from the side. But Brandon was a step ahead. He effortlessly blocked Daemon's feint and, with a quick twist, evaded Lyanna's surprise attack, taunting, "Not even close!"

Frustration mounted as Daemon and Lyanna struggled to land a solid hit. They tried to synchronize their moves, but Brandon's agility and aura control made it seem like they were fighting against a phantom.

With a grin, Brandon taunted, "I fear winter may come before one of you manages to hit me!"

Determined not to be discouraged, Daemon and Lyanna persisted. They knew that every encounter with Brandon was a valuable lesson. They adjusted their strategy, focusing on unpredictability and feints.

As they charged again, Lyanna attempted a sweeping kick while Daemon followed up with a straight punch. But Brandon read their intentions with ease. He sidestepped Lyanna's kick and, with a swift movement, deflected Daemon's punch, smirking.

Lyanna's frustration boiled over as she couldn't break through Brandon's defenses. "Enough with the games!" she shouted, her voice tinged with annoyance. "Take this fight seriously!"

Brandon raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "Fine, if you insist," he replied casually.

With a sudden surge of power, he activated 'Enhance,' causing his aura to flare dramatically. The ground cracked beneath him as his aura expanded, its intensity like a roaring inferno.

Daemon and Lyanna's eyes widened in surprise at the sheer magnitude of Brandon's aura. They immediately shifted to a defensive stance, knowing they were facing an opponent who meant business.

With an explosive burst of speed, Brandon charged at them, his aura wide enough to fit two people shoulder to shoulder. It crackled with raw energy, and the force of his charge made the very ground tremble.

Reacting quickly, Daemon and Lyanna moved to evade his punch. They barely managed to dodge, but the impact of his fist hitting the ground sent shockwaves through the air, blowing them away.

They landed a few feet away, dust and debris swirling around them. They were now fully aware of the immense gap in skill between them and Brandon.

Brandon approached again, his aura still blazing around him. He taunted them with a smirk, "I thought we had a aura geniuses in our midst, they must've gotten lost somewhere in the forest"

With a smirk and nod of understanding, Lyanna embraced Daemon's plan, flaring her aura as she prepared for their coordinated assault. They ran at Brandon, determined to catch him off guard this time.

Lyanna launched herself forward, aiming another punch at his face, but Brandon effortlessly sidestepped the attack, allowing her to sail past him.

Meanwhile, Daemon executed a daring drop kick, aimed straight at Brandon. His eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected move, but he managed to evade the kick, avoiding the direct impact.

As Brandon anticipated their counterattack, he activated his advanced technique, 'Scout,' combining 'Shroud' and 'Enhance' to enhance his aura's sensory capabilities. His aura expanded, granting him an uncanny awareness of anything within its reach.

He sensed Daemon charging toward him again, ready to execute another move. But instead of a direct assault, he felt a sudden shift in Lyanna's aura. She had gathered her aura into her hands and caught Daemon, propelling him forward at blazing speed.

Brandon barely had time to react. He quickly fortified his aura's defenses, preparing for the impact. Daemon's fists slammed into his stomach with incredible force, causing him to sputter as he was pushed back several meters.

Breathing heavily, Brandon looked at Daemon with a mix of surprise and admiration. "Well, well, that was unexpected," he remarked, acknowledging their clever tactic. Though his smile got more menacing as his aura flared once more.

"Alright alright that's enough, spars over don't want Brandon here putting you out of commission" Martyn said as he stepped in stopping the spar.

Lyanna and Daemon breathed a sigh of relief as the allowed their aura to dissipate. While they had been able to increase the amount of time they could maintain their aura it wasn't by much. They both collapsed to the floor as the adrenaline wore off and their bodies started feeling tired. Though they both felt accomplished at being able to land a hit on Brandon after working together.

Now all they needed to do was to get a hit using their own power "Come on get up! Who said you could rest start pulling those carts again we are breaking camp" Martyn stated.

Lyanna and Daemon groaned, recently they'd been forced to pull some of the supply carts in place of actual horses, they had to maintain just enough aura to where they were strong enough to do it while not using too much as they run out of it too quickly. It was a difficult exercise and one they very much disliked.

———————————————————-

Daemon sat in his tent meditating, he had been doing this every chance he had gotten, he noticed a visible change in his aura it had grown lighter, something he hadn't seen before. Most Aura users he had seen had a pale white aura his seemed to be a bit brighter than it was before. He didn't know what effect this would have on his aura but the way his ancestor emphasised it's importance it must do something.

"AHHHH This is so boring!" He heard Lyanna say as she attempted to meditate beside him. She got out of her seated person and lay down on his cot.

"I don't know how you can sit there so still for hours on end, I'd much rather be pulling the cart than meditating" she stated, though Daemon ignored her as he was still meditating.

Lyanna pouted and lifted her dainty foot and poked him in the face with it, he ignored it but then she did it again making his eyebrow twitch. The next time she did it he caught her foot and pulled her next to him tickling her sides.

She burst out laughing as she tried to get free "Let me go you beast!!!!" She shouted while laughing.

Daemon intensified it making her struggle even more "Forgive me! Forgive me!" She cried out.

Daemon laughed and stopped harassing her, during the struggle he had ended up on top of her. He found himself looking at her very closely, he'd spent nearly every waking moment with her since they met, but he never noticed how beautiful she was, it was usually hidden underneath this unladylike exterior that he found he really liked.

Lyanna had never been interested in boys very much, they'd always looked down on her the only exception being her brothers. Meeting Daemon, she'd met someone she loved spending time with. She'd be in his tent from the moment she woke until the moment she lay her head down to rest. Though most of the time they'd fall asleep outside after training roughly, usually on top of each other.

But this was the first time she'd really looked at Daemon, he was probably the most handsome person she'd ever seen, he is what she'd imagine a Targaryen prince to look like. She found her heart beating fast as he looked so intensely at her.

Daemon felt similarly, the small blush she had made his heart beat fast. He got up and off of her before he did something stupid, regardless of how close they were he was thought of as a bastard and she was a daughter of a great house.

Trying to change the awkward atmosphere Daemon spoke "What are you doing to do once we arrive at Riverrun"

Lyanna taking a breath and composing herself sat up "I heard that there's going to be a tournament in a few months"

Daemon raised an eyebrow "What for? Is the Starks coming to Riverrun that much of a celebration" he asks with curiosity.

Lyanna shakes her head "The Queen is doing a tour of the south to show off the new Prince, he's the second child to survive till birth so it's a rather big ordeal"

"What are the tournaments like?" Daemon asks with some excitement in his voice.

Lyanna smirks "Well... I've never actually attended one before but I hear they have a melee tournament where one on one fights happen until a winner is chosen. And then there is the joust which is the most dangerous"

Daemon had heard of a joust, it involves sticks and horses, he wondered why that would be considered dangerous.

"From what my brother told me, in the joust you can only use aura on your lance and one part of your body, if you can't guess where the lance is going to hit you then whatever part of your body the lance hits will be without aura protection" Lyanna explains.

Daemons eyes widen, he'd seen the effect that aura could have on someone "Isn't that deadly?" He asked.

Lyanna shakes her head "Most of the time it isn't, you're not allowed to use a lethal amount of aura but at times the gap is so large that deaths can't be avoided" she says with a shrug.

Daemon hadn't ridden a horse before so he wasn't very interested in the joust, but the melee tournament sounded like it could be fun.

Lyanna looks at him as she tucks her knees under her arms "Do you think you'll join the melee? I'd like to but I wouldn't be able to get away with it. Father has been keeping a close eye on me recently"

Daemon contemplates, it would be good to test his skills and earn some coin "I think I will... will the whole melee have aura users?" He asks

Lyanna shakes her head "No, non users can enter as well they just never win"

Daemon frowns "Why do they enter if they know they'd never be able to triumph against an aura user"

"A large majority of the population don't know what aura is, they just believe knights to be incredibly skilled as they can't see aura. Well Martyn did say that small folk can see aura that magicians have conjured" Lyanna explains.

Daemon nods his head in understanding "I'm going to compete, and I'm going to win" he states with conviction

Lyanna smiles at her friend but can't help but feel down about not being able to compete as well.

Daemon sees this "Make sure to keep your training up too, cause whether you're in the tournament or not I'll definitely test my skill against you"

Lyanna looks up at him her frown turning into a wide smile "Good! Though you better be prepared to lose" she says as she punches his shoulder.

———————————————————

Riverrun, a majestic castle nestled at the convergence of three rivers, was an impressive sight to behold. Its imposing walls stood tall, encircling the entire structure. The castle was built from grey stone, with towers rising from its corners, and the Tully sigil of a leaping trout adorned its banners, fluttering in the breeze.

As the Stark party approached the drawbridge, they couldn't help but notice the construction project in the fields nearby. The space outside the castle was abuzz with activity, as workers erected temporary structures for the upcoming melee and jousting events. The grand tournament was an essential part of the festivities, and Riverrun spared no effort to ensure a memorable celebration.

Inside the castle courtyard, Lord Hoster Tully welcomed the Starks with warm hospitality. The courtyard was paved with stones, surrounded by well-maintained gardens and flowering plants, giving the space a sense of serenity despite the bustling preparations for the tournament.

Lyanna, Brandon, and their father exchanged pleasantries with Lord Hoster Tully and his family. The air was filled with a sense of excitement and anticipation as the two noble families came together to celebrate the occasion. The courtyard's ambiance echoed with laughter, chatter.

As a bastard, Daemon discreetly stayed with the servants, taking in the sights and sounds from a distance. His keen eyes observed every detail, absorbing the atmosphere of the festive gathering while keeping a low profile.

Lord Hoster Tully greeted Lord Stark with a warm smile, "Welcome, my old friend! It's good to see you and your family here at Riverrun."

Lord Stark replied with a courteous nod, "Thank you, Hoster. The journey was long, but we are grateful for your hospitality."

Hoster continued, "Her Grace Queen Rhaella arrived late last night, exhausted from the journey. But fear not, she will join us for dinner tonight."

Lord Stark understood the queen's need for rest and replied, "Of course, we'll be honored to have her presence at dinner."

Lord Stark then followed in the Lord of Riverrun as they made their way to his Solar and discuss certain things. The rest of the family was left behind and the Stark children were expected to join the Tully children in a tour.

As Lyanna reluctantly followed the Tully children on the tour of Riverrun, she couldn't hide her irritation. Edmuire, being the same age as her, took this opportunity to flirt shamelessly, much to her annoyance.

"So, Lady Lyanna," Edmure started with a playful grin, "I must say, your beauty rivals the fair maidens of the Riverlands."

Lyanna let out a barely audible grunt in response, not in the mood for his flattery. She found it difficult to tolerate his constant attempts to win her attention.

Edmure continued undeterred, "Tell me, Lady Lyanna, have you ever ridden a horse? I'd be honored to teach you if you haven't."

Lyanna shot him a brief glance, her expression unamused. "Yes," she replied curtly.

Undeterred by her disinterest, Edmure pressed on, "Ah, you're as skilled in riding as you are in dancing and everything else, I presume."

Another grunt from Lyanna was all he received as they continued their tour.

Meanwhile, Catelyn and Brandon chattered away, seemingly engrossed in the conversation. Catelyn was too infatuated with Brandon to notice Lyanna's annoyance, while Lysa remained quiet and reserved.

But Lyanna's mood lifted slightly when she spotted Daemon in the distance, helping the servants with the Starks' belongings. She smiled to herself, knowing she could count on him to be dependable and understanding.

Edmure noticed her smile and followed her gaze to where Daemon was working. A flicker of envy crossed his features, but he quickly masked it with a forced smile.

"Do you know that boy?," Edmure asked, trying to mask his irritation.

Lyanna shot him a sharp look. "He's a friend," she retorted, emphasizing the word 'friend.'

Edmure's attempts at flirting were clearly falling flat, but he refused to give up. He decided to change the subject, hoping to impress Lyanna with his knowledge. "Did you know, Lady Lyanna, that the upcoming melee is the perfect chance for me to showcase my skills? I'm sure I'll impress everyone, including you."

Lyanna simply raised an eyebrow and gave him a one-word response, "Doubtful."

As the tour continued, Lyanna couldn't wait to be done with Edmure's company. She was eager to spend time with Daemon, whose presence always brought her comfort.

Unbeknownst to Lyanna, Edmure seethed with silent rage, feeling the sting of rejection. He was determined to prove himself during the upcoming melee and win Lyanna's admiration,

even if she seemed uninterested.

———————————————————

Daemon meanwhile was helping pull the carts behind the stable, it was a difficult job for the servants without access to the horses so Daemon volunteered, he had his aura unlocked it was the kind thing to do. He wondered if he'd be allowed to use the training yard though he did doubt he would as he was just a bastard who had joined the Stark party, he'd probably have to find a place in the forest"

He then went to head back to the Stark servants to discover it they needed anymore help, they'd been kind to him on the journey to Riverrun it was only right he return the favour. Though he was stopped when he tried to leave around the corner that he had just came around.

As Edmure Tully and his friend Marq Piper confronted Daemon, their demeanors were less than friendly. Edmure wasted no time in taunting him about his bastard heritage, attempting to assert his superiority.

"I heard you're just a bastard," Edmure sneered, "Not fit to be in the presence of a Tully, let alone my future betrothed, Lyanna." He said flaring his aura, while large it wasn't as big as Brandon's, Edmure was an average aura user however he had been learning since he was 8 name days so he had an edge on Daemon.

Daemon's expression hardened, but he remained composed. He had grown accustomed to such taunts over the years, but they still stung. "Lyanna is not your possession," he replied firmly, his aura flaring in defense.

Marq Piper, standing beside Edmure, snickered. "Look at him, trying to act all tough," he mocked. "You're just a glorified servant, nothing more."

Daemon's jaw clenched, but he refused to be intimidated. He took a step forward, his own aura flaring up further. "I may be a bastard, but I won't let anyone disrespect my friends or treat them like possessions," he retorted, his voice steady.

Edmure smirked, his aura pulsing with confidence. "You're outmatched, bastard," he taunted, "My training with the Aura far surpasses yours."

As the tension escalated, Marq Piper took a step back, not wanting to get caught in the middle of the confrontation.

Edmure took a deep breath, attempting to regain control of the situation. "Stay away from Lyanna," he warned once more, "She will be my betrothed, and you'll have no place in her life."

Daemon's determination only grew. "Lyanna is her own person," he stated firmly, "She'll make her own choices."

As tensions flared between Edmure Tully and Daemon, it became clear that words were not enough to settle their dispute. Without warning, Edmure's patience snapped, and he launched a full-force punch towards Daemon, catching him off guard. The blow connected with devastating force, sending Daemon flying backward, crashing into one of the carts.

The impact left Daemon stunned and momentarily breathless. As he tried to shake off the effects of the punch, he felt the sharp pain coursing through his body. Edmure stood over him, a cruel smirk on his face.

"That's what you get for daring to defy me," Edmure sneered, his aura pulsing with triumph.

As Daemon's aura flared, Edmure couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that washed over him. He knew he was physically stronger than Daemon, but there was something in the young man's determined gaze that gave him pause.

Before Edmure could act further, a man appeared around the corner, observing the scene with a keen eye. Recognizing the man immediately, Edmure straightened his posture and showed him great respect, bowing before speaking.

The man, with silver hair and a regal presence, was none other than Ser Barristan Selmy, a legendary knight known for his skills and wisdom. He had served as a member of the Kingsguard and was renowned for his loyalty and valor.

Barristan's gaze moved from Edmure to Daemon, his expression calm and perceptive. "What is going on here?" he asked in his low, commanding voice.

Daemon, still recovering from the punch, managed to compose himself. "Edmure and I had a disagreement," he replied, trying to keep his voice steady.

Barristan's sharp eyes seemed to assess the situation, and he offered a nod of understanding. "Disagreements happen, though mayhaps the back of the stables isn't the place to voice them my Lord," he said firmly, to Edmure.

Edmure, feeling the weight of Barristan's presence, chose to remain silent, not wanting to defy the esteemed knight any further. He quickly nodded his head before shooting Daemon a glare and leaving.

Barristan watches him leave before turning back to Daemon "Don't think too badly of the lad, most young children have power when they're younger and it gets to their heads a bit" he explains.

Daemon shrugs "It doesn't matter what I think, I know that" he simply states.

Barristans eyes are drawn to his arm in the sling "Did he do that?" He points at the sling, to which Daemon shakes his head.

"I got into a fight with a bandit who was Aura user at the trident, he was going to beat me with his aura ability so I had to sacrifice my arm to get a chance to beat him" Daemon explains.

Barristan looked impressed, while he knew the gap in training between nobility and criminals was large it was still difficult to defeat someone who had years of experience "Are you the baseborn son of the Stark family?" He asked since he was an aura user.

Daemon shook his head "I'm a bastard but I've lived in a small cabin outside Maidenpool until about 2 months ago" he stated.

Barristan scrunches his brow in confusion "So who trained you to use your aura?"

"At first no one, I trained it myself for the first month but last month Martyn Cassel has been training me" Daemon replies.

Barristan feels his mouth go slightly ajar and his heart beat fast, he had only had his aura unlocked for a month and he was able to beat someone with sufficient enough mastery that they created an Aura ability. Talent like that comes around once every generation.

Barristan quickly composes himself before he invites Daemon to come have lunch with him "Are you planning on joining the melee tournament lad?" He asks as they walk in step.

Daemon looks to him an nods "I am, though I'll have to train hard if I expect to even stand a chance"

Barristan laughs "If only most had that attitude"

Daemon looks at him confused "Do nobles and knights not train all the time?" He asks.

Barristan shakes his head "Most develop their aura abilities and think themselves invincible, a lot of potential gets wasted that way"

Daemon looks shocked "How could they not want to push themselves" he asks

"Not everyone has the will to train themselves ragged, though some do" he explains.

They walk through the courtyard and into the castle, the great hall seems to be bustling with lots of different people as lunch was not a grand affair but something people would come and go to. Barristan took a seat at the servants table with Daemon sitting opposite him.

The servants looked at Barristan in awe, he was one of the top five strongest warriors in Westeros, so they quickly scrambled to get him and his companion some food.

Daemon looked around and saw the Starks and Tully family on the upper dais, though it looked like the queen wouldn't be joining them. Barristan engaged in conversation with Daemon about relatively mundane things, mostly about his life and how his aura came to be unlocked. He seemed impressed when he learned it was unlocked forcefully and that he was still able to control it after.

Barristan had finally come to a decision "Lad, how would you feel about training under me until the tournament?"

Daemon found himself shocked, he'd been contemplating what to do since his deal with Lord Stark was over, Martyn would no longer have time to train him as he had his duties. But he had to ask Barristan something important.

"I would, however I can't do it alone, Lyanna Stark as been with me every step of my formal training so if it's a choice between doing it alone or without her I'll take the later" Daemon politely states.

The amount of loyalty he has to his friend is admirable and it makes Barristan smile "There are no issues if she joins, though I suspect you should ask her if she can do it, her father may have other ideas for how she is to spend her time"

Daemon didn't consider that before but nods her head in understanding "I thank you for the offer regardless"

Truthfully Barristan had other reasons for offering his training, if Daemon had as much potential as he thought he did and he manages to win the tournament then he would be a perfect candidate for a Kingsguard.

———————————————————

(Two weeks later)

Daemon stood amidst the serene forest outside of Riverrun, his breaths heavy and sweat pouring down his face as he held the wooden practice sword tightly. He closed his eyes, feeling the aura surrounding him like a protective cocoon. With determination in his eyes, he extended his aura from his body to the wooden sword, seeking to channel his strength through it.

In a swift motion, Daemon swung the wooden sword sideways, aiming at a nearby tree. The blade struck the tree, but despite his effort, it only managed to cut a tiny, insignificant mark on the tree's surface. Frustration mixed with determination surged within him, driving him to try again.

Looking behind him, Daemon spotted Barristan Selmy, the legendary knight who had offered to train him, sitting on a stump he had cut down earlier. Barristan watched the young man closely, assessing his progress with keen eyes. His presence added a sense of weight and importance to the training.

"We won't move on to the next part of training until you can cut through a tree with a single stroke" Barristan restates much to Daemons frustration.

"It's impossible I've tried everything, no matter how much sure I pour into it, there is no difference" Daemon shouted out with exasperation as sweat poured down his body he had removed his tunic a while back as to not ruin it.

Barristan chuckles at him and stands up, walking towards him he takes the wooden sword from Daemon before he pours his own aura into it. With a single hand he slashes the tree Daemon had been practising against. And with hardly any resistance the sword goes straight through, The cut is so clean that it remains standing.

Daemon finds himself in awe of his mentors abilities once again, how he effortlessly did something that even after two weeks Daemon was struggling with.

Barristan then looks at Daemon "When you thought the aura user at the trident, how did you beat him? Was it by overpowering him? Not all solutions can be brute forced"

Daemon thinks back to his fight the only reason he won was because of his control, which was unnaturally good. Not only had he managed to control his aura after it being brute forced without any practice in mediation but he has consistently been doing the river training where he swims up stream.

Daemon has an idea, at first he had believed by pouring more aura into the wooden sword he would be able to cut through it easily, but now that he thinks about it he knew it wouldn't. It would increase the power of the object while reducing its control.

Daemon walks to another tree after taking the sword back from Barristan, he focuses on enveloping it in his aura though he uses a small amount. Though the benefit of using such a small amount is he can control it a lot more, he controls it until he feels its ready. With a swing of his sword he manages to cut through the tree until about 1/4 of the way where it is stopped.

Barristan laughs and applauds his effort "Good job lad! I knew you'd understand it eventually. Let's end this for today and get some rest, my shift to guard the queen will start soon" Barristan states clapping Daemon in the back before heading off back to Riverrun.

Daemon saw the sun was still high in the sky so he decided to keep training. He sat down on the tree stump in a meditative position and used 'Enhance' flaring his aura, he read in Daemons journal that combining this with mediation would increase the amount of aura you have than just practicing with it. So every day he did at least six hours of this training in order to increase the amount of aura he had.

He wished Lyanna could be here, she'd been excited at the prospect of training with the legendary knight but her father had instantly declined stating that her reason for being here is to befriend the Tully children and in her spare time she can train with Martyn. When Daemon said he would decline Barristans offer she punched him and said that things like this hardly ever come around and that she'd never forgive me if I let it slip away.

A few hours later Daemon felt exhausted, going through the motions of flaring and then recovering had taken a toll on his mind and he felt that he could no longer meditate effectively. He decides it best to stop training and get some food, though maybe have wash first.

———————————————————-

Lysa Tully was not as beautiful as her sister, she wasn't as tall nor graceful and her assets were smaller. She found it hard to hold conversations with people and usually ended up being silent while her sister did most of the talking.

This is how Lysa thought of herself, the reality was quite different as she was as beautiful as her sister, possessing thick auburn hair and Icy blue eyes. While it's true she wasn't as tall and curvaceous as her sister, she still had a delicate and petite frame that could stoke men's desires just as much.

Though she never thought this of herself and never made the effort to befriend anyone outside of her family, despite her sweet nature.

Though in one aspect Lysa far outmatched her siblings and that was in the usage of Aura. While Catelyn knew how to use it and could use the basics she never went beyond that believing she didn't need to. Her brother was an average talent at best and would never reach a level beyond mediocre.

But Lysa was talented, while she had above average talent in most of the aspects of aura, where she truly shined was in the aspect of 'Suppression' and it's more advanced counterpart 'Fade'.

'Fade' is an advanced application of aura. If 'Suppression' closes aura nodes in order to stop it from leaking then 'Fade' intentionally hides a persons aura making it imperceptible unless another advanced form 'Focus' when channeled through the eyes allows a person to see someone using 'Fade'.

In a room with few people Lysa would be hard to spot, however in a room full of people you'd never find her if she didn't want you to. Her abilities with these aspects of aura borderline on being aura abilities themselves, her aura is naturally concealed with 'Fade' which would make her a very talented fighter if she wished to be one.

However Lysa didn't want that, most times she didn't know what she wanted. Sometimes she would wish she could be like her sister and other times she wished she could've been beautiful, most of all she wanted someone that she could confide in. While she knew she had her family they didn't really understand her and it stopped her from talking to them.

No one noticed when Lysa walked out of the castle, something she did often, she'd walk downstream for a few miles and into the forest where there was a small crystal blue pond, it was a sight to see and as far as she knew no one actually knew about it but her.

Lysa disrobed putting her dress and small clothes on a tree branch, her slender naked form was exposed to the evening air, she felt her nipples on her small breasts stand erect in the cold wind. She stepped into the water feeling the coldness seep into her skin. The water soaking into her dark auburn pubic hair and running up the curves of her hips. Eventually she was engulfed in the cold water and she lay there floating, it was one of her favourite things to do, she just let her worries and insecurities drift away.

She found herself envious of her sister recently, even more so than usual. She and Brandon Stark had been having such a wonderful time together, and while they tried to include her often she felt that she was getting in the way and excluded herself. She found herself wishing she had someone who could see her, everyone's eyes always drift over her not really seeing her.

She's snapped out of her thoughts when she hears the snapping of a twig, she leans her head up putting her feet on the bottom of the floor sinking down to cover herself "w-w-who's t-t-t-there" she says with a trembling voice.

Out of the foliage comes a man holding a bottle, Lysa can already smell the wine coming from it. The man is sweaty and balding with a big pot belly that pulled his tunic up, seeing Lysa he smiled showing rotting teeth.

"Well lookie 'ere, seems the maidens gone an' blessed me for all my 'ard work" the drunkard said as he stumbled to the pond.

"p-p-please l-leave Ser" Lysa stuttered our in a low voice. While she could easily defeat this man using her aura, there were a few problems. Lysa was a very gentle person, she didn't like harming anyone and her first reaction in a fight was to always run, she wasn't a coward and would fight if she had to but it's something that didn't feel natural to her. The second problem is that she didn't want him to see her naked body, and her clothing was in the direction he came from.

The man had taken his tunic off almost falling over in the process, his intent was to join her in the pond and have his way with what his drunken mind had told him was his reward, he couldn't wait. "S-S-Stop p-please I don't wish to hurt you" she implored but he just laughed it off and took his breeches off revealing his wrinkly ball sack and cock hidden in a forest of corse hair.

Lysa couldn't help but scream as he approached almost to the edge of the pool. She closed her eyes and flared her aura, prepared to defend herself from unknown to the man. However she didn't hear him move any further, however she did hear a thunk on the floor. She slowly opened her eyes and saw one of the most handsome men she'd ever seen, he had shoulder length silver hair and had a strong chiseled body that was exposed with a tunic over his shoulder, she could see he was and aura user as he had it flowing around him.

He looked towards Lysa his eyes full of concern "Are you okay my lady? I hope I wasn't too late"

Lysa felt herself shrink under his gaze, "I-I-I'm o-okay thank you" she says back in a low tone.

He smiles at her and nods his head "I'll drag this drunkard off a bit further away and let you clothe youself" he says before grabbing the man's foot with one foot and dragging him off.

Lysa felt relief that she didn't have to hurt the man, but she felt embarrassed that she's in such a position in the first place.

'He probably believes me to be strange' she thought to herself as she softly stepped on to the bank of the pond and quickly dressed herself. When the man came back she was attempting to wring out her hair.

He was positively entranced by her, the way her wet hair curled and fell below her shoulders, he also hadn't noticed before but her eyes were an incredibly bright blue. For a while he stared at her, which made her fidget under his gaze. Lysa was very socially awkward so she wouldn't call him out on his staring, this led to a few minutes of him looking at her until he realised what he was doing.

"I apologise my lady, you are positivity beautiful and I found myself unable to look away" he stated, Lysa found herself blushing heavily while hoping that the cold would mask it.

"I'm Daemon Rivers, if you'd like I can escort you back to your home" he said with a smile.

She still couldn't look him in the eyes but slowly nodded and they walked together through the forest with the setting sun turning the forest a soft gold colour.

'I should say something' Lysa thought but when she tried to think of what to say she came up blank. Though luckily for her Daemon wasn't as socially inept as her.

"Do you use that pond often?" Daemon asks Lysa, in response she gives a small nod of her head.

"It's truly remarkable isn't it, I've been using it after I train and I feel as if I drift away when I float in it" he states

Lysa's eyes widen as she nods eagerly "It's amazing isn't it I always try to come everyday as it helps me sleep afterwards" she says excitedly though she quickly became self aware of her outburst and then blushed and looked back down at her feet.

Daemon smiles at her reactions he found them cute "So you must live in Riverrun, to make the trip so often" She nods her head slightly.

'Say something to him' she thinks to herself as she clenches her hands together.

"I-I don't t-think I've seen you in Riverrun b-before" she manages to stutter out.

Daemon nods "I arrived with the Stark party, I grew up in a cabin outside of Maidenpool, hoping to find a knight who will let me squire for him once the tournament is over"

Daemon can see she must be very shy, truth be told he has seen her around Riverrun during the two weeks he had spent here. She was alone a lot of the time or usually ignored when she was with what looked like her friends. She seemed like a nice person so he hoped she'd want to be friends.

"Truth be told I knew you were from Riverrun... I've seen you around there a lot of the time usually with a girl who I think might be your sister, I think she is anyway because you two look similar" Daemon explains.

Lysa's eyes widened a bit as her heart beat fast 'He saw me?' She thought to herself as she rubbed her fingers against each other.

For the first time since they met she looked up at him "How did you notice me?" She says clearly.

Daemon raises an eyebrow in confusion "You're very pretty and have thick auburn hair, it would be hard not to notice someone like you" he replies

She looks back down at her feet "My sister is prettier, I'm rather plain compared to her" she says in a low voice.

Daemon shrugs his shoulders "Your sister is pretty but you're just as pretty if not prettier"

Lysa looks up and shakes her head "She's taller and more curvaceous, father always said she's a daughter to be proud of since she'd be able to sire him lord of grandchildren"

Daemon tilts his head as if thinking about her words "I like shorter women with slender figures, so I'd still prefer you. And not meaning any offence but your father is an idiot"

For the first time in what felt like her entire life Lysa laughed, to Daemon it was a beautiful melodious laugh that he enjoyed hearing "He is a bit of an idiot sometimes" she said with a smile that Daemon thought suited her well.

Daemon is glad she is opening up a bit and decides to prompt her further "Since I'm new to Riverrun is there anything fun to do around here" he asks with a smile.

Lysa scrunches her brow in an attempt to think before her eyes widen "It's the perfect time, come let's go" she says before uncharacteristically grabbing Daemons hand in a moment of spontaneity and dragging him towards Riverrun.

They ran back to the castle their hands entwined and crossed the drawbridge though the guards seemed to be playing cards and didn't notice the two of them as they were naturals at 'Suppression'.

Though Lysa felt disappointed when she saw that the entrance to the tallest tower in Riverrun was being guarded. Most likely because it was where the guests were housed and the Queen was staying. Daemon could see the look of disappointment and defeat in Lysa's face.

So Daemon steeled himself and grabbed her hand taking her to the tables and around the back. She looks at him questioningly but he just smiles at her and then squats down "Get on" he simply says making her smile again.

Daemon activates his aura focusing it in his legs as he leaps from the ground and on top of the stables, he had to jump over a few more buildings all while trying to not get caught. But eventually he's able to leap onto the tower where he turns off his aura nodes. Lysa felt a bit disappointed as she loved being surrounded by his aura, it felt so warm and bright, almost as if she could fall asleep in it.

Daemon scaled the tower, luckily the sun had almost set so they were very hard to notice. At the top of the tower it jutted out a bit so Daemon had to jump before latching onto it. Climbing up the ledge they finally reached the top of the tower and he could understand why she came up here. The setting sun reflected off the rivers feeding into the red fork, it was quite a sight.

Lysa couldn't remember the last time she'd been so happy or done something so wild "I can't believe you climbed the tower, we could've gone in through a window!" She says with laughter. How she usually got up onto the tower was the window at the top floor, she was just tall enough to reach from the window to the ledge and she lifted herself up using her aura.

Daemon smiled at her "Much more fun this way" he said getting another laugh from her as she leaned on him slightly.

For a while they sat there looking at the sunset and appreciating the view "You know I don't think you ever told me your name" Daemon asked as he looked at her.

Lysa blushed as she realised how rude she'd been by not introducing herself "Sorry! I'm Lysa Tully" she sputtered out much to his amusement.

Daemons eyes widened a bit "Tully as in Lord Tully of Riverrun!?"

She nods her head nervously "The very same" she had just discovered someone that she hoped could be her friend, she didn't want him being intimidated because of her status. She sat there her heart sinking as he didn't say anything.

"So when I said your father is an idiot... I called the Lord of Riverrun an idiot... I'm an idiot" Daemon says with a sigh.

What Daemon said was so unexpected that it made her giggle "It's okay I won't say anything" she says wiping a few tears from her face.

Daemon smiles, it was nice spending time away from training, he hadn't been able to spend much time with Lyanna recently so making another friend was nice.

'I wish this day wouldn't end' Lysa thought to herself. As she looked at Daemon who was appreciating the view.

"It is a shame this day has to end, but I hope tomorrow I can see you again, I've had fun" Daemon says looking down at Lysa.

Another thing that Lysa had never heard before, she had to stop herself from tearing up as she nodded her head with a smile on her face.

"Ready for one last bit of fun?" Daemon told her with a mischievous look on his face. She looked up at him with evident confusion on her face but still nodded her head.

Daemon stood up and picked up Lysa in a bridal carry getting a squeak from her as she blushed at being held that way "w-w-what are you doing" she asked nervously.

Daemon winks at her "Hope you don't mind getting wet"

Lysa's eyes open wide as she looks at Daemon and then down at the river "Nooo, Daemon you're crazy!"

"Maybe..." he says before he activates his aura enveloping himself and Lysa, she almost purred when she was shrouded in his aura so she screamed when Daemon jumped off the top of the tower to the river below.

Lysa screamed the entire way down into the water, as they crashed into the river and sunk beneath the surface Daemon held onto her and swam to the bank of the river.

Lysa and Daemon couldn't help laugh as they lay on the bank of the river "I don't know why I never thought of getting down that way" Lysa said to him.

Daemon turned his head to her "Well you're going to have to get used to it because if I'm with you that's the only way we go down"

Lysa turned her head and smiles at him, she found that she'd be content with doing that.

———————————————————-

(One month later)

Daemon stood in the forest with his eyes closed and a wooden sword in his grip. He breathed heavily as sweat poured down his face suddenly he twitched and he turned to his left swiping and deflecting a stone that had been thrown at him out of the air. He then turned in the opposite direction hitting at another one.

This went on for 20 minutes before Daemon collapsed to the floor his aura dissipating. From the forest Barristan and Lysa came to him as they were the one responsible for throwing the stones.

What he was doing as a training exercise for an advanced aura technique 'Scout' which combined two basic techniques. 'Enhance' to extend your aura beyond your body and 'Shroud to give it shape. By doing this a person gets a sense of the surrounding area and if trained to a high degree can use it to dodge or deflect oncoming attacks. Though the downside was it was more tiring than 'Enhance' to maintain.

Lysa ran to Daemons side and wiped his brow with a cloth she had brought and handed him a water skin. Daemon looked at her gratefully before taking a gulp.

"That was good lad, you can keep practicing that on your own time, I think you're sufficient enough at it for now 10 metres for 20 minutes is impressive" Barristan states.

"Now the tournament will be starting next month so for this last month I'll be teaching you the last advanced techniques for Aura. 'Fortify' is a prolonged state of 'Enhance', almost all aura users will know this technique but few can use it for prolonged periods as they neglect to focus on training" Barristan explains.

Daemon nods his head and stands up and flares his aura using 'Enhance' he then uses 'Shroud to keep it closer to his body thickening the aura present.

'Barristan wasn't joking when he said this would be harder to maintain' Daemon thought to himself.

Barristan nods his head "Good now we'll move to the last part 'Flow' which is the application of 'Focus' but when using 'Fortify', if you've faced an aura user before and you saw their aura shift where you aimed to hit them, that is 'Flow'" Daemon nods his head as he does remember Big Pete doing something similar.

"It can also be used to attack" Barristan explained as he activated his own 'Fortify' before using 'Flow' to distribute his aura to his fist while leaving his body with minimal protection.

"While 'Fortify' could defend from hits such as these, it's always best to distribute your aura to the place where they are going to connect cancelling out the hit" he continues.

Daemon does the same, controlling his aura has almost become second nature to him so using this advanced ability was rather easy, what he needed most was to practice maintaining it something Barristan knew. To say Barristan was shocked at the ease of which Daemon learned his aura he was amazed, though he was slightly worried.

"Daemon I've taught you what I can to help you with the tournament, all you need to do now is reinforce those and I'm sure you'll do just fine" Barristan stated.

Daemon nodded, but then Barristan narrowed his eyes at him "I know what you're doing Daemon... I won't stop you but I want to remind you that creating aura abilities is not something easily to do. Some people go their entire lives without one, so be careful especially with your vows"

Daemon felt himself freeze when Barristan mentioned his secret training but was glad he wouldn't stop him as he was close "I promise I'll be fine, thank you for teaching me this much" Daemon states getting a nod from the man.

Barristan then heads back to Riverrun leaving Daemon and Lysa alone, they had gotten close in the past month, to the point where he had asked her to help with his training and she eagerly agreed.

Daemon lay on the ground relaxing his aching muscles, he looked up and saw Lysa with a cute pout on her face "What's wrong?" He asked

"Aura ability? You never told me you were working on something dangerous all alone" she emphasises the alone part.

Daemon winced a bit "In truth I wanted to keep it as a surprise for the tournament, that's if I can finish it before it starts, but I'm close"

Lysa nods in understanding "Well, you can't practice it without me there anymore" she says lifting her head regally.

Daemon laughs "Is that what my Lady Tully wishes?"

"Indeed it is" she says with a small smile.

Daemon gets up and pats her head "Very well, now I am going to wash, coming?" He asked getting a nod from her.

One unexpected development was a week ago they started using the pond at the same time as by the time they went to use it, they found that there wasn't enough time to do them separately. Lysa thought she'd die of embarrassment at first but eventually she got use to it, they stood back to back so they didn't see each other, but sometimes Lysa would sneak a look when he got out as he always did it first.

Daemon however found the whole thing a bit frustrating, Lysa despite what she thought of herself was incredibly beautiful and Daemon always found himself erect when they bathed together which was rather embarrassing, he was glad that they did not face each other, otherwise he'd probably blush more than Lysa did.

Daemon and Lysa made their way to the pond, Daemon looked away until he heard Lysa strip her clothes and enter, Daemon took his own clothes off before getting into the pond. The feeling of the crystal clear water on his skin seeped into his muscles and made him feel euphoric. He leaned his back against Lysa's as they relaxed in the pool.

Lysa wasn't very tall standing at just over 5ft so she could lean her head onto Daemons upper back which she tended to do "My father has been talking about writing to the Lannister's to secure a marriage between me and Tywin's son"

Daemon raised an eyebrow in surprise "I hear he's a once in a generation talent with a sword and aura, they say he'll be the next Arthur Dayne or King Aerys"

Lysa hums lowly at his words "I think my father is a bit mad if he believes the Lannister's will accept that betrothal"

Daemon smiled and bumped himself back into her "They'd be foolish not to" he says making her smile.

"At least I know my father won't marry me off to the Freys or the like" she says with relief in her voice.

"How would you know that?" He replies

"The Riverlands are weak, compared to other kingdoms so he'll arrange a marriage purely for power" she explains.

Daemon however is confused "The Riverlands have the second most fertile fields in Westeros and can field up to 40,000 men, I wouldn't consider it weak"

Lysa shakes her head "We have the weakest Aura users and the fewest, even in a battle that size aura users are what determine the tide"

"We have my father my uncle, but apart from them we have no true talents in the Riverlands, so my father is making matches that'll grant more power as well as hopefully talented grandchildren, which is why my sister is being betrothed to Brandon" she explains.

Daemon hums "You forgot to include yourself on that list, you're quite talented in aura"

Lysa giggles a bit as she turns a bit leaning her cheek on his back, she then turns and hugs Daemon pressing her small breasts into his back. Daemon could feel her hard nipples pushing into his back and he now found himself painfully hard.

"Lysa? What's wrong?" He asks with a slight tremble in his voice that he coughs out.

"Nothing... I'm just glad I met you, it's been very lonely till now" She says softly.

Daemon is glad she opened up to him, he take a risk and turns around, they are now both facing each other, their naked bodies exposed. Lysa blushes but doesn't cover herself or turn away, Daemon moves his face closer and kisses her lightly on the lips. His hands move around her back sinking into her soft skin as he presses her slender form into his broad chest. 

Lysa melted into him, she had never felt as alive as she did now, being touched by Daemon sent shivers down her spine and when he kissed her it made her stomach flutter and her heart beat fast. Though when she felt Daemons hard length poke into her stomach she thought she'd pass out.

Daemon disconnects from the kiss "I knew I'd regret it if I didn't do that before you get married" he says while cupping her face.

Lysa rubbed her face in his hands and smiled "We have a month for you to make the most of it"

———————————————————-

(Two weeks later)

Lyanna was punching a big boulder she had found in the forest outside of Riverrun, something she did almost on a daily basis. The reason being that if it wasn't this rock it would be Edmure Tully's face, or Catelyn's embroidery set. She had spent most of the time with the Tully children only getting a few moments to either train or meet with Daemon.

Though he was very busy as well since he was training for the tournament, she couldn't wait until he beat that poncy little fish in the ring, she'll be cheering the whole time. She missed what had come to be her best friend a lot which is why she came out to find him training, when she heard him talking and laughing. She used 'Suppression' so she could jump out and scare him.

However what she discovered was Daemon in the pool with Lysa Tully, they were both in each others arms and as they passionately kissed and fondled each other.

Lyanna's heart hurt at the sight, she didn't think she had liked Daemon in such a way but at the sight of him kissing another woman it all came rushing forth. She loved him, they had spent so much time together and yet she didn't realise it. Moments where she'd fall asleep on top of him after training or when they'd relax in the same bed together made sense now, she couldn't imagine doing that with any of the other boys she knew.

So Lyanna did what she did best and vented her frustration on a helpless boulder almost smashing it to pieces with her flared aura. She felt a bit better but couldn't help but wipe the few tears that left her face, but she slapped her face and resolved herself. She was a Stark and a wolf never gives up on their prey.

When she got back to Riverrun the first thing she did was try and find Lysa, something that was a lot harder than she thought it would be. It took the third time walking around the courtyard to discover she was sitting on a bench near the stables. A place she had passed multiple times.

She walks up to her "Lysa! We need to speak" she says startling the slightly older girl.

Lysa nods her head quickly and follows Lyanna to behind the stable, Lyanna looks at the auburn haired girl with a glare "I saw you with Daemon" she simply says eliciting panic from Lysa.

"I-I-It's n-not w-what you think we-" Lysa tries to explain but is cut off by Lyanna.

"Save it... I already saw you kissing in the pond" Lyanna states though the last words come out a little more aggressively than she meant.

Lysa finds herself speechless, she's not very good at talking to people in general, but Lyanna was the complete opposite of her and very outgoing so she found it hard to talk to her.

"I'm not angry at you... mostly myself for waiting so long to do something, Daemon is a good person so if he's friends with you then it means you must be as well" Lyanna says to her making Lysa relax a bit.

"But I want you to know... I'm not giving up!" She says shocking Lysa.

It wasn't often a love rival would come straight to your face and declare their intentions, she found it so ridiculous and remarkable that she couldn't help but laugh, she had to cover her mouth because she was laughing so much.

Lyanna stood there with a pissed off look on her face as she watched Lyanna laugh "I'm sorry it's just I've never heard of a love rival declaring themselves so openly" she says with a small giggle. 

Lyanna had to smile a bit "I suppose it was a little ridiculous, I'm quite often accused of being hot headed" she stated as she sat down on a cart with a sigh.

"I apologise if I intimidated you a bit, I didn't mean it to come off so badly, I just saw you two together and it made me realise how I felt" She explained getting a pang of sympathy from Lysa.

Lysa hopped up on the cart next to her "If it's okay we could talk about it, I don't really have any other real friends apart from Daemon. If he's friends with you then it must mean you're nice"

Lyanna smiled at her "I would very much like that, anything to get me away from your brother" she said much to Lysa's amusement.

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(Two weeks later)

It was the day of the tournament, in the past few days knights and nobles from the Riverlands and beyond had come to attend mostly on honour of the queen. Rhaella had found this tour of the south to be a blessing as it allowed her time away from her husband.

She was sat on the upper dais with the Tully family, the Stark family and a young Viserys in her arms, Barristan Selmy and Jonothor Darry stood behind her ever vigilant in guarding the Queen. Rhaella used to love tournaments when she was younger but these days she found them to lack excitement, nobles and knights would always win, a sad truth of the world is that the romanticising of knights and lords and people who fight for what it right and prevail are just stories. She discovered that when her brother burned her second child alive. Shaena had barely made it due to being sickly but she pulled through. However she had black hair which led her husband to believe she had cuckholded him, which she hadn't. It was most likely due to their grandmother having black hair but he didn't listen.

While Rhaella was helpless when he grabbed her baby out of her arms threw it to the floor and set it alight, she still dreams of the sounds her baby made, after she stopped screaming her husband raped her to 'set things right'. Rhaella was never the same after that.

"I heard the boy you've been training will enter the melee, do you think he'll do well?" Rhaella asked while looking at Barristan.

The white haired man smiled "I do your grace, he shows great promise"

Rhaella smiles, she had seen the young man a few times around Riverrun, he seemed to go out of his way to help the servants with any difficult tasks, she'd also saw him climbing the tower of where she was staying a few times though she kept that to herself. When she first saw him she thought she was looking at a younger Rhaegar, while Valyrian features aren't uncommon in the Crownlands this boy looked like she could be a Targaryen.

Rhaella is snapped out of her thoughts by a trumpet announcing the first of the melee matches which would then be followed by the joust. And luckily for her she would get to see the boy first as he was facing off against Edwyn Frey

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Daemon focused on Edwyn Frey, his opponent for the melee tournament. As they stood in the grand stage, the excitement of the crowd buzzing around them, Daemon couldn't help but notice Edwyn's peculiar appearance—a pale, slender man with a constipated expression and a thin smile that made him look more like a schemer than a warrior.

The announcer introduced them to the eager spectators, and the anticipation in the air grew palpable. Daemon could feel the energy building up, both from the crowd and within himself. He flared his aura, and it illuminated the stage with a radiant brightness, overshadowing Edwyn's dimmer aura though his was a bit larger.

The moment the fight was called, they faced off against each other, their auras shrouding them in an ethereal glow. The rules allowed no weapons other than conjured ones, so they relied solely on their aura abilities and physical prowess.

As they circled each other, Daemon's focus was unwavering. He had trained diligently with Barristan Selmy, honing his aura abilities, and he was determined to showcase his skills in this tournament.

The tension in the air was palpable, and the spectators leaned forward, eagerly awaiting the first move. Both fighters were cautious, assessing each other's strengths and weaknesses. Daemon's aura flared brightly, indicating the raw power he possessed, while Edwyn's aura seemed more subdued.

With a burst of energy, Edwyn made the first move, lunging towards Daemon with unexpected speed. Despite his slender appearance, Edwyn's agility caught Daemon off guard. He swiftly sidestepped the attack, dodging Edwyn's attempt to catch him off balance.

Daemon threw his own punch at Edwyn and was surprised that he managed to hit him so easily, Edwyn flew a few feet back with a scowl on his face. It was as if he wasn't used to actually being hit before, but that couldn't be the case, surely other Aura users train together.

As Edwyn continued to throw clumsy punches and kicks, Daemon couldn't help but notice his opponent's lack of martial talent. Even if he wasn't using his aura, Daemon was confident that he could easily avoid Edwyn's uncoordinated attacks.

With each awkward movement, Edwyn's desperation became more apparent. His thin smile wavered as Daemon effortlessly evaded his strikes. It was evident to everyone watching that Edwyn was outmatched and ill-prepared for the melee tournament.

"It seems you're more challenging of an opponent than I believed bastard, very well I shall show you a larger portion of my power" he says Arrogantly.

"Now behold! 'Ripple'" he announces loudly in order to impress those watching. Though Daemon sighs at the spectacle as most of the audience can not see aura.

As Edwyn activated his special aura ability, 'Ripple,' Daemon found himself caught off guard. Ripples of aura emanated from Edwyn's feet, increasing his speed and agility, allowing him to close the distance between them with astonishing swiftness.

Before Daemon could react, Edwyn unleashed the second aspect of his ability, emitting ripples from his hands. The aura ripples caused Daemon's body to vibrate, disrupting his balance and making him stumble. It was a disorienting sensation, and Daemon struggled to maintain his footing.

As he tried to regain his composure, Edwyn seized the opportunity. With newfound speed and precision, he landed multiple punches on Daemon, exploiting his momentary vulnerability. Daemon gritted his teeth, trying to steady himself, but Edwyn's ability proved to be quite effective.

Daemon managed to respond with a light punch of his own, but the attack lacked the force he intended due to the impact of Edwyn's aura ripples. Edwyn then landed a kick on Daemon launching him a few feet away.

Daemon however couldn't help but smile, something which managed to infuriate Edwyn. Edwyn's frustration grew with each passing moment as he failed to land a single hit on Daemon, despite his belief that he should be faster. He threw punch after punch, screaming in anger as nothing connected. Daemon's nimble movements and swift dodges left Edwyn baffled and infuriated.

Determined to break through Daemon's defenses, Edwyn attempted to increase his speed even further. He charged at Daemon with renewed vigor, hoping to catch him off guard. But it was all in vain as Daemon effortlessly sidestepped Edwyn's wild assault, leaving him stumbling and unbalanced.

The crowd watched in amazement as Daemon's agility and quick reflexes proved superior. Edwyn struggled to comprehend how Daemon was evading him with such ease, feeling his confidence wane with each missed strike.

Daemon's smirk remained intact as he continued to outmaneuver Edwyn. He seized a brief opening, retaliating with a well-timed punch that struck Edwyn squarely in the face. The impact sent Edwyn reeling, momentarily stunned by the unexpected blow.

In the stands Barristan chuckled slightly catching Rhaella's attention "Do you know something Barristan?" She was curious as to how Daemon was doing so well against the young Frey as he clearly had more experience with aura.

"Use 'Focus' on your eyes your grace" Barristan stated, she did so with the surrounding nobles also doing the same. From what they could see there was a tether made of aura attaching Daemons aura to the Frey boy.

Barristan had managed to understand the ability somewhat 'He's using his aura to read his opponent's movements, he's using his opponents aura against him as it surrounds his body and will pick up every twitch of a muscle and movement. To develop this in a month in nothing short of monstrous' Barristan thought to himself.

Daemon's nimble footwork and precise movements allowed him to effortlessly dodge and weave under Edwyn's desperate attacks. With each dodge, he retaliated with quick and well-timed counters, landing strikes that slowly wore down his opponent.

As the fight wore on, Edwyn's aura ability, 'Ripple,' began to wane, leaving him gasping for breath and unable to maintain the increased speed that had once been his advantage. Daemon's aura flared brightly as he kept a firm grasp on his abilities, staying focused and composed.

Closing in on the battered and bruised Edwyn, Daemon saw an opportunity to end the fight. He knew he had the upper hand and didn't want to prolong the bout any longer. With determination in his eyes, he focused his aura, using the technique of 'Flow' to channel it into his fist.

Daemon's punch landed with force, connecting solidly with Edwyn's jaw. The impact was powerful enough to knock him out cold, and he fell to the ground, unconscious and defeated.

Unknown to everyone there the second aspect of his ability activated as soon as he had won the fight. There was a reason he had prolonged the fight as long as he did, It was to get the most out of his ability 'Spoils of War' by using the 'Aura Tether' he absorbs his opponents aura, the amount of aura he absorbs what his opponent had used in the fight.

The downside of this ability is the gamble worked both ways, if he had lost his Aura would've went into Edwyn. And while he can use 'Aura Tether' on multiple people he can only activate 'Spoils of War' on one person. Daemon thought it worth the risk as he would do whatever he could to win and this was a vow to himself to never lose.

Daemon felt the rush of aura enter his body, it was euphoric he could sense that his aura was now higher than Edwyns, but he kept that tightly wrapped up as to not expose his ability.

Daemon left the stage and headed to meet Barristan and hope he had advice to give regarding his next fight, as it would be against a fully fledged knight.

(AN: woooo second chapter done. Anyway important stuff to talk about, Summer holidays are here so works getting busy as shit. So sadly I'm going to be pushing my release schedule to once a week for lost in sothroyos and bi weekly for the rest apart from this new one which I'll write until it has enough story for someone to enjoy. But yeah I'll be doing this until I can backlog enough chapters. Until then all backlogged chapters will be on my supporters page only have Lost in Sothoryos there atm but I'll be filling it soon enough. But I'll still be posting everything, I'll just be busy a lot of the time this summer so can't write as much.

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