chapter 5

The day of the tournament celebrating the upcoming birth of prince Baelon approached, William accompanied by his father, Lord Boremund Baratheon, embarked on a long journey towards the tournament grounds. They rode on horseback, the wind in their faces as they made their way towards the grand event.

The roads were filled with other knights and lords, all making their way to the same destination. There was a sense of camaraderie among the travelers, a shared excitement for the tournament that was to come.

As they neared the tournament grounds, the sounds of cheers and laughter grew louder. The air was filled with the smell of roasted meat and ale, and the colorful tents of the various houses were set up around the perimeter of the arena.

William and his father made their way to the Baratheon tent, which was adorned with the golden stag banner of their house. They were greeted by their bannermen, who cheered as they arrived.

As they strolled through the colorful tents of the other houses to reach the tournament ground, William's eyes scanned the various tents and sigils of the other houses. The tent of House Targaryen was particularly noticeable with its three-headed dragon sigil and deep crimson colors.

William then caught sight of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, surrounded by her ladies in waiting. Her stunning beauty and regal grace took his breath away, just as it had when he first watched the movie. A familiar flutter in his chest, a long-standing crush rekindled, took hold of him as he gazed at the princess.

Retracting his gaze, William followed his father to the tournament grounds.

As they entered the tournament grounds, and the tournament began. William watched as knights and lords competed in a variety of events, including jousting, archery, and hand-to-hand combat. The crowds roared with excitement as each match played out, and William felt a growing sense of anticipation as he waited for his turn to compete.

"You seem excited." Boremund asked, placing a hand on William's shoulder.

"A little," William admitted.

Boremund smiled at him. "Just remember to stay focused and keep your wits about you."

William nodded, taking a deep breath and steeling himself for what was to come.

Finally, it was William's time to shine. The announcer called his name.

There was a murmur in the crowd as his name was announced. William could see people craning their necks to get a look at him. He saw Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen among them and felt a flush of pride that his reputation has given him something.

As he stepped into the arena, and mounted a horse that could only be described as majestic, the black stallion had a sleek and muscular build, standing at over 16 hands high. Its coat shone like polished obsidian in the sunlight, with a subtle sheen that seemed to ripple with each movement. Its mane and tail were equally dark and flowing, giving the horse an almost supernatural appearance.

With a lance at the ready, William saw that his opponent was a tall, muscular man with a thick beard and a fierce scowl from the Martell household, mounted on a powerful horse. but William was confident in his own abilities.

As the fight began, the two fighters ran at each other on horseback, their lances at the ready.

While his opponent charged at him, William could see the knight's horse was massive and intimidating, its hooves pounding the ground with each stride.

William's body was tense as he rode his horse towards the enemy. His grip on the reins was tight, and his eyes were fixed on his opponent.

With the two horses charging towards each other, William could feel the tension building within him. His heart pounding in his chest, and he could also feel the adrenaline surging through his veins. But with the tension came the familiar sense of calm that washed over him like a soothing balm. It seemed to give him clarity and focus.

Maybe it was from the reincarnation, a gift or something of the likes. But whatever it is, it always made him calm even in life threatening situations.

He had faced countless battles, trained for years in the art of swordplay. The hours spent on the training grounds, the sweat and the pain, had all led to this moment.

With that William quickly assessed the situation and decided to take a risk. He leapt towards the enemy's horse and grabbed onto its reins, using his own weight to pull the animal down. It was a daring move, but it paid off. The enemy was caught off guard, and before he knew it, he was thrown from his horse and onto the ground.

The horse fell to the ground, throwing the knight off balance. William took advantage of the moment and struck the knight's arm with his sword, causing him to drop his weapon.

The crowd erupted in cheers as William scored the victory. He could hear his father's voice among them, shouting his name.

As the knight lay on the ground, he called out for a sword. William knew that the honorable thing to do would be to face the knight in a fair one-on-one fight, so he agreed to the challenge.

The man made the first move, lunging forward with his sword. William deftly parried the blow, and then launched a counterattack.

The two fighters then continued to circle each other, each looking for an opening.

The man lunged forward again, clearly not learning from the first but this time with more force. William easily dodged to the side, and then struck back with a lightning-fast attack that caught the man off-guard.

The man stumbled backwards, his sword falling from his hand. And William's sword at his neck.

William had won.

The knight fell to his knees, conceding defeat. William sheathed his sword and offered the fallen knight a hand.

"Good fight," William said with a smile, while taking his helmet off.

The knight nodded, acknowledging the defeat. "You are a worthy opponent, Ser William."

William then looked up to the stands, where Princess Rhaenyra was clapping and cheering. He made his way over to her and said:

"Your grace," William greeted the princess with a bow. "It is an honor to be in your presence."

Princess Rhaenyra smiled at him and said: "And it is an honor to have you here, Ser William. You have once again proven yourself as a skilled and honorable fighter."

William felt his cheeks flush at the compliment. "Thank you, your grace. I hope to continue to do so in the tournament."

"I have no doubt that you will," the princess said.

William then remembered that they asked for her blessing in the movie, so he said: "I would be honored if you would grant me, you're blessing for the tournament, your grace. It would mean the world to me."

Princess Rhaenyra smiled and spoke. "You have my blessing, Ser William. I have no doubt that you will make House Baratheon proud today."

William felt a surge of gratitude towards the princess. "Thank you, your grace. I will do my best to honor your faith in me."