14 Chapter 14 - First Blood.

120 AC

Third day of the second moon

Ulf Pov

A month has passed since I became Prince Daemon's squire. While Gerardys had returned to Dragonstone along with the princess and her children I remained at Driftmark. Life was a bit more comfortable here. I was given a spacious room to sleep in along with access to the Sea snakes personal library. Lord Corly's library was a treasure trove itself. I had read till his second voyage and boy was it exciting. He very graciously answered the various questions I had regarding his voyages.

There was also a marked improvement in the fact that I had stopped blushing whenever Princess Rhaenys spoke to me. She was cordial with me but the grief of losing her child was quite evident on her face. The only time I saw her smile was when she was with her granddaughters.

The less said about the twins the better. After a week since their mother passed the girls became lively again. Princess Baela was a ball of energy always running away from her septa who grew quite frustrated at her young charge's penchant for hating to sit still even for a moment. Seeing her older sister even Princess Rhaena started running away from the septa much to my amusement.

So one fine evening I took pity on the poor septa and helped her catch the brats by luring them with lemon cakes. After they finished gobbling up the cakes much to the septas dismay, Princess Baela looked for a way out and It was then that I enticed them by telling them a story about Princess Merida. After that particular story session, the princesses had gone to their father asking him for a bow, and when he asked them the reason why they wanted one they told him about how Princess Merida had become the best archer in the world and how they both wanted to surpass her. Much to Rhaenys's dismay Daemon obliged and got them their very own bows.

The very next day I was woken up by the high-pitched noises of the princesses.

"Wolf, wolf wake up, wake up".

Seeing them I got up quickly and seeing me get up Baela started laughing while Rhaena looked away.

"Wolf is naked, wolf Is naked", she shouted loudly.

I quickly looked down and thanked god that I was wearing pants.

"What is this, my dear squire? You are exposing yourself to my daughters", said Daemon with a smirk on his face.

I started sweating profusely.

"This is not what it looks like my prince I was just….." before I could finish my sentence Daemon cut in.

"Don't you think my daughters that Wolf should be punished for his insolence", he said in a cheerful tone.

"Yes kepa he should", said Baela practically jumping with glee while Rhaena just shook her head.

How the fuck did I get into this situation. Fuck.

So from that day onwards, Daemon ordered me to teach his daughters how to use a bow, while I wasn't that proficient in it I could get by.

Speaking about the Rogue Prince he was just as unpredictable as a teacher as he was a person. My first spar with him ended up with me holding my balls for dear life. His first lesson was always to go for the balls. A lesson I learned well. He was the master of Dirty tactics 101.

"In a real fight, your opponent won't give you an inch. Fucking chivalry won't get you anywhere. Less said about honor the better. So whatever happens remember Ulf, go for the balls after which you should go for the head", he said. Such wise words were never heard by me before.

He truly was a great teacher. God bless his rotten soul.

So my daily routine was to wake up at six. Have a bath after which I would visit the sept. After that, I would go to the kitchen and have a light snack. Then I would go to the courtyard and start my warmup. After which I would start training with the various squires and knights. There were times when Daemon came and gave a few tips after which he would go riding. He had a kind of hands-off approach. After training, I would go and collect the princesses and teach them how to use the bow. After which I would go and eat lunch. After which I would go to the Library and read various books. Then at night, I had to go and tell the princesses a bedtime story otherwise they wouldn't fall asleep.

A week back I had just finished telling them a story and as I left the room I saw Laenor walking toward me with a wineskin in his hands.

His eyes were red and he was clearly drunk.

"Know your place boy", he said while jabbing his finger on my chest.

"Just because my father and mother treat you well and the girls are fond of you does not mean much. Do not think that you are safe just because you are Daemon's squire". He took a long swing from his wineskin before continuing.

"You should know your station. You are just a lowborn runt who got lucky. If I see you so much as stepping out of line just remember that what happened in the cells would be nothing compared to what I would personally do".

Just thinking about what had happened in the cells made me ball up my fists in anger. The day that I was put in the cells by Ser Harwin a man had come who had taken his belt and started whipping me. I could not do much but struggle since my hands and feet were in chains. But I had recognized the man as Ser Qarl the lover of Laenor. The man who had ended the life of a pathetic excuse of a man.

Removing the thoughts from the past month from my mind I looked at the various tents that were erected in Spicetown. There was a fair happening and Daemon had given me a small purse and told me that I would have to go find a horse for myself. I was excited about the thought of owning a horse and riding it.

As I entered the town I saw people of various ethnicities. There were various shops present with people selling their wares. I went towards the stables where the merchants were selling various horses.

It was then that I noticed a Braavosi merchant who was showing off his horses. I noticed a white foal in the distance.

"She is beautiful isn't she?", he said in a thick Westerosi accent.

"I got her from a Pentoshi merchant whom himself had gotten her from a passing Khalasar."

"She was sired by the Khal's own horse. She is practically royalty", he said while smiling.

"Hello beautiful", I said as I gently caressed her mane.

She neighed happily.

"I believe she has found her master but alas she is expensive". He said in a sad tone.

"How much?", I said while petting the horse and not even looking at him.

"She is worth ten gold dragons", he said while rubbing his hands.

"Here", I said and threw the pouch at him and as he opened and as he counted it he eyes grew wide open.

"There are five extra gold dragons", he said.

"Keep the change", I said.

I knew that ten gold dragons were a lot but I somehow knew that she was the one.

"Boy take this", the merchant said while giving me a coin.

As I looked closely I realized that It was a coin that I recognized.

"Valar Morghulis", I said softly.

Hearing me the merchant started laughing.

"The boy knows a lot", I heard a man whisper in my ears, and as I turned around there was no one.

What the fuck.

I took the reins of the foal and started walking toward the party from Hightide with whom I had come.

As I was thinking about a name for the foal I saw a crowd that started gathering in the market square and as I came to the forefront I saw Laenors lifeless body on the ground with a sword sticking out of his chest.

The whole crowd froze. Everyone knew who Laenor was and could not believe that someone had killed him in broad daylight. I looked at the man who did it and my blood started boiling.

Qarl fucking Correy the man who fucking whipped me. I quickly unsheathed the dagger from my waist and launched myself at him. Seeing me lunge at him he brought his hand up to defend himself but I cut threw his fingers as If it were butter.

Blood started pouring out of his hand while he looked for a way out since he was defenseless since his sword was stuck in Laenor's body.

The crowd grew out of their stupor and gathered around him. Seeing that there was no way out he went down on his knees and begged me to let him go.

Seeing him on his knees I hesitated for a second and at that moment he threw himself at me in the hopes of taking my dagger and as we fell down the dagger went through right his eye and into his head.

"You did well Ulf", said Daemon.

"You killed the fucking traitor and avenged Laenor", he said with a smirk.

I would have laughed at the hypocrisy of Daemon If I wasn't in a state of shock. I had killed a living and breathing man. I had just taken a life but I did not feel anything. A day had passed since that fateful encounter but I did not feel any better.

Seeing my despondent state Daemon raised my head and looked me straight in the eyes before saying, "Do not pity that man".

His voice became serious and he continued, "He would have killed you without a moment's hesitation and you know that too.

"The world that we live in is not a fairytale like the ones you tell my daughters Ulf. In the real world you either kill or be killed".

"Thank you my prince", I said with sincerity in my voice.

He just gave me a smile before patting my shoulder.

"Do dress up well boy, I do not wish to hear my brother tell me that the first squire that I have had in ages is not groomed well".

"Your brother, my prince ?", I asked with confusion evident in my tone.

"Oh yes, It seems that I forgot to tell you. The king is coming and so is the royal family".

Fuck.

I forgot what a fucking clusterfuck the funeral was. After all It was where the rebirth of the second son of Viserys happened. The birth of the One-eyed monster. The man who burnt the fucking Riverlands, the one man due to whom the Greens stood a chance at winning the "Dance".

None other than the "Kinslayer" himself, Aemond Fooking Targaryen.