Chapter 35.3- The Seadragon's Roar

“Kneel” He said, and I must have misheard. I looked back at Ben, far at the back and he nodded. This was it. Laena was beaming ear to ear. She’d been in on this for sure.

I dropped to one knee, not even caring about what the mud would do to my breeches. I was getting Knighted.

“Good. Now you can help me polish my boots from there” He said with a laugh. I looked up at him, not shy to say I was gobsmacked. What the fuck?

“A jest, a jest.” He said. And uncaring for the gazes of disappointment coming from both Ben and Manfred, he drew the sword and placed it on my left shoulder first. Manfred coughed behind him, and he quickly moved it to my left, before he got an approving nod from his bastard brother.

“In the name of the Warrior I charge you to be brave.” He said first and then his sword left my right shoulder and landed on my left. Was it just me or did it feel heavier with that movement.

“In the name of the Father I charge you to be just.” He charged me again, and the sword was back on my right.

“In the name of the Mother I charge you to defend the young and innocent.” Back to the left, heavier than before again.

“In the name of the Maid I charge you to protect all women” It wasn’t just the sword, it was the air itself as the blade was back on my right shoulder.

“In the name of the Smith, I charge you to work diligently and keep your arms strong.” Was it the charge? No one ever said anything about it feeling like this? Why did it feel like I was being judged, weighed, assessed?

“In the name of the Crone, I charge you to be wise” Was I the only one feeling this? I had my eyes closed and my head planted towards the ground so I could not tell, but Borros seemed to be speaking with no difficulty? Why did it feel like my lungs were being choked then?

“In the name of the Stranger, I charge you to face your death with courage” Not just my lungs, my eardrums felt about to pop, and my heart was beating at what felt like 200 beats a minute.

“Arise, Ser Laenor Velaryon, Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” And with those words, it felt like whatever was weighing me had stopped. The air lightened abruptly. I took a deep breath. And before I could even think about how to get my feet under me, Borros was pulling me up to my feet. Thankfully, my legs did not give under my weight.

Even if they nearly did from what happened next. The backhand came so quickly I barely even saw it. Reflexes had me moving with the blow though. So instead of taking a tooth or two, it merely stung something fierce.

“Let that be the last blow you receive unanswered” He said, and then like a fucking psychopath, he drew me into his arms again, a tighter hug than the first one if that was somehow possible.

“And let this be your first embrace as a Knight. Welcome, my brother” He said, and working my arms around him, I did my best to return the hug for all I had within me.