Chapter 21.5- The Seadragon's Roar

“Objection noted and overruled” She said and practically manhandled me as she dragged me forward.

“A lady like you has no business being this strong” I said, even as I knew that I could break her hold in a matter of seconds if I decided to do so. Age could mean a lot, but training in the yard was one hell of an equalizer and Corlys Velaryon, no matter how progressive and love-filled for his daughter he was, would never have allowed her in the yard.

“Ser Ben helped me prepare this little surprise” She said as she practically frogmarched me forward. I knew there was one of the smaller rooms there. Most of the rooms were either empty or sparsely furnished. Centuries of occupancy by pirate after pirate had seen everything of value not nailed to the ground— and even some of the things that were— taken and never returned. We would furnish it ourselves in time. Mother probably had a hundred ideas already. Well, as soon as she and Daemon decided who got to keep the castle. The men were loyal to her, not him. Borros would smash Daemon’s head in, in a second if she asked it of him, but she and father had promised the man the Stepstones. A gift that Father had ostensibly rescinded in his dying minutes. A mess, it was. So many things were a mess.

The room Laena led me to was not one of those things. It was empty. Near empty, I amended as I noticed the rack of training swords in the corner.

“Nope. Hell no” I said, breaking out of my sister’s hold.

“You promised”

“When I was five. Do I still look five to you? And I remember Father almost had my hide when we got caught that one time and the servant told him I’d been beating you with a stick. Do you know how long that lecture had been?” I spat. I could remember it vividly. No matter what I said, Corlys had run over it and given me a lecture on not hurting family. It had been slightly amusing that the lecture was about not hurting family rather than not hurting women in general. Of course that smile had led to even longer lecture.

“Well, father isn’t around anymore is he?” She asked, and there was something in her eyes that told me refusing her would be a bad idea. Also something that told me the words had not been as easy for her to say as she made them seem. She was hurting, there was no doubt about it.

“Ben, talk some sense into her” I turned to the Knight.

“As her Lord, you have final rights over what she learns and doesn’t learn”

“Is mother aware of this?” I tried my final card.

“It was half her idea” Laena smiled. “She thought it would help get our minds off….things”

“Of course.”

“Well, go pick a sword” I said, even as I reworked my plans for the day. I’d tire Laena out with an hour or so of training and then get back to my exploring. I’d even send Ben to escort her to bed and get some privacy. I hid my smile as I saw the route to solving all my problems.