Chapter 5.4- The Seadragon's Roar

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“Welcome to Storm’s End” Boremund Baratheon greeted me with those words as I was led into the throne room where storm kings had ruled from for generations. High Tide was a beautiful castle in its own right, a masterpiece of marble and glass, but there was something it just lacked when compared with Storm’s End. For one, the Baratheon Castle was at least half again High Tide’s size. Not quite impractically large like Harrenhall had been. But it was still clear that the castle could not have been the world of a single generation.

“Thank you for having me, my lord” I said wit a bow. I did not kneel. House Baratheon was the greatest house in the storm lands, yes, but I am a dragonrider, and that alone gave me privileges that others would dare not take. He made note of the gesture, I knew but beyond that there was no reaction from my mother’s uncle beyond a slight narrowing of his eyes.

“Rhaenys says you’e willful, stubborn, that you’ve never heard an order you did not object to. That might have ben acceptable back on driftmark, but we will not be tolerating any of that here. Before the sun is up, you will report to the training yard. There, Ser Manfred will take charge of the first part of your training. He will decide what you learn and when you learn it. When he thinks you are ready, he will send for my son to take over the rest of your training” He said.

“My lord, what about the rest of the day?” I found myself asking when he did not say anything else.

“What rest of the day?” He sounded genuinely confused as he spoke.

“Oh. You think there is any time you won’t be at the yard for? Until Ser Manfred is satisfied, you will spend every waking hour from dawn to dusk at the training yard.” He said.

“Now, the servants will show you to your chambers” He dismissed me at that point, and I couldn’t even hide the confusion on my face. Where was the time for lessons with the Maester? No lessons with the septon, either? Just time in the yard? No music or dancing lessons?

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I ducked to the left and used the chance to bring my sword to bear, stabbing straight at my opponent. His shield was in the way almost before I’d even completed my thrust and he knocked it to the side before I was sent flying to the floor with a boot to my chest. I felt the padding I wore slide across the ground for a few seconds before I came to a stop.

The sun was just beginning to rise and I’d already eaten dirt on five different occasions. How fucking fantastic.

“Are you going to stand up boy? Or enjoying the taste of the dirt?”

“Give me a second” I barely managed to mutter before I felt a hand grab a hold of my clothing and pull me straight up.

“No resting in battle. Now sword up”