IV / Where Warriors Are Made

     More than anything, Princess Rhaelys Velaryon hated Ser Criston Cole. More than she hated anyone else, more than she despised anything else. She knew of her mother's history with Criston and about how he could not take now for an answer. She had heard from Helaena that he had called her mother a cunt.

On the training yard, Rhaelys was not treated as the heir she was. She was a nuisance there, a burden. Criston Cole had been their instructor for as long as she could remember, and for that same amount of time he had not treated her or her brothers fairly. Jace always had to spar with Aegon and Luke was always ignored, not getting the training they needed or deserved. 

The thing that above all irritated Rhae was that Aegon and Aemond got all the feedback they asked for, or didn't, when she and Jace and Luke had never gotten anything from Criston. She understood that he didn't like them, but that he was letting his favoritism show in their training sessions was quite mean.

"Soften your knees," Rhae rolled her eyes as she heard Criston sucking up to Aemond and Aegon, simply because he was in love with their mother. "Feet light," He wasn't kind to Aemond or Aegon either, but at least he spoke to them. At least he spoke of what he thought instead of just holding his tongue at all times, like he did around them. The only times he spoke to her was when he was telling her off, or when he was adressing her as 'princess Rhaelys'.

Rhaelys could feel her grandfather's eyes on her. He loved her best and most and he often made it clear. "Keep your feet light and your hands heavy," The advice he was given made no sense to Rhaelys and she honestly did not want to understand. Rhaelys could see her grandfather spoke something to his Hand, Lord Lyonel Strong, but what she could not make out. 

As Jace finally hit it correctly and made a dent, Aegon yanked it back down, smirking with the same look that he always wore on his face. He was so cocky. He had always been cocky. "Don't stand too upright, my Prince. You'll get knocked down," Aemond looked so done with training. It was his least favourite thing to do in the whole world.

Criston stared at Rhaelys for a moment before turning his attention back on Aegon. He was perfect, in swordsmanship at least. The way he held the weapon, to the look he had when he drew blood from his victim; he was perfection, according to Criston Cole at least. And Rhae knew that in all things, he was not to be trusted. Swordsmanship was also the only thing he was perfect at. He quickly got distracted by two fair handmaidens, which made Rhaelys' undeniably jealous for a reason she could not explain. Rhaelys could see Ser Harwin walking towards them, looking as boring and predictable as always. Ser Harwin was kind to her, but she didn't like him that much.

"Aegon," Criston said simply to get the Prince's attention again, and Aegon turned around quick as a puppy did to their owner. "I've won my first bout, Ser Criston, my opponent sues for mercy." Aegon smiled and tried to be funny, but Criston could find no humor in it. "You'll have a new opponent then, My Lord of the Straw," He spoke, no emotion to be detected in his voice. "Let's see if you can touch me, you and your brother," She could, Rhaelys knew. She would have her sword in his neck in no time, given the chance. But she wouldn't be given that chance. The Green Queen's sons were always trained over her and her brothers. 

It was so unfair. She had to beg her grandsire to even allow her to train, where for her uncles and her brothers, it was only natural. But for her brothers to be put behind their uncles made no sense. Jace and Luke were ahead of Aegon and Aemond in line of succession.

Aemond walked towards Aegon and Rhaelys gave him a quick glance. She felt sorry for him. He was half the size of Aegon and could never beat Criston surely, for Criston was double the size of Aegon. Harwin watched carefully as Rhaelys, Jace and Luke stepped to the side so that Aegon, Aemond and Criston could battle. To the death, Rhaelys hoped. Aemond had his priorities all wrong. He was using his hight to his disadvantage. He and Aegon weren't working together, they both just did things at different times without speaking a word to one another.

With little effort, Criston got the better of the brothers. "You're going to have to do better than that," Rhaelys knew she could do better, if given the chance. She was half the fighter Criston was, which meant she was double the fighter that either Aemond or Aegon was; Aegon simply did not care and Aemond was too young to be a good fighter, which was funny considering she was only half a year older than him. 

Both Aemond and Aegon lay on the floor as Harwin address them. "Weapons up, boys, Rhaelys. Give your enemies no quarter," The tension between Criston and Harwin was sharp enough to cut with a knife, a sharp knife at that.

"It seems the younger boys could do with a bit of your attention, Ser Criston. And Princess Rhaelys could use a challenge, I believe," He told him, in the sweetest yet most mocking way thinkable. "You question my method of instruction, Ser?" He asked him and Rhaelys felt awkward yet interested. They were in the middle of something they were not even supposed to hear, her and her brothers. "I merely suggest that method be applied to all your pupils." As they stood next to each other, Aegon pushed Luke without reason. Luke could laugh on it but Rhaelys could see the bitter look of boredom in Aegon's eyes.

"Very well." Jace smiled lightly when it was spoken. Rhaelys thought of it but quickly she realised it would not work out in her favour or Jace's. "Jacaerys, come here," Criston called out to her brother and Rhaelys followed him, determined not to let her brother get hurt. Criston walked up to him and grabbed him by his chest plate, making Rhaelys more nervous than she had been before. "You spar with Aegon," Aem's eyes sunk. Jace was strong yes, but he was not as strong as Aegon. He would never win the fight, and what if Criston had them battle to the drawing of blood?

Aegon and Aemond both smirked as Jace was pulled to the other side of the courtyard. Rhaelys swore she could see Criston eyeing her out. "Eldest son against eldest son," Rhae felt her heart drop. She was heir, not Jace! The only way he would be king was that if the Gods forbid, she died or she married him. 

Neither was bloody likely.

Jace looked to Harwin for guidance, and Rhae could not help but be jealous. He should be looking for her, hoping she would help him. She would. She simply wanted to be the one to help him in moments like this.

"It's hardly a fair match. Let Princess Rhaelys spar with Prince Aegon," Harwin suggested and Criston scoffed. Aegon patted Jace on the back as a sign of good luck, which he would certainly need. "I know you've never seen true battle, Ser, but when steel is drawn, a fair match isn't something anyone would expect." Jace looked mortified as he looked at Rhae one last time. "Blades up, my Princes," He told the two boys, while Rhae kept her own close to her, ready in case Jace would need any help. "Engage," Aegon hoped this would be a match easily won for him.

And in the beginning, it was. He pushed Jace to the floor mere seconds after starting. But Jace got to his feet again quickly and stormed at Aegon, in the moment he least expected it. It seemed a fair match at last, before Aegon threw the playing dummy at Jace, causing Rhae to speak up. 

"That was faul play!" Criston rolled his eyes as he pulled Aegon aside. "I'll deal with him," He said as he walked to the eldest Green Prince. "Play with your height. If you time it will, it is an advantage." Aegon had anger in his eyes now. "You!" He yelled as he marched towards Jace.

"Use your feet!" Criston yelled and Aegon pushed Jace to the floor with his feet, creating a hole in the back of Jace's head. Rhaelys quickly got in front of her brother and continued the fight. "What is wrong with you?" She asked Aegon, who still had the same angry look on his face. "With me? He challenged me first, Princess," Aegon told her with a bitter tone as he put his sword to her face, creating a cut.

She fell to the floor and quickly Harwin rushed to her side, asking her if everything was alright. He then went to Aegon, holding his as he tried to throw his sword at Rhaelys. "You dare put hands on me?" He yelled out, being the selfish brat Rhaelys had always known. "You forget yourself, Strong. That is the Prince," Harwin eyed Criston up and down. "The prince who has just attacked the princess, Ser. This is what you teach, Cole?" He grabbed the swords that Jace, Luke and Rhaelys had been training with. "Cruelty, to the weaker opponent?" Rhaelys hated being called the weaker one, but she knew it to be true. She could hold her own, but not to Aegon.

"Your interest in Rhaenyra's children and how they train is peculiar, Strong. Most men would only hold that kind of devotion towards a sibling, a cousin or a... a child." Rhaelys knew all hell would break loose now. Not that Criston did not deserve it, if she were asked. She herself would have done the very same thing that she now suspected Harwin would do.

Criston went down quicker than Rhaelys had expected. A punch in the face from Harwin was not nothing, it had to be admitted. Servaly were a bit much, but she would have done the same. Blood came from his face and his noise and she tried her best to shield it from Luke, hiding her behind herself and looking away. She hated the sight of blood, even if it was part of her house words. A dragon who did not like blood simply would not taste it.

After a bit the Kingsguard tore Harwin from Criston, and it was too early for Aem. He deserved the pain and he was going to get it, be it today or another day, and be it from Ser Harwin Strong or from her, when she was older, wiser and fiercer than even now. 

"Say it again! I dare you," Harwin shouted at him and as he lay there crippled, Rhaelys saw Criston laugh. "I thought as much," If the Kingsguard had not been there, the dagger in her side would have gone straight in his throat, never to come out of it ever again. If she hated anyone even half as much as she hated him, they would still be an angel compared to whatever Ser Criston was.

Aegon hadn't taken his eyes off of her in a while, she noticed then. She was too caught up with her life that she hadn't noticed the Princeling destined to steal her throne.

⭑

    "Please, mother," She had begged her mother firstly, but she had said that the matter laid naught with her, but with her grandsire. It had been him who had arranged that Jace, Luke, Aegon and Aemond would train together under Ser Criston Cole.

"If you really want it that badly, I suggest you ask your grandsire." Rhaelys had shook her head. "But he will never agree!" Rhaenyra smiled at her daughter. Joffrey was sitting in his mother's lap. Rhaelys was jealous of her younger brother. Though he could barely form words, he would soon enough start training as well, and he wouldn't even have to ask. It would just happen.

"I'll go and ask my grandsire then. Where do you think he is, mother?" Her mother had told her that he was probably in the sept, as it was early morrow and he liked to pray; morn, noon and eve he prayed. Mother said it was because he missed his late queen, but Rhaelys found it rather peculiar for a man to still mourn his wife, even if she had been dead longer than fifteen years.

"Grandsire?" Rhaelys spoke softly, walking into the sept where she did indeed find her grandsire, keeling at the alter. "Aemma?" He spoke softly, and she shook her head. "No, grandsire, I'm Rhaelys. Your granddaughter," He turned to her and smiled softly. Her grandsire did not look his best. He was old and tired but Rhaelys still loved him. She knew he tried his best.

"Rhaelys, my darling. How you come to pray with me?" She shakes her head, but does kneel down beside him. "No, grandfather. I came to ask if you will allow me to train with my brothers and my uncles." She asked, and for a moment she thought he would allow it. How wrong she was.

"But you are a girl, Rhaelys. You can embroider with Helaena, how does that sound?" She shakes her head. "No, grandsire. I am my mother's heir. I will be queen one day. Shouldn't I learn how to protect myself? And the realm?" He smiles. "You are really the image of your mother, little one."

"So I can train with my brothers?" She asks, hopeful once more. Alas, he shakes his head again. "You are only two and ten, Rhaelys." Rhaelys can feel some anger boiling in her. "Luke is seven and you're allowing him to train. Jace is eight. Aemond is younger than I am by half a year, grandsire. Why are they allowed and I'm not?"

She knows why. But her grandsire hasn't said it in clear words and she wants him to say it if he's going to act like that. "Because..." He tries, but cannot formulate an answer without cause offense to his granddaughter. "Because I'm a girl and they're not?" All again because she did not posses a cock.

"Rhaelys, that is not why," He said, and she could feel tears forming in her eyes. "Then what is it? Why can't I, grandsire?" He sighs. "You can, alright. But you've got to listen to Cole, alright? I don't want you getting hurt."

"Thank you, grandsire!" She gave him a hug and smiled. Everything went as she had wished, as it always did.

⭑

    "Aegon!" Rhaelys yelled as she ran after him. "Get back here, Aegon!" 

"What do you want now, Rhaelys? You've embarrassed me in front of everyone!" Aegon said, and she looks at him with a sigh. "You blame me? You blame me for your own shortcomings?" Aegon shook his head. "If you would've have shut your mouth, Criston wouldn't have gotten hurt."

"And why should I care about Criston Cole?" Aegon looked confused at that. Rhaelys wondered why. "Because he's the man whose raised me, Rhaelys. Not your beloved grandsire, who is my father! That corpse has never been there for me," Then, Rhaelys does something she will probably regret. She always regrets it and she hasn't even done it.

She strikes him right on the face. Lucky for her, no one is around to see it, or else she may get a grave punishment. "You dare strike a prince of the Realm?" Instead of the anger she had expected, Aegon bursts out laughing. "I'm sorry, Prince Aegon, I don't know what happened to me just now." He was still laughing, though.

"You're brilliant, you know that?" He asks her, smiling at her. "Did I hit you so hard you've forgotten how much you hate me?" He shakes his head. "By the Gods, I cannot. Not today. Good day to you, Rhaelys."

"Wait, Aegon, I'm sorry for hitting you. But you must apologize for calling my grandsire- who is your father, a corpse. He is very much alive, Aegon." Was Viserys truly that bad of a father to his brood by Alicent? Rhaelys had seen him being affectionate with Aemond and Helaena before. Maybe he was just distant from Aegon, for whatever reason.

"Is he really that bad that you would call him so?" He nodded. "Let's go talk somewhere private, if you want to know." She nods and he takes her hand and leads her to a hallway where no one can see them. It is in one of Maegor's secret passages.

"Criston Cole has always been more of a father to me than Viserys. He never visited me. The feast for your birth was grander than any I have ever gotten." Rhaelys looked at him with confusion. 

"Because I am an heir and you are not."

He shook his head. "But I am, I am in line to succeed. Behind Rhaenyra and you and your brothers and sister, yes. But I am still in line to succeed him. And furthermore, I am his son. His firstborn son. And yet he does not pay me mind. The only feast I've ever gotten from him was when I was three years old, for my escape of infancy. Each year with your name-day, you get a feast grander than the one before. Grander then what I will ever get from him."

"You've never talked about this before. Doesn't he love you?" That was a conclusion Rhaelys had drawn, but perhaps it was mean to say it in the way she did. She didn't want to sound mocking. She genuinely cared if he was hurt. She wanted to make it better, in any way she could.

"Do you see that? Is that Lord Lyonel and Ser Harwin?" Aegon asked, and all of a sudden she could hear their voices. "Your intimacy with Princess Rhaenyra is an offense that could mean exile and death for you, for her, for the children," Rhaelys could not believe what she was hearing. The children? Was she Harwins? Were her brothers? Was her sister?

Then Aegon started talking again, and Rhaelys could no longer hear what Harwin and Lyonel were saying. For better or worse. "You hear that, Rhaelys? You're the heir of nothing. You're a bastard," She shook her head, tears in her eyes. "You take that back, I swear to you, Aegon Targaryen, you take that back this instant!" She yelled, hitting him in the chest. As she started crying harder, Aegon pulled her to his chest and wrapped his arms around her.

"Please don't cry, Rhaelys. I don't like it when people cry. Especially when they cry because of me." She looks up at him and shoves him off of her. "Don't you ever touch me again, you understand?"

"I was trying to help you, Rhaelys. Must you be so dense?"

"Dense? And now you insult me?"

He walked away after that, not saying anything else.

"You have your honour, and I have mine," She heard Harwin say before she, too, walked away, back to her mother's chamber.