"Stop looking at me like that, cousin," Rhaenyra chided him softly, giving him a weak pat. A small smile, however, insisted on creasing her beautiful lips.
Just then, as they were walking, they were stopped by a group of rather eye-catching men-at-arms who hadn't been seen before around the castle.
"Hail, Princess Rhaenyra," they thundered in unison, saluting and raising their fists in the air.
A man who seemed to be the leader approached her. "Congratulations, my Princess Rhaenyra and Ser Laenor! Long life to the new little princess!"
"Who are you, people?" Laenor asked warily.
Rhaenyra looked at the one in front attentively, seemingly recognizing him.
"Little Willem Blackwood... goodness, I almost couldn't recognize you. It's been years. You've changed quite a lot since you and the rest departed King's Landing," Rhaenyra remarked, looking at him with interest for a moment before turning her eyes to the group of men, more specifically to the crest on their tabards. She recognized it to be the personal crest of her son, Rhaegon.
"Ser Leanor, you don't have to be wary of us; we are men of your son Rhaegon."
"My princess, indeed it's been a long time," Willem responded, a bit awkwardly. He had once been one of the suitors who gathered in Storm's End to seek the princess's favor but was quickly denied for being much younger than her. Later, he appeared again before her when she sent ravens to different lords of the realm, looking for playmates and companions for her son, Prince Rhaegon. As he was not a firstborn and would not inherit anything, he left for King's Landing in search of trying his luck in befriending the prince, where he would be able to ascend further in the ladder. Who knew that coming to this place would change his life and tie him to the prince for life? He unconsciously flexed his right arm, where he had a mark that symbolized his utmost eternal submission and loyalty to Rhaegon Targaryen in this life.
"Now that you are here, you should visit your little sister, Lady Alysanne," Rhaenyra said, recalling his sister, who had become one of her daughter's lady-in-waiting and childhood companion after he came to the court at her behest for her son, just like the sisters of other young lordlings that came who had one.
"I will find the time to do so, my princess. As I will be stationed until further notice in King's Landing as part of the Prince's newly created personal guard, and also leading the men in protecting the prince's interests at the harbor warehouses he owns," Willem explained.
"That's good. She will find comfort in seeing her brother around this place once again. But I don't understand why he should need a 'personal guard'?" Rhaenyra asked.
"It's not just him, my princess. You, your younger sons, and daughter will have personal guards at your disposal to protect you at all times in rotations. The prince has decided that it is a must to have, just in case, to take care of your safety and your family at all times, just like any sane lord should," Willem clarified.
"Protect me? From whom? Besides, they are barely men," Rhaenyra argued, looking at them all.
"And me? Where are my guards? I'm his father," Laenor, who had been silent all this time, grumpily asked.
"My princess, these men would fight to the bitter end for you. Don't judge them too fast; they may be young in body, but they are trained and dangerous like any royal knight beneath all appearances. Besides, you can command them as you please, my princess. And don't worry, Ser Laenor. The prince has designed 'special', strong and young guards for you, too," Willem assured them.
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A while earlier
Rhaegon departed hand in hand with his sister Alyssa from the queen's bedchamber, passing by the Queensguard, Criston, without so much as a glance. However, he greeted another man in armor with a wide smile, as if seeing a good old friend. "Good morning, Ser Harrold," he said, stopping with Alyssa beside him. She followed her brother's lead and also saluted the man. "Good morning, Ser."
A subtle smile appeared on the stoic face of the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Harrold Westerling, as he addressed the siblings. "Good morning, my prince, my princess. Congratulations on having a new sister. May the gods bless her with good health and strength."
The other kingsguard also saluted the prince and princess and also sent their regards.
Rhaegon smiled widely at the blessing, for they were speaking of his newborn daughter.
Just then, a column of men-at-arms, at least thirty strong, advanced through the hallway. The people around gave way as the men marched menacingly, clad in complete black plate armor and wearing red cloaks. Most eye-catching were their black and red tabards, emblazoned with a single red dragon spread wide, its head turned to the side, fierce golden eyes ablaze, and body held in a rigid, commanding posture. Its claws were extended, and its form compact and symmetrical, with bold, defined lines conveying strength and authority. Under the dragon, a motto read: "Always Faithful," cast in bold letters.
At the front of the column were two distinguished men. One wore full black armor like the rest but sported a purple cloak instead of red, his motto reading "My Honor is Loyalty." Beside him, the other man was dressed in expensive black clothes like a noble, bearing a miniature version of the dragon crest on his upper right chest, also sporting the motto "My Honor is Loyalty."
As the group neared, the Kingsguard spotted them and became alert, hands going to their swords, intent on drawing them. Criston Cole's eyes were wide and focused, as if preparing for an imminent battle.
"Halt!" the Lord Commander yelled at the approaching group, as the rest of the Kingsguard took a defensive stance. "Do not advance any further! Identify yourselves!"
The group stopped at a prudent distance, looking to the man in the purple cloak for orders. "Stop," he commanded the troops, moving forward with the other man.
"Don't worry, Ser Harrold," Rhaegon said, smiling widely at the sight of the newcomers. "These are my men, sporting my personal crest. Don't you recognize it on their chests? You shouldn't be too senile just yet, old man. That is Lucian Massey, son and heir of Gormon Massey, Lord of Stonedance. The other is Willem Blackwood, younger brother of Lord Samwell Blackwood of Raventree Hall."
"Hail, Rhaegon Targaryen and Princess Alyssa," Lucian Massey spoke softly, raising a straight fist as they came to a stop beside them.
"Hail, Rhaegon Targaryen and Princess Alyssa," Willem Blackwood saluted, raising a fist in the air.
"My prince, you can't bring so many men-at-arms near the king; it could send a wrong message," Harrold spoke quietly to Rhaegon, as he favored the prince as a son of Rhaenyra and because he had also personally trained him when he was younger.
"I will take your advice into consideration, Lord Commander. This time, it wasn't planned for them to appear here in such a way," Rhaegon replied.
"As long as you understand, lad. Now make them leave this place or at least more than half of them," Harrold insisted.
"Mhm..." Rhaegon nodded. "I'm leaving anyway. Have a good day, Lord Commander."
"My prince, if you have a moment, please, I bring news," Lucian addressed Rhaegon as soon as he was close to him.
"Well, what is it?" asked Rhaegon as they were passing by the column of men-at-arms, but his voice was drowned in the loud yelling as they saluted him.
"Hail, Rhaegon Targaryen!"
"Hail, Rhaegon Targaryen!"
"Hail, Rhaegon Targaryen!"
Thundered across the hallway in unison from the thirty men as he appeared in front of them. A small smile played on his lips hearing their salute; it was nice to be greeted in such a way by men. This small group was just a small part of his far larger private army of men that he had amassed through the years, which he currently garrisoned in the lands of House Massey in the Hook. He was quite close with them, as Lord Gormon Massey was a staunch supporter of his mother. His daughter, Elinda, was a lady-in-waiting of his mother too, and his son was part of one of the ten young lads or boys who came to his call under the guise of finding playmates and partners. In actuality, they were part of a far larger plan where they would become part of the spine of it, and nowadays, it was coming to fruition.
"Leave fifteen men for my mother as guards," Rhaegon instructed Willem.
"Yes, my lord," Willem acknowledged.
"Wait. There are men for my 'father' in this group?" Rhaegon inquired.
"Yes, we brought them here," Lucian confirmed with a subtle smile this time.
"Send them to him," Rhaegon snickered. "The rest would be my sister's guards."
"My guards, brother?" Alyssa looked at him with doubt as they walked.
"Yes, beautiful. I want you protected from anything when I'm not near you, so don't try to send them away, okay?" He cupped her cheeks in his hands and kissed her lips softly under the gaze of everyone, but they looked away as if nothing was happening between the pair of siblings.
"W-well...if you say so, brother," Alyssa blushed as they separated. She licked her lips shyly, tasting what was left of her beloved brother's fluids.
"Now, bring me the good news, Lucian," Rhaegon motioned to him with his hand. Lucian was one of his childhood companions and a good friend; he also grew groomed to become his personal steward or secretary in handling his matters, making him travel around doing things on his behalf.
"We have managed to close a trade with the Iron Bank of Braavos representatives that came recently. I tried to reduce the cost as much as possible, but these men are quite nasty, putting excuses like saying the high cost was because of the intermediaries they would need to contact. Anyway, for the price of eighty thousand gold dragons, we got what you wanted: ten carrack ships along with a thousand male slaves and three hundred women from across the Narrow Sea with Valyrian features and traits. They will arrive in two months. This would double your power at sea and add quite an amount of new blood to your army, my lord," Lucian reported.
"Yes, but they would need to be trained first, and that would take a long time...keep recruiting people across the realm as we have been doing...anything," Rhaegon mused.
"Slaves?" Alyssa asked with wide eyes. "Why would you buy slaves, brother? That is bad!"
"You can't have slaves in Westeros! Don't buy! You hear me, Lucian? We don't buy!" Alyssa protested.
"Stop, stop!" Rhaegon's forehead creased in frustration at his sister's reaction. "They will not be slaves when they land; they will be my people, free workers. Alright? Not slaves."
"Oh, then it is good. You are saving them then," Alyssa sighed in relief, patting her budding white rabbits that were heaving up and down as she breathed.
"Mhm," Rhaegon nodded with a wry smile.
They marched through the Red Keep's halls as Rhaegon chatted with Lucian while walking, holding his sister close to him, and the guards marched at their back.
As they were about to separate at the stable, since Lucian would be going back to the headquarters of the trade firm of his business in King's Landing, a pretty grand building beside the mediocrity around it, near the harbor, Lucian said, "I will see to it, my prince. Also, we got news that...your 'uncle' Prince Daemon is still staying in Pentos without any apparent intentions of moving from there."
"And your... 'Aunt' Laena Velaryon was mentioned through the reports to have a belly as big as a sack of grain ready to burst open," Lucian smiled as he grabbed the reins of a horse that was brought to him by the guards, and five more were accompanying him as his escort.
Rhaegon guffawed at those descriptions. Alyssa also snickered.
"Well, it seems I would be paying them a visit soon," Rhaegon pondered.
"I wanna go! Don't leave me behind, brother," Alyssa quickly grabbed his hand and bounced it around excitedly. "I want to see our cousin Baela and Rhaena, it's been a while since they visited us with Auntie."
"I don't know, beautiful. It depends on mother's mood with this one," Rhaegon quickly deflected the focus.
"Mhmp. If you tell mother, she will agree," Alyssa insisted.
"I will try, but it's not sure," Rhaegon replied with a wry smile. As Lucian mounted the horse, he asked, "Are the wagons with the meat ready? It is time to feed my she-dragon; she must be feeling quite anxious, the same as the one from my sister."
"Yes, my prince. They are already waiting for you," Lucian confirmed.
"Yes! My poor Alyssara must be hungry!" Alyssa's eyes brightened. "Let's go."
A carriage stopped beside the group, intended for Rhaegon and his sister to leave for the dragon pits.
"See you later, Lucian," Rhaegon said as he got inside the carriage along with Alyssa.