Across the Keep, Rhaenyra wandered through the gardens and halls with the usual Alicent beside her... and then there's Ser Harrold and another Kingsguard following suit.
What's unusual about this whole matter is that they had Ser Ronan Royce to tour around. By special request of her own making.
Fortunately, the Young Bronze obliged… despite all the resistance of plenty others to this turn of events.
That special audience had been a curious one but instead of getting to the bottom of its peculiarity, Rhaenyra was more curious about the young knight himself.
Much more so, the creator of so many trinkets and toys that she had come to enjoy...
And he was here in the Red Keep by virtue of her father's special invitation.
Which should have lost out on its unclear purpose by now... and Rhaenyra was just taking advantage of the chance.
To make an acquaintance, and that's all there is to it. None of the scandal that the septas harped on about.
And in all honesty, she wasn't sure what she had expected... perhaps someone quiet or sullen or boisterous... but Ser Royce was neither.
None of the self-seriousness and arrogance that should have come from someone so accomplished.
He spoke lightly, even joked about how people stared at him like some rare beast.
He pointed out the Red Keep's odd angles and uneven stones, talked about the sea breeze from the bay and how it is not enough to get rid of the stench... and even laughed at how the accompanying guards stood too stiff for comfort.
To Rhaenyra, he didn't seem to carry much fakeness and self-importance. He just… was.
He wasn't even looking at her and Alicent with those same looks that boys their age and men much older had… whenever in their comely presence.
It may even be Alicent herself that seemed positively taken by him... but she hid it quite well with formality and politeness.
Rhaenyra couldn't help but ponder. For all the noise and speculation around him, the Young Bronze was quite simple yet not really… and that all the more made him charming.
In so many ways... that even the devout of a religion that bastardized bastards couldn't look away.
Of course, with the boy knight's easygoing nature... she found herself insisting on questioning him with whatever else.
Especially the boomerangs he came up with, an almost magical creation that she had been obsessed with when she was young.
The frisbee that made throwing and catching all the more interactive.
Hula hoops that she herself utilized to undeniably slim the hips from all the cake.
Even that wood ball that she kicked at once or twice... but never really partook in the volleying of it. Only spectating enough to find it amusing as well.
Those tops that she just flicked and let spin gently in fear of losing an eye or hurting somebody else. She even preferred the dreidels more.
And there's the kites... the marvel that she uses to convince the more grounded Alicent about the greatness of flight.
The jenga towers that he actualized, a game that helped pass so many of her dull times.
She and Alicent herself were also quite curious about wave riding... and how many in Runestone are taming the tides with elongated shields.
They also had her curiosity about the Bronze Order and how he, who was as young as them, was able to command and train them himself.
Asking how he was able to find the time to build an army and also continue with his game-making innovations on the side.
The jumping rope was understandable, as it is apparently part of Runestone's routines.
But what about the rest...
Like the darts, famous in pubs and taverns. Wherein drunkards from taverns compete to throw pointy and hefty little arrows against a unique spiderweb of a board… the dartboard.
Then there was the chessboard, where one can play chess... a debated game that is said to either be better or not at all up to par with the more established Cyvasse.
Less of the mind and more a match of bodily movement is the badminton. With rackets and birdies that they and many others have been enamored with.
The same could be said of the noble game of billiards... with sticks hitting on balls that then drop onto holes.
And to move on from that fake lawn of greens, they wondered about the amusing and real lawn game of croquet.
Played by the Queen into quite the fondness in the unplanted gardens of grass and the many ladies would want to play along... evolving into something almost akin to their version of the lord's Hunts.
Made even more exciting if they include many of what's above.
But apparently, there's a horseback version of the croquet... like the polo... which are said to be quite fascinating in their own right.
Suffice it to say, within these six to seven years... entertainment in Westeros and maybe even beyond hath changed.
By virtue of the Young Bronze that they are currenly leading around the views of the Red Keep.
And Rhaenyra can't help herself when she wanted to get to know him when he's here in person.
Who can blame her... for even her own entourage were now the same when the boy knight expounded on his ideas and explained his reasonings.
Eloquent and logical and elaborate... that she herself couldn't look away.
Especially when he also nonchalantly retold his more martial pursuits... like the crushing of savages, pirates, and rebellious armies alike.
Then about that huge ship docked by the bay... twice or maybe thrice the size of the dragon-headed ship that royal family always used for sea travel.
It was clear as day that Ser Ronan Royce, formerly bastard of Runestone, was a boy of wonders...
And one can only wonder of what he will achieve on his bright morrows.
Even Rhaenyra can't help but look forward to it.