"Ser Ryam, do you think Maekar will win?" Jaehaerys, still sitting on the Iron Throne, asked the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.
The old knight looked at the scene before him with a calm gaze; people had gathered around, forming a circle. Instead of going to the arena, Maekar insisted on using the Great Hall as the arena. In his words, you will die beneath the steps of the Iron Throne and answer to it in life and in death.
In the center of the circle, two young men stood facing each other. Both were donning armor with the help of some squires.
Tymond of House Lannister wore red armor with golden lions on both shoulders. His helm resembled the fierce face of a lion.
Maekar of House Targaryen wore black armor covered in scales like those of dragons. His helm was standard, black and menacing with sharp edges.
"Your Grace, you underestimate Prince Maekar," Ryam spoke with a smile. "When I am gone, he will be the best swordsman in the realm."
Jaehaerys looked at Ryam with a touch of surprise in his gaze. He knew how proud Ryam was, so to hear him speak with such confidence in a fourteen-year-old boy was simply astonishing.
Turning his gaze back to the youth wearing the armor, Jaehaerys’s look grew deeper. Others might only see Maekar’s love for Gael, but he could see the true reason for this whole show. He didn’t want to admit it, but he was enjoying this game more than expected.
"What an interesting game," Jaehaerys murmured. He only didn’t understand why Maekar wanted so much reputation. To be king? If prestige and reputation were enough to be king, there would be many kings in the world. So, Jaehaerys didn’t understand why Maekar wanted such a thing so badly.
Is it because he is young and wants to be famous?
That was the only option Jaehaerys could think of. After all, what young person doesn’t want to be famous? How could he think that in a year’s time, he would convene the Great Council of 101?
In the center of the circle, Maekar had just gripped his shield when Gael approached; she was holding a sword with some difficulty. Although it was not Valyrian steel, it was the best steel one could find on the market.
"Be careful," Gael said in a soft tone, but the worry in her eyes could not be hidden even if she wanted to.
"I will kill him in a minute," Maekar whispered to her, a smile on his lips. "When he meets the demons of the Seven Hells, he will say he died in a minute and will be called useless even in the afterlife."
"How cruel," Gael couldn’t help but say, but her worry diminished as a smile appeared on her lips. Maekar being able to make a joke even in such a serious moment made her feel more relieved.
"By the way, this is my favor." Gael remembered something and took out a red handkerchief, tying it to the hilt of the sword in a pretty bow.
Looking at the red favor on the sword’s hilt, Maekar raised an eyebrow and spoke. "For some reason, I feel like the strongest man in the world."
Gael let out an adorable laugh and gently kissed Maekar’s cheek. Showing a shy look, she whispered to Maekar in a sweet tone with a touch of seduction, "Finish him and come back to my room as soon as possible; I have a reward for you."
’Damn it, Tymond, now I’m going to kill you as fast as possible,’ Maekar thought as he closed his visor. What could motivate a man more than the promise of a night of plenty of sex with his beloved?
On the other side, Tymond, seeing his future bride being so intimate and even placing a favor on the enemy’s weapon, grew grim and terrifying. He gasped with rage as his eyes turned red with pure fury.
"Control yourself; the enemy is using that to make you angry," Loreon, the Lord of Casterly Rock and Warden of the West, said in a calm tone. But his clenched hands showed how furious he was at that moment.
In his eyes, this stupid duel held only disadvantages. Not to mention the final result, which could be simply disastrous. Killing Maekar? It was simply asking for all of House Targaryen to look at House Lannister with coldness.
And that was not good news for him or even for Tymond, who would inherit Casterly Rock. One could say there was no advantage whatsoever in winning the duel.
This was not the era when House Targaryen had no dragons. After Aegon I Targaryen changed the rules of the continent, hundreds of thousands died under dragonfire. This was not to be treated lightly. Even if the Faith of the Seven revolted at this moment, many nobles would not answer the call to war.
Before House Targaryen with dragons, any possibility of rebellion was completely useless.
"Try not to kill Maekar; cut off a hand or even a leg and wait for him to surrender. Try not to kill him," Loreon spoke in a solemn tone.
But how could Tymond accept those words? His reputation, honor, and dignity had been completely trampled by Maekar. He wanted to do only one thing to Maekar: rip his head off.
Taking the shield with the House Lannister crest and the sword handed over by the squires, Tymond did not answer; he stepped forward and closed his visor.
Maekar did the same, approaching with sword in hand.
"I will kill you, bastard," Tymond spoke from under his helm in a low voice.
"I’m shaking in my boots," Maekar replied with a touch of sarcasm and irony in his voice.
With the sword in one hand and the shield on the other arm, Maekar felt as if he were holding two new arms. Lancelot’s Eternal Arms Mastery took effect the moment he touched the sword and shield.
At that moment, his aura changed completely. An intense aura emanated from him; it was not something tangible or even visible. It was the same feeling as being before a fierce animal. However, Maekar was not a fierce animal; he was more terrifying than any animal.
Tymond’s movement stopped. He tried to stay calm, but his trembling hands indicated fear. The people around saw this and looked at each other. Tymond had not even exchanged blows with Maekar and was already shaking.
If before the disdain of all the nobles present was due to the fact that Tymond was trying to steal someone else’s bride, now they truly despised Tymond’s cowardice.
Maekar looked at the scene before him with a calm gaze. At that moment, his mind was completely free of distractions; there was only coldness and indifference to everything and everyone.
In a mere moment, Maekar delivered the first blow. The sword was nothing but a silver flash to the eyes of the onlookers. However, for Tymond, there was only the sword before him.
He didn’t even have a way to react as the sword simply pierced through the slit of his helm and directly hit his right eye.
After a silence, Tymond’s cry of pain and horror reverberated through the Great Hall.
"ARGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
"MY EYE!!!!"
"MY EYE, DAMN ITTTTT!!!!!"
While everyone was still processing what had just happened, Maekar moved again. His sword was as fast as lightning, hitting the joint of the armor at the right knee.
"ARGH!" A painful groan escaped Tymond’s lips as he lost control of one of his legs and fell to his knees.
Maekar did not stop; he hit the other knee, and a thin, elegant stream of blood splattered into the air as Tymond fell to his knees.
Tymond tried to attack; his blows seemed more like those of a desperate man, striking out in all directions. With one eye blind and the narrow field of vision of the helm, he looked like a blind man trying to hit someone, but he was only hitting the air.
Maekar seemed to be dancing with the sword; he dodged Tymond’s wild attacks with an ease that made everyone exclaim in shock.
Suddenly, Maekar’s sword moved again, hitting the armor joint at the elbow. The sword pierced through from one side to the other and withdrew as fast as it had attacked. The sword Tymond was holding could no longer be kept in his hand and fell to the floor with the sound of colliding metal.
Maekar slowly approached Tymond. He threw his shield away and forced Tymond to raise his head and look directly into his eyes.
The prince raised his sword and pointed the tip toward the slit of the helm; he looked more like he was holding a spear than a sword.
"Like I said before, when they ask who killed you, tell them it was me. Don’t forget to say my name correctly." Maekar’s voice rang out to all the people around. With a quick movement, the sword lunged forward, piercing the left eye and continuing relentlessly.
Tymond didn’t even have a chance to beg or say anything before he was killed almost instantly.
Maekar withdrew the blood-stained sword, and Tymond’s body fell to the floor with a loud, clear thud. However, under the surprised eyes of everyone, Maekar removed Tymond’s helmet and dragged the body, walking toward the Iron Throne.
As the body was dragged, a trail of blood was left behind. People made way and looked at Maekar with fear, but also with fervent reverence.
Reaching the base of the steps of the Iron Throne, Maekar raised his sword and cut off Tymond’s head with a quick and precise movement.
Picking up the head and placing it on the steps of the Iron Throne, Maekar knelt and looked up, gazing at Jaehaerys sitting on the monstrosity of twisted steel and swords.
"I have brought the head of the one who dared to slander our House, My King." Maekar’s voice rang throughout the Great Hall.
Blood stained the floor below where Maekar was kneeling, making the scene look even more solemn and, at the same time, strangely sacred. Everyone held their breath at what was happening.
Jaehaerys looked at the boy kneeling before the Iron Throne with a deep gaze, and after a moment of silence, the king’s voice reverberated.
"You have honored our House and brought the truth to all the lords and ladies of the court."
"Very well, Prince Maekar."
Maekar looked at Jaehaerys and smiled; he loved hearing Jaehaerys praise him in front of everyone.
"I will never fail you, my king."
Note: I finished reading Eragon and realized that the dragons in the Eragon universe are not that powerful physically. Besides being highly intelligent and able to use magic, they are physically inferior to the dragons in the GOT universe, at least physically. This surprised me.
However, I hated the author’s hesitation in establishing a relationship between Eragon and Arya.
Read the advanced Chapters on my Patreon!
/GOTSW
Read my other books:
House of The Dragon: The Pale Prince
Game Of Thrones: The God-Emperor of Planetos (500,000 words written).
Percy Jackson: Godwyn the Golden.
Game Of Thrones: The King’s Court Wizard