A Knight and a Squire

[Aerion Storm]

"And thank you, again, for your help." Feeling generous after the ransoms he's collected, Aerion flips tosses the boys a good handful of coppers. Taking down the pavilion tent and bundling it up was as laborious as assembling it to camp in, but with it packed up in Aerion's sturdy, if second hand, wagon, he's nominally ready to leave.

Horses and armor won and sold back, nobles chatted up almost like I knew what I was doing, and a bit of a name made for myself in the region. Not bad, Storm, and almost knightly.

Then mindful of the work he'd had to put in between Argella, his rounsey, armor, tent, cook-pot, the wagon, and Slowfoot, the mule it was hitched to...I'll need a squire, myself, one of these days.

He's broken from his reverie by the sound of the small folk lads -- counting their coppers, still -- suddenly cheering.

"The Shieldmaiden," one gasps, then the other crows, "Our mystery knight!"

Aerion is forgotten, but smiles about it. Truth be told, he'd been wanting to chat with the smallfolk's controversial heroine, himself. He waits, astride his Argella just off the road, for Loreia to approach, then gives her a friendly nod.

"Good morning," he says with a smile, "But forgive me, I'm not certain if you prefer 'Ser' or 'my lady.'"

[Loreia]

Loreia smiles and waves at the cheers that go up as she passes. Few Greens will approach, or even dare to spit this close to the Neck in the North, although nothing stops them from casting their dirty looks her way. Maybe unmasking myself here does smack of favoritism, she thinks.

She nods at the young man's greeting, but a subtle tug on the reigns halts her horse as she stops to speak with him. I don't remember his name when it was called... "It'll be 'Ser', so that there's no confusion. Now it's my turn to beg pardon, I don't recall your name from the lists."

[Aerion Storm]

"It is Storm, Ser Loreia. Aerion Storm." He gives a tight little smile, thinking the jouster without a 'Ser' of his own.

"My congratulations on your dramatic unmasking. The Anvil Gloom Knight was a favorite of the local smallfolk, it would appear."

[Loreia]

Boldly proclaiming his tainted birth and grinning? Is it a point of pride?


"Thank you, and welcome to the North, Aerion," she replies coolly. "Most in attendance lean Black anyway, and everyone loves a mystery knight, so I'm told. The favorite should be one who outperforms the others like you or Lord Drakeson, versus someone they don't even know. But I must admit, it's a refreshing change of pace to be cheered just as strongly with the helmet off."

[Aerion Storm]

"If it's any consolation, I had heard of Ser Loreia in southron, well before I set eyes on the Anvil Gloom Knight. Your mystery knight may not be famous, but you certainly are. There are those in warmer climes who think you an unlucky omen...but there are some who cheer on your gallantry, as well, and who proudly tell their daughters of your knighting."

Not many, he feels he should say. But surely some.

[Loreia]

"That's good to hear. I, on the other hand, haven't heard much of you. I've had my mind on everything surrounding the upheaval of my knighting, and beyond, but it is well met. Why don't we trade histories? You ride like you were born on horseback. Who taught you?"

[Aerion Storm]

"I thank you, Ser, I have worked hard at it. High praise, coming from the Shieldmaiden herself," he gives her a second smile, more sincere than the first. "I am squire to Ser Harbert Baratheon of Storm's End. There is little else of my story to tell, I suppose. For ten years now, I've ridden the southron tourney circuit at his side, gone on campaign when he does so, and learned what I can along the way. I am to be knighted soon, I hope..."

Any day now, lad, he hears. Any day now.

"...and in the meantime, as he busies himself with other matters and cannot attend himself, Ser Harbert has sent me to these tourneys, to compete in his name. He has new pages and squires to attend him in King's Landing, and bade me take to saddle and leave him to it. I've his letter of introduction and wagon to get me there, and then my trusty Argella..." this with a pat of his trusty brown rounsey, "...to compete with. I hope to do him proud."

[Loreia]

Baratheon...I believe Daveth told me they were Green?

There's a brief change in her look as she listens to his story - a slight slacking of the jaw, eyelids flitting to near fully open - when he mentions how long he's served Ser Harbert. Not long after it comes down, it resurfaces again at learning other other squires compete for the Baratheon knight's attention.

"You and your mount share a bond." It can be said of any knight who names theirs. "That's good. One day it may be the difference between victory with the lance or falling."

"You've served Ser Harbert for a decade," she echoes, as if repeating it to reaffirm what she heard. "He has other squires competing with each other for his favor. Forgive my ignorance, Aerion: is that normal?"

[Aerion Storm]

"For a knight of his fame and wealth? Yes. It's not uncommon to have more than one, at all. Pages and squires come and go. Those of high enough birth and little enough talent are knighted as soon as is decent, as soon as there is half a reason. Some of us...well...the opposite. There are those of lower birth who are content to squire their whole lives; I have met two, in fact, older than the knight they served! Life-long soldiers, both of them."

He tosses his head, squares off his shoulders.

"I would rather not do such, though there is no shame in it. I hope to be knighted, but Ser Harbert has high standards, and as a Storm, I have much to prove. I have to show the world I deserve the honor of squiring for him, and I have to show the world I deserve my spurs, once he rewards me with them. It is his honor, not mine, and his name, not mine, at stake."

[Loreia]

Gods, to think I complained then, and complain now...

She flexes her brow at times while he explains the biases of squiring. "I see..."

She folds one arm with the hand under the elbow of the arm holding the reigns of her horse. "What I'd consider, what ought to be considered, is a man's skill with arms and mount. If you had been fighting and riding that well for me for even a month - after training - I'd schedule your vigil for the following evening. I think I'd know by then what your intentions were for being a knight, if squiring for my house. How you'd conduct yourself as one."

"And If I didn't like what I'd learned, I'd send you back home instead," she adds as an afterthought. "Though I suppose none of that is helpful to you right now. I hope you are knighted soon. If you are, will you continue to serve House Baratheon?"

[Aerion Storm]

"Well, I wasn't riding this well a month into my squiring, Ser. No one does. It has taken time and training to learn to sit a saddle. I...simply hope to reach Ser Harbert's standards, as best I can."

"And I don't know, Ser, where -- or who -- I will serve after my vigil. It is up to those older and wiser than me, I'm sure. House Baratheon will find a use for me, I do not doubt." He hesitates for a moment, unsure what's appropriate to say, but continues; the Shieldmaiden is a knight of some renown and reliable honor, and no true rival to his House. "It could be that Ser Harbert discusses such matters even now, for all I know. That may be why he has me touring and riding; building myself more of a name, that he might best decide where to suggest I serve, when the time comes."

[Loreia]

He puts a lot of faith in this Ser Harbert.
Don't you, in Daveth? And your Lord Tomas?
...Yes, but this man seems to be adrift in spite of himself.

"Hmm. You must respect Ser Harbert a lot. I declared my fealty for Lord Coldbrook because I respect him. His people came to the aid of mine when House Orkwood led an assault on Bear Island to take it back for the Iron Islands. Now I serve and fight for his house, out of admiration and respect for him and his family." It also helps that they are a Northern house... What about you? Whom do you admire and respect? Would you be most comfortable serving House Baratheon?" she asks, blunt and forward.

[Aerion Storm]

"Ser Harbert is the best knight I've ever known," he says, before it's occurred to him that might be seen as an insult. Oh well, let none denounce him for disloyal, at least. "And the knight I've grown to know the best, besides. If he wants me to ride alongside him for House Baratheon, I will gladly do so. If my kin can use me elsewhere, and I might find honor serving some other lord, then that, too, would be well."

[Loreia]

His "Kin"? Oh. That explains it.

"Ah, I think I understand. No doubt they'll send you to one of their Green allies, if that's the case. Hopefully somewhere they share your sentiments about me." This is...weird.

"It was good meeting you, Aerion. Let us hope the political winds continue to blow in our favor in the years to come." In favor of peace.

[Aerion Storm]

"I wouldn't mind political winds blowing less strongly, for what little my opinion's worth in the matter."

It's not that Aerion doesn't know his best chances for advancement come on the field of battle, it's that he'd hate for that field to be half the kingdom ravaging the other half. He'd be content making a name for himself with tourney lances and blunted blades for the rest of his days, if he could.

"It was an honor to meet you, Shieldmaiden. When we've got the opportunity, I'll gladly buy you a drink for sitting Bold Jon Roxton on his arse. He and I quarreled when he was a squire as well, and it did me some good when I heard of your victory over him. A little humility, I don't doubt, did him some good, as well."

[Loreia]

She smiles and gives a hearty chuckle. "So that's why we're friends all of a sudden! I reserve some skepticism about Bold Jon, however." If anything, he seeks to recover from that humbling defeat, over me.

She tugs on the reigns of her horse and resumes hoofing it back to the Coldbrook camp. "Take care, and I'll be looking forward to that drink!"

[Sponsored content]