personal6

Squire

Edmure POV

As the first day of the tourney started, I checked on my equipment first and then went to have a light meal. The joust will begin tomorrow and last two days. The archery competition will be at the end of the tourney. After finishing my preparation, I joined Patrek at the table to have a light meal.

"We should talk about what happened at Skyreach," Patrek says to me with a concerned expression.

"I was too paranoid. It was my mistake," I admit to Patrek.

"That the problem, you overthink, and you think of the worst things that could happen." He tells me. "You need to relax sometimes. It isn't healthy to think of the worst possibilities like that."

"It won't happen again," I answer him getting irritating.

"It will. I know you for years now. I know how much you like to think of everything, making plans, and so on." He replies to me. "I know you won't stop it, but you can't show such disrespect because you think they are plotting something."

"Fine, you got me there," I confess to him. "I try not to make such a mess anymore."

"Well, that is the best I will get from you." He says with his smile returned. "And don't get in the way of a woman who wants to seduce me."

"You know if you went with them, you have to marry one," I reply to him. Even if it isn't a big deal in Dorne, Lord Franklyn can still use the fact that he slept with his daughter to demand him marry her.

"I know, and what the big deal, both of them were beautiful, and I liked them." He tells me. "I know you care for me, but don't interfere in those matters anymore."

"It seems that our little Patrek has grown up and is thinking of marriage," I reply to him jokingly.

"Well, I am at that age when I have to think of the future of my family." He laughs, too, at the absurdity of his statement.

After having a talk with Patrek, I decided to leave him alone for now. Even if he was right about me thinking of the worst, I knew prince Doran and Oberyn were planning something. Oberyn was sent here for some kind of mission. I won't let my guard down easily.

…

The melee was popular, with many participating, I didn't really want to win, but I had to show some skill. My reputation was that of a bloody and merciless fighter. I can't be defeated in the first fight. It would undermine me, but it would be hard to win, with people like Lord Yohn and prince Oberyn in the competition.

As the start of the melee was announced, we stepped into the arena. I drew my sword and prepared my shield. My blade was dull, as all of the participant's blades were. Even if there was a big chance for someone to get injured and sometimes even die, killing someone in the tourney isn't something you would want to do.

People in Westeros have a good memory. If you injured or killed someone's brother or son, his family will hold a grudge for generations. That isn't something that I wish for, so I was careful to not hit someone on the head or in the soft spots.

My first adversary was some Frey, with a weasel-like face and Twins symbol on his shield. Blocking his light attack, I kicked him to the gut. He quickly fell down and yielded after I put my sword to his neck.

My second adversary was Lord Arthur Ambrose. He was good. Almost falling for his faints and having to step back with every time I blocked him. I knew that I can only wait for an opening, as he won't give me a chance to defeat him. It took about twenty minutes for him to tire, and when he swung too wide, I bashed him with my shield. As he was losing balance, I put my sword against his neck. He yielded and congratulated me for winning.

Looking around, I found out that from about thirty men, there were only twelve left. Seeing prince Oberyn done with his opponent and looking at me, I confronted Lord Yohn. I will not give prince Oberyn the satisfaction of defeating me again.

"Well, lad, don't think I will hold back against you. It was your choice to challenge me." Lord Yohn tells me.

With my nod, he swings his sword at me. Even when I blocked it, my arm went numb. Knowing I won't last long just defending myself, I started to attack him. He stopped my thrust at his chest and dodged my swing to his shoulder. With more and more failed attacks, I have gotten tired. It was one thing killing almost unarmored Ironborn. But fighting against an experienced knight who moved like a cat in his plate armor was different.

After taking another powerful strike with my shield, I had to drop it, as I couldn't move my arm anymore. The fight lasted for about an hour, but Lord Yohn was still going strong. Knowing that it was the end of me, I went for the last attack at him, which he deflected. With his sword at my neck, I yielded and left the arena.

…

Prince Oberyn managed to win the melee after I left. It seemed that Lord Yohn was tired after our fight, as he fought more sluggish than usual. Patrek was defeated by ser Lyle Crakehall, he managed to hit him few times, but it seemed like a one-sided fight.

"Ser Edmure." Lord Randyll Tarly greets me.

"Lord Tarly." I greeted him back.

"You fought well." He tells me.

"Thank you," I reply to him and look at him, puzzled at what he wants.

"I heard of your reputation. It seems it's at least partly true." He tells me. "I wanted to ask of you to let my son Samwell squire for you."

"Thank you for thinking of me so highly, but why would you like for me to take your son as my squire?" I ask, looking at him confused.

"There a few good knights for my son, in the Reach." He tells me. "At home, his mother spoils him too much, so I wanted to find someone outside."

"It would be my honor to teach the heir of Horn Hill." I agreed. Even if it was suspicious at how he wanted to push his son to me, I saw no reason to decline him.

"Good, my son doesn't like to train much, but someone of your reputation can put him straight." I have to wonder what kind of reputation I have among the people if he thinks so.

"I see of what can be done," I reply to him respectfully. "Is he with you?"

"Yes, I have come here to find a suitable knight for my son, so I brought him with me." He answers. "He is with his mother now. I will introduce you to him later."

"Very well, I won't stay long after the tourney, so I would suggest saying your goodbyes," I inform him.

"It will be done." He replies, not concerned about it in the slightest, and leaves.

What a weird man. He looked like he wanted to get rid of his son as soon as possible. If I remember correctly, Samwell should be a bookish boy, but he shouldn't be any older than eight-name days old. Doesn't he understand that his son is just a boy?

…

Not thinking much of the weird behavior of Lord Tarly, I spent the rest of the day with Lord Yohn. Trying to make friends with him, as I knew he would be the best ally in the Vale in the future. After Lord Arryn's death, I didn't want to leave my sister Lysa in control of Vale.

The next day, as the joust began, I took the young Samwell to be my squire. He didn't look that fat, as I remember. A little bit pudgy, but most boys look like that. From interactions between him and his father, I could see that Samwell feared his father, and Lord Randyll didn't seem to like his son much.

It just really confusing for me. How Lord Randyll Tarly has so much dislike for his own son when he hasn't done anything. Well, it wasn't my place to judge them in any way, but I still didn't like Lord Randyll very much.

As it was my time to joust against some hedge knight. Putting my armor and letting Samwell fetch me the lance. I climbed on my horse, Rain. I rode to the arena and turned to face the hedge knight. After few broken lances, I have unhorsed him, as I know how much it means for unknown knights their armor, I let him keep it.

"Why didn't you take his armor, ser?" Samwell asked, looking confused at my decision.

"What will I do with it? It's easy for me to change armor and replace it with a new one." I explain to him. "But to a hedge knight, it's their life. To them, it is too expensive to repurchase it and to replace it with a new one. If I have taken it, he probably had to stop being a knight as he couldn't afford it."

"Then why do they participate in the jousting if losing means they have to give up on being a knight?" He asks. It seems he doesn't know much about how the world works.

"It is the same reason, for hedge knight tourneys are opportunities to prove themselves and find employment with some lords or earn some coin from winning against others," I tell him patiently, and he nods in understanding.

As the day went by and after few more jousts, I looked at Willas Tyrell readying himself to face prince Oberyn. It might be wrong, but if what I remember is true, Willas was crippled after meeting Prince Oberyn. One on hand, I could let it happen and sour Martell and Tyrell's relation. Martells then would hold my marriage to princess Arianne more valuable. On the other hand, I could get closer to Tyrells if I helped Willas now.

Deciding to do the right thing and hope for the best, I went to Willas, as he was going to the arena. He was a bit young to face someone like Oberyn. It's hard to understand what Lord Mance was thinking, letting his joust.

"Lord Willas, you should be careful, prince Oberyn won't hold back," I tell him as he looked at me.

"Thank you for your concern, ser Edmure, but I will be fine." He replies to me.

"No, you won't if you keep your foot so tightly on the stirrup. When you fall, you will bring your horse on yourself," I inform him. "When you hit against prince Oberyn, you should let your foot relax."

"Thank you for the advice, ser Edmure." He says to me with a nervous look.

"No worries, Lord Willas," I reply to him and leave.

It seems that my advice worked, as Willas only had to fall hard on the ground after prince Oberyn unhorsed him. It was a hard fall, but he will be fine, and, in the future, I might claim this favor.

…

The day ended for me by being unhorsed by Florent knight, knowing that I won't participate another day. As Patrek lost too after four wins, I decided to start packing for the journey back to Riverrun. Telling little Sam to do the same, as we leave in the morning after the feast at the journey's end.

The next day ended with Lord Yohn winning the joust and Balon Swann won the archery competition. At the feast, I congratulated them, Willas thanked me again for my advice. Patrek was talking to some highborn girls. I didn't think much about him. I watched prince Oberyn talking to Lord Mance Tyrell. After they have done talking, I went and sit next to him.

"Prince Oberyn." I greet him.

"Ser Edmure." He greets me back.

"I don't know what you and your brother are planning, but if you are scheming something against me or my house, you will pay for it," I tell him straightforward, as I don't want to play these games.

"And I thought you knew everything." He replies to me.

"I know many things, more than you can imagine," I tell him. "Don't try to play me. Even if you manage to pan something unexpected, I will be prepared for it, and I promise you if you can't defeat me with the first strike, I will make you pay."

"How scary." He replies to me with a smile. "Don't worry, our arrangements still stand."

"I hope they will because I wouldn't want something to happen to you," I warn last time and leave.

I know he and Prince Doran are planning something. My concern is what they are trying to do to, are they planning to use me or plotting against me. Maybe it wasn't a good plan to arrange the marriage with Martells, but what is done is done.

Well, they aren't the only ones who can scheme. I can use them too.