The White Hart

Chapter 8: The White Hart

"How is my sister now?"

Rhaegar sighed, worried about Rhaenyra.

Illyric didn't hide the truth. "The Princess ran out of the tent before I did. The guards said she entered the Kingswood on horseback."

"Alone?"

"Ser Criston Cole followed close behind."

Rhaegar nodded, then suddenly asked, "Ser Illyric, what exactly did my father say when he sent you to find me?"

Illyric looked a little puzzled, but answered honestly. "His Majesty ordered me to bring the prince back and keep you safe."

"Good."

Rhaegar smiled. "I'll be counting on your protection from now on."

While Illyric watched in confusion, Rhaegar trotted over to the nearest horse pen and ducked inside.

"Prince, I don't understand what you mean."

Illyric hurried after him, still at a loss.

Rhaegar picked out a tall black horse and asked, "What do you think of this one? It looks sturdy."

"Prince, don't tell me you're going into the Kingswood?"

Illyric was quick to catch on and immediately tried to dissuade him.

Rhaegar placed a hand on the black horse's foreleg and said solemnly, "No. We're going into the Kingswood together."

"His Majesty won't approve of you wandering off!"

"With a White Knight guarding me, it won't count as wandering off."

Rhaegar gave Illyric no chance to refuse. He gently tugged at a tuft of the horse's hair and said softly, "Ser, I'm sure you don't want me to get hurt, do you?"

As he spoke, his little hand slowly tightened its grip.

The black horse felt the pain and nervously stamped its hooves, letting out a whinny.

Rhaegar stood beside the horse's leg, silently watching Illyric.

"What will you choose, Ser?"

Illyric stared in disbelief at Prince Rhaegar, who was using his own safety to force his hand.

At that moment, he felt sorry for the king.

With two unruly children like these, he must be constantly on edge.

He also felt sorry for himself.

He knew he couldn't stop someone who wanted to hurt himself.

Illyric swallowed and lowered his head. "I'll take you to find the Princess, but you must follow my instructions the whole way."

"No problem, Ser."

Rhaegar gave a faint smile, his face pale, and let go of the horse's hair, spreading his arms.

Illyric stepped forward and lifted Rhaegar's slight frame, setting him on the horse's back.

He untied the reins and led the horse out of the pen.

The White Knight mounted, one arm around the young prince and the other holding the reins.

He squeezed the horse's flanks with his legs and gave the order in a miserable voice.

"Hyah!"

Before long, the black horse left the camp and galloped along a path into the Kingswood.

"Ser, do you know where my sister went?"

Rhaegar's tousled hair danced in the wind as he asked.

Illyric's expression was solemn. "Cole is a sharp fellow. He left markers along the way."

At that, Rhaegar relaxed.

No one who made it into the Kingsguard was a fool. Leaving messages like that was easy enough.

Time passed quickly.

The sun had been high in the sky when they left camp. In the blink of an eye, dusk had fallen.

In the glow of the setting sun, Illyric led the black horse slowly along a path through the dense pines and firs of the Kingswood.

"Ser, I have reason to suspect my luck is completely unsuited to finding anyone."

Lying over the horse's back, Rhaegar's lips had gone pale. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and he spoke weakly.

Illyric sighed. "Maybe. Cole's markers disappeared halfway along the trail, and now we're wandering around like headless flies."

"Heh. Rhaenyra must have done it. She doesn't want anyone to find her."

Rhaegar shook his head with a rueful smile.

Illyric didn't reply. He focused on studying their surroundings, searching for a way back to camp.

The Kingswood was vast. Under Rhaegar's haphazard directions, they had gone much too far.

Rustle, rustle...

Suddenly, the faint sound of footsteps crushing grass came from behind them, off to one side.

As a member of the kingdom's strongest bodyguard force, Illyric was worthy of his reputation. He sensed something amiss at once and turned a wary gaze toward the sound.

Rhaegar was frail to begin with and now utterly exhausted. He still had no idea what was happening.

Illyric slowly led the horse backward, one hand moving to the longsword at his waist. "Prince, something's coming from over there. It's quite large."

"Could it be dangerous?"

Rhaegar immediately sat up straighter.

"I don't know. It depends on what it is. A poacher, or a wild boar?"

Rhaegar quietly suggested, "Should we ride off to avoid a confrontation?"

Illyric's voice was full of pride. "Don't be afraid, Prince. I'll stand between you and it."

As they spoke, the noise drew closer.

A huge, snow-white stag emerged from the trees and appeared before them.

"A White Hart?!"

Rhaegar stared in amazement at the White Hart's graceful steps.

He loved reading history, so he knew many of the old customs and traditions.

Before King Aegon the Conqueror united the Westeros Continent, there had been no dragons.

The kings of the continent had regarded the White Hart as an auspicious creature and a symbol of kingship.

More than a hundred years had passed, and the White Hart had long since vanished from the sight of men.

He hadn't expected one to still live in the Kingswood.

"Prince, this isn't the time to be curious. The White Hart is huge, and it'll hit hard if it charges."

Illyric's expression shifted. He fixed his gaze on the White Hart, his longsword sliding slightly from its sheath.

Only then did Rhaegar notice the White Hart's size.

Even without its enormous antlers, it stood an estimated two meters at the shoulder and was no less than five meters long.

Beneath its silky white coat lay knotted muscles. Rhaegar could imagine the strength this auspicious creature might unleash.

"Could you beat it?"

Rhaegar was a little worried.

Illyric said, "One-on-one, I'd give myself a fifty-fifty chance."

"What if you had me with you?"

"Let's pray it doesn't attack us first."

Illyric sounded utterly helpless.

Rhaegar pressed a hand to his forehead, feeling powerless with his own small arms and legs.

"Yoo-hoo!"

Perhaps heaven still favored him.

The White Hart didn't attack. It gave a soft cry, its amber eyes filled with curiosity and innocence.

"It doesn't seem to have the ferocity of a wild beast?"

When he realized this, Rhaegar's pounding heart eased a little. He felt the thrill of having narrowly escaped disaster.

"Yoo-hoo!"

Seeing that they didn't move, the White Hart slowly came closer, its nostrils twitching as it sniffed the air.

"Ser, help me down."

The more Rhaegar looked into the White Hart's eyes, the more he felt there was something special about it. He asked Illyric for help.

"Prince, it's dangerous..."

"The White Hart is an auspicious creature. I believe it isn't a wild beast."

Cutting off Illyric's warning, Rhaegar smiled at the White Hart and beckoned to it.

"Come here, my friend."

The White Hart lowered its head slightly, taking on an attacking posture as it watched the human child on the horse's back with innocent curiosity.

"Quickly, Ser. Help me down."

"Be careful. This is no joke."

After Rhaegar urged him again and again, Illyric lifted him down from the horse, his expression helpless.

As soon as he landed, Rhaegar untied the small pouch at his waist and took out a few grapes he had saved. He called softly, "My friend, would you like to try some?"

At the sight of the red fruit in the human child's hand, the White Hart's eyes lit up. It couldn't help edging closer.

When they were less than three meters apart, Illyric's eyes sharpened like an eagle's, and his longsword slowly slid from its sheath.

Rhaegar immediately stopped him. "Put your weapon away. Don't scare my friend."

"Prince..."

"That's an order, Ser!"

Under the White Hart's wary gaze, Illyric reluctantly sheathed his sword and stayed close behind Rhaegar.

If danger arose, he would protect him at once.