Kevon vs. Daeren

He wanted to stand, but his pride would not allow it.

Yet if he remained seated, he clearly had no right to do so.

"Get down, Tywin Lannister!"

Aerys would not tolerate it. He said bluntly, "Only the Lord Hand may sit when the King is absent. When the King is here, the Lord Hand can only wipe his ass."

Tywin's expression changed instantly. He clenched his fists until they creaked.

Shing! Shing!

Barristan and Ser Gerold were the first to take a stance, drawing their swords halfway and fixing their eyes on the Lannister soldiers beneath the Iron Throne.

The two sides were on the verge of fighting.

At the critical moment, Varys quietly stepped out from the crowd, bowed, and cupped his hands. "Lord Tywin, His Majesty has arrived. We should not delay the Trial by Combat."

"Fine!"

Tywin forcibly suppressed his rage and chose to back down.

This was not the first time he had suffered such naked public humiliation.

But a small intolerance could ruin great plans.

Sooner or later, he would seize the chance to exact brutal revenge.

"Who will tell me what happened?"

Aerys climbed onto the Iron Throne, his gaze locked on the fully armed Kevon.

Kevon's heart sank. He sensed that something was terribly wrong.

Tywin and Daeren had the same premonition.

"Ser Jon, your good intentions really caused trouble."

Daeren appeared calm, but inwardly, he was considering how to resolve this matter.

Before beating Gillian, he had planned to use a Trial by Combat to get himself out of trouble. He had even intended to use the opportunity to display his strength and spread his name throughout the Seven Kingdoms.

Go with the flow and profit from the situation.

The moment he formally demanded a Trial by Combat, a terrifying plan had surged through his mind.

Use the Trial by Combat to bite down on the Lannisters, completely fall out with his teacher.

Better yet, drag Rhaegar, far away on Dragonstone, into it. Let the Royal Family and the Lannisters go to war, thus avoiding the future Tourney at Harrenhal, the False Spring, the War of the Usurper...

Since war was inevitable either way, it was better to target a single Lannister than face the four great houses of eagle, stag, wolf, and fish.

A foolish plan born of desperation.

Daeren quickly discarded it.

The Targaryens would fall in the War of the Usurper, but the key turning point was the False Spring—the Tourney at Harrenhal to be held next year.

Many historical paths could still be changed. There was no need to trade one brutal war for another.

Besides, the risk of losing control was too great.

Daeren was still young, and he had found a Dragon Egg.

Steady growth was the proper path.

"Your Majesty, this is what happened."

Varys fulfilled his role as Master of Whisperers, recounting every detail from beginning to end.

"Ha ha ha."

Aerys chuckled nervously and looked at his former friend. "Lord Tywin, is that so?"

Tywin answered forcefully, "Both sides have accepted the judgment. What insight does Your Majesty have?"

"No, I have no objection."

Aerys was still smiling, but then his face suddenly darkened. "However, having Kevon face my eleven-year-old son is hardly fair. Why don't I choose an evenly matched opponent for him?"

"Barristan, step forward!"

With one choice, he had selected one of the strongest men alive.

"Your Majesty." Barristan stepped out and dropped to one knee.

Aerys pointed at Kevon and growled, "You will conduct the Trial by Combat for my son. Take his head."

The moment those words were spoken, everyone's expression changed.

Kevon broke out in a cold sweat and turned pleading eyes toward his elder brother, Tywin.

Barristan Selmy!

He had slain Marris, the last Blackfyre, in single combat and rescued the King alone.

If a hero who could take an enemy general's life amid ten thousand troops truly existed outside storybooks, that hero had to be Barristan Selmy.

"You..."

Tywin was both shocked and furious.

Aerys laughed smugly. "What? Are the Lannisters, who always pay their debts, afraid of a mere Kingsguard?"

Tywin's expression changed sharply, but he was left speechless.

The rules of a Trial by Combat allowed someone else to fight in one's place, and even the Lord Hand could not deny it.

"Brother, I..."

Seeing that his elder brother was helpless, Kevon took a deep breath and decided to fight for the family's honor.

If he retreated now, both he and his family would become laughingstocks.

"Father, I have a humble suggestion."

While the brothers were facing a life-and-death parting, Daeren casually walked past them and approached the Iron Throne.

Aerys examined his second son and said deeply, "What do you want to say?"

He was backing this kid up. He had better not drop the ball at such a critical moment.

Daeren naturally was not that foolish. He put it more pleasantly. "A mere Kevon Lannister is not worthy of Ser Barristan's hand. Let me deal with him instead."

"Let the world know that Targaryen will always stand above Lannister."

He spoke softly, making sure his father could hear.

Aerys hesitated inwardly, though he appeared angry. "Kid, are you trying to spare Kevon's life?"

"Wouldn't it be better to let Kevon live and become the stepping stone for my fame throughout the Seven Kingdoms?"

Daeren did not deny it.

"Kill him, and you will still become famous throughout the Seven Kingdoms."

"Infamy and glory are two very different things."

Daeren placed his hand over his father's, warmth passing from his palm as he softened his tone. "If I defeat Kevon, everyone who sees him in the future will naturally remember my strength."

He knew his old father's weakness very well. Stroke him the right way, and he would not bare his teeth.

Sure enough, Aerys hesitated. "Are you certain?"

He was around the same age as Kevon and had once been his friend, so he knew his skills well.

"I have mastered Life Force." Daeren answered firmly.

With things said to this point, Aerys had no reason to refuse. Without the slightest shame, he immediately reversed his order. "Barristan, return for now."

"Kevon, thank my son for pleading on your behalf and leaving you with your dog's life."

Kevon: ???

What was going on? No fight?

Aerys immediately announced that Daeren would still fight personally in the Trial by Combat, against Kevon.

"He pleaded for me?"

Kevon looked at Daeren as he walked step by step toward the Iron Throne, unable to believe it.

On the other side, Barristan rose and withdrew with a helpless sigh.

Having a Kingsguard fight would indeed worsen the conflict between the King and the Lord Hand.

But he was no fool. He had his own judgment.

With his skill, he could easily force Kevon to surrender without injuring him.

The Trial by Combat continued.

Kevon gripped his sword with both hands and stared at the young man opposite him. "You pleaded for me, so I will show mercy as well. But Gillian's debt will be collected in full."

"You really know how to boast."

Daeren laughed at him.

He borrowed swords from Barristan and Ser Jon, holding one in each hand, heavy in the right and light in the left, gently and slowly turning them to familiarize himself with their weight.

He was a dual-wielding swordsman.

It had been a strange twist of fate. When watching the show, he had thought Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning, was unbelievably powerful with a sword in each hand. At eight years old, he had begun practicing dual swords on his own.

When he actually met Ser Arthur Dayne, he suddenly realized that the man wielded a two-handed sword—an enormous two-handed greatsword.

The heirloom of House Dayne of Starfall.

A greatsword called Dawn, forged from fallen star metal, milky white like glass, nearly six feet long and as wide as a palm.

Daeren had been fortunate enough to witness Ser Arthur Dayne fight. He wielded Dawn, a greatsword as broad as a door, with effortless ease. Within five meters of him, there was not a single worthy opponent.

He had been thoroughly duped!

His foundation in dual-wielding had already been laid. Switching to a two-handed greatsword now would cost too much time and effort.

Despite the reasonable persuasion of the Red Keep's instructors, Daeren insisted on continuing his dual-wielding style.

"You're not wearing armor?"

The Trial by Combat began. Kevon pressed forward cautiously, trying to distract his opponent with words.

Daeren's steps were steady. He flourished both swords and said, "Against you, this is enough."