Chapter 54: This Formation is Invincible
A long fleet departed from King's Landing, heading north.
The fleet's banners featured a white crescent moon and a falcon on a sky-blue field, the sigil of House Arryn. The ships' figureheads also depicted a crescent falcon.
Traveling from Gulltown to the Eyrie would be relatively easier. Taking the mountain road still posed considerable dangers. The mountain paths were narrow and winding, the climate in the mountains was unpredictable, and there was always the risk of landslides and falling rocks, not to mention the mountain clans, who refused to acknowledge the King's rule.
Rhaegar boarded the ship with Lord Jon Arryn. The flagship was the largest and most stable.
The sea breeze carried a hint of fishiness, but the ships had been tidied up to be as beautiful and refined as possible.
"Come, Prince, see my Guardian of the Vale," Lord Jon Arryn said proudly, as if the ship were his daughter—equally glorious, loyal, and reliable.
Blue and white intertwined. The distant sky and the nearby sea stretched boundlessly beautiful, yet also held terrifying waves.
Rhaegar boarded first, followed by Ser Barristan Selmy, Ser Brynden Tully, Cesar, and several of Ser Brynden's attendants, who carried equipment and bows for everyone.
Although Ser Brynden had always had a strained relationship with his elder brother, he came from a prominent noble family and was a renowned warrior, always having followers.
Rhaegar disliked the Red Keep's attendants, feeling they were too infiltrated, with too many eyes and ears belonging to others within the court.
I need my own people, Rhaegar thought. This journey is also good; I need to train a retinue of attendants who are loyal, capable, and devoted to me.
Rhaegar did not carry a Valyrian steel sword; that weapon was too conspicuous, and it wasn't time to reveal it yet. Rhaegar carried a dragonglass longbow. Although the bow was large, dragonglass was light and powerful, making it an exquisite, grand, and luxurious weapon.
Once inside the ship, attendants offered Rhaegar and the others blue woolen cloaks, as the wind on deck was strong.
Rhaegar saw many blue-cloaked knights, who were Lord Arryn's guards. They bore the crescent falcon emblem on their breastplates, and their helmets were shaped like falcons. The knights appeared well-armored and muscular. The overall strength of the Vale might only be behind the Reach and the Westerlands, but its self-defense capabilities surpassed those two regions, allowing it to completely seal itself off.
Many of the Blue Knights came from impoverished, declining branches of House Arryn, but these men were fiercely loyal to Lord Jon Arryn, serving as natural retainers. Their captain was Ser Maelin Arryn.
It's good to have many people, Rhaegar thought. How many branches has House Arryn produced, spread throughout the Vale?
The Dragonlords were not like this; several opportunities to extend their branches were inexplicably destroyed.
For example, Prince Aemon died on the battlefield, and Prince Baelon suddenly died. These two lines did not form lasting cadet branches. Then came the Dance of the Dragons; originally, the Dragonlords were flourishing, but they died off until only a few remained. And then there were the Blackfyre Rebellions, closest to Rhaegar's era, where the Blackfyre family was also prolific but became enemies of the Iron Throne. Otherwise, like Lord Arryn, he could also recruit a Targaryen household guard in King's Landing.
All in all, House Targaryen did not extend many branches. Perhaps it was fate, perhaps human intervention.
The Blue Knights first greeted Lord Jon Arryn, then Prince Rhaegar and his retinue. Ser Barristan the Bold's name was well known, and Lord Hoster Tully's brother, Ser Brynden Tully, was also said to be a famous warrior.
The Knights of the Vale looked on with envy when they saw the dragonglass longbow brought onto the ship by the attendants.
The dragonglass longbow was jet black, yet as tough as steel—lighter, and more elastic. Its range surpassed that of ordinary wooden bows, and everyone understood its preciousness. It was the dream bow of every knight, who loved fine bows, swift steeds, and precious swords.
Aside from Valyrian steel longswords, this was the best weapon.
"Take good care of the Prince's bow, friends. This bow is priceless. It's a dragonglass longbow," Ser Brynden Tully said to his attendants.
The knights exchanged glances. They had thought the bow belonged to Ser Brynden, but it turned out to be Prince Rhaegar's.
The weather was favorable, with no strong winds, and the ships moved steadily and swiftly.
Rhaegar stood on the ship but felt no seasickness; the sailors were skilled, and he was not prone to seasickness.
Lord Jon Arryn disliked prostitutes, gambling, and the clamor of merchants. There were no places for indulgence on the Arryn fleet. He loved honor, almost to the point of severity. While some great lords indulged in excess, most Valemen were conservative. With nothing to do, the Knights of the Vale were happy to spar on the ship.
Ser Maelin Arryn bowed to Lord Arryn and Prince Rhaegar.
"The ship is dull, and the sea is calm. The lads wish to spar."
"Granted!" Lord Jon Arryn laughed heartily.
Rhaegar's eyes lit up.
Since resolving the heir issue, the Duke had become much more agreeable. Rhaegar looked at the knights, feeling a bit eager himself. With the eagle god's blessing and years of hard training, could he be invincible in a charge?
Upon hearing this, half of the Knights of the Vale removed their falcon breastplates and blue cloaks, revealing various clothes underneath. They put down their longswords, picked up training weapons, and began to divide into pairs, preparing to fight.
The others remained armored as guards but began to add stakes to the duels. Some were silver stags, others valuable spices.
The guards' training weapons were less like swords and more like heavy iron plates. The iron swords were blunt and edgeless, with a rounded iron ball at the tip, like a blunted weapon, to prevent cuts and stabs.
"Ser Barristan, Ser Brynden, and Master Cesar, will you also join in a few rounds?" A brash young blond knight walked over and asked. Though impulsive, he dared not invite the Prince to participate.
"You all play," Barristan replied. In truth, Barristan wanted to spar, but he was the only White Knight present, so it was best not to leave his post.
Ser Brynden's hands itched, but he shook his head. Only Cesar the swordsman seemed eager.
"I'll go?" Rhaegar suddenly said with a smile.
Duke Jon glanced at the Prince, who was tall and slender, his face still bearing a hint of childishness. However, the Prince's martial prowess was already well-known throughout King's Landing. At such a young age, he already had three instructors, and even a Braavosi coach.
"Is the Prince also participating? This might not be appropriate, Your Highness is too precious, and our games are too rough. You are too young, Prince." The knights hesitated a bit; after all, he was the Prince, and even with blunt weapons, an injury would be bad.
"Maelin, choose a suitable opponent, don't hurt Prince Rhaegar." Duke Jon pointed to Ser Maelin, the head of the knights. He also had some interest, wanting to see the boy's skill. Even if Duke Jon wasn't a born warrior, as a great Lord, he had to be skilled in martial arts.
Ser Maelin Arryn nodded. This was a true sparring match with the Prince; he had to let the Prince win, but lose subtly, which was a skill in itself.
"Joffrey Arryn, you boy, go spar with the Prince for a few rounds," Ser Maelin said. Joffrey Arryn's combat strength was average, but he came from a merchant family and was very smooth, so he would surely make the Prince win happily. Ser Joffrey Arryn had blond hair and blue eyes, and a robust, powerful physique.
"Wait a moment, since it's a competition, how can there be no stakes?" Duke Jon pulled a blue eagle gem brooch from his bosom. "I bet on Prince Rhaegar's victory."
"We also bet on the Prince's victory!" Ser Barristan and the others said. Cesar and the rest had great confidence in Rhaegar.
After all, they had followed Rhaegar for a long time and knew that this child seemed to be a born warrior, never tiring, always full of energy. If he were treated as an ordinary child, Ser Joffrey would surely lose miserably.
"Then I'll bet on my own victory," Rhaegar said, pointing to his dragonglass longbow. "This dragonglass longbow will be my stake."
Rhaegar laughed, his silver hair shimmering, his smile as captivating as a demon's.
The Blue Knights began to feel parched; wealth was tempting. This dragonglass longbow was enough to be a family heirloom, and they hadn't expected the Prince's stake to be so large. Unfortunately, Joffrey had already received the hint, so they would let the Prince win.
"Prince, you are young, you can use a lighter weapon," Joffrey Arryn said.
"No need," Rhaegar shook his head, picking up a normal heavy blunt sword.
Attendants brought up a small bucket of red dye. The rounded tip of the sword was dipped in the red dye, and the sparring officially began.
The crowd cheered, their voices like waves.
The Blue Knights, Duke Jon, attendants, Rhaegar's guards, and all the available crew gathered around. The deck was bustling.
The match was not just about the age gap, but also about the Prince putting on a spectacular show for everyone.
There were no shields on the deck, no spirited horses, just warriors wielding longswords, a game for the brave.
The heavy blunt sword danced in Rhaegar's hands, the red dye on its tip clearly visible.
The rules of this game were about thrusting; the more places one poked, the more red marks, the winner.
Rhaegar's hacking, forceful strikes, and feints all required skill.
Joffrey Arryn twirled his sword, then stepped forward. 'I need to make a good impression on the Prince.'
Joffrey Arryn swung his arm, and Duke Jon said, "Begin!"
Rhaegar and Joffrey Arryn began to duel.
Joffrey Arryn's expression slowly grew serious. This script wasn't quite right; he was supposed to follow Ser Maelin's instructions and let the Prince win subtly, but now it seemed Prince Rhaegar's strength was far greater than he had anticipated.
Rhaegar thrust, retreated swiftly, then suddenly advanced. Rhaegar was the longsword, and the longsword was Rhaegar. He seemed as sharp and bright as a longsword, his moves both fast and steady.
The blunt sword came alive, like a venomous snake, darting in and out, targeting Joffrey Arryn's weak points: groin, heart, even throat.
Joffrey Arryn also wielded his blunt sword, attempting attacks again and again, only to return empty-handed. Prince Rhaegar seemed to have eyes all over his body; every one of his own attacks was anticipated by the Prince, who often struck later but arrived first. It was truly uncanny.
Joffrey Arryn's sweat increased, and in terms of stamina, he seemed unable to outlast Prince Rhaegar. Joffrey Arryn charged and retreated, but was always one step behind the Prince.
'He's still a child?' Joffrey Arryn thought. 'Could there really be such a born warrior?'
"Get down, Joffrey! Did you go to Flea Bottom in King's Landing this time and get drained by those girls?" Laughter erupted from the Blue Knights, growing louder.
Joffrey Arryn's face grew increasingly grim. These rascals, did they not realize that the Prince was truly like a dragon? Full of boundless energy, far from an ordinary child.
Joffrey Arryn hardened his resolve, sweeping his longsword with immense force. He had already planned it: the Prince wouldn't be able to block this, and then his leg would slip, hitting the Prince's sword pommel, allowing him to concede gracefully. Continuing the fight would likely result in a more humiliating defeat.
Rhaegar did not retreat. The two blunt swords clashed violently, creating a huge impact. Joffrey Arryn used all his strength, and Rhaegar heard his muscles tense as if they would tear. Rhaegar, however, remained calm and blocked the sword's edge back.
Joffrey Arryn stumbled back a step. 'Is this kid even human?'
"Watch out, Ser!" Rhaegar smiled slightly. He lowered his body, shedding the momentum, then surged forward. This sword strike was even fiercer than Ser Joffrey's. This was the Blood of Fire.
Rhaegar's blunt sword struck down Ser Joffrey's longsword, then he spun violently, and a hint of red already appeared on Ser Joffrey's throat.
Sweat dripped from Ser Joffrey's face. If the sword had been sharp, he would truly be dead.
All the Blue Knights stopped laughing. He truly was a born warrior. The Blue Knights were all connoisseurs; Ser Joffrey had even used his full strength later, yet the Prince still seemed to move freely, as if boundless.
"Come down, Ser Joffrey, you haven't blackened our Blue Knights' name, but you are indeed no match for the Prince," Ser Maelin said in a deep voice, without reprimand. Ser Joffrey hadn't held back, or rather, he wasn't even qualified to hold back against the Prince.
"Who else!" Rhaegar swept back his hair, laughing loudly. His smile was brilliant, and the onlookers' applause surged like waves. A true dragon born of heaven, could such a warrior truly exist?
Rhaegar realized that the eagle god's blessing was truly powerful. On the battlefield, within a ten-meter radius, he could sense the source of danger, allowing him to strike later but arrive first, blocking close-range threats. If he continued to ignite the Blood of Fire, this achievement would be even greater.
Of course, this also had to do with Rhaegar's physical fitness. Without physical vitality, endurance, and recovery, he would not be able to react quickly; even with the eagle god's blessing, he wouldn't have time to block.
"Who else! I will give this longbow to the victor!" Rhaegar declared, raising his blunt sword high.
The Blue Knights gritted their teeth, and seeing Duke Jon not stopping them, the brave ones continued to step forward.
'He's just a child, can he really be that uncanny?'
The stake was a dragonglass longbow, worth a fortune when valyrian steel was not available.
Sword shadows danced wildly. Rhaegar's sword parried left and right, like a nimble wildcat, yet also like a raging fire.
His moves also varied greatly, gentle as water at times, wild as fire at others.
Several Blue Knights stepped up one by one, only to be defeated in turn.
Red spots marked various parts of the knights' bodies—throats, hearts, backs—making them appear particularly disheveled.
Some heavy blunt swords were knocked to the ground, embedding themselves firmly in the deck.
Rhaegar stood his blunt sword on the ground, looking at the Blue Knights.
Rhaegar was full of heroic spirit, covered in sweat, his silver hair even more striking.
Even if Ser Maelin didn't enter the arena due to dignity, Rhaegar's feat of defeating six Blue Knights at once was already brave and legendary enough.
One man, one sword, this formation is invincible!
"I see the shadow of his ancestor in him!" Duke Jon murmured to himself.
Ser Maelin heard clearly and nodded.
They remembered that man, the true dragon of the Targaryen Dynasty, Aegon the Conqueror.
Even though he never unified Dorne, people still considered him the strongest warrior, perhaps the closest to a legendary hero in Westeros.
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