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The Small Hall, Starfall Main Keep.
The old master-at-arms walked Arthur through the entire process of the sword-drawing ceremony.
In truth, Arthur was already intimately familiar with the ritual. He had seen it countless times in his dreams.
From entering the Palestone Sword Tower to climbing its spiraling steps, every stage had its own specific requirements and trials. In the past, some Daynes had been barred from even entering the tower, while others had faltered during the ascent.
For a quarter of an hour, the old master-at-arms not only explained the ritual but also recounted stories and case studies of Daynes who had failed in the past.
"Alright, I understand," Arthur said calmly after listening patiently. "Has anything else happened in the three months I've been gone?"
"Arthur, it seems you are very confident about tomorrow's ceremony," the old master noted, seeing Arthur's composure. "But then again, since it's you, there's really no need to be nervous."
Was Arthur nervous? A little, deep down. Drawing Dawn and becoming the "Sword of the Morning" was incredibly important to him.
For a bastard, the sword Dawn and the title "Sword of the Morning"—legacies passed down since the Age of Heroes—meant everything.
It was much like a Maester at the Citadel: every time they mastered a subject, they forged a link of the corresponding metal to add to their chain, proving their expertise to the world.
The reputation built by generations of Swords of the Morning was undeniably top-tier in Westeros. It would serve as the ultimate endorsement of his character, swordsmanship, and honor.
"The sword-drawing ceremony is the biggest event at Starfall right now," Maester Oswell said. "Aside from that, there is the matter of finding a suitable husband for Allyria."
"Does Aunt Allyria have someone in mind?" Arthur asked, surprised. "Who is it? I'll vet him for you."
If Arthur remembered correctly, in the original timeline, Allyria was betrothed to the Lord of Blackhaven, Beric Dondarrion—the Lightning Lord who would be resurrected seven times. Edric Dayne even went with Allyria to Blackhaven to serve as Lord Beric's squire.
"No one yet," Allyria said, shaking her head with a slight blush. "My mind has been on Starfall and looking after Edric. I haven't paid attention to such things."
"Maester?" Arthur frowned. "Why the sudden rush to find her a husband?"
Allyria handed Arthur the letter from the Arbor and explained her thoughts.
Arthur read the letter from Lord Paxter Redwyne and listened to Maester Oswell's analysis of the historical feud between Dorne and the Reach. He also listened to Allyria's idea: to use his ascension as the Sword of the Morning as an excuse to hold a tourney and find a suitable match.
"Auntie, Maester, I support your idea," Arthur said, happy for Allyria.
"This gives me yet another reason to draw Dawn."
"As for the Redwyne invitation, let's put it on hold. When we hold the tourney, if the Redwyne twins are willing to come, we can include them in the consideration. If they don't come... well, if Auntie doesn't find anyone suitable at the tourney, we can consider them as a backup plan."
The old master-at-arms interjected, "I think Lord Paxter's invitation is a good thing. The Arbor is rich and fertile, the climate is pleasant, and it's protected by the Redwyne Fleet. Lady Allyria would live a life of comfort and safety there."
Arthur objected. "If she marries the wrong man, having a waist lined with gold won't make her happy."
Allyria was already wealthy and secure. Arthur could see that in looking for a husband at a tourney, she was prioritizing character and appearance over status and wealth—though having all four would obviously be best.
Arthur wasn't interested in a marriage alliance with the Redwyne twins, so he advised keeping them as a "spare tire."
Seeing the master-at-arms about to argue, Arthur waved his hand to cut him off. "Alright, Master-at-arms, it's three against one. There's no need to debate it further. Is there anything else happening in the territory?"
"Not long ago, my son Bard reported that the wildling clans in the upper Torrentine of the Red Mountains have been fighting with the clans within our jurisdiction," the master-at-arms reported.
"This has caused some desertions among the wildling mountain troops training at Violet Canyon. They're slipping away to return to their tribes and join the fight."
Arthur's eyes narrowed. "How many have deserted?"
Before leaving, Arthur had ordered Ser Bard to guard Violet Canyon and keep the troops in training, forbidding them from joining any conflicts unless Starfall territory was invaded.
"I'm not sure of the exact number, but he said they were mostly reservists."
Hearing they were reservists, Arthur relaxed slightly. "Wait until the tourney is over. Then I'll go sort out the mountain troops and the tribes in the Red Mountains."
"Anything else?"
The master-at-arms and Allyria brought up a few minor domestic matters. After Arthur finished discussing everything with them, Maester Oswell, whose energy was failing, nodded off in his chair.
"Arthur, can you tell me about your journey and what happened on the road?" Allyria asked expectantly. "You wrote the basics in your letters, but I want to hear you tell it."
Arthur picked out the most entertaining stories and the events of the tourney. He wasn't as good a storyteller as the Red Viper, but Allyria listened with rapt attention.
Later that evening, at the welcome feast for Prince Oberyn, she kept him talking.
Allyria laughed uncontrollably when she heard that Edric had been moping the whole way back because Elia hadn't come to Starfall.
"Auntie, don't listen to Cousin Arthur! I wasn't unhappy!" Edric's face turned beet red as he protested from the side. "It was my first long journey, I was just tired!"
"Is that so?" Allyria teased. "Edric, I was thinking of asking Prince Oberyn if he would send Elia to Starfall to be my handmaiden. But since you..."
Edric's eyes lit up instantly. He grabbed Allyria's arm. "Really? Auntie, is that true?"
His answer was a roar of laughter from everyone around the table.
The feast ended in high spirits.
---
Arthur's Chambers, Main Keep.
"I asked my father. He won't agree to let Elia be Lady Allyria's handmaiden," Lady Nym said, her face flushed from wine.
"You can see for yourself—Elia loves horses and spears. The child smells like a stable no matter what time of day it is. She loves riding and fighting even more than Obara. My father says she isn't suited to learning how to be a lady under Allyria. She's better off at Hellholt, learning to be a warrior under her grandfather, Harmen Uller."
Arthur was rummaging through his luggage. "Didn't you say there's a rumor that half the Ullers are mad, and the other half are worse?"
"No one crosses a madman," Nym hiccuped, a smile playing on her lips. "And no one goes looking for trouble with them, either."
Arthur paused for a moment, then pulled a book from his bag. "You have a point."
Seeing Arthur pull out the familiar Lysene Captain's Travelogue, Nym let out a long breath and shot him a sideways glance.
"Are you really that confident about the sword-drawing ceremony tomorrow?"