Chapter 50: Growing Wings
Aerion looked at Viserys who seemed to be eyeing the sea. "We're going together. Believe me, this is for your greater good."
"My greater good? Death?" Viserys frowned as he glanced at the Soul Knights. "You will have me join them?"
Aerion looked at his Soul Knights and his tone grew colder. "They can accomplish feats you could only dream of. Perhaps, death would be a good thing for you."
"You see, my knights have a few disadvantages. They are unable to reproduce, do not grow from their peak physical state and I can bend them to my will completely as they cannot hope to resist my will. Children, for example, would be an example of the second disadvantage... as they are undead children, they will be unable to grow into their potential physical peak. You are no child and perhaps in your physical peak already."
"Currently, you have no proper wife and no valuable suitor in general. Why is that? Because everyone would much prefer me... but that is not all! You, in general, are a disgrace to House Targaryen!"
"A drunkard, hot-tempered, impatient, lustful, weak, stupid, foolish, violent and... most of all... useless!"
"The only value you have is your name and blood!"
Viserys stepped back, unable to meet Aerion's flaming violet gaze. The Kingsguard were quite surprised that Aerion would ever go off on his uncle in such a cold manner. His words were enough to kill a man and Viserys was not one to take kindly to insults... though, the one doing the insulting was someone far greater than him on this occasion.
Oswell Whent couldn't help but burst out in laughter. "Look at him, he's as speechless as a corpse!"
Jaime shook his head. "This is a poor time for your terrible humour."
"If you were to die, perhaps I'd be able to make you understand my way of thinking better." Aerion coldly stated.
"I... didn't know that was how you saw me..." Viserys replied with great sorrow as he fell to his knees. "Then... kill me."
"End...it... all."
Aerion could see a few tears falling from Viserys' eyes. What he saw was a defeated man with seemingly no purpose. He had given up completely. His mind told him to draw his sword and be done with it... but he was unable to do so.
"I am no Kinslayer," Aerion replied.
"Then... order them..."
"Viserys... damn you."
Aerion ruthlessly kicked him to the floor of the ship with the bottom of his boots and drew his sword, landing it only inches away from Viserys' neck.
"Look at you, crying like some child. What I said was the cold and harsh truth... now you must recognise it and move on. Only when you know your flaws can you hope to grow from them, Viserys."
"I remember better days... when you were different. You were a young dragon then... bright, healthy and even strong. Now all I see is a useless snake... sometimes I do ask myself, why did you become like this?"
"As with my grandfather, I believe that it was your troubling environment." Aerion sighed. "A life of exile was not good for you, especially not as a child who had to protect and take care of an infant sibling. But... you succeeded."
Aerion managed a smile.
"That one feat, your Targaryen blood and my own belief in your true self is the reason why I cannot let you die the way you are."
He withdrew his sword and stepped back.
"Now, wipe away those useless tears and stand as a dragon would!" Aerion turned to one of his Soul Knights. "You, give him your sword."
"Huh?" As Viserys stood up and composed himself, he saw a Soul Knight force his sword into his hands. "What for?"
"You will first need to be able to defend yourself." Aerion pointed his sword towards Viserys. "If you cannot manage that, you will be a liability to us all."
Viserys grabbed his sword with both hands, in a rather awkward position. "Is this good?"
Aerion chuckled. "We have a lot of work to do, it seems. Even my three-year-old self would stab you to death with a dagger."
"It's that bad?"
"Indeed, it is. But such positions can be fixed with decent teaching. Now, swing at me with the intent to kill!"
"I'm not sure... what if I do kill you?"
Aerion laughed. "Even a thousand of you could not kill me, let alone one! Now strike."
Viserys nodded and advanced forwards, slashing towards Aerion's right shoulder. Aerion stopped Visery's blade in its tracks and deflected it to the side before pushing it towards his neck.
"It seems that someone needs to be taught the basics first." Aerion smiled. "Well, there isn't much of a rush at sea anyway. Ser Jaime, I will leave the task of teaching Viserys to you. I will spar him later to see if there was any progress."
Jaime nodded. "I will not fail your trust, My Emperor."
Aerion was not the best teacher when it came to combat. His form of 'teaching' involved constant sparring and battle as it was the way he had learned to fight at an exceptional level. But... Viserys had yet to even learn the very basics which meant that he would not gain much insight from sparring immediately. Aerion only sparred him for observational purposes; to see what he and the Kingsguard had to work with.
~
After a long day of blood, sweat and tears, Viserys' first day in combat training ended. All of the other living crew of the Mad King had already moved to the lower-deck while Viserys and Jaime remained. An exhausted Viserys sat at the deck of the ship, recovering from his training.
"Does Aerion... hate me?" Viserys wondered as he looked towards the dimming sky. "I am a disgrace to him, after all... a useless snake who only shares the blood of the mighty dragon."
Jaime shook his head. "No, it's quite the opposite. He loves you greatly... despite all your flaws. He wants you to be great, an uncle that he could be proud of. If he did not care, you would never be here. He would not bother to spend his time nor gold educating you and, as a result, you would stay the same."
"Today... he showed that love in a colder way, for your own good." Jaime kneeled beside him and grabbed his shoulder. "Aerion believes in you, Prince Viserys."
"He does?"
"Very much so." Jaime nodded. "Now, as the day has ended, I suggest you rest in your cabin to prepare for tomorrow."
Viserys stood up. "Perhaps another round?"
"Hmm?" Jaime stood up in response.
"I want to prove that Aerion's trust in me is not misplaced," Viserys stated. "I cannot accomplish that by resting in some cabin."
Jaime chuckled. "My, I do like your determination. I am afraid that you are far too exhausted, however. Pushing yourself further will not do you any good... even Aerion would tell you that."
Viserys wanted to refute but, in the end, he gave in and allowed room for some patience. "Very well... but I will wake early in the morrow."
Jaime nodded. "Rest well, Prince Viserys."
As Viserys walked down to the lower-deck, Jaime thought to himself.
He is a quick learner...
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