120 AC
The Second day of the First moon
Ulf Pov
As I made my way outside, I asked one of the servants present there to guide me to the kitchen since I was very hungry due to not eating anything for more than a day.
"I will take the boy there. You may leave", came the voice of Daemon.
Why cannot I just go and eat peacefully, I asked to no one in particular.
The servant bowed deeply and left hurriedly while muttering her apologies god knows why.
Oh, wait It is the Rogue prince that we are talking about. Of course, it makes sense.
And that is how I found myself being shown the way with Daemon leading the way. I tried to start a conversation but I got dissuaded by the fact that I did not know how his mood was.
For one I did technically save his wife, but this is the Rogue Prince that we are talking about. You could never predict what he would do, for starters he may laugh along with you at a jape that you may have made or he would shove "Dark sister" through your gut.
He was one of the characters that I loved reading about due to his lack of respect for authority and sheer badassery but there was a night and day difference between reading something and living it.
Until now I have walked on eggshells around him and he has certainly noticed it.
"Boy, In my entire life, I have not seen an enigma like you. From the pompous fools that call themselves lords to the worst cutthroats, the world has to offer. But no one like you."
"I have personally asked the servants on dragonstone as well as the blasted Septa who begs for some blasted money for the sept like some common whore."
Hearing him talk about septa Leena that way I just curled my fists with anger. Deep breaths Ulf, you can tolerate him.
"After this, I asked about your parents And It turns out that no one knows who your father was..".
It was here that I looked him straight in his eyes while he was giving me his signature smirk before drawling out the words which made me see red.
"which means your mother was a whore".
At that moment I wanted to choke the life out of him. How could this piece of shit insult my mother? This fucking shitstain of a human being calling my mother a 'whore'.
Despite my heart wanting to shove a sword through his arse, in the end, my brain won. I just stood there silently with my eyes boring into him.
The sound of his laughter echoed through the corridor.
"I was not wrong, it seems that the eyes do not lie", Daemon muttered to himself.
"I should not have said that boy", he said while straightening himself.
"If I was in your place I would have beaten the man who said that about my mother into a pulp after which I would have slit his throat but It seems that you have better self-control than me", after which he continued walking and I followed.
"So where was I?", he asked.
I did not say anything and he just looked at me pointedly.
"Oh yes, I remember. All the servants heaped praise on you. Less said about the maester the better, he cannot shut his mouth just like the septa and the Septon who say what a blessing you are. A true follower of the Seven. Even the rather reclusive Master at arms says that you are the best that he has trained. I have seen you train at night even when everyone else is asleep. But you have one flaw. A brutal flaw that will lead you to your untimely demise."
"And what flaw is that?… My prince." I bit out the last part.
In a fluid motion, Daemon pushed my back to the wall while his hand tightened around my neck.
"Arrogance. Pure Arrogance", he spat out.
I could feel my heart beating faster while I tried hard to breathe as he continued his tirade.
"The arrogance that you have on your abilities, is truly strange. It is the first time that I have seen a smallfolk behave in such a way".
"Let me tell you, something boy and you better listen to it because I will not repeat myself."
The fucker did not realize that I was close to passing out. He had raised me up on the wall with neither of my legs touching the ground. While you could say that I could kick his balls I was not able to do that since he had a hold on my ankles with his other hand.
"It seems you are truly out of breath boy", the fucker said before letting me fall to the ground as I gasped for air like a fish out of water.
My throat hurt and so did my neck.
Daemon bent down on his haunches and looked straight into my eyes.
"The way you spoke to Corlys was not right. You are just a boy hardly eleven-name days old. Any other Lord in Westeros would have your tongue. No lord likes being lectured by a boy and not at all by a commoner let alone a dragon seed. So remember to know your place, because you are a danger to yourself."
He got up and outstretched his arm and I took it and got up slowly.
"Do you know why 'Nyra' does not like you, boy?", he asked.
It seemed that he was talking about Rhaenyra. I did not have an answer to his question so I just shook my head.
"I had a high expectations but It seems fair that you do not understand", he said in a tone that was akin to a teacher helping his student.
"She is threatened by you, boy".
Wait a minute. What the fuck did he just say? Why is she threatened by me?
"You excel at everything from learning to fighting. Every servant in Dragonstone sings your praises while they question the young prince's heritage."
"The fucking greens have spread rumors in the king's court that a dragonseed is better than the strong boys."
I just soaked in the information and did not know whether to laugh or cry at this.
"But do not worry boy, she won't do anything untoward to you. I will talk to her and explain anything. After all what kind of a knight will I be If I let my niece kill the first squire that I have had in ages."
"Yes, my prince", I bowed down.
Until it hit me. Wait a minute. Did he just make me his squire? The fuck.
I was gobsmacked until I realized that we had reached the kitchen.
"I expect to see you on the morrow in the training yard boy. You better not be late."
"I will not disappoint you my prince", I said hastily.
"And Ulf", he called out.
"You have my thanks for saving my wife", he said in a sincere tone with a smile on his face.
It was then that my stomach started grumbling and I ran into the kitchen to eat something.
As I started eating the conversation with Daemon ran through my mind and I realized that I had been foolish, thinking of myself as invincible, but the encounter really cleared my mind and I realized that he could have easily killed me without blinking his eye and there was nothing that I could do.
Taming a dragon had made me too confident in myself. I had to change myself If I planned to survive till the dance.
But right now those things could take a backseat because I was feeling sleepy.
Well, it seemed that no day in the World of Planetos could be boring. And I thought that the worst had passed but how wrong I was.
Because Ladies and Gents the next day was officially the shittiest one yet and It had been barely only two days since the damn year had started.