Blood of Dragons

On the eve of the lists for Lady Bethany Bracken’s nameday, the court gathered beneath a great red pavilion near the tourney grounds for a showing of the helms of the knights who would ride on the morrow. Braziers warmed the canvas walls, rushes covered the muddy ground, and every table seemed to glitter with some new marvel of steel, gold, enamel, or painted heraldry. Lady Bethany herself was escorted through the displays by King Aegon, with the white cloaks of the Kingsguard close behind, while Lord and Lady Bracken played gracious host to the court. A grand array of helms were presented, pageant helms featuring creatures and monsters out of myth, or even famed heroes, and with each helm there was a parchment ready listing the deeds of arms the bearer had to their credit, deeds that would be read out one by one for the edification of the gathered crowd.

It was Ser Mathin Lannister’s attendant who began, but at the Flamewalker’s behest instead of deeds a coarse denunciation of Dorne and the Dornishmen rang out. Some approved, some were bemused, and some—such as Ser Aidan Dayne and his lady wife Aisling—looked grim (or angry, in the lady’s case) but restraint prevailed. The listing of deeds went on, with Balian Blackwood presenting the pride of Raventree Hall, while Brackens aplenty made a showing. Lord Aimery Fell’s squire read a list of deeds that featured the hard-handed feud between Felwood and Bronzegate, one of a newer vintage than the ancient feud among those two riverlord houses.

Yet the show belonged, for a time, to Ser Arros Beesbury. With his younger brother Nicol reading out his deeds in a ringing theatrical voice, the heir to Honeyholt turned his presentation into a full performance. Arrayed in black and yellow, crowned by his bee-helm, Ser Arros danced, fenced invisible foes, flung out his arms like wings, and made the tale of his service buzz through the pavilion. Lady Bethany clasped her hands in delighted surprise, while His Grace looked on with amused indulgence and wondered aloud whether such busy bees would sting as well on the morrow. There were other fine displays as well.

Ser Clyve Bracken honored Benedict Justman, drawing warm approval from Lady Jannia Buckwell and the Riverlanders. Ser Balian Blackwood’s raven helm stood pale and blood-marked in the firelight, while Ser Aidan’s strange and regal helm of polished steel with a sculpted steel mask of Nymeria’s face as a visor made it plain the famed knight meant to represent Dorne in the lists; his own account of deeds was heavy with potent names of great knights defeated and tourneys won. Ser Jon Roxton’s severe blue-and-gold helm spoke of the knight’s dedication, Lord Farin Prester’s horned helm told its lord’s deeds in miniature, and Ser Omrys Baratheon’s overwhelming tower of royal and noble sigils was as ostentantious as the knight himself.

The heir to Casterly Rock would later follow his younger brother with his own unique account of his deeds, pairing it with a sack of gold dragons that guests were free to rifle through as they desired. The offer proved irresistible to some and amusing to others, especially once children and mischief became entangled when Ser Roland Hunter saw his chance and sent dragons flashing into the air, turning Lannister largesse into a scramble of small hands among the rushes.

By evening’s end, the court had gone through many helms and many deeds.

By the evening’s end, the court had seen steel shaped into ravens, moons, foreign princesses, stags, lions, bulls, waves, bees, and a myriad more of different creatures and personages. If the helms promised anything, it was that Lady Bethany’s tourney would not lack for splendor, and great was the anticipation of the next day’s tourney.