Gold Rush // Harwin Strong

30. Unbecoming

"Soften your knees. Feet light.'' Criston remarked as the young princes were training together in the courtyard.

''Keep your feet light and your hands heavy.'' Harwin instructed.

''This is the stuff, Lyonel. Lads that learn together, train together... knock each other down, pick each other up. They will certainly form a lifelong bond, wouldn't you agree?'' Viserys questioned as he watched from above.

''That is the hope, Your Grace.'' Lyonel agreed.

"Your son takes just the best care of My queen." Viserys remarked. "She feels so safe. I know he looks out for the kids as well. Its such a relief."

"Thank you my king. He is... a good son..." lyonel agreed.

''Don't stand too upright, my Prince. You'll get knocked down.'' Criston warned and Aegon let out a grunt of distaste. ''Aegon.'' Criston began.

''I've won my first bout, Ser Criston. My opponent sues for mercy.'' Aegon declared.

"They certainly do." Aelsa declared. Aegon smiled back at her.

''Well, you'll have a new opponent then, My Lord of the Straw. Let's see if you can touch me. You and your brother.'' Criston offered and Aegon and Aemond stepped forward, sparring swords lunging at criston but he was skilled warrior. The princes were yelling and grunting as they lunged and failed to knock criston down.

''You're gonna have to do better than that.'' Criston said stiffly as he glanced to Aelsa. How could he have not noticed before. Now it was all he could see could hear.

''Ah. Weapons up, boys.'' Harwin remarked. ''Give your enemies no quarter.'' Harwin glanced over at Criston and Aegon and Aemond, before locking eyes with Aelsa.

"Your grace," she spun around. "A moment?"

"Of course." Aelsa agreed smiling back at Aegon before heading inside.

''It seems the younger boys could do better with a bit of your attention... Ser Criston.'' Harwin remarked and Criston turned to him stiffly.

''You question my method of instruction, ser?'' Criston asked calmly.

''Oh, I merely suggest that method be applied to all your pupils'' Harwin suggested nodding to Jace and Luke. "It would help them all to be paired up."

''Very well. Jacaerys... come here.'' Criston agreed ''You spar with Aegon.'' Aegon chuckled seeing his younger nephew step forward nervously. ''Eldest son against eldest son.''

''It's hardly a fair match.'' Harwin remarked.

''I know you've never seen true battle, ser, but when steel is drawn, a fair match isn't something anyone should expect.'' Criston remarked smugly. ''Blades up. Engage.'' The boys attacked, Aegon being elder and larger got Jace down easily but Jace had fire and he jumped back up. Running back Aegon knocked the straw dummy over onto Jace.

"Aegon." Harwin declared he took a step back.

''I'll deal with him.'' Criston moved to Aegon as Harwin moved to Jace begrudgingly and helped him up. ''Plant your feet. You have a height advantage. Use it.'' Criston whispered. ''Advance on him...''  Aegon nodded but didnt know that his mother would approve and continued forward quietly before lunging down on Jace.

''Close with him. Press him backward!'' Criston encouraged as Jace tried to get up, tried to scurry away. ''Close with him! Stay on the attack! Use your feet!'' Criston went on, Harwin glanced back at him nervously. Aegon grunted out as he kept swinging. ''Don't let him get up.'' Criston shouted ''Stay on the attack!''

''Enough!'' Harwin shouted pulling Aegon back from Jace. "What would your mother think?" Harwin whispered and Aegon felt ashamed but Criston kept telling him to go so he listened.

''You forget yourself, Strong.'' Criston said calmly. ''That is the Prince.''

''This is what you teach, Cole?'' Harwin countered ''Cruelty... to the weaker opponent?'' Harwin got down picking up the sparing swords.

"You forget yourself in a lot of things concerning the royal family. The queen for example..." criston got closer to him. "Like last night in the queens chambers..." he whispered.

"I dont know what you are talking about." Harwin seethed.

"To burried in her cunt." Criston spat back and Harwin charged at him.

''Get back!'' the kingsguard yelled pulling the princes away as the men dueled. Harwins fist collided with cristons face over and over again.

'' Say it again! Say it again!'' Harwin demanded as he was pulled back, Criston lay bloody on the ground but a smirk on his face.

''Thought as much.'' Criston muttered

"Your grace. There has been an indecent in the courtyard."

+

"Are you alright?" Aelsa questioned hugging Aemond and Aegon to her.

"Im sorry mama." Aegon declared. "If I didnt go against Jace then ser criston wouldnt have gotten mad at Ser Harwin for trying to help."

"What?" Aelsa questioned as Criston came in. "Where is Harwin?" Aelsa demanded.

"Being removed from the kings guard... the queens guard for inappropriate actions is my guess." Criston remarked calmly. Aelsa looked over his beaten and swollen face. "Acts unbecoming of the queen could lead to ruin... I would hate for that to happen your grace." Criston added gently.

+

''It fills me with unrelenting shame.' Lyonel remarked.

''So that's what this is about then? Your shame.'' Harwin countered

''Our shame, Harwin!'' Lyonel shouted back. ''Shame on the whole of House Strong.'

''Because I laid my hands on that insufferable Cole, the son of a steward?'' Harwin countered

''He is a Knight of the Kingsguard now, a defender of the crown.'' Lyonel corrected through an exasperated breath.

''He is not fit to teach the princes he wants nothing more than to bring ruin-" harwin countered they were both shouting to no avail, Harwin was going to protect Aelsa and her boys. That included reminding Aegon of the wonderful man Aelsa had raised and loved. Not turning him into Coles little monster for vendetta.

''You have laid us open to accusations of an uglier treachery.'' Lyonel spat

''And what treachery is that?'' Harwin countered. No one knew they were so careful. How did Criston even know!

''Don't play the fool with me, boy. Your intimacy with the Queen has been brought to light and is an offense that would mean exile and death... for you, for her, for the children!'' Lyonel reminded him sternly.

''It is rumor only... I respect and protect the queen. It is my honor to do so. And our... relationship... It is professional." Harwin rasped back.

"And yet today, you publicly assaulted a Knight of the Kingsguard in the, in the defense of your honor."

''You have your honor and I have mine.'' Harwin told him solemnly. "Aelsa is-"

"The queen! She is the queen and if the king were not so in love with her he might believe those lies that have begun to whisper."