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FIGHTING BREED
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VALENCIA AWOKE WITH A COOL BREEZE ON HER NECK. Glancing to her left, she saw her window ajar, her blankets of fur pulled to her throat, the small chirps of songbirds chimed as they sun in the morning light. She could feel the warmth of the sun peak through the cracks in the shutters, creating streams of golden light over her thick blankets, and the pelt that was smoothed over her body. She felt a glimmer of happiness creep inside her stomach, willing a smile onto her full lips before she rolled onto her stomach and curled up next to her pillow.
She wished to stay in bed all morning, and managed to get another hour of sleep before an interrupting knock at the door disrupted her solitude and with a low groan, she snapped the blankets back and sat up, ready to prepare for the day knowing she would have to get up sooner or later.
"Come in," she called pressing her spine against the bed's back board, her hands resting in her lap. The door opened and a familiar brunette popped her head inside, her eyes puffy from sleep and her hair running down her back in soft waves.
"Good morning," Lilith beamed moving inside. She was already dressed in a soft cream dress, plain yet fitting that brought out the caramel bronze of her skin. A cloak of black nestled nicely on her shoulders keeping her warm against the morning cold, a pretty silver pendant clasping the ebony cloak together at her throat.
"Good morning to you also, care to tell me why you're here?" Asked Valencia her hand rising into her hair and giving her scalp a small scratch. Normally, Lilith wouldn't come to wake Valencia until breakfast was about to be served, mostly so the both of them could get a better sleep in, but Lilith was already up before the birds stopped singing which was considerably unusual.
Lilith shrugged and sat on the edge of the bed, leaning on the heels of her palms, a tiny smirk on her lips. "What did you get up to last night when I left?" She teased. "That handsome Robb Stark was certainly a flirt, was he not?"
Valencia's lips curled into a a smile. "Nothing happened," she chuckled shaking her head. "He is quite handsome I will admit, though."
Lilith tilted her head a coy smile gracing her lips. "Funny, from what I heard you two were all over each other." Her fingers touched her cheeks. "A few kisses here and there the servants tell me."
"Oh, Gods no!" She exclaimed. "I may have kissed his cheek, but that was all. And besides, wine makes me affectionate." Even despite her words claiming nothing had happened, the blush that pressed against her skin shimmered with unheard secrets that Lilith caught instantly.
"If not Robb, then who?" She asked straightening up.
A lump formed into Valencia's throat at the thought of Jon Snow. Those piercing eyes of his that could stare into her soul and see the nakedness of her insides, he was incredibly handsome and humble, all while keeping the humbleness of the North. Oh, how she wanted to see him again, even if just for a moment. "Well," she drawled. "I'll admit I wasn't with him the whole night."
Lilith blinked. "You mean it wasn't the curly red-head that is so attractive he could melt the flesh off my body?" Valencia chuckled and shook her head. "Who then?" She exclaimed sitting up on the bed.
Valencia took a deep breath. "My lips are sealed."
Lilith's smile faded a heavy sigh leaving her chest. "You really won't tell me?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow, a smile on her face.
Valencia smirked and shook her head, "perhaps not," she said with a shake of her head. Lilith's nostrils flared which caused a smirk to grace the princess' lips. Wanting to leave Lilith in curiosity over who this mystery man was, she lurched from her bed and began grabbing her tunic and pants from the small chest at the end of the bed. "I need to practice, excuse me I need to get changed."
"Oh, I'll get it out of you," Lilith promised rising to her feet. "I might just have to do a little digging."
Laughing, Valencia called out as the handmaiden approached the door. "Good luck with that!"
Some time later, Valencia stood in the quiet courtyard of Winterfell, wet soil beneath her feet and the smell of morning dew in the air. In her hands were her twin daggers that she had had since she was much younger; she had named them Thunder and Lightning.
The steel was sturdy and shining, not Valyrian steel but close to it. She desperately wanted a Valyrian steel weapon, though it was obviously rare and hard to come by, though she wasn't so disappointed with the sturdiness of Thunder and Lightning.
Named after the violence of her fourteenth name-day where a storm raged from Storms End to Kings Landing. The metal glistened with the sigil of her house. The rampart stag with the crown around it's neck was engraved at the beginning of the hilt on the steel on both daggers. Both were long and thin, and were made especially for her by her father on her name-day. The hilt itself was a deep green, with engravings of entwined gold and silver. Valencia had named her daggers Thunder and Lightning due to the heavy rainfall and violent storm that took place on her fourteenth name-day and the day of her birth. Inspired by the legendary storm that raged for ten days and ten nights, and her name-day when she first unsheathed Thunder a roar of thunder erupted from Kings Landing to the Wall. Although her daggers were small, they were much larger than an ordinary blade by the same name. In truth, they were the same length from her elbow to the tip of her longest finger. They matched her beauty and skill, if she wielded it, they could cut the wings off the tiniest fly.
She pressed her lips to the blades, the cold metal felt strange against her warm lips. She pulled back twirled in between her fingers. She had dressed her in her normal sparing gear, a thin tunic, and leather pants. But since it was cold outside, her servants insisted that Valencia wore a cloak around her neck, to which she obliged the moment she stepped outside.
A straw dummy was in front of her, dressed in an old potato sack. She tightened her grip around her sword and took a step forward. She swung at the dummy slicing it and stabbing it in smooth, fluid movements before eventually ducking low, dragging her dagger straight through the middle, slicing the dummy in half. Valencia smiled at her handiwork, behind her a round of applause made her spin around. She became face-to-face with the blonde knight, Jaime Lannister. He smirked widely at her moving closer to the Baratheon girl, she knew him as the Kingslayer.
"Good strength, but I bet you couldn't cut a man down the middle," Jamie smirked.
Valencia stood tall her glare hard on him, "I imagine it wouldn't be that difficult," Valencia stated, nudging the beaten dummy with the toe of her boot.
"Trust me, my Lady. It is difficult." He snickered, Valencia looked down at her feet an awkward silence coming over the two. "My sister tells me you've been studying different fighting styles from the East," Jaime continued reaching down and plucking another straw sack up.
Valencia nodded, "that's right."
"Why would you do that, you already know how to use a sword, as well as much more from what your father has boasted about," he smirked as he slammed it down on a stick the previous one was on.
"I like to learn new things, there's always room for improvement," she responded, her eyes following Jaime. He chuckled under his breath as he patted the top of the straw man.
"Did you know, that the Dothraki wear warpaint in battle to make themselves more fierce, not that they need that of course," he stated, his voice somewhat snobbish. "So a word of advice, Valencia. If one day another war comes...make them fear you."
Valencia felt somewhat awkward with his advice, something about him had never sat right with her. Perhaps it was his calm and cunning demeanour, or even the way he walked which resembled a snobbish rich man, a walk all Lannister children seemed to have mastered. "You might want to work on your footwork, you step before you strike. That makes you predictable." He tapped her foot with his own.
Taking a step back, Valencia smirked. "I'd like to see how predictable I really am," she unsheathed Thunder and Lightning, twirling them in her hands. "Care to test your ability, Kingslayer."
Jaime ignored the comment and drew his sword, they circled each other, waiting for the other to strike first. Valencia kept her blades high, her eyes on Jaime's nose, she noticed that before he strikes his nose would scrunch up, and just as she thought, his nose twitched. He slammed his blade at her's, Valencia holding her arms up successfully and dodging the blow. She pushed her weight against him, channeling it into his arms pushing him back, however he bent the swords down, the sound of metal sliding together echoing throughout the Winterfell courtyard. Valencia spun around, breaking her Thunder from Jaime's sword, and holding him with Lightning. She twisted her body downwards, her arm extending and sweeping Thunder at his knees. Jaime quickly blocked, Valencia she spun around to face him. She swung her Lightning once again, clipping the side of his arm, but Jaime lifted his leg and buried his foot into her stomach.
THUD!
Valencia seethed as her body hit the ground violently, her back and lungs burning from the feeling of being thrown. Pain ravaged her chest, the once simple feeling of breathing now becoming foreign to her and more rugged than ever before.
Jaime leant over her, one foot digging into her shoulder and his hands holding his sword to her throat. "From this position, I could cut this little vein here," he lightly traced a lump in her throat, watching as her throat bobbled. "And you would die in minutes."
She coughed sucking in air. "So could a dedicated duck, you're not special," she rasped out as she quickly outstretched her leg and kicked him in the side of his knee. Jaime's leg bent as he doubled over. Valencia reached for her Thunder which had been flung from her hands upon landing. She slid on the ground, twisting her body awkwardly kicking Jaime's feet out from under him. Slinging her legs around, she got into a standing movement a crushing breath of air swarming her lungs like bees, Thunder in hand she sent her knee into his stomach and her dagger to his throat. His adams apple bobbed below her dagger.
"Funny how roles reverse so easily," she smirked holding the blade against his throat.
"That's what I get for underestimating a women," he remarked, a chuckle rising from his throat.
Valencia joined him in laughter, taking Thunder from his throat and rising to her feet. Outstretching her gloved hand Jaime took it with a kind smile, standing as he spoke. "Well, it wasn't very fair, now was it?"
"Why wouldn't it be fair?"
Jaime laughed lightly. "You're a lot younger than I am."
Valencia's face lit up, her lips forming a smile and a laugh rising from her throat, shaking her head she softly punched Jaime in the shoulder before sheathing her daggers at her hips. "I could certainly tell," she remarked beginning to walk. "If you'll excuse me, I'm in dire need of a short ride, when I return I hope you've recovered from your painful defeat."
Jaime laughed. "Ha! Cocky as always!"
Valencia shrugged and continued her way to the stables, a lopsided grin on her lips. Upon entering and searching for her horse a large furry thing pounced straight onto her. Yelping, Valencia tumbled to the ground, the white thing crushing her with what felt like paws and a pair of bright red eyes staring directly into her own. An albino direwolf stared down at her, pressing tightly on her chest staining her shirt with dirt from his paws.
"Ghost no!" A voice exclaimed. Eyes still focused on the direwolf a pair of hands gripped the animal by the stomach and lifted him off her. Sucking in a much need breath Valencia sat up and took in the winter snow direwolf sitting at the feet of who she assumed was his owner.
Her breath vanished upon meeting his grey eyes.
Jon Snow.
His deep orbs were as wide as hers, the wolf she assumed names was Ghost pawed at his feet, whining for attention and forgiveness. Jon's face was turned towards her, his body hunched over still holding Ghost's torso. He looked shocked, the colour drained from his face once he realised who exactly it was that Ghost had pounced on. Jon quickly let Ghost go and he brushed off the albino fur from his pants, he hoped the princess wouldn't grow angered by Ghost's silent attack, girls who didn't like dogs often got the latter put down.
"My Lady, I am so sorry." He leant down, grasping her by her upper arms gently and assisting her to feet, not that she needed the help but she remained shock that a bloody direwolf had just pounced on her! Her dark eyes glanced between Jon and Ghost, the direwolf curling up on a pile of straw. Her heart hammering in her chest, Valencia realised a nervous laugh, eyes bulged and adrenaline running. "Valencia?" Jon voice echoed, his hand reaching for her shoulder.
Shifting her nervous eyes to Jon she smiled. "A direwolf? I thought they weren't South of the Wall?"
Jon chuckled nervously, noticing her shaken state. "They usually aren't."
Flickering her gaze to Ghost he seemed less scary than before, licking at his paws. Smiling she moved from Jon's grasp and approached the wolf, rising his head he sniffed at the air, his wet nose in her direction. The wolf stood to his paws and approached Valencia hesitantly, continuing to sniff her. "He's beautiful," Valencia said kneeling down, the fear of Ghost gone from her mind. "Ghost, his name is, right? I think I heard you say it."
"Yes, that's correct." The princess laughed lightly, sticking her hand out, her fingers stretching. The direwolf sniffed at her outstretched hand, tilting his big, white head before he sat his snot in her palm. With an astonished laugh, Valencia ran her fingers through his white fur in gentle yet firm scratches.
"It's a perfect name," she smiled. "I don't believe I'm ever seen an albino wolf before. Or any wolf before, they aren't common down South."
Jon drew nearer, bending down next to her watching as Ghost nestled up to her like he had never done with Jon. "He's the runt," Ghost snapped at Jon angrily, curling up to Valencia.
Grinning the girl spoke, "I think he heard you."
She smiled to herself, Jon copied her smile and looked to her face, inspecting every detail. The soft tanned skin, the beautiful braided ebony hair, pink lips and dark eyes. He felt his heart yearn for her, everything she did made his heart beg for her attention. How she pouted her lips so naturally, how she looked beautiful even in loose pants and shirt, every moment he saw her he knew more about her. He had seen her take down Jaime Lannister, and he had never been more attracted to a women than he was with her. There was just something to incredibly lust-provoking about seeing her being so aggressive, he had tried to push the feelings away, and even Jon Snow who was perhaps the most self-controlled man in Westeros had a hard time keeping himself calm.
He watched as Valencia pulled away from Ghost, an awkward smiling pressing to his full lips as she spoke to him. "How did you find him?" She of course had noticed his slight awkwardness, which only made her own smile grow wider at him.
"We found his mother dead, along with the rest of the litter, I insisted it wasn't a coincidence" Jon replied, giving her a soft, yet shy look.
"How brave of you, to save this little one. Most men do not allow such affection towards animals. I believe the term 'loyal instead of love' is used, but you, you show him love. I respect that." Her voice was gentle, radiating with undying warmth.
"That is kind of you to say, my Lady."
She raised an eyebrow at him, "Valencia," she corrected. Jon nodded a nervous smile on his lips, the Baratheon Princess's cheeks lit up at how Jon was looking at her. His eyes round and full of light, and it made Valencia's insides bubble.
"I saw you fighting earlier, you're good." Jon announced his cheeks running red.
Valencia smirked at him, "not many people approve of it, but Thunder and Lightning-" she glanced to her daggers "-it's like they're apart of me." Reconnecting her gaze to Jon, he looked confused.
"Why those names?" Jon asked questioningly.
Valencia grinned, her hands tapping her blades with affection. "I'm sure you're aware that people call me the Princess of the Storm." Jon nodded. "Well, do you know why?"
Jon shook his head no.
"When I was born there was a storm for ten days and ten nights. Many farms, towns and even some parts of Kings Landing caught fire due to lightning strikes, hence where I was given the name 'Princess of the Storm', also because I'm the technical heir to Storms End. Anyway, on my fourteenth name-day it was cloudy and raining all over the city, a terrible name-day to begin with. Until my father presented me with my daggers, beautiful they are. And when I unsheathed a single roar of thunder burst out through the air. It was deafening, I named this one, Thunder and this one Lightning. Both with great significance to everything I have."
Jon listened intently, holding onto her every word in fascination. Of course he already knew about the storm that waged over Westeros when she was born, everyone knew that story. His Uncle Benjen even said it effected the weather at the Wall and they couldn't patrol for those ten days and nights for fear of lightning, and the snow storm that had thinned the Wall. Although Jon knew the story, he wished to hear it from her lips.
"Your father must love you very much" Jon remarked with a warm smile, Valencia nodded gleefully. Jon glanced to the daggers at her hips. "They're lovely," he gestured to the twin daggers, Valencia chuckled and unsheathed Lightning, showing it to Jon. His eyes lit up seeing the vibrant steel and masterful engravings.
"It's not entirely special, but it is sturdy." She stated twisting it in her long fingers. "I do, however sometimes not see the point in it. No wars will come while I'm alive. Actually, that might not be the case, because Viserys Targaryen may row across the Narrow Sea and try to steal my throne from me. But then again, that's a big maybe." Jon smiled, watching her sheathe the weapons.
"Do you believe he will?" Asked Jon, brows together.
"Only the future will tell, Jon Snow."