Game of Thrones: Knight’s Honor

Three days had passed since the Ironborn invasion. News arrived from Three Towers, Blackcrown Castle, and Bandaren Castle, reporting that the Ironborn fleet was sailing north.

Willas, upon receiving this information, wasted no time. Without resting, he ordered the entire army to begin boarding the ships.

To accommodate the thousands of soldiers and retainers, the Tyrell Merchant Guild provided 30 large merchant ships and rented an additional 10 of similar size from other shipping companies. House Hightower contributed 10 warships to escort the fleet.

A fleet of 50 large ships was an impressive scale for Westeros. Even the Manderlys of White Harbor or the Lannisters of Lannisport would struggle to assemble such a fleet. These ships, designed for capacity and endurance, stood in stark contrast to the Ironborn's smaller, spindle-shaped pirate vessels. The Ironborn favored speed, using triangular sails and longships often converted from fishing boats, but these lacked the size and capacity to compete with the Tyrell fleet.

To prepare for potential pirate attacks, crossbows designed for naval combat were mounted on all ships. These massive crossbows fired bolts as thick as a man's arm—capable of sinking small ships with a single shot.

When the fleet finally set sail, the docks of Oldtown were crowded with spectators. They had not come to see off Willas, but Lynd.

The one-on-one-hundred duel had turned Lynd into the most respected figure in Oldtown. His strength had become legendary, and many regarded him as a figure straight out of ancient tales. Even some Septons of the Faith of the Seven began claiming that Lynd was the "blessed warrior" among the Seven.

The Septon of the Starry Sept did not refute these rumors.

In fact, on several public occasions, he acknowledged them, declaring that Lynd had faithfully guarded Willas during the silent prayer ritual at the Starry Sept on the night of the Ironborn invasion. Even when hundreds of Ironborn pirates besieged them, Lynd had stood his ground. According to the bishop, Lynd's unwavering loyalty and courage earned him the favor of the Seven Gods, especially the Warrior. Thus, he was blessed with the strength to achieve the impossible: defeating over seven hundred Ironborn, avenging the sanctity of the Faith, and protecting the holy Starry Sept.

To solidify this narrative, the Septon of the Starry Sept took an extraordinary step.

He granted Lynd special privileges to complete the holy oil anointing ritual in the Starry Sept, presided over by the Septon himself.

This anointment, a rare honor typically reserved for knights anointed by kings, made Lynd's status among knights in Westeros nearly unassailable. His knighthood, sanctified through this ancient ritual, left no room for question.

Lynd quickly gained the title of the "Warrior's Blessed" in Oldtown, a recognition formally endorsed by the Starry Sept. With Oldtown's population consisting largely of devout followers of the Faith, Lynd became a revered figure, regarded as the next Paragon of the Seven. Worship of Lynd grew rapidly, as if he were a living saint.

Lynd, however, understood the motivations of the Starry Sept. They were capitalizing on his fame and strength, attributing his victories to divine blessings to elevate their own influence. By binding him to the Faith through the sacred oil ritual, the Sept sought to use Lynd's reputation to enhance its own prestige. The Septon's vision was ambitious—if Lynd continued to demonstrate his unparalleled strength, the Starry Sept could become a sacred destination for warriors. Over time, the notion might take hold that any knight must be anointed at the Starry Sept to be considered a true knight.

Lynd had no objections. He recognized that this relationship would provide him with the Sept's support, making it easier to achieve his goals. In turn, the Starry Sept spared no effort in promoting his status as the Warrior's Blessed. Without their active endorsement, Lynd's rapid ascent to fame in Oldtown would have been much more challenging.

Still, Lynd's actual strength, demonstrated in his legendary feats, spoke for itself. Even those outside the Faith of the Seven, such as merchants from Essos, were in awe of his abilities. His reputation transcended borders, inspiring both admiration and fear.

As Willas's fleet gradually left the port, the crowd on the docks broke into song. The Song of the Bear Hunter started chaotically but quickly grew in volume and harmony, its melody carrying far across the water. Even as the ships sailed out of sight, leaving only the distant light of the Hightower visible, the song's echo remained, carried on the wind to those aboard the fleet.

"Ser Lynd Tarran's reputation is a bit too high…" remarked one of Willas's aides, his gaze fixed on the Glory as it sailed alongside Willas's flagship.

Before the aide could finish, Willas interrupted him. He looked at the aide calmly and said, "Do your work seriously. Don't casually speak ill of others, and your position might go further."

With that, Willas, supported by his servant, returned to his cabin to rest, leaving the aide awkwardly standing in place.

On the Glory, Lynd was unaware of what had transpired aboard Willas's ship. As the captain of the men-at-arms, he would typically have stayed on Willas's vessel. However, Garth and his knights had crowded onto the flagship under the pretense of providing close protection for Willas, forcing Lynd to relocate to another ship.

It was then that a worshiper of the Faith of the Seven, whom greatly admired hum, presented Lynd with a large sailing ship. Lynd accepted without hesitation, naming the ship Glory and moving aboard.

Perhaps deliberately, Willas arranged for Malora to board the Glory, citing the lack of space on other ships. Lynd did not object. In truth, even if Malora had tried to choose another ship, Lynd would have found a way to bring her aboard. He needed to speak with her seriously to address potential issues.

"Lady Malora, what exactly is your purpose?" Lynd asked directly as he entered her cabin. Malora was in the midst of mixing some kind of medicine but paused at his question.

She looked up at him and replied, "I want to be by your side."

Lynd frowned. Her words sounded ambiguous, but he could sense that she didn't mean it romantically.

With a hint of emotion in her voice, Malora continued, "I've been alone in the Hightower for too long. I want to see the world beyond it. You are the right person to accompany. We are the same kind of people—outcasts in this world. The only people we can trust are those like us."

Lynd was silent for a moment before saying, "I don't keep idle people around me."

Malora considered his response before saying, "You don't have a Maester consultant yet, do you? I think I'm qualified. My knowledge is on par with any Archmaester at the Citadel. If it weren't for my interest in forbidden books, I would have become the Citadel's first female Archmaester."

After a moment of thought, Lynd nodded and extended his hand. "You're welcome to join us."

Malora smiled as she shook his hand, but there was a flicker of something in her eyes—an emotion she quickly masked. Lynd, however, noticed the subtle tension in her grip and instinctively let go.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked, frowning in confusion.

The moment their hands parted, Malora's color returned, but she leaned heavily on the table, as though her legs might give out. At Lynd's questioning gaze, she took a deep breath and gave a brief, matter-of-fact explanation that made his mind reel.

"What do you mean…?" Lynd began, his voice trailing off.

"Exactly what you're thinking," Malora replied, her tone steady but her eyes avoiding his.

Lynd stared at his hand, his thoughts spinning. Could such a simple touch cause this? The idea was absurd—impossible, even. What kind of strange ability is this? he wondered. Do I have some sort of… Electrifying Touch?

As Malora's breathing steadied, she regained her composure but took a step back, instinctively putting some distance between them. Straightening her posture, she said, "House Hightower once forged a marriage alliance with House Targaryen, so our bloodline carries the blood of a true dragon."

She gestured toward her silvery-blonde hair and violet eyes as she continued, "In my generation, only Alerie and I exhibit obvious Targaryen traits. But my case is different from Alerie's. Her traits are merely physical, while mine have caused certain… unique changes in my body. I react to dragon-related artifacts or items imbued with magic simply by touching them."

Lynd listened, his mind turning. He recalled his previous encounter with Malora in the garden of the Black Stone Fortress, but at the time, he'd been wearing armor, which must have prevented any reaction. Now, without such protection, his handshake had evidently triggered something within her.

Testing a theory, Lynd removed the dragon rune necklace made of dragonglass from around his neck and handed it to Malora. "Try this," he said. "See if it has the same effect."

Malora examined the necklace curiously. Though she couldn't decipher the meaning of the runes, she sensed that it carried a power similar to the mysterious force within the Hightower, albeit more tangible and visually comprehensible.

Tentatively, she touched the rune necklace. Energy stirred within her again, though this time the sensation was far milder than when she'd shaken Lynd's hand. Unlike the heat she'd felt with other dragon-related magical items, this necklace gave her a cool, soothing sensation. It calmed her mind and steadied her emotions.

Malora was immersed in the experience when Lynd abruptly removed the necklace from her hand. The sudden disruption left her feeling uncomfortable, and she looked at him with slight irritation.

"I think you should change your clothes now," Lynd said, pointing at Malora's feet.

Malora, unfazed by the situation, showed no embarrassment or unease. Rather than asking Lynd to leave, she confidently took off all her clothes in front of him. She stood naked, casually wiped herself off, then put on a light uniform. Tying her disheveled hair with a silver cord, she looked much more composed and capable.

"Do I look good?" Malora asked Lynd.

"Are you talking about earlier, or now?" Lynd replied with a question.

"Earlier," Malora clarified.

Lynd teased abruptly, "Everything else was great, just… a bit lacking in the chest department."

Malora nodded in agreement, unfazed by the comment. "There's nothing I can do about that. It's hereditary in House Hightower. The women in my family don't have very big breasts. But breasts this size are enough. My younger sister, your Lady, doesn't have big breasts either, and she's given birth to four children."

"The Lady has a milk nanny," Lynd remarked with a laugh.

"That's right. The children can be raised by a nanny. And with the appetite of that Puff Fish Lord, Alerie's breasts should be enough," Malora said with a serious expression but in ambiguous tones. She added provocatively, "But your body is so strong, and you must have a big appetite. My breasts wouldn't be enough for you to suck."

As she spoke, she deliberately undid the clasp at the front of her shirt and pulled at the hem, revealing her snow-white breasts. The pressure of the clothing made them appear noticeably larger at the moment.

In this unspoken game of who would blush first, Lynd found himself losing. Even with his past life experience, he was no match for Malora's boldness. Sensing his physiological response to the situation, Lynd decisively ended the conversation, saying, "If there's nothing else, I'll leave for now."

With that, he turned and walked out of the cabin. As he closed the door behind him, Malora's mocking laughter echoed from within.

"What a vixen," Lynd muttered to himself, calming his emotions as he glanced back at the cabin.

After returning to his own quarters, Lynd focused on comforting Glory, who was seasick, while reflecting on his conversation with Malora.

The most significant outcome of their exchange was gaining Malora as a Maester consultant. Her value lay not only in her exceptional knowledge but also in her status.

During his time in Oldtown, Lynd had observed that Lord Leyton deeply doted on his eldest daughter. Lord Leyton had even hinted on multiple occasions that if Lynd were to marry Malora, he would grant Lynd a castle and village, elevating him to the rank of Lord.

As long as Malora remained by his side, Lord Leyton would provide financial and political support. This effectively gave Lynd a powerful ally in the form of the Lord of Oldtown.

Additionally, through Malora's unique constitution, Lynd became certain that the Dragon Communion Ritual had altered him. It had imbued him with some form of dragon bloodline. Though this bloodline might differ from that of House Targaryen, it would still be advantageous when dealing with dragons.

This realization made him wonder if he should acquire a dragon egg. If he managed to do so, then when the red comet appeared in a decade or so, he might be able to hatch and ride a dragon of his own.