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"Thank you…"
The moment Leo appeared like a knight from a storybook and shut those drunks down, Brienne didn't know what to say. Everything she felt collapsed into one quiet word.
And he had heard every filthy thing they said about her.
Humiliation burned through her. She dropped her head, wishing she could sink into the ground and disappear. She couldn't look the handsome, confident knight in the eye.
Leo saw how miserable she looked and softened his voice.
"Brienne. Lift your head."
She flinched but kept her eyes on the dirt. "I… I'm ugly…"
The words slipped out before she could stop them, and she immediately regretted it.
Leo's tone stayed gentle but firm. "I don't think so."
"Judging someone by their face or first impression is shallow as hell. Real beauty is confidence. Kindness. Loyalty. Honor. People love that person."
"Some people are born good-looking or drop-dead gorgeous, but if they're selfish, cruel, full of lies, or enjoy hurting others for their own gain… do you think people truly respect them?"
He tapped two fingers over his heart.
"Real beauty and ugliness? It's in here."
Brienne's mouth fell open. Her sapphire-blue eyes widened, sparkling with something new.
"And you, Brienne… your beauty is the courage to pick up a sword and prove you're every bit as good as any man."
"I believe one day your name will be written in the histories of the Seven Kingdoms right beside the greatest heroes. You'll be remembered as one of the legends."
"Remember what I told you yesterday: stop caring what other people think. Live your own life loud and proud. Use your strengths to shove every insult back in their faces."
"Next time anyone dares mock you or talk shit to your face, make them remember it—with your fists or your sword."
"You're Brienne of Tarth. You're not some delicate lady who hides in her chambers embroidering and screaming at the first sign of trouble."
"You're one of a kind. The woman who's going to become the first female knight in the history of the Seven Kingdoms."
Brienne's eyes grew brighter with every word.
Ser Neo is right. I'm one of a kind.
I'm going to be the first female knight in the Seven Kingdoms.
My name will be written in the histories in bold letters.
All the tangled emotions inside her finally melted into another soft "Thank you…"
"Don't thank me again," Leo said with a grin. "Not if you see me as a friend."
Friend.
The word made something flutter in her chest, but she quickly steadied herself.
Once her confidence returned, Brienne relaxed. They fell into easy conversation—mostly about swordsmanship and fighting, the one topic that made her light up like a different person. She became animated, passionate, and sure of herself.
Leo felt relieved watching the change.
They talked until Leo's stomach growled loudly. Only then did they realize they had completely missed lunch.
They walked back toward the tourney grounds together, then split off with friendly nods.
Brienne's mind kept replaying Leo's words the entire way.
She made a silent vow: she would handle this ridiculous betrothal her way.
Her future belonged to her.
---
The afternoon melee turned into another Leo showcase.
He never seemed to tire, mowing down challenger after challenger and racking up experience like it was going out of style. Combined with his three morning joust wins, he pulled in nearly twenty thousand EXP.
He hit level 8.
EXP: 15,261 / 38,400
New skill unlocked: [Whirlwind Slash]
[Whirlwind Slash]: Spin and swing your weapon in a 360-degree attack that hits every enemy around you. The more foes you face, the more devastating it becomes—until the crowd gets too thick and the power starts to drop.
His four core stats climbed again:
- Strength: 15.4
- Agility: 12.4
- Stamina: 15.7
- Magic Power: 0 (still that stubborn zero)
King Robert showed up in the stands with a few Crownlands lords, cheering loudly for Leo and looking like he wanted to jump in himself. One glance at his own growing belly changed his mind.
After two full days of going undefeated in both jousting and the melee, Leo's fame exploded. Betting odds on him dropped hard as more and more people piled money on the handsome foreign knight.
Day Three arrived.
The jousts reached the quarterfinals.
Leo was scheduled first—against the man burning for revenge: the Hound.
When the two riders entered the lists, the crowd roared. Hype-men in the stands loudly reminded everyone this was Sandor Clegane's chance to settle the score from the training yard, turning the match into the hottest ticket of the day.
The Hound rode a massive black destrier, wearing black armor and carrying a black dog-head helm. The burn scars on his face made him look even more terrifying.
Leo, on his white stallion in shining silver-and-gold plate, looked every inch the storybook knight.
Black versus white. The contrast was striking.
"Neo!" the Hound growled as they passed the royal box. "Today I'm knocking you off that horse and wiping the dirt with you."
Leo just smiled. "Looking forward to it."
He saluted the king, then trotted to his end of the lists, waving casually to the noble ladies in the stands. They screamed for him.
The Hound got almost no cheers—most people saw him as the Lannisters' attack dog and kept their mouths shut.
In the "crowd favorite" department, Leo already had the edge.
The horn blew.
Both riders lowered their lances and charged.