Chapter 44 — "Prince Jofferey:The Greatest Swordsman realm has ever seen"
The morning was cold and still.
Robb and Jon had been in the yard since the early morning— They are training and sparring. Almost a routine for them to keep and remain sharp in thier blades.
They moved well together.
Robb aggressive and direct. Jon patient and adaptive. The loose comfortable exchange of people who knew each other's habits completely and used that knowledge to push each other to improve.
Grey Wind and Ghost sat near the stable wall watching.
Alaric is on the fence with Winter beside him who came here to watch them train. Both of them wanted to spar with him but he refused.
He had been watching for twenty minutes.
But it seems a uninvited and unwanted guest arrived here. Joffrey had come for the morning air.
That was the official version.
The unofficial version was visible in the way he stopped at the entrance and watched Robb and Jon move with the expression of someone who had been carrying something since long time ago and was looking for somewhere to put it.
He watched Jon for a long moment.
Then he walked into the yard.
"Stark," he said.
Jon and Robb stopped.
Jon looked at Joffrey confused.
"Your Grace," Robb said.
Joffrey looked at the practice swords. At the yard.
"Why don't you Spar with me, instead of a Bastard. I will show you how the sword works." he said confidently.
Robb's expression moved through several things quickly and settled on careful.
"Of course Your Grace, if you want" Robb said, he wasn't sure to accept it or reject it. But accepted it just for sake of not offending the Prince
They took positions.
Alaric watched from the fence without moving but thinking why would Jofferey do that because as per he knew Jofferey didn't knew how to how to swing a sword or that was the Ser Barristan said when he was in King's Landing.
Joffrey who has never trained a day in his life tries to Spar with Robb, who has trained his whole life.
It is also present in the Spar what was happening.
Robb stood remaining there with Prince Jofferey trying to slash his sword but Robb blocking each time .
Not dramatically. Not aggressively. Just like a adult doing against a 6 year old child.
Robb really thought why would Prince would ask of this when he didn't knew how to swing a sword.
First exchange — Joffrey's blade redirected.
Second exchange — pushed back three steps.
Third exchange — disarmed. The practice sword on the ground before Joffrey fully understood what had happened.
The yard went quiet.
Joffrey looked at the sword on the ground.
At Robb's face — which was nothing. Not triumph. Not mockery. Just the blank professional expression.
That was somehow worse than mockery for the Prince
He picked up the sword.
"Again," he said.
They went again.
Same result.
Again.
Same.
By the fourth exchange Joffrey was breathing hard and his composure had developed fractures and when he is trying to slash and cut Robb. He fell by his own without Robb doing anything.
Jofferey " What the hell. Why did you push me Stark. I am your Prince."
Robb confused what to say " My Prince I didn't push you. You fell by yourself"
" Are you saying I am lying, I am your Prince , the next King. You pushed me " Joffrey shouted
Robb silent truly confused. But both Jon and Alacric came in support of thier brother.
The two of them looked at each other across the yard.
" Your Grace, you really fell by yourself. Robb really did nothing." They said.
Joffrey's jaw worked.
"Shut up, you filthy bastards. How dare you speak with me your Prince " he said. Voice low. Reaching for something sharp because blunt objects weren't working. "Think you own the world up here. ." He looked at Jon and Alacric. "And your bastards. At least the ones in King's Landing know their place."
The yard went very quiet.
Jon said nothing.
His face said nothing.
Robb took one step forward.
Alaric came off the fence.
He moved between Robb and what Robb was about to do. One look at his younger brother — not here not now not like this — and Robb held. Barely. But held.
Jaime Lannister walked into the yard at the same moment.
"Uncle , you came at the right time . These fuckers are trying to kill me . They pushed into the ground while I was sparing with them" Jofferey shouted.
He looked at Joffrey.
At the practice sword still in Joffrey's hand.
At the yard — at Jon's expression, at Robb's barely contained anger.
At Alaric.
He looked at Alaric for a moment with the attention Alaric had felt from the far end of the great hall two days ago.
Jamie knew that it was most likely Jofferey fault but it seemed a right moment to do something that Cersie would like.
Alacric " Kingslayer, Prince Jofferey is mistaken. He fell by himself. We all are here and witness to this."
Jamie smiled" So you are saying his Grace is lying. "
Alacric clenched his jaw " No , I am saying His Grace would be mistaken."
Jamie looked at the yard again. At the assembled Stark children. At the practice sword on the ground. Anger still present in the air, the insult still hanging, the yard not finished with what had started in it.
He looked at Alaric.
Alaric looked back.
"Snow, it's word against words." Jaime said.
Alaric said nothing.
"Why don't we settle this the other way. A duel for the settlement. It used to be a tradition here in North isn't it." Jamie said.
The two of them looked at each other across the morning yard of Winterfell with the cold northern air between them and the specific quality of two people who had been circling something since the great hall two days ago and had arrived at the edge of it.
"Me Champion for His Grace against Lord Robb," Jaime said.
One word.
Behind him Robb let out a long breath.
"If that what you want.," Robb said in anger
But Alacric smiled and intervenes" If a duel is required. Then why don't I become the champion Lord Robb. "
"You don't have to— i could. .." Robb said.
Alacric stared at Robb " Listen to your big brother, boy." He said .
Robb backs down respecting Alacric big brother privilege.
He picked up the practice sword Joffrey had thrown down.
Looked at it.
Set it on the fence beside where Winter was sitting — the grey wolf watching the gate where Jaime is with the alert stillness of an animal that had made its own assessment of what had just happened.
"A duel then, if will be fun Kingslayer." Alaric said.