I awoke at dawn, the events of the previous night a heavy cloak on my thoughts. Stretching, I looked out the window at the endless sea of green that was Highgarden. It was an idyllic place, a land of plenty seemingly untouched by the harsh realities of the wider world. A part of me could see the appeal of staying here forever, in a land with no great wars and little crushing poverty.
A knock at the door pulled me from my reverie. My squires, perhaps, finally remembering their duties.
I opened the door and was met with an unexpected sight. Lady Janna Tyrell stood there, accompanied by servants carrying pitchers of water and trays of food. What mattered more, however, was that I was shirtless. She didn't blush or look away; her gaze was analytical, assessing the musculature of my torso with a frankness that made me feel like a prize stallion.
"Ah, my lady," I said, recovering my composure. "Your visit is a surprise. If you please, grant me a moment." I quickly pulled on a tunic, washed my face, and turned to face her fully. She had seated herself on the edge of my bed, her expression not one of seduction, but of serious contemplation.
"So, my lady," I began, taking an apple from the tray. "What news of the day's events? An early warning is always an advantage."
"The melee and the archery have been canceled. There will only be the joust," she stated, her eyes watching for my reaction.
"Why?" I asked, though I could guess the answer.
"Ser Jon," she said, a flicker of irritation in her eyes. "He convinced my brother that true knights only care for the joust. I know you are a swordsman, Ser Julius. But are you a lancer?"
"I have never jousted before, my lady," I admitted. "But I will manage."
She seemed unsatisfied. "Hmm. If you say so." She leaned forward slightly. "Where were you last night? I looked for you."
"Your mother summoned me," I said plainly, deciding on a direct approach. "She demanded to know what I want from House Tyrell. So, tell me, Lady Janna, what do you think I want? What can your house offer that I cannot acquire on my own?"
She was not surprised. She stood and closed the distance between us, her eyes locked on mine. She was bold, I had to grant her that.
"Nothing so extraordinary, as you would call it," she said, her voice low and deliberate. "But my brother can grant you land, a keep, and a highborn wife. A place within the most powerful house in the Reach. All that is required is your loyalty."
There it was. The offer. A gilded cage, presented with a pretty ribbon.
"My lady, the Crown can grant land and titles as well," I replied, my voice equally calm. "My answer must be no. You should leave now. If someone were to see us like this, any potential match Ser Fossoway might offer could be jeopardized."
A knowing grin touched her lips, as if she had expected this resistance and relished the challenge. I felt a pull of temptation, to simply play the game she was offering. But I had made a decision in King's Landing to be more than a pawn in someone else's story.
I raised a hand, stopping whatever words were about to come. "I apologize, my lady, but I cannot. It would be disastrous for your reputation and the honor of your house. I must refuse. You are beautiful, and the offer is... flattering. But the risk is too great, not just for me, but for my squires as well. That is my final word."
I gestured towards the door. Instead of leaving, she held my gaze, the smirk replaced by a look of stark determination.
"Oh, please, Ser," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "I never took you for a craven. And rest assured, no one is coming here at this hour."
For a heartbeat, the air crackled with the unspoken. The path of least resistance was right in front of me. But I remembered the cold, calculating eyes of the Queen of Thorns. I thought of the independence I would be trading for comfort.
"And that, my lady, is precisely what your mother would be counting on," I said, my voice firm, stepping back and breaking the tension. "I am no man's pawn, not even yours. I will not be a kept knight in a gilded cage, my every move dictated by Highgarden. My path is my own."
The determination in her eyes shifted to a flicker of surprise, then a grudging respect. She had offered him the world on a Tyrell platter, and he had found it lacking.
"Then you are a fool, Ser Julius," she said, but the insult lacked its sting. It was almost a compliment.
"Perhaps. But I am a free fool." I walked to the door and held it open for her. "I will see you at the lists."
She left without another word, her posture regal despite the rejection. I closed the door and leaned against it, letting out a long breath. The temptation had been real, but the victory of resisting it was far sweeter. Now, I had to prepare for a different kind of battle.
This would be my first joust. My body was that of a Warden, a master of the sword, but I had never sat a tilt. Yet, I had not known how to ride a horse either, and that skill had come as naturally as breathing. I had to trust that this would, too.
But first, I needed to find my squires and remind them of their duties. And I desperately needed a shower.