[a/n: a bit late in the night because I was busy playing Destiny, but ah well.]
(Third Person POV)
[Second Round, Second Match: Jon Roxton vs Daemon Targaryen]
The crowd cheered loudly as Daemon Targaryen pushed Jon Roxton to the ground. The Knight rolled away as Daemon lunged at him and swung his sword down, but he ended up hitting the ground.
"Ah!" Daemon said as he smirked, "Sneaky little critter, isn't he?"
It was the second match of the second round, the winner of this would advance to the Finals to face Aerion Targaryen. The highborn nobles and smallfolk all saw Daemon as a clear favorite due to his prowess with the blade but Jon Roxton was no slouch either. One thing was for sure, whoever was able to win and advance, they would have a tough match against the Prince-Consort, Aerion Targaryen.
Jon straightened up as he wiped a bit of blood from his nose; Daemon had managed to get him with a few punches to the face. Neither of them were wielding shields, something that people were excited about. Typically, in a melee, everyone uses shields but Jon Roxton decided to go the Aerion route and throw caution to the wind. He was able to defeat Ormund Hightower comfortably like that and he was confident in his ability to take on the Rogue Prince.
But Daemon Targaryen was not Ormund Hightower and Jon Roxton knew this.
"My Prince." Jon said as they both circled each other, "If I were to defeat you and your son, you would not hold it against me?"
"Heh, of course not, I don't care." Daemon said, "But that's if you beat me. And if you somehow manage to beat that, then I'll personally recruit you as my bodyguard, hehe."
He gestured at Aerion who was merely watching without saying a single word.
Jon laughed, "Ha! Well said." He said as he lunged
He swung his sword vertically, only for Daemon to dodge out of the way and spun around, countering with his sword and hitting Jon in the chest, catching him off-guard.
"Ah!" Jon exclaimed as he stumbled back
Daemon moved forward, swinging his sword again but Jon was able to parry it and swing back in retaliation. Daemon stepped back as Jon's strikes were narrowly avoided, dodging and parrying as he was perplexed how Roxton was able to power through the pain of the previous strike.
Jon then pivoted to the left as Daemon thrust his sword at him, "Tch." He said as he swung the sword
He hit Daemon in the shoulder hard, causing the Rogue Prince to stumble slightly as he stepped away defensively.
"Damn..." Daemon said as Jon rushed in against him
He blocked a vicious swing from Roxton, being reeled back a bit. Jon then swung multiple times only for his strikes to be parried with ease, though.
"You're not bad." Daemon said as he stepped back
"You flatter me, My Prince." Jon said with a slight smile
"But not enough." Daemon said as he rushed him
He feinted a thrust to his midsection, causing Jon to drop his guard down low, the Rogue Prince pulling his sword back and immediately swinging at his face. Jon was able to pull his sword up and block the blow but just barely, the force pushing the sword against his face as he pulled his head back.
Daemon then tackled Jon with his shoulder which staggered him and with no hesitation, he swept Jon's leg, tripping the Knight once again. Jon fell on his side and immediately rolled away, avoiding Daemon's sword as it hit the ground.
Daemon then kicked Jon as soon as he tried to get up, hitting him on the face hard.
"Guh!" Jon grunted in pain as he fell on his back
Daemon then swung his sword down at him, but Jon was able to block it with his own sword. But....this was the first of many sword swings that the Rogue Prince threw at him and Jon Roxton was able to block three of them.
The rest of the swings hit Jon all over his body as he tucked his head and tried to roll over, the blunt blade hitting all over his body. The crowd gasped in surprise, not expecting Daemon Targaryen to pull off his trademark scummy tactics.
Aerion frowned a this, "What the...." He said
"Ah!" Daemon said with an annoyed scowl
Jon powered his way through the strikes and got to his knees, trying his best to block with his sword.
Daemon then tried to kick him once again but Jon immediately grabbed his boot and pulled on it, dropping the Rogue Prince.
Jon gripped on his sword and went for a swing but Daemon rolled away and immediately got up. Jon, who was already woozy from the constant striking, was a bit slower in straightening up since as soon as he got up, Daemon swung his sword down at his shoulder, a loud snap being heard.
"Aghhh!!" Jon dropped back down, "Shit!!!"
Daemon then kicked him in the face, crashing down on the ground, blood flying out of his nose. Jon's sword fell from his grip as Daemon walked to him and swung the sword hard at him, hitting him hard in the chest, bending Jon's breasplate.
"Heh." Daemon said as he raised his sword up and smiled, "Yield?"
Jon's face was bloody as he clutched his collarbone, "F-Fuck..." He managed, "I Yield....."
Daemon frowned, "Oh." He said, "Well.....that's anti-climatic..."
The Rogue Prince stepped back as he lowered his sword, watching Jon Roxton stand up, wobbling about while holding his shoulder and collar-bone.
"You fought well, My Prince..." He managed as blood poured out of his nose
"Your nose is all bent..." Daemon smirked, "I hope you don't hold it against me, kicking you and all...."
Jon shook his head as he wobbled away, "Not at all..." He said, "In a real battle, I would have been dead. It matters not what sort of tactics the enemy uses against you.....all that matters is what you use to get the victory...."
Daemon smiled, "Well said." He said as he raised his arms in triumph
The crowd cheered hard and loud as the Rogue Prince spun around slowly, basking in his victory.
"The Winner!!!" the announcer bellowed, "Daemon Targaryen!!!'
Daemon then looked over at Rhaenyra, who was giving him a serious look. He could only help but smile, his gaze fixating on the baby Visenya who was being held by Elinda.
"None of you are keeping her from me...." He muttered to himself
He then turned to see Aerion, who was standing there, giving him a serious look. It was the same gaze that Daemon was given back Lady Laena's funeral, one that unsettled him back then.
Aerion who was gripping on his sword tightly with a deep rage inside him.
"Hm.." Aerion said,
"Just you and me, huh?"
[Second Round, Second Match Winner: Daemon Targaryen.]
[Finals: Aerion Targaryen vs Daemon Targaryen]
*******************************************************
It was the fifteen-minute break and Aerion was called over to the tents behind the stands of the Tourney.
Inside the tent he was called over to, Aerion stood across from Otto Hightower and his daughter, The Queen.
"What was the meaning of that, Lord Aerion?" Otto said
Aerion paced around in the tent, not looking at Otto as he held his helm in his arm, "Meaning of what?" He asked
"Criston Cole was a direct representative of the Crown." Otto said seriously, "And you tried to kill him."
"If you're so worried about the well-being of Ser Criston, why did you allow him to participate?" Aerion asked, "You know how Tourneys are, Lord Hand."
"Yes, Aerion, but you were unusually aggressive." Alicent chimed in, "You, who are...Honorable..."
Aerion stopped and looked at her, "What does it matter if Cole is crippled?" He asked, "Get another Kingsguard."
"He is my sworn protector." Alicent said with a scowl, "Attacking him that viciously would be a direct insult to me, Aerion, The Queen."
Aerion raised an eyebrow, "Is that so?" He said, "Well, in that case, you should have kept him off the Tourney, if you're so worried about being insulted, Your Grace."
"Watch your tone, Aerion, that is the Queen." Otto warned
Aerion glared at him, "Piss off." He growled, "I didn't beat him to a pulp to insult you, Her Grace, or His Grace!! And you know that in your thick head, don't you?"
Otto scowled, "Y-You.." He said, "You will explain your-"
"Shut up." Aerion said as he took a step closer to him, "All three of us in this tent know exactly why I did that. You were there, Lord Hand, don't you dare forget."
"A-Are...." Otto said as he composed himself, "Are you still hung up about that?"
Aerion spoke about an incident that happened when he was young, prior to claiming Vermithor that included Criston Cole. While it was nothing major, it caused Aerion to hold a serious grudge against the Kingsguard. And adding to other things that Cole has done or said, Aerion held nothing but animosity towards him.
"You worry about an insult to you and all....." Aerion said as he took a step back, "But you don't consider the insults that were thrown at me. And more specifically, Your Grace, you think I don't know about the remarks made to my Wife?"
Alicent frowned, "What?"
"Don't act like you don't know, Aunt." Aerion said, "Shall I remind you? Does 'Spoiled Cunt' or 'Bitch Princess' ring a bell?"
"How did you-" Alicent said with a shocked face
"He's fucking lucky I didn't kill him in front of everyone," Aerion said seriously, "But the next time I see him even look in Rhaenyra's direction with any sort of malintent, I'll cut his fucking head off."
"And that's a promise."