Fate

[Oznerol]

Rhaegar had been placed in an isolated chamber inside the enormous keep of Storm's End. For weeks he remained on his cell, removed from his servants, guards or supporters. Once a day a silent maester brought food and water. One day, at midnight, he could hear some steps in the corridor. Suddenly, the door was openned revealing several men, some of them armored. Lord Penrose steps forward, holding a torch.

"Prince Rhaegar!"

[Pontifex Maximus]

Rhaegar looked tired, worn down, maybe even neglected. Although just a boy of ten (or whatever. I don't even know.) he was beginning to understand the role he was playing in all this. He had enemies in the world after all. He recoiled at the sound of someone coming. It was rarely good news. "Who is there?" he asked shakily

[Oznerol]

"It doesn't mind. Get dressed"

Said Penrose imperiously. A men-at-arms helped the boy and swiftly he found himself being led through poorly lit corridors, descending more and more stairs until they reached a dark cave openning into the sea. A portucullis was raised and a boat waited. Ronnet pushed Rhaegar into the boat, without any gentleness and a young man took the oars. Everybody else left the cava. The young man now with Rhaegar on the boat wore mail and leather, had reddish hair and stubble on his chin. Lord Penrose knelt and whispered to Rhaegar, on the boat, while holding with the boat with a firm hand.

"I do this for loyalty, for oaths aren't wind, Prince. One day, Gods willing, you will return and will restore this realm"

Penrose's face is concealed in shadows.

"However, do not make me rue this day"

Ronnet gestured towards the young man.

"This one is Cortnay Penrose, my son. You're now his squire"

He pushed the boat away and the younger Penrose started rowing.

"You'll figure out the details by yourselves! Farewell Rhaegar of House Targaryen!"

Ronnet bows and leaves. Cortnay rows with the strenght of his muscular arms, pulling them away from the cave and into the sea.

[Pontifex Maximus]

Rhaegar felt a surge of fear, and then adrenaline. Was escape truly possible? He tried to hand on Penrose's every word. "Cortnay?" he said in confusion "What about mother? My sisters?" It was all happening so fast. "Where are we going?" he managed to whisper before the boat set off. he was beginning to tear up. Would he ever see his mother again?

[Oznerol]

Cortnay rowed for a while, in silence. The moon lighted his features. Penrose looked at Rhaegar.

"Tears won't help you. But I will"

He said while rowing. Waves didn't hit the boat hard, the sea was calm and peaceful. Unusual for Shipbreaker Bay. Darkness embraced them all around, even if the moon was full and high on the sky.

[Pontifex Maximus]

Rhaegar wiped his face with a filthy sleeve. "Who are you?" he managed, regaining control of himself

[Oznerol]

Penrose continued rowing before replying.

"Cortnay Penrose. Right now your only way out here"

They cut through the waves with ease, the dark hull of a ship could be glanced in the distance, along a small light, probably an oil lamp.

[Pontifex Maximus]

Wiping the salt spray from his eyes, the prince addressed his rescuer. "Then let's get out of here." he looked back at the dark walls of Storm's End. He remembered when they had first sailed in there as well. He narrowed his eyes in anger. I'll have my revenge, Baratheon.

[Oznerol]

The boat hits the hull of the ship, dark and tall. A rope ladder appears in the darkness and a face lit by an oil lamp. The face speaks in some Essosi language. Penrose makes Rhaegar climb first, with him coming behind. Penrose spoke with the man, likely the ship's captain. Quickly the ship started sailing to the unknown. Penrose and Rhaegar share a quarter in the bowels of the ship. Penrose leans on the mattress and looks at Rhaegar, quizzically.

"How do you wanna be called, hummm?"

Cortnay grabs a bottle and sips.

"Not a dragon name, that's for sure. Jon? Robb? Bronn?"

[Pontifex Maximus]

Rhaegar did not know how to respond. "Jon is fine." he replied

[Oznerol]

"Not a bad name lad"

Cortnay shows him a flask:

"We cannot let you run around with that silver hair of yours, come here"

Penrose pours the contents of the flask in a small bowl, and starts preparing the dye. Then, with a small brush starts dying the boy's hair. It was a deep blue, like the ocean.

"Tyrosh makes some vibrant colors, lad. This blue will conceal your liliac eyes, mostly"

Rhaegar's silver slowly yields before the blue.

"So... Jon... hummm... Do you know I have some bastards cousins called Longwater? My ancestress Elaena Targaryen bedded Alyn Velaryon... Yes the Oakenfist. Sired to bastards with him"

Cortnay gently pulls Rhaegar's head into a basin filled with water.

"Their son fathered another son, who in turn took the name Longwater. My grandfather used to be in contact with his bastard relatives. They're, right now, mostly forgotten, but I think you might make a fine Jon Longwaters. That will help in case someone wonders about your liliac eyes and features. You Valyrians cannot conceal your ancestry easily"

Removed the excess of dye, Cortnay dries his hair with a towel, then pulls out a polished bronze mirror. There Rhaegar can glance his new hair and mentor, staring over his shoulder.

"Yeah. Pretty convincing, don't you think so? Jon Longwaters"

[Pontifex Maximus]

He barely recognized himself. In truth he felt a bit embarrassed. "Good a story as any." he replied. THe reality of his situation had become completely obvious to him. He would have to live as an exile for a time. "Where will we go?"

[Oznerol]

Cortnay leans forward, looking at his own reflection. He scratched his chin, covered by reddish stubble.

"Well, Braavos is a place as good as any other"

Said Penrose.

"A bit cold and dumpy, but way better than the Citadel anyway"

He smiled.

"You are my squire, Jon. We will train to fight, with sword and axe, lance and halberd. I will make a knight of you"

Penrose digged in a chest next to the mattress. He gives Rhaegar some clothes.

"Those Dornish garments you're wearing must be burned. No trace of Prince Rhaegar must remain. Take this"

Humble robes, leather and wool. Nothing fancy. The doublet had some iron disks sewn on the leathern surface.

[Pontifex Maximus]

He cast aside the fine silks and threads with some dismay and put on the poorer fare. "I've never been to Braavos." he said somewhat obviously. Deep down he was still a bit depressed, but this journey began sounding more and more like an adventure and he took some solace from that. "Will I learn to fight like a Bravoosi?" he inquired

[Oznerol]

"You will learn to fight like a Westerosi. Trust me, those rapiers are harmless againt good oak or mail. But don't be disappointed"

He leans again on the mattress.

"Now, try to sleep"

Cortnay looks at Rhaegar a last time before covering the lamp and closing his eyes. All that rowing had left him exhausted.

[Pontifex Maximus]

It had be3n over a year since their arrival in Essos. Rhaegar, now a lad of eleven, surveyed the port of Braavos. His eyes scanned the seas. Soon he would start another grueling day of training. But he was getting better.

[Oznerol]

Penrose whistled as he walked towards Rhaegar. The lad was getting better each day. Their year at Braavos had been good enough, their purse was getting thinner as time passed by and soon they would have to sell their swords to the first company in sight. Didn't help that Penrose ocasionally had to hire a whore or two.

"Lad!"

He hands him a sword. The heavy training sword.

"Let's see what you do today"

Penrose had trained Rhaegar rigorously these past months. The boy had his hair cut short and dyed in blue, disguising his appareance. Jon Longwaters, as everyone knew him. Cortnay swung the sword around, flexing his muscles and waited Rhaegar's attack.

[Pontifex Maximus]

Jon Longwaters was such a stupid name. Letting the anger seethe within him, he picked up the sword, its weight still heavy, and launched into a series of slashing attacks. He was still slight of frame being just a boy, but he was enthusiastic. He knew sokn he would be cracked along the skull, chest or legs soon adding just another bruise.

[Oznerol]

Penrose dodged the attacks hitting in turn Rhaegar's arm and chest.

"Lad, faster, not stronger"

Cortnay delivered several hard blows that Rhaegar had to dodge. The prince in turn managed to score a blow in Penrose's arm.

"Not bad! Go on! Move your feet, move them!"

They continued sparring, as Penrose cheered the prince as he managed to dodge some of his blows.

[Pontifex Maximus]

"Hit me when I mess up." Rhaegar commanded. "It helps me." He seemed almost oblivious to the pain now. He spent weeks crying himself to sleep at first. He missed his mother. But not any more, she had led them into a trap. It was her fault. He followed the advice and finally scored another blow. He put his hands on his knees, panting.