Surviving

Chapter 29: The Girl Who Would Be Strong For The Boy

"A spear?" Aemond smirked as he bounced on his feet, holding a shield and his sword in place for his duel with Qoren.

Qoren shrugged nonchalantly. "The weapon doesn't win the duel. The fighter does."

"Hmm." Aemond wanted to roll his eye at first, but then Qoren began to spin the sharp edged spear so effortlessly in front of him. It was like a twig in his hands with how light the weapon looked in Qoren's delicate grasp.

"Unless..." The spear twirled over Qoren's shoulder and under his arm before his other hand snatched the spear. Qoren grinned when he saw the click in Aemond's jaw. "...you'd rather make the fight even and grab a spear yourself."

"I'll try to go easy on you, my prince." Aemond taunted.

Qoren chuckled, a sly grin remaining on his face as his eyes narrowed. "Fair for you, Prince Aemon."

Aemond's jaw clenched, grip tightening over the pommel of his sword. "Perhaps not."

Aemond narrowed his eye as Qoren and him got into position, circling around slowly in the grass. The one eyed prince wouldn't attack first. He'd wait for the Dornish prince to come to him.

"You seem...nervous, my prince." Qoren taunted as his footsteps lightened.

Qoren took another light step, then swung the bottom end of his spear towards Aemond's face, just barely missing his eyepatch before he jumped back. Aemond's sword swung at the spear, clinking with the steel at the end, but then the bottom of Qoren's spear shot up, slamming into Aemond's jaw and sending him tumbling back a couple steps.

The older prince chuckled as he heard Aemond groan. Aemond rubbed at his sore jaw, moving it around enough to see it wasn't broken. By some miracle from the gods.

"Almost as if you are hiding something, Prince Aemon." Qoren tilted his head with a cocky grin while Aemond went for it.

Aemond lunged for Qoren, their weapons loudly clanking together with each strike. Fire was all that filled the silver prince's violet eye. He was starting to wonder why Queen Rhaenys was sent and not Queen Visenya to handle Dorne. Aemond finally had an opening when his sword and Qoren's spear were locked above their heads in a standoff, but Qoren was quicker as he sent his foot towards Aemond's chest.

Aemond fell onto his back from the force and was met with a spear just hovering above his neck. Qoren chuckled down at the prince, breath starting to become ragged as he gloated. "I thank the gods you weren't the one to teach Naer how to fight, my prince."

To Aemond's surprise, Qoren offered his hand to help him up, but Aemond's pride was hurt. He swatted the man's hand away, standing on his own with a grunt. Qoren's playful eyes narrowed as Aemond stepped back into a fight position.

"But you don't quit, I see." Qoren raised his eyebrows in an appreciative surprise.

"Was never really my forte." Aemond snarled before his sword swung towards Qoren, nearly slicing right through the Dornish prince's chest, but Qoren sidestepped. Exactly how Naerys did that day in the yard. Aemond kicked from behind Qoren's legs, making the older prince land flat on his back and met with Aemond's sword just above his face.

Qoren's chest rose and fell rapidly, but instead of getting angry, he smiled up at Aemond. Like he was proud of him. "I wonder if the same could be said about your marriage, my prince."

Aemond's scar twitched as his jaw clenched, sword never moving from above Qoren. "My marriage is quite frankly none of your business, Prince Qoren."

"Ah, but it is." Qoren cocked his head, smirking up at the young prince. "The day you took my daughter from Dorne it became my business."