The Dragon Cub| Game Of Thrones

THE BLOOD OF THE DRAGON

King's Landing 297 AC.

Margaery.

She had almost had to be held in her seat to stop her from going to him, only her grandmother's words and Sansa's hand keeping her from doing so. As she had looked down and seen Joy with him, she had felt it should have been her to offer him that comfort, though she was glad someone did. Sitting through the archery was a chore after that and she was glad it was over, though not so much that the melee would take place just after lunch.

Watching as Jon, Joy, and Loras walked from the stands she again wished for nothing more than to be able to follow them. The smile and nod Jon gave her and Sansa not enough to make them feel reassured. Again though her grandmother stepped in and they were taken to lunch, instead of the back where Jon had headed off to. Not that any of them had any appetite to eat.

"Grandmother shouldn't we?" she asked and she felt her grandmother's hand on her shoulder.

"We should but we mustn't, not yet, later Margaery we can speak with him later." her grandmother said, and again she reluctantly accepted.

Sansa did too and she was surprised at that, but she quickly explained that he had others around him and they all rushing to him would be suspicious. On another day she'd have been proud of her friend for seeing the politics of the situation, today though she was not. Instead, it was just another reminder of why she was not allowed to do what she knew was right and she wasn't in the mood to welcome it.

It was Willas who found the solution, telling them that they going to wish Jon well in the melee was something anyone would expect, even more so with Loras competing also. Arriving at the tent she found more people than she expected and fewer of the ones she had thought would be there. She had thought Joy would still be there and the Lannister's also but there were none of them here, for now at least.

Instead, it was Jon, Loras, Cregan, Brienne and Robb, all the competitors and no family, no friends who were not taking part and she wondered why that was. Moving inside the tent she saw Jon putting on his armor, Prince Tommen standing by his side as Jon explained how to him. In the corner, Ser Barristan and Ser Arthur spoke and it took them time to see her and Sansa.

"I came to wish you all well." she said while Sansa hugged Jon and she did the same to Loras, whispering in his ear to see if Jon was doing likewise as he looked "How is he?".

"Determined." Loras said back.

"Prince Tommen, can you and Ser Barristan check the lists and see who it is I should fear?" Jon said with a smile looking to the prince.

"Are you afraid Ser Jon?" the prince asked his voice troubled.

"Of course not my prince, I have my squire to help me do I not." Jon said mussing the boy's hair and making him laugh as he and Barristan ran off.

They were gone no more than a moment when she ran over and grabbed him and held him tightly, Jon softly stroking her back as she did so.

"I'm well Marge, truly, I've dealt with it." he said softly.

"Jon, I'm so sorry, I wished I could have been, I…should have been." she said and he kissed her cheek as he whispered in her ear.

"You are." he said and she looked at him to see him nod "You are always." he said his hand touching the favor on his belt.

"Are you, should you compete?" she asked and very quickly learned she'd not been the first to ask him this.