The Unyielding Stag (Game of Thrones AU/Invincible)
Chapter 33: Sparring

A/N: Axel keeps up with his training and meets new people as well!

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There were upsides and downsides to dealing with Renly via the Trial and then entertaining so many lords in King's Landing at the same time. But the greatest upside of all had to be the fact that they only brought their best knights and warriors with them the rest of the way to the city.

That meant new blood for Axel to spar against in the Red Keep's training yard. Given that he was still hunting for a knight to fill that final seventh spot in his Kingsguard, the young King found himself fighting men day in and day out to test their mettle. But he had to admit… he was pretty sure he'd found his favorite.

"Get back here ya shit!"

Laughing, Axel dodges Sandor Clegane's increasingly frustrated swings, even as he waves off the nearby Kingsguard from intervening in the fight. There were a great many men in the courtyard ready to take issue with the Hound's blatant disrespect for their King, but with Axel laughing it off like it's nothing, none of them can justify making the first move.

Instead, they just have to settle for enjoying the sight of Clegane being put through his paces as Axel dances around him, giving him a series of love taps here and there with a blunted sword while at the same time easily sidestepping the desperate strikes from the burned man.

Sandor Clegane was an interesting figure. For one, he came from the Westerlands, making Tywin Lannister his liege lord. For two, he was the brother to the much more famous Gregor Clegane, the Mountain Who Rides. And for three, he himself wasn't even a knight… but he was a damn good swordsman.

It still didn't mean much against Axel however, who at this point had to admit that he was showboating just a bit. Given that Clegane had defeated most of the actual knights in the yard since arriving in King's Landing, they're all pretty happy to see their King whooping his ass… but all good things come to an end.

Stopping, the Hound pulls back with a snarl.

"I'm done."

There's some bristling from some of the onlookers at that, especially given his opponent is the King. You don't just get to tell the King you're done, after all. But Axel just comes to a halt, grinning and nodding.

"Well fought, Clegane."

The burned man snorts derisively, shaking his head as sweat beaded upon his brow drips down his heavily scarred face.

"That was no fight. You kicked my fucking ass, Your Grace. I know when I'm outmatched. You're too fucking fast for me."

Finally, one of the watching knights can't hold his tongue any longer.

"Mind your words around the King, cur! You would do well to remember your place!"

Clegane just gives him a dead-eyed look, even as he straightens up to his full height. The knight looks ready to bluster some more, but Axel holds up a hand and cuts him off.

"No need to come to my defense, Ser. I'm not some maiden who can't handle a few harsh words."

His cheery grin and jovial attitude defuses the situation, causing the knight to back down and the rest of those watching to chuckle at his expense. Looking around the training yard, Axel raises an eyebrow.

"You know, I'm pretty sure this yard is for more than just a single spar between two men. You all seem to be rather comfortable standing around and doing nothing."

That lights a fire under all of their asses, and soon men pairing off or exiting the yard altogether like they have somewhere to be. In just a few moments, the sound of blunt steel impacts begins ringing out through the air, causing Axel to nods approvingly.

Meanwhile, the Hound just snorts derisively, his tone quieter as he approaches.

"Wish my brother were here to fight you."

Raising an eyebrow at the other man, Axel tilts his head to the side.

"I've heard a lot about Ser Gregor. I'm sure a fight between us would be a sight to see, certainly."

He keeps his tone noncommittal, even though Axel knows deep down that even a man as big as the Mountain wouldn't be much of a match for him. Gregor might be huge, but Axel had the strength of a hundred men flowing through his veins.

"Nah. You'd kick his ass up and down this yard. He wouldn't be anymore able to lay a finger on you than I was. And that… that would be wonderful, because the fucker has a temper as large as he is tall. He'd force you to put him down like the dog he is once he had his ass handed to him."

Axel raises both eyebrows at that.

"Your brother would try to kill his King?"

The burn scars on his face make the grin Sandor Clegane gives him rather macabre in appearance.

"Aye. The Lannisters don't exactly keep him around for his intelligence, Your Grace."

No, he imagined they didn't. Axel had heard plenty about the Mountain That Rides. None of it good. The man was apparently the largest in all of Westeros, with some wondering if he was half-giant. He was also a bloodthirsty monster with murder being the least of his crimes.

If the Mountain were here in front of him right now and was actually trying to take Axel's life… he doesn't think he'd bother holding back regardless of what the large knight could actually do to him or not. Killing him would only be good for the Realm, from everything that Axel knew.

But whether Tywin was being smart or just plain lucky, he hadn't brought Gregor Clegane with him to King's Landing. Instead, he'd brought the Mountain's brother… and Sandor was a different type of man entirely from how the Mountain was said to be.

"You know, I have half a mind to knight you and name you to my Kingsguard, Clegane."

Its idle musing at best, and yet Axel's words have more of an effect on the Hound than anything else that's happened so far. For the first time since Axel has met Sandor Clegane… he sees honest fear in the other man's eyes.

"Now why the fuck would you do that? Plenty of men better than me for the role, Your Grace."

Axel just scoffs.

"Are there? You're the best fight I've had since I left the Vale, Clegane. And you're not even a Knight."

That's not quite true. A few of Axel's sparring partners, now Kingsguard in their own right, are even better. But he doesn't mind telling a little white lie, especially when it makes the Hound squirm and frown.

"… I'm not exactly knightly material."

Shrugging, Axel waves a hand through the air dismissively.

"Neither is your brother, from what I'm told. And yet, everyone still calls him Ser, don't they?"

Sandor Clegane doesn't seem to know what to say to that. Axel had been mostly joking… but he would be lying if some part of him wasn't tempted to go through with it.

The Kingsguard was doing fairly well, with only Ser Trant really dragging down the quality at this point. Arys Oakheart was proving to be a decent Lord Commander and the other four knights who'd fought beside him in the Trial were each skilled warriors in their own right.

But that empty seventh slot was a bit of a drag, an issue to be taken care of second only to Axel's impending nuptials. Just as the King had to have a Queen and heirs to ensure the stability of the Realm as swiftly as possible, so did the Kingsguard have to have seven knights. It was tradition, after all.

… Alas, he can tell that Clegane isn't precisely keen on the idea. So he won't demand that the man bend the knee for a knighting right this moment. In fact…

"Consider this your warning, Clegane. Stick around the Red Keep too long and I'll probably make you a knight at some point if only because I'll feel bad for beating you black and blue one too many times. If you're that afraid of the responsibility, then you're better off leaving the city sooner rather than later."

The Hound looks as relieved as his facial scarring will allow, even as he slowly nods.

"… I'll take that under advisement, Your Majesty."

Axel just waves him off with a chuckle, watching the man leave for a moment before turning and putting his own sparring sword on the rack and departing the yard as well. No sooner has he stepped off of the grass and onto stone however, before he runs into an unexpected pair, his eyes darting between them as he stops in his tracks.

"Lady Margaery… and Brienne of Tarth."

Indeed, standing before him is the ill-fated wife of his treacherous uncle Renly… and the warrior woman who had fought in the Trial by the Seven as one of Renly's so-called Rainbow Guard. Axel isn't all that surprised by Lady Margaery's presence in the Red Keep, given that he'd ordered it… but he is surprised to see Brienne at her side, dressed in what looks like leather armor and armed with a large dagger that looks positively small on her waist.

Brienne of Tarth tenses up at his address, her eyes narrowing and her wide mouth flattening. Now that she's no longer armored and her features are no longer hidden, Axel has to admit that he somewhat understands why she'd chosen the warrior's path instead of being married off to someone. She's not exactly what he considered attractive.

However, as if in stark contrast to Lady Brienne's looks, Lady Margaery is the exact opposite. She's easily one of the most beautiful women that Axel has ever laid his eyes on, even beating Cersei Lannister out in looks. And judging by the way she smiles at him and bats her eyes, she knows it too.

Not missing a beat, the Lady of House Tyrell curtsies before him, bowing her head.

"Your Grace! What a pleasant surprise to cross paths with you. I hope we're not interrupting your training though."

Axel hums, trying not to be too distracted by the way Margaery's bosom bounces up and down with the curtsy. Sighing, he shakes his head.

"No, you're not interrupting anything. I was just moving along, in fact."

Margaery perks up at that.

"Oh! Are you perhaps heading to the Great Sept by chance? Lady Brienne and I were going to head over there soon enough as well if you wished to journey together!"

Blinking, Axel starts to shake his head.

"No, I-… sorry, before we continue, what role are you fulfilling here exactly, Brienne of Tarth?"

He had his suspicions, but he wanted it confirmed all the same. Brienne bristles at his questioning tone, but Margaery is all pretty smiles as she places a hand on Brienne's arm to calm her down.

"Oh! Lady Brienne here is just… my companion, Your Grace. I hope that's alright. I know I'm not allowed a sworn sword, of course, all things considered. And truly, you've been so very merciful towards both me and my House… there's nothing I could possibly justify asking of you at this point. But if it pleases you my King, I would beg to be allowed to keep Lady Brienne at my side for her companionship."

Margaery lowers her head, projecting a perfect image of shame and regret that Axel doesn't buy for even a second. Oh, he was sure that the beautiful young woman regretted the fact that they'd lost. And she almost certainly regretted that her House had tied their fortunes to Renly. For more reasons than one given the all-but-confirmed rumors of his uncle's proclivities.

But at the same time… he can admire the audacity. Margaery is right that she's not allowed to have a sworn sword or anything like that. She's a hostage because of the actions of her father and not a single Tyrell Knight is allowed to step foot in the Red Keep after how badly House Tyrell had fucked up.

… However, Brienne of Tarth is no knight. She's not even from the Reach either. How she'd wound up attached to Lady Margaery when she came from an island off the coast of the Stormlands was something Axel was a little curious about… but he also found he didn't care that much either.

More than that, he simply wasn't bothered by the warrior woman's presence, no matter how good she was with a sword. Perhaps a lesser King might have feared Brienne's intentions after facing her in battle, but Axel wasn't worried one bit.

Smirking and watching as Brienne narrows her eyes at him like she's about to throw herself between him and Margaery, Axel finally nods.

"It's more than fine, Lady Margaery. Who am I to stand between a woman and her… companion? As to your offer, I'm afraid I'll have to decline. I tend to visit the Great Sept early in the morning, just as the sun is starting to rise. I've already been today."

Margaery blinks at this, but if she feels any disappointment, she doesn't let it show on her beautiful features.

"Oh! Then I suppose we'll have to see if our paths cross one of these mornings, Your Majesty."

She smiles coquettishly at him and Axel feels a straining down in his loins. Smiling back, he makes his goodbyes and sends the two women on their way. Fortunately, Margaery had already committed to them leaving the Red Keep, so it was easy to see them off.

… She was definitely going to show up during a prayer session one of these mornings, wasn't she? Axel is reminded yet again that he hasn't had anyone to warm his bed since Cersei went crazy and tried to kill him. Lady Margaery's presence in the Red Keep certainly wasn't helping matters.

However, Axel refused to be like his father. He wasn't about to start whoring around, especially not when he didn't even have a Queen yet. No, he simply needed to control himself.

Besides, Jon had told him that the conversation with Lord Stark had been a success. Sansa Stark was being sent for so soon enough Axel would have the opportunity to meet the young woman and see if they were compatible with one another.

Likewise, a letter had been sent to Dorne as well, to see if they might be interested in having Princess Arianne Martell come to King's Landing for a visit. However, Jon had been quick to tell Axel that that was far less likely to actually happen. The Dornish were notoriously isolationist and even more so ever since Robert's Rebellion.

But it was fine. At least they'd made the offer. There was nothing else to be done on their end after that.

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A/N: Tomorrow's chapter will be a split POV chapter of both Sansa and Arianne to see them reacting to the news and Axel's offer~

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