91 AC
After being stuck in this boring city for as long as I've been around (okay, not that long), something finally happened. For someone like me—who basically roams between home and the bakery—this was big news.
"Septon Barth, who had served as King Jaehaerys I's Hand for an extraordinary forty years, passed away peacefully in his sleep in King's Landing. He was renowned as one of the wisest, most intelligent, and capable Hands in Westerosi history, instrumental in many of Jaehaerys's reforms and the realm's long peace and prosperity. His death was a profound loss for the King and the Seven Kingdoms."
Apparently, he was such a good friend to the king that His Grace even canceled the small council for a day. That's saying something.
Two days later, more news hit:
"Prince Baelon Targaryen Appointed Hand of the King: Following Septon Barth's demise, King Jaehaerys I appointed his own son, Prince Baelon Targaryen, known as 'the Brave,' as the new Hand of the King. This marked a shift from the scholarly and administrative focus of Barth's tenure to a more martial and direct leadership, as Baelon was a renowned warrior and dragonrider (he rides Vhagar!)."
So just like in the books, Baelon became Hand of the King. That means my presence hasn't altered the plot—not yet anyway. If something's going to change, it has to be me doing it.
Soon after, my birthday rolled around. And finally—finally after months of begging—Uncle Erryk agreed to take me on as his page. My parents actually cried, probably from joy that I wasn't going to be a maester. For a while, they thought my intellect meant no grandkids. Crisis averted.
Page life is tough. It has its cons (lots of work), but the pros? Direct training under a knight. That's rare. Even group training is a privilege. Here's what my new life looks like:
Typical Page Duties & Training:
1. Personal Service:
Running errands and carrying messages
Serving meals, pouring wine, and carving meat
Helping Sir Erryk dress and keeping his chambers tidy
Cleaning up (yes, chamber pots—ew)
2. Etiquette & Manners:
How to speak to nobles without getting smacked
Courtly dances (not fun, but useful)
Table manners and formal behavior
3. Basic Learning:
Reading and writing (already ahead there)
Basic math and accounting (easy-peasy thanks to shop work)
History, heraldry, and geography
4. Martial Training:
Practice with wooden swords
Learning footwork, balance, and stances
Horse riding (ponies for now)
Observing squires and knights train
Strategic games like cyvasse
5. Household Knowledge:
Learning how a castle runs
Who does what, when, and where
Life as a page starts early and ends late. It's tiring, but it's also the first step on the path to knighthood. I might be young, but I'm not wasting time. Let the grind continue.