Afterward.
Escorted by soldiers, two carriages without any family sigils passed through King's Landing. They bypassed the grander Iron Gate, instead choosing a detour that led them discreetly out of the city through the Dragon Gate.
The convoy then embarked on Rosby Road, heading directly towards Duskendale. Ser Willem decided they would sail to Dragonstone from Duskendale.
Simultaneously, a large ship also weighed anchor and set sail from the harbor of King's Landing, serving as a decoy.
The middle-aged instructor had his own considerations. He was well aware that King's Landing, and even the Red Keep, were riddled with spies.
News discussed by the Small Council in the Throne Room in the morning could be circulating in the filthiest corners of Flea Bottom by the afternoon.
His Majesty Aerys's mobilization of the Red Keep guards was no small matter. It would be a miracle if the news of the Queen and prince's relocation could be kept secret.
Therefore, after careful consideration, Ser Willem had created a decoy.
Taking a ship directly from King's Landing to Dragonstone was undoubtedly the best route, even though the recent storms at sea had been frequent.
Another option was to travel by land from Duskendale and then take a ship to Dragonstone.
However, with Westeros fractured, and rebels rising everywhere, there might not be a truly safe place outside of King's Landing.
Deciding to travel by land was also a bit of a gamble.
"May the Seven guide us."
The Red Keep's instructor's rough fingers touched his brow, gently kneading it. They believed the brow was the soul's dwelling, and sincere prayer here would be heard by the gods.
"I hope everything goes smoothly."
Time flew by.
One day later.
After half a day of travel yesterday and a night's rest, the party passed through Rosby and continued along the Crownlands road, heading straight for the port of Duskendale.
That was the territory of the Rykkers, and the loyal Lord Rykker guarded Duskendale, a not-so-important port, for His Majesty the King.
Although the middle-aged instructor believed that Lord Rykker might not be entirely reliable, the fact that he hadn't yet made a decision in the current wave of defection already meant he was loyal to the King.
The weather today was somewhat gloomy.
A small gap in the carriage curtains was opened, letting in dim light.
A light drizzle pattered on the roof of the carriage, and the road became muddy, making the carriage's progress somewhat difficult, swaying from side to side.
Viserys sat inside the carriage, gazing at the scenery outside the window. The trees on both sides of the road were shrouded in a hazy rain, and the cool breeze that hit his face made his heart feel heavy as well.
"I have a bad feeling about this."
"Ser Willem."
The silver-haired boy, Viserys, sat in his seat, his gaze shifting from the scenery outside to the man directly across from him. Rhaenys, holding a cat, sat quietly beside him.
The clever little girl understood that this wasn't a trip, or her grandmother wouldn't have risked traveling in this weather.
Also in the carriage, Ser Willem Darry, sitting opposite Viserys, looked out the window and fell silent for a moment. He was already clad in his armor, with a longsword and a short spear at his waist.
He had some bad news, but he didn't know if he should tell the prince.
The large ship that had departed from King's Landing with them had been attacked by a group of unknown pirates before it could even leave Blackwater Bay.
Thinking about it now, it had likely met with disaster.
The news from King's Landing, delivered by the soldiers this morning, chilled him to the bone.
He knew the Red Keep was riddled with problems and leaks, that their movements would be known to the rebels. But he hadn't expected the rebels to act so quickly.
And as far as he knew, the allied forces of The North, The Vale, The Riverlands, and The Stormlands were at a disadvantage in terms of ships. They barely had any usable vessels. Otherwise, Storm's End wouldn't still be blockaded by the Greenstone fleet.
However, he was cautious. He hadn't chosen the seemingly safe sea route, as everyone else had wanted. Instead, he had hidden the Queen and the Prince in a tightly sealed, inconspicuous carriage, and they had left King's Landing discreetly.
Now, the enemy must know that Queen Rhaella and Viserys hadn't taken the sea route.
"Your Grace, there's no need to worry. The soldiers are ready for battle," Ser Willem Darry said, his hand resting on his sword hilt.
He was sitting inside the carriage, his voice grim. "But we need to move faster."
Viserys didn't know the bad news at sea, nor what Ser Willem Darry was thinking. But he nodded.
Compared to the soldiers outside, he was content to be sitting in a carriage lined with soft furs.
"I understand."
Soon.
It was the end of another day.
After a whole day of traveling, coupled with today's terrible weather, with drizzling rain all day long, the muddy roads had exhausted everyone.
And just then, misfortune piled upon misfortune.
Queen Rhaella's carriage, whether due to hitting a rock or not, suddenly broke an axle.
The horses let out pained cries and were almost pulled down directly, but fortunately, Ser Willem and several soldiers caught them in time, untied their harnesses, and let them rest for a while.
Queen Rhaella and her two handmaidens climbed out of the carriage looking somewhat disheveled, but thankfully, the light rain that had been falling all day had eased up a bit.
Still, a sudden change of events meant the journey had to be temporarily halted.
It was a good opportunity for everyone to rest. Ser Willem had repeatedly ordered them to hurry, cutting rest stops in half, and both the soldiers and the horses were starting to tire.
The order to rest brought a collective sigh of relief.
Viserys also hopped out of the carriage, offering the better-kept carriage to his mother, who had taken a tumble and was a mess.
He wanted to stretch his legs, too.
Even though the carriage was more comfortable than walking, it was still tiring after a full day.
And the roads weren't exactly smooth in those days, nor did the carriages have great suspension.
Then he saw the middle-aged instructor, leaning on his sword hilt, standing in front of the abandoned carriage.
The silver-haired boy hesitated for a moment, then quickly walked over.
"Ser Willem."
Viserys spoke politely.
"May I ask you to teach me swordsmanship?"
Ser Willem Darry, who had been silently lowering his head, hadn't expected the prince to suddenly say such a thing.
He was slightly stunned for a moment.
"Why would Your Grace have such an idea?"
This reminded the middle-aged instructor of events from over a decade ago. The boy, obsessed with books and the harp, had suddenly sought him out one day, declaring, "Give me a sword and armor, I must become a warrior."
And he did indeed become one of the most skilled knights on the continent of Westeros. He was Viserys's older brother, Rhaegar Targaryen.
"I am seven years old, old enough to begin knightly training."
The silver-haired boy tilted his head, not directly answering the instructor's question.
"And I will need it in the future."
"Won't I?"