Border Patrol (A Song of Ice and Fire/Exo Crossover)
Title: Border Patrol
Rating: G
Word Count: 1,385
Genre: Humour
Summary: It's Baekhyun's first chance to prove himself as a worthy heir to the Tyrell family... but when he unexpectedly encounters a Dornishman, everything kind of goes to pot.
Disclaimer: Not mine.
It was Baekhyun’s first time leading his own patrol of the Dornish border, just south of Highgarden and past Horn Hill. At twelve years of age, almost a man grown, he sat a horse as easily as any of the men surrounding him. Trusted knights of the Reach, they were the familiar faces who had trained him since his youth, who had formed him into the precocious soon-to-be squire he was. It was all down to them that he was so often compared to his legendary ancestor - Loras Tyrell, Knight of the Flowers and hero of the realm. Well, their training and his own comely appearance.
Baekhyun knew full well that his father would never have allowed him to go if the border weren’t still within a day’s ride of their home - it was a good way of gaining his heir respect and experience without putting him in any real danger. But even though the command was his only in name, he couldn’t help the boost it gave to his self esteem.
It was a good day for riding, too. The breeze was gentle, the sky clear, the sun not too strong. Their little company rode along to the sounds of jests and laughter.
That is, until they crested a hill, and Baekhyun, riding slightly ahead, spotted a figure lying beneath a tree - a figure clothed in the burnished copper hues of the Dornish.
Immediately, he signalled his men to be silent. They were still a fair distance away, so if the Dornishman were sleeping, it was possible he hadn’t already been alerted to their presence.
Glancing at the men ringed around him, it hit suddenly hit home to Baekhyun that they were looking to him to give the order. Swallowing a lump in his throat, he gave the nod, turned the nose of his horse, and led the charge down the hill, knowing his men would be right behind him.
By the time they had reached the man, he was leaning casually against the tree, and Baekhyun realised belatedly that the galloping of hooves had been more sure to wake him than any rowdy conversation. Not that it mattered - the trespasser was outnumbered fifteen to one.
Besides which, as Baekhyun drew level with him, he realised with a shock that the other could hardly be any older than he was.
He drew the newly-forged sword he had received on his last name day, and pointed it towards the other. Somehow, his hand didn’t shake.
“You have no right to cross these lands. Speak your name and purpose.” His voice, he was dismayed to realise, was shaking.
The other blinked at him for a moment, then smiled with his whole face, his teeth flashing and eyes growing impossibly large.
Really, thought Baekhyun, it made his face look rather creepy.
Then, twisting his neck so that his head made an arc around and under the tip of the sword pointed at his chin, the other dipped into a flamboyant bow. Rising again, he declared, “I am Chanyeol. Of House Martell.”
Belatedly, Baekhyun realised that his sigil was emblazoned on his doublet - though it blended into the fabric, and judging by the surprised expressions of most of his men, none of them had noticed it either.
With a flourish, Chanyeol produced a crumpled piece of parchment from within the folds of his cloak and unrolled it. Pointing to the likeness of the Southron Territories imprinted on it, he continued, “As to my purpose, I’m on my way to the Stormlands.” He looked up, guileless eyes boring into Baekhyun’s earnestly. “I’ve never been to the Stormlands, you know. I thought it would be an adventure.” He grinned again, and with a start Baekhyun realised that somehow, their faces had drawn uncomfortably close.
He drew backwards, and raised the sword he didn’t remember lowering. “You’re nowhere near the Stormlands,” he replied sharply. “This is the Reach.”
Chanyeol snapped his fingers. “I was wondering why it didn’t seem very stormy!”
“I find it hard to believe that Martell would let his only son go off gallivanting to the Stormlands,” interjected Mathis, one of the knights riding with him. “Does he know you’re here?”
Chanyeol’s brow furrowed. “Well, I’m sure he knows I’ve left by now,” he replied. “Though actually, I was just about to say that if I’m in the Reach, I must have got a bit lost somewhere along the way. So he could hardly know I’m here given that I hadn’t planned to be here.” Baekhyun mentally groaned - he wasn’t used to dealing with complete imbeciles. It wore on his tolerance, not to mention his politeness.
“So you ran away?” asked Mathis contemptuously.
“No, don’t be ridiculous,” smiled Chanyeol, and really, thought Baekhyun, why was he smiling again? “I’ll return as soon as I’ve had a bit of adventure, I probably won’t be gone for more than a month. Besides, I don’t think he’ll mind me getting a bit of life experience, even if I forgot to tell him I was leaving.”
There was a pause, as everyone tried to figure out what to make of this boy. Just as Baekhyun realised that it fell on him to decide what to do with him, Chanyeol spoke up again. “So, if you could point me in the direction of the Stormlands, I’d be very grateful.” And his entire face lit up with hope, as he looked straight into Baekhyun’s face. Without blinking, which was quite off-putting.
When had he lowered his sword for the second time? He didn’t remember doing that. Again.
Suddenly, there was a whinny from below the ridge they were standing beside, and the next moment, one of the sand steeds the Dornish were famous for riding appeared, a fox running beside it.
There was a beat of silence, then chaos broke out, the fox bolting straight through the middle of the assembled horses, all of which scattered in sudden confusion.
All except Baekhyun’s mare, who stayed perfectly still, Chanyeol’s hand pressed to her neck.
“Wait, so which way are the Stormlands? I don’t want to get lost again.” For the first time, there was a note of anxiety in Chanyeol’s voice, which, Baekhyun suddenly noticed, was much deeper than his own.
Busy wondering how old the other was, and whether or not his own voice would soon deepen like that, Baekhyun didn’t even realise that he’d unconsciously pointed east, and whispered “That way,” until Chanyeol grinned at him again, murmured his thanks, reached out a hand, and was suddenly astride his sand steed and galloping away.
By the time the horses had calmed down, Chanyeol was already out of sight.
Baekhyun sighed. “I suppose we have to go after him now,” he said, rubbing his forehead.
Lord Tarly, a jolly, rotund man whom Baekhyun liked immensely, cleared his throat. “Seems to me the lad was no threat. Madder than Old Bald Edric, to be sure, but there was no harm in him. Might be we could just return to Horn Hill for the night and catch the last of the evening feast.”
“But,” Baekhyun started, “my father, he won’t be pleased when he hears we let him get away, he-”
Lord Tarly cut him off. “Well now, don’t you be worrying. It wasn’t your fault, that damned fox spooked the horses worse than a full-grown wolf normally does. It wouldn’t just be you that’d be embarrassed if your lord father were to hear of this, if you know what I mean - normally we pride ourselves on handling our horses better than this.”
The shame that had already been bubbling up Baekhyun’s throat subsided, and he let out a breath he hadn’t realised he was holding. Looking around at the other faces around him, he saw that none of them looked perturbed by what Lord Tarly had implied - in fact, most looked relieved.
“Very well,” said Baekhyun, in a voice that, to his relief, was clear and ringing. “We make for Horn Hill. Then back to Highgarden on the morrow.”
Jerking his reins, he led the group back up the hill, away from the spot that had caused so much trouble for them. He sincerely hoped that he wouldn’t have to deal with Chanyeol Martell again for a long, long time.
END
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