DRAGONS REBORN: The Era After SI Ch.6 (Patreon)

Chapter 6

Euron Greyjoy was perhaps the best sailor of his time and was thought unstoppable when riding his signature ship, the Silence. He had made significant contributions during the sacking of the Stepstones, and he would have been richly rewarded if he had not overreached and asked for the hand of Princess Daenys.

King Aerys was said to be red with rage at the overreach, and only Lord Quellon’s intervention had saved his son’s life, who would then go into exile.

Though he would return and atrocities he would leave in his wake would always have us say, ‘it would have been better if the King had taken his head that day.’

AEMON TARGARYEN-290 AC

“We are getting surrounded, my prince,” shouted Davos Seaworth, and Aemon himself was starting to feel uneasy as he saw another one of the ships of their fleet sink down. He had recognized the opposing ship as the infamous Silence. The ship of the exile Euron Greyjoy, and even under his father, the man had been an exceptional naval commander, and Aemon was beginning to understand why.

“Ask the men to get ready and prepare the special weapons. Plus, give the command to the fleet to gather up, don’t let them isolate a ship.” And the captain nodded before he rushed to carry out the orders. Aemon rushed back to his cabin and looked at the map.

Euron’s attack had been a surprise, but they were still sailing in the narrow sea. And it was right there in the name. Narrow. They could try to push through and push to reach Dragonstone. With the naval might of Dragonstone at his back, Euron wouldn’t dare to attack.

But could they get through? Their opposition was well prepared for the attack, and from what he had sighted, there were ships from the Triarchy in its armada as well.

Moreso, how they had targeted this fleet at such a time spoke of extreme planning. So, he began to think up other routes they could take. They couldn’t move back towards Pentosh because that would not be safe. So, that left him with only one option.

And just as he had thought that, the door to his cabin opened, and Aurane Waters entered the room, all geared up and ready for battle.

“The preparations are complete, my prince. We have taken out the wildfire weaponry as per your command. Though I would advise against using it right now, my prince,” the man said hesitantly before continuing as he tried to explain.

“My prince, the weapons are extremely dangerous, and the fire is uncontrollable. If it spreads in our direction, it could be a complete disaster,” he explained, and Aemon had known the same.

“Don’t worry, Aurane, I was not planning on using it like that. Come here, though,” he spoke, and the man rushed towards his side and watched as Aemon pointed at the map.

“I had hoped that we could turn back and then leave those wildfire mines behind us. If Euron tries to chase us down, his ships will go up in flames!” he told Aurane of his plan.

“So, you plan to dock on the Tarth island. That seems reasonable, but my prince, some of the ships in Euron’s fleet bear the flags from the Triarchy,” added Aurane Waters, and the same information had perturbed him.

And that meant trouble in the Stepstones. The trouble could easily spell out in other lands, let alone what was happening in the Seven Kingdoms.

“If we go through with this, we essentially cut off our escape route in case we can not dock there. And the docks of Stormlands aren’t the safest,” argued Aurane, yet Aemon could think of no other way. They had to make the decision fast.

“You are right, but this is the only way. Relay my orders to the men. I will be out as soon as I put on my armor,” and the Velaryon bastard nodded before rushing out of the room. Aemon closed the map and finally put on the armor, though he did struggle for a moment while tying it up.

“Maybe I should have picked up a squire or two,” he commented before finally succeeding in his endeavor. He rushed out of the cabin to see their fleet closing onto each other, and he could make out the form of Euron Greyjoy atop his ship in the distance looking straight at them.

Suddenly he saw Euron bring his hand down as the scorpion bolts were fired from his fleet at them. Aurane watched a couple of bots hit the ships. One of them even impaled a captain. They retaliated with their own attacks, but he could see that they were on the back foot.

“Have the captains turn the ships! Head for the Tarth lands!” and with that, the die was cast.

May the Gods be with them!

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DAVOS SEAWORTH

Davos watched as the fleet turned around and took its new heading. They had taken substantial damage yet the preparations were complete. He looked towards the young prince and could tell that the Prince was getting anxious. Not that Davos wasn’t.

He had been in service to the Iron Throne for over a decade now, and could tell that it had been one of the best decisions he could ever have made. While previously a simple smuggler, he had been recruited by the Iron Throne. Davos had been apprehensive about taking the offer initially, but in the end, he had decided to take it up.

And it had been the best decision of his life. Now he was a captain with his own ship and crew. His family was settled with his son squires to a knight on their way to becoming knights themselves. And he knew that if this mission succeeded, he would be rewarded richly once more.

“My Prince, the preparations are complete,” he informed the second in line to the throne. Both of them glanced at the trailing armada of Euron Greyjoy, chasing after them through the debris of their destroyed ships.

“Light it up,” commanded the Prince, and he nodded as he turned to the row of archers at the back.

“LIGHT IT UP!”

And with that command, the archers drew flaming arrows and loosened them at the black wild fyre-filled pots they had dropped into the water earlier. He gulped as he watched the arrows come down and hit the black mines, and then hell broke loose.

BOOOM!

BOOOM! BANG! TWANG! CLACK!

He had to avert his gaze as the water behind them descended into flames. The heat from those greenish flames was strong enough that they made him sweat even at such a distance.

“SEVEN HELLS!” cursed the bastard Velaryon as they looked at the raging green flames separating them and the fleet of Euron Greyjoy.

“No ship is getting through that,” commented the prince. His amethyst eyes had a green sheen to them, and Davos agreed with the point.

“But we cannot relax. We need to reach the Stormlands quickly. Send a letter to Kings Landing as well. Inform them about the attack and ask for an update on the situation in the Kingdoms,” ordered the Prince Davos nodded, and just as he was about to turn to relay the message to the acolyte Aurane Waters spoke up.

“What’s that in the flames!” and Davos turned to look at the object the Velaryon bastard was pointing at. His heart lurched as he saw a giant shadow wading through the greenish flames. His mind refused to believe his own eyes.

“GODS BE GOOD! HE IS USHING THROUGH THE FIRE!” and then before he could react a scorpion bolt whizzed past his face.

“AGHHH!” “THRUGHCHK!”

There was a scream, and he looked back to find one of the crew members impaled on a scorpion bolt.

“TAKE COVER!”

“WE ARE GETTING ATTACKED! MAN, THE SCORPIONS!” he ordered as armored guards surrounded the Prince, their shields up as they protected the royal. And he watched as a huge ship emerged from the greenish flames, it’s coloring the iconic black.

‘Silence,’ he whispered the name of the ship.

It was Euron fucking Greyjoy!

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DAENYS TARGARYEN

“How could this happen? How?” she exclaimed once more as she hugged her mother though she knew that there was no answer. Her father was gone. Assassinated.

“We don’t know yet. The war we have been thrust with has made it difficult to track down the exact method,” her mother replied, hugging her as they hugged each other in the Queen’s chambers. Even now, days later, Daenys could hardly believe it. The Seven Kingdoms were going to war once more.

The Greyjoys had rebelled, and Triarchy had joined forces as well to attack them as well. However, they suspected the involvement of other Kingdoms of Essos as well. Daenys had learned her history and was quite sure the last time she had seen an attack from Essos.

“Is it the Blacfyres again?” she questioned. Their father was said to have ended their line in the last war. But her mother shook her head.

“I would think not. Their line ended when your father slew Meleys the Monstrous. There should be no more Blackfyres alive anymore,” but Daenys was not satisfied with that answer for some reason.

“But there could be. They say Lys is filled with silver-haired and amethyst-eyed people. All it would take for a Blackfyre pretender to hide there would be to change their name. They could have planned this to get revenge on Father for the defeat all those years ago,” she said, making the connection.

“After the Nine Penny Kings war, your father sent men to track down any Blackfyre on the other side of the Narrow Sea,” and Daenys looked at her mother, for she had never known about this. Her mother seemed a bit hesitant before she continued.

“They found a descendant from the female line. And despite my protest, your father ordered her to be killed.”

That information took aback Daenys. Her father ordered the killing of an innocent woman. She knew of war. She had sat with him as he would teach all three of them the art of ruling and warfare.

“Why didn’t he ever mention it to us when he taught us?” and her mother was quiet for a long time before she picked up the wine glass from the side table and took a sip.

“Do you know how your father got the throne?” Daenys sat up and looked at her mother before nodding. She had been taught her history. Grand Maester Marwin had made her read about it all despite her complaints.

“Yes, I do. Summer Hall, The War, and Grandfather’s Death. I have read about it all,” and her mother nodded.

“Yes, but you have read it. But the books can never tell you all of it. They can never tell you the whole picture,” her mother spoke slowly before turning to face her.

“It all began on the day of our wedding!”

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