Chapter 88: ' Four Candles and a Torch '

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POV: Jerry Storm.

Royal Flagship 'Fury'.

Just a second after Bloody Snow answered the King...

The legendary hero Bloody Snow, the noble northern boy whose name Jerry had first heard from a ballad, began his third request to the King.

For a moment Jerry thought their eyes met.

He wasn't sure... He was in the front row of that circle of soldiers and sailors it was true, but there were many people around him.

"Not everyone here knows, that originally, the main assault and retreat team of this expedition was to consist of fifty-six men...

TWENTY-FIVE WARRIORS, ONE CAPTAIN AND THIRTY SEAMEN..." The boy stepped back a few paces, addressing the entire ship. The tone of his voice doubled so that all could hear his words.

"THIRTEEN HEROES have fallen to this most dangerous undertaking...

Seven in the service of the noble house Baratheon, five belonging to house Tallhart and one in the service of house Reed...

we could all be dead by now or worse, taken prisoner.

Do not doubt that, my friends.

The madness and insanity of Balon 'the Usurper' is such that he will use any means to remain seated on his stone throne and salt to make the worshippers of the Drowned God call him 'KING'...

He would hang us on the walls of Pyke and use us as shields to prevent the boulders of our catapults from damaging his manor... Drown us in barrels full of water and salt to offer us as a tribute to the Drowned God, if it would allow him even one more breeze of wind in his favour...

After we blockaded the harbour with wood and fire, I and Ser Davos and the fifty-four brave heroes in the service of the one true king would escape.

And we would do so... aboard the only means at our disposal to reach you... our faithful comrades in arms.

to flee like frightened fish from the hunger of the 'TEMIBLE KRAKENS' ... and lure them here, where THE FURY OF THE STAGS! THE ICY BITE OF THE WOLVES! AND THE ROARS OF THE LIONS!!! WERE READY TO WELCOME THEM AND FIGHT ON EQUAL TERMS!!!!"

"YEEESS!!!", "ARRGGH!!", "DEATH TO THE KRAKENS!!", "OURS IS THE FURY!!"

Jerry joined the choruses shouting along with others the motto of House Baratheon.

Spirits and emotions flared up like a fire.

All the attention of three hundred and sixty-six men and one woman was focused on a single point in the centre of the Fury.

After the silence returned, the boy resumed his speech.

"We had to retreat as quickly as possible by switching on every source of light in our possession. and only in this way could we draw attention to ourselves, and allow forty-nine lifeboats to retreat safely to within a mile of the Iron Fleet...

We were to be a decoy... a decoy, which, with Ser Davos' help, might well have emerged unscathed from such risk...

and yet, a tragic turn of events befell us.

TEN OF OUR SEAMEN... Ten men afraid of the enemy's axes... fled... leaving us to our fate.

Rather than reinforce their comrades and follow their captain's orders, they chose to mutiny.

A mutiny at the most critical moment of all." the boy was interrupted.

"CODARDIES!!!", "TRAITORS!!!", "MEN WITHOUT HONOR!!!", "DEATH TO TRAITORS!!" the fire had just evolved into a blaze...

"I know, I know... QUIET COMPANIONS...

Despite everything, I understand the choice of those men...

They were afraid.

Their fear outweighed their honour and courage... I bear them no grudge.

I only hope that those men choose the path of redemption... and that they beg our King on their knees with all their hearts, that he may grant them the chance to regain some of that lost honour by serving a lifetime in the Knight's Watch...

They did not have to go on this mission in the first place. They had already made a choice...

AND THEY BROKE THEIR WORD.

MAY THE GODS AND MEN FIND THE STRENGTH AND MERCY TO GRANT THEM FORGIVENESS..."

"AYEE!" many nodded silently and others responded in support of those words.

Several times his attention turned to the king, who seemed enraptured, like so many others, by this tale.

"At least thirty able-bodied sailors were needed to have any hope of sowing the fastest fleet in the seven kingdoms.

one less man to hoist those sails, or to tighten the right knots promptly at the right moment... and all would be lost...

And only twenty sailors were aboard that longship.

A ship we had chosen to call the 'Beacon of Hope'...

Though hope was gone at that tragic moment...

But we did not give up... we sent out distress signals, and even if they were not accepted, we would still try to do the impossible for as long as possible.

AND THERE... IN THE DARKEST HOUR...

When not even the light of the moon or the starry sky could reach us...

We saw them.

FOUR CANDLES...

FOUR CANDLES LIT BY A BRIGHTER TORCH!

FOUR BRAVE AND VALIANT SAILORS, LED BY A HEROIC CAPTAIN... ANSWERED THE CALL.

FIVE HEROES OF HOUSE BARATHEON!" The boy announced loudly, pointing to a spot behind him.

The group following Bloody Snow stepped aside, giving way to a smaller group of five men.

"YEEESSSS!!!!", "HONOUR TO YOU!!!", "TO THE FIVE HEROES!!!", "FOR HOUSE BARATHEON!!!". The boy took advantage of the wave of jubilation by asking.

"DO YOU WANT TO KNOW THEIR NAMES?!"

"YEEEAAARRGHH!!!!", "YESSS!!!!" the men shouted.

Jerry immediately recognised the man in the middle of the group.

He would never forget that face.

It was Ser Amon Fury... the man who five years ago saved him in the middle of the sea near Dragonstone when his ship sank in the worst storm Westeros had ever known.

Jerry and thirty-five other souls were saved on the high seas by that man's courage.

There was no doubt in his mind that he could be the man Bloody Snow so acclaimed.

"Ruben, Son William, born and bred in the slums of Weeping Town.

Edward, Son of Sam, from the village Rain of the Brume.

Phil, son of Philly, from King's Landing.

Wex, son of Emmon, from Bronze Gate.

And Ser Amon of House Fury, son of Jed... THE SON OF A HUMBLE FISHERMAN OF ESTERMONT!

FIVE HEROES, who had already done their duty to the best of their ability, and who could choose whether or not to retire without in any way being accused of dishonour or cowardice...

still chose to risk everything they had...

their homes, their possessions, their loved ones and their very lives... everything they deserved put on the line to help the crew most at risk.

That Ser Davos was able to turn the impossible into the possible.

I would not stand before you today and tell you of such heroic deeds...

I, Ser Davos and our thirty-three other companions would not be alive were it not for the bravery of these heroes...

not only did they save us with the strength of their arms and their nautical skills, but they even fought valiantly in the fiercest battle I have ever witnessed.

Ser Amon, Ruben, Edward, Phil, and Wex led a direct assault on the 'Iron Victory', ripping the ship from the Greyjoy rearguard at the point of the sword. They allowed us, a meagre group of twenty men-at-arms surrounded by twice as many enemies, the chance to retreat to safety.

Ser Davos may have devised the plan to rout the Iron Fleet's most feared ship, my King, but it was the valour of these five brave men that allowed it to be carried out...

Four young heroes, led by a hero who had proven his worth before.

A MAN who was given the knighthood and the name it bears on this very ship called 'Fury!' five years ago...

A hero who single-handedly saved the lives of thirty-six loyal fellow sailors during the most frightening and raging storm in the history of Westeros...

... IS THERE ANYONE AMONG YOU WHO CAN TESTIFY TO MY PREVIOUS CLAIMS ABOUT SER AMON?!" The boy asked, looking in Jerry's direction.

Jerry didn't think a moment to step forward.

"I!... I am Jerry Storm, my King...

What you say, Lord Duncan is true.

Five years ago, I was rescued by Ser Amon.

He threw himself into the open sea with only a rope tied to his torso and risked his life in the most dangerous waters I have ever seen.

I and my thirty-five other companions were saved by Ser Amon Fury. I swear it." Jerry said aloud as he knelt a few paces from King Robert.

End POV.

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POV: King of the Seven Kingdoms.

Royal Flagship 'Fury'.

Moments after Jerry Storm's testimony, he finished...

"Your Majesty...

I remember the events of that storm well.

I invested Ser Amon with the knighthood myself.

The heroic deeds spent at Dragonstone are true.

I chose the name of the house, 'Fury', in honour of the name of this ship in which Ser Amon served, and for the Fury of the storm that man did not hesitate to face." Stannis said, stepping forward and addressing his brother the King.

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"A true hero then...

Lord Duncan, what are your demands then?" Robert asked, guessing where this perfect show was going.

The boy took a step forward and knelt a few paces away.

The tones of his voice remained high but lower than before.

"Your Majesty...

I ask you to grant honour and glory to the families and names of the Thirteen Heroes who fell in your name...

And lastly... I ask you to bestow ''Honours and Glories'' that only the King of the Seven Kingdoms can bestow upon such five heroes who, by their actions, have allowed the fallen heroes to be remembered and honoured to be but thirteen...

That is all, my King." Concluded the boy with perfect servile and humble etiquette to show a King.

Everyone's eyes shifted to King Robert Baratheon.

' Ahahaha!!! Is that all?... The boy is more brazen than me at his age!!!

He played everyone in the room like a harpist and now they're all hanging on their every word!...

Ned, my friend, I hope you realize what you're up against in the North.

I pity you.' Robert thought as he looked around for a moment.

While the King should have the choice of whether to accept or not, Robert's hands were tied in this particular situation.

The boy had sung the song so well, that even if he wanted to, he could not oppose the inevitability of those events.

Ser Amon Fury was already a knight...

If he had rewarded him with mere gold, which the kingdom's coffers now lacked, it would have set a dangerous precedent.

A king rewards his subjects with titles and land. Moneylenders and slavers are only rewarded with gold...

And it was at this very point that Robert first felt 'politically disturbed'.

There was another issue left unresolved in this story...

It had not yet been decided, 'WHO' would in the future take over control of Pyke Island...

House Greyjoy was to be ousted.

Balon, Euron, Victaryon, Maron... and all Greyjoys who had come of age were to be deprived of life, or their rights.

Death, exile, or The Wall... No other concessions.

But the replacement would still have to be a worthy party...

A man who knew the sea, and could adapt to the lifestyles of the Iron Islands and take control.

Someone who had not been given the silver spoon in his mouth, but who had snatched him from the clutches of his enemy with the strength of his hands, paying the 'Iron Price'...

And now, not only had that boy forced Robert's hand in granting the Iron Islands Protectorate to House Harlaw, but he was also directing all points at the future Lord of Pyke.

And he had done it masterfully, bringing honour, respect and glory to the Crown and House Baratheon...

If Robert had not made that man a Lord at that very moment, after Ser Amon had been painted as The Hero of House Baratheon, he would have set a precedent that would have undermined the morale of his loyal subjects for the rest of his days.

I mean... what else did a poor man of humble origins have to do to earn the title of Lord?!...

The spark of hope always had to stay lit. If that spark was extinguished in the eyes of ordinary people, chaos would break out...

At best, Robert would be nicknamed from then on as, King Robert 'The Unjust'...

'The perfect man at the perfect time...

Glorifying and bestowing trophies before the dawn of a bloody battle that could either raise troop moral to epic heights... or deny it by sinking it.

A man from nowhere.

who has earned what he possesses through sheer strength...

in service to House Baratheon...

a man who might be well-liked in the Iron Islands.

a man of the sea.

a man who has paid the iron price...

A man who will be loyal to House Baratheon, but who will forever hold an unpayable debt to House Tallhart...

I have the power to grant titles, but in reality, that boy granted them.

By the Seven Hells... If this wasn't a coincidence and that boy had orchestrated this from the beginning...

I'd be looking at the 'King of Puppeteers'...

the one who makes kings and queens dance in the palm of his hands.

The scariest thing of all. It's the message behind that song...' Robert thought uneasily.

Ten individuals had betrayed Bloody Snow, and ten individuals will be punished and damned for the rest of their days.

Five individuals had helped Bloody Snow, and five individuals will be rewarded with glory and honours for the rest of their days.

The message was not direct, but its meaning was on everyone's mind by now. A thin, invisible veil of awe, respect and honour enveloped the name 'Bloody Snow'.

Robert looked with concern at his closest friend beside him who was still smiling with carefree peace.

Ned knew who his vassal was!

Was the Protector of the North aware that he could be moved by the strings of that puppeteer?

These were the most urgent questions that flourished in Robert's mind.

Now more than ever, he wanted to drown those nefarious thoughts in alcohol, blood and the virtues of a young floozy.

'And you, Ned, are you vouchsafing your complete trust for him?! Gods save you, my friend. I don't know if I can do that in the future...

Not after today.

I'd rather say: [Gods save us!]

I am terrified to even contemplate the existence of such an individual.

I hope with all my heart that I am wrong.'

Robert no longer had time to indulge in the luxury of thought.

"Let the five Heroes approach their King!" Robert commanded while maintaining an authoritative tone.

Ser Amon and his men promptly obeyed the command.

Bloody Snow stepped aside, leaving the stage to the real actors of the moment.

"Ser Amon, step back...

You four... Step forward one at a time and kneel.

Ser Preston, my sword." Robert ordered.

"Yes, Your Grace." The Kingsguard replied promptly.

The faces of those five individuals were still shocked and unprepared by the course of events...

At least Robert found comfort in that.

A few seconds later...

"You... Your name." Robert.

"Ruben, my King." Ruben the first man kneeling on the King's left side answered.

"From this moment until the end of time, you and all your descendants shall always bear the name [Iron].

Now kneel Ruben Iron...

In the name of the Warrior, I charge you to be brave.

In the name of the Father, I charge you to be just.

In the name of the Mother, I charge you to defend the young and innocent.

In the name of the Maid, I charge you to protect all women.

Arise, Ser Ruben Iron, a Knight of Seven Kingdoms!"

About a minute later...

"Arise, Ser Edward Price, a Knight of Seven Kingdoms!"

-----

"Arise, Ser Phil Heart, a Knight of Seven Kingdoms!"

----

"Arise, Ser Wex Unfear, a Knight of Seven Kingdoms!"

The last of Robert's first tasks had been accomplished.

Now it was the turn of the second.

"By Royal decree...

All families of the valiant thirteen heroes who died in the name of the King and the peace of the realm... will be rewarded with one hundred gold dragons each...

Since those families have already paid the highest price to be paid, from now on, no member of said families shall pay any tribute to the Crown." Many men nodded in satisfaction and disbelief at this generosity.

And the second step is taken... The penultimate step...' thought the King.

"Fleet Master!..." Robert turned loudly to his brother Stannis.

"Yes, my King." Stannis.

'I command you to have the ten traitors and mutineers who abandoned our Heroes in the field imprisoned and brought before me! I want them dragged to my feet before sundown tomorrow so I can dispense them the King's Justice!!!" Robert.

"At your command, Your Grace." Stannis took his leave to obey his ruler's commands.

'... And now the last one...' Robert thought.

"SER AMON FURY! Step forward...

Your King and the Seven Kingdoms have another task for you, ' Ser '...

Will you answer the call of your King, Hero of House Baratheon?!" Robert asked, gripping his ceremonial broadsword more firmly.

Ser Amon knelt on one leg, resting one fist on the ground and holding the second fist tightly to his chest.

Only after fulfilling the proper ceremonial gesture did the man reply:

"I will, Your Majesty. I swear it.

I will answer the call in your name, in the name of the Kingdom, and name of the noble House Baratheon."

"Then relinquish the title of 'Ser', Amon of House Fury...

for from this day, you shall be Lord.

Arise, Amon of House Fury, new Lord of Pyke and Protector of his Isle...

TO LORD AMON FURY, THE HERO OF PYKE!" Robert thundered, raising his broadsword to the sky.

Lords, knights, soldiers and sailors... Everyone on the ship responded in chorus to the King's hymn, raising whatever weapons they had at hand to rhythmically repeat the gestures of their King.

"LORD FURY!!!"

"LORD FURY!!!"

"LORD FURY!!!"

"LORD FURY!!!"

"LORD FURY!!!"

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