Chapter 37: Chapter 16:The Winds of Fair Isle (Part 2)

12th Moon, 8015

Village of Westwood

Aegon inspected the damage to the village of Westwood on Fair Isle, fishing boats had sunk in the harbor and the roofs of many houses had been torn off, scattered on the streets.

Even the tavern The Three Ships inn, the biggest building in the village had not been spared damage, and the sign that hung from its lamppost depicting 3 ships was hanging crookedly, one of the iron chains that held it up broken.

‘’Truly I've never seen such a  storm your grace.’’ The leader of the small village watch said as they walked by yet more ruined houses. Normally the mayor of the town would have the honor of leading the King on the tour, but the old man was clearly mad, muttering about how the next time a storm came he would gather up the children of the village and offer them to the sea, Aegon had then spoken a quiet word to Lord Farman that perhaps it was time for a new village headman to be chosen.

‘’Everything shall be rebuilt…on that you have my word….it will take time however.’’ Lord Robert Farman said from his horse. In truth the man cast a very unimpressive figure, dressed in dirty trousers and a wine stained leather jerkin, with unkempt blonde hair, a scraggly beard and sad eyes, though Aegon had gathered the man truly did care for his people.

Aegon nodded, further surveying the damage as they rode through the town, they were met by a small crowd, led by a small man with black hair and nervous eyes.

‘’Your Grace.’’ The man said, bowing his head.

‘’Rise….you may speak.’’ Aegon said from horseback, gesturing the man up.

‘’The thing is your grace…..a small matter but….we've a contract with traders promising them use of our port for a payment paid in advance each year, the ship captains however well, they want their coin paid back in full with interest….we cant afford to pay them, we will need every copper we cain for repairs.’’ The man said timidly.

Aegon nodded ‘’I shall have a raven sent to my master of laws in Kings Landing instructing him to find a compromise that is fair for both sides.’’

The man bowed gratefully.

One week later, Aegon and his retinue would sail from Fair Isle into the Sunset Sea, where they would sail to the Shield Islands, traveling down the Mander to Highgarden, where Harlan Tyrell, who would delegate his duties as master of coin would host them for two weeks in the capital of the Reach.

3rd of First Moon, 8016

Sunset Sea off Fair Isle

Vaemond adjusted his seat in the crows perch of the galley Water Steed, curling his legs around the mast. He was not afraid of heights but it was a long way down to be sure and it was a windy day.

The Prince liked this spot of the ship best, from here you could see for miles in any direction, just this past day he had seen countless whales, trading vessels and small rocky islands.

 The sunset was his favorite part of the day however, even today with gray skies and dark clouds one could catch a glimmer of the sunset far off yet just out of reach at the same time, pale rays of light barely piercing the fog.

He saw Balerion behind them, flying lazily, his dark black scales making it so that he almost blended in with the dark skies and clouds, a shadow. Below them he heard the Kingsguard, Ser Stafford Lannister heaving over the side of the ship, a location he scarcely left, at table the previous night Ser Stafford claimed it was something he ate, but Vaemond thought the man was just sea-sick.

Vaemond set back to his task, it was growing dark and his father would expect Blackfyre to be sharpened soon. He watched the last rays of the sun glimmer over the Valyrian Steel before bringing it to the whetstone, a satisfying sound ringing out over the sunset sea.

Vaemonds duties were more than normal lately, his fathers other squire Dalton Wynch had been sent back to the Isles on a ship in Fair Isle, he was a man grown and it was time for him to return to his family. In truth Vaemond was glad, he had once looked up to the older boy but after the incident with Matarys he had come to realize he was just a bully, cruel and angry,and in truth he wasn't even a very good sword, Vaemond found that he won most of their spars, the Ironborn boy fought without technique and only with anger.

He did not mind the extra duties however, he enjoyed handling Blackfyre, and he dreamed often that when he was older he would save his fathers life and he would be given Blackfyre to wield against his fathers enemies.

As Vaemond ran an oiled cloth over the blade, a deafening crash rang through the air, startled he cut himself on the hand, turning to face the sea and seeing the remnants of lightning in the sky, the air seeming to almost smoke.

He carefully put down his fathers sword and wiped his bloody hand on his trousers, and stood up, hoping to catch another view of the lightning, he had never seen it so close.

The dark clouds slowly began to produce rain, soft at first but within a minute it was falling hard and fast, stinging Vaemonds eyes.

The last rays of the sun, which had looked so beautiful just moments before were long gone and replaced with dark skies.

Another thunderous crash of lightning boomed across the sky, its outline seemingly frozen in the dark sky. Vaemond was a brave boy, but even he could sense that it was time to climb down from the crows nest to his quarters, he had never seen seas like this before.

He grabbed his fathers sword and scabbard and looked down the rope handles that led down to the deck. They were swaying in the wind, wet and slippery, and barely visible in the dark.

A King must be brave He thought to himself, reminding himself of his fathers words. He tied the scabbard around his back and was about to dangle down to the rope ladder when there was a massive swelling of the ship, rocking the galley to the side.

Vaemond was thrown to the edge of the crows nest, catching the sides with his hands and looking down to the deck. He watched in horror as Ser Stafford Lannister who had been retching over the side of the ship slipped over, his white kingsguard plate armor reflected by the nearby lightning. It happened faster than Vaemond could believe, the knight gave a short cry before he was in the water, for the briefest of seconds Vaemond saw a golden head of hair in a sea of black, but no sooner than the Kingsguard was in the water he was gone.

Shouts and cries rang out from below as men ran to the sides of the ship, looking for the Kinsguard but he was gone, swallowed by the waves.

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Vaemond lay frozen, he had never seen a man die before. He had watched two maimings in a tourney, and saw a washed up body while at Fair Isle but never an actual death.

The waves were picking up at this point, a shrieking howl on the winds as the boat continued to rock.

He saw his father on the deck, dressed in a heavy black leather jerkin with a dragon stitched onto it, shouting commands, Lord Commander Corlys Velaryon was beside him, with his squire Omer Bulwer helping him out of his heavy plate, The prince heard his father shouting and sensed that he was searching for him.

‘’UP HERE.’’ Vaemond shouted, the crows nest shaking, but his voice was drowned out by the winds, the rain stinging his eyes and cold air entering his mouth when he shouted.

Then the most ferocious gale Vaemond had ever seen hit them. Whatever storm they had faced before paled in comparison to what they faced now, the ship tossed and turned to each side, throwing knights and stewards overboard screaming.

Vaemond realized that he had to get down or he would be lost. He made his way to the rope ladder and was about to climb down when the boat lurched to the side, placing it in the water itself.

Then the mast snapped.

Vaemond cried out as the crows nest fell from the top of the mast, wood chips flying everywhere, cutting his hands. It finally stopped, leaning precariously over the swirling sea like a banner on a flagpole, the masts still upright.

He held on with all his might, his bloody hands mixing with the wet rain, and with horror he realized he felt what little support remained to the crows nest slowly bending, it would not be long until he fell into the seas thirty feet below.

I'm going to die, Vaemond thought, thinking of Ser Stafford, how he must have felt as he was swallowed by the waves.

Then his father came.

‘’BALERION TO ME.’’ He made out his father shout through the winds and witnessed the bravest thing he had ever seen.

He saw his father hand his crown to Corlys Velaryon, who was on a little boat in the sea with the rest of the Kingsguard, a few knights and Omer Bulwer, all trying to steady the ship against the hull of the galley.

He saw his father clamber from the ship onto the upturned hull of the Galley, slippery with rain. With surprising agility his father made his way up, a dark shape appearing from the sky, it was Balerion. His father somehow managed to mount the Dragon from the sloped sinking hull and flew him into the air, flying towards his son.

Vaemond felt the crows nest on its last legs, the last few tendrils of wood giving way.

Just a moment more He begged.

Then he fell.

Unlike Ser Stafford who had seemingly fallen in an instant, time seemed to freeze as the Prince fell.

He flailed his arms, falling backwards into the sea, the wind a wordless scream, matching his own cry. He waited for the cold dark to embrace him, to take him, closing his eyes.

He landed with a thud rather than a splash and felt a hand steadying his shoulder. He looked down and realized he was on Balerion, his father pinning him to the dragon.

He looked up and saw his fathers face etched in immeasurable worry and relief.

His father opened his mouth to say something.

Then the mast took him on the shoulder, knocking him from Balerion with a grunt.

Vaemond held onto the Dragon in disbelief and confusion. He only then noticed the sound of the mast falling, splintering, large pieces falling all around him.

Balerion let out a thunderous roar and plunged downwards, Vaemond cried out as the water rose up to meet him, entering with a splash.

He had fallen off of Balerion, who had disappeared beneath the waves. Vaemond was a strong swimmer but he felt himself sinking, the weight of his boots and Blackfyre dragging him into the depths, he tried frantically to both tread water and unbuckle his shoulder sword belt at the same time but it was no use. He found he could not keep his head above water and cold freezing water entered his mouth, nose and eyes. As his resistance faded and his mind went to black he felt a pair of strong hands on his shoulder, pulling him up before all went black.

The moon shone beneath the dark waves like a lantern in the night, shimmering and misshapen but there nonetheless.

Aegon watched it, holding out a hand as if to grab hold of it to pull himself up but it was in vain.

He made out a massive dark shape, eyes as red as rubies plunging down towards him.

Balerion….no Aegon thought but the dragon paid him no mind, swimming down into the depths to join his rider.

Aegon's last thoughts were of the moon on the eve of his coronation in Oldtown, shining bright in the pink sunset.

It's beautiful isn't it?  The voice of his sister Rhaenys called out, coursing through his body.

Aegon Targaryen, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, First of his name,  reached out a hand towards the moon as he sank below the waves of the sunset sea.