Chapter 49: Chapter 21: Blood on the Stepstones (Vaemond) (Part 1)

10th Moon, 8021

Docks of Kings Landing

The galleys slowly rocked on the docks, while the sails of the ones already out to sea fluttered in the wind of the Blackwater Bay.

The King's hair blew in the wind as he prepared to see his family off, his Kingsguard standing behind him, with the exceptions of Ser Gregor Goode and Ser Garmon Hightower who would remain in the capitol with the royal family.

Nyel came first, holding their newborn child in her arms.

Vaemond embraced her before at last they parted.

The King looked at their newborn daughter, placing a hand on her bald head while the baby gurgled, looking up at him with lilac eyes while clutching at his hand with a chubby finger, causing Vaemond to smile.

‘’Your Grace…..you need not go yourself, Lord Royce is a fine commander, more than capable enough.’’ Nyel said quietly.

‘’Father always led men to war himself, and I will do the same, they are only pirates Nyel.’’ Vaemond said, only half paying attention as he looked at Laena, the campaign the King had organized was one against the island of Bloodstone in the Stepstones, which Rickard Stokeworth had claimed as being a rightful part of the Iron Thrones influence.

Nyel took his hand, rather urgently, causing the King to look up.

‘’I had one of the dreams again Vae….the ones I had before father…and…and Aelyx…it was you this time.’’  She said.

That gave Vaemond pause enough ‘’You told me you never see things clearly in your dreams, that things are hidden by metaphors and representations.’’

‘’Normally they are but…..’’ Nyel responded before her voice trailed off.

‘’You saw my death?’’ The King asked, his eyes returning to young Laena, who played with his hand.

‘’No but…I heard your voice, it was a cry of pain, I heard arrows as well…it was your voice im sure of it.’’ Nyel continued.

‘’Nyel….I believe in your dreams..I believe you have the gift as our ancestor Daenys the Dreamer did…but you yourself have admitted you didn't even see my face…I will be careful but I wont have other men lead in my place just because you heard my voice.’’ Vaemond said.

‘’Have no fear my Queen, well keep him safe.’’ Ser Harold Langward said, despite the man being 40 years old, he still retained the brash arrogance of his youth.

‘’I have no doubt you will Ser Harold.’’ Nyel said, realizing her brother's mind was made up.

Matarys approached the King next, a small black dog following close behind, the King's younger brother had retained his love of animals into adulthood.

‘’One can get lonely on campaign….so i've heard….I had hoped to train him myself, hes of good stock, but..’’ Matarys began, gesturing the small dog forward.

‘’Training Dragons is a bit more time consuming than hounds.’’ Vaemond said with a small smile.

His brother had finally managed to hatch one of Vhagars eggs, and unlike Moondancer, his brother's new dragon had not flown away, likely due to the fact that the White dragon with golden wings was much smaller than a normal hatchling, though much faster. His brother had named it Aelesar, in honor of the waterfall of Alyssa's Tears in the Vale where he was raised; his brother always had a soft spot for legends and tales he found moving.

‘’It can guard your tent at night, and guard your horses when it gets bigger…just…don't let it anywhere near a battle…it's not meant for fighting.’’ Matarys said, adding the last part almost frantically.

The King knelt down and gave the dog a pet behind the ears ‘’Knowing you it has a name.’’

‘’Ah yes…Balerion.’’ Matarys said, clearing his throat, which got a good laugh out of Vaemonds Kingsguard.

‘’I thank you for the gift brother…he will serve me well no doubt’’ Vaemond said with a smile.

Vaemond extended a hand to Matarys but his brother embraced him instead until at last the King gently pushed him off. He found himself thinking not for the first time how fortunate he was to have Matarys as a brother, it was true he was not the most formidable of princes and he was mocked behind his back, but Vaemond knew it was a certainty that his brother would never be a threat, either in his reign or that of his children, his brother was a kind and gentle soul, and one of the Kings greatest friends.

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‘’Your Grace….we have the wind now but in a few hours…’’ Corlys began and Vaemond nodded, the Lord Commander was a Velaryon after all and knew these things.

Vaemond gave one last look to Nyel before setting out to board a galley, the fleet of 2800 men and nearly 70 ships, the strength of Dragonstone and Driftmark slowly disappearing into the Blackwater Bay.

Two Weeks Later

Bloodstone was an ugly keep. Built on a high hill, Its walls were made of uneven timber of rather shoddy craftsmanship. In the courtyard sat a small tower of mortared stone, a yellow banner with a red scorpion flying lazily at its top, true to its name, there were two bloodstained spikes beside the banner, with the two heads impaled. Surrounding the timber fortress were a line of unevenly placed wooden spikes to make approaching slow and difficult.

Spears and axes were visible on the walls and to Vaemonds estimation there were at least several hundred men garrisoned inside.

‘’If Moondancer were grown he would make short work of this ‘’castle.’’ Vaemond said ruefully, he had left behind his dragon in King's Landing, it was just under 10 feet and not ready to be ridden into battle, Vaemond had considered fighting on foot alongside it but he admitted it was not worth risking his dragon in a battle against pirates.

‘’I've no doubt he would Vaemond, but I find in war it's best to ignore what ifs and focus on what's in front of us, which as it happens is this fortress…how do you wish to proceed?’’ The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard said.

Vaemond studied the castle for a moment ‘’We could storm the walls, I was expecting more pirates, there can't be more than 500 in there….my mother claimed Vunatis had near 1500 men.’’

‘’It would be bloody, but it could be done, I'd lead the assault myself if you will it.’’ Corlys responded.

Vaemond paused ‘’Wed have them over five to one if we were assault the castle…but we'd have to advance uphill and have men remove the spikes all while under fire by whatever weapons they have in there…..pirates may be rats but even a rat will fight fiercely when cornered.’’

Corlys raised his eyebrows at that, in the distance one of the pirates shouted something in Lyseni Valyrian, causing the men on the wall to taunt along with him.

‘’The other option is to starve them out, we could do it, but there's not enough forage to keep us supplied, wed have to be supplied from the Stormlands by ship…besides there's no glory in starving pirates to surrender…the whole point of this campaign is to gain my vassals respect.’’ Vaemond mused.

‘’So….having considered your options…..’’ Corlys asked open endedly.

The young King furrowed his brow at that ‘’My uncle Orys has pledged men to the campaign, Lord Tyrell as well, we wait for reinforcements and then we storm the walls.’’

The Lord Commander smiled at that ‘’The correct choice, and what I would have advised…I see you've taken your father and I’s lessons to heart.’’

Suddenly the impromptu war council was interrupted by Ser Roland Crakehall and a tired looking dornishman, a grim look on the tall Kingsguards face.

‘’Speak freely when you are ready friend.’’ Vaemond said to the man, who had the look of a messenger.

‘’I come from Sunstone, your grace…Lord Neilyn calls for aid, near 5000 pirates have landed and set the castle to siege, my Lord Reddune has no doubt he can withstand them for a time but…’’ The man said.

‘’So they've formed a coalition then…and here I was wondering why Bloodstone was undermanned.’’ Vaemond said grimly.

‘’If we take Bloodstone the war is over…no doubt they understand this and wish for some plunder before the wars end….we can either continue the siege or attempt to relieve Ser Neilyn…not both…Sunstone will fall before we take Bloodstone.’’ Corlys said.

‘’Lord Reddune has served my family well….I won't abandon him….we shall relieve Sunstone.’’ The King replied.

‘’I'm all for a fight your Grace…but if this messenger speaks true the pirates have some 5000 men…we'd be outnumbered, and we'd have to ferry our men across to the other island a few hundred at a time.’’ The Lord Commander cautioned.

‘’We will wait four days for reinforcements, Lord Tyrell and my uncle prepared for this campaign before we set sail so they should be close, but after that we march with what we have….outnumbered or not I mean to give them battle.’’ Vaemond said and Corlys nodded and went to make preparations.

Three days later a force of three thousand Reachman under command of Meryn Rowan, a powerful lord and skilled commander , landed at Bloodstone, though of course they would need a day or two to be fit to march and be ferried to Sunstone.

Vaemond had wanted to wait for them to gain their strength and march together, but Corlys cautioned him that the Pirates could assault Sunstone any day now and they had to march fast, and the King had to admit his most trusted commander was right.

The following day, The King and his host of near 3200 men set out to give the pirates battle, with Lord Rowan's assurances that his host would join them when they had regained their battle order.

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