Chapter 21: Blood on the Stepstones (Vaemond)

𝟏𝟎𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧, 𝟖𝟎𝟐𝟏

𝐃𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠

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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.

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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.

''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.

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𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫

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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.''

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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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𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫

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The small ship cut through the shallow waters of the strait, signs of conflict all around them.

The shallow strait between the islands of Bloodstone and nearby Sunstone was too shallow and perilous to send the galleys that transported the Kings host across the narrow sea, so the Targaryen forces had to take smaller rowboats through the strait, which was filled with large craggy rocks that could easily tear the hull from a smaller ship, sending it and its armored men to the bottom in under a minute.

The pirates were mostly formed on the island itself, either sieging the keep of Sunstone or guarding the landing spots in small roving bands, but the pirates had scrounged up a few smaller boats to oppose the Targaryen relief force as well, and evidence of their activity was littered around the shallow water, with several ships of the first wave littering the crossing, dead corpses, both pirate and Targaryen men floating in the water or washed up on small craggy rocks.

Vaemond meant to take part in the fighting personally, but even he had admitted that it was likely a poor idea to lead the first wave of ships through the strait without knowing what to expect, and had sent the first wave ahead in a probing attack, which by the looks of it had been heavily resisted, evidenced by the several Targaryen skiffs, burned and broken in the water, though by their numbers it looked like at least some of them had made it to shore, for every destroyed Targaryen skiff there was also a pirate one to match, bearing the faded sigils of the Pirate captains Vunatis, Quanis, Vynenohr, and Sathmantes upon crude sails of ripped cloth.

Corlys Velaryon hunched at the prow of the ship, looking carefully for any hidden rocks, despite having spent the last two decades as Lord Commander, his childhood spent sailing around Driftmark was not forgotten to him.

''There.'' Corlys said, pointing his sword towards a seemingly calm spot in the water.

Ser Roland Crakehall nodded dutifully and placed his oar in the water, pushing them off of the obscured rocks, and not for the first time, Vaemond was grateful of the man's maritime experience.

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As they got closer to shore, Vaemond heard a sound in the distance, turning he saw an old grizzled man at arms, face bloody and chainmail wrent waving a spear in the air, clinging to one of the rocks that dotted the strait.

''We should pick him up…the tide will be coming in soon'' Ser Roland said, causing many of the dozen knights and men at arms in the small boat, all hand picked by Corlys to nod agreement.

''Leave him your grace….we don't have time to be rescuing every idiot that gets themselves stranded.'' Ser Gawen Corbray replied.

Corlys looked to the King.

Vaemond nodded ''We've room enough on the boat, and we will have need of every man when we make landfall, the battle has already begun no doubt.

Gawen scowled at that but the men on the oars nodded and they slowly made their way towards the old man, who appeared to be wearing a faded half-cloak of the House Scales of Dragonstone, a white sword through a white snake on purple…one of around around 100 men the young Baroness of Windwyrm had contributed to the campaign.

As they got closer, it appeared the man was not so much crying for rescue as trying to warn them, pointing his spear behind a rock.

Vaemond was about to shout for his men to ready their arms when the pirates set their trap. A small skiff bearing the white tree on turquoise of the pirate family Vynenohor suddenly appeared from behind a rocky crag.

They were on Vaemonds small boat faster than he could have thought, carrying rusty cutlasses, sharp dirks and whatever other weapons they had managed to steal.

A pirate dressed in ragged furs and carrying a rusty two handed axe tried to jump on board but Ser Gawen hit him in the stomach with his valyrian steel sword Lady Forlorn ruby pommel, knocking the wind out of him and causing him to fall backwards into the water with a splash.

His Kingsguard and the other knights and men at arms aboard were quickly embroiled in combat, Lady Forlorn and Ser Roland Crakehalls two handed axe made bloody work of any pirates that tried to board near the front, with Ser Roland delivering a strike that cleaved an unfortunate pirate near in two.

Vaemond, Blackfyre in hand, searched for an opportunity to join the fray and soon found it when a balding pirate, dressed in a white cloth shirt and carrying a spear, was foolish enough to face him.

The pirate to his credit was fast, and before Vaemond could respond, the man thrust his spear forward, scraping against Vaemonds black plate helm, leaving a long white gash as the enamel was scraped off.

The young King, while not lacking for courage was not the best of fighters, his feet were slow and his angles poor, but what he lacked in technique he made up for in other qualities, Vaemond was big and strong, wore heavy plate armor and had a Valyrian steel sword, qualities his opponent lacked.

Vaemond was ready for the next strike, wielding Blackfyre with two hands like a bastard sword, he caught the mans attack with the blade, turning the attack away from him, the pirate launched another thrust towards his unprotected face visor, but Vaemond knocked it away as well, the Valyrian steel sword almost seeming to sing as it collide with the spearpoint, a satisfying clash of metal adding to the screams of pain and battle cries around them.

The pirate kept up the attack, leveling a fearsome thrust at the Kings breastplate, but Vaemond sidestepped and stabbed Blackfyre forward at the man's thigh, the valyrian steel cutting through muscle and sinew like a knife through cheese, the pirate gave a cry of pain and collapsed to the bloodstained deck.

Vaemond advanced, Blackfyre at the ready ''Yield'' he commanded.

The pirate raised his hands for a moment before suddenly rolling off the boat, disappearing in the water.

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By then the fight was over, six of the dozen men Corlys had chosen to accompany the Kingsguard were dead or heavily wounded, along with 10 pirates…a heavy cost but the pirates had taken them unawares.

One pirate was begging for mercy on the deck but Ser Gawen gave him none, driving Lady Forlorn into the man's belly, the man's bowels failing him as he died with a long shudder.

Ser Gawen, his face as red and bloody as his swords ruby pommel looked at Ser Roland Crakehall whose face was shocked.

''He yielded.'' The big Crakehall said with surprise.

The older man shrugged ''We lost half a dozen good men fighting these scum…I don't make a habit of sparing pirates.''

Corlys approached the King, putting a hand on his shoulder, looking at Blackfyre.

''I see you're blooded Vaemond.'' Corlys said, wiping his sword on a white cloth.

The young King shook his head ''I wounded him but he got away.''

Corlys looked overboard ''He's as good as dead anyway…come, we had best get to shore, join the vanguard, the third wave will be coming soon.'' Vaemond nodded and his Kingsguard and surviving men helped the grateful man-at-arms from the rock before continuing on.

They faced no further ambushes as they approached the shore, which was filled with small skiffs of the Vanguard as well as several dead men, filled with arrows.

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The pirates were no fools and had positioned themselves on the heights overlooking the landing, shooting arrows at any man foolish enough to leave the safety of the cliff face; the men under the heights were readying ladders to scale the cliffs once reinforcements arrived.

''It will be a bloody affair to scale the cliffs.'' Vaemond said as they got closer.

Corlys nodded ''For us and them…but we will have the heights your grace…and from there we will set their siege camp to fire.''

Mere moments from hitting the shore, Vaemond remembered his sister's warning about arrows.

I won't turn back now He thought with determination but all the same he grabbed the Lord Commanders shoulder ''If I should fall….Laena must be protected.''

Corlys gave a sharp laugh at that ''You'll have four of your Kingsguard around you Vaemond…they wont even get close to you if you don't want them to….were more than a match for pirates.''

''And the arrows?'' Vaemond asked.

Corlys paused at that.

''I'm not afraid Corlys….I just need you to promise me….you'll protect my family, and see my daughter takes the throne.'' Vaemond clarified.

The Velaryon Kingsguard nodded silently as their ship hit the beach, joined by many ships from the third wave ''I will see your daughter on the throne should you fall.''

Hundreds of men clambered from the skiffs and charged the cliffs, under fire by bands of pirate archers spread out along the cliff face, augmented by light infantry throwing javelins.

Vaemond and his Kinsguard sprinted across the beach as fast as they could in plate armor, arrows whizzing by them.

As Vaemond approached the cliff face a knight just behind him gasped and fell backwards, his throat impaled by a throwing spear by the pirates above, Vaemond continued on, there was nothing he could do.

The King and his Kingsguard hugged the cliff face as rocks fell just in front of them.

''Corlys when we gain the cliffs I want you to take a few hundred men at arms and swing right, push them back until you reach the castle gates.'' Vaemond commanded and Corlys nodded.

Corlys shouted a command and the waiting men under the cliff face set the ladders up and the assault began.

The pirates threw stones and did their best to knock the ladders down, but the Targaryen host valiantly fought their way up, and once one group on a ladder made it up and established a foothold, it was easier for the rest to gain the cliffs.

Vaemond led his Kingsguard personally up the ladder towards the center of the cliffs, rocks and throwing spears falling around him, though by the time they ascended the ladder most of the fighting was done.

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The pirates, true to their nature did not choose to fight to the death, and when they saw the cliffs were lost retreated to the main pirate host in front of the small castle of Sunstone, its squat whitewashed stone walls glimmering in the sun, the defenders trapped inside visible even from the cliffs. The pirates had formed a ramshackle shield wall to await the Targaryen charge.

Vaemond nodded to Corlys who gestured several hundred men to follow him, taking them to the right of the main line which Vaemond would lead personally while Corlys swung around and took them in the right.

The King drew his sword and was about to give his men a speech when suddenly several loud horn blasts signaled an approaching force, both pirates and the King's men looked anxiously to find its source.

Several banners of a golden tree on white appeared from the hills behind the castles….House Rowan had arrived, and in a fine position as well.

''Lord Rowan must have taken his ships and landed to the west, braving the cliffs there.'' Ser Harold Langward said, clearly impressed.

Many of the pirates began to flee immediately, while the rest formed two shield walls facing opposite directions.

Vaemond, realizing the time for speech had passed, lifted Blackfyre in the air and charged towards Sunstone, causing his men to roar half a hundred different battle cries and follow him, while Lord Rowan advanced from behind Sunstone and Corlys took several hundred men around the flanks.

As the King got closer to the enemy shield wall, he saw the gates of Sunstone opening, Ser Neilyn, mounted and armored leading a ragtag group of half a hundred dornish spearman and Lysene fisherman to sally out and take the pirates on the left.

The four groups smashed into the Pirate shield walls in a ferocious cacophony of cracking shields, war cries, and yells of pain.

A lightly armored pirate with a spear and shield faced Vaemond, thrusting his spear towards the young King, but Vaemond brought Blackfyre down in an arc to meet it, cutting off the spearhead before hacking the man straight in the middle face, sending blood everywhere.

There was no more single combat for the King after that, the melee turned into a chaotic brawl, too crowded for Vaemond to use Blackfyre, so he picked up a shield and pressed forward, bashing and hitting anyone that got close.

Within 10 minutes the fight was over and the Pirates fled in a dozen directions to their hidden ships, though several hundred were captured.

The battle was a bloody affair, but the King of Westeros had his first victory at the age of 19.

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𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞

𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐲𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞

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''You'll want to know the costs of the battle your Grace.'' Grandmaester Arlan said as Vaemond leaned over the railing overlooking the small courtyard of Sunstone.

''In truth I would not wish to….it was too bloody…but Ill hear the costs Grandmaester.'' Vaemond replied tiredly to the Grandmaester, who despite his advanced age insisted on personally accompanying the King to treat the wounded after the battle.

Arlan nodded ''700 of our men and Lord Rowans were killed or heavily wounded today….many during the crossing of the strait or at the cliffs…..Lord Neilyn lost a dozen men as well sallying out''

''And the pirates.'' Vaemond asked solemnly, the price of the battle was higher than he had anticipated for just facing pirates.

''Around the same your Grace….most of their losses came in front of the keep, we also have captured near a thousand prisoners.'' Arlan finished.

''Have the prisoners released.'' Vaemond commanded.

''Your grace?'' Arlan asked.

''They have no use to us..and it makes for a poor King that would slaughter those that surrender to him, even pirates.'' Vaemond said.

''Mercy is a virtue your grace.'' Arlan said with a nod before turning to leave.

''Have Lord Rowan sent as well, I am in his debt.'' Vaemond commanded.

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A short time later Lord Rowan joined him on the walls, wearing only mail and a surcoat splattered with blood.

''I owe you a great deal Lord Rowan….your arrival took them completely unaware, if you had not arrived we would have had a harder time of breaking their shieldwall.'' Vaemond said.

The older man shook his head ''I only did my duty your Grace….I am pleased I could play some small role in your victory.'' He responded, bowing his head slightly.

''You are too humble Lord Rowan….I mean to reward your good service…I hear you have two sons.'' Vaemond said.

''I do your Grace.'' The Reachman replied.

''I mean to name your second son the Lord of Bloodstone once I take it in appreciation of your houses service here, Im afraid its a paltry seat compared to Goldengrove, but I hope it will suffice and serve as a reminder of your courage to your descendents….it will remain in your family so long as it remains separate from your lands in the Reach.'' Vaemond said he had wanted to grant the newest addition to the Kingdom as a reward of some sort and Lord Rowan had proved deserving of it.

''You honor my family greatly my lord…I hope my son proves worthy of your trust.'' Lord Rowan said with a bow.

''If he is half as effective as his father Im sure he will.'' Vaemond said with a smile.

Having had his taste of battle, Vaemond returned back to the capito, with his host, leaving the capturing of Bloodstone to his Uncle Orys Baratheon, who eventually forced the garrison to surrender due to hunger, following this the King made good on his promise and granted the former pirate fortress to Ser Myles Rowan.