Building From Dust
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(Circa 297AC)
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“One, two, three, heave!”
The command came from the apprentice carpenter that had been willing to move to Dustspear, Jorge. With it, I and other men worked to lift the long and heavy beam from the framework of the building in Northpoint, the entirely unoriginal name the northern settlement on Dustspear had been given.
This building, like many inside the earthen walls of the settlement, was being dismantled. It wasn’t a building we needed to save, though as the damage to it was minimal, we were removing the planks carefully. According to Jorge, while buildings in Northpoint were made in different ways and styles over the years, the planks from many could be saved and reused to fix or expand other buildings.
Jorge was a young man originally from Spottswood, but he was the only carpenter or builder who had come with those willing to move to the island. As such, I had made him the Master Carpenter of Northpoint and had him survey the buildings inside the walls. Many of the buildings were beyond salvage, even for reusing the wood elsewhere, and those buildings were simply being taken down and the remains stored. They’d either be used for filling in small holes in the buildings we were keeping, or used as fuel for the fires we burnt at night. Or possibly as temporary wooden walls on top of the earthen mound that protected the settlement from the forest.
I’d been back on the island for nearly a week, with Jaeronos, the supplies, and the majority of those willing to move to the island, and while there’d been teething issues getting the sellswords to accept the workers, things were generally settling into a stable, if uninspiring routine.
The sellswords were housed in five of the larger and safer buildings on one side of the docks while the workers were in buildings on the other. My building – the only one constructed of stone – and a few workshops had a central location in the docks. Along with various buildings that were keepable and had been designated as storehouses, and others set aside as barracks, everything else was designated for removal. Mainly because, over the years, the pirates hadn't maintained them and they were now dangerous to enter.
After a few days, and only having guard duty, many of the sellswords had gotten ansty. While I’d been clear that they’d be doing more than just raiding on this voyage – hells, they were all but employed by me as guards and workers even if many seemed to not have realised it – that hadn’t stopped some from complaining when we’d not instantly started raiding pirate vessels. One had even decided to test my leadership.
That went, piss poorly for him, and while I’d been kind enough to not kill him, I’d sent him back to Sunspear on the hired trade vessel. Not only had I taken his coin and weapons, but I’d informed the ships’ captain to speak with either Oberyn or Manfrey. The man had broken his oath and had to be handled accordingly. Likely, he would be sent to Ghaston Grey, though that man was no longer my concern.
To handle the others who were growing restless, I’d designed a schedule. Every hired blade, including myself and my lieutenants, would rotate through three groups. A man, if not given time off, involved in planning for the settlement or raiding of The Whores, would either be assigned as a guard, a worker or sent to engage in training. While many of the men were competent with a blade, I wanted them ready for the battles to come.
While the training was accepted, and their moods improved by the whores who’d come opening for business, many hadn’t liked the idea of helping the civilians. To ensure they did, I and my lieutenants pitched in, which settled most of the grumbles. What they’d never learn was that every officer under my command – be they a knight like Daemon, a captain of one of my vessels, or just a highly skilled blade like Bronn and Cayde – had been essentially bribed to get them to do manual labour. Since I had more than enough coin, and they all considered me good for it, they’d agreed to the terms provided that after the raiding began they weren’t expected to continue helping around the settlement as workers.
Jorge, along with the other apprentices and the trained stonemason, had surveyed the settlement when they’d arrived. From that, plans had been made for Northpoint and Jorge was overseeing those, which was why I was heaving along with others under his commands.
The trio of apprentice sawyers had ventured out to examine the forest, confirming the trees could be used for construction and other purposes. Under the command of Clarton – who was the senior sawyer, and thus the Master Sawyer for Northpoint – they were working with groups of men who’d come to farm the land and hired blades to clear the areas around the earthen walls. While there was a gap between the forest and the walls, I wanted the forest driven back further, so that around two hundred metres was cleared. Whenever Northpoint came under attack, then the attackers wouldn’t find it as easy to slip inside the walls as my men had.
That cleared ground would, once cleared and tilled, be the site of initial farms for Northpoint and a sawmill – for which I’d spoken with the sawyers before leaving Sunspear and purchased blades for the task – would be built near the main gates. Or what would be gates once they were built as what had been there before were rotting disasters that might collapse with one good swing of an axe.
A second group had also gone out, though they’d left several days ago with Bronn. That group, led by a young man named Darrok, was heading toward the abandoned quarry that we’d discovered during the battle for the island. Hopefully, it was salvageable as having a source of stone would be a massive boon to growing Northpoint, and eventually, the entire island.
A third group, officially led by Irraro but more accurately relying on Ymir’s senses, had headed deeper into the forests, trying to determine what beast lived within, which could be hunted, which had to be removed – something I was sure Ymir would enjoy – and which, if we were lucky, could be captured and brought back for the farmers to rear. I didn’t hold out hope that the final option would have any success, but I wasn’t discounting it given how untouched the island was outside of the settlements at the northern and southern tips.
Both groups that headed out further were due back in a few days, and from there I could begin setting plans for developing Northpoint. Even when I’d taken Redwater, I wanted Dustspear to become something more than just a simple military outpost. While I could ferry in supplies, it took around a half-moon each way for ships in good weather. The island would one day come under assault as I knew eventually the Pirate Lords of the Steps would move against me. The more self-sufficient Northpoint in particular, and the island in general, were against assault the better its chances to survive until help arrived.
Provided I survived the battles with the Wildlings and the Others, then the experience here of building a settlement would help me if I needed to offer my services to any rebuilding operations, something which would be useful in gaining power. Plus, the experience of leading forces and fighting in battles here would prepare me for wars to come, even if the forces in play here were far less organised than those in an army.
The cart groaned as the plank, the third and final one for this trip, was placed onto it. Once it was secure, I turned and looked toward the docks, noting the Trickster and one other vessel were still gone. While not ideal for it, I’d tasked the longboats in my fleet with fishing expeditions. While we were a decent distance from the other islands in the Steps, I wouldn’t risk sending smaller boats out to fish and thus had to use warships for the purpose. So far, while the hauls were small, it was at least providing fresh meat for Northpoint.
We’d also discovered berries in the forest. Those that were safe to eat had been added to the stores brought from Sunspear, granting a little over a moon and a half of food if we didn’t add anything to them. Some of the bushes produced poisonous berries, and I’d had those harvested and stored in my quarters. Eventually, I’d have those bushes uprooted and brought to a private garden, but the berries were sufficient for now for my needs.
Now, to many in Westeros, poison was a woman’s weapon, but the Steps weren’t part of the Seven Kingdoms, and Oberyn had made sure to beat that idea out of me. We’d need every advantage we could get in battles going forward, and soaking a blade in poison, even one that only dulled the senses of an opponent was a huge tactical advantage I wasn’t going to overlook.
To prevent myself from being weakened by said poison, I’d started adding a few crushed berries to my food, though not with any poison milked from Kaa. I’d also ensured my lieutenants also did likewise. Daemon already ingested some poison with his food – a result of also having been Oberyn’s squire – while Bronn and Cayde did so for common protection. The others had agreed to do so as well, though I remembered vividly the reaction Bronn and Cayde had when I’d first added a drop of Kaa’s venom to their food.
The pair had been sick for several days, walking around like zombies as they tried and ultimately failed, to fight off the weak effects of Kaa’s venom. Both were slowly getting used to it now, but they wanted to know what I fed the bloodstone viper that made his venom so virulent. As with Daemon when he’d first experienced a hint of Kaa’s venom, I put it down to the snake’s size and diet being the reason. Although since learning I could Skinchange, Daemon had suspected that the link I shared with him somehow increased the potency of Kaa’s venom; a fact Oberyn had learnt years ago.
“That might be all of the walls we can salvage from this building, Mi’lord.”
I turned, dragged from my thoughts, but Jorge’s voice. At our side, the men split into two groups. One group began pulling apart the rest of the building. They’d try their best to keep potentially useful sections and shorter planks together, but if they couldn’t it was fine. The other group pushed and pulled the cart toward the docks, and the store where salvaged wood was being kept. One of the men had suggested using Ymir to help since we lacked beasts of burden. After I told him to repeat that suggestion to Ymir’s face, and the direwolf had growled fiercely as we approached, the man had apologised and all but ran back to help push the cart.
“How many trips will it take for this one?” I asked, gesturing at the remains of the building.
“If it be in the same condition as the last few buildings, perhaps two trips, Mi’lord,” Jorge replied. I wasn’t technically Lord of the island, and certainly not a Pirate Lord, but my men and those who’d come to live here addressed me as such. Any thought of trying to convince everyone to stop calling me a lord was shut down internally as it would only lead to issues about the command structure and my position that I had fuck all interest in dealing with.
The only ones who didn’t call me ‘Lord’ were Daemon, Bronn, Cayde, and Jaeronos. For Daemon he wasn’t technically under my command, and in some ways outranked me as a sworn shield of the Heir to Dorne. For the others, Bronn had made clear the only way he’d call me Lord was if he was knighted.
While that idea had merit, and would ensure his loyalty – and that of Cayde and Jaeronos – I’d decided against it. I was only a year into being a knight myself, and far younger than the trio. Making them knights wouldn’t be accepted by others, and might even see some challenge me to combat for somehow insulting the concept of being a knight. Of course, since Gregor Clegane and Amory Lorch were knights, then that argument was built on shit, but it wasn’t an issue I wished to face. Though I would return to the idea of knighting Bronn and the others – and the two bastards responsible for the deaths of Elia Martell and her children – in later years.
“Very well.”
I turned, moving away from the building, and beginning a slow walk back to my quarters. Looking around, I took in how much Northpoint had changed. Inside a quarter-moon, we’d pulled down about a third of the buildings marked for demolition, and the rest should be almost done by the time I left with most of the hired blades for The Whores.
While I was away, Jorge and whoever was left in command would have orders to continue the work of improving and cleaning Northpoint, with a focus on defences. I wanted the earthen wall topped by a wooden wall. It wouldn’t be high, but enough to offer cover to men patrolling it and make it harder for any attack to slip inside the settlement.
I also needed the watchtowers on the coast raised. What was there was decent, if in need of repair, but I wanted them higher; ideally three stories tall if they couldn’t be situated on a small hill. That would grant us better forewarning of any approaching ships. I’d love for the wall on the breakwater that protected the harbour, or at least more defensive installations, but that was far down the line, behind most of the civilian projects that needed to be handled as well with the growth of the settlement.
As I walked, I sensed enjoyment and reached for my bonds, it was flowing from Ymir. At a guess, he’d discovered a challenge in the forest and had defeated it. I didn’t, however, shift into his mind, wanting to avoid being there if he started eating his kill.
Ever since that time, I’d had to add stronger spices to food to truly taste things. It was slowly getting easier to eat, but I doubted anything would ever taste the way it had before I broke that taboo.
A whistle as I walked drew my attention, and I saw some of the working girls looking at me appreciatively. While none matched the beauties I’d left in Sunspear, none were unattractive. Still, I never took them up on their offer of a free tumble with any or all of them. I could restrain myself enough that any excess aggression could be worked off fighting on The Whores. As for my urges, while I might be young, I was able to contain myself until I next returned to Sunspear. Something I was sure Ari, and the others would be glad of.
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“Got to say, this map’s not half bad.”
I smiled as I leaned back, having secured the last corner of the map on the desk in my quarters. Around the desk were Bronn – who’d commented – Jaeronos, Irraro, Cayde, and Garreo. Bronn had only arrived back with the team that had ventured to the abandoned quarry this morning, and with everyone back, I’d decided to begin planning the battles of The Whores.
To help with that, I had commissioned a map of the Stepstones. Maester Caleotte had overseen the work, and while it lacked a lot of details, it showed every major island, or smaller group of islands like The Whores, stretching from Sunspear to Lys, and north to Tyrosh and the Saffron Isle.
Not replying to the comment, I began placing markers down on the various islands, each marker – of which there were a dozen – was being used to indicate a Pirate Lord on the steps. While we only had names for a handful of the Pirate Lords, we knew of more, so they and their forces were placed generally on the islands they were said to control.
“Helps to have access to a Maester and mapmakers,” Cayde added with a chuckle as I placed the marker for Alequo Ryndoon, Lord of Grey Gallows, on the map. The smaller markers for him were placed on the island as well but I knew some would be moved to The Whores as while he’s suffered defeat in a major skirmish, he still has interests in that group of islands. That was also true of The Bloodhawk, Lucian Koros, The Blood Serpent, and Aeron Indarys.
The first two were based on The Shrouded Isle and the latter pair on Bloodstone. All four, like Ryndoon, had interests in The Whores, though every time these Pirate Lords came up I wondered what the fascination with the word ‘Blood’ as part of a title was. There was also a Blood King on Bloodstone, but he’d been slowly losing power and influence there to the other two Pirate Lords of the island over the last decade. From reports we’d gotten – willingly and unwillingly - he had, perhaps, a year or two before he was taken out. However, if my plans for The Whores came to fruition, he might last longer and remain a nuisance for the other Pirate Lords of Bloodstone.
“Tis a shame what we know is already moons old,” remarked Jaeronos as I added the markers for the Lords of Redwater.
Those were Allerion Redbeard, Rakakz the Gilded Hand, and Vaegon Firetouched, and they supposedly controlled equal shares of the island. Allerion held the northern section; his name was based on him dying his beard with the blood of his enemies. Vaegon controlled the south of the island and was so-named due to scars all over his face from being burnt when younger. If it was true, then it might be something I could exploit as he may have a similar issue as Sandor Clegane. Rakakz controlled the middle section of the island, and it was claimed he wore a gauntlet that ensured he never lost a battle he personally fought in. At a guess, it might be a section of Valyrian steel armour, but I couldn’t be sure of that.
Something that had caught my attention as I’d gone over the intel on Redwater was that, while each Pirate Lord was powerful, none controlled the small island that was in the bay of Redwater. Hells, they seemed to actively avoid taking it. Since it lay on the direct path between Dustspear and Redwater, it felt like a logical place to gather my forces before attacking Redwater. However, planning for Redwater would have to wait until after I’d unleashed chaos on The Whores, facing off against five, if not six, Pirate Lords there.
“Aye, but can work from it,” I replied to Jaeronos as I placed the final markers on the map; ones for the two minor Pirate Lords on The Shrouded Isle. Since they were on the north or east sides of the island, they weren’t supposed to be active in The Whores, but I couldn’t be sure of that. Nor of their names as none of the pirates captured and questioned so far had known them. “While attacking here,” I placed my finger on the central island of The Whores, “Brings us into conflict with several powerful lords, the fact they are all fighting each other over these islands makes it a tempting target.”
“Tell me you are not thinking of taking The Whores?”
“Hells no!” I spat in response to Cayde’s worried question. “As much as I enjoy a good fuck, I’m not that desperate.” That made the rest laugh. “What I want to do is go in, cause chaos, steal what we can, and leave the pirates to sort out the mess.”
“So go in, have some fun and then fuck off?” Bronn asked with a smirk. “Sounds about how you should treat a whore.”
I joined in with this round of laughter, figuring while our jokes about this small group of islands weren’t unusual, it was better to get the hilarity out of the way now. “My hope is that by targeting the Whores,” I began once we’d stopped laughing, “we shall draw the focus of the lords of these islands,” I pointed at The Shrouded Isle, Bloodstone and Grey Gallows, “onto reclaiming their territory. Tis only a matter of time until word reaches them that The Grim Prince is dead, replaced by a newcomer. I would prefer if the pirates had other, closer, things to distract them, rather than testing our strength.” One ship had escaped the capture of the island, and I had fuck all idea where they’d gone, so the knowledge was likely already out. It just depended on who knew what and how I controlled the flow of information as to how long we had before someone tried to attack Northpoint.
“Aye. To the pirates, Dustspear might seem as tempting a target as The Whores. If one of these bigger pirates attacks, we’re fucked.”
“I prefer to be the one doing the fucking.” Another round of laughter filled the room at Jaeronos' reply to Cayde’s comment.
“I think we all do,” I remarked once the latest burst of amusement ended. “Which is why I want to raid, and where possible, level, any holdings the Pirate Lords might have on The Whores. I doubt there will be much coin to take, but for every man we kill and loot, that be one less arm and one less blade that can be used against us. and a weakened Whore is a better target than an armed viper.”
There were nods of agreement at my words. I wondered how many had caught on to me using the moniker I was flying currently. The Rogue Viper wouldn’t last long, as stories of Ymir would slowly slip out, as would my connections to Sunspear, but the longer I could maintain the deception that I was just another pirate, the longer it would be before any of the Pirate Lords tried to ally with each other and attack Dustspear.
“Our real target is here,” I said, pointing at Redwater. Brows rose at that and Garreo let out a low growl of concern. “Aye, I know it is bigger than Dustspear, with at least three Pirate Lords and each will easily have the manpower of The Grim Prince, but the greater the challenge…”
I left the sentence open, appealing to, for most of them, their greed. Daemon, who was overseeing the training for the men, already knew my intentions. As a sworn shield to Ari, and here under her orders to protect me, he’d not been happy about attacking Redwater. However, he felt my plans had potential, even offering a few suggestions that I planned to implement when we attacked The Whores and Redwater.
That gave me one vote in support, however, I wanted the majority, if not all, to agree. While I could push on without their consent, if my lieutenants were invested in the plan, then they’d motivate the men better.
“I do have to ask,” Bronn began after perhaps a minute of silence, a grin spreading on his face, “why your princess lets you out of her sight.” He pointed at The Whores and then Redwater. “For a plan like this, your balls must be fucking massive. How the hells did you slip her clutches?”
I snorted, caught out by his blunt comment. I really should be used to such things, but Broon seemed to know when and where to make such remarks. “Fucking her into a stupor helps,” I replied, drawing amused chuckles from the room. I disliked talking of Ari, or anyone I care for that way, but I understood the company I was in. “And battle is just as enjoyable and useful for my calm.” Bronn nodded in agreement, as did a few others. “Now, has anyone got anything against this plan, or anything to add that might help?”
Even before speaking to Daemon, I had ideas floating around my mind, but I wanted to hear what everyone thought before implementing them. While it was likely they’d have similar suggestions to the ones I had rattling around in my head, letting them offer them should, I hoped, gain me more loyalty from this lot.
There was no hint from Bronn about how he felt, though given the lack of scalding remarks, I felt he was on board. Probably just wondering what sort of glory he could earn from this, and how to use the stories to bed any maiden that caught his fancy. Cayde wore a smirk, possibly considering the same things as Bronn while Garreo offered a nod, confirming his support. Irraro, as was common with him, stayed silent. Possibly he didn’t consider it his place to question me. While he officially worked for Daenora in the Sunset Rose, I was a partial owner of the brothel, so he saw me as his boss.
“We’re with you boss,” Jaeronos said, speaking for the group as others nodded in agreement. “As you say, it be risky, but it makes sense. And I might have an idea to help.” I stepped back, giving him control of the map. “We know these lords are fighting over The Whores, so why can we not use that to our advantage?” He pointed at the various groups of markers scattered randomly over The Whores. “They will not have banners like Lords in Westeros, or even powerful families in Essos, but they would have some sort of flag their ships all fly. Like the Viper you are using. If we can capture some of those, we can fly them when we attack.”
“Aye, that shall confuse the fuckers,” Cayde agreed. “Might even be able to slip into holdings under those flags and raise hell before they know what’s hit them.”
“That could work.” I turned to Bronn and Irraro. “Did you keep any of those flags for The Grim Prince?”
The idea was one I’d already had, but by letting others offer it, it should serve my purpose of improving their loyalty. And, in future, make them more willing to offer suggestions that I might not think of. I was in command of the men, but I wouldn’t lead without consent from this group, and the more they trusted me to be fair and listen, the better we’d work as a unit.
“Aye. Have to see what happened to them, but there should be a few around we can use in our first attacks.”
I nodded, pleased to hear that. “Once we finish, bring them here.” I looked at the rest after Bronn nodded in acceptance of my order. “Any other ideas for how we might fuck these whores?”
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“What am I looking at?” I asked Darrok as I stood with him overlooking the abandoned quarry.
While he had given me a report once he and the team with him had returned to Northpoint, he’d wanted to show me the quarry personally. The trip here had been arduous as whatever path had once existed had been overgrown fully, though some of the bushes had been hacked clear by Darrok and his team when they’d first come here. In my hands was a decent-sized rock, one that looked useful with some work, for construction. Though it was hard to know if that was possible as I had only the most basic understanding of masonry and construction. Mainly in lessons in recent years over how to assault and break through walls and the like.
“Granite, Mi’lord,” Darrok replied, “and judging by the size of this area, a large supply of it.”
As he spoke, I turned the stone over in my hands, using Earth Magic as I did so. Since I’d first suspected this quarry was here, I’d been curious to see how Earth Magic might be used here. My level was far too low for me to sense metals or elements in the soil, but I should be able to train it up by attempting to sense things underground. One day, I hoped to maybe be able to use Earth Magic in battle, but even if that took decades, I understood this branch of magic, along with the other elemental branches, had uses outside of battle. Hells, I’d already used Fire Magic to warm my hands and Wind Magic to gently shift air around. Both of which Ari, Nym, and Asha had enjoyed experiencing.
“And it is good enough to be used for construction?” It should be, as granite and limestone were commonly used for keeps throughout Westeros, though in the sands of Dorne, Sandstone was more commonly used.
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“Yes, Mi’lord. We cleaned and examined a few blocks that were not too badly buried. The stone appears to match that of your quarters.”
“Well, at least we know where those stones came from,” I remarked with a smirk, the small lump of granite still in my hands being examined by my magic. I wasn’t sensing anything, but that was fine. I’d barely been able to do anything with Fire Magic or Wind Magic at the lowest levels, and even at level 41 for Wind Magic, I was limited in what I could do. Still, with Fire Magic seemingly blocked at Level 100 for the time being, it granted me time to work on the other elemental branches.
And even doing this was a better use of my time than helping with grunt work around Northpoint. While I wasn’t doing as much now as during that first quarter-moon, I still did some. Which cut into my time training, planning, and other things.
“Yes, Mi’lord. However, there are many issues that we face before we can even start mining. To say nothing of transporting cut stones to Northpoint.”
“Aye, true.”
Looking at the quarry, or what was meant to be one, confirmed that. The path down was barely visible, having long since been overgrown with grass, or in the sections that were against a cliff face, either damaged by rocks shifting, the wooden frames rotting or rain. Water was also an issue for the central section of the quarry as there was a large pool of seemingly stagnant water. On the hike up Darrok had pointed out two small streams that past close enough that they should be usable to drain the quarry, not to mention help with water issues once the quarry was up and running. And thankfully, neither stream carried to the river we’d passed during the hike when taking the island.
While water wasn’t used directly for drinking, a clean source of it was useful in other ways. The river nearest Northpoint didn’t seem to flow past the quarry, meaning there was little chance of runoff from here contaminating that freshwater source. That river didn’t flow that close to Northpoint though, and that was an issue for the farms that would soon be built. Plans for irrigation, if not the diversion of the small river were under consideration, existed but they’d be a massive undertaking, and far down the list of projects to be handled.
A more pressing issue, at least linked to the quarry, was clearing a route between here and Northpoint. Barring the areas hacked clear, the path was non-existent. There was technically a road running from here to Northpoint and the currently abandoned southern settlement – the working name was Southpoint – but it would need to be cleared. Trees had taken root upon the road and would have to be cleared.
The foresters and workers helping them were still working, nearly a half-moon since arrival, on pushing back the forest around Northpoint and clearing the land outside the walls for farming. To clear a path to here was going to take a lot of time, perhaps two to three moons of constant work, and that was without considering the transportation of the trees to Clarton and the other sawyers. Or any other projects they had to handle.
The only upside so far was that, of the land cleared outside Northpoint, the soil was fertile, and according to the small group of farmers who’d moved here, better than most found in Dorne. Even along the banks of the Greenblood. That was a relief, as was the fact they’d slowly begun planting various seeds we’d brought with us. We didn't know what would grow, or how well it would take, here so I’d purchased as large a variety as I could in my time back in Sunspear. Oberyn had suggested reaching out to other places in Westeros for grain and crops that might grow here, but it would take moons for anything to arrive in Sunspear, and likely wouldn’t be planted until the following year.
Still, the soil was fertile, the land plentiful and with this quarry, there was the potential for industry. All that confirmed my belief that Dustspear could support a decent population, provided matters of security and the pirates were handled. Even getting a decent town here, or perhaps a thousand across the island could see Northpoint develop into a semi-useful trading and stopover location. Hells, with time, which I admitted was something I might not have, there was potential for Dustspear to regulate trade from Sunspear into the Narrow Sea and toward Essos.
Eastern Dorne relied on the Greenblood and other rivers for not only grain but other resources. Still, they had to import massive amounts of produce from the Reach and Stormlands. With effort, Dustspear could remove that dependency. Something I knew Doran was hoping for.
“Mi’lord?”
I blinked, realising I’d gotten lost in my thoughts about what the future may hold. Turning, I saw Darrok watching me carefully. “Yes?”
“There’s more I have to tell you.”
My brow rose, the stone in my hand resting. “Oh?”
“It seems this island may once have had mines, Mi’lord.” I blinked, caught unaware of that reveal. Darrok pointed toward another of the mountains, small as they were compared to others in Westeros, that marked the central point of the island. “It’s not my trade, Mi’lord, but Jeran says that there appear to be three abandoned mines on the side of that mountain. He hopes, with your blessing, to take a small number of men and discover what, if anything, was mined there.”
“He has it,” I said without much thought. “Though tell him to wait until the camp here is ready to begin. I do not wish to lose anyone in the development of the island. And while I understand it is not your trade, I would like you to monitor his efforts, but the cleaning and restoration of this quarry is more important than the mines.” Even as I spoke, my mind was wondering what might be found on the island. While silver and gold would be a massive boon, I’d probably prefer it to be iron.
While setting up smiths on Dustspear was potentially a pipedream, even iron ore could be exported back to Sunspear and other eastern Dorne locations for smelting and refining. Not only would it create a market and bring in coin, but it would reduce costs for purchasing new weapons and tools that would be needed as Northpoint grew and the island was developed.
“Yes, Mi’lord. Jeran is aware that the quarry comes first, though he shall be happy you have allowed him to explore the mines.” Darrok chuckled. “He has been excited ever since the discovery.”
“And I share that excitement,” I replied with a smile, and after dropping the stone to the ground, placed a hand on Darrok’s shoulder. “I know that you, Jeran, and the others took a risk in coming here, and I want you to know how grateful I am for that. And for the work, you are doing now and in the coming years. While Northpoint will grow without them, an active quarry and mines would only speed up the growth of the settlement, and the island.
Darrok returned my smile and lowered his head. “It is our honour, Mi’lord. Helping you helps Sunspear and the Martells, not to mention stories of your deeds abound”
I chuckled, impressed by the loyalty the man was showing to his home, to Sunspear, and even to me. “I am curious about how the stories of my actions have changed. Perhaps you and others might regale me with my legend over supper, and then I can correct the fallacies within them.”
“As you wish, Mi’lord.”
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Kaa slid through a smallish gap, slipping between the walls of the damaged building. While I was inside his mind, I wasn’t dominating it. Like I’d done each evening not long after we’d arrived in Northpoint, I was along for the ride while Kaa explored the building. His mind was vastly different from mine, and while I understood how his senses worked and could interpret whatever he sensed when exploring I found it easier to be a passenger. It also ensured that on the rare occasion, he sensed prey, I could leave his body without risking being present while he ate.
This building was one Jorge had marked for full destruction, and after the unexpected discovery of a weapons cache in one such building, and several of the weapons being damaged while the building was brought down, I’d started using the viper to scout the buildings scheduled for removal. So far, he’d not found anything of use, but it was a nice way to spend my evenings. While I didn’t need to improve my bond with him, this gave me the chance to spend time with him, making up for the time I’d been away in the North, or focusing on Ymir to raise my bond with him.
Kaa’s tongue flicked out, tasting the air for scents, looking for anything of interest. The faint hint of food reached him, which showed how strong the sense was as the evening meal had ended and most of the settlement was settling in for the night. Yet, over a hundred metres away, several hours later, and currently being upwind, Kaa sensed the food.
Even where he was, somewhere inside a dead building on a near-moonless night, the world was alive with colour. Or at least shades of blue and green. While vastly different from my experience with infrared and night-vision, I found seeing this world strangely relaxing; as if everything was moving at a cooler, more sedate pace.
Somewhere outside the building, my body was slumped over, resting. Ymir and Daemon were standing watch over me. Ymir seemed to understand what I was doing, as every time I’d shifted into Kaa’s mind, Ymir stared at the viper. Daemon didn’t truly understand what I was doing, but he was curious about the sensations of seeing and sensing the world through the eyes of an animal.
Since he was now courting Alysanne, he was curious if my ability to skinchange was one Alysanne might have, and after saying that I felt it came from my Stark blood, he’d grown extremely curious about the ability, and what it felt like to inhabit the thoughts of beasts. I couldn’t confirm for him that Alysanne would be able to do as I did, as with the changes in this world from what I’d known of before, it was possible she’d not inherit the gift. However, I had explained that I’d begun lessons for her and Beron before we’d left Sunspear, so there was a chance that when we next returned, she’d have opened her mind to doing so.
Because of that, we’d spent time discussing how Ymir, Kaa, and Rian saw the world, and wondering how other animals saw it. He’d never have the gift, nor likely any ability with anything magical, but the fact he seemed open and accepting of what I could do was a relief. We were back to a place we’d not been in nearly a decade, and the friendship we’d restored – after beating the shit out of each other first – was one I was glad to have. And not just because of how good a fighter he was.
Kaa moved across the new room quickly, at least for a snake his size. Since I’d bonded with him, he’d continued to grow and while the pace had slowed in the last few years, he was now around five feet in length with the weight to boot. I could easily support him on my shoulders, but the day was coming when it would be a challenge to do so, for both weight and length. According to Oberyn, snakes could grow throughout their entire life, and with my magic boosting Kaa in many ways including size, I wondered if he might one day reach the size of a water snake. It was claimed that those behemoths, which were this world’s version of boa constrictors, were three times the length of a man and could swallow a cattle whole.
That left me wondering how easy it would be to feed him. Yes, even at his current size a handful of mice could sustain him for a month, but at double or triple his size, I suspected he’d have to start eating boar or deer. Or an entire fishing boat’s catch every month or so. Since I was reluctant even now to let him wander too far from my quarters, lest he frighten someone, or Gods forbid, end up dead because of one of my men’s swords, I’d have to monitor his food over the coming years.
The other thing that the increased size brought about was, when boosted by my magic, a higher quantity, and more virulent strain, of bloodflower viper venom. Oberyn had noted the increased potency of Kaa’s venom not long after I’d been gifted him by the now-former Sealord of Braavos, and that it continued to grow more potent with age. He’d taught me how to not only milk that venom – something easy to do as Kaa trusted me entirely – but how to dilute the venom; turning it from a lethal concoction into ones that would only paralyse someone either permanently or temporarily. While the berries found near Northpoint could be used the same way, I preferred Kaa’s venom, and it was the main source of the drops of poison I added to my meals.
While not with me currently, I had a padded bag with marked vials full of Kaa’s venom in various potencies. While I wasn’t sure if I’d ever need them, like with the berries, I had them on hand as the chance to win a battle without the loss of life on my side wasn’t something I would ignore. Hells, even a grazing strike from an arrowhead of blade’s edge coated in poison could remove a dangerous opponent, turning the tide of any battle.
By now, everyone in Northpoint was both aware Kaa was mine, and that he wouldn’t strike unless attacked. While it also played into my current moniker, most gave him a wide berth whenever they saw him. Going so far as to request that, when possible, he remain in or nearby quarters. Kaa preferred this as the stone building was the coolest place in the settlement, with him only willing to come out at dusk or later; preferably with me carrying him on my shoulders. He wasn’t lazy per se, but I could sense he enjoyed it when he could settle on my shoulders and let me do the travelling.
Kaa tensed, his head rising as a new scent reached him. His tongue flicked out rapidly, trying to determine what and where this scent was. I knew it wasn’t food, or at least not one I’d tasted the scent of through his mind before, but whatever it was had his attention. He moved quickly, slithering toward the source, and I stayed back, letting him work and simply observing his actions.
When he reached a hole strong with the scent, he paused and looked up, his eyes taking in the room, and the gap in the ceiling. This was done for me as he understood I wanted to know where he was in the building. While he saw the world in different ways, over the years I’d learnt how to convert his sense of size and location into something I could use.
There was a faint hint of annoyance as he pushed through the hole, his scales scraping against the edges. While he generally seemed to like his size, moments like this weren’t things he enjoyed. Thankfully, he was due to moult soon, so any lingering irritation to his scales would pass once the process was complete. Which was an advantage he had over Ymir and Rian, as each time they got grazed, I fretted over how it might affect them, and how long it would take to heal.
Once he’d got most of his body through the hole, he lifted his head, tongue flicking out to get a renewed bead on his target. This room was fully enclosed, but I could interpret his vision well enough to have a rough estimate of the room’s size. It was small, perhaps three feet by four, and there wasn’t an obvious door. Or at least anything that looked like a handle for one. That was interesting as it suggested a hidden room; something generally used to hide valuables.
Once he was fully inside, Kaa slithered forward, toward a chest. Details on it were faint, with Kaa’s eyes not having the focusing ability of Rian’s, but from what I could see, the chest was weathered, but the lock appeared intact. Knowing Kaa couldn’t do much more, though whatever he’d found was a surprise, I left a command for him to remain here and then slipped from his thoughts.
I blinked, my head jerking forward as my eyes opened and I found myself back inside my body once again. While I was used to the shift after years of moving between the minds of my companions, there was always a momentary readjustment needed. My senses were massively different from those of Kaa, Rian, and Ymir, and even though Kaa was maxed – with Rian’s at Level 8 and Ymir’s at Level 6 – I had to adapt to being back in my skin.
Once the moment of confusion passed, I placed a hand against the wall of the building and pushed myself upward.
“Another wasted night?” Daemon asked, leaning casually against the wall of a nearby building.
“No,” I replied with a smile as Ymir stood, sensing I needed him. “Seems Kaa found a hidden room inside here.” I gestured over my shoulder at the building behind me; the one Kaa was currently inside.
While it was a dark, almost moonless night, I could make out the surprise on my friend’s face thanks to the torch we’d brought with us. it was currently wedged between some blocks of stone, keeping it upright and leaving Daemon’s hands free. “These buildings were cleared. Either someone missed this, or they wanted to keep it for themselves.”
“I would say the former. If they had wanted to take whatever might be inside, they would have come back already. And the room seems to lack an obvious door.” I turned, opening the door to the ruined building even as Daemon picked up the torch. “Regardless of why, we are going to have to go slow. This building is meant for full demolition with nothing to salvage, so it’s likely unstable.” I paused and looked at Ymir, who had an expectant expression in his eyes. “Ymir, find Kaa.”
Ymir snapped out a faint growl, which I knew was his way of signalling intent to obey my order. Moving forward, his nose to the ground, he slipped inside the building. His bulk barely passed through the door frame. I followed behind with Daemon bringing up the rear.
It was unlikely whatever the chest held was of any worth, or that the contents hadn’t degraded over the years, but at least the night wouldn’t be a total waste. This would prove, if he didn’t already understand them, the uses of scouting with Kaa. While he said he understood how useful Ymir was, and had a vague idea for Rian, he’d yet to see Kaa’s work ever bear fruit.
Even if there was nothing of worth in the chest, this renewed my intent to examine as many of the other condemned buildings as possible before we sailed for The Whores. It was unlikely that I’d take Kaa with me as unlike Ymir he was less able to defend himself in battle. Or at least the type of battles we were likely to have on The Whores. Still, using him to scout places I couldn’t otherwise enter was one useful skill of my bond with him.
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I leaned back, letting the blade coming toward my chest taste nothing but air. One foot slid back, kicking up dust as my blade flickered, deflecting away the attack of my second foe. I then shuffled back, avoiding the thrust of a spear that came in after the first attacker stumbled to one side, his attack wild and overbalanced.
Of the three, the spear-wielder, Dolthas, was the best trained. Or at least the one who understood the benefits of fighting as a group against an opponent. I didn’t know yet why the Tyroshi understood this while his companions didn’t, but it meant that of the trio, he was the one I watched the closest.
Now, while skilled, Dolthas wasn’t anywhere near Daemon with a spear, to say nothing of someone like Oberyn who made it seem almost like an art form, he was good. More so than Daris and Vogor. The trio were from the group of pirates that bent the knee to me after I’d killed The Grim Prince and taken Dustspear, and while I’d accepted their service, I didn’t trust them entirely.
Still, they, like the rest of the men, were trained regularly by me or one of my lieutenants, with today being my turn to engage the men. I, along with Daemon and Cayde, focused on teaching them to work as units, while Bronn, Irraro, and Jaeronos worked with them individually. It had only been a half-moon since the sessions had begun, but already there was a marked improvement in the fighting trim of the men and my own skills.
I was fast approaching 20000 skill levels, and should if all went well, reach it before my fifteenth nameday. I had spent some time considering which of the current traits, be they standard or special, I’d take, and while I’d narrowed my choices down I wasn’t making any final call until I saw what the new traits would be. For now, though, my focus remained on the trio.
They shared a smile, thinking they were continuing to force me back, away from where the session had begun. Nearby the other men watched, some placing wagers on who would win, or how long I’d last. Yet they and the trio of former pirates were missing the point. I was outnumbered, but each step back, each slide away was intentional. They should be trying to circle me, to keep me in the open, yet after only a handful of minutes, I was already halfway toward my destination.
The buildings behind, and the narrow alleyways between them, would nullify the advantages the former pirates had, yet they seemed to not understand this. Daris and Vogor continued to attack irrationally, with no thought of where the other was, nor what Dolthas was doing. That meant I’d already used the blade of one to block the other, allowing me to concentrate on Dolthas’ spear.
After Daris and Vogor shared a smile, the latter rushed forward, his cutlass held high for a powerful, but easily spotted attack.
My blade, which wasn’t Red Rain as sparring with Valyrian Steel was stupid flashed out, clipping the flat of the cutlass. The metal rang as I pushed my blade forward, turning his weapon away, and punching out with the crossguard.
He scampered back, fearing I’d press my attack, but my attention was already on Daris. The other former pirate tried to take advantage of Vogor’s failed attack. Yet, as his blade came in, I moved toward him, stepping inside his guard.
My elbow clipped his arm, stopping his attack before my axe slammed into his gut. I wanted to smash Daris in the face with the pommel of my sword but was forced to disengage. Dolthas, displaying once again some sense, chose that time to attack. His spear came in high, over Daris’ arm, and I was forced to parry his attack, being mindful of the small spurs near the back of the spearhead that were designed to catch blades. I’d fallen for that attack so often against Oberyn that there was more chance that I’d start worshipping the Seven than let a common pirate pull that trick on me.
While I couldn’t take Daris out of the spar right away, I was able to push Dolthas’ spear down, the shaft clattering into Daris’s arm, pushing his arm out of line, for a moment, he couldn’t attack with it. Pivoting, my blade was already moving, deflecting away the latest attack from Vogor, and as he became unbalanced and stumbled away, I slipped back further, nearing the buildings. Once there, the angles I had to defend narrowed, and I took stock of the spar.
This spar had been going on for only a few minutes, but I’d controlled the battlefield entirely, moving my opponents as I willed, scoring strikes against Vogor and Daris with ease. Daris, thanks to my quick moves, had two strikes, Vogor one, while Dolthas and I had zero. Now, in a normal spar, the event ended when someone landed a ‘killing blow’. However, that had to be recognised by both parties. While that worked for Oberyn when he sparred with four or five of Sunspear’s guards, I couldn’t trust these men yet to accept that, hence the three-strike rule for group spars. Plus, by letting a spar go longer, there was more chance those I was trying to teach might learn something, and more time for me to improve my skills while beating experience into them.
Dolthas spared a glance at his partners, some annoyance showing on his face, even as Daris and Vogor glared at me, the former removing a hand from his gut. Knowing he was the weak link in the trio, I smirked, daring him to attack. He took a step forward, taking the bait, which earned a withering look from Dolthas even as Vogor also committed to attacking.
His blade came in fast, intent on skewering me like meat for the fire. My axe came up, apparently to block, which drew a wicked smirk from Daris. Yet as his blade neared, I shifted. My axe came up, smashing his blade away as I moved to the other side, and then my arm crashed against his once more. That knocked him away from me and into Vigor’s path.
The cutlass-wielding former pirate’s attack was neutered by his partner. To drive the point home about Daris’ anger costing him, I punched him in his side with my blade hand, the crossguard digging in, eliciting a yelp of pain as my blow landed somewhere near his kidneys.
That was his third strike, but in his current mood I didn’t think he’d realise that, so I struck him again; landing two quick strikes to the gut. As he collapsed to his knees, I stepped back, my blade flicking out to catch and deflect the tip of Dolthas’ spear.
Dolthas had expected that, and as I started pushing the steel tip of his weapon away, he shifted his stance and pushed down. The force wasn’t enough to drive me back, but it meant my blade remained pressed against the spear. Vigor sensed this and moved to attack, his cutlass slashing as he stepped around Daris.
As the cutlass neared, I shifted my stance, letting Dolthas’ spear push my blade down, into the path of Vogor’s cutlass. All three weapons crashed against each other, caught for a moment in a tangle. Using that to my advantage, I stepped forward, driving the spear toward Vigor and trapped his blade between the spear and my blade.
My axe whipped forward, the blunted eye of the weapon slamming into Vigor’s leg, causing him to stumble and fall to a knee. That broke the bind of our weapons, and I leaned back, letting Dolthas’ spear swing overhead, before – while keeping my blade high – pivoted away, generating distance between us once more.
“I believe that be five to zero,” I said, taking advantage of the small gap between myself and my remaining opponents. “Daris, out and unless you want my next strike to draw blood, withdraw.” Daris glared at me, but a less-than-gentle kick from Dolthas stopped him from doing anything stupid. As much as I didn’t want to spill blood in training, if Daris came at me again, I was putting him down. If he didn’t, well I needed men for the vanguard of each assault, and he’d just volunteered. “Now,” I said as Daris moved away, his free arm gripping his gut, “I know you are only former pirates, but this is an unexpectedly bad showing.” I finished with a smirk that would make Daemon think of Oberyn. While I lacked my father’s flair, I found verbally tormenting an opponent almost as enjoyable as he did.
Around us laughter echoed, coming from those watching the spar and waiting their turn to fight. That made clear how unpopular the pirates that had bent the knee to me were. While the group hadn’t done anything to make me doubt their loyalty, I trusted them half as far as Alia could throw them. They, along with a dozen of the newly hired men, would earn my trust only after several battles, and if they fell during those, then it was no great loss to me.
The only pirate that had come close to being trustworthy was Eddin, and that was simply a factor of age, naivety – who joins pirates with the hope to one day become a captain but no stomach for bloodshed? – and the former slaves vouching for him. Eddin currently served as something of my page and messenger. I had fuck all intent of making him a squire, but I needed someone to manage my gear and handle errands for me and Eddin fit the bill perfectly. And if, over time, he did enough to earn greater trust, then I’d see about having him assigned to the Windchaser. If he wanted to one day become a captain, then learning from Garreo was the best choice.
Of the other pirates, Dolthas was the only one worth anything, and while he’d still serve in the vanguard with his compatriots, I planned to give him command of a small unit. If he survived, and the men with him respected him, then I’d begin integrating him properly into my force. Until then though, he and the other pirates would remain the whipping boys of our small, but developing army.
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A breeze blew gently behind me, pushing the Windchaser forward. I stood on the foredeck, one hand resting on the covered scorpion, gazing northward, toward the southernmost island of The Whores. It was just breaking into sight over the horizon, though even with my heightened sight – a gift from my bond with Rian – it was hard to make out much detail about the island. I knew it, and those beyond, were flat; the highest peak was barely a foothill compared even to the trio that rose from Dustspear, which meant they were devoid of much in the way of natural resources.
Like its companions, this island lacked any official name, but for as long as the Stepstones had existed, pirates, thieves, slavers, and other scum had called them home. Their flat beaches were perfect for securing longboats, and then launching them whenever a potential target sailed too close, either by mistake or choice to avoid the Broken Arm of Dorne. Before Doran had sent Oberyn – and by intent me – to Braavos to order a small fleet, trade vessels had been at risk of regular attack, forcing trade with the Stormlands or beyond to dock at The Tor or Ghost Hill and then be hauled over the red wastes to Sunspear.
Most traders now sailed in small fleets, large enough that they could, if they worked together, ward off any assault. For more critical or valuable supplies, Doran also assigned armed galleys or cogs as escorts. Yet, even with the small fleet under Martell’s control, ships were still attacked, though, in the last few years, those had decreased.
One day I vowed to take and hold The Whores, and unlike the pirates fighting over it currently, I wouldn’t be raiding ships passing through, but extracting a toll. If I could get The Whores and the Shrouded Isle under my banner, I’d have secured the Westerosi side of the Steps, and be able to influence which ships sailed through and when.
From my readings, I knew the threat of foreign control of the Stepstones had drawn numerous wars to the regions with the Free Cities regularly attacking the pirates in the Steps – with a focus on those on their side of the island chain – to minimize the threat. Hells, it was when the Triarchy had threatened control of the Steps that Corlys Velaryon and Daemon Targaryen had launched their war, and for a short time had resulted in Daemon becoming King of the Stepstones.
I had little intent toward becoming King of the Steps, as making such a play would draw the Iron Throne, and at least four of the Free Cities, into the region. Against that sort of might, I didn’t stand a chance. Yet, if I could take most of the Steps, develop and hold them, then I felt the power players in Westeros and Essos would leave me alone, or attempt to ally, on the promise of lessened piracy when their trade vessels sailed through the island chain.
That, however, was a long-term goal. One that would last, if I survived, past the Second Long Night. Even if my plans turned to dust, so long as when the war against the Others came I’d earned glory and fame in combat, then everything here would be worth it.
Turning, I looked at my ship, the crew busy going about their duties. On the quarterdeck, Caddar was manning the wheel; Eddin beside him. The boy – he might be older than me by a few moons, but he looked younger – had jumped with joy when I said he’d be sailing with me on the Windchaser. So much so that having him clean and polish my armour had been done with a smile; one neither Daemon nor I could ever remember wearing when we’d cleaned and polished Oberyn’s armour and weapons.
Further behind, staying roughly in our wake, were five of my longboats led by the Trickster. Each carried around thirty men and while the longboats were usable in the Steps, I couldn’t push them too hard as they relied heavily on the men aboard rowing, meaning they would be very tired by the time we reached shore.
That, along with a few other issues the vessels had, had been pointed out by Asha. While the Greyjoy girl hadn’t offered me any hints on how to fix the issue, it had me wondering what I could do to improve and enlarge my fleet. I expected any vessels I captured in The Whores would be of similar size, but manning them to return to Dustspear was going to be an issue.
The thought of ordering or purchasing a larger vessel was one I was considering before the attack on Redwater, however how and where to get such a ship wasn’t clear. Doran wouldn’t allow me to buy one of the ships from the Dornish fleet, as that would be too obvious a link between us, and while there was a small shipyard in the Shadow City, it focused on repairing ships, not building new ones. I could, in theory, reach out to a shipyard further afield. Braavos was out, as it was simply too far away to go for a single vessel; no matter how quickly they could build it, the sailing time there and back was close to half a year. There were shipbuilders in King’s Landing and the Stormlands, however, I wasn’t sure if they’d be willing to construct a ship for a bastard from Dorne; nor that word wouldn’t then reach someone like Varys.
The longer I remained out of his focus, the longer it would take for him to investigate me. Eventually, he would be an issue, as he held – assuming his backstory hadn’t changed from the other timeline – a hatred of magic. While the Martells knew of my magic, which increased the chance something might slip out, it felt safer having them in the know as Doran and Oberyn controlled the flow of information out of Sunspear or soon would be.
My plan for investing in places like the Sunset Rose had been taken further, and while I didn’t know how extensive their plans were, I knew enough to understand that anything up to half the city’s brothels, inns, and the like had hidden investment in them via House Martell.
My eyes drifted over the Grim Minnow, one of the newer vessels in my fleet, and I wondered how the ships and men left behind were doing. Jaeronos had orders to use the remaining ships to protect trade between Dustspear and Dorne – with a focus on ships bearing Dornish colours – and protect against any moves from elsewhere in the Steps. If one of the Pirate Lords of Redwater launched a probing attack, there should be enough men remaining in Northpoint to ensure the settlement didn’t fall.
By protecting the Dornish trade vessels, word should slowly slip out that The Rogue Viper wasn’t looking to raid ships sailing past, and that they could, if they so wished, dock at Northpoint. Eventually, I’d charge a toll for protection, but I lacked the ships and manpower for that currently. Thus, I had any ships I could spare out on patrol, offering free safe passage and knowledge of the settlement at Northpoint.
I didn’t expect any trade vessel to dock at Northpoint for some time to come, but there were plans to lengthen the docks. While being able to slip into the harbour, the cog I’d hired could only just reach the end of the longest pier in the settlement for offloading. That was an issue I’d have to fix as the settlement and my fleet grew.
Northpoint itself was slowly taking shape. The first seeds were down and growing, though it would take at least half a year before any bore fruit. Still, by next year the farmers would know what could grow easily on the island, though they’d noted that while in line with Dorne, the sea winds and regular gentle rainfall kept the island cool and ground moist, making it fertile and good for growing.
Other plans were moving along, but like the farms, would take time to develop. While I could remain there to oversee them, after nearly three-quarters of a moon, I’d grown antsy with the sedate lifestyle and set off for The Whores.
The steps to the foredeck creaked and I barely had time to look down before the large, black mass of Ymir rushed up against me. My arm was forced up as he slid under it, still enjoying a scratch behind the ears or under the jaw even though he was now almost to my height.
“Hey boy, you ready?” I asked, my hand moving under his jaw. A gentle growl of excitement was my reply, which made me smile.
While he’d enjoyed hunting on Dustspear, like me, I’d sensed him growing restless: as if he wanted new adventures. If there had been any predators on Dustspear, they and every other beast knew Ymir was the apex predator. The island was his hunting ground. Though since he’d never been gone more than two days at a time, I didn’t think he’d hunted the southern half of the island, so there might still be a challenger there for him to vanquish one day. “Soon. Very soon.”
While Ymir was here, Kaa had remained on Dustspear. I’d made sure my quarters were secure, with no gap he could escape from. Jaeronos would throw in some meat, preferably a living mouse or rabbit, once every four or five days to keep Kaa fed. Still, while he wasn’t here in person, he was in spirit and venom. The padded satchel containing vials of varying potency of Kaa’s venom was in my cabin, secured in place so they wouldn’t break or spill if we were struck by a rogue wave. Replacing the venom would be easy, but the vials less so. Since they were simple vials, even if small, I could use a local glassmaker and not have to import them Myr, but I’d have to return to Sunspear, speak with a glassmaker there, and await their creation.
A second creaking of the steps up the foredeck had me looking to see Daemon approaching. Like myself, he wasn’t in full armour though it was stored in his cabin. For seaborne battles, I felt better in lighter, more manoeuvrable armour, and it removed the risk of drowning if I fell overboard. However, as many of the battles in The Whores would take place on the islands, full plate armour was going to be a massive advantage. We’d have to wear shawls to hide them if we wanted to approach quietly, but the chaos of battle, they’d save our lives.
“Crow’s Nest has ships on the horizon. Approaching from the island,” he said, passing me a Myrish Eye.
Turning I extended the Eye and looked toward the island. With the help, I could spot two galleys moving in our general direction. Details of the crew were hard to determine, but given where they were coming from it was a safe bet to assume they were pirates. Once closer we’d be able to see if they flew any flags marking out who they fought for, but already I was pleased as those galleys would instantly improve the abilities of my forces.
“How nice of them to send out a welcoming party,” I remarked as I lowered the Eye. “Tell Garreo to pass the signal along that we’re going to have visitors. Make sure most of the men remain below decks but armed. Those on deck can arm, but only as would be expected of ships in these waters. Anything extra they want for battle should be kept out of sight but close at hand.”
“Battle then?” Daemon asked with a smile as he took back the Eye, his clothing shifting enough to reveal the mail he wore underneath the loose shirt. While he and I could’ve kept it over our shirts, we were dressed like this to hide that we were armoured, and hopefully lure in a passing pirate vessel. Something that appeared to be happening.
“I would say so, but we shall see if they are foolish enough to come closer. Still, if even one in a hundred vessels we encounter in the Steps hesitates to fight, we cannot go toward everyone openly ready for battle.” Daemon turned, taking a step toward the flight of stairs. “Oh, have Garreo ready the colours.”
Dameon chuckled without looking back. “You have been waiting to say that ever since we left Northpoint, have you not?”
“Not my fault the song caught on with the men,” I responded. Before we’d left Northpoint, I’d taught the men a new shanty. While we weren’t pirates per se, the song was one I felt worked, even if Daemon disliked the lyrics.
“Fine, but if the crew starts singing it and gives us away, or Gods forgive us, take it to heart and turn on us, I will spend an eternity in the seven hells making you pay for it.”
“The only men who might do that are scattered between the other ships and under watch, though if they try anything I am ready for it.”
Daemon didn’t reply to that, and I turned my gaze northward, toward The Whores and the approaching galleys, I smirked. A moment later a tune slipped from my lips, the soft whistle carrying over my vessel. “Yo, ho, all together, hoist the colours high,” I sang to myself, readying for the approaching battle.
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