6th Moon, 8023

Small Council Chambers of the Aegonfort

It was a different kind of small council meeting than Vaemond was used to. Instead of matters of grain stores, taxes, and appointments, the topic was one of levies, routes and commands, matters that would need to be settled in order to put down the rebellion on Crackclaw Point.

Vaemond, Orys Baratheon, Nestor Royce and Corlys Velaryon stood over the map, arguing differing strategies.

‘’I would say that there is no need for advanced planning Vaemond….one strong host should be enough to scatter them, when they see the quality of our steel and the organization of our men they will lose the stomach for a fight….if you'd prefer not to waste your blade with these rabble give me the command and this ‘’rebellion’’ will be over within the month. ’’ Corlys said confidently.

‘’Aye….we should march with haste up to the point and relieve Lord Crabb.’’ Orys nodded in agreement.

‘’Even with our troops quality we should not underestimate them, they know their land better than we do.’’ Lord Royce cautioned.

‘’Before we even get to our plan we first must determine the strength we must assemble, and where it should be raised….I won't raise men from King's Landing, the gray plague only just abated….hundreds are dead and I won't enforce a levy on an already depopulated area.’’ Vaemond mused.

‘’A fine notion your grace…the small folk should be given time to recover.’’ Nestor Royce nodded with approval.

‘’Our levy in Dragonstone is battle hardened, they fought well at Sunstone, both with you and with your father, there are even some grizzled veterans that followed my brother in taking Ghaston Gray against the Dornish.’’ Corlys said.

‘’We can raise some 1600 men from Dragonstone…..good fighters they may be but we should make plans to raise more men.’’ Nestor Royce said.

‘’Where do you suggest.’’ Vaemond asked to no-one in particular.

‘’Lord Rolland Darklyn of Duskendale has the power to levy over 5000 men.’’ Orys Baratheon said, putting a finger on the large demesne of House Darklyn, just to the north of the capitol.

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‘’It is close to Crackclaw Point…it wouldn't be a long march.’’ Nestor said thoughtfully.

Vaemond nodded ‘’Uncle….when our business here is concluded inform Grandmaester Arlan he is to send a raven to Lord Darklyn with instructions to raise at least 2500 men.’’

Orys nodded.

‘’Also see that he is given a generous reward for his contribution to the realms security as well.’’ Vaemond continued.

Corlys bristled at that ‘’Vaemond….he is your sworn vassal, it is his duty and obligation to raise a portion of his levy at his king's command…his men are not mercenaries, there is no need to pay him.’’

Vaemond shook his head ‘’You speak true…it is his duty…but that does not change the fact this order will put a strain on his house and lands….I will see him well compensated for his trouble.’’

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‘’What is to be the order of battle your Grace?’’ Nestor Royce asked.

The King studied the map for a moment before responding ‘’ Lord Royce….the host from Duskendale will be your command, when you arrive, spend a few days getting them into battle shape and train them as best you can…then you will march north through Rooks Rest and Cracklaw Barren.’’

‘’I assume you will lead the forces from Dragonstone?’’ Corlys asked.

Vaemond nodded ‘’Once I have made my farewells I will take a ship to Dragonstone and raise 1600 men there…..following that we will sail around the point to Dyre Den where we will disembark….we shall attack from the north and Lord Royce from the south.’’

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‘’A fine strategy….they will be trapped at Whispers, if they retreat down the point they will be met by Lord Royce, and they won't be able to outmaneuver him due to our presence at Dyre Den.’’ Corlys said, understanding immediately.

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‘’What's my role in all this?’’ Orys asked.

‘’I think you know well enough uncle….I need you here, ruling in my stead..with my mother dead there is no other I trust to rule the realm.’’ Vaemond said.

Orys nodded ruefully ‘’I would have enjoyed a good fight….but aye, you're right, my duties are here.’’

‘’You all have much to attend to…you are free to make your preparations.’’ Vaemond said, and Lord Royce and Orys Baratheon nodded, bowing their heads and leaving the chambers.’’

‘’What of the Kingsguard?’’ Corlys asked when they were alone.

‘’I want Ser Gregor Goode and Ser Gawen Corbray to remain in the capital to guard Nyel and Laena….Demerei Royce as well, my sister in law is pregnant.'’ Vaemond said.

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‘’Vaemond…with Ser Garmon accompanying your brother to Fair Isle the Kingsguard is spread thin…Ser Gawen is a fine fighter, better suited for the battle field then remaining in the capitol.’’ Corlys said.

‘’I will not leave my family undefended…..Ser Gregor Goode is a good and loyal man, but he's lost his usefulness in battle since the tourney incident….Ser Gawen will remain with my family.’’ Vaemond said, referring to an incident in which Ser Gregor had accidently killed a minor hedge knight in a small tourney, an event which affected him greatly to the point he had lost any desire to participate in any martial activities.

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‘’It will be as you say…i'll tell Ser Harold and Ser Roland to make ready.’’ The Lord Commander replied.

Vaemond nodded at that ‘’See that you make your own preparations as well, we sail to Dragonstone on the morrow, find us a fast ship.’’, his eyes once more drifting to the map.

One Week Later

Island of Bloodstone, the Stepstones

‘’In the name of Myles Rowan…Lord of Bloodstone…you are commanded to open this door….if you do not then there will be blood.’’ The Man-at-Arms said, banging butt of his spear on the shack's wooden door.

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There was no answer.

The man looked to Lord Myles who gave a curt nod, and two men with long axes approached the door, and began to hack at it, sending splinters flying everywhere.

The Lord of Bloodstone drew his sword from his ornate scabbard, which was made of white leather with golden trim; the men of his fathers household guard, who had been lent to him, did the same, forming a semi-circle around the entrance.

The ramshackle door was no match for castle forged steel, and soon crashed inwards with a thud, sending dust and wood splinters everywhere, and as the door fell to the ground…the pirates ran out.

The first pirate, garbed in a shirt of rusty iron scales and armed with a dirk surprised the first man with the longaxe, stabbing him through the hand with his knife, but the second man thrust the butt of the longax into the back of the man's neck with a sickening thud, causing the man to emit a choking gasp and fall to the ground, convulsing in the mud.

The second man did not have much time to savor in his victory as he was immediately shoved to the ground by one of the pirates running out of the door, who were making a desperate attempt to break free and run to the nearby coast, where they no doubt had a skiff or rowboat hidden away.

One of the crossbowmen that Myles had posted behind the main line fired a quarrel at another pirate, holding a wooden club, but the pirate fell to the ground, the quarrel whizzing above him harmlessly and hitting the wooden shack.

The pirate then stumbled to his feet, covered in mud and attempted to run around the main line but the Lord of Bloodstone intercepted him, sword in hand.

The pirate suddenly threw a handful of the mud at Myles, hitting him square in the face, stinging his eyes and covering his long golden locks.

The Lord of Bloodstone stumbled backwards as the pirate charged forward raising his wooden cudgel in a clumsy strike, Myles, with one of his eyes still covered in mud barely managed to get his own sword up and turn the strike away, though he lost his balance and almost tripped over a rock.

‘’Filthy fucking pirate.’’ Myles spat venomously, running an engraved gauntlet over his eyes to clear the mud away.

The pirate launched another strike with his club, mere inches from the lord's face, who barely was able to step back.

He was ready for the next strike though, as the pirate raised his makeshift weapon once more, Myles brought his pommel upwards into the man's fingers with a crunch of heavy gold on bone.

The man cried out, dropping his club and falling to his knees before Myles thrust a sword clear through the man's throat, pulling it out and kicking him in the face where he fell to his back, dead.

The other pirates had not had much more luck, all but one laying dead or dying outside of the shack.

‘’Mercy lord…..I beg you.’’ The pirate said, a pleading grimace exposing his yellowed teeth.

Myles turned to his borrowed retinue ‘’Take this pirate back to Bloodstone and hang him from the tower with the others that surrendered yesterday….there will be no mercy for criminals on my island.’’

‘’You can't.’’ The man screeched but Myles kicked him into the mud, where his man dragged him off to a horse.

The Lord of Bloodstone ran a hand through his hair, angrily dusting off as much mud as he could.

I'll need to bathe again Myles thought with annoyance as he gingerly stepped over a corpse, it was no easy matter getting fresh water brought for bathing, Myles found salt water irritating on the skin.

When he returned, the towerhouse of the small castle seemed to almost be moving as near half a dozen corpses hung from poles at its top, swaying in the breeze.

The next few days brought much of the same to the island. The pirates that had been foolish enough to remain on the island after its conquest were hunted down and slaughtered by the men Myles Rowans father had sent from Goldengrove, with the only surviving inhabitants of the island being a small number of Lysene fishermen and any pirates clever enough to hide their former profession.

Soon after, Lord Rowan declared the island purged of pirates, making it known the island was looking for new settlers from Westeros.

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News of the pirate purge on Bloodstone soon reached neighboring Sunstone however, whose population was still largely made up of former pirates. Fearing that the same fate might await them, the populace of Sunstone rose up in rebellion with the intentions of freeing the island from the authority of the Seven Kingdoms.

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