Pre-Chapter A/N: Here we go with another chapter, coming in right on time. Next three chapters on my patreon(https://www.patreon.com/c/Oghenevwogaga)— same username as here and link in bio.
LAENOR VELARYON, THE PORT OF KING'S LANDING, LATE 120 AC
"Are you sure you're good to travel?" I asked the man for the second time as we stood in front of the ships that would lead us back to the Stepstones. My newest flagship, the Seadragon, sat proudly before us. Massive when compared even to the other ships in the fleet that had escorted it for the journey, not to talk of when it was compared to the regular merchant vessels around us. The naked envy in Redwyne's gaze as he looked at my ship brought me no small amount of joy.
Speaking of Redwyne, I probably had to head back to Viserys now. He had insisted on accompanying me to the Port to see us off, and where the King went, his council followed, and the Court itself followed not too far behind. The entire port had practically been shut down for this departure.
It was a good thing it was happening so early in the day then. Only most of the sailors would curse me and mine.
"All is ready, your Grace," I said with a small bow when I reached Viserys. Alicent had a hand on Aegon's shoulder, and I knew it was only the dictates of courtly etiquette that kept her from doing more.
"Your sailors are something else, Cousin. The very picture of efficiency," he said. I followed his gaze to see how the navy worked like a well-drilled machine to prepare all the ships to take off in order. It would be a simple escort formation for the journey to Bloodstone.
"Thank you, your Grace. I will make sure their trainers learn of your admiration," I said.
"Are you sure you cannot be persuaded to stay longer?" he asked.
"My children grow in my absence, your Grace. And you do remember that thing we spoke about," I said, leaning closer to his ear before saying the second sentence.
"Really? Now?" He seemed shocked.
"The best time for it," I said.
"Then may the gods, old and new, see you well, Cousin," he said, and then he planted a chaste kiss on my cheek. I did the same to him before moving on to Alicent. She, I gave a nod. I said nothing to Aegon as I'd be taking him with me, but I knelt in front of Aemond and Helaena when I reached them.
"The two of you will be good, yes?" I asked. They nodded. I reached out and ruffled both their hair, earning wide smiles from both.
When I was about to rise, Helaena suddenly bolted forward and caught me in a hug. I was shocked at first, before I heard a whisper in my ear.
"I dreamt it last night. If the great She-dragon grows heavy with child once more, she will not survive it," she said. I froze at those words. Luckily, Helaena held on to me long enough for me to adjust and pat her back to show I understood.
"Thank you for telling me," I whispered back as she let go.
LAENOR VELARYON, THE NARROW SEA, LATE 120 AC
Helaena's words had not left my ears in our days at sea. Every day I woke up and worked on the ship with the men. It was a massive ship, and even a machine as well-drilled as the Velaryon navy could not run it in such a way that there was not always some work to be done. Of course, all of it was low priority work, but it was still something to do. And when even that bored me, I roused Aegon from his watching of Sunfyre, and drilled him for hours at a time on the deck.
The drills would oscillate between having him and Jak spar while I shouted corrections at the both of them or making the both of them spar against me at the same time. Jak was ahead of Aegon, and I was ahead of the both of them so it gave the both of them room to grow. Jak learned from instructing someone he was better than, and Aegon learned faster from fighting against someone that was closer to his level. And when that was done with, I would release the boys, and they would head off to find Aron Dondarrion, the third of their number.
Having the Dondarrion heir approach and ask to travel with me to the Stepstones and join my household for a time had been a shock. I still didn't fully believe his rationale that he just wanted to be close to Jak, who was allegedly the best fighter close to his age that he had ever seen. And while he had joined to improve his fighting skills, he lacked anything even close to sea legs. With how often he puked himself, having him above deck would prove to be a hazard so he was confined to his quarters.
At least Aegon was friendly enough to visit the boy in said quarters and he proved to be entertaining enough in said visits that now Aegon and Jak went to him of their own accord these days. There was some cyvasse being played, and I'd considered poking my head in a few times to join them, but it was not my place. The children should be free to enjoy themselves without being forced to keep an adult company.
So instead of subjecting the children to my presence, I did it to my sailors instead. I offered spars to anyone interested, but after the second day, no one took me up on it. So I did push-ups and pull-ups till I got tired to get my mind off it. And when even that stopped working, I found more and more interesting activities. Right now, I was doing one of those, climbing the mast.
No one had said anything to discourage me, but I was not blind to the looks I got when the attempt began. But the higher I got, the more I wanted to just keep going. The feeling of the wind blowing through my hair was a unique form of freedom that I'd missed.
When I reached the top, I looked down at the ship. Even with how big the ship was, from this high the deck was like a world beyond. The rest of our small fleet were like spots to my vision. Igneel's head lifted from his position on his ship and growled in my direction. It was as if he was asking me to get down. I chuckled and, balancing on my feet, began to walk across the wood that held the top bit of the sail. I walked towards the other end and got my first view of Sunfyre today.
He was not adjusting well to the sea. Aegon had managed to prevent him just setting his carrier on fire, but he seemed to be having far from a good time. Landing back on the ship was something he wasn't trusted to manage without capsizing the damn thing so sadly he could not be allowed to fly about.
For now at least. He would get his freedom in a matter of days. Once we were in the Stepstones proper, he could probably just make the trip back to Bloodstone on his own. Hopefully he managed to avoid pissing off Vhagar if he did so. Igneel and I would not be there to break up any fights, and a fight allowed to run its course would lead to one very dead golden dragon.
At least he and Aegon had better survivor instincts than Igneel and I did at that age. They bore the older dragon's mean-spirited nature with silence and long-suffering where Igneel and I had endeavoured to give back as good as we got, and the Queen of Dragons never did learn to see the value in a good joke at her expense.
I turned my gaze to the wider sea ahead of me and saw some ships that we would soon be passing. A few of them bore Velaryon sails, but there were all sorts of ships that plied this bit of the narrow sea. More than did any other sea, I was sure. I could see sails hailing from everywhere from Meereen to Braavos. Of course, the trade from both of those particular ends had taken downticks in the years since I'd established my kingdom.
The former from my ships raiding their slaver vessels and freeing the prisoners whenever we were sure that the ships contained slaves and no legitimate cargo, and the latter from a vendetta between the who's who of the city of a thousand rivers and myself. Generally, merchants tended to stay out of such things, but no nation had their merchant class gelded in quite the same way the Braavosi did. The Iron Bank, Shipwright's guild, and Courtesan court created a series of incentives and attachments that meant that even the most willful of merchants would obey the Sealord's will more often than not.
After all, what was the point of making gold in the crap loads when the women you would have loved to spend it on refused to sleep with you?
But Braavos was the least of my worries now. I watched the ships for as long as I could before I had to climb down. When I did, Cargyll was waiting for me at the foot of the mast.
"You worry your sailors. They fear the dragon will roast them to death should you trip and break your Lordly neck," he said when I reached him on the deck. I chuckled, imagining it, Igneel falling upon the ship with the wrath of a god because I'd gone and got myself killed.
"They shouldn't worry. Igneel is perfectly reasonable," I said, and almost as if he did it on cue, Igneel growled before roaring into the ocean itself. The ship was rocking too much for his tastes, his mind supplied.
Cargyll looked over at the ship that held the dragon and then back at me. He quirked a brow and I shrugged. There wasn't really anything I could say to that.
"What brings you up here, Ser?" I asked.
"Just came to offer my thanks, my Lord. You saved my life," he said.
"I only did what I had to. Don't worry, I was just saving Aegon. You just happened to be next to him," I said, smiling at him to show that I was joking. At least I managed to get a smile in return.
"However, there was a matter I wanted to discuss, my Lord," he said.
"What is it?" I asked, feeling the change in his tone. We came to a halt near the side of the ship, looking out over an open sea of possibilities.
"Before we left. While I was at the Maester, a man approached me," he said.
"A man?" I asked, probing for more.
"He claimed to be in the employ of Lord Darklyn," he said. I buried the urge to smile. Mesilla's friend, an acolyte in the Maester's office, had heard the whole conversation, of course. But it was very interesting that he was coming to me with it.
"And what did our Master of Whispers want?" I asked.
"He prevaricated and equivocated, but what I understood his words to mean was that they wanted me to spy on you. To skulk about in the dark, read your letters and report on your comings and goings," he said. I chuckled then, not able to avoid it. Even if he had been put onside, the mission they'd given was so far out of this man's skillset that they might as well have asked a fish to race a cheetah on the ground.
"I take it that you refused them," I said.
"Of course. I am a Knight. I swore the vows and I hold them dearly. And even besides that, I am of the Kingsguard and there is only one man to whom I answer," he said.
"That is good to hear, Ser," I said, tapping his shoulder softly, careful not to aggravate his wounds. He stepped closer to me at that, having one last thing to say.
"I came to tell you because if I was approached, then there is every chance that several other of your men have been approached as well," he said, voice much lower now.
I laughed at that. I couldn't help it.
"Oh, they definitely were," I said when I was done laughing, enjoying the shocked look on his face.
"Don," I said, calling one of the members of my household guard who was milling about the deck towards us. He came over, giving me a nod as he did so.
"My lord?"
"How much were you offered in King's Landing to spy on me?" I asked.
"Nineteen dragons at last count, my Lord. The gardener, the washerwoman at the keep, and one of the stableboys all approached me," he said to Cargyll's shock.
"And how many did you say yes to?" I asked, and at that Cargyll's hackles rose. His hand reached for the blade at his waist. Oh, what an innocent man.
"All of them, my Lord," he said. I chuckled, and flicked a dragon from my coin purse in his direction.
"There you go. It's an even twenty now," I said. He thanked me and left, then I turned to the Knight.
"Every time I go to the Castle, that happens. There are many interests in the realm that want to know what takes place at Bloodstone. My men have orders to just accept the gold and give nothing in return. I also tend to match every offer they get and make it even more lucrative for them. They know the best deal they can get is by my side so they stay loyal. And by accepting their gold, we ensure that no one does anything drastic while I am in the Keep," I said. He still looked far from comfortable with the deceit.
"There is no honour in it," he said.
"I know. But to be a Great Lord in Westeros is to understand that honour is a luxury. It is one that we must defend and act in accordance with at every opportunity, but it is also one that we cannot always afford. And when it becomes impossible to act with perfect honour, we must act in the best interests of the realm. Is it not in the best interests of the realm that those with gold to, as you say, skulk about at night, be relieved of some of that gold?" I asked. He turned away, failing to meet my gaze. I had him.
"If you say so, my Lord," he said.
"Good. Now I was going to come and find you either way, so it is probably for the best that you came out here. Saves me the journey," I said.
"Find me? What do you need, my Lord?"
"I will be leaving soon. Probably by dawn tomorrow," I said.
"Leaving?" he asked, before turning his head to look at the miles and miles of open sea around us.
"On dragonback, of course," I said with a chuckle. One that turned into full blown laughter as he reddened. He hadn't thought of it, it seemed.
"And while I am gone, you will work with the sailors and ship Captains to see this fleet to Bloodstone as safely and quickly as possible. I will be leaving Aegon in your care as well, good Ser," I said.
"Leaving to where, my Lord?" he asked.
"There is no harm in telling you now, I suppose. I have some business to attend in Dorne," I said.
He looked doubtful at that. His gaze went from me to Igneel over and over again.
"Business to attend in Dorne, my Lord?" he asked.
"Indeed," I agreed, not offering more. He turned back to the sea and then he took a breath.
"Good luck, my Lord. With the business, I mean," he said.
"I have no need for luck, but your best wishes are appreciated," I said to him, before heading towards the cabins below deck. I'd told Cargyll now, so it only made sense to tell Aegon right after.
All three boys were in Dondarrion's bunk. I opened the door to the room that was so small it would be a cupboard on land, but here on the open sea it was practically a palace.
They were having some sort of argument over the board that died out as I came in.
"Lord Velaryon," Dondarrion and Jak said in unison, giving me bows. Aegon just rose from his seat.
"Were you looking for me, my lord?" he asked.
"I was indeed. But I can just tell you what I have to say here and now," I said.
"Yes, my Lord?"
"I will be taking my leave from the fleet tomorrow. I have business to attend in Dorne. You all will continue to Bloodstone," I said.
"What kind of business?" Aegon asked immediately, pouncing on my words with his own before they had even fully left my mouth. I quirked a brow in his direction and remained silent for a few seconds.
"I'm sorry, my Lord," he said, kicking at the deck with the tip of his boots as he said the words. But at least he kept his gaze on mine throughout. Sentara was proving to be worth her wages at least.
"Good. As for my business, it is none of yours," I said.
"I can come along. Sunfyre and I. We can fly the journey, my lord," he said.
"I have no doubts about that, Aegon. But it is still my will that you continue to Bloodstone. My children will miss me, and you will help look after them in any way you can while I am gone," I said, and the mention of the children and some additional responsibility being sent his way made him straighten up somewhat.
"Besides, I know you don't want to come to Dorne. It's mighty hot, and a dreadful bore most of the time," I said. He nodded, still looking a bit doubtful but whatever hesitations he had went unvoiced as I left the cabin.
A/N: And so we get a whole chapter at sea. Next one takes us back to Dorne. How fun. Next chapter comes on here by Wednesday night. Next three chapters up on patreon(https://www.patreon.com/c/Oghenevwogaga) (same username as here and link in bio), support me there and read them early.