Chapter Text
„GOD DAMNIT, YOREN!“ my brother yelped in disgust, when I did bend myself over the railing of the ship and threw up into the sea.
My guts were twisting and I felt all the food and water I consumed earlier being pushed out from the caverns of my stomach and tears were covering my sight a bit. Again, I was just happy that I had my hair tied up in a ponytail. Washing was one of my least favorite things about having a long hair.
A firm hand, which belonged to my brother, touched my back as I was throwing out, patting it slightly.
„Sheesh…“ he chuckled. „You never told me you are sea sick, baby brother.“
„That’s because I’m not…“ I groaned in between vommiting and gagging a bit.
„Oh? Your current state says othervise.“ He said and just by the tone of his voice I knew he is grinning at me. I threw out the last piece of food that resided in me and took a series of deep breaths in and out to calm myself.
„Next time I can throw up on you, if you’ll not shut up, Alyn.“ I groaned and wiped my lips with my sleeve.
„Hey, I didn’t do anything.“ He said, offended. „You don’t have to snap like that just because you are a bit sick. Gods, you are sometimes worse than most of women.“
„Pff…“ I chuckled at that. „Well, thank you for your concern anyways…“
„Always…but still, if you feel sick-.“
„It’s too late to return home, brother…“ I said, stopping him from talking. „We are now in this. And no…I’m not sea sick. I was at the sea before.“
„Well, then what it is?“ Alyn asked me, his hand still placed on my back. I finally calmed down a bit and wiped the tears I had in my eyes.
„I’m fucking scared, Alyn…“
Queen Rhaenyra allowed me to get into the battle at the sea against the Triarchy. At the council, Lord Corlys said that he will join the frey too, on his flag ship, The Sea Snake and three of his battle ships he kept as his own shield at the sea. Not to mention a few ships of houses Celtigar and Bar Emmon.
Rhaenyra gave him some soldiers from the Dragonstone guards as a support and sent me and a few lesser knights with them on one of the three battle ships of his.
My plan worked out perfectly. Now I could watch over the battlefield and make sure my sweet little dragon will be safe. But there was one thing that made it a bit complicated. My father and my brother, Alyn.
Non of them was happy about me going into the fight. First they tried to talk the Queen out of it, right wnen the council ended. When she said it was my own decision to go, they went to me, saying everything they could to stop me from this.
But soon they realized they won’t succeed in this task. I made up my mind and I was not backing down.
Then Alyn, despite being one of the Dragonstone capitans, urged father to let him join us so he can watch over me.
„Who will take care of Yoren, father? He barely can move his hand.“ He said to father. Father just stared at Alyn and me, measuring us with a look, just if he wanted to see if we‘re still not a little boys he sired all those years ago. His lips curved into a smile as he looked at us. With his hands being placed on each’s shoulder, he finally spoke:
„Both of you are brave and good men. I know you can take care of him, Alyn…as well as I know Yoren will take care of you too.“
Both me and Alyn gave him a nod. Father pulled us into a hug. It was a surprise. He didn’t do that oftenly. I accepted it and hugged him back tightly, just as Alyn did.
It was a magical moment. For me, it was.
Soon, we got aboard one of the battle ships under Lord Corlys‘ banners. The ship was large, with a trebuchet in the middle of the main deck. Me and Alyn were assigned to stand at the bow of the ship, watching carefully. I thought it’s no use as there still was a man above us in the crow’s nest, but I didn’t really asked.
Both of us were armored and prepared for the battle. Alyn wore the chain armor, under which he had a leather clothes. He first wanted to take his Dragonstone armor, but due to being at the sea, he didn’t want to risk himself falling and drowning there. He also weared a shield with a Targeryen sigil and as his weapon, he took a longsword.
As for me, I stucked with my leather armor and iron helmet, flail as my weapon and a shortsword as my second weapon.
We both had our eyes at the horizon, to the east. The morning was slowly coming and the sun was soon to arise. It could be around three hours since we departed from the Dragonstone and In the distance I already saw the ships of the blockade that Lord Corlys set upon the Gullet.
And so we stood there, watching and I was doing all my best to nit shit my pants.
„Scared?“ Alyn asked, his chuckling disappearing.
„Yes… I’m scared. I’m scared of the battle, brother.“ I admitted again, still a bit bent over the railing, sometimes spitting out the awfully tasting saliva.
„How someone who faced the largest fucking dragon in the world and tried to mount one can be scared of the battle?“ Alyn asked, trying to sound funny, but even he wasn’t sure if he wanted to be.
„Because people are much more terrifying than dragons sometimes.“ I responded, looking at my brother. „Dragons are scary…but people are unpredictable. With a dragon, you expect it to be wild. But humans can be vile and vicious, sometimes even more than a dragon in rage.“
Alyn rubbed his chin and sighed.
„I suppose you aren’t wrong…“
He slightly bent over the railing and started to play with his fingers.
„I am scared too."
„Well, so here we are, two scared bastards trying their best to not shit their pants.“ I chuckled. The remark made Alyn smile a bit.
„I suppose you’re right…“ I gave my brother a sad look. I felt guilty a bit. I didn’t want him here.
„You didn’t have to go with me…“ I sighed.
„Oh Yoren, not again please…“ he rolled his eyes.
„I’m serious, Alyn. You should be with Maya…take care of her…be with her. Not risking your life here at the sea. Plus…I don’t want you to get killed.“
„And you think I want YOU to get killed oit here?“ Alyn snorted, slightly annoyed. „Maya is important…and our future baby too. But you, baby brother, are the last family besides our father I have… And I don’t want to lose you.“
„Wait…and what about Barrick, Alyn? He is too your brother.“ I objected.
„Yes…but he made his decision, Yori. Despite not meaning ill will on us, at least from what you said to me, he chose his side. And there is no way we will ever reunite as a family…“ Alyn said, sadness taking over his voice.
„Do not say that. We still can be a family.“
„No… He is one of Aegon’s knights. If we win, Barrick will be executed or sent on the Wall, at the very best and if not already dead.“ Alyn stated firmly, but sadly. „And if the Greens win, we as the supporters will not be safe and allowed to stay at Dragonstone. They will banish us, at the best.“
My brother gently placed his hands on my shoulders and gripped on them.
„Especially you will be in a great danger, Yori. You, as the prince Lucerys‘ shield… They will go after you…“
„They can come.“ I answered. „But rather die than give up on what I believe in is right.“
Alyn just smiled and releassed me from his grasp, before turning back to the sea, watching the slowly rising sun.
„So…dreams?“ he then suddenly asked me.
Here we go, I thought. I felt like a giant rock just fell into my stomach. I knew my family loved me, especially Alyn did. But I could see their looks when I revealed my secret at the courtyard. They thought I’ve gone mad. That I am crazy. That I believe in fool’s stories. Not that I blame them. It is unbelievable. But despite that…it hurt me still a bit. Even now, asking about it, he still had signs of that look on his face. Those doubts were there.
„…you want to mock me? Right now? Before the battle? Thank you.“ I mumbled and turned away from him, not even hiding my disappointment. „Go on then. Mock me if you need to.“
„I wasn’t going to mock you, Yoren.“ Alyn said firmly. „You really think low of me, of your own blood…“
This time, he was the one disappointed. And sad to say, rightfully. I really did think low of him on this.
„Can you blame me? Everyone, even you and father gave me the same look. You think I’ve gone fucking insane. That I am not well… I can’t say I blame you all for it, but…it still hurts me. And most of all, from my own family.“
„Well, you said it yourself, it is strange to hear it… But no, I am not thinking you’re mad or anything, baby brother.“ Alyn said. I didn’t look at him though. All I did was I just stared at the horizon, where I saw the rising sun and the ships of Velaryon’s blockade.
„You said…“ he continued. „…that this happened before. Tell, was it when…you and Lucerys flew to Storm’s End?“ I simply hummed in response.
„Gods… You knew it will happen. So that’s why you flew with him. You could’ve died and yet, you went there.“
„I did… And I’d do it all again.“ I spoke with shaky voice, a happy smile forming on my face as my brother continued to ask me. He really didn’t think I am mad.
„And the dragon? You tried to tame one… That was too-.“
„Yes…but that one is more complicated…“ I said. „ I thought it tells me I am the one to mount a dragon. But it was a bit different.“
I gently stroked my left hand.
„I…noticed that after that incident, prince Lucerys changed. And I am happy to say, for better. Was that the outcome?“
I nodded. Alyn didn’t ask further.
„Wow…“ he sighed in admiration. „You…are really a madman, Yori. But a madman with a good heart.“
„Heh… I know. But I only do it because…well, you know why.“
„I do. And I am proud of you, baby brother.“ He then placed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed it. I turned my head to face him.
„Grandfather would be so damn proud of you…“ he whispered. I had to smile at that. I still remembered my dream, where I met him, our grandfather.
„He is proud. Of both of us. I know he is.“
„He was the greatest.“ Alyn smiled. „And…if I ever have a son, I will name him Jojen. After him. In his memory.“
„That would be nice.“ I said while returning the smile.
„Speaking of that, you have a name for a daughter?“ I couldn’t help but ask. Alyn scratched his scalp and chuckled.
„Alysanne…“
„After the Good Queen?“
„Exactly. Maya agrees on it and I love how the name sounds…“ Alyn said happily. It was so nice and refreshing to see my brother so happy like that.
„I will be happy to meet my nephew…or niece.“ I said to him. „And I will be a good uncle to them.“
„I don’t doubt it, brother.“ Alyn responded, messing up my hair. I growled at him for that and pushed his hand away.
„Fuck off with that, Alyn. You know I hate it.“
„That’s why I do it.“ He said cheekily. But before I managed to give him a proper respond, the watcher in the crow’s nest started to scream.
„THE TRIARCHY IS HERE!“
Both our looks locked onto the horizon as well as the eyes of the other soldiers who ran on the main deck to see it. We were not close from the ships that created the blockade yet, but we weren’t far either. The sun was rising and blinding our sight a bit, but even with that I could see the flames that were blazing fron the ships infront of us.
Somewhere in the distance a horn sounded, alarming the other ships. But it was too late.
The Triarchy sailed with the wind in their back probably and then used the sunrise in their momentum, surprising the fleet, so they had much less time to react.
„Motherfuckers…“ Alyn growled, slowly grabbing onto the hilt of his sword. His hand was shaking as well as his knees. I can’t say I was in a better state. My whole body shook much more than Alyn’s and the feeling of vommiting again took over. I bent over the railing and threw up. There wasn’t much to throw out, only a gross yellow water was leaving my mouth.
„You’re good?“ Alyn asked swoftly, again placing hand on my back.
„Not really…“ I admitted, looking again at the starting battle before us. „If we survive this, I swear I’ll break into the Dragonstone storage and dry out the best barrel of Arbor Gold they have in there.“
„I’ll more than happily join you in that, brother.“ Alyn said in a shaky voice.
„SOLDIERS! GET READY!“ the capitan screamed. Both me and Alyn swiftly moved to the flock of soldiers at the main deck, waiting for the orders. Everyone was pissing themselves, it was visible.
Most of them were young men, in Alyn’s age, who didn’t yet taste the war in their life. I was like them, I wasn’t kissed by the war, but I wasn’t a stranger to deadly situations.
„Those whore sons are here to kill you!“ capitan yelled at us. „They are here to kill you and then come to Dragonstone, Driftmark and plunder your homes, rape your wifes, daughters, maybe sons too, only to slice their throats afterwards!“
I could sense the shivering among the men who stood next to me. They imagined the gruesome ways in which those bastards will hurt their loved ones.
„So I ask you! Will you allow them to do so!? Will you die like cowards, pissing yourself, die without a fight and let them have tgeir way with your loved ones!?“ capitan asked, raising his voice even more.
„No!“ we answered as a choir.
„WILL WE LET THEM THROUGH!?“
„NEVER!“ was the response.
„FIGHT! NOT FOR THE QUEEN, BUT FOR THOSE YOU LOVE THE MOST!“ capitan literally roared and raised his own weapon, a battle axe. Alyn raised his sword and shouted:
„OGGY, OGGY, OGGY!“
„OI! OI! OI!“ the rest of us shouted in response, raising our weapons too.
„MEN! PREPARE FOR THE ATTACK! WE WON’T LET THEM THROUGH!“
Everyone roared like a vile animal in a response and moved to their positions. Me and Alyn took our place and waited. My fear was gone, as well as Alyn’s was. The capitan’s speech pumped a new energy into my body, cleaning my mind of any fear I felt. Alyn too looked more determined than before. We both had somebody to protect. And we would do anything to protect them.
„BRACE YOURSELVES!“ capitan roared as our ship was about to enter the frey. Everywhere around us it was a total destruction and chaos. Our ship dropped the anchor and our men took their positions.
Ships were burning, men screamind, blood was turning the waters red. The Triatchy ships were firing the fireballs from trebuchets, setting Velaryon ships on fire, crushing into them with their armored bows to split them, their men getting onto our ships to slay everyone moving.
„ENEMY INCOMING!“ screamed the man in the crow’s nest. And really. One of the Triarchy ships headed right at us, soon to crash into our left side.
„Dear Gods, give us a strenght to beat those savages…“ Alyn mumbled a prayer.
„Fuck Gods, Alyn! They won’t help anyone here!“ I spat out, getting ready. The Triarchy ship‘s bow was made of solid oak and armored with an axe-like blade to cut through the ships when impacting.
„This is about to hurt!“ I yelled, stunned by the look at the ship getting closer.
„RUN!“ Alyn screamed, grabbing me by the arm, dragging me from the front where the ships were about to crash. This was it.
„IMPACT!“
*crash*
The air was filled with the sound of screaming and cracking wood as our ship was crashed by the Triarchy battle ship at full speed. From what I could see, their axe-like bow managed to nearly cut the ship in half.
Their ships were larger than ours and despite our ship was craftrd by the best constructors at Hull, it didn’t stand a chance against the Triarchy’s ship.
„SLAY THOSE GOATFUCKERS!“ screamed someone behind us, as the enraged Triarchy soldiers jumped at our ship, screaming and running at us with one goal; to kill.
Alyn and I were ambushed by two soldiers, wearing only a heart protection on their chest and pants. They were counting on the agility and their small sharp scimitars.
One of them looked at me and charged at me with a scream. Alyn was too attacked, so I had to deal with him myself. I gripped onto my flail and with a thought of Luke surviving this battle, I charged at the soldier.
The savage man against me went straight after my head. I dodged him and attacked him with my flail. The spiky ball missed him by a long shot, as he was constantly moving. I knew it won’t be easy to kill a light target.
But I was a light target too, as I was used to fighting in a leather armor. So I knew how they will think. Well, at least I hoped. The thought proved to be right, when the man jumped at me, trying to deliver a slash on my neck.
I stepped back and the blade missed me again. I knew if I won’t do something, my neck will be sliced open soon. I had to think and act quickly.
The savage man yelled something in High Valyrian that I didn’t understand and again charged at me. It was a never ending circle. I dodged a series of slashes from both sides by stepping back and the man charged again, more furiously than before.
I looked around.
I was in the middle of the main deck, at least ten feet from Alyn. Other soldiers around us fought valiantly too. Some already fell, but most managed to kill their opponents. I had to hurry.
The savage again charged at me, but something caught my attention. His constant attacking already dried him out of all strenght. That was it.
I’ve let him slash in my direction one last time…and charged into the counter attack. I swung my flail against his chest. The man barely escaped it. I charged again, spinning the spiked ball inftont of me and them again charging a swift blow. The man dodged, but always escaped by a mere inch. He was slow now, wasting all his energy in the swift and reckless beginning.
That was the one thing that always decides the battle. The one my grandfather taught me omce and I sticked to it.
„The thing that decides the fight is not who has bigger balls, muscles or weapon. The winner is the one who can use his brain.“ He used to say. And he was right.
The savage soldier tried to charge at me, slashing from above. I saw the slash coming even before he tried to perform it. I dodged on the side. The man stumbled forward and when he turned his head to find me, the only thing he found was the spiked ball of my flail, crashing into his face with immense speed and strenght.
The hit was so strong that it crushed the man’s face, delivering a shower of blood, bones, hair and brain parts. The body of the soldier stumbled backwards and fell on it’s back, as wide as it was long. It twitched a few times and then stayed still. For a moment I stared at the man’s body in shock.
My first kill, my first spilled blood on the battlefield. A million thoughts rushed through my head as well as regrets for the soldier. Enemy or not, he was a human. A human who maybe had a family, a wife, children…
All those thoghts quickly vanished as I heard a feral scream of another man charging at me. I had to gather myself together. The man was armed with a curved blade I saw in the books.
It was a common weapon used by Dothraki clans, called Arakh. The blades whistled in the wind as it was heading towards me. I had to duck a bit to dodge the death blow and swung from below, delivering a hit on his lower jaw.
Another scream came out of him as one of the spikes pierced through the meat on the underside of his jaw, surely getting into the caverns of his mouth as I saw blood pouring out of there. I swiftly pulled by the handle, separating the ball from the meat, tearing the man’s jaw apart.
He dropped the blade and held onto his jaw, screaming as the blood poured in between his fingers. He didn’t scream for long though as I swiftly swung the flail against his face, again crushing his face with the strenght and the speed of the impact.
My fear and regrets have disappeared. Only thing that was left now was the survival instinct. And that instinct fueled me with a raw strenght and will to kill anyone, who dares to deliver a blow on me. I could feel my hands shaking, but not in fear. It was the sheer energy that kept me moving.
„TAKE IT, GOATFUCKERS!“ I roared and charged at one Triarchy soldier, who was battling one younger boy not far from me. I saw the boy, not much younger than me, losing the fight and the soldier was gaining the upper hand.
He was about to cut off the boy’s head when my flail found the back of his own. His skull crumbled under the hit, an awfull red and pink mash pouring out of the wound. The soldier fell on the side and didn’t move again.
„You’re good?!“ I screamed ans placed my numb hand on his shoulder.
„Y-Yes, thank you!“ he thanked me, fear in his eyes.
„No problem, buddy!“
„WATCH OUT!“
The boy’s warning came just in time for me to turn around and make a backhand swing at the Triarchy soldier, who charged at us. Another kill for me.
„We’re equal now!“ I yelled at him, giving him a thankful smile.
„Carry on, ser!“ he yelled at me before we separated and both took our next opponent.
This battle was brutal. Really brutal. I didn’t expect anything soft, but this massacre was even worse than I’d ever imagine. The Triarchy soldiers were weaker than us, but when they got one of us, they always brutally mauled the opponent’s body. I saw one of them cut off our man’s head and slice through the cheeks to make them „bloody smiles“.
They were even more savage than I’d ever imagine. But they still were outmatched as they were undisciplined and untrained, which was our greatest help.
I was swinging my flail all around, taking out each Triarchy bastard I saw infront of me. I killed at least another four in a span of ten minutes.
During the fight, I was looking around to check on Alyn. Alyn was now fighting two savage soldiers at once and he seemed unable to finish them off. I’ve took down one screaming soldier by a direct hit in his face and ran to assist my brother in the fight.
I took the soldier who was near to me, swinging the flail with a roar. The spikes have buried in his chest, making the savage scream. I pulled back and ripped out a bit of a flesh off of his chest in the process. The man roared and to my big surprise, he jumped at me, starting a brawl.
He was trying to beat me in a strenght fight.
I was taken by surprise so much I dropped my flail and almost tripped and fell on the ground. But luckily I managed to stay on my feet. I knew that with just one hand I have a lesser chance to succeed. I had to hurry and push him away. But the asshole was much stronger than me.
„Morghūljagon, ilībōños! (Die, you bastard!)“ the man hissed in High Valyrian, pushing me back. I looked behind me. I was a few feet from the railing. He was preparing to push me into the sea.
„YOREN!“ Alyn screamed, trying to finish his opponent, but he was unable to do so. The soldier meanwhile managed to push me on the railing.
„Geros ilas! (Farewell!)“ the soldier hissed cynically and pushed with all his strenght. But I wasn’t going to give up easily. As he pushed, I braced myself and with a loud growl pushed against him. But despite my efforts, he still was too strong. There was not much to do. His strenght was just bigger.
The man mumbled something, from which I only understood the word „End“ and pushed me on the railings. I’ve lost my balance a bit but managed to not fall over the edge. The soldier screamed and charged at me, his shoulder first. There I got an idea
„DAOR! (NO!)“ I yelled and ducked. The man was charging in his full speed. He was not able to stop. I crotched and only felt his legs pressing against me. I looked up. He almost fell over the edge, grabbing onto the railing in the last second, but still was bent over the edge. I swiftly hugged his legs and with all my strenght, I lifted him up.
The man yelped in shock as his weight became the rock thst dragged him down. With a scream of victory, I threw him over the railing and watched, as the soldier fell into the water. I wheezed in relief and fell on my knees, hands leaned against the railing.
„Fuck, this was close…“ I cursed to myself, catching my breath. But before I managed to gather myself together, I heard another soldier screaming, running at me. I was without weapon and too stunned to move.
But before I even could scream in terror, the soldier stopped and wheezed aloud. Alyn ran his sword through his back, coming out from his chest. Alyn grabbed the soldier by the hands and threw him over the railing, disappearing under the water.
„Watch out, brother!“ Alyn called out, reaching his hand to me. I grabbed it and he helped me back up.
„Thanks for saving me!“ I thanked him, still catching my breath.
„No problem! Thanks for distracting that cunt! I had less work!“ Alyn responded with a chuckle. Even in situstion like this, he still had some kind of cynism in him. We obviously had that in our family.
„So far, eight kills!“ Alyn shouted, pride in his voice.
„Ten for me!“ I called out proudly, making Alyn groan.
„You’re a smaller target, of course they go after you!“
„Oh, fuck you!“ I barked at him.
The battle was getting more and more intense. The soldiers of the Triarchy were jumping on our ship, each of them blood thirsty and ready to cut us all down. They were like ants, they were flowing at out ship, seemingly no end to the flow of them.
„HOW MUCH OF THEM IS THERE!?“ I screamed, as both of us were cutting our way through the enemies. „DO THEY HAVE A WOMEN THERE, WHO BREED THEM NEW SOLDIERS OR WHAT!?“
Alyn didn’t respond. Instead, he ran his sword through another soldier. I wasn’t going to stay behind and swung my flail against a soldier with two daggers, smashing his face.
The whole deck looked like a butcher’s shack. Bodies, guts, blood, bones, brains, meat all over the place, screaming all around. Just the sight of it was making me sick and only the knowledge of the coming danger was keeping me from throwing up.
I couldn’t speak for Alyn, but by the look on his face, he must’ve feel similar. Both of us shared a quick look each time we killed another soldier, ensuring we are alright. It at least gave me a sort of comfort.
But what I was missing was the strenght to carry on any longer. My body was starting to protest as I strucked down more of them, my knees were shaking and I felt my lungs were on fire.
And the worst part was, the soldiers were still coming. The ship we crushed into was large and it sure had a lot of soldiers inside. But this was starting to be too much. More of them were getting on our ship, each wave seemingly stronger.
Soon I realized their soldiers seemed to be more experienced and having a better equipment, longer the fight was going on. More of them seemed to be actually putting up a regular fight, killing our men with ease.
In terror, I watched as one of the soldiers butchered thd poor boy I saved earlier from death. That savage cut off his head and then just stomped over it, making a mash off of it. And the soldiers were still coming. There was no end to it.
But now, they were not like the ones at the beginning. They seemed to be more disciplined, more skilled, they were armed with some sort of a better armor, not just a small heart protection, some of tgem actually using shields.
I took a close look at the shield of one of them. The sigils weren’t those of the Triarchy. The sigils had a red stray dog on gray field. Some of the soldiers had this sigil on their chestplates too. They weren’t from Westeros for sure. They just had a sigil. But they were highly skilled in fighting.
„THESE ARE MERCENARIES!“ shouted Alyn, who barely managed ti kill one of them. „THESE ARE MUCH TOUGHER THAN THOSE SAVAGE NAKED BASTARDS!“
It made sense. The Triarchy had founds to get better army than those undisciplined soldiers we were cutting down until now. And if they were to break the blockade, they’d have to use much more than those stupid idiots.
These mercenaries though were something else. They were cutting through us like a knife cuts through the butter, butchering our men like pigs. Fear was taking over me slowly. And I wasn’t the only one, as Alyn called:
„BACK! EVERYONE GET HERE!“ Our men who were left, and there wasn’t much of them managed to get to us.
Now we stood at the back of the ship, maybe twenty of us, against these mercenaries. I spotted the movement at their ship. More soldiers were prepared there to jump on our ship and finish us.
Their soldiers managed to surround us. We had nowhere to run, except the sea. Everyone was shaking like a tree in the storm and some of us had tears in their eyes.
Alyn placed a hand on my shoulder, as if he wanted to comfort me. I didn’t need it though. I wasn’t afraid anymore. But one look at Alyn’s face and I knew he was the one, who was afraid. He must’ve been thinking of Maya and their unborn child. Of the future they’d have. Of their happiness.
„NOW…!“ a rough voice roared from the upper floor of the ship. Everyone looked up. At the upper deck stood a man, even taller than Rolo, the sailor I saved Luke from.
He had huge arms, broaded shoulders, wearing nothing more than heart protection on his chest and pants. His muscles made of steel, or so it felt and his strenght must’ve been immense, as his weapon was a large club, covered in iron at the top, spikes running out of it.
His head was shaved, revealing huge scar on his head, right where hair would be. His roughly shaves face was twisted in a dreadful grin, as his small eyes stared down at us. We were his prey now.
„You all will surrender…and I might be merciful and let you live…!“ he growled, his voice rough and low with a strong Essossi accent.
„AND WHO WILL MAKE US!?“ someone yelled at him. The man’s grin widened a he let out a low chuckle.
„Name’s Tyrono, capitan of the mercenary company, known as The Stray Dogs.“ He said, giving the man who dared to yell a death stare.
„Now, accept my offer and I will grant you this mercy. But if not…“ He nodded to two of his men. They quickly disappeared, but soon, they appeared next to Tyrono, holding someone by their hands. The man they held was beaten, bloodied and barely holding onto life.
One would hardly recognize our capitan in that poor person.
„This man will show you, how you will end up, when trying to fight us…“
With those words, he stepped behind the capitan, grabbing his large club into both hands, raising it. All of us watched in terror. Capitan spat a bit of blood on the ground and gave us an accepting smile.
„FOR THE BLACKS!“ he yelled.
Seconds later, a club swung through the air, landing on the capitan’s head. The impact crushed the poor man’s head, like if it was a water melone, bits of skull, brain and meat splashing all around. His body collapsed on the ground and twitched a few times. Then Tyrono swung the club again and again, each jit crushing more and more bones of the poor capitan.
We all watched, shitting our pants as that huge asshole absolutely butchered the capitan’s body, leaving only a huge pile of clothes, hair and mashed meat with bones. Then Tyrono grabbed the corpse, and threw it right infront of us. It was brutal.
„And what life awaits us if we do?!“ Alyn growled, eyes locked on the capitan’s body. Tyrono again grinned.
„We might sell you as slaves, or will just keep you as our own slaves. We will see.“ Everyone looked at each other. Fear was in our eyes, bodies trembling and breath shaky.
Some of us turned around where the railing was. Now it wasn’t so bad to just jump off the ship. But who knows if we’d survive for a long time in the water. But anything better that slavery.
„HOW ABOUT YOU STICK THAT CLUB OF YOURS RIGHT UP YOUR ASS!? I screamed, raising my flail. Everyone turned around at me. I wasn’t going down like this. Not as a corpse, nor as a slave. And the rest saw it the same.
„WE WON’T SERVE YOU! RATHER DEATH THAN LIFE IN CHAINS!“
„Heh… You have a courage, little one.“ Tyrono said mockingly, pointing his finger at me, while I stared defiantly at him.
„So I’ll be at least merciful and just crush your head and throw you to the sea creatures to feed upon you…“
His men prepared for a fight.
„Over my dead body, asshole!“ Alyn roared, raising his sword up in the sky. The rest of our men too raised their swords and roared as one. Tyrono looked unfazed by our determination and scoffed.
„Well, so be it, fools. You could’ve at least some life. Now, you’ll be crushed to a small bits.“ He slowly raised his club and prepared to give a command.
„DESTROY TH-.“
But just as he wanted to start the attack, something stopped him. A sound. Actually, more sounds, breaking through the chaos of the battles around. All of us looked up at the sky. The sounds were coming from there.
„WHAT IS THAT!?“ Tyrono screamed, looking up, confused.
The sounds were like a music to my ears. Like a symphony. A beautiful symphony to me and our men, but for them, it was a symphony of death.
I looked at the Tyrono and screamed at him, just before the roaring Vermax flew above us, breathing fire at Tyrono’s ship.
„THIS IS THE END FOR YOU, BASTARDS! FIRE AND BLOOD WILL RAIN UPON YOU TODAY! NOW BURN!“