One house, one family

Dragons. Is their anything as terrifying? Melek Couthridge was not sure. He was raised on the North eastern island of Ibben. At five and ten his greatest accomplishment in his entire life was leaving. He had boarded the Prince of the East almost a year ago. The boat itself was not overly impressing but it did have a maester on board. Maester Colburk was an elderly fellow with a snow white beard down to his pudgy gut.

The maester had at first been sceptical of the boy's request. Why would he take the boy as an apprentice? Melek had told Colburk that he had absolutely no interest in becoming a maester. But the boy had pestered him. First he had taught the boy reading and writing skills but seeing that Melek was a quick study he began to teach him more advanced maths. In the year that the boy had been a member of the crew he had read over half of the maesters collection. Melek had always admired Colburk.

Maester Colburk had been raised in the riverlands. He had come from a poor farming family that had not had the funds to take care of him. They had sent him to Oldtown and never spoke to him again. He spent most of his life serving a small holdfast in the stormlands. Unfortunately pirates sacked and murdered all within the holdfast and then burned the towns near. Colburk had only escaped because the pirates wanted to sell the chained man. Colburk then found himself in the possession of Neerios. Neerios freed him and gave him resources in return for the skills of the maester. The Citadel never asked him to return because of the funds that Neerios "donated".

He had many other duties on the ship but he was mainly responsible for the sails as well as the logistics of the vessel itself was originally from westeros. It had been the Daemon Targaryen's personal ship. When his brother the King had exiled him he had sold it to Captain Neerios Calvecky. It was part of the slightly larger fleet of sellships who would be go anywhere to transport and fight for any cause.

Melek was not an imposing figure. He was slight and not brawny. He fought with daggers and not swords. Melek knew that a dagger through the back may not be considered honorable but it had kept him alive more than once through a rationing winter. In Ibben his father had never been around. His mother worked as a courtesan. Servicing many pirates and merchants. He had lived with his grandfather who spoke an old dialect of Valyrian. In his youth he had served in the free cities as a herold and a page. Melek had no use for his family. He had always found them weak and foolish, they relied on people outside the family. If you did this you'd be betrayed.

Melek had begun the day as he usually did in the cabin doing inventory on the food and supplies. Making sure no one had horded any he continued on to the deck and surveyed the surrounding sea. He saw the shore approaching. Blackwater bay smelled of sweetness that felt like poison. He had never seen a castle of that stature. The red keep seemed to stretch up into the heavens. The harbor was massive but ugly. It did not posses the structures of Braavos or the grandeur of Meeren.

Melek went to prepare himself. Neerios had asked him to come along with him to the red keep. King Viserys had not been doing well. Colburk and Melek was there to give support to the grand maester. At least that was the public tale. The concealed reason was to meet with Sir Otto Hightower and discuss a contract. Melek understood that there could be no record of such dealings. He gathered all of his medical supplies as well as the logistics of the sellsword entered the room and grabbed his bag of herbs.

"Boy! We better get a move one. Neerios is waiting, we've already docked and need to make our way to the Red Keep. We ain't no fancy Nobles. They ain't sending someone to carry us up to that damned castle." Continuing to grumble, Colburk slapped the boy upside the head. Melek held his tongue and walked out of the cabin, The crew had mostly left by then but Neerios was standing on the deck looking mildly annoyed. He did not spare Colburk and Melek a secong glance before he turned and began walking,

Captain Neerios was the most flamboyant man that Melek had ever met. He wore long eastern robes that looked more like a dress than a tunic. He had long blonde hair and applied rouge to his face, he looked distinctly female. And yet he was the most terrifying man that Melek had ever anyone questioned his manhood he would go berserk. He had killed many men for the simple crime of insulting the colours that he had chosen to wear that day. He had grown up as a slave in Astapor. He had been part of a harem for a wise master that would much rather have young boys than women. He had then been trained in secret by a rogue unsullied. One night when the Old fat master had taken him to bed he had cut his cock off and put it into his mouth. He had then escaped on a ship and stayed out on the ocean ever since. He only came to shore if it was absolutely necessary. This trip was.

The roads through flea's bottom was quite grimy and unclean. The few nobles they saw were surrounded by armed guards. Melek saw many children begging.

They must be quite good he thought, In Ibben when you become homeless you die.

Finally they made their way to the Kingsgate. Two men stood still. Malek could clearly see the Targaryen dragon on their breastplate. Neerios announced their meeting and the guards stepped aside. They walked into an entirely different world.

They were approached by a gold cloaked man. His armor was laced with green. He smirked at them.

"I am Sir Gwayne Hightower of the Kings Landing Gold Cloaks. You must be the Captain of the Stone Swords. Ah and a maester as well." he rolled his eyes at Colburk. He motioned for us to follow him. They entered a tower that seemed quite important. Taking the stairs to the top chamber lead them to an old man sitting behind a desk. He also wore green robes. He looked quite bookish and was looking down at some papers while he chewed on a quill. He looked up and smirked. Malek saw the resemblance to Gwayne and thought that they must be related.

"Ah my sellswords. Aren't you an interesting group? I have heard tales of your slaughters in the east. Captain Neerios how does it feel to be the Butcher of Myr? A grand title for such a low whore!" He began to laugh as if it was the funniest joke that had ever been told. Gwayne did as well.

"Yes, My lord hand. SO grande that the Hand of the King needed me." Meerios said with a dainty smile. The man frowned. "Let me introduce myself, I am Sir Otto Hightower. Hand to King Viserys of the Iron Throne. Let me tell you why you are here. My daughter is married to the old king, She gave him sons. Strong ones. She nursed him back to health after the death of his first wife. But He has named his eldest daughter heir. Now the old King is dying. I need men to help me take the crown for my grandson."

Neerios only raised an eyebrow. Otto had expected more of a reaction but had only gotten silence. The stone swords had fought in many succession wars. The idea behind it was very basic. Otto then explained that his grandsons only controlled four of the twenty dragons that were in the kingdom. The advantage that they did have on their side was that the lords of the realm did not want a Queen when their were two perfectly good sons. The other issue was the fleet. The Veleryons had a huge fleet that gave Rheanyra's cause power. The Stone Swords lacked the numbers and size that the Princess would have on her side.

Otto had then informed them of master Colburks next job. Poisoning the King. Again Otto was hoping for a much greater reaction than he got. Colburk asked what poison he should use. The idea was then put in that they make him take too much milk of the poppy to try and put him to sleep for good. The plan was formed so that they would put it to use in a fortnight.