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Chapter 5: The Sea Battle off Fair Isle
Jaehaerys
For many weeks they were at sea, sailing down from the Narrow Sea, passing the Stepstones, and going around the Summer Sea under the Kingdom of Dorne.
Four days ago, they passed the Arbor and Paxter Redwyne joined with his fleet which was ahead of them.
His two ships were placed with the Redwyne fleet while Stannis and the bulk of the Baratheon fleet moved around Fair Isle as ravens from Banefort said the Iron Fleet was fast approaching to raid Lannisport once more and maybe further South to the Reach.
At the moment, they waited and the mist covered their vision slightly but they will see them coming yet.
Jaehaerys was slightly unnerved, Barristan came to his side and he calmed somewhat but the tension was still staggering.
"Lord Stannis sent a raven telling me to follow commands, he thinks I will try and betray him." He mentioned and shook his head, "If I had the army and support, I might have but not when I can barely man two out of the five ships that remain of my father's fleet."
"It's all to intimidate you, Jaehaerys. You've done well, keeping yourself composed as you did." He chuckled and wished he could take credit for his restraint, "You'll do even better in battle, I will be at your side." He's going to need it for this will be his first real experience in combat where someone wishes to cleave you in half.
Paxter's flagship 'The Arbor Queen's horns blew, Jaehaerys nodded and the men began working on the sails and the red dragon on black shone together with the Redwyne grapes as the Kraken sails came closer and closer.
The Prince unsheathed his sword and together, his two ships and the many Redwyne vessels engaged the Greyjoy fleet.
Balerion rocked and scraped against a longboat, fire arrows shot over to the enemy sails as Meraxes hit the longboat's core, sinking the burning heap.
Horns blew from the North, and Stannis and the rest of the allied ships closed the escape locking the Iron Fleet in the Straits of Fair Isle. On the Island itself, Lord Sebaston Farman and some two-thousand soldiers readied for any Ironborn trying to come ashore, the Farman fleet joining the action as the battle intensified.
Swallowing his nervousness, Jaehaerys steered Balerion and rammed into another enemy ship but this time it was a larger boat, a flagship.
A hulking form of a man jumped to his ship with dozens of Ironmen, the only man wearing plate armor with the gold Kraken blazoned on the breastplate. Barristan turned and put a hand on his shoulder, "It must be Victarion, I got this, Jaehaerys." Thinking wisely, Jaehaerys pulled his vessel away trapping Victarion and his men on his ship.
It was a sight to behold, Victarion was younger than Barristan but the Kingsguard Knight is a veteran of many large battles and dueled many great warriors all before he was past his prime.
The knight and reaver clashed with their steel, Barristan being the swifter of the two as Victarion wielded a battleax and heavy shield.
"Lymon! Fire Victarion's ship!" He ordered and the substitute Captain had several men nock and loose fire arrows at the Iron Victory who had begun rowing in pursuit.
The Arbor Queen aided in this, loosing many arrows and a catapult shot on the ship. He smiled as it burned but that smile faded when he heard a crashing sound and veered Balerion left to see another large Greyjoy ship cut right through Meraxes and he frowned watching the proud Targaryen sail fall.
"Lord Jaehaerys!" He ducked a sword slash and retaliated by kicking his attacker in the gut, running his sword in his throat with the utmost adrenaline.
The strait was aflame with ships crashing and sinking in defeat, a catapult shot over his vessel and hit a Greyjoy longboat, the blast sending the mast to the depths.
Below on the main deck, Barristan was finishing his battle against Victarion, and disarmed the mighty warrior after a lengthy fight and Jaehaerys noticed the knight had been wounded.
"Take him below, he's our prisoner now." His crew and soldiers cheered, "Sail back to the Meraxes remains and save our people, Captain!" Lymon took control of the helm then as he walked and held a tire Barristan up, "You need a drink? I do."
Barristan smiled, "Just as I said, you're doing well, my Prince." That may be so, that may just be so.
The battle was a success, Stannis's strategy decimated the Iron Fleet apart from a few ships escaping, led by Euron Greyjoy. He also handed over Victarion Greyjoy into his the Master of Ships' hands, earning a bit of gratitude from Robert's brother.
They continued on, sailing up the coast but he kept pace with the Arbor Queen and called on Lord Paxter Redwyne.
The Lord of the Arbor was a man of nine and thirty, his head of red-orange hair fading, and the man had slouched the entire time they spoke.
"I want to thank you, Lord Redwyne. I daresay Victarion's ship would've sunk mine or we might've lost my prize." He said with gratitude and Paxter nodded.
"It was an honor, Lord Targaryen, we are all allies of course." Allies, he wondered if the Reach was as the last time he was at court, no one was from the Reach which was surprising as the Reacher Lords are especially ambitious, and even in his father's despairing days at the beginning of the war, the men and women of the Reach played their games.
Returning to his duties, Jaehaerys enjoyed the winds and the brush of waves smacking against his ship as the fleet continued to the Iron Islands.
The news came swiftly that the Greyjoys fleet led by Rodrik Greyjoy attacked Seagard, a foolish move as Seagard was made with the purpose of defending from such attacks, and as expected the reavers were beaten back and thrown into the sea, retreating back to Pyke.
"My Lord!" Cole, Lymon's first mate called, "A raven from the Fury, Lord Stannis wants to see you." He sighed and nodded.
Stannis Baratheon's ship was a beautiful one, three decked and had a stag's head at the front. He took a deep breath as the two guards let him inside the cabin, Stannis was on his feet and handed him a raven scroll then briefed him on the next phase.
"The Iron Fleet is finished, and the way to the Iron Islands is open. My brother is marching to Seagard to meet Eddard Stark and 10,000 Northmen and has sent us our orders... And yours." Jaehaerys unfolded the scroll and read the contents to widen his eyes.
Stannis scoffed, "I will be handling the taking of Great Wyk, and you have been given charge to seize Old Wyk from House Drumm." He sighed and the admiral tilted his head, "You have an issue with this?"
"It's just that I have only one ship to me, if could have a few more ships and men I could- " He was cut off by the man.
"You will have three ships, 350 men added to your command... Nothing more." Stannis told him, "Now go back to your ship, Lord Jaehaerys."
He got back to the Balerion, and told the others of the plans, and he was infuriated.
They are being sent to take an island with little more than 500 men, four ships, and no siege equipment. Barristan was optimistic, stating they resort to single combat in taking the castles.
Old Wyk was smaller than the other islands, with three small keeps and one large castle belonging to House Drumm, the Drumm had three vassal Houses of Shatterstone, Stonehouse, and Goodbrother.
It is said the bones of Nagga the Sea Dragon lies on the high hill, proof that such large beasts could be brought down by common men.
Three days later, Jaehaerys laid a map on his cabin table, he and his lieutenants and Barristan gathered. "The majority of the Ironborn strength was defeated at Fair Isle and Seagard... Yet I believe House Drumm will still outnumber us by at least a thousand men."
Duncan Chelstead, his captain of Meraxes and grand nephew to Qarlton spoke up. "I sailed to the Iron Islands as a youth, my Lord. Dunston Drumm's castle is the only walled keep, the others are as piss poor as a lighthouse." Then that is where the bulk of the enemy will be.
Jaehaerys leaned on the table, "I need more men."
Barristan stood straight, "Jaehaerys, allow me to treat with Lord Redwyne, if Stannis will not give us sufficient troops then perhaps the Reachman will." He reluctantly nodded and a raven left in the night and by the morrow before arriving at the Iron Islands, a reply came and Lord Paxter said he would give them two galleys, 200 men.
It wasn't much but it'll do.
Dusk rose on the Sunset Sea, the sight of 500 warships inched to the islands and Jaehaerys noticed few ships on patrol meaning they will have naval control and penning the Ironborn on their home islands.
Passing the Banefort and its cliffs, he saw more ships bearing sigils of the eagle and crowned stag and lions of Lannister.
An hour later, he and his ships passed Pyke and Saltcliff, he knew they neared Old Wyk when he saw the largest set of bones that he could only compare to the real Balerion's skull that hung in the Red Keeps sept.
Clearing his throat, he told everyone to get ready and the rowboats were lowered and ships put at anchor. They inched close enough so Jaehaerys decided to ready everyone for the fight ahead.
"I am not prepared to die... Are you?" Some shook their head, "Good, because on that beach isn't death, it's immortality. It's glory!" He shouted and got cheers, "Follow me and let's send these men of House Drumm to the god they worship!"
On the shore, a hundred or so archers shot at them with arrows. "Shields!" He cried out, and his men followed suit and upon reaching the shore he hopped off the boat and unsheathed his sword, and lowered his helm's visor.
To war.
AN: And that ends the first battle and begins the second, In canon, Barristan was the one given the command to take Old Wyk so in a way he still does with the exception of Jaehaerys in command.