From Extinction to Glory
Disclaimer: Characters belong to their rightful owners. Not taking ownership of nothing.
Chapter 5:
"Is that all Lord Perseus?" His wet-nurse called out as she began to close the large and worn leather trunk.
Percy unable to hear her as he was deep into contemplation. He looked at the now vacant room in Tycho's many towers in Braavos. The stone walls no longer adorned with silks. The windows nude of their illustrious sapphire blue curtains. His bed normally a mess, cleaned and devoid of any signs that someone had once slept there. The elegantly crafted furniture that once adorned the room was no longer present. Shipped out to a different room within the tower.
The time had finally arrived to begin his voyage to Westeros, his home. Truth be told he had never seen the Land of Westeros. For all he knew it could have been entirely different from when his House had dwelled within the lands of Crackclaw Point in the Crownlands.
The hot wind coming through the window began to blow the young lordling's hair to the side. His newly crafted armor from Qohor adorning the young Perseus. His steel plate armor enameled with sapphire blue. His rondels the color of silver coins as his cloak flowed neatly down to his steel plated armored boots. Tempest neatly tucked in its worn leather scabbard.
His loyal guard stood to his side still adorning his gold steel plated kingsguard armor. Ser Berin Cave reminisced on the memories of his Lord growing from a small toddler to the large young man he had become. Barely sixteen, Ser Berin Cave knew that the young Perseus had suffered large amounts of trauma from losing his mother and then his envious aunts. He no longer had any blood relatives and Cave knew that the young lord held a tremendous burden on his shoulders.
"Yes, our time has finally come to depart our safe haven and embark on our tedious journey across the Narrow Sea." The young lord responded as he turned around to what he now called family.
Percy proceeded to exit the small arched entrance and began to descend the stone steps, the sound of steel resounding and echoing off the hard steps. As they continued outside the tower, they noticed the assembled party of mercenaries, sell swords, and a few dozen Bravos looking to find glory elsewhere across the Narrow Sea.
"Alas you have descended from your temporary home." Tycho's voice broke the group out of their silence.
"Aye." Ser Berin Cave responded in place of Perseus.
Percy noticed that Tycho was holding a rather heavy looking cloth, oddly the same color as his armor. He began to unfold it and noticed that it was a banner. The banner consisted of a silver pale that centered the new symbol of House Jackson, a Leviathan.
"I had the best weaver in Braavos create a banner for you. I know House Jackson had a different coat of arms in Westeros. But this symbolizes a new beginning Perseus." Tycho looked at the young boy who he had provided for since birth.
"You will always have my everlasting gratitude Tycho." Percy responded as he passed the banner to one of his servants.
"These are the men I have assembled to accompany you into Westeros. They are loyal to the Iron Bank First and to you a distant second. They best be loyal to the Iron Bank first because they are funding them with coin after all." Tycho projected his voice so it could be heard throughout the courtyard.
Ever since the revelation that he was merely a pawn or rather an investment like Tycho had called him, Percy had been rather guarded with Tycho. He had felt betrayed. Percy genuinely believed that Tycho had provided for him out of the goodness of his heart. He realized how ignorant he was. Even in the free cities the most important thing was coin. Tycho wanted a return on his investment and Percy had felt resentment ever since.
"Of course. I will carry out the Iron Bank's wishes." Percy said through gritted teeth.
Tycho nodded as he gave his last farewell to what he presumed was his pawn. Tycho stood in the courtyard until Percy's company could no longer be seen as they made their way to the Braavosi ports.
It took them some time to arrive to the docks and the Titan's Daughter the vessel ship that would transport them across the Narrow Sea. As the small party of close to a hundred and twenty men neared the ship they could see what they presumed were the sailors and the Captain of the ship making preparations to depart.
"Alas the group has arrived. We've been waiting for you folk since the sun has been setting. Took a little a detour?" The man with sunburnt skin and low-cut gray hair yelled from the upper deck of the ship. His face full of salt and pepper whiskers. His face rough and eyes alert like the captain of a ship should be.
"The trip was longer than expected. We are here now are we not?" Percy yelled from the wooded docks where the large ship was being stationed in.
"While of course. Mr. Nestoris paid handsome coin I would've waited here a long time. Wouldn't want to deal with Iron Bank." The captain wheezed then broke into a laughter.
"Of course not." Percy responded as he couldn't stop hearing the sublime power of the Iron Bank.
"Alright began boarding would you. Wouldn't want to have to wait till night falls. This fine ship is named the Titan's Daughter and I Ternesio Terys is the captain of such fine woodwork." He emphasized with hand motions and pride.
The assembled party began to walk through the angled woodwork that was placed down to board the ship. The wood creaked under the weight of multiple men in various armors as they boarded the ship. The servants tasked with boarding crates of supplies, food, and personal belongings under the deck of the ship and into the cabin.
The Titan's Daughter was made of sturdy wood and infused and put together with steel armor on the outer skirts of the ship. The boat was average sized barely fitting the required party, Percy realizing that it would have been more efficient and logical to use multiple ships instead of one. The Iron Bank was stingy and cheap with coin for their transportation.
The sun in the horizon was setting as the last portion of the star could be seen escaping the vision of its viewers. It wasn't until nightfall that Ternesio barked orders for the ship to commence its voyage across the Narrow Sea.
Percy although hazy from the darkness of the sky could see the Braavosi Navy patrolling around Braavos and the outer outskirts of its ports waiting for merchant ships to bring trade and rare items from Westeros. As the Titan's Daughter began to pick up more speed, he could slowly see the island of Braavos along with its patrolling Navy fade in the distance.
Page Break
A couple of days into the voyage and the withering sun's heat and humidity had taken its toll on the crew travelling to the ports of Dragonstone in Blackwater Bay.
Percy had long stored his heavy, unbreathable, and burdensome armor inside the extravagant container Tycho had so graciously gifted to him. Percy throughout the days of voyage as he sat and laid in the horrible cots provided by Ternesio had begun reading the History of Lords in Westeros.
He of course knew of House Baratheon and the current Lord who was the current King Robert Baratheon. For the most part Percy was looking to recognize most of the Lords and Vassals from the fiefs within the Crownlands.
He continued to look at the noble families of Cracklaw point and read the distinguishing features and dominant physical characteristics of the lords holding castles. For his own house, House Jackson, the most dominant features were the illustrious and silky brown hair with their staple of clear blue eyes. Men and women typical of House Jackson were not particularly tall or bulky. All those features in contrast to Percy's tall stature, his dark black hair and his rare sea green irises. Their words "Uncontrollable like the sea". The old house coat of arms pertaining to House Jackson was an Escutcheon Shaped coat of arms with a chief pattern, with the symbol of a silver crab embroidered onto it.
Throughout his unbreakable focus Percy was broken off his studying when he heard a commotion coming from the upper deck of the ship. As he hurriedly made his way up the old and worn wooden steps he could once again feel the scorching heat of the sun on his already tan face.
"What is this commotion." Percy projected as he attempted to find Ternesio throughout the sea of men on the deck.
"My lord, look." Ser Berin cave pointed to the horizon.
Percy looked in the direction his loyal sword pointed to and noticed three ships and the masts adorning no specific sails illustrating they belonged to none of the Kingdoms in Westeros or a Free City in Essos. Instead the sails of the ships were of shredded black cloth which could only mean it wasn't a merchant ship either. The wooden ships were also armored with steel throughout the stern, skirts, and the bow.
Ternesio pushed many of his sailors aside as he made his way to the Lord he was attempting to transport into Westeros.
"Lordling, those are pirate ships. They don't belong to any of the sea lords I know. I usually pay these savages coin to let us trespass without issue. However, they don't seem to be a part of the ruffian captains I know. They're pirates." Ternesio concluded as worry was etched throughout his face.
"If you could perhaps pay them, they would let us through without issue." Ternesio pressed on as Percy remained silent and examined the threat of the three medium sized ships heading their way.
"The Iron Bank gave you coin. That will come out of your own pocket." Percy stared vehemently at the fear driven captain.
"I think not. They paid us to transport you across this treacherous sea. I will not pay pirates to let us free. That is your debt to pay." Ternesio greedily replied.
Percy walked up to the man as he stared him down with his rare sea green eyes as he threateningly grabbed hold of his tunic and grasped him harshly.
"This is your ship. I will not pay them any coin. I have limited resources as is. Either you pay or we will anchor in this spot and kill them." Percy threatened the sea captain as the raging waves began to thrash into the Titan's Daughter as Percy's rage grew.
"My sailors aren't warriors. They'll die." Ternesio continued to plead not willing to pay out of his coin pouch knowing firsthand from experience how much free passage from pirates would cost.
"Well they will grow into men now." Percy said as he pushed Ternesio aside and went onto the upper deck of the ship alerting his men and the sailors.
"It seems we have been put into a ship with a weak captain. As you can see in the horizon there are threats coming to pillage and perhaps exterminate us and throw us into the bottomless depths of the sea." Percy's voice projected throughout the ship loud and clear as the commotion and yelling came to a cease.
"We will not be paying these pirates any coin. They are ruffians and bandits who lurk into the sea without remorse. Who knows if they are paid, they will not proceed to slaughter us all after paying them coin?" The assembled group of men continued to listen the ever-charismatic banished Lord of Cracklaw Point.
"We will make our stand here. We will not die to those that take away from us. We are not the usual weaklings they easily prey upon. It is because of weak captains like Ternesio that these plagues are not eradicated. They are feared when they shouldn't be. They are men with no morals and a man with no morals is no man at all. We will eliminate them all!" Percy concluded as his men and some of the sailors roared in approval with renewed confidence.
Percy pushed through the scared sea captain and proceeded to give orders to Ser Berin Cave to give every available man a steel sword to hack enemies away with. After giving orders Percy marched down beneath the decks and proceeded to the cabins to strap a worn boiled leather Cuirass around his upper body knowing time was of the essence. He was ready to lead his men into their first battle and knew it was life or death…
A/N Umm. I know it's actually a bit late. It's been a while since I have updated this story and much of my stories on my profile. School has just been overall stressful for the meantime. I'm still in my final's week so an update my come as soon as next week or whenever I have the time again.
I decided to focus more on Percy's voyage to Westeros for this chapter. I think I will focus on his point of view for the most part and sprinkle in some other characters once in a while.
So, yea I hope it's a good one.
Pairing Vote Count Update: Keep Voting, the story still has a long way to go.
Dany- 16
Sansa- 15
Margaery- 8
Myrcella- 5
Arianne- 4
Also Responding to GilbM13: Thanks for feedback! I appreciate it. Maybe later down the road I will edit that part out and will take that into account as the story moves on. :)
For the Rest of the readers who reviewed thank you and I'm glad you've liked the story so far.
Also, I know there are some sentence structure flaws and grammar mistakes. I will work hard to edit those out eventually.