Victarion Greyjoy
They had set out from King's Landing three moons ago, a great parade had come to see the King and the royal fleet off. 15,000 men from the Crownlands had boarded onto 250 war galleys and 50 cogs and other sailing ships meant for the Fair Isle to batter down the Iron Fleet and end the rebellion that Balon had foolishly started. The king had looked grim and determined on that day, saying little openly but giving clues as to what he thought and felt with his eye. Victarion himself was beginning to feel the nervous sense of anticipation he always felt before a battle, his bloodlust was up and soon enough he would have a chance to fight and kill Euron, the bastard.
Euron had always been the cunt of Quellon Greyjoy's brood, sharp and cunning and with a willingness to fuck with people's minds that often made Victarion and his brothers wonder whether Euron truly was a man or if he was something else. Then there had been the day of Victarion's twelfth nameday where Euron had crossed a line and done something that had so damaged Aeron their little brother that Aeron had forever become a drunk and a lecher. Victarion would relish slicing Euron Crow's Eye, other eye out to add to the collection. He had carved the bastard's eye out a long time ago before he had left for King's Landing over something he no longer thought about, or didn't wish to think about.
He took a swig of wine and stared out into the open water before him. News had come from the mainland, whilst they had moored in at Tarth to add the Stormlords fleet to their own, Balon's oldest son the fool Rodrik had led the attack on Seagard and been brutally killed his men slaughtered. Victarion's own youngest brother Robin a lack wit fool who japed and did more whoring than fighting led the invasion of the north, killed by Brandon Stark alongside the Cleftjaw. Balon's rebellion was going badly only the raiding of the Iron Fleet had proven successful and even in that they were losing men to Lannister vengeance.
"I want the fleet broken. No strength left at sea for good now. Balon has had his chance and he blew it. Now he shall learn the lesson Aerys and Rhaegar learnt." The king had said before they had departed. Victarion knew that his nephew would not balk at killing Balon for the man had committed treason when he had had no reason to do so other than pure pride. Even Alyssa had not begged for clemency for their older brother merely nodding and saying nothing.
Victarion had laid the plan out before his nephew the king the day they had set sail. "Euron is many things but stupid is not one of them. He will know that the Royal Fleet outmatches the Iron Fleet and as such he will aim for the ships that have the least number of men and aim to sink them. If we are to win, we must have ships stationed in a pincer and crush the fleet."
The king had nodded and had merely said. "Once this war is done, you shall hold Pyke and become the Lord of the Isles." Victarion had nodded and so here they were sailing closer and closer to where their scouts had said the Iron Fleet was docked off the coast of Fair Isle, with plunder and women. Victarion could almost see The Crow's Eye's smirk the thought had him clenching onto his axe so hard his hands were turning white.
"My lord?" a voice brought him back from the edge of darkness. He turned and saw Ser Morris Montague standing close by, the man was a good sailor and an even better fighter. "There has been word from the Golden Crab, Cuy has begun his attack."
"Good," Victarion replied. "Send the signal out I will want our ships stationed close by so as to make good use of the trap Cuy sets my brother."
Montague nodded and the commands were given. Victarion stood on the deck and watched as the pincer formation came into being, over in the distance he saw the banners of House Cuy being raised alongside the king's own sigil. The sounding of horns signalled the beginning of the attack. And soon enough the first ships of the Iron Fleet, a probe if you will came out of the horizon and were crushed between the massive galleys Cuy had built. The wood splintered and groaned and soon enough men were falling into the sea.
"A probe nothing more." Greyjoy grunted when his squire came bounding up for news. "Sound the horns." And the horns were sounded. He watched as the rest of the ships began to crush in onto the fleet, the wound and the sound of men dying grated on Greyjoy's ears. "Loose Arrows." He shouted and arrows were loosed from all around. There was no sign of the Silence, his brother's flagship and yet Victarion cared not. "Light the torches and fire." He commanded and so the torches were lit and fire unleashed. Men were jumping into the water screaming from the fire; it was like the end of the war all over again, except this time the men who jumped drowned and did not rise.
As planned Cuy's ships began departing once the fire began to spread, and still there was no sign of the silence. "My lord," Montague began. "Over there. The horn is sounding over there."
"Fire the arrows and torches. I want that ship torched for all its worth." Greyjoy shouted. Arrows and torches were unleashed on the ship and the water, burning, searing hot fire, orange then green then blue, the fire that consumed. It spread and spread and spread, until there was a big bang and then the smoke and plumes were all that was left of the ship. "News from the front?" Greyjoy asked.
"Fleet destroyed. One ship remaining my lord. The Silence has not been spotted." Montague replied.
"Find the Silence and burn it." Victarion barked.
"There will be no need my lord." A voice, Nute the Barber said behind him. Victarion turned round and looked at him questioningly. "It is come." And there it was the profane ship his brother had chosen for his own.
"Fire at will." Victarion barked. And so the men did, arrows, torches whatever they go their hands on was fired, Victarion would not become a kinslayer. As it turned out he need not have worried, for soon enough the body of his brother and the body of his nephew Theon were soon washed up and presented to him. Fair Isle defended, Iron Fleet Destroyed. Pyke was free for the taking.