Author's Notes: Hey everyone, glad that you liked the last chapter and I hope that you like this one as well, I own nothing. SPOILER WARNINGS: Contains spoilers from the books, including Winds of Winter sample chapters.
The frenzy in the camp continued, though as time progressed, though it seemed to gradually calm as men fell into positions and word spread that the foe was not a surprise attack by the Lannisters. Out on the water the Queen's ships, who had been deployed to blockade Storm's End, weighed anchor and attempted to draw up into a line of battle. Sansa, now wearing a cloak against the cold wind blowing in off of the water, found herself standing next to Sir Barristan and several others as the two fleets moved towards one another. As they drew closer Sansa gradually to make out more details of the Iron Fleet.
Back when they had all still been at Winterfell Theon had spoken of his home and its ships. There and there were the longships with their long and narrow frames and even at a distance the sun could be seen flashing off of the armor and weapons of those aboard them. While she noticed these things, it were the ships in the center which drew her attention, but rather the ships which formed the center of their line. These ships were similar in design to the others, but were far larger with each of them being two or three times larger than the longships on their flanks. Slightly ahead of these was another ship. It had a single mast, black sails and a dark red hull as were its decks. On the prow there was a mouthless maiden of black iron with long legs, slender waist, high breasts and mother-of-pearl eyes and two figures flanked it. With a shock Sansa realized that the other two figures were people, one a man and the other a woman. The man was mostly naked and the woman was. Now that they were closer it could be seen that there were other figures tied to the prows of other ships.
"What devilry is this?" A man wearing the colors of House Fossoway demanded, revulsion clear in his voice.
"I know not," Sir Barristan declared. "Nor do I wish to." A chuckle drew their attention as Prince Oberyn Martell.
"If the Kraken wishes to intimidate us they shall have to try a different method. We Dornish have never been intimidated by naked women, rather the opposite in fact."
"Indeed Prince Oberyn." Sir Barristan said in a neutral tone of voice while the others present gave the Dornishman looks of distaste, all but one.
The man wore surcoat with the sigil of House Redwyne, a cluster of grapes on a blue field and he had not taken his eyes off of the two fleets. He was a heavy-set man, with brown hair and beard and had a look of disquiet on his face. A look which only deepened as he continued to watch the two fleets. At last he spoke, his voice too filled with unease.
"This is not good." As the other looked at him he continued to speak.
"The wind is blowing in from the sea, which means that their ships will be sailing with the wind at their backs while the opposite is true for our ships. That will give them a significant advantage in the battle."
"No matter" another man declared. "Once her Grace unleashes her dragons it will be all over. She burned their ships at the Shield Islands and here will be no different." While this seemed to be well received by the majority of those present, Sir Barristan, Prince Oberyn and the Redwyne man seemed less than convinced.
As the fleets moved towards each other the Iron Born forces began to shift. The larger ships, with the exception of the red ship, continued to advance under full sail. The red one, as well as the smaller ships were all slowing down and allowing the larger ones to pull ahead. In addition to slowing down the smaller ships were also moving out to the sides. The Queen's ships, still trying to form a line, were advancing towards the oncoming larger ships.
"Fools!" The Redwyne man yelled.
"What?! Why?!" Someone demanded.
"Can't you see it man?! It is a trap! Look, their center is advancing to draw our ships in. Ours are not as maneuverable as theirs are. Once their locked in combat with their larger ships their other ships will flank the battle and strike on the rear and flanks." It made sense to Sansa, though knowing nothing about naval combat could not have told a good strategy from a bad one. Her thoughts were interrupted by a roar which seemed to shake the very earth beneath her.
Looking up she saw the Queen, mounted on the black dragon, fly overhead and make for the Ironborn ships. Behind her the two smaller dragons followed. Though they did not have riders they seemed content to follow their larger sibling and obey the Queen as well. The sight of them seemed to have a calming effect on those who saw it, even the Redwyne man seemed to relax somewhat. The dragons passed over the land and out over the water, though flying against the wind it was clear that they would reach the Ironborn ships before the Queen's ships. Sansa had been at the Shield Islands and knew what was coming and shuddered in anticipation. Then, everything changed.
From the red ship came the blast of a horn. It was like no horn that Sansa had ever heard before. When the sound hit her ears it sound like the screaming of hundreds, if not thousands, of souls trapped in the seven hells that the septons spoke of, causing Sana to fall to the ground clutching at her ears in an effort to block the sound out. She was not the only one, nor was that even the worst of it. Where the roaring of the dragons had shook the world around her the horn seemed to resound within her. Sansa screamed as she felt her very bones grow hot and begin to burn her from the inside out, at her throat the ruby blazed and burned, but such was the pain on the inside that Sansa barely even felt it. She looked down, expecting to see her flesh blackened and burned, but it was still whole. All around her others seemed to be suffering the same as her, some even wept and called out to the gods to save them. Three times the horn sounded and each brought more pain, till Sansa was convinced that it would kill her or drive her mad.
After the third blast the horn felt silent, though it still seemed to ring in Sansa's head. Even as it faded a new sound was heard. This came, not from the horn, but from the dragons. It was like no sound that they had made before and was, in its own way, as terrible as the horn. It sounded as if the dragons were in pain, it sounded as if they were burning.
Looking up she saw the dragons writhing and thrashing, almost as if they were fighting against some unseen pull or compulsion. Even the black one upon which the Queen rode was writhing and thrashing and for a moment it appeared that the Queen would fall off, but she did not. Gradually she brought her dragon back under control. The same could not be said for the other two. Though they too ceased their erratic movements their behavior seemed to have changed. They flew past the Queen's dragon and moved toward the red ship.
"What is she doing?" One man asked.
"Why is she hanging back and sending the smaller ones?" Sansa was not sure that the Queen had sent them at all. To her they looked more like hounds returning to their master than beasts attacking prey.
The Queen urged her dragon after the other two as they neared the red ship, cutting across them like a sheepdog trying to herd a wondering pair of sheep back to the herd. Despite her efforts the two dragons continued on the ship. Once they reached it and began to circle above it while the Queen continued to attempt to drive them back. Then, without seemingly any warning, the white one turned toward the Queen and unleashed a blast of flame that took the Queen's mount full in the face.
"Gods be good!" Sir Barristan exclaimed in horror.
"She lost control of her dragons!"
Author's Notes: Well, what did you think? In the book Euron has a horn which he claims can control dragons and I decided to run with it. The reason it did not work on Drogon was because Dany was his rider and her bond with him was stronger than with the other two. I hoped that you enjoyed it and what comes next. Till then please pray for the victims of the London and France attacks, the Christian woman persecuted for her faith in Pakistan and all who need it. Bye and may Jesus bless you.