Asha I

She woke with the sun in her eyes and a pounding ache in her skull. The pain was only increased when her sense slowly trickled awake, feeling that she had somehow managed to fall asleep in a wooden chair leaning up on its two back legs against one of the columns of the Drowned Palace. She briefly considered how she had managed to not knock the damn thing over and send herself sprawling over the floor, but that consideration died when she tried to stretch her legs, only to wince at the pain of doing so.

She finally managed to control her body enough to bring the chair to a stable seat, and then stayed there for a moment, trying to regain her balance. As she did so, she strained against the blur of her vision, seeing that next to her chair was a brown gallon bottle. She licked her lips, and tasted the after effect of the rum that had once been inside that bottle.

"You really got to stop downing a bottle so late," the voice cut through the cloud covering her mind, and she sighed. She continued to rub on her forehead with her right hand, while holding up her left hand. She soon felt two strong hands grab it, and pull her upright, though the momentum was too much for her barely controlled legs, and she fell forward. She then felt both arms grab her up, and then pull her and steady her, "My, my you truly can not help yourself, can you Asha?"

"Leave me be Drake," her whine would have had more power were it not for the cutting prickle along her throat as she spoke. She brought her hands up to hold her neck. She dared not cough, instead trying, and failing to regain control of herself. Finally, a hand reached out, grabbed her right, and pulled it away from her throat. Then, she felt the handle of something ceramic be placed in her hand, and she blinked.

"Drink."

Asha nodded, and then raised the jug to her mouth, and then threw back her head. A full gulp was flowing down her throat, before she finally got a taste of overwhelming salt. She began to cough, and tried to let go of the jug, but the jug was held in place, allowing more of the briny liquid to pour into her mouth. Too shocked by it all, she felt her throat become covered in the swill, before finally she fell to her back, coughing as she looked up at the figure who was still coming into her vision.

"Hel-lls," she coughed, her eyes flittering as she looked up at the forming vision of deep red hair above her, "Di-coughhack!-did you really need to do that?" she could see the vaguest motion of a nod from the woman. She let out a short growl before looking to her side, "What was that swill you forced down my throat?"

"Pickle Brine," Drake reached out, grabbed Asha's hand, and pulled her to her feet again, "Now get up, we have work to do," at that, Asha groaned, and her headache now was not just from the previous night's indulgence.

"What now?" she moaned, as she walked right behind the older woman. She was able to walk now, though her feet still at times seemed to want to slip out from beneath her. However, as they moved forward, Asha began to gain further control of her limbs. By the time they reached the doorway, Asha's vision had returned, and her mind was straight. She then looked at Drake once more, and asked again, "What now?"

"Illyno Hotyr raped a girl."

"Fuck," Asha groaned. That meant a bunch of blood and whining today. Tycho wouldn't like what was about to happen to his brother. The code was the code though, and an action like this, certainly one where they knew the rapers name, could not be allowed to occur without retribution. The magisters and keyholders would demand something.

So Drake would give them something.

The two of them quickly marched across the planks of one of the bridges that connected the many rooftop shanties that the pirates now called home. They were headed to the tallest of these, the Drowned Palace, with its great hall for feasting and meeting. Next to that hall would likely be where the judgment would take place, the moot, a large circular room with the Seastone chair perched above. Of course, behind that throne, were the chambers of the pirate king, where Lizabet Antaryon had her own secret chambers.

Asha allowed herself a snort as she followed Drake inside. She'd likely be going back there once all this business was finished, and drag Asha back there too.

As they approached the driftwood doors, two men of Drake's crew nodded their heads, Salla Zhal, a potbellied Summer Islander shorter than Asha herself and Inneo Noro, a Braavosi old hand with skin as haggard as the driftwood around him. Drake placed her hands on the whale bone handles, and took in a breath. She turned to Inneo, and the old sea dog smiled.

"We managed to wrangle him up a bit ago," he said, and Salla nodded, "Asso grabbed the brat while he was still waking from his cups, and before his brother could hide him away," he sighed, "Tycho just arrived before you, and I can tell you he was spitting fire," Drake's nostrils flared, taking in a deep breath, before nodding.

"We have the bowmen ready," Salla added, "Six on each rafter, Myrish Crossbows," Asha whistled. That the men would be ready after last night's carousing was proof of just how good Drake's crew was. Salla then continued, "Asso has already tied him down, and we brought the girl and a few witnesses," he looked at her, "She's from the Satin Palace," and then Drake and Asha both exchanged a look.

"The fucker didn't realize that he had to pay for his whores," Asha could only grouse. Drake nodded. Asha then sighed, and then pulled her vest to the side. Seeing the axe, Drake nodded once more. Drake held her hands against the charged handles of the door, then with her might, threw them open, and strode in, with Asha, Salla and Inneo behind her.

Inside the room were dozens of men. They were garbed in rags and torn breeches, scimitars and maces and axes at their side. Their skins were in every shade imaginable, some bare, some with inked patterns cut to honor their tribes or selves, and some with scars from either men or beasts. None of them turned to look as Drake had entered, all too busy either talking or, more likely, arguing with one another. With a mere glance, Asha spotted one man lying on a nearby table, head covered in cuts and blood oozing beneath it, the broken remains of a rum bottle scattered around him. They might try and find who had done it, but considering it was a man who she did not recognize, it was likely he was from one of the lesser crews, and unless someone could prove it, a more personal retribution would have to come from his own crewmates.

The code was meant to protect Braavos from the pirates, after all. If one of these corsairs gutted another…well, it didn't matter as long as it didn't happen outside Drowned town. And even then, as long as it didn't disturb the peace, Asha imagined it might slide.

As they arrived at the center of the Moot, a name that Drake had stolen on a lark, Asha looked over the two sides. On one end was another set of me, all pirates. In the center, adorned in the Tokar that he had stolen from a captain set for Astapor, was Tycho Hotyr. He beard was trimmed well, curling up an inch down from his chin and then coming to nearly point at his bulbous bottom lip. Hair neatly twisted from right to left, and then back left to right. He was taller than Ahsa or Drake, but not as tall as the massive dark skinned Dothraki, Asso, who was standing in the middle of the moot. He was standing over a smaller, shaking man, who Asha could guess was the Illyno, if not from circumstance than from the massive lip he shared with his brother.

That brought Asha's attention to the other side, and the group most out of place here. Unlike the motley different clothes of the pirates who lived in the Drowned Town, they were in far more uniform in appearance. Or two uniforms. The women all wore loose hanging satin, with white being the primary color, with cuffs and braids of different colors of lace. She spotted one young girl with blue hair shaking, younger than her, and guessed that must be the girl Illyno raped. The men wore gray tunics and gray cloaks and gray hats, with a gray head on their chest with shining yellow eyes, clearly the town guard. And that they were here meant that most of Braavos already knew about this.

'The raper's doomed,' Asha didn't even need to hear anymore, and neither did Drake. But Tycho would whine too much if they didn't at least seem to offer his brother a chance.

Drake, slowly, made her way to the chair sitting above the moot. A twisting thing, quite like Tycho's hair. A mighty kraken, carved from oily black stone, gazed out with eyes that seemed both living and dead. She could remember her father, back when she had been too small and had elder brothers, had told her that the seat was a gift that the Drowned God sent as a final goodbye after he went beneath the waves, to live for eternity with the Merling King's daughter. That it proved that they, Greyjoy and Ironborn both, had been declared the mightiest and worthiest of all the people of the world, That as long as a Greyjoy sat on that seat, the world would fear the blood of iron.

Drake sat in the chair, molding herself into the curves and the twists of her throne. She then placed her hand beneath her chin, and started with eyes half open out on the Moot. Asha could only shake her head, as she slipped up next to Drake, and sat right next to her captain. She too turned her eyes out onto the moot, the crowd finally drawing silent as they took their position.

"Now then," Drake turned her head to the crowd of non-pirates, "State your business."

"Ah, yes," the oldest woman, hair dyed a both purple and orange, light wrinkles only mostly covered by skin powders, stepped forward. She bowed her head low, and then raised her head, and said, "Last night, that…that…," she waved her hand down toward the beaten pirate, "That raper came in to the Satin Palace. There, after a few hours, he took poor Velana, and raped her. I walked on hearing her screams, and we called the guard. I was worried that we wouldn't be able to catch him, but your…ahem," she looked up at Asso, who took that moment to smile at her, "your man found him. For which I am grateful."

Asha could only nod. That sounded about right.

The brothel owner then turned her head, "Now, Lady Antaryon," which caused Drake to grunt, and Asha could only snort at the dismissal, "The city fathers said I was to let men from here into my pillow house, but I doubt your father," Drake sighed at that, "Would have agreed to allow this scum into the city if he knew that something such as this might happen."

"He did think something like this might happen," Drake snapped, "That's why we have the Moot," she waved her hand, and the brothel owner blinked. For a moment, she pulled in a large breath, looking quite like a pufferfish, before letting loose a breath, and marching towards the crowd she was the head of. The girl Asha had seen before, Velena, squeezed through, and grabbed at the woman's skirt. The older woman seemed to soften, before reaching over and holding the younger woman.

Drake's eyes followed her to her place, and then rolled over to Asso, who turned his smile back to her, reached down, and pulled up Ilyno. The young pirate, coughed, a spat of blood hitting the driftwood floor of the moot. Drake stared hard into him, before asking, "Did you rape a girl?"

"I di-din," the pirate's eyes flung back and forth, "I din," he stopped, and then spat out another glob of blood onto the floor. The owner of the Satin Palace nearly came forward to speak again, when Drake held out her hand.

"Tell me, Illyno," the man nodded, "Did you go to the Satin Palace?"

"I di-," the man spat once more, blood now dribbling down his chin as he spoke. Drake's eyes bored into him, "I went to the palace," he then raised his hand, "And I paid for a whore, she still has my money," and pointed it directly at Velena, "I paid for her, I paid for her, and she ref-"

Drake raised her hand, and Illyno stopped speaking. She turned her head over to the courtesans of the Satin Palace. However, while Velena did seem to wilt, the older woman stood firm, glaring back. Drake made a motion for her to speak, and she did so, "He did pay for a night, however, at the Satin palace, we decide who our patrons are served by. He would have a girl," she then glared down at Illyno, "but that savage could not take that as an answer, and forced his way into her room and o-"

"I paid for her!" he screamed, "I pa-"

"Enough," Drake declared, and Asha shook her head. The fucker had just gone and admitted it, so there was no way this wasn' about to happen, "You admit you raped a girl."

"I paid for a whore, and sh-"

"You admit that you had her when she did not wish to have you," Drake stood up. She pointed down at Illyno, voice growling as she continued, "You failed to abide the law of our hosts, and by failing to abide the law of our hosts, you failed to abide me," Illyno's face began to twist, realizing the mistake he had made. He tried to raise his hands up piteously, but she cut him off, "You know the pric-"

"Now wait," now Tycho stepped forward. He began to stretch his arms wide, but stopped with the Tocar was about to fall. After catching the cloth, he used his left arm to hold the fabric in place, and then waved his right hand around freely, "Drake, surely you can see how this confusion arose," his words were as smooth as the silk around the Black Pearl's dress, "My brother was owed a fair compensation to his coin, and as a cust-"

"He was offered what he paid for, and took what he was not allowed to," she said firmly.

"Wai-," Tycho moved forward further, again nearly allowing his Tocar to fall off. He readjusted it, though when he stepped forward this time, he nearly fell over, though he only barely managed to catch himself. Drake only allowed herself a smile at that. Asha outright snorted, as did most of the rest of the Golden Stag's crew. However, the same expression was not on any of Hoytr's crew's faces, or most of the other pirates attending the Moot. Really, it wasn't even on the faces of the Courtesans or the guard, all of them nervously watching the pirates of Hoytr's crew and the others.

'They are outnumbered,' Asha observed, 'What, maybe a dozen guard against over a hundred pirates?'

"I say wait," Tycho pointed at Drake, "I will not let you violate my brother. Not when he committed no real crime-"

"He raped a girl," Drake said simply, getting off the Seastone Chair. She began to reach out her hand towards Asha, getting ready for the next step. Tycho angrily pushed forward, several of the men behind him beginning to ready their weapons.

"He had as much right to her as an-"

CHUNK

Tycho stopped, his foot only a foot behind where a large metal bolt stuck out of the driftwood floor. He looked up, and saw the dozens of archers sitting above them. The bowmen of the Golden Stag, they were asked to use their weapons to keep violence under control in the moot. Certainly, had it been needed, Tycho would be dead, or at least missing a few toes. Already several members of his crew had gone to put their maces and axes away, wearily observing the twelve Myrish crossbows arranged along the rafters.

"He raped a girl," Drake flexed her fingers, and Asha reached into the pocket of her coat. She then pulled free her axe, one of the only gifts she still had from her father, and tossed it to Drake, who caught it without needing to look. She then pointed down at Asso, "lower his breeches!"

"NO!" Illyno cried, trying to wiggle away, but it was too late, as the massive Dothraki reached down, and began to loosen the pirate's trousers, "Please, stop her! Please!" As Drake advanced, Asha looked over the masses, pushing back and forth. It seemed that with enough of a surge, Tycho might be able to call forward a mob to go and save his brother. However, the bolt in the floor kept them at bay, as every so often men would look up into the rafters to see the crossbows aimed directly at the crowd. If even Illyno's own crew wasn't about to rush into that kind of fight, there was no way other pirates would put their hides on the line, "Pleas-ack!"

Drake had arrived right between the supine pirate's legs. She looked around, and raised Asha's axe into the air, and slammed her foot down hard. Drake looked around the Moot, first placing her eyes on the girls of the Stain Palace, who seemed shocked that a woman would act so forcefully, though not without interest. Then, she saw Drake gaze over the rest of the room, looking each pirate she could directly in their eye, the dare of defiance hanging between her and any of them. Then Drake looked back to the Seastone Chair, and to Asha herself. Asha, looking at Drake, gave her captain a nod.

CHUNK

"GYIAAAHHHHH!" Illyno screamed, thrashing once more. Drake swiftly pulled up the axe, now stained red. She then reached down with her free left hand, and picked up something. Then she lifted it up with her left hand, a mass of flesh and blood pouring down her arms as she did so. Velena fell backward in an instant, only barely being caught by two of her fellow courtesan trainees, though another one of the girls held up her hands, and was barely able to staunch a burst of vomit through her fingers. Clearly, none of those girls had quite been expecting what justice for the rape would entail.

'Sweetlings,' Asha smirked to herself. She'd seen heads torn off and tossed before her father, back in Pyke. And she'd seen cocks. Seen plenty of the flopping things. And she'd have thought that this group of wannabe courtesans would be used to seeing them by this point, 'Just a little extra blood at this point.'

"There," Drake declared, pointing the axe over at the courtesans, "I believe that justice has been served," she lowered the axe down, and then held the pile of flesh out towards them, "Now, if you would like to have this-"

"NO!" the head courtesan recoiled, her face no longer needing an excessive amount of powder to be so pale. She stepped backwards, as did most of the girls. The town guard remained in place, though it was easy to see that there was a good deal of fear in their eyes. However, soon, the woman took in a breath, and came forward once more, saying, "That is unnecessary lady Antaryon," she gave one full look at the fleshy mass, before shaking her head, and saying, "Seeing that…this shall never happen again is more than enough."

"Well then," Drake nodded at them, "I believe our business is quite finished here then?"

"...yes," the woman gulped, and began to pull at her girls. Suddenly, the crowd from the Satin Palace turned, the guards forming up along the outside of it to offer some sort of protection. They twisted threw the crowds of pirates, before finally finishing at the door of the moot. They filed out the door, the girls huddling as they did so, eyes squarely on the pirates. A few pirates made for fake lunges at them, yet none truly came too close. The old woman then looked back, her nose scrunched up against her face. She opened her mouth, then closed it, shook her head, and then left the Moot, the driftwood doors closing behind her.

"So," Drake declared, Illyno's member still dripping blood through her fingers, "The moot has been adjourned," she held out the removed appendage, "Now, Tycho, you may take your brother, and see if you might make a eunuch out of him," there was a flash in the pirate captain's eyes, but he remained planted where he stood. When he did not immediately come forward, Drake motioned back with her head, and Asso walked back to beside her. Illyno was pale, though still breathing, his mouth pried open in a horrid scream.. Tycho waved his hand, and two of his pirates rushed forward, grabbing Illyno by the arms, and pulling him back to their group. All that was left behind was a pool of blood and other fluids, mixing in the driftwood beneath it to likely give this place an even more wretched smell. A few healers, Tycho was either unable or unwilling to get a true Maester, rushed to the wounded man's side, and began to pull out some long wraps of cotton cloth, all the while Tycho continued to glare at Drake.

"We are your fellows, your brotherhood," he snarled, before waving his hand toward the great door of the Moot, "Brothers should not take the word of whores who refuse to be whores over their brother's word."

Asha looked over the men in the crowd. Many of them were staring back and forth, several of them nodding their heads at the pirate captain's words. Several were already whispering to one another, their eyes only flicking to Drake. Asso saw the looks, and walked up and stood directly near Drake. Inneo then stepped up, and stood in front of Drake, offering his hands up in an attempt to calm the men around him.

"My brothers, please," the old man offered, "Understand, that we only may call this our home by acting in this manner," there was a mummering among the crowd, "You all have lived like I have. Living in some winesak that cuts their ale with seawater, and rum with piss," Asha had heard stories like that from Inneo ever since she had been snatched up and the crew of the Golden Stag had started talking with her, "Spending all day at port worrying that your ship might be caught on a shoal. Fearing that someday soon, that winesak would be found by ships of Volantis or Myr or Tyrosh," he then stopped, and smiled, "Or Braavos," he then smiled, "But see, my dear brothers, we are here now, with a port to call our own, and with no fear of our ships being set ablaze or our bodies stuffed into gibbets. We stay here, we may feast on the fat fish of Westeros's shi-"

"Feast," Another man stepped forward, long braids flowing down from the sides of his head to join his braided mustache flowing over his charcoal colored skin, "Feast, feast she says."

"Doro is right," a milk man from Qaarth said, another captain like Tycho and Doro, "The vessels of the bumpkins of Westeros barely contain enough wealth to pay for a week's pleasures," he then rubbed his bulging belly, "You restrict us to only so many, and do not allow us to take full stock of the ships to strengthen the profits."

"You know the rules, Sonal the Short," Drake emphasized, even though Sonal was actually as tall as she was. He was merely small for a milk man, "you come here, no slaves are to be taken."

"Calm, I say, calm!" came another voice, and Asha let loose a breath she'd been holding in. An older man, well dressed in many fine clothes, walked out into the middle of the Moot, "We must accept that as guests in Braavos. This is not truly our place, and we all made oaths when we joined this pirate fleet," Drake looked thankfully to Salladhor Saan, the Lysene corsair almost gliding around, "We swore that we would do what was necessary to survive and thrive. I may go out for my own business, yet I know here is the home I am most safe in. To tear our place apart due to one minor mishap."
"She has ripped the manhood from my brother," Tycho screamed.

"A brother, who clearly did not listen to the need to stay in the good graces of the people of Braavos," Salladhor said. He pointed at the door of the Moot, "Drake has done a fine job, now, whenever any of them shall speak of the pirates of the Drowned Town, they will always say to those passing through their sheets that the pirates did as they asked, and proved useful to them," he then waved his hands into the air, "And look here, we are richer, and safer than any day since the Band of the Nine took the Stepstones. And you cry for now that, to keep this place, your brother must lose his cock, and not lose his head?"

The sneer did not leave Tycho's face. Still, the other captains seemed, if not pleased, at least calmed, with several of them stepping back. Asha gave a quick glance over to Drake, who's frown had become more deep set upon her face. Her eyes were locked on Tycho, who remained in front, his own eyes locked on Asha's captain. However, just as he seemed ready to advance once more, Salladhor was back directly in front of the Pentosi pirate.

"Though if you wish to have your brother survive this, I suggest you take him to a healer now," Tycho glared, his hand on his blade, before finally turning, and his crew snatching up the now lightly bandaged Illyno, and carrying him out. The Saan then raised his hands, and declared, "Now, I say the meeting is adjourned."

"Wai-," Drake raised her hand up, but the Moot was as good as over. The different captains and their crews dispersed, many flowing through the other doors of the Palace. As the moments passed, the great room was left empty of all besides Drake, Asha, their crew, and Salladhor. The Lyseni pirate glided towards Drake, his smile shrinking as he did so, before he arrived before her, and then allowed himself a bow. Drake snorted, before saying, "Thank you, Lord Saan."

"My dear Drake," the pirate shook his head at her, though he kept his voice low, "You do not know what you do," he gestured his hand towards the piece of meat still in Drake's hand, "There is now a feud of blood between you and one of the most powerful captains of this fleet," he brought a silk cloth to his face, covering his nose with it, "Could you not have sought a less vicious manner to settle this?"

"We must keep the peace of Braavos," Drake growled.

"Yes, I do not deny that, but you must also attempt to keep peace here. A bribe to save mollify the courtesans, something that doesn't make this pot of pirates boil," he leaned forward, "Surely, you must understand my lady, that with your father being who he is, my fellows naturally question your intention," he slid his hand down his long sleeves until they came to jade monkey buttons, which he began to play with, "We Saan know that it takes much for these brigands and reavers to accept men of high blood into their ranks."

"I shall keep that in mind, Salladhor."

Salladhor looked as though he was about to attempt to speak out more, but then closed his mouth. He turned, and proceeded to glide out of view. Drake glared at him as he went. Salla and Inneo were soon right with them, their eyes fixed on their captain. They had both been part of the crew since before Asha had been taken from Pyke, both had been on the Golden Stag when she had been pimple faced and bow legged and declared one of the three jewels Lizabet Antaryon had declared she had stolen.

"Give out some extra rum and ale and whatever gut rot you can find," Drake said, and both older men nodded, "Keep them good and drunk until they all forget this, and they can go out raiding again," she grimaced, "In less than a fortnight, we either will be allowed to go hunting again, or we will receive enough tribute from the Baratheon's to pay more to each captain, and we can point them over to Volantis or other such places."

"Most pirates know better than to try and hunt around the mouth of the Rhoyne," Salla's voice hitched slightly, "Those who die in battle against the First Daughter are the lucky ones. Those that have value are sold, those that aren't are tied beneath the keels of Volantine warships."

"Volantis's admirals are too committed to the East to be that much use in pirate hunting," Drake offered, "With the fall of Yunkai to the Legions, Mereen called for aid, and Volantis was able to send most of its hungriest to Slaver's Bay to gain glory and tribute there," she sighed, "And with the army itself stuck watching the ruins of that wall, they won't be able to swiftly respond to our raiding. There is easy plunder for the taking, if we go for it," she then looked to Asha, "Though considering how things went…I would say we are most likely going to be back against the Stags once more."

"A relief," Salla noted, and Inneo nodded. Asha sighed. The night with the Lord of Storm's End had been a failure. They were lucky that the Sealord was determined to get as much as he could, and that Stannis Baratheon's arrogance would mean that they would most likely fail to make a peace. That would mean they could go out hunting again, rather than all of the pirates being cramped into Drowned Town, stewing in their own.

"Well, my brothers," Drake sighed, "I have," she rolled her eyes, "A lady to speak to."

"Yes," Inneo sighed, looking down the corridor behind the Seastone Chair, "Yes, you should speak to her."


Asha wondered how Lizabet had managed to make the Drowned Palace so stable. Most of the other shanties swayed side to side in the wind and waves of Drowned Town. The Drowned Palace, however, held firm as though on foundations of stone. It meant that, for one thing, they had adorned the hallways and rooms of the palace far more benefiting a lady of Braavos than a pirate captain. Tables and chests of polished mahogany and ebony, long carpets of water illy stitching, and tapestries of silk flowing up and around mirrors the size of Asha fully grown.

One such tapestry was one that Lady Lizabet Antaryon had had commissioned herself. On the left side of the work, was a set of ships, with massive three and four sails on ships that had decks climb high above the waves. They sailed, almost covering the sea in a forecast of cut wood, until they reached a harbor, where thousands of men stood, waiting with spears and armor, all waiting for the great fleet. Yet, as men climbed in, eight small ships, engulfed in flames, floated towards the fleet. There was fire, then wind, then more ships, and then those first massive ships were gone, with nothing but the waves to cover them. It was a strange battle, one that Asha had asked about. The answer had been that it had been a famous one that had happened "Many lifetimes ago."

'Whatever that means,' Asha thought, as beneath the wreckage of that original fleet on the tapestry, Drake finally arrived at a small, simple wooden door. She raised her hand to the wood, and taped thrice in the center, then once on the upper right, then twice on the upper left, and then kicked the door.

"Ah-hck-ah," there was a strain on the familiar voice inside the room, and Asha could only groan at what she was likely about to see, "Wh-whooozat, I'm dr-I'm dr-"

The scowl on Drake's face grew. She slammed her fist into the door once more, and then shouted, "Open up," her voice carried down the hallway. Asha almost made to look left and right, yet she did not see anyone down either side of the corridor. Which made sense, Drake would have checked herself before making a ruckus before the chamber. She had more than enough to hide in here, "If you don't open up and let me in, I swear I will drag you-"

The door opened, and Drake was looking in a mirror.

Well, that would be what the eyes first saw. Asha knew that there were two women looking at one another, and it wasn't just that one was in the nude aside for a loose hanging silk sheet. The woman she'd been with this whole morning, dressed in a sailor's tunic covered over by her long leather coat, had a slight cut right beneath her right ear, her left pinky was bent slightly outward, and, hidden under her leather trousers, a long cut ran along her inner femur. Her doppelganger had no such cuts or bruises, or any markings of the punishments of living life at all.

That…that was the tell. Where Drake had clearly lived life at sea, with the cuts and bruises and broken bones to show it, Lizabet seemed to have been nothing more than a pampered dynast, the sort of woman who would be nothing more than the daughter of the Sealord. She even appeared younger than Drake, perhaps an inch shorter, though both slightly taller than Asha. More obviously…well, it was good that Drake wore rugged clothes, for even with those now, it was obvious how much further Drake's breasts had grown in comparison to Lizabet's.

"What crawled up your ass and died?" Lizabet asked, her eyes still adjusting to the light. There was a lightness to her voice, one that had been woven through it since the day Asha had met her. Though Asha looked at the older woman, it had once been a song sung by two.

"What crawled up my ass and died," Drake growled, the age of her voice rumbling against her throat, "what crawled up my ass-" she stopped, and then looked around, and then pushed Lizabet backward. The other red head, clearly not all together there, nearly fell backwards, though she never actually lost balance. Asha followed Drake inside, and swiftly closed the door. The heavy wood shut, and the three were in the head chamber of the palace. The one most decorated to demonstrate the wealth and breeding of Lizabet Antaryon. But Asha had no desire to observe the finery, and instead returned her eyes to the red-haired pair, "What crawled up in my ass and died was a mess you nearly let out of control."

"What mess?" Lizabet sighed, leaning back against the post of the bed. She reached her arms behind the back of her head.

"This," Drake then held up the mass of flesh that had once been the cock of Illyno, "Is from the brother of that dog Tycho," the Antaryon princess blinked as a few flecks of blood flew out and landed on her face, "He went out and raped a girl from the Satin Palace last night. He paid for a whore, but took a girl who he didn't pay for and I had to mete out the retribution. While you were here, tumbling in your sheets and sleeping that tumble off, I was having to stand in front of the whole of our fleet. Once again, while you frolic, I have to do the work for keeping this fucking fleet alive," she looked down, and stared at the organ, before finally her face turned in on itself, and she looked as though she might nearly vomit.

"You just realized you were carrying that around?" Lizabet snorted, her smirk never falling from her face despite the tirade of the seemingly older woman, "one might have thought you were keeping it as a trophy," she then turned back to the bed, a figure underneath the sheets, "Do you Courtesans keep such things, chop the cock off those that wronged you when you were girls?"

"Please, tis too early for wit."

And the fourth woman in the room rose from the long silk sheets. Bellegere Otherys, ebony hair cascading down over her almost certainly bare breasts, providing her some level of decency…for all that was worth. She pulled the hair from her eyes, and despite the clear signs of too much drink from the night before, the orbs were locked on the two women locked in argument. Bellegere then looked over at the mass in Drake's hand, and asked, "So you chopped off a pirate's cock to pay for a raping?" with a little music at the back of her voice.

"Yes," Drake admitted, before finally tossing it down, attempting to wipe away the blood and fluids on her coat, "Twas the best of the options we could have made."

"Mayhaps we could have bribed the owner of the brothel," Lizabet said, and Drake's mouth flew open. Asha could only let out a sigh, she had heard this sort of fight far too often for her liking. However, before Drake could say anything, Lizabet continued, "Tycho is the captain of one of our larger ships, and well liked. If gelding his brother is the best he can hope from this," she sighed, "Then yes, I think paying the head whore off might have been a be-"

"I was to let the raper off because his brother is a captain?"

"We only have this place because I'm the daughter of a Sealord," Lizabet's smirk was far too large for its own good, and Asha could only allow herself a small sigh. These two had bickered and bit about this sort of thing as long as she could remember. Lizabet stood to her full height, and while not full matching Drake, she somehow loomed over her as Drake had loomed over Illyno, "A fisherman's bastard would have not made it here from Silty Town without the backing of a Lady of Antaryon."

Drake growled, but could say nothing in response. She then turned her head toward the Black pearl, and asked, "Have you nothing to say?" the girl with the color of mahogany looked up, "As…as one of your tra-"

"You mean as a whore, do I approve the castration of a man who raped another," when Drake blushed at Bellegere's words, but held her head high, "I certainly do not regret the thought of such a man no longer having his cock. Some other girl would meet an even worse fate if he'd been allowed to keep it," she looked down at the cock, "Though, Lizabet understands those reavers and rogues in ways I never shall," she leaned forward, and Drake turned her head, her face flush, "So, perhaps it would have been best to take the bribe."

"A girl like you was raped."

"Oh," Bellegere chuckled, and Drake turned her head further, her face growing flusher, "Oh, that girl was nothing like I was," she smiled, "I was born for this life," she leaned forward, pressing into Lizabet's back, causing the Antaryon's smile to twist stupidly, "I was taught, just as I took my first steps form a cradle, what it means to be a courtesan," Drake's frown grew along her face at that, however, she looked away even more pointedly as the woman's deft arms slinked down the Lizabet's chest, "Many girls think that being a courtesan is poems and incense and dancing. They let the songs and the barges mislead them. At the core, to be a courtesan is to sleep with men, many of whom the courtesan would rather not," she pushed her nose into the side of Lizabet's neck, "I can tell you I have laid with men far more wretched in heart and face and belly than that pirate you just made a eunuch," she then smirked, and placed a hand on Lizabet's cheek, "Or Stannis Baratheon for that matter."

"I said I was sorry," Lizabet whined, and then let out a squeak as Bellegere reached her teeth up and nipped at the pirate's ear, "Wait, I was trying to make amen-"

"By every right, I came out of the meeting with the Stag Prince no worse than went in," she smiled, "My reputation is enough that one stone prince denying my advances hardly shortens the line to my barge," she smiled, and then moved something around with her arms, and the squeak from the Antaryon nearly caused Asha to jump, "Besides, I prefer hinds to stags," she then began to place kisses on the woman in her arms, all the while said woman had a smile that was entirely too large for Asha's liking.

"Would you hold for a moment Lady Otherys," Drake was now looking away with both her eyes, "There is still much to discuss-"

"No there isn't," Drake's doppelganger cut her off, and the pirate captain looked as though she may reach over, and do something far more vicious with her hands than what Bellegere was doing with her's, "You did what was needed to be done, and I shall work this evening so that your blunder does not cost us beyond one angry crew," she then turned her head, "I say you should return to your home. I shall play our role tonight and for the next few days, and you may rest while I repair what has been damaged."

"I…," Drake glared over at Lizabet, yet she was clearly struggling to stay upright, "Fine then," she answered. After all, at least half of her complaint was about her having to do more work these past few days, "I shall retire for two days. I will then return and shall relieve you of your admiralty."

Lizabet snorted, though she nodded. Asha could only nod to herself that this was for the best. Drake would need to cool her temper for a time and Lizabet could use her time as "Captain Drake" to do what was needed to soothe the captains of the fleet. Then…then the two women Asha most admired would be able to speak as friends again. Like the sisters they were when she was snatched up by the back of her shirt on Pyke, and not two bickering carpers.

"I will," Drake said, rubbing her eyes to try and control the bags, "I shall take my leave."

She then turned to leave. Asha waited for a moment, and then pointed down at the wad of flesh on the floor, "Shall I leave this for you to dispose of, Liz," she managed to hold back her smirk while Lizabet twitched at that name, "or should I leave it to you so you might have something to flavor you-"

"No," Bellegere's eyes were flat at the suggestion, "I see enough cocks, had enough cocks."

"You may toss it in the lagoon," Lizabet waved her hand. Then her eyes changed and began to sweep up and down Asha for what had to have been the half hundred time, "Though, as far as adding some spice," she grabbed a sheet, and lifted it up, "The stew is always ready for more ingredients."

"Fine," Asha sighed, and for a second, Lizabet's eyes seemed to shine, only for her to pout as Asha bent down and picked up the mound of flesh, "I shall see you out in the palace, I'll give cover so that they merely think you are recovering from a hangover or something, so you may," she twisted her hand in the air, imitating Lizabet so well that Bellegere snorted, "make magic from your words."

"I do not look like that," the Sealord's daughter grumbled. When the whore next to her snorted even louder, she turned, and said, "I do not!"

"Oh, I dare say that you do tend to claim that you are a mage of some sort or another," the Black Pearl's words followed Asha as she made her way to the door leading from the chamber, "oh, how did it go, "My dear Pearl, I shall reach in your finery, and remove a pair of br-"

Asha shut the door, rather not wishing to deal with Lizabet's next few lines, or the inevitable fucking that was to follow. Seeing Liz and another woman, usually the Black Pearl, tangled into a ball of limbs had become something she had grown frighteningly comfortable with, ever since she had wandered to the captain's quarters not even a full year after having been stolen from her family. She did not revel in the rather newer suggestion that she join in that ball of womanly heat.

'A cock is made to slip in there,' she sighed, though she thought on, 'I wish there was one that I'd be happy with now, but ever since Joseys…' She thought of the red-haired boy, pretty with straight teeth and a dimpled chin, and then, as she always did, remembered seeing his face crushed beneath a fallen stone, crows picking at his minced guts. She shook her head and hurried after Drake. She was soon in a little parlor of the palace, an enclosed room with many different clothes and fabrics to allow for discretion, that even had a small little trap door to allow for travel beneath to a set of small boats to sneak beneath the pirates' homes. It had taken her only a moment to catch the older woman, already having tied her hair up beneath a large shawl, a dress covering her body, and with an extra bundle of blankets around her belly to make her appear as nothing like the feared pirate admiral.

"Here to see me off Asha?" the Greyjoy nodded, and Drake could only shake her head, "Well, thank you, but don't wander out too far with me, cannot risk anyone getting ideas," Asha took the moment to calmly toss the remains of Illyno's cock down the traphole into the water, and then turn, and think on how strange how two women of different blood could look almost as twins.

Drake had met Lizabet Antaryon when they were both a mere eight name days old. That was how it had always been told to the men of the Golden Stag's crew when they were finally brought in. Drake, the bastard daughter of a fisherman, had discovered a noble lady attempting to run away from her needlework. Somehow, after playing for a bit, the servants had found Drake, and dragged her off in Lizabet's stead. Drake spent two days being bathed, dressed, and fed, while Lizabet had spent the time climbing her way all over the city. When the two met again, the two had sworn an "Oath of Sisterhood" where they would take one another's place as they wanted. When Lizabet wanted to escape a lesson, or Drake needed a roof over her head, the two would switch around, or perhaps hide together.

The two little girls had managed to hide this from everyone for over two years, and were only discovered when the Sealord had wandered in when the two had been switching clothes. Neither seemed to like to speak on what punishment they had received, yet somehow, the old man had agreed to allow his daughter and her twin to continue to do as they pleased, not least of which was that Drake proved far more amenable to listening to him.

All of that had meant that, as they blossomed into women in full, the two had used the lessons they had learned to organize the raid on Pyke. The Sealord had been inquiring about marrying Lizabet off, and they had thought that the only way to stop that was to prove themselves beyond that fate. When they had heard of the Greyjoy Rebellion, Drake gathered a crew of some men she had met and trusted, Lizabet had bought up a ship and paid for a Stag banner to hide among the King's ships. Then, they had snuck forward when no one was looking, snuck into Pyke to take the Seastone Chair and the Driftwood crown. And ended up grabbing her up as well.

Well, they had escaped from Pyke quite quickly after that, with Asha bound and gagged as they sailed through the Stag fleet. Then, once they were on the other side of the fleet, the normal stag came down, and the golden stag went up. It was only later that the two were told that by inverting the color of the stag, they had not merely insulted the King of Westeros, as had been the intention, but they had implied that they were of the same blood as the Baratheons, and had claim to the throne itself.

'All just a mass of errors and folly,' Asha sighed. The Baratheons were here in Braavos, demanding that they put an end to everything they had spent a decade working for, and even should they hold off judgment from Lizabet's father, the King across the Narrow Sea would still be nothing but a thorn in their side.

"Well then," Drake stood up, firm and straight, "I suppose this is where I take off," she smiled and then made to the door.

"Enjoy your time away," Asha waved her hand, "Hopefully, you will feel better, and then you and Liz can stop trying to bite one another's heads off."

"Oh, I doubt that," Drake sighed. She grabbed at the trap door, "We…I know our vicious words must be hard for you," Asha gave a small nod, "We brought you hear, swore an oath to treat you as we treated each other," Asha could remember her hand somehow being gripped by two older ones, "And yet, it must feel as though we are no longer sisters," Drake's free hand came to her face, and rolled her fingers down her cheek, "I…it feels like I have aged, grown older," she slapped the back belly beneath her dress, "Fatter."

"Most women do."

"Not Lizabet," she admitted, "Only just a bit after her twenty-fifth nameday, she seemed to change," Asha had not noticed it at the time, though now she could guess that was when the years had seemed to begin to punish Drake and let Lizabet continued as she pleased, "We no longer…no longer," she shook her head, "No need to delve further. What is done is done, what is said is said," she then smiled, "Take care Asha, do not let "Captain Drake," burn this place down. It would be such a waste."

"She didn't burn it down two years ago-"

"Because you did so well to keep her caged," Drake laughed, as she slipped through the trap door and into the small skiff. Asha sighed as the door closed behind the other woman, leaving only a sliver of space for her to look down. She would have to wait here for a while, at least until she was sure that Drake had left the Drowned Town. Then, she could head back, and ensure her other captain was out of her sheets, and ready to perform for the other captains.

As she sat back, she gave one final thought to what she had tossed away. She gave a glance down, yet instead of merely seeing the sloshing waves of the lagoon against the older frames of Drowned Town, she instead saw a black bird sitting on a floating piece of driftwood. The crow looked up at her, dead black eyes never blinking. It then spread its wings, and shot away from the door.

"...I shall need a drink," she said aloud, at least grateful that drinks ran free in Drowned Town.


"Ah, the days are too long, and the nights too short," "Captain Drake" said to the gathered pirates, "So, I say we take this day, and treat it as night," her sword slice through the air, and the cork on the barrel of ale flew off, "Let us make a merry night while the sun sits in the middle of the sky!"

The drunken shouts of the pirates carried throughout the Mermaid Hall, as barrels of mead, rum, ale and wine began to be placed along the many long tables of the lower hall. Asha had met "Drake" on her way out from her room, and the two had gone about Lizabet's plan to cool the heat now burning in the pirates of their fleet. First, of course, they had gone to a few of the store houses built among the driftwood palace, and brought as much drink to the Mermaid Hall. As they had expected, almost every crew had at least a few members there. While many ran over to begin to fill their cups with the drinks, others were running off to tell the rest of their crews to come and take in this gift.

'All according to plan,' Asha could see Inneo and Salla filling brass tankards and handing them to their fellow corsairs, each of whom gladly snatched the drinks up and began to go and fill themselves up. Asso was carrying in a fresh barrel of rum that would ordinarily take two men. And all around, these pirates saw Drake and her crew as providing for them. Still, it was only the first part of the mummer's play.

The next part came as more and more of the captains of these crews trickled into the hall. They, unlike their crews, were brought up to the "Table of the Captains", a long table horizontal to the rest of the tables used by the lower crews. The captains filled their seats, and were soon taking in their cups. Several of the captains that had been among those that had questioned the Moot, yet now they at least took the gift of free drink. And soon, they would be given even more. For in the center of the Captain's table was "Captain Drake", standing with her arms out stretched.

"What good is drink without food?" she declared, as long pewter platters began to shuffle out of the side doors. Asha herself could smell the baked oysters next to the small pots of spiced Pentosi fish sauce. There were long necked tuna, heads still attached and gaping from the last moments on land, with their bellies long opened and filled with steamed plums and pomegranates. Crabs the size of Asha's hands were placed on the heads of of lobsters the size of her head, their shells steamed bright red, with the different shellfish made to look as though they were Westerosi knights charging one another in a joust. All of these gifts of the sea were surrounded by cooked soft peppers and cabbage. Rye and Wheat Bread were stacked as tall as Asha, and could be used in any manner of way.

Foods most pirates had never seen, or would ever see. But now, they were being provided that and so much drink that they may all piss themselves from the deluge of alcohol. All of it given to them by Drake.

All of it could be taken away by Drake too, if she wanted. The captains likely knew this, and while they may have been whining from them at the bloody justice given to Tycho's brother, most knew that their men would be angered should they lose the rights to this food and the safety of the Drowned Town. So, Drake would remind them, and then use the next few days to meet with them, and mollify them as much as she could.

Would not work for all of them. Asha could see that the seat where Tycho Hyotr sat was now empty. Yet as long as Drake could maintain the majority of the fleet, the rest would be kept in line, or leave with little disturbance. And the ones it did work for…

"Ah, Drake," Salladhor Saan was standing up, swaying as he did so. Too much to be real, the Last Valerian was nothing if not measured in his drink and always in control of himself. Most likely, "I must say, this has been among the finest feasts I have ever had. You, my Lady Antaryon," he bowed "Are a pearl without a price."

"I'm more obsidian than pearl," Asha could only roll her eyes at the false modesty coming from her captain. Still, this was going far more easily than Asha had thought. The pirates themselves were in agreement that life here in Drowned Town was far better than where they had been before. Their captains knew their men preferred this place to where they might lead them, so they were open to working more with Drake, "All I can say is that I am surrounded by more gems in this hall than in any palace in all the world!" A great cheer rose up into the air, and Ash could only smile, as Drake's smirk grew as well.

"Drake!" the cry went out, "Drake! Drake of the Golden Stag! Drake, lord of Braavos! Drake, the PIRATE KING!"

"Oh, my brothers," Drake bowed nearly fully over, and the pirates cheered. Asha could only sigh at the display, for men were quite easy to please with a loose hanging tunic and a view Asha had grown perhaps too familiar with. Drake then leaned back, and smiled, "We must begin discussions on next months raids," she smiled to herself, "Unfortunately, does not seem as though the Late Lord Baratheon," a smattering of jeers filled the hall, "has made any gains with the keyholders," she then smiled as broadly as she could, "Those hicks and farmers and land-fuckers aren't the sort to bow when they are beaten, so we shall begin with the splitting of prizes."

Almost instantly, the crowd began to quiet. Not from a loss of cheer, but of a sudden sharpening of their minds. Splitting of prizes was the way that Drake had sold the captains of her pirate fleet on continuing their raiding without stepping on one another's toes. Every few months, the captains would gather here, and Drake, either of them really, would sell off the rights to certain common routes along the seas. Following these courses was one of the conditions for gaining entrance into their fleet, yet the pirates were happy for it. It meant that larger crews, like those of Salladhor and Tycho, could hunt the fattest vessels and richest routes with little worry of another pirate stealing their prize. The same was perhaps greater for the smaller crews, who, while with lesser prizes to hunt, did not have to fear of the larger crews stealing their scores. Should a crew break these contracts, then they would have to pay not only what they had stolen from another crew, but half of all they had taken. Yet the lack of competition and promise of prizes of some level was enough to entice the crews, and it made the gatherings of the captains important so the crews could ensure their coin for the next few months.

'Of course,' Asha thought as she watched the few men of Tycho, Sonal the Short, and the other absent captains rush to alert to them that the sale of routes was occurring now, 'they also serve as a reward for the loyal,' these prizes were given to those hear to buy them, so these first few routes would likely be given to those that were here.

"The first route to sail," Drake smiled to herself, "The Lannisport to Last Lament!"

"No!" the shout among the crowd was loud. A Summer Islander from the lower tables rushed forward, raising a hand into the air, "That is the route of Doro!"

"He is not here," Drake continued, "Now, I shall begin the bidding at-" Asha did not care to hear. The Lannisport was not even the largest route between the Westerosi ports and the Summer Islands, that was Tall Trees to Oldtown. It was, however, the most consistent. The gold of the lions flowed south at least once a month in quantities that were perhaps too much so Casterly Rock could further gaud itself in the many jewels of the Summer Islands. Doro had had the route for the four years he had been a member, and made himself among the richest of the fleet by pillaging his homeland.

Yet, he was not here, and so soon another captain would be able to spend several months loading up on Lannister Gold. That captain just so happened to be - "Salladhor Saan!"

"Thank you, my most gracious lady," the old man bowed once more, "The gods are good to me, and the emeralds shall go fine with my sigils and flags," he did his best to wave around the green silk along his long sleeves.

"Next then," Lizabet smiled, "Is the Gulltown to Lorath route," a man from Doroshi, a minor pentosi pirate made to stand up, before looking around, and falling in defeat, clearly understanding that no one would be coming to his captain's aid. Doroshi was far smaller than Doro or Tycho, which made sense for this far lesser prize. Indeed, it was so small, that there was a pause, before some of the minor bids began to come for this route by smaller captains.

Asha and Lizabet had decided to use this as a sort of punishment for most of those who had shown clear support for Tycho. If they were not here, they were clearly not committed to the fleet, and so they would be punished. The one route they would leave alone would be Tycho's, the King's Landing to Myr route. A route of silk and spices and gold dragons, it was one of the most coveted, and one that Tycho had paid for as his own when he'd first been brought on. It had been the ability to get this route that had brought the prickly man into their fleet in the first place, and Lizabet would not touch it. She would instead wait for him to arrive, make sure he won it, and then, after it was done, pay him back half his bid as a restitution for his brother.

"Come now, is that all we can get for Gulltown to Pentos?" "Drake" grumbled. Of course, Lizabet still wasn't supposed to sell any of these routes at all. Despite her bravado, the Sealord had not said he was going to reject Stannis Baratheon's offer. It was still likely that was to occur, but "Drake" knew that to keep any possible mutiny from festering, she had to remind the pirates of what they had gained from working with her.

So if that meant making a few promises and then working to scupper the negotiations a bit more, then "Drake" would do what she must.

"We want GOLD!" one of the men from the lower tables shouted, clearly not impressed with the Gulltown to Lorath line, with at best walrus tusk and whale oil to sell, "We want GOLD!"

"WE WANT GOLD!" the crowd began to get together, and chant as one, "WE WANT GOLD!"

"WE WANT GOLD!"

"WE WANT GOLD!"

"CALM YOURSELVES!" Drake shouted, "you will have gold, but now, I am offering you a certain pointy in hide and oil," she waved her arms about, "Not all treasure is silver and gold!"

"Mate."

Lizabet froze. Not Drake, but Lizabet. Slowly, her eyes scanned across the hall, towards one of the set of side doors. Standing there were a motley crew of four. A set of mutts, as far as Asha could see. One a woman with skin as dark as the Black Pearl's, a bronze man with shining white hair and a long red cloak, a boy from the East, most likely Yi Ti, and an Ash Valyrian. The other three surrounded the boy, who was smirking as he stared at Drake.

"You really did enjoy that movie huh?" he asked, as suddenly a murmur came out among the crowd, "So, you going to offer them all the rights to pillage, plunder, rifle and loot?" his smile managed to grow larger, before he then said, waving his hand to the crowd, "Drink up, me hearties, yo ho."

"Master," he saw the bronze man squeeze the top of his nose, while closing his eyes in frustration, "Do you have to bring up children's songs?"

"He wouldn't be the idiot if he didn't go and say things like this," the Ash Valyrian grumbled, turning her head to her side, and Asha would swear to her dying day that she small a little cloud of smoke burst forward when she spoke, "Though he'll cut it out if he doesn't want me to whack some sense into him."

"I'm a bit more worried about the HUNDREDS OF DANGEROUS PIRATES IN THIS ROOM!" the dark skinned woman waved her hand toward the many tables filled with the crews of their fleet. Several of them began to take out axes and swords, their eyes locked onto these strange intruders. Asha could only wonder how this motley crew had managed to get into the hall without anyone trying to stop them. They were a strange group, wearing different types of clothes, from different peoples, speaking a strange Valyrian mutt tongue. Even in Braavos, something like this was deeply unusual. The only place she'd seen such a motley sort was…

In this very hall, with pirates from all seas gathering together.

"So Drake-"

"We're just ignoring me," the dark haired woman's face fell into her palms, "Why couldn't I get a normal master?"

"This place is pretty cool," the strange boy ignored his companion, somehow causing her to groan quite loudly. He then smiled, and began walking along the wall, his eyes locked onto Lizabet, "You really did a great job with all this Drake, I mean that really," he then stopped, "But, well," he then glared into the pirate admiral's eyes, and Asha felt fa chill fill the hall.

"We are going to have to talk about a few things."