[color=gold][b]From the Open Seas to the Stepstones, a recount of Ser Aerion and friend’s adventures[/b][/color]
Ser Aerion breathed a sigh of relief. He fell back, letting the ship railing support his downward descent into a sitting position. Victory always tasted bittersweet. You were alive, but of course, others had gone to meet the Seven. Sweat beaded across Aerion’s brow, stinging as the occasional droplet fell into his eyes. The Last Rite had been taken after the heated battle, with Lady Visenya herself striking the final blow against the Grey Septon himself. The corrupted cleric had killed his fair share of royalist combatants, but when the final climactic battle came to a head, he was cut down, with his corpse falling overboard. Aerion nodded towards Lady Visenya, bowing his head towards her, before taking his hands to push the sweat back from his forehead. 

From across the decks of the ships, another roar of victory came forth. Aerion looked to the noise, seeing that the Silver Serpent was also taken at last, with the King Slayer holding the dead captain’s hand aloft. Rolling his eyes, Aerion looked about for Lyvia and Oswell. He scanned the decks of all three ships, taking stock of the unfolding events. The dead were being collected, allies given the canvas shroud, the enemy being looted and stripped of valuables, the wounded being cared after, while in the corner, the pampered tosh Ser Ellion upchucked his stomach. ‘How in the world, the priss acts like he is a tough and arrogant man, but one battle is all it takes to make him puke’ Aerion thought to himself, before shouting aloud towards Ser Ellion, [color=gold]“Careful Ser Dandelion, wouldn’t want you slipping and falling into your own vomit.”[/color] Shaking his head, Aerion stood back up, and went looking for Ser Oswell. 

After combing both the Last Rite and the Grey Ice for the better part of a half hour, Aerion came across the remains of Ser Oswell. He looked to have died quickly, in the heat of battle, that much was certain. Arrayed around the dead knight were the corpses of nine dead pirates, by the looks of it, it had taken the nine pirates together to finally defeat Oswell, with the last pirate and Ser Oswell striking the killing blows upon one another. Aerion knelt next to his fallen friend, quickly praying over his body, before closing Oswell’s eyes in a final solemn farewell. [color=gold]“May the Father always hold you in high regard my friend. Feast and revel with the fallen of your family in the afterlife. I will keep my promise to you, and ensure your sister gets your shield and sword. Light of the Seven guide you brother.” [/color]Aerion rose back up, taking the old shield and sword from fallen Ser Oswell, and made his way back above deck of the Last Rite.

Aerion slowly made his way over to Lady Lyvia, breaking the saddening news to her of their close friend’s demise. Lyvia made a half-choked noise, a mixture of anguish and anger as she turned away, to look outwards at the ocean blue. Aerion sighed, and put his arm about Lyvia, the two exchanging stories about their fallen friend as they allowed their grief to ebb away, storing it away to express at another time, a more proper venue as oppose to the blood-soaked decks of these ships far out at sea. Together, they turned to face the concluding moments of the battle’s aftermath. The enemy had lost far more than their own allies, but the dead were still dead. Crown Prince Aemon calls all allied forces to the Silver Serpent, wanting to take stock of the survivors, and how best to press on with the next leg of their journey. Aerion and Lyvia find themselves in the middle of the remaining loyalists, looking at faces both familiar and unfamiliar. But, it was the next decisions that brought both their faces towards the Crown Prince himself.

Crown Prince Aemon spoke aloud, issuing his orders to his subordinates, [color=red] “We are taking the Silver Serpent as our vessel now. The Grey Ice has served its purpose, and we have not the crew to man the Last Rite. Both those ships will be scuttled and sent to the bottom of the Narrow Sea. We shall disguise ourselves as these rebels, as pirates, and continue with our mission.” [/color] As Crown Prince Aemon had finished speaking, voices called out from the loyalist crew, [color=purple]“What of the prisoners?”[/color] Lady Visenya spoke aloud, pointing to the surviving pirates bound together. Prince Viserys in a cruel tone spoke out, [color=crimson] “Slit their throats and be done with it. They deserve a traitor’s death.” [/color] Ser Jaime Tarth spoke aloud as well, [color=aqua] “Spare them, my Prince, have them sent to the wall.” [/color] Ser Aerion added his own voice to the din, [color=gold] “Prince Aemon, do what is best for the mission, but judge them by the laws of the Seven Kingdoms.” [/color] 

Crown Prince Aemon held his right hand aloft, signaling for silence. He had made his decisions, and spoke the words firmly. [color=red]"I find you all guilty of the crime of piracy and assault on agents of the crown. In the names of Jon, of House Stark, Second of His Name and Daenerys, of House Targaryen, First of Her Name, King and Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord and Lady of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protectors of the Realm, I sentence you all to die. Visenya."[/color] With his final words, Lady Visenya and her cadre of Dragon’s Teeth carried out the execution. The pirate’s deaths were swift and without agony, arrows perfectly finding their blackened and evil hearts. Thus, the orders of the Crown Prince were set into motion, the Last Rite and Grey Ice set aflame, while the crew busied themselves with garbing themselves accordingly to look like pirates and sellsword rebels. The dead did not mind giving up their belongings, and after being stripped, they were tossed overboard to crew the sunken ships of the Drowned God, or at least what Ser Aerion had heard from adherents to that faith.

The Silver Serpent began to set underway, her sails being unfurled and filling with the gentle breeze of the Narrow Sea. Ser Aerion had hurried below deck, to send out two letters, destined for King’s Landing. Crown Prince Aemon was in his war room with his officers composing dispatches to relay back to the King, and implied that this may be the only chance for letters of any kind to be sent back home. Aerion wrote in a flowing script, tight, neat, yet in its own way, oddly elegant. He knew who he would have to write to, and while he had only met one in person, and the other in passing, he felt honor and duty bound to send these messages to the two individuals. 

[Hider=Lady Amber of House Redwyne]
[i] Lady Amber Redwyne,
I apologize for not being able to converse with you directly, as duty to the Crown has taken me elsewhere before you had awoken. But, with my sincerest apologies, I humbly apologize to you for the unfortunate actions that befell you on the night of the Crown Prince’s wedding. I pray by the Seven that you do not hold these events against me, and that you allow me to make it up to you when the time presents itself. I bear the guilt of your wounds upon my conscience, and while the Septons and Septas say you shall make a full recovering, the specters of the mind are not so easily healed. If you ever need someone you can trust and talk to, whilst I am away in this terrible conflict, look to Lady Cerenna of House Lefford. She is a trusted friend and ally of mine, and she is always willing to listen and help heal the wounds that cannot be seen on the inside. 

I offer you my word and vow, that should you be dismissed from service of Lady Alerie Tyrell for my provocations and actions, I will see that you are protected and cared for as though you were my own kin. Lady Amber, I also assume that your employer may be displeased with you, and may assume certain things may have happened. I also write to her, in the hopes that she will believe in the true telling of the events, and does not punish you for anything that was my fault, and my fault alone. May the Light of the Seven guide you to safety and safe harbor in these uncertain times.

Very Respectfully,
Ser Aerion Goldfyre[/i][/hider]

[Hider=Lady Alerie of House Tyrell]
[i] Lady Alerie Tyrell,
I know we have yet to meet properly, but allow me to introduce myself to you in a hopefully somewhat appropriate manner. I am Ser Aerion Goldfyre, a humble knight and friend of Lady Amber Redwyne. On the night of the Crown Prince’s wedding, I invited your handmaiden to join me out on the beaches for a more quiet and personal meeting. I do not doubt that this interaction may leave thoughts of impropriety and conduct unbecoming of both a knight and a lady of a high-ranking house. Furthermore, such actions reflect poorly unto you, if they were true. Yet, I hope that you take both my word, and the word of Lady Amber, that nothing other than a friendly meal and song was shared, and not lines further were crossed. Many men say they are honorable, and perhaps some are. I hope that you believe me when I saw I am an honorable man, and would dare not seek to dishonor nor defile Lady Amber. 

So, it begs the question, why should you believe me, a knight you’ve never met, and your handmaiden who snuck out from a royal wedding to meet with myself. And to be honest, I don’t know what I can do to have you believe me, or Lady Amber. I guess I put my hopes in that you are the honorable and respectable woman that Lady Amber has described you to be, one that will weigh the testimony of her handmaiden and an anointed knight, and then pass judgement. Honor and duty compels me to offer a favor to you as well, for I was the one who took your handmaiden away from you when you certainly had need for her during the chaos and confusion of that night. 

My sincerest apologies and respect,
Ser Aerion Goldfyre[/i][/hider]

Ser Aerion sealed both letters with his family sigil, which he sealed in gold colored wax, to differentiate it from the similar seal of House Targaryen. With both letters complete, Aerion made his way above decks, attaching his letters to the feet of the awaiting ravens, along with others, and the dispatches from the Crown Prince, as they watched the birds fly away and west, towards home.

[b][color=gold] Several Days Later, the Port of Bloodstone [/color][/b]

Aerion had kept mostly to himself and his friend Lady Lyvia. They ate apart from the others, the loss of their friend apparent to any who cared enough to see. Aerion did occasionally converse with Seran of Lys, the two even sharing a drink one night.  Lyvia and Aerion rode out the rest of the voyage in a sort of uneasy calm, perhaps the way a cat swishes its tail as it prepares to pounce upon prey. At long last, the isle of Bloodstone came into view. As everyone came above deck, the sight was certainly an eerie one. The sky was tinged with the red and yellows of fire on the horizon, while ash fell from above like a dingy gray snow. Aerion brushed some from his left shoulder as he turned to look Lyvia and himself over. [color=gold] “Well, you certainly look the part of a vile pirate Lyvia. You look like when we first met. Battle of Muddy Brook, that little village. Damn, that was a long time ago. Well, enough about the past. You look the part of criminal scum. What about me?”[/color] Aerion stepped back, letting Lyvia look at him. 

Lyvia looked Aerion over, making sure to make the man looked unkempt and disheveled. She adjusted his belt and leather armor, took his sword and placed it across his back rather that at his hip. [color=yellow] “You’ve gotten too used to being a knight silly. Loosen your armor, dishevel your hair and smudge some grime upon your face. Remember, we are dirty, ragged criminals, not well kept Westerosi. Better let that idiot flower boy know. He’s going to be a dead giveaway.”[/color] Lyvia stifled a laugh, while pointing out towards Ser Ellion. [color=yellow] “He looks like he’s straight from a cheap romance novel about pirates. Aerion, you’d better say something to that pampered tosh, before he gets us all killed.” [/color] Aerion nodded to Lyvia, thanking he, before he looked over at Ellion. [color=gold] “Ser Dandelion, might want to dress down a bit. This isn’t a holiday pageant, this is war. Do everyone a favor, and dirty up, make yourself look like you’ve actually been fighting and killing, not kissing and tromping through flower garden.” [/color] Aerion nodded his head towards Ellion, before heading towards the command deck of the bridge, where everyone had been summoned for a final briefing.

Crown Prince Aemon had called everyone forth to be briefed on their orders for the upcoming operations upon the land. He was stern and clear in his words. They were here to gather intelligence first and foremost, looking high and low for any information which may help them weed out the rebel forces. They were to keep a low profile, do not draw undue attention to themselves if it could not be helped. Furthermore, do not engage in combat unless forced into a fight, in other words, keep your noses clean and do the Crown proud. Crown Prince Aemon then split the forces at hand in two, with him in charge of one party, and Prince Viserys in charge of the other. Before dispersing, Crown Prince Aemon ordered Lady Visenya to choose who would remain behind and guard the ship. Devil’s Rest was a dangerous place to anyone who was not prepared.

Aerion and Lyvia ended up being assigned to guard the ship alongside two Dothraki named Lash and Red Lamb. Lady Visenya assured Aerion and Lyvia that they were not being left behind because they were not competent, or that they were in trouble, but rather that the Silver Serpent needed to remain in friendly hands at all costs, and in ports like these, it was known that certain enterprising scum would steal ships and make a tidy profit. For only Ser Aerion and Lady Visenya to see, a look was shared, one that said, ‘Take the time you need, mourn your friend, and be ready when we return. Put the ghosts to rest, we need you in the times to come.’ Aerion nodded, and bowed before Lady Visenya. [color=gold] “As you command it, so shall it be Lady Visenya. We will ensure the ship stays in friendly hands, no matter what.”[/color]

And thus, the hours passed by, Lyvia and Aerion watching the shore parties go about their business, while they themselves and the two Dothraki guarded the ship. For the most part, it was quiet and uneventful… well, at least that is what they reported. In all honesty, a gaggle of whores strolled by, seeing if there was any need for their services, a dodgy looking cobbler tried to bribe his way aboard, saying that pirates always had need for a good pair of boots. A kid trying to sell oysters and cockles, while another pair of supposed port recorders tried to gain access to the ship, in order to inspect the hold. Aerion and Lyvia did as they were ordered, and kept any and all potential boarders firmly off the ship. Save for a little monkey that clambered on board, howling and hissing at the security detail, before it let loose a shriek, and leapt to another ship and disappeared from view. All in all, an easy day that gave them the time they needed to clear their minds and come to terms with their friend’s untimely passing. 

At long last, near the end of the day, Crown Prince Aemon returned to the ship with his assigned party. Aerion searched for Lady Visenya’s party, but could not see them among the company present. Shrugging it off as they were perhaps on their way back still, or had other duties to attend to, Aerion went back below deck to continue cooking a small pot of clam chowder. The little girl had driven a hard bargain, and Aerion had walked away with a small armload of fresh clams. He had haggled with the girl to bring him fresh onions and potatoes, which she happily obliged for a fair fee. Aerion slowly stirred the soup, ladling out a small bowl for himself and Lady Lyvia, whilst they await the return of their friend Seran.