Book 2, Chapter 3 - Ours is the Fury

[Order him to fetch Naela] I was watching a Law & Order episode earlier today that had Cameron Monaghan in it, and one of the themes was telling the truth and trust. So, I must do that.

Yeah, this situation is not looking good. I don't like this Spice King fellow, the Mask guy and his lovely assistant are back in our lives causing trouble.

Poor Kareq. Those masters are certainly not Irae's friends...I think we will see that theme climax dramatically.

[Allow him to put Kareq out of his misery]

[Allow him to put Kareq out of his misery]

Deja would take serious offence at being called the Mask's assistant, it's merely a partnership of convenience with a slightly uneven power level between them, at least as far as she's concerned. The Mask would be more inclined to agree with your view. And yes, the Spice King. I first mentioned that guy ages ago and I always knew exactly what I wanted to do with him, so I am actually excited I managed to introduce him at last. The next chapter will flesh him out further, giving you a good idea what sort of a character he is.



They are definitely not Kareq's friends. As for their opinion on Irae, it's actually fairly mixed. Her mentor, Moros, at least cares enough to make her believe she is actually helping Kareq, whereas Xhoros, who gave her the supposed antidote, just shamelessly used her for his own goals. Others have a more complicated and ambiguous opinion on her. That being said, it remains to be seen how Irae will react to being used and lied to, especially as she was actually invested in Kareq's well-being.

They blindfolded her, about an hour before reaching Yoreen's camp. As understandable as it was, it dismayed her even further, for she now realized just how cautious her captor truly was. He made not even this small mistake, he didn't even show her where his camp was, which way she had to run if she were to try and escape from his clutches.

All she knew was that it had to be somewhere within the mountains, up a narrow path. One of his men led her and from how heavily his hand was lying on her shoulder, how sharply he forced her to step where he demanded her to step, she could guess that the path was a dangerous one. At the very least, it was steep, rocky and narrow enough for only one man to walk by her side at all times.

Involuntarily, a sigh left her throat. Old Lord Blackmont had offered one of his scouts, but she had declined to keep their secrecy. And yet, said scout would have likely figured their exact position out already. As it was, Ysilla could only guess that she was being led past several hidden sentries who kept an eye on the very road they were going to take.

The Reachmen were well-organized and more numerous than she had expected. This suspicion got confirmed after they finally reached Yoreen's camp, after what felt like an eternity of being dragged, pushed and forced along a narrow mountain road. A distinct whistling sound announced their presence and soon afterwards, Ysilla was surrounded by chatter. She could hear Yoreen's voice, barking commands, before she was pushed forward.

Landing on her knees, she felt someone pulling at her blindfold and a second later, she could see again. It was almost dawn, the sun rising behind distant mountains, they were in a narrow valley, its sides covered by tall, dark trees. The air, while refreshingly cold, was filled with the stench only a war camp could have.

And indeed, there were tents, dozens of them, some larger, some smaller, all gathered around a central hill. The tent on there was the largest of them all and it was not hard to guess whom it belonged to. And there were flags... Ysilla was by no means her half-sister when it came to a classic courtly education, but her father had made sure that even she would learn their meanings. There were butterflies on a field of white, House Mullendore of Uplands, though most of the butterflies were on a field of black instead. Inverted colours, a bastard's sigil, she realized at once. Had she been born a man, she would have likely gotten one of these too.

The winged heart was prominently featured, the sigil of House Toyne. Others as well... a small contingent of Tarly soldiers, a slightly larger one belonging to House Peake. None of them stopped and stared as Yoreen and his prisoners entered the camp and yet, she could feel their gazes upon her at all times.

As she glanced around, she saw Theodan near her, with Jen and Allar behind. Jen in particular was clearly afraid, while Allar took his current situation with admirable calmness. And Theodan... her brother was angry. For anyone else, he'd seem perfectly calm, almost as outwardly relaxed as Allar and yet, she knew him better than that. It were small gestures, a subtle shift in his expression, just enough for her to see how utterly livid he was.

“We're back, lads!”, Yoreen proclaimed and his men cheered at his words. “Caught us some dornish rats!” They cheered even louder at that, as the knight raised his arms. “It's moments like this that give meaning to our duty, to the sacrifices we make in these hostile mountains!”, he yelled loudly. “Without our watchful eyes, these rats would have slipped across the border to do their dirty dornish spy work in our beautiful Reach. What do we say to that?”

“Never!”, a man yelled and the others interjected with cheers. Yoreen chuckled at this, though Ysilla tensed up. These men, they hated her, almost as much as their commander did. They hated her because they believed her to be something she wasn't, a spy who sought to harm their homeland. If their roles were reversed, she wasn't sure if she wouldn't react with the same severity. And yet, as afraid as she was of Yoreen Flowers and his band of thugs, she could only hope they could find a way to deal with him.

With a wicked grin, the knight turned to Ysilla and he came closer than she was comfortable with. Still, she stood her ground, not even gasping as he grabbed her chin, forcing her to look him right into those pale, lifeless eyes of his. His gaunt face was even more revolting up close. “You said you would cooperate with me”, he spoke. “We'll see if I can trust your word”

“Why trust her word alone?”, Theon Toyne interjected from the side. “I have men with me who could get the truth out of her in an hour, maybe less if she's as weak as she seems” To this, Yoreen shook his head. “Don't know if she's weak or not, but she's not stupid”, he growled, before he turned back to Ysilla. “It's a good thing you gave me your word”, he told her. “Otherwise you'd be in Theon's tent by now and I'd be eagerly awaiting his results”

Once more, he forced her to look at him and this time, Theodan straightened his back. “Hey!”, he growled. “You take your fucking hands off her!” He tried to move, but the soldier behind him held his chains tightly and despite all his anger, he managed little more than to rattle his chains a bit. Surprisingly, Yoreen indeed let go of her and Ysilla sighed in relief, though she immediately clenched her fists as the knight turned to Theodan instead.

“Defending your little sister, eh?”, he growled. “Or is she your lover? Perhaps both? Heard that's the latest fashion in this shithole you call your home” Theodan narrowed his eyes, though just in this moment, the Iron Viper, of all people, stepped in. Mockingly, he patted Theodan's shoulder. “You don't know when to give up, eh?”, he remarked. “Just stay silent and maybe you have a chance of getting through this. But I wouldn't talk back at Commander Yoreen if I were you”

Theodan was about to say something, but to Ysilla's surprise, he actually bit his tongue for once. She saw his face brighten with rage, however, as he looked at the Essosi. “If I get out of this, I'm going to kill you”, he growled, as serious as possible. The Viper merely chuckled. “Bold words for a man in chains”, he replied. “I'm curious how you intend to get out of them” He shrugged, before he turned away. “By the way, thanks for the sword”

This was enough for Theodan to nearly jump at the Essosi, with two men having to hold him back. Quickly, the massive figure of Yoreen Flowers moved between them and with a brutal punch to the gut, he stopped any resistance coming from her brother. “Continue like that and I'll give you to Theon, no matter how pretty your sister will sing for me”, he warned him. “You're my prisoners now. The four of you'll get a tent over your head, you'll get water and food as long as you cause me no trouble. Once I have the time to listen to your whining, I'll interrogate you. I'll be civil as long as you tell me the truth. Once you lie to me, once you cause trouble, once you do as much as look at me the wrong way, I'll prove to y'all that I have earned every last bit of my reputation”

He moved past Ysilla and her brother and towards Jenelyne. The girl was clearly terrified of Yoreen, as much as Ysilla, but worse at hiding it. Before he could reach her, Allar pushed himself between them. Yoreen raised an eyebrow, before he took a long, close look at the man in front of him. “Two pairs of siblings...”, he mumbled. “That's actually fairly smart of your spymaster. Makes you a better team. I wonder though, how far are you willing to go to get your sister out of this mess?”

He pulled himself away, though he once more glanced at Allar in a slightly curious manner. “Viper!”, he called out to his sellsword and the man saluted in front of him. “Yes, Ser?”, he asked, just as the knight patted him on the shoulder. “You did well tonight!”, he complimented him. “Damn fine fight, if I may say so. Take the rest of the night off. Tomorrow as well. Get yourself a cask of wine, you've bloody earned it!”

The Iron Viper flashed him a smirk. “Does Roseandre get the rest of the night off too?”, he asked and he gave the woman a wink. Her usually harsh expression softened and she even blushed a little bit, just as Yoreen let out a cold chuckle. “Don't push my gratitude, sellsword”, he told him calmly. “She'll join you soon enough. First, I still have need for her”

He turned and left, while Roseandre raised an eyebrow as she walked past the Iron Viper. “See you later, Essosi”, she remarked. As soon as Theon Toyne followed the Reachman as well, the soldier behind Ysilla pushed her forwards as well. The Iron Viper remained there, smiling to himself, though as Ysilla got pushed past him, he shot her a smirk and leant closer.

“You should do as he tells you”, he warned her. “Trust me, you do not want to end up on his bad side” Ysilla raised an eyebrow. “What's it to you?”, she hissed and as she got pushed farther, the Iron Viper followed, for part of the way at least. “Your brother fought well”, he told her. “Would be a shame to see him end on a rope”

Before Ysilla could reply, the soldier behind her pushed her away. “Move”, the man growled, as he forced her to follow after Yoreen and her companions. The knight was now flanked by Roseandre and Theon Toyne, though the Stormlander stopped after a dozen feet. He and Yoreen exchanged a respectful salute, before he turned to his tents, where his own men were waiting. As he left, he threw a dark glare at the dornish. His anger felt almost... personal?

As they approached a group of tents, a couple of soldiers approached them from the side. They were Mullendore men, half a dozen and as soon as they were close enough, Yoreen raised a closed fist, after which they stopped. “Permission to speak, Ser!”, one of them said, a tall and lean man, whose severely broken nose and badly shaven beard hid a fairly well-constructed face. He looked from Ysilla to Jenelyne and she did not like the smile on his face.

Yoreen narrowed his eyes. “You're the boys sent by my father, eh?”, he growled and the man's smile grew thinner. “Yes, Ser!”, he confirmed and Yoreen rolled his eyes. “Then I know what to expect of you”, he replied. “In a decade, my father hasn't sent a single good soldier my way. Just petty criminals he wanted out of his city or dreg from his own ranks he wanted to get rid of. What were you?”

The man's smile faded entirely. “Part of the city guard, Ser”, he replied and Yoreen shrugged. “That's what they all say. Makes no difference. Maybe there's none to begin with”, he growled. “What do you want?” Hesitantly, the man straightened his back. “Wanted to ask, Ser... have you read the letter of recommendation?”, he asked and Yoreen shrugged. “Probably”, he replied. “You just came to ask me that?”

“No, Ser”, the man replied and as he spoke, he came closer, slowly walking around the prisoners. “I wanted to offer my service. Picked up a lot of skills in Oldtown, I think me and the boys can really add something to this place” As he said this, he threw a brief glance at Jen, before placing a hand on her waist, hard enough for her to flinch.

Surprisingly, Allar was calm, though she saw his eyes narrow, if for a moment. Ysilla, however, tensed up. “Take your fucking hand off her”, she spat and the man raised an eyebrow. “Been an excellent ratcatcher in Oldtown”, he spoke and his smile returned. “I'd make for a decent guard to these pretty rats. Helped your father quite a lot in that capacity”

Yoreen was smiling too and his smile was as repulsive as the rest of him and as cold and lifeless as his gaze. “I bet you did”, he growled, before he came closer. “But let me tell you one thing... you are not in Oldtown anymore. You know what my father did to men who don't know their place?” The man gave him a nod, though he wasn't oblivious to the threatening tone in the knight's voice. “I... just wanted to offer...”, he stuttered and Yoreen cut him off. “Your offer is dismissed”, he told him. “You think you can waltz in here and just because you had a good rapport with my father, I'm supposed to give you preferred treatment? Act like I don't know exactly what you want to do with my little spies here?”

“N... no, Ser!”, the man exclaimed and Yoreen sighed. “I don't care whose cock you swallowed before you got here”, he barked. “But here, you have to prove yourself to me. Not my father, not Lord Hightower, not the ploughing king, but me alone” He carefully eyed the man from head to toe. “Prove your worth and I'll consider giving you more important tasks”, he growled. “But touch my prisoners without my outspoken permission and I'll gut you like a fish. Understood?”

“Understood, Commander Yoreen, Ser!”, the man intoned, though he gave Ysilla a slight glare. However, without saying another word, he saluted in front of his commanding officer, before leaving with his companions. Yoreen looked after them, before he let out a sigh. “My father's men...”, he growled and he glanced at Roseandre, who had her arms crossed behind her back. “The old man taught me a great many things. Most importantly, he taught me never to trust his gifts. I want them on patrol duty. Far away from my camp, my men and my prisoners”

“And the prisoners?”, Roseandre replied, her tone making it clear she couldn't care less about what would happen to Ysilla. Yoreen stopped once more and this time, Ysilla almost walked into him. “I need a reliable guard”, he growled. “Fetch me one guy you're absolutely certain won't harm them until I give the order” Roseandre raised an eyebrow, but before she could reply, Yoreen grabbed her by the collar of her tunic. “If you pick the wrong one, I'll hold you responsible for it”, he warned her.

Immediately, Roseandre's expression shifted. “I won't fail you”, she mumbled, before she turned away. Yoreen looked after her for a moment, before he shook his head. “I hope for your sake I won't regret this”, he growled towards Ysilla. “The only thing I trust about you is that you don't want to get on my bad side” He narrowed his pale, green eyes. “And after what happened to my scouts, you're pretty fucking close to it”

“Your scouts attacked us”, Ysilla growled in return and Yoreen raised an eyebrow. “So you said before”, he replied. “And I still don't believe you” He stopped again, before he pointed at one of the tents, slightly larger than the average one, with a sturdy wooden pole in its centre to give it additional stability. It was empty, save for the surprisingly clean straw that covered its ground and the four chains that were tied to the pole.

“You will not leave this tent, safe for when I allow it”, Yoreen explained. “Every day, I'll take one of you and interrogate them. Four days, one for each of you, then I'll give you to Theon. I guarantee you, I got my answers by the fifth” He made a slight gesture with his hand and the soldiers pushed Ysilla and her companions into the tent. Though the thought of defiance crossed her mind throughout the entire time, two other thoughts held her back. They had weapons. And they were standing close to Theodan and even closer to Jenelyne. One wrong move and she couldn't guarantee for their safety.

“We'll cooperate”, Allar replied calmly. “What do you want to know?” Yoreen chuckled. “For now, your names will suffice”, he told him. “Doesn't really matter much, but I want to know whom I am dealing with” He looked from him to Ysilla, who took a deep breath. “I'm Jeyne”, she then said, just as the chain was placed around her neck. It didn't hinder her much, for now, she could even stand with it, but it didn't even reach the end of the tent. “My brother's Darren and those are Asha and Robb” They followed with a chain around her wrists.

“Jeyne”, Yoreen said and his tone made it clear how little it mattered to him how she wanted to call herself. “That's a beginning. You keep that up and maybe I won't have to kill you after all” He glanced over his shoulder, just as Roseandre returned. By her side walked a boy, barely a grown man and definitely even younger than her. He had light brown hair and boyish freckles and he was too thin for his own good. He wore a badly-fitting tunic above old chainmail and with him he carried a spear, not as ornate and beautiful as the one her father had gifted her, but a plain, crude weapon, probably mass-crafted by some Highgarden weaponsmith.

“I was asking for your most reliable man, Roseandre”, Yoreen remarked calmly, while Roseandre gave him a nod. “He is a man”, she assured him. “Just looks like a boy” She gave her companion a hard pat on the back. “Introduce yourself to the knight, come on!” The boy flinched as she touched him, though he quickly straightened his back. “I'm... I'm Dylar, m'lord”, he introduced himself with the thin voice of a half-grown man. “Dylar Harking. From Raylansfair”

“Raylansfair”, Yoreen mumbled. “Good city. Your Lord Raylan has always been thorough with the men he sent to the Marshes. A bit too obsessed with Ironborn for my taste, but I can hardly blame the man after what these degenerates did to his kin” He came closer and Ysilla could see Dylar suppressing a gasp at the intimidating sight of his commanding officer, even more so as Yoreen placed a hand on his shoulder. “You will guard four dornish rats”, he told him. “They remain chained in there unless I give the direct order. You may talk to them as you like, but you won't enter the tent unless two other soldiers are present to back you up. If that tent is on fire and no one's around to give the order, you let them burn”

“U... Understood, Ser!”, Dylar exclaimed and Yoreen exchanged a glance with Roseandre so subtle that Ysilla barely noticed it. “Good lad”, the knight complimented him. “Don't disappoint me and I next time I need someone for a task like that, I might remember your name” He turned to leave, just as Allar looked up again. “Wait!”, he growled and Yoreen glanced over his shoulder. “What is it?”, he asked. “Robb, wasn't it?”

Allar clenched his fists, before he gave him a nod. “What are you going to do with us?”, he barked. “If we do as you say. If we tell you the truth, all of it. What is going to happen to us?” He narrowed his eyes. “Tell us now, while your men are here to listen” Yoreen raised an eyebrow. “So that you can call me a liar once I still execute you, is that what you want to imply?”, he asked and his tone was neither angry, nor was it calm. Worse, it was amused. “Hate to disappoint, but I'm not that simple”, he continued. “I don't know what I'm going to do to you. Might take you with me, lock you up somewhere. Might kill you. Might just let you run if I feel like it” The hint of a smile on his face faded as quick as it came. “It all depends on what you're going to tell me and wether or not I'm inclined to believe you”

He finally turned around and left the tent. His soldiers went with him, Roseandre going last, after throwing a cautious glare at Ysilla. Finally, there was just Dylar left, who was visibly nervous. One glare from Theodan was enough to send him running out of the tent, where he took position, within sight, but probably out of earshot as long as they were whispering.

“Bloody hell...”, Theodan then hissed and his voice was as foul as his mood. Ysilla reached out for him, but he immediately pulled back. He was angry and she couldn't even blame him. “I had no choice”, she whispered towards him, though he didn't even look up. “Had they stumbled upon the camp, they would have killed you”

“Then I would have given them a fight to remember”, Theodan replied sharply. “Better to die with a sword in hand than to be... caged like a rat!” Being caged... in a way, that had always been his fear. That's why he had always been like that. Moody. Irresponsible. A godsdamn fool and still, her brother. “Better not to die at all”, Allar remarked calmly. “We have to get out of here. The bastard likes to appear reasonable, but we all know what he did at Yronwood”

This caused Jenelyne to look up and Ysilla saw tears in the corner of her eyes. Gently, she placed a hand on the other woman's shoulder and Jen tensed up at her touch, before softening again with a sigh. To think that just hours ago, they had been lying together, forgetting about the world for a bit... now they were here and though she could barely stand to admit it to herself, she was just as scared as Jen.

“I don't know what he did”, she mumbled, to which Theodan raised an eyebrow. “You don't have to know”, he replied. “You... you really shouldn't...” He sighed, before he shook his head. “We're really fucked this time, aren't we?” Allar chuckled without even a hint of joy, before he gave him a nod. “Seems like it”, he confirmed. “But you've seen those men outside. The ones from Oldtown. How they looked at Ysilla, how they looked at Jen. I'll kill every last one of them before they get the chance to touch my sister”

Now, Theodan looked up and though she still saw anger and disappointment on Theodan's face, he forced himself to look her in the eye. “So would I”, he confirmed and she gave him a thin smile of relief. “We need to get out of here before it comes to that. I agree, I don't trust that Reachman asshole. Seen men with eyes like that before and they were always bad news”

“We haven't done anything wrong though”, Jen interjected. “Crossing the border is not illegal, isn't it? I doubt they do that to every traveller in these lands” Allar shook his head and Theodan actually looked impressed for a moment. “Indeed they don't”, he spoke. “Else we would have left by ship. This was supposed to be the safe route. Crossing the border beneath suspicion...”

“Means we've been ratted out”, Allar growled. “Those scouts we had to kill... I couldn't quite place it before, but I think they were looking for me. Well, for anyone trying to cross the border here. How likely is that? We're crossing the border just as they are out to hunt some poor bastards?” Ysilla shrugged. “Bad luck”, she spoke, even though she had to admit that the same thought crossed her mind.

“Who else knew of our journey?”, Allar then asked and Ysilla gulped. “Lady Absidee”, she spoke. “Princess Meria, Prince Nymor and Princess Deria, but they're above suspicion. And... Sarina Manwoody was there as well” She couldn't say she knew much of the heiress to Kingsgrave, but it was hard to believe that she would sell them out like that.

“It sure wasn't anyone present at the meeting”, Allar said. “Why would Yoreen question us if his informant already knows why we came here? Just someone important enough to learn of our departure, smart enough to guess we're after something important, but still clueless enough not to know the details. They tip off Yoreen, or maybe his superiors and here we go”

“And what are we going to do about it?”, Theodan whispered, careful to lower his voice even more, so that the boy outside couldn't listen to even a fragment of their conversation. “If you're right, if someone sold us out to the Reach, then the princess needs to hear of it. I say we get out of here as soon as possible. It's just one boy out there”

“You just want to kill him, or what?”, Jen hissed. “If we do that, if we try to escape and fail... I don't know what this man did at Yronwood and I'll be damned, I don't want to find out what he's capable of. If someone tipped him off, maybe he thinks we're worse than we actually are. We... I know that sounds crazy, but shouldn't we cooperate? He has the upper hand”

“Giving up so easily?”, Allar asked and his voice was mildly teasing. “Doesn't sound like you, sister mine” He shook his head. “I don't trust a word out of his mouth. We need to get out of here and we sure as hells won't do that by cooperating with the worst knight the Reach has brought forth in a thousand years” He glanced at Ysilla. “You agree with me on that, don't you?”, he asked.

Did she? Truth be told, Ysilla was not sure what to do and yet, Allar looked at her as if she had more of an answer than he had, as if she could convince Jen, or maybe convince him that his sister was right. Everything within her revolted at the thought of cooperating with Yoreen Flowers. He had taken her, nearly killed her brother, chained them to this pole and then there was Yronwood... could she really cooperate with such a man? Besides, she couldn't be sure if he'd even appreciate it. After all, they were at his mercy and by his reputation, she knew he had none of that. And yet, they had only one shot at escaping. Getting caught by his men, that could only end in their death.

[Tell them to cooperate with Yoreen]

[Tell them to try to escape] Come on guys we need some violence in this joint.

I have a bad feeling about all of this. Especially because Yoreen seems rather smart.

Hey, a Harking kid! Now that was a surprise. I was wondering if any of the people from Oldtown were known characters, but this was truly out of left field.

Soon, the chapter finale will upon us. I am eager, especially if Ysilla's in the finale. What could possibly happen in the next part?

[Tell them to try to escape]

Yoreen is smart indeed! He's his father's son when it comes to that, he may look like a typical brute on the outside, but he has earned his command here for a reason. Under no circumstances should he be underestimated.



Ah, none of those Oldtown people are known characters, though it shows that many of Butterfly's men left the city after the events of Book 1. Those were some fairly low-ranking goons, though like many of the former Solvers, they figured out Mullendore's identity after Harpy publically exposed him after the Masquerade. So, they now try to join up with his son in the hopes of earning some new place to stay. As for Dylar Harking, it was mentioned before that Jenna's brothers are stationed in the Dornish Marches, so when I planned this chapter, I realized it would be a perfect opportunity to reveal that they are not all dead (as Richard and Jenna have both repeatedly feared). There's Dylar's twin brother Dramin and their older brother Arvin, whose current status remains unknown, but Dylar is still alive for the time being.



Very soon indeed! Just a matter of wrapping up the final few parts before that. Drent will get another part, Edrick, Sadie will return after a long absence (and the break between her parts will make sense too), Kyra and Garthon, our Vale PoV's Lachlan and the Hawk, Raenna as well, though I hope to combine some of these in one part if the length allows it. So, probably around 6 parts left in this chapter and I can't tell you how excited I am to write that finale, not just because it took me forever to get there, but also because I kept the best for last.

Slowly, Alys placed a hand on Carvin's forearm and she noticed how tense he was. Even the slight trembling of his body had no effect on his aim, as he firmly targeted Warmond's back. They exchanged a glance and Alys subtly shook her head. Immediately, she felt the sigh of relief that left Carvin's throat, as he lowered his crossbow. Just a second later, Warmond was gone, vanished around the corner.

“Good”, Carvin mumbled, before he turned around. Alys did the same, staring Sargasso Saan right in the eye as she did. The pirate captain gave her an odd look and she raised an eyebrow. “Are you disappointed?”, she asked and he hesitated for a moment, before he shook his head. “Not at all”, he then replied. “You are no killer. I noticed that when first we spoke” He gave her a thin, cold smile. “Killing Manderly right here would have made things easier, for you, for me”, he added. “But I have men in the city, enough of them. If he manages to get past them, I think he has earned himself a slight headstart”

And yet, his smile was a little bit smaller than before and the affable mask he was wearing had more than just a few cracks, as he shot her a brief, but intense glare. “I reckon he won't forget this either”, he added. “You've let a very dangerous enemy walk today, mylady. Pray to your old gods that he appreciates your mercy”

“He better will...”, Carvin growled, though he gave Alys a thankful nod. “So, what's next? We need to get Alys out of here, somewhere safe until Anturion returns. If the king realizes what happened, then he...” He cut himself off, but a bit too late, as Melvan Tiren staggered out of his room again. Glaring into the silent round, the pirate let out a sigh. “If the king realizes what?”, he asked. “And where's Manderly? You said Aeron expects us”

Saan's smile was thin, but almost genuinely amused. “Manderly had other duties to attend to”, he spoke. “Running away like a dog, for example” He looked from the other pirate to Alys. “He tried to have the girl killed”, he told him. “A scheme with the blessing of our king” Melvan narrowed his eyes. “Am I supposed to care for that?”, he growled. “Hardly the worst thing our good king gave his blessing for”

“True”, Saan admitted. “I want you to stay out of my way when I confront him about this” He gave the other man a sly wink. “We both know why you should do that. I don't seek to harm the king, but I want him to know I saw right through his scheme. I want him to back off, leave me and the girl in peace. Sounds like a reasonable demand to me”

“That's cause it is”, Melvan agreed. “Rare, coming from you” He hesitated, but finally gave him a nod. “You're too young to remember, but I was around before Aeron came to power. Those were dark days, when pirates openly fought each other, when fleets from Dorne and the Arbor still threatened our ships. I will not allow these days to ever return” He narrowed his eyes. “That was Warmond's plan, aye”, he spoke. “And the king merely agreed to look the other way. Not terribly noble of him, but nothing too vile either”

Sargasso gave him a nod. “That's exactly where I'm standing”, he claimed. “I want to let the king know what Warmond was up to. I'll stay silent about this to anyone who doesn't have to know, as long as Aeron never gives his consent to such a plan ever again. As long as he leaves me be, he has nothing to fear” He briefly glanced at Alys. “And the girl, I suppose she should be left alone too for now”

Melvan narrowed his eyes, before a thin smile formed on his face. “I don't like you, Saan”, he growled. “But sometimes, you make a bloody good amount of sense” The two pirates shared a chuckle and Sargasso Saan shrugged. “I try to remain unpredictable, Melvan”, he replied. “Shall we go to the king now? Undoubtedly he heard the commotion Warmond's... misstep has caused”

“Yeah, I bet he did...”, Melvan growled, before he glanced at Alys. “I know you're not quite that dumb, given you managed to stay alive until now”, he spoke. “But if you know what's good for you, you shut your trap in there. King's in a foul mood” Alys raised an eyebrow. “Why's that?”, she asked and she was secretly glad that Carvin walked by her side. He still held his crossbow, more casually now, but she had no doubt in his skills. With him, she felt safe enough to face the king of this hellhole.

“Jadith's fleet should have been back days ago”, Saan replied in Melvan's stead. “With them, your Anturion” Alys narrowed her eyes. “He's not 'my' Anturion”, she hissed. “As soon as he's back, I'm out of here” Melvan chuckled at her angry tone. “You got anywhere to go, kid?”, he asked. “I've met lots of your kind, street-smart orphan brats who think they can make it big in Dorne. Those who don't strand in some Planky Town backalley always come back. It ain't an easy life here, but it's a life nonetheless and it's got some benefits” He placed a large hand on her shoulder, completely ignoring Carvin's mild glare. “You ever want to taste true freedom, there's no place like Merman's Rest in all the known world”

“Edward promised to take me to Dorne”, Alys claimed, even though she knew by now he had no intention of following through with his word. And yet, she knew that Edward was hardly the worst she could stick to. Blacksails had tried to kill her, Warmond had used her and she would never trust a man such as Saan. And even now, she felt a chill running down her spine as she thought of Harren Hoare and his rotten sons. No, as soon as he would return, she would leave with him and then she would leave again as soon as they reached the first port. Didn't matter if it was Lys or Sunspear or Oldtown as long as she'd get away from these people. After what just happened, she was sick of them all.

“Anturion promises a great many things to a great many people”, Saan replied. “He never follows through on any of them, especially not when he has nothing to gain from it. That man is insatiable and to trust him is about the most foolish thing you could do in your life” Alys raised an eyebrow. “Didn't your king trust him?”, she asked and she noticed the amused expression on the pirate's face. Then, Saan shook his head. “Blacksails is many things, but even he is not big enough a fool to trust Anturion even one bit”, he growled. “Which is why we had this entire situation to begin with. He tried to have you killed because it would send a proper message to a man who never seems to learn his lessons”

She frowned, as they approached the doors that led to Blacksail's audience room. A heavy hand touched her shoulder and she nearly flinched, before she realized it was only Carvin. The sellsword gave her a look of surprisingly genuine concern. “Are you sure you wish to do this, little lady?”, he asked and she took a deep breath. Then, she gave him a nod. “I want this to be over”, she replied.

As soon as she had said this, Melvan pushed the doors open. “Your grace!”, he roared into the audience room. It was dark, even darker than usual, and the seats were all empty. And yet, from behind the other door, next to Blacksail's throne, Alys heard faint music and she could smell the sweet smoke of Aeron's pipe. Dim light was visible beneath it and as soon as Melvan had spoken, she heard distant footsteps.

“And what is the meaning of this?”, the pirate king's voice called out for them, soft and cold, even before Aeron opened the door that undoubtedly led to his private quarters. His vest was open, revealing a lean chest, pale skin marred by two deep, knotty scars. His eyes were narrowed and fixed on Sargasso Saan and though he held nothing in his hands, his mere presence felt more intimidating than any weapon ever could have been. “I expect a good explanation, Captain Saan”

Sargasso Saan made a mocking bow in front of his king and Melvan followed, albeit his attempt looked notably more genuine, if more clumsy at the same time. Blacksails raised an eyebrow, as he sunk onto his throne and Saan took a step forward. “Actually, I'm the one who wants an explanation”, he spoke. “Your grace”

If Blacksails had any idea what the other pirate was talking about, he did a good job at hiding it. His purple gaze showed nothing, no sign at being confused or at realizing what Saan was hinting at. “You mean to imply?”, he asked, as he leant back. Saan took a step forward. “A hired killer, an attempt on the girl's life and a fairly laughable attempt by Captain Manderly to get rid of me”, he explained. “All with your silent knowledge”

Now, she noticed a reaction. The king clenched his fist, briefly and barely. No doubt Saan noticed it as well, for his smile grew a bit sharper. “A stark accusation”, Aeron finally replied. “One that could cost you your head if repeated in larger company” Saan's confidence did not waver. “Or you yours”, he replied. “See, from silent knowledge, it's only a small step to approval and then another small step to complicity. I wonder how the others would react to that, the king stepping to drastic measures to silence a rival”

“Are we rivals now, Captain Saan?”, Aeron replied, his voice but a calm whisper. “We don't see eye to eye, but then again, we are hardly on the same level to begin with, aren't we? Differences are to be expected between a king and his... detractors, but a rivalry implies we're equals” He slowly raised an eyebrow. “I ask you again, Sargasso, what are you implying?”

Saan met his gaze without even a hint of fear. “And I tell you again that Warmond Manderly tried to have me killed, by manipulating that girl against me”, he explained, his voice now showing at least a hint of anger. “He did so by getting rid of the man you sent to kill her, which, I believe, he also couldn't have done without your permission. Won her trust, even though he was perfectly complicit in that too, then he tried to blame me. Rather gutsy by his standards. Nothing he would have done without implicit support”

“So naturally, you think I am the one who gave him this support”, Aeron mumbled. “Either you overestimate how much of a nuisance you are to me, or you underestimate the amount of people who would love to see you dead” He finally looked at Alys and this time, she actually shivered beneath his cold glare. “I suspect the girl is your witness? A runaway bastard bitch in league with Edward Anturion... hardly a credible source, even you must admit that”

“Aye, I'd have to”, Saan replied and he gave Alys a wink. “Were she a bastard bitch and all, I'd have to admit she'd make for a pretty lousy witness. Unless... she's no bastard after all” Alys' eyes widened and she gave Saan a brief, frightened glare, realizing too late that her obvious reaction made it impossible for her to deny it any longer. “That girl is a trueborn lady. Alys Karstark, youngest daughter of Lord Brogar Karstark”

Alys flinched and out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Carvin outright reaching for his crossbow. Karstark? In one sentence, Saan had revealed her secret, while making her seem more important than she truly was at the same time. The look she gave him was one of pure horror, but this time, he did not break eye contact with his king. By the Seven, just what was his plan?

“An important name, even here, at the other end of the world”, Aeron growled. “You expect me to believe Edward somehow got his hold on two Karstark girls? And unlike Alisa, this one would be quite valuable too...” He narrowed his eyes. “You expect me to believe that he didn't try to sell her back to her father?”

“Well, I...”, Sargasso began, but this time, Aeron cut him off and the moment he continued to speak, his calm, hoarsy voice commanded silence at once. “I tried to have her killed”, he admitted and Alys tensed up at how cold he was in this moment. “A drastic step, but one that would have surely sent a proper message to her master” He looked from Alys to Saan. “Do you truly think I would have done so without making sure she isn't anything more than what she claims to be?”

The hint of a smile on Saan's face faded, as he and the pirate king just stared at each other for a moment. Then, he broke the silence. “You... must be mistaken, she...”, he began, though the king did not let him finish. “Is a bastard”, he growled. “A runaway. I did my research and nothing about her links her to a house of importance”

Alys gulped, though she did bite her tongue. Under other circumstances, she would have felt almost insulted. Her house dated back hundreds of years, they had always been faithful Karstark bannermen and the first line of defence against the Skagosi. “That's why I ordered Warmond to distract her guard, while sending my own man to finish the job”, Aeron continued, completely unbothered by the horrible confession he just made. “Once he returns, Edward would have found nothing but the head of his precious guest. Then, he would have known how little tolerance I have for failure”

“Well, now Warmond's the one who failed”, Carvin growled and Aeron looked at him as if he just now realized he was actually present. “Twice, I see”, he replied. “He was supposed to kill you. And yet, it seems he struck an alliance with you instead. Thought he could save the two of you by getting rid of Saan for me” He shrugged. “A shame, really. Had it worked, he would have been your hero and my favourite quite likely”, he spoke. “I assume he still lives?”

Carvin gave him a slow nod. “I let him get away”, he replied coldly and now, Aeron's calm face formed a brief, thin smile. “Good”, the king said. “He's been loyal and useful in the past. As long as he lives, there's hope he can continue to be of use” He now turned back to Saan and to Alys' surprise, he actually made a brief, respectful bow in front of the other pirate. “My sincerest apologies, Captain Saan”, he intoned. “When it comes to you, Manderly acted without my knowledge, nor my approval. There will be no further attempts on your life. To prove my goodwill, with Melvan as my witness, may I offer you a boon?”

Saan reciprocated the smile and his expression was even colder. She could feel the hatred between those two, hidden behind only a thin, but genuine layer of respect. This respect was the only reason they were acting civil with each other. After what she heard of Saan and now of the king, she knew fully well that behind their affable masks, they were savages to the core.

“A boon you say?”, Saan spoke and he glanced at Alys. She clenched her fists, as she leant closer. “Don't forget you'd be dead without me”, she hissed and Saan raised an eyebrow. “I never forget a debt”, he replied, before he glanced at the king. “I suppose there is no way the girl will leave this room alive?”, he asked. “Because, much as I hate to say it, I do owe her”

Aeron narrowed his eyes. “I still seek to punish Edward for betraying my trust”, he growled. “Killing her would be the elegant solution” He looked from Saan to Alys and the look in his eyes was enough to make her heart beat faster. Feeling the panic rising within her, Alys had to actively suppress the urge to flee. She knew it would be to no avail, not in this city, not without anyone to protect her.

“My boon is not easily won”, the king continued. “Are you sure you wish to waste it on a bastard girl?” Saan visibly hesitated, before, to Alys neverending relief, he gave the king a nod. “Unfortunately, we are both bound to our debts”, he sighed. “I wish for you to spare the girl and her companion. Find another way to punish Edward. I always thought he has decidedly too many fingers, maybe that gives you an idea or two”

Aeron hesitated and Alys could see how displeased he was at this turn of events. “Granted”, he then said. “To prove my goodwill” He glanced at Alys. “I hope you understand, this was nothing personal”, he claimed. “For the future, you should consider keeping different company” She gave him a slow nod and could only barely suppress the anger and slight disgust she felt at this man. Regal on the outside, but truly rotten within. Not the slightest bit different from Harren Hoare.

Before she could reply, the door got pushed open again, so sudden that even Aeron turned to it. The person that staggered into the room was tall, with broad shoulders and a notable limp and it took Alys a second to recognize her. The brutish woman, Jadith Linster. The very captain Edward had left with. Here she was, limping and in clearly bad spirits, with

It took Alys notably less time to recognize the two behind her. Alisa and Wilbur, neither injured, but with grim expressions on their faces. Jadith limped forward and Alys noticed the fresh bandages around her lower leg. With narrowed eyes, she looked from Aeron to Melvan, then to Saan. “You're all here already”, she growled. “Good. Spares me the trouble of fetching you”

Without saying another word, only accompanied by a grunt of pain, she limped towards one of the chairs, before sinking into it with a sigh. “Much better now”, she spoke. “Y'all definitely want to take a seat for that too” She leant back, as Aeron took a step towards her. “We've expected you back days ago, Jadith”, he told her, as he carefully glanced at her injured leg. “Trouble on the way?”

She gave him a grim nod. “We were set up”, she revealed. “The dornish fleet was there, aye, but instead of treasure, they carried only soldiers and they were twice as many as we expected. Gave us the fight of our fucking lifetime” Briefly, Alys saw anger on Aeron's face, genuine rage within his purple eyes and in this moment, he had to be the most dangerous man in the world in her eyes.

“Set up...”, he growled and his voice was no longer calm. Instead, it was trembling with barely controlled rage. “The Sandstorm gave us fake intel?” Jadith gave him a grim nod in return. “Makes sense”, she replied. “They know you'd never attack a dornish warship without necessity. Treasure fleet though... that's irresistible. Those soldiers were on their way to Starfall. Guess that's where the Sandstorm is going to strike next, now with considerably less opposition”

“They are going to pay for this”, Aeron promised. “We don't fight the Sandstorm's pathetic war and we won't be dragged into it” He straightened his back. “Melvan, I want you to bring me all the intel we have on those rebels. I'll send it to Landon Jordayne, accompanied by a written apology. We can't afford Martell and her court to assume that we have openly sided with the Sandstorm now”

He paused and looked around, finally noticing what Alys had noticed right as they had entered the room. “Where's Anturion?”, he growled. “There's been some developments” Jadith sighed and her already harsh expression hardened even further. “You see him around, or what?”, she growled. “Fucker got himself killed. Arrow to the throat. Nasty way to go, but he deserved worse”

Alys froze in an instant and she saw similar confusion on Carvin's face. Unlike him, she felt genuine fear in this moment. Edward was dead? In the entire time he had been gone, she had dreaded and anticipated the moment of his return. She hated him and in this place, she needed him. And in this entire time, she hadn't even considered the possibility that he wouldn't return.

“No, I...”, she began, but Blacksails cut her off. “Bullshit”, the king growled, his voice briefly losing its calm. “I have to give it to him, he knew it'd be better to escape me now, but he has to know I won't fall for his tricks. Who told you about his death? Karstark maybe? Or one of his thugs?” He rose from his seat, his fists clenched, as he glared at Alisa, then Wilbur, the latter of whom visibly flinched under the king's infuriated gaze.

“They didn't have to tell me”, Jadith replied. “Saw it with my own eyes. He bled out a few feet away from me. Checked his pulse, before I threw him overboard. Sharks can fight over his remains for all I care” This changed something within Blacksails' expression. The anger remained, but the look of disbelief was gone, replaced by baffled silence. “His men, I would never trust”, he replied. “But you... you hate him more than anyone else in this city. You would never lie to me about this” He took a step closer and looked Jadith dead in the eyes. “Not once you hear what I have in mind for him”, he growled.

Jadith did not flinch. “You really think I'd betray you for that utter cunt?”, she spat. “He's dead and the world's a better place for it. Most of his crew left already, so I'm sure you won't even have to send his brother a message” Her voice remained as serious as ever and finally, Aeron let out a sigh. “Gods, I hate his brother”, he admitted. “More than I hate Edward himself. Hated, I guess”

With these words, the king seemed to grow sombre for a moment. “For years now, I've been patient with him”, he mumbled. “I have invested in him, waited for him to give me what I was promised for half a decade” He shook his head. “And now the fool has no better thing to do than to get himself killed...”, he added. “A pity, but I believe you” Briefly, he gave Jadith a smile, cold but genuine. “You have earned such trust”

“Edward is... dead?”, Alys finally gasped and the king looked at her as if he just now remembered she was still there. His entire expression changed in an instant. “I can't believe it either”, he admitted and though his voice was cold as ever, it lacked the hint of affability he had always carried with her before. As if he stopped caring entirely what would or would not happen to her. And this utter apathy was, in its own way, just as terrifying as his previous behaviour.

“It seems he managed to avoid my wrath after all”, Aeron added. “His fate might have been a kinder one than what I had in store for him, but so be it. He lived and died a fool and for what it's worth, I sent him on that raid, so I still had my hand in his demise” He chuckled and it sounded almost gleeful. “That's something, I suppose”, he mumbled. “I may turn to more pressing matters now, such as...” He glanced at Jadith who met his glare without even hesitating. “Our recent mistake with the dornish warfleet”, the king then added and she gave him a nod. “All of you except captains Linster and Tiren may leave now, so that we discuss on how to proceed. I wish no further... disturbances”

Alys' eyes widened. “Wait...”, she gasped and she noticed Carvin frowning by her side. “Alys...”, he mumbled, but Blacksails already turned towards her. “Yes?”, he asked and she clenched her fists. She felt no sadness at Edward's apparent demise, but there was a hint of fear remaining within her. “What... what about me?”, she asked. Edward... he had saved her in Harrenhal. He had used her in Raylansfair. He had promised a lot and broken even more and she cursed the day she met him and yet... here she was, as far away from home as possible, still searching, still yearning for something better, something Anturion had offered her once. She was left with a terrible, hollow feeling of aimlessness.

“You?”, Blacksails spoke and he chuckled. The sound was as hollow as everything about him and it lacked any sort of emotion. There was not even mockery within it, that's how little he cared. “You were my guest when Edward was still around. Every interest I had in you died with him. Now, I don't usually do this, but Captain Saan used a valuable boon on your safety, so I may tell you this... I let you leave with your life intact and with a warning. My city might seem fair to you, but it is no place for a little girl” He took a step closer and Alys would have backed off, if not for Carvin, who gently placed a hand on her back. “There are captains here who might still be interested in you. A girl, a pretty one at that, claiming to be of noble blood... you are naïve, but not enough to be oblivious as to what these men would do to you if given the chance”

She gulped and she gave him a fearful nod. Now, Blacksails actually rolled his eyes. “Leave, girl”, he growled. “Do I have to spell it out aloud for you? You have a small window of time until the rest of this city will realize that you are a weak target without protection” As soon as he said this, Alisa walked up next to her. “Not without”, she growled. “We'll take her from here on, your grace”

Blacksails gave her a nod. “Do that, Karstark”, he told her. “I never wish to see you or any other of Edward's companions again, have I made myself clear?” She actually saluted at his words. “As day, your grace”, she confirmed, before she grabbed Alys by the shoulder, harshly. “Let's leave”, she hissed. “Now”

“One more thing, Karstark”, the king intoned and Alys saw Alisa tensing up, a brief moment of utter terror, mixed with a hint of resignation on her face. “Yes, your grace?”, she asked and Aeron smirked at her. “I let you leave”, he spoke, which was followed by a sigh from Alisa's throat. “You may thank me for my mercy” Alisa gulped, before she did a deep, genuine bow in front of him, with all the highborn elegance she was usually missing. “Thank you, your grace, with all my heart”, she spoke and the king seemed mildly amused by her words. “Seems like you still remember some things from your old life, kinslayer”, he replied, visibly enjoyed the angry glare this got him from her. “Curious”

Alys still stood there, staring at the king and his court. This place... she couldn't say that she liked it, but for a brief amount of time, it had actually been a good place to stay. The best she had been at since leaving her home. “Where... where are we going?”, she asked, as Alisa pulled at her. Finally, she gave in, just as Blacksails spoke up again. “If I may make a suggestion...”, he spoke. “Go home. Go to wherever village you ran away from and don't look back. You're not cut for this part of the world and you should pray that you never will be. Find some peaceful place and never leave it again”

She gave him a nod and she wasn't even sure if he acknowledged her, as the king turned around. As he had ordered, Melvan Tiren and Jadith Linster remained with him, while Sargasso Saan turned to leave with her and the others. He actually accompanied them for a while, out of the room and down the hallway, no one saying a word, as Alys hurried to keep up with Alisa, who still dragged her out of the building.

“What the fuck was that?”, Saan finally spoke, as they had left the building and its guards behind, as they walked across the gloomy streets of Merman's Rest. It was crowded, but most people just had to look at Saan to make way. The expression on his face was more serious than she had ever seen from him and he seemed downright concerned. “Anturion, he...”

Carvin avoided his gaze and with a sigh, Saan grabbed him by the shoulder. “Granver, I was talking to you!”, he barked. “What just happened in there?” Before he could say another word, Carvin stopped and without hesitating, he grabbed Saan by the collar. “You kept your word in there”, he growled. “You'll get a warning because of that. I am not in the mood for your nosy games. We're leaving this city and you won't stop us”

Saan shook his head. “I won't stop you”, he assured him. “Got no stake in this” He looked from him to Alys. “I did keep my word and you have been helpful, in your own way. Manderly is no longer a threat, for the time being, the king owes me and I have dirt on him. All in all, a splendid day for this old pirate” He narrowed his eyes, as Carvin slowly let go of him. “But you tell Anturion that I don't buy his little game, not one bit. I don't know how he did so, but he managed to bribe Jadith. Blacksails trusts her completely, but I am smarter than him and I know she's just as cunning as the rest of us. She may hate Edward, but everyone has a price”

“Anturion is dead, you heard her”, Alisa interjected and he chuckled. “Sure he is...”, Saan replied, before he looked back at Alys. “When you meet him, one way or the other... You tell him he owes me for this” His clear doubt had a similar effect on Alys and the stunned silence she had found herself in for the last few minutes slowly dissolved. A trick. Of course it was a trick. Edward wasn't dead, this was merely another of his lies, a trick to get away from Blacksails, to make the king believe he died on that raid. A way to get rid of his debt to the pirates.

“I can't make any promises”, she replied and Saan actually chuckled. “Sounds like something Anturion would have said”, he hissed. “Maybe you're not as helpless as we all thought” He took a step back and did an elegant bow in front of them. “We won't meet again, unless your luck runs out”, he said. “Farewell, Lady Boleyn”

As he turned around, Alisa grabbed Alys by the shoulder, harshly. “You told him?”, she hissed and Alys noticed how Wilbur looked downright alarmed. “Sargasso Saan cannot be trusted”, the Ironborn warned her and she narrowed her eyes. “You said that before”, she spoke. “Apparently, none of these people can be trusted. Saan at least kept his word”

Wilbur shook his head. “Only because he thinks it'll give him some advantage in the long run”, he spoke. “He just let you go regardless, so I don't even want to find out what he thinks he can gain from this” Alys looked from him to Alisa. “And what about you?”, she asked. “Where's Edward? He's not... he's not really dead, is he? Saan was right, wasn't he?”

Without saying another word, Alisa grabbed her again, while Wilbur looked around, visibly nervous. “Not here”, the woman growled. “We have to keep moving, before Blacksails realizes he has been tricked” She gave Alys a glare, but harsh as it was, there was genuine concern within. “Again, you told Saan who you really are?” Alys bit down onto her lower lip. “He would have figured it out regardless”, she claimed. “And I had no choice. Without him, I wouldn't have made it out of here”

“You're not out of here yet”, Wilbur reminded her in a grim tone. “Be glad we came back for you. If it would have been Bear's way...” He paused and visibly shuddered. “That man has only grown more unhinged since last you saw him” Carvin narrowed his eyes. “Bear is still around?”, he asked, as he grabbed Alisa by the forearm. “What is going on here?”

Alisa looked over her shoulder. “Not here”, she hissed. “I'll explain after we're off this island. There's a boat nearby that'll bring us out of here” Her explanation wasn't enough for Carvin, who still clung to her arm. “If you think I'm going to go on a boat with Bear and his men without knowing where we're heading to...”, he growled and Alisa let out a sigh. “Castamere”, she then spoke, whispered it so quietly that Alys had trouble understanding her. “There's a score to settle, now that Blacksails is no longer a problem”

“Castamere!”, Carvin growled, though he did continue down the path. Alys narrowed her eyes. The red lion... there was this knight, the one who scarred Edward's face, the one who took that box from the archives. She knew Edward hadn't forgotten about him, but she hadn't even considered going back for him. Neither did she want to. What did the king just tell her? To go home, to find some peace and quiet. She wasn't sure if she wanted to return home, but what she knew for certain was that she was done with Edward.

By now, the docks were near. She could hear and smell the sea and far in the distance, she could see daylight flooding the grotto. Though they were travelling through small alleyways, avoiding the main street at all cost, Alys felt watched from each of the small, dark windows they passed. And then, between the crooked, wooden houses, she could see the water. They were not near the main docks, where the large pirate ships and the occasional trading vessel would be stationed, but at one of the myriad of smaller sites, where fishermen could keep their boats.

As they went around a corner, she could see one particular boat, a little bit larger than the others, probably capable of travelling across the high seas between Merman's Rest and Dorne. A handful of men was lingering there and she easily recognized one of them even without his distinct helmet. A tall brute, dark-skinned, with short, black hair and a knotty scar that nearly split his lips apart. The moment he saw her, Bear gave her a bone-chilling sneer.

“I don't want to go with him”, Alys mumbled and Alisa actually stopped. “You... what?”, she said, as if she hadn't even listened to her words. Alys tensed up and she clenched her fists, as she met Alisa's gaze. Though clearly in a hurry and understandably afraid of any henchman Aeron might send after them should he change his mind, there was genuine concern in her eyes as well. “What did you say?”

Alys looked from her to Bear, who was still not close enough to hear them. “I said I don't want to go with him”, she mumbled and her voice sounded meek. “I... I'll find my own way off this island. Just, pleace, don't put me on a boat with this monster” Alisa raised an eyebrow. “We'd be there for you too”, she told her. “Me and Carvin. Even Wilbur, right?”

Wilbur rolled his eyes. “If that means we can get off this island at last, then yeah, I'm there for you too”, he groaned. Though his voice was annoyed, his gaze was serious and she knew, for all his big talk, he actually meant these words. “Can we go now? I swear back at the fishmarket I saw someone following us”

Once more, Alys shook his head. “Please... please just let me go”, she whispered. “Edward may not be dead, but he's not here to order you around. I'll find my way around, I'm sure I can...” Alisa cut her off by placing a finger on her lips. “You might survive”, she agreed. “But around here? Not in a way you'd like. You might survive, aye, but it'll be a miserable, that much I can promise you” She shook her head. “We can look out for you. Come with us and once we meet up with Edward again, I'll talk him into letting you leave”

“Can't we drop her off somewhere on the mainland?”, Carvin asked and the fact that this suggestion came from him took her by surprise. “As long as Anturion doesn't know...” Alisa narrowed her eyes. “Bear knows”, she spoke. “Besides, our hands are tied. Direct orders, Edward wants her to join him near Castamere”

Carvin looked from her to Alys, before he let out a sigh. “He might be an asshole, but he pays well”, he replied. “Sorry, little lady, an order is an order” He placed a hand on her back. “But as Alisa said, we'll look out for you” He gave her a reassuring smile. “Now come on, we have to get out of here. Once were aboard, we can talk about the rest. Maybe Edward can be convinced to let you leave, but trust me, just running away from him won't solve anything”

By now, Alys was shivering. There was dread, genuine terror at the thought of having to go aboard this ship, with Bear and his men. Even worse, she was terrified of getting near Edward once more, now that he was about to go after the red knight. That box they had taken from the archives... Alys would never forget what she had seen down there. Edward was still after that accursed trinket and deep down, she knew that going with him would mean that her troubles would continue. Perhaps it wouldn't be any better should she refuse to go with them, should she somehow manage to convince them to let her stay here. Perhaps it would be even worse. But part of her was willing to take that chance if it meant never having to deal with Edward and his mad plans ever again...

[Go with them peacefully]

[Go with them peacefully]

[Go with them peacefully]
She might be better off listening to her gut, but I am interested in seeing Anturion again. Merman's Rest was a fun place, hopefully we'll have another POV over here in the future.

Actually, we will! I can say, this was the last we have seen of Merman's Rest in Book 2, but these characters will reappear in Book 3 and there will be another POV whose storyline will take place there.