293AC
"FIRE"
The earth-shattering blast of cannon-fire from the Bow-chasers beneath my feet signaled the beginning of our assault on The Silence, just as I finished stuffing the makeshift earplugs in.
It had taken us more than three hours to make up for the distance between the Sword and the kinslaying Greyjoy's ship, and the rest of the maiden fleet were still half a mile or so behind us, with the Black Wind even further back. The wind had held steady to the Southeast, and we were now well out on the open ocean.
It was a dangerous situation in some ways, but I was safer here than most. While I lacked a proper chronometer I had a five-minute hourglass and men on shifts turning it over as it emptied. Combining that with a compass I had a rough idea where I was at all times, albeit not one as precise as I might like.
The cannonballs, for their part, missed their shots, sending great pillars of water spewing ahead and to the side of the fleeing vessel, and I got a face full of smoke as the Sword drove on straight through the fire of its barking guns.
Once we were clear of the cloud, I raised my telescope (or Myrish Eye, as they were called here silly name.) to my eye. They were expensive, but all my captains had them, and I certainly did as well. The Silence looked markedly underwhelming at this distance. Its blood-painted hull would be frightening to someone in a smaller ship or a fishing village, but to be honest, it just looked speckled and disgusting to me, and if he had the magic to match his earlier feat he didn't seem interested in using it.
"FIRE"
I quickly stowed the eye as the next shots went out, one finding purchase in the starboard-stern of the ship, the damage clearly visible in the aft-castle of the enormous longboat, as the smoke drifted over the crew we all cheered, and I glanced to Captain Aurane at my side. "Make sure that man gets a bonus."
"Aye, my Prince." The Velaryon Bastard smiled, "twas a good shot."
"And the first one we've ever hit against a true enemy."
"Aye."
It was another twenty-thirty seconds before the call to fire rang out again, and a slightly higher shot ripped through the sail of the fleeing vessel.
"And another good shot. That will slow them down."
And indeed it did, much of their wind now escaping through the tear, clearly cutting much of the force behind their speed, I could see.
Aurane could see it too, his smile almost reaching his ears. "Right Lads, prepare that broadside"
"Stop…" I raised my hand, something wasn't right here. "Slow us down, wait for the rest of the fleet to catch up. This is too easy."
There had to be a catch, Euron was a monster, and I wasn't going to be caught off guard. Also, I doubted the Greyjoy bitch would let me here the end of it if I didn't let her take boarding rights against her uncle.
I turned again, glancing over the opposite deck with my telescope, Come to think of it, I hadn't seen movement on deck in hours. That had to be a trap, their sails were surely still being adjusted, or they would have lost the wind.
"They must have gone below deck when we got in close. Let the Greyjoy board, her men will be better in the melee anyhow. We just need to be ready to support her."
We began tacking ever so slightly, moving back and forth against the waves, and soon enough the cutters had caught up with us, with another ten minutes or so before the Black Wind caught up to us, and I had Aurane keep pace beside her.
I didn't even need to call the woman out, as she seemed to get the memo easily enough on her own. "Too scared to face my uncle with your cannons little prince?" She said, staring up at me, and I had to almost do a double-take before shaking my head.
"I'm afraid my lady all of our cannons are still fully functional, and little or not I have no fear of Euron." I could almost hear her snort even at a distance.
"Then you are a fool, but why have you stopped?"
"I thought that you might want to board him yourself my lady. He has wronged you far more greatly than me."
I could nor see the face of the woman, as her visor blocked my view at this range, but I daresay I could hear the surprise in her next words.
"You Greenlanders are strange folk then, but I will accept this glory. It is time for my uncle to meet his end regardless."
The venom in her words was unsurprising, so I only nodded gently.
"Go then, My marines and I will follow." I waited just a moment before continuing. "And don't be afraid to withdraw if you cannot win, I can always sink the ship if it comes to that."
She waited for several breaths before delivering her curt reply. "Aye." From the sound of it, she was annoyed at having to make any such commitment. "I can do that."