Hail to the Stag Kings

Chapter 24: The Falcon and the Lion

—The Narrow Sea—

Aboard the Meraxes...

The following night, sailors and crewmates were tending to the engineering systems of the Meraxes. So far, all systems have been good and operational. Gawain learned quickly how cold it is when on the open waters. Seven hells, it was cold! His team was freezing, but the sailors did not seem to mind. There seemed to be some teasing about how 'landlubbers' would not have lasted in the Royal Fleet years beforehand.

A common rivalry amongst army and navy personnel alike about who was superior in their field.

"Here," Daenar approached with a flask. "Dornish red. It'll do you good the first time at sea."

Gawain accepted the flask with a grateful nod, taking a deep swallow. "Ahhh!" he felt relieved. "I had a corporal. He said that his grandfather drank a cup of mulled wine three times a day and lived to be 102, and at this point, I honestly believed him." He passed the flask back to Daenar and stuffed his hands into his uniform coat. "How do you stand this? I thought the further south we traveled the hotter it was supposed to get, it is colder than wood witch's tits out here." Gawain though was glad that it was just the cold that was getting to him, a few of his men had discovered that traveling by the ship made them seasick. The first day out a few had been vomiting their guts out over the railing. When he last saw Kay, he was in his bunk as green as a lizard and clutching a bucket.

"Cold and dense air flows from water to land," Daenar explained. "The reason you feel warm on solid ground is the flow is much weaker; especially when exposed to sunlight. Here, on the open waters, it is much stronger. And because it's nighttime, the weather is cooler - hence why you landlubbers are freezing your tits off." He sat down. "But for my family? It is an ancient tradition dating back to Old Valyria before the Doom. The sons of House Velaryon are given a taste of a seafarer's life when young. I have been doing this since I was four years old."

"Keep that pressure steady, lads!" another sailor chimed in.

"Colmar," a crewmate hollered, "move those crates over there! No, not there! Over there... a little bit more. Just a- Gods damn it, not again!"

"Sorry!" Colmar apologized.

Daenar watched as several started to form a safely built bonfire; once the fire was lit, it brought about a sigh of relief for the army and militia volunteers as they huddled closer to the heat, warming up their hands. "That didn't take long," he said. "I've been told we're getting some sort of entertainment later."

"Oh? Would it involve some of your sailors drinking a barrel of rum and singing some kind of sea-shanty involving a kiss from a mermaid or fighting some kind of ocean monster?" Gawain said as a jest of course he was not one to talk, a few years ago he had drunk himself silly at a tavern, got on a table, and sang 'A Bear and Maiden Fair.'

"No, actually Lady Arryn is going to be singing tonight. Do you hear stories about her having the voice of a goddess?"

"Is there anything the Lady of the Vale cannot do? Next, you will tell me she can turn into a real falcon." He said with a chuckle and then leaned in close with a mischievous grin. "So, tell me... how long has your cousin been in love with her?"

"Ooh, I've got some stories about that!" Daenar grinned. "Since they were 11," he whispered. "They tried to keep it a secret, but we all knew. It was not until two years later they became official. If it were not for the Great Spring Sickness, there would have been talks of bounding House Baratheon and House Arryn by blood. We will never know for certain... unless..."

The conversation was interrupted by Sharra's arrival. Escorted by her Brotherhood of Winged Knights guards, she wore a bright white silk dress with cerulean embroidery, a gold falcon pendant around her neck, and bore the ancient Falcon Crown of Mountain and Vale on her head; a crown from a time when the Arryns we are royalty themselves. In her hands was a specialized harp; each string designed for high, medium, or low-pitched tunes.