Kapitel 71: Aurane II
293AC
The camp on the beach was fairly active, more than a hundred tents pegged down in neat rows up against the top of the beach near the treeline, with men on watch in hastily assembled watchtowers at the corners. The first night on shore many of the more foolish men had taken to hanging their hammocks between the trees off the beach, but after one man was bitten by one of the great lizards and fell sick with horrific vomiting they were all more than happy to join the more organizationally inclined men on the beach.
The largest of these tents was an enormous yellow and black octahedron, positioned at the front of the main square at the center of the temporary dwelling, and this was Aurane's destination as he made his way to the planning meeting which the Prince had called on this their third day on the island. Further down the beach, the repairs were underway on the fleet, though most of the cutters were finished the starboard side of the Sword still needed some work before she hit the water again. They were lucky the Prince had brought as many carpenters as he did, anticipating the storms of shipbreaker bay.
The situation was admittedly somewhat different compared to Westeros, but while the palms and fruiting trees on the island were useless for hardwood, they had managed to identify a type of tree with a dark heavy wood that worked well for the repairs they needed.
No, the carpenters were doing their jobs well enough, but the fact that his ship still wasn't seaworthy irked the basted Velaryon. He didn't like being stuck in one place, that's why he had become a Seaman, to begin with, first for his father and now for the Narrow Sea Company.
He entered the tent and briefly took in the other people there. The Prince of course and the other captains were seated around a large table, back away behind them were the Two Marine Lieutenants and the Sargents for the ships that lacked Marine officers. Mates and Quartermasters and the like stood at the back of the tent walls. Behind the Prince, and next to his sworn sword, Aurane's second cousin Jaerys was sitting the Greyjoy daughter, who had stuck herself to the boy like a barnacle ever since the storm. Thankfully the Prince didn't seem to be seduced by the Ironborn woman, but it still rubbed him wrong to have her so close to the lord, especially when the bastards rebelled only a few years back.
Still, he took his seat by the Prince's right (It made him smile to be the highest-ranked there second only to the boy himself) and patiently waited for the boy to start.
Once the last of the captains arrived the boy cleared his throat, drawing the attention of all present. "Good afternoon everyone." He said kindly enough, letting everyone focus in on him before he got everything started.
"I am aware that many of you have questions in regards to how we will be leaving these islands, our courses etcetera. I'm sure that I have informed everyone that I believe these islands to be part of the same archipelago as the Islands discovered by the voyage of the Sun Chaser some centuries back and that the prevailing winds have been almost entirely Southwestern for the duration of our stay here."
There were nods around the table at that. The men at least had the decency to look as if they paid attention, which was good.
"So what's the plan then your Grace." Aurane supplemented when it looked like the Prince was waiting for a question.
Prince Arthur nodded gently in his direction before continuing.
"I have spent the past two days studying through a fair number of naval records, and identified three feasible routes from here based on what I believe the wind current to be."
Aurane glanced out of the side of his eye to the Greyjoy girl, he had been under the impression that the Prince was spending most of his time fending her off, but perhaps she had the good sense to leave him to his business for at least a few hours. That was a sense that most women didn't have based on Aurane's observations not that he was particularly experienced with women himself outside of those one purchased for an evening.
Perhaps the Greyjoy had picked it up by playing at being a sea-captain herself.
Either way, his eyes were drawn back to the prince as he continued.
"We could tack directly against the wind, however, that would be intensely difficult given current circumstances, and more importantly slow. We might make five knots, and our course is likely over a thousand miles. We could brute force it, and it's the course I would rather take of the three by instinct."
The Prince drew out a map roughly drawn of Westeros coast running out to Essos and the Summer Islands. "Of course, we could also bypass the wind entirely, sailing east to the summer islands, or north into the sunset sea. These are the other two workable courses. The wind blows into the Westerlands from the West, which is why it's so hard to sail the Sunset sea out of Lannisport, especially with ships that can't tack. I believe this to be part of a circular wind pattern, and perhaps sea current, which has us trapped as well." The prince indicated with the back of his quill a large circle running into the coast of Westeros and then south. It would certainly explain the cool trade wind that had carried them here. "The Summer Islands route would likely be the slowest of the three, but opens up some trade possibilities the other two lack."
Some of the Captains perked up at that, but their hopes were quickly dashed as the Prince continued.
"We will not be taking either of these paths on this voyage however, at least if all goes to plan. Time is of the essence, and even slow as it is the straight path is the quickest one." The prince continued. "However, I can see a future use for these islands, so it isn't all doom and gloom. I think we may establish a permanent Trade-post here if the opportunity presents itself upon our return. And those of you who have already been here will have first rights for running a route from here up through the summer islands to Essos and back through the Stepstones."
At that, smiles broke out around the table, any man could see how profitable a route that could be, if somewhat long, at least six or seven months.
"Either way, I would ideally like to depart in four more days, with enough supply for a month at sea, which we already have most of enough for since we restocked at the Arbor." The prince glanced at the quartermaster for the Sword, who was towards the back of the crowd.
"That's correct Yer Grace We didn't lose much to the water owing to lord Paxter's excellent barrels."
With a nod, the prince turned back. "In that case, I would also like to have the men, whoever isn't foraging or loading supply, construct a small dock and a wooden compound, or small fortress here. Just to make it easier for the next ship to come here, hopefully on course. It needn't be great or anything, just something to smooth the way while we can spare the men."
"Couldn't Pirates occupy it, your grace?"
Aurane had to chuckle, "And what would they be pirating down here before we got back? As far as I can see nobody else even knows these islands exist."
The outspoken captain glanced up towards the Greyjoy, and it was obvious the Prince took his point but dismissed it just as easily. "I cannot imagine a situation in which a good group of marines couldn't reclaim it, even were it occupied."
That shut the man up, and the meeting ended shortly afterward as men assigned work to their officers, he was stopped from leaving however as the Prince put a hand on his shoulder.
"Your Grace?"
"Come over here Aurane, I have a present for you?"
"A present?" The idea of the Prince giving him something before the journey was even over seemed a bit odd, but dutifully he followed the boy into a side room, obscured from the main meeting area by a draped curtain. Still, it was one of those perks of working under the Prince, he was wealthy enough to give to his employees often, something less common in the Velaryon navy.
"Yes one of the men caught her earlier today, and I'm sure she'll look great on your shoulder."
The boy opened a wicker basket, revealing an extremely colorful bird.
"Look Great-Look Great." The Bird said, taking an offered piece of hardtack from the gloved hand of Jaerys.
"I wanted to feed her myself, but she's small and I don't want to electrocute her." The boy said waving his hand through the air dangerously as if he were expecting lightning to crackle between his fingers.
Aurane Waters, Captain of the Sword of Baratheon glanced down at the bird. Ridiculous and plumey and colorful and gaudy to an entirely unnecessary degree.
The bird looked back up at him, probably thinking the same thing.
'Then again, the Velaryon navy made more sense.'
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein