Bab 26: A hunt of giants
Bonus chapter. I consider this as more of a slice of life than anything else. It still has its own little purpose and brings a good adventure to the story. It's also a big wink to a game I liked A LOT.
The sources for the song are at the end of the chapter.
——————
Three months later
Lannisport, early 287 AC
Today is quite a special day. Three months earlier, I received an unexpected invitation from Vincent Kenning. And I must say that the very idea of what he offered me was kind of dreamy.
Hunting deers is a fairly common custom among the houses of Westeros. However, another type of hunt is more traditional among certain houses whose lands border the sea. Hunting giants of the seas, the whales.
Young nobles from different houses of the Westerlands are garthering at Fair Isles to go hunting whales together. Among them are houses Kenning, Prester, Farman, Banefort and Estren.
The ideal conditions met in the north of the island for the arrival of some whales. Apparently, they mostly venture into the waters of the Iron Isles. The reason is that all the good fish is there. But from time to time, they come near the coasts of the Westerlands.
Despite the attraction of such an adventure, I was initially skeptical about coming. But I have more distant connections with some of the houses that are part of the hunt. Bonding with them during the trip would therefore be ideal. Besides, the Greyjoy rebellion will surely lead me to sail the sea. And I prefer to get used to the waves now than during the war. So I ended up being convinced to participate in the hunt.
Now, the sun has yet to rise and I'm waiting for the arrival of the group of experienced sailors who have been hired by the lords of the various houses for the smooth running of the hunt.
Roland Hill, as well as a dozen Red cloaks accompany me and guard me in case of danger. They are still struggling to wake up properly, but each of them seems to be staying alert.
For the moment, Roland is the one who has stood out the most from the others since they started training. My choice of accompaniment therefore fell directly on him.
I then see slightly dazed sailors coming out of the Whales Hunters inn, carrying a heavy barrel together. One of them breaks away from the group when he sees me and immediately approaches.
''You must be the young lord named Leonard Lannister ? Or is it ser, maybe ? I don't know…''
''Young lord will do. Well met, captain Anthon ? Is it your name ?''
''Aye, young lord. I'm the great captain Anthon, legendary kraken slayer and fatally handsome man. For this hunt, I will take care of all the young people of good society.''
Captain Anthon clearly lied. He is no kraken slayer, neither is he handsome.
He is a tall burly man, with a long and greasy black hair. Anthon has a short messy beard with uneven edges and an awl stronger than northern beers. His stormy blue eyes are reminiscent of the Baratheon and their genes that have spread throughout the Stormlands and beyond.
After this, I turn to his boat of good size and acceptable quality, with a bronze mermaid attached to the browsprit.
''It's a fine boat. I like the design of your browsprit. This quite elegant.''
Turning towards me, he sees the curiosity in my eyes at the sight of the mermaid and gains a wide grin.
''That's the Sunset Pearl, my mighty and lovely boat. It's the work of a lifetime, right there. You also seem intrigued by urban legends. This type of creature would have existed during the age of heroes. Well, that's what they say. But if you want to see freaks, the destination is the Three Sisters Islands. Their lords would have the remains of palms between their fingers. The members of house Sunderland are a bunch of walking fish, if you ask me. They better not cross my path on the seas, or I'll fish them out to the last !''
I do my best not to burst out laughing at his remarks, but he doesn't make it easy for me.
After a small discussion, captain Anthon takes me aboard his boat, followed by the members of his crew. They still carry the heavy-looking barrel, before throwing it violently on board. A drunk man then comes out of the barrel and looks lost.
''Where... *hic* Where's the boat?''
The sailors look at him for a short moment, before all laughing together at his expense.
''HAHAHAHAHA !! Old Pol is a damn mess !''
Taking advantage of the moment, I ask the captain if bringing one of their sailors in a barrel is 'normal'. He then earns a wicked smile and turns to his crew.
''BOYS ! The young lord asks us why we brought the old Pol in a barrel. We have to explain him what we do with drunken sailors ! Ready, boys ?''
''YEAH ! TIME TO SING, LADS !!''
''Yoohooo !''
''LET'S TELL HIM, BROS !''
''*HIIIC* I'm not drunk, you bastards !''
What in the world am I getting myself into ?
-
What will we do with a drunken sailor ? (3x)
Early in the morning !
Way hay and up she rises (3x)
Early in the morning !
Shave his belly with a rusty razor (3x)
Early in the morning !
Way hay and up she rises (3x)
Early in the morning !
Put him in a long boat till his sober (3x)
Early in the morning !
Way hay and up she rises (3x)
Early in the morning !
Stick him in a barrel with hosepipe on him (3x)
Early in the morning !
Way hay and up she rises (3x)
Early in the morning !
Put him in the bed with the captains daughter (3x)
Early in the morning !
Way hay and up she rises (3x)
Early in the morning !
That's what we do with a drunken sailor (3x)
Early in the morning !
Way hay and up she rises (3x)
Early in the morning !
Way hay and up she rises (3x)
Early in the morning !
-
''HAHA ! Good job, my boys ! You better not EVER involve my daughter in this, though. Otherwise, your only price will be to walk the plank !''
''Don't worry, captain. We're not used to go fishing for tuna !''
''BWHAHAHAHAHA !''
''He's right, though. I prefer Regina's thighs. She has the snack for raising my big mast to the sky.''
''You know her too ? She's got one of those fountains… reminds me of good old sea salt.''
''Hey, me too. I swear, she smells like the Sunset Sea ! TO REGINA'S THIGHS !''
''YEAH, TO REGINA'S THIGHS !!!''
She has definitely seen a lot of sailors pass, this Regina…
Captain Anthon audibly clears his throat, bringing his crew's attention back to him.
''Alright, alright. That was fun, but we got work to do. We have an important guest onboard and others are also going to be joining us. The first stopover is in Kayce, where young lords of houses Kenning and Prester await us. The second and final stop is in Fair Isles, from where the Farman, Banefort and Estren will join us. So behave yourselves, you rascals ! Do not be surprised either, because two Lannister warships will be escorting us closely in case of an encounter with pirates… or those Ironborns.''
Everyone then went to their post without complaining, before raising the anchor to let the boat slide on the waves. After reaching a good distance, the sea wind finally had its effect on the sail and the ship picked up more speed.
It's still going to take a few hours to get to Kayce, and I decide to talk a bit with the captain.
''I must admit that this is my first time at sea, as well as for fishing. Let's not even talk about whales, I've never seen any before. These beasts are rather rare, after all. Do you have any general advice for me ?''
''Well if you don't vomit your guts now, you shouldn't have any worries about that for the rest of the trip. As for theart of whaling, it lies in your handling of the harpoon. It's one thing to know how to throw your harpoon, but it's not the same thing to know how to properly hook the flesh of the whale. Strength and precision will be your best allies to succeed. You can handle the harpoons a bit before we get to the destination, if you want. They are at the bottom of the boat.''
''Thank you, captain Anthon. I'll be sure to do so.''
''No problem, young lord. The trip is quite long, so I have a couple of stories to kill time. Wanna hear one ?''
''Sure, why not. I don't get to listen to a lot of stories related to the Sunset Sea.''
''Considering you like legends, you should like this story then. My cousin Borein once hunted a tiny gray whale with a big horn on the end of its head. As no one had ever seen such a beast, he kept the horn as a souvenir and trophy. After that, he took himself for a man of the age of heroes and looked down on the other sailors. It gave him such a big head that he thought he could tame the seas during a storm, like he was the king of the Sunset Sea. But he was seriously mistaken and died with the rest of his crew. The moral of the story is to never believe that the seas are entirely tamable, even with a good weather. You have to remain professional and pay attention to every change in weather. Wind, rain and especially thunderstorms. Or your cousin will steal your precious whale horn.''
Wait, isn't it the description of a narwhale ? Sigh, whatever.
After listening to a dozen other stories, each more bizarre than the previous one, we finally arrived at Kayce.
There, I saw Vincent for the first time since Kings Landing and I was able to meet his two older brothers. Lord Terrence Kenning also greeted me before we left. His heir Herrock is named after the founder of their house.
He is also the owner of the Horn of Herrock, their family heirloom. It is a black and twisted horn that is banded with gold. Seeing it, Roland immediately became more friendly with the young Herrock. He also has his own horn, after all.
I then got to know the members of the Prester house better. Their relationship with the Lannisters is strong, especially since the Rains of Castamere affair. Lord Prester was one of the first lords to join my father against the Reynes and Tarbecks when they rebelled against our house.
The current lord of Feastfires is Garrison Prester, but he has no children and does not plan to have any. So he made his cousin ser Forley Prester heir to his position. It is therefore the children of Forley who come for the fishing.
The journey between Kayce and Faircastle then took place, more or less as long as for the first stopover. We went out a bit on Fair Isles to get some fresh air. And I have to admit that what they say about Fair Isles is true. This Island is truly… fair.
Lord Sebaston Farman then arrived with his children, presenting them to me one after another. After him, it was the turn of Baneforts and Estrens. Lord Quenten Banefort and Regenard Estren were not there, but their young heirs came. I took the opportunity to build more ties with them.
Lord Farman's younger sister, Jeyne, is one of Cersei's childhood friends and ladies-in-waiting. She recently married ser Gareth Clifton. The Cliftons are the only sworn house of the Farmans. A few young members of this house joined us at the last minute. And one of them glared at Roland as he came aboard the ship.
Roland didn't move, but his right hand gripped the hilt of his sword without drawing it. He sighed briefly before letting out a small laugh. And sh*t…
I forgot that Roland left Fair Isles for a reason. But I have a lot to think about and he himself forgot to remind me of this, as if he didn't really care.
Now, the tension has been there for almost an hour and I decide to talk to him about it.
''Should I be worried about your relationship with this man? This is not an ideal time to create problems, so I would like to avoid any form of conflict.''
''There is no problem, my lord. He's just the man who married my cousin. When he got angry after seeing that she had already lost her maidenhead, I told him face to face that it was my doing. He challenged me to a duel to the death for his honor, and I defeated him before he could take a single step. I gave him a little scare by pretending to drown him in the sea. But I knew it would get me in trouble if I killed him. So I gave him back to my cousin, carrying this trash on my back. Before leaving, I gave a thick farewell gift to my cousin. It was a proper goodbye, in my opinion.''
Damn... Roland is shameless, but respectable.
''Ok, but don't get in trouble with this guy. stay aw-''
*BLAAAAAAARGH !!!*
''Oh. That little sh*t just threw up his lunch. As expected of him.''
Roland then wisely nods to his own words with a great deal of satisfaction.
Well… at least with a seasickness, he will have to suffer during the entire trip. He will certainly not have the time to worry about Roland.
After a few more hours, we are finally arriving at the fishing site. Two or three whales are already visible, quickly emerging from the water to expel some air from their blowhole.
Captain Anthon then speaks loudly, giving precise instructions for the conduct of the fishing.
''We have finally arrived at our destination. Six teams of harpooners will climb into their respective boats, before meticulously preparing the equipment. The rope must be perfectly tied to the harpoon, or it's screwed. One of my men will always show how to do each manipulation first before any young lord tries anything. And remember, always watch out for the tail of the whale.''
So I enter my own boat with Roland and a dozen sailors. Everything is properly prepared and we start rowing towards the best areas.
Only a few moments later, I see Vincent spearing a small whale. It struggles and starts swimming in the opposite direction, but the harpoon holds on. However, the animal had not yet said its last word.
''Watch it, the tail !''
The whale makes a powerful swish of its tail which destabilizes the boat and manages to flee right after.
After about ten minutes, it was finally my turn. A sailor showed me the technique for the first time and I'm about to try it.
''There's our prey.''
''Yeah, it's over there.''
''That's a big one. Be careful, my lord.''
I aim as best as I can and stretch my arm back, to then propel the harpoon with all my might. The harpoon finished hooked to the whale, accompanied by a small profusion of blood.
''We have it on the loin !''
''Hahaha. You see that, lads ? The young lord is acing it !''
After that, I started sending the harpoons one after the other to tire the whale. During this time, the animal began to pull our boat at a still reasonable speed.
''That's right, tire yourself out !''
''YES !''
The whale then plunges towards the depths and breaks the rope in the process.
''Patience, my lord. Patience. It always comes back.''
The animal then returns by projecting itself upwards. Taking advantage of this perfect moment, I launch a new harpoon.
''It seems to be stuck on the dorsal ridge. That's a fine spot, boys.''
''Hold on, my lord. It's picking up speed again !''
As we get pulled forward by the whale, I accumulate good throws and end up tiring the animal.
''He is turning the sea red !''
And finally after a last harpoon thrown, the whale is defeated. It ends up inert on the surface of the water, with its blood mingling with the sea waves.
''The beast is dead !''
''Alriiiight ! YOOHOOHOOO !''
''All hail the young whale slayer !''
''YEAH ! Congratulations, my lord !''
''Woohoohooo !''
''That's a damn fine prey, we got there !''
The whale is then hoisted aboard the ship, followed by the catches of the other teams.
After two or three hours of harpooning, everyone returns to the boat. In total, one large whale and three smaller ones were caught. The crew skinned them carefully, sorting out the meat and blubber.
During this time, I discussed my catch with the other young lords. Herrock bragged about the little whale he defeated, while Vincent got nothing. Meanwhile, the Banefort and Estren heirs each caught a small whale.
On the way back, the captain opened good bottles of southern wines and we all ate a nice whale steak together. It was then time for jokes and laughter.
Later in the evening, each young lord was brought back to their destination. And before arriving at Lannisport, the crew decided to sing a last shantie. I ended up singing this fine tune alongside them.
-
In Oldtown there lived a maid,
Mark well what I do say !
In Oldtown there lived a maid,
And she was mistress of her trade.
I'll go no more a roving with you fair maid !
A roving, a roving,
Since roving's been my ru-i-in,
I'll go no more a roving,
With you fair maid !
I asked this maid out for a walk,
Mark well what I do say !
I asked this maid out for a walk,
That we might have some private talk.
I'll go no more a roving with you fair maid !
A roving, a roving,
Since roving's been my ru-i-in,
I'll go no more a roving,
With you fair maid !
Then a great big Reachman rammed my bow,
Mark well what I do say !
For a great big Reachman rammed my bow,
And said ''Young man, this is my wife !''
I'll go no more a roving with you fair maid !
A roving, a roving,
Since roving's been my ru-i-in,
I'll go no more a roving,
With you fair maid !
Then take fair warning boys from me,
Mark well what I do say !
So take a warning boys from me,
With other man's wives, don't make too free
I'll go no more a roving with you fair maid !
A roving, a roving,
Since roving's been my ru-i-in,
I'll go no more a roving,
With you fair maid !
——————
( First song: Drunken Sailer - Irish Rovers)
( Second song: Maid of Amsterdam - Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, but altered)
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone