"Carrying us prisoners, Sarado's ships set out from the Summer Sea for King's Landing. But while passing through the Stepstones, we were attacked by another band of pirates. They had seven ships, while Sarado had only four, even counting our Lion of the Sea. We would be fighting outnumbered."
As Ian told his tale, the pirates' hearts rose into their throats.
"And then Sarado suddenly told us that they were Ironborn. He asked whether we could take up weapons and fight.
As everyone knew, the Ironborn and the Westerlands were mortal enemies with an ancient blood feud. So my father and his sailors agreed to Sarado's request without hesitation. After my father swore by the honor of our House before the Seven, Uncle Sarado distributed weapons to us and had us all return to the deck of the Lion of the Sea." Ian hurriedly improvised his story.
"Soon, the battle began. The Ironborn sounded their attack horns and let out dreadful howls. Relying on their agility, their longships weaved through our fleet, splitting up and surrounding our vessels.
Because they closed in too quickly, the scorpions aboard our ships were practically useless. Before long, the Ironborn threw over grappling hooks and began boarding us."
"I..." Ian paused slightly, realizing the story was becoming difficult to make up. He was still unfamiliar with naval warfare in this era. Though he had planned another naval combat game in his previous life, that had been set in the age of sailing warships, with cannon barrages exchanged between fleets.
But since Ian had already made it this far, he could only press on. "I was only twelve at the time, so I don't remember much about how the fleet battle unfolded. I only remember being given a hand crossbow and hiding behind a pile