At dawn five days later, as the first rays of sunlight pierced the thin mist over the sea, the first longships to leave the Iron Islands quietly reached the waters near Deepwood Motte in the North, led by Victarion Greyjoy.
The sea wind carried a briny tang and an icy chill, buffeting the hulls and black sails.
Victarion stood at the prow of the Invincible Ironborn, his dark gray cloak snapping in the wind.
Behind him stood more than thirty handpicked Ironborn warriors, all seasoned veterans armed with axes, spears, and curved swords. Every face wore undisguised excitement and bloodlust.
"Spread out." Victarion's voice was low and forceful as he gave his orders to the surrounding longships flying the Sea Monster Banner. "Find your own targets. Burn, plunder, kill. Leave when you're done. Don't linger."
Fifty long, narrow, nimble longships swiftly obeyed, scattering like sharks that had scented blood, weaving deftly through the waters before vanishing into the morning mist.
Just as the Iron Islands' longships reached the northern coast, Viserys Targaryen, far away in the Red Keep at King's Landing, had already received detailed intelligence from the Iron Islands through Varys's network of spies.
Varys stood in the Red Keep's spacious study, a stack of parchments in his hands. His voice was as calm and refined as ever as he reported, "Your Grace, the Iron Islands' longships have set out. According to reliable sources, five days ago, Victarion Greyjoy personally led fifty longships north, heading straight for the North."
"And three days ago, Asha Greyjoy led a larger force of a hundred longships south toward the wealthy Reach. Their strategy is clear. Their targets are likely the relatively poorly defended coastal villages and ports of the North and the Reach."
Viserys sat behind a heavy oak desk in a