Inside a sea cave at the edge of the bay lay a dozen or so Ironborn longships. Long and narrow, they floated side by side along the shore, their hulls almost blending into the shadows cast by the rock walls.
All of them lay bow inward and stern outward, pointing neatly into the cave, their sails furled and their oars stowed along the gunwales.
The moss growing on them was green with a black sheen, making it clear they had been lying here for quite some time.
On the shore inside the cave, a number of shabby tents stood in the shadows of the rock walls. Their canvas hung slack and drab, with some corners sagging onto the damp ground.
A few figures were moving around beside the tents, unhurried, seemingly tidying things up and beginning preparations for that evening's meal.
Viserys made out the emblem carved into the bow of one ship: the silver scythe on black of House Harlaw of the Iron Islands, the same mark he had seen on a group of ships there before.
This fleet was none other than Halag's, which had previously served under Asha.
Though they had gained plenty of spoils from their last raid on the Arbor's fleet, they had also lost many men, and the Ironborn now had no replacements to draw on.
Halag had therefore seized the opportunity to seek Asha's hand for his son, hoping the marriage would bring some unity to their already precarious band.
Viserys made out the emblem carved into the bow of one ship. Years of wind and rain had darkened it, but its outline remained clear: the silver scythe on black of House Harlaw of the Iron Islands.
The black paint had lost its luster, but the silver scythe still held a faint, cold