GOT: House Redwyne

The morning air over the Arbor was heavy with the scent of salt and burning oil, the promise of war lingering over the sea like an approaching storm. From the deck of the Iron Fury, Jaime Lannister stood beside Randyll Tarly, his golden hand gripping the railing as the first war horns sounded in the distance. The Arbor's fleet was assembled before them, their sails taut, their formation disciplined. House Redwyne was no military powerhouse, but they had the best ships in the Reach, and Paxter Redwyne was no fool.

"They're not surrendering," Jaime muttered as he studied the ships ahead.

Tarly let out a scoff. "Redwyne's a fool. He should have bent the knee when he had the chance. But no matter, we'll burn his fleet, take his wine, and remind the Reach who holds true power."

Jaime barely reacted, his gaze locked on the enemy ships. He had spent enough time in war to know that underestimating an opponent was how battles were lost. Redwyne's fleet was outnumbered nearly two to one, but the Arbor's warships were fast, agile, and used to navigating these waters. If they fought smart, the battle would not be as easy as Tarly assumed.

On the deck of the Gilded Vine, Paxter Redwyne stood with his officers, scanning the enemy fleet. He had seen battle before, but this was different. House Redwyne had always wielded power through trade and wealth, not direct warfare, but now the war had come to them. The Lannisters and Tarlys meant to break him, to burn his fleet, and to seize the seas he had ruled for generations. If the Arbor lost this battle, it would be at the mercy of its enemies, its future dictated by others. That, he could not allow.

Ser Martyn stood at his side, his expression grim. "Seventy ships, my lord. They're moving in fast."

Mina, standing opposite him, whispered just loud enough for Paxter to hear. "Jaime won't wait. If we hesitate, he'll have the fleet in flames before the sun reaches its peak."

Paxter kept his hands steady as he spoke. "Then we will not hesitate." He turned to the signal officer. "Prepare for battle."

The horns of House Redwyne bellowed across the sea, a deep, resonant sound that echoed off the waves. The fleet moved into formation, their ships adjusting to the currents, their captains ready for war. The sails of the Arbor's ships, green and gold, stood defiant against the crimson banners of Lannister and the dark huntsman sigil of House Tarly.

The Lannister fleet fired first. Trebuchets, mounted on their largest warships, launched flaming projectiles into the air. The sky burned as the first volley soared toward the Redwyne fleet. The impact was devastating—one ship was struck dead center, its hull splintering, fire spreading across its deck as men screamed and fell into the sea. The smell of burning pitch and charred wood filled the air as the Redwyne fleet reeled from the first blow.

Paxter gritted his teeth. "Return fire!"

His archers and catapults let loose. Flaming arrows and heavy stones soared through the sky, striking the Lannister ships. A well-placed shot from one of the Redwyne catapults smashed into a Lannister galley, splitting the hull as sailors scrambled overboard. Another Tarly warship took a direct hit to its mast, snapping it in half and crippling its ability to maneuver.

The battle descended into chaos. Warships clashed as they closed the distance, boarding hooks thrown across the waves as warriors leapt from one deck to another. The sea was alive with the sounds of steel ringing, men shouting, and the distant roar of ships burning.

Jaime watched from the Iron Fury, his brow furrowing. Redwyne was not retreating, not scattering in panic. Instead, he was maneuvering, forcing the Lannister ships into the rocky shoals along the Arbor's coastline. Jaime cursed under his breath. Redwyne was trying to bottle them in.

He turned sharply to Tarly. "If we press forward now, we'll be trapped."

Tarly sneered. "Then we press harder."

Jaime exhaled, knowing the arrogance of his ally would be his downfall. But there was no turning back now. He raised his sword, signaling the second wave. The Lannister ships surged forward, forcing the battle into brutal, close-quarters combat.

On the Gilded Vine, Paxter's sword was already stained red as he cut down a Lannister soldier who had boarded his ship. His blade was not as fine as Jaime's, nor was he a warrior by birth, but he fought with the desperation of a man defending everything he had ever built. Blood stained the deck, bodies fell into the churning sea, and still the battle raged on.

Mina shouted from the crow's nest, her voice carrying above the chaos. "The second line is moving in! They're pushing us into the open!"

Paxter turned, his mind racing. If they were forced into open water, they would lose the advantage of the shoals. The Lannisters were tightening the noose, forcing them into a battle of sheer numbers. He needed something, anything, to shift the tide.

Then he saw it—an opening. A gap in the Lannister-Tarly formation, a chance to break their line before it closed completely.

Paxter wiped the sweat from his brow, gripping his sword tighter. "Ser Martyn, signal the second and third squadrons to push forward. We cut through them here. If we break their line, we split their fleet in two."

Ser Martyn nodded and gave the order. The Redwyne ships adjusted, their prows turning sharply as they made their push. The clash was brutal—war galleys slamming into one another, oars snapping, decks crashing into one another as men fought for their lives.

Paxter met the first wave of attackers head-on, parrying a strike before driving his blade into the stomach of a Tarly soldier. Another came at him from behind, only to be cut down by Mina, her dagger swift and precise. The two shared a brief glance before the battle consumed them again.

Then the tide shifted.

From his vantage point, Jaime Lannister saw the flaw in Redwyne's move. Paxter had made an aggressive push, but it left his fleet dangerously extended. If Jaime could counter now, he could surround Redwyne before the maneuver was complete.

Jaime turned to his signal officer. "Order the flanks to close in. We cut him off now."

The Lannister ships adjusted, pressing in from both sides. The Redwyne fleet, mid-maneuver, suddenly found itself boxed in.

Mina's voice rang out again, this time with urgency. "They're closing in! We're being surrounded!"

Paxter turned, eyes darting across the battlefield. The Lannisters had anticipated his move, and now they were tightening their trap.

He had led them straight into it.

The battle was no longer in his control.

He gritted his teeth, tasting blood, as the weight of the moment settled upon him. If he did not find a way to break free, House Redwyne would not survive the day.