Traveling by ship was not pleasant; even with speed, there were occasional bumps.
Below deck, it was perpetual night and day. In a semi-dream state, Gendry dreamt of the smithy's forge, where he wore a leather apron, his arms bare, vigorously hammering a sharp sword. The forge was steaming hot, like the mouth of a fire dragon.
The scene shifted, and Gendry dreamt of his mother again. Her hair was yellow, and she was singing a song for him. But his mother's face was already somewhat blurry.
"Mother!" Tears welled in Gendry's eyes; his mother's love was long gone. In this chaotic era, he should kill the Boy within him. But the dream didn't last long; chaos shattered it. Shouts and screams came from the deck, and the cabin became noisy and restless.
"What's happening?" Gendry wondered. The ship was performing well and should be nearing Myr. Gendry put on his iron mask and tied his short-handled mace to his lower back. It was a pity he hadn't brought his great bull helmet or his armor; now it was close combat. Compared to a sword, a mace was a more lethal weapon.
Gendry had heard Captain Dunster talk about the route. The ship had previously replenished fresh water and food at Tarth and then quickly passed through the Stepstones without stopping at any of its islands. The Stepstones were a chaotic area, with fierce pirates and slavers.
"Could it be pirates?" Gendry thought. When he opened his door, he indeed encountered Qyburn, who had also been awakened by the noise.
"Let's go up and see!" Gendry climbed onto the deck, with Qyburn following behind him.
"Don't be reckless, Child. Blacksmiths, sailors, and doctors are all welcome; even if we fall into the hands of pirates, we're not in danger!" Qyburn was experienced.
"You're right! But I'm worried that pirates also traffic people!" Gendry said. A handsome, sturdy young Boy like him was most likely to be sold to The Water Gardens in Lys, which was a fate worse than death.
Qyburn's face paled. It seemed like truly bad luck. Gendry's concern was not unfounded; a blacksmith was worth some money, but a beautiful Boy sold as a courtesan in Lys was worth gold.
Gendry stepped onto the deck. Blue sky, white clouds, and the sea stretched endlessly. As far as the eye could see, the world seemed to be a combination of blue and white. The sky was blue, with only a few white clouds. The sea was also blue; when not tempestuous, the sea was like a beautiful blue-eyed woman. As long as the sea wasn't angry, she was always beautiful and charming.
Gendry could also see the shadows of the Stepstones. The Stepstones were a chain of gray islands, with winding waterways and sea stacks in between. This place was barren, favored only by pirates and slavers. Because the Stepstones were a crossroads of many forces, no single city-state was willing to cede it to others, and ultimately, no one held it for long.
There was no time to admire the scenery. Gendry saw two dark shadows in the distance approaching rapidly. Two painted fast ships, like swift arrows, cut through the waves and rushed towards them.
"It's pirates! It's pirates!" The Lookout of the telescope saw clearly that pirates had emerged from the Stepstones to plunder their merchant ship. The Lookout vigorously rang the alarm, and the bells completely woke up the entire ship.
"Damn it!" Captain Dunster said anxiously. "We're almost at Tyrosh, and after Tyrosh, we'll be safe in Myr Bay. How could we encounter pirates at this time!"
"Can we outrun them by speeding up?" Captain Dunster asked the navigator, who was usually also the head sailor.
"No, Boss, we'll have to prepare for a tough fight! The longships are superior to our merchant ship in both flexibility and agility!" The navigator said helplessly. A sixty-oar merchant ship, fully loaded with cargo, was never a match for a pirate ship in terms of maneuverability.
"It seems there's nothing we can do! Quiet down, Children! Grab your weapons and smash these pirates!" Captain Dunster thought for a moment and realized he still had some trump cards. Because the sailors were all proper Myrmen, they wouldn't be happy living a barren pirate life on the Stepstones.
"Grab your weapons!" Dunster commanded again.
The sailors began distributing weapons in an orderly fashion. Myrmen were clumsy fighters and mediocre sailors, but they were technically proficient. Myr's crossbows were quite famous.
"Don't let those pirates board the ship; we're not much of a match in close combat!" The Myrmen's weapons were daggers, shortswords, and crossbows, often poisoned.
"Don't worry, Boss!" The navigator raised the crossbow in his hand. A specially made crossbow that could fire three bolts in quick succession was expensive and surprisingly powerful.
"Give me some armor, Captain!" Gendry ran up to Dunster and demanded.
"You!" Dunster looked at Gendry, a young Boy with charcoal-black hair, deep blue eyes, and wearing a mask. Although his voice wasn't like an adult's, he was tall and muscular, looking very impactful, a true brave man.
"Take this! Child! Be careful, the arrowheads are all poisoned!" Captain Dunster handed Gendry a crossbow, a Myr specialty. The ship didn't have many passengers; the dozen or so guests were all armed. Even old Qyburn took a crossbow.
The crossbow was a formidable weapon, similar to a firearm. Even an untrained person could wield great power with it occasionally, which is why it was also called the devil's weapon.
"Thank you!" Gendry put away his weapon. Although the armor was a bit small, the battlefield was unpredictable, and it was safer to wear it.
The telescope waited for the pirates' attack. The ideal scenario was to prevent them from boarding, as Myrmen were generally mediocre and very poor in close combat.
The pirate ships began to surround them from above and below, even blocking the telescope's retreat. Hiding among the islands of the Stepstones would be even more dangerous, so a bloody battle was inevitable!
The pirates waved their flags, and the longships even had battering rams. But the only good news was that the pirates wanted to capture the ship, not simply and brutally sink it!
"Abandon this ship and its cargo, and we'll send you away in a small boat! Wine, spices, timber, silk, perfume—we know your big-bellied merchant ship has good cargo." The pirates shouted loudly. Gendry saw the colorful pirates, with their hair dyed purple and crimson, a Tyrosh style, but the pirates were also happy to adopt it.
"Please forgive me, this ship is my life! Without these goods, I'll be killed by debt collectors!" Dunster also had the Lookout shout back, while preparing for battle.
Before he finished speaking, thick hemp ropes with grappling hooks were violently thrown over by ballistas. The longships accelerated and charged towards the "telescope."
From the very beginning, the pirates had no intention of letting the merchant ship escape!
"Shoot! Shoot arrows!" Captain Dunster roared, his eyes bloodshot. Pirates would double their attack on those who resisted them, and the crew of the telescope were in mortal danger.