Maester Belomas and Velaquo Silkblood (The Displaced Maester and the temporarily inconvenienced Mercenary Captain)
The voyage from Tarth to the mainland, across a mere narrow channel, proved difficult for Maester Belomas.
The Shy Maiden was swept off course and out to sea during an unexpected but persistent gale, then had to steer further south, off course, to avoid roaming Lyseni pirates, and even the war-fleet of Stannis Baratheon itself.
What was supposed to be an ten hour crossing turned into a month at sea. At one point the Shy Maiden picked up floating survivors from some tragic naval battle, not far from the Stepstones.
One of these stowaway survivors was a peculiar, gold-toothed, raven-haired mercenary from Myr, who called himself Velaquo and styled himself Silkblood, and who struck up conversation with Maester Belomas, as the two huddled below deck, nauseous and green-skinned from the endless roil of the Narrow Sea.
Over the next few days, the learned Maester and the flamboyant mercenary struck up a bizarre friendship. The mercenary spoke of himself mostly, and of daring do, and of conquest, and in turn, Maester Belomas schooled Velaquo in the finer points of star-navigation and wound-healing.
Later still, Velaquo spoke of Maesters, and that he had known of mercenary companies, ones such as the Golden Company and even the Second Sons, who indeed, had employed Maesters, just as nobles Houses of Westeros did, since time immemorial. Belomas nodded and smiled at these tales, for he knew them to be true, and would proceed to tell the Myrmen of architecture and poisons and of Tarth, the Sapphire Isle, and of the Royal Houses of Westeros.
And so, the two passed the time. Nothing alike, yet circumstances had brought then together.
They grew comfortable, the mercenary captain and the Maester. For his part, Velaquo trusted the scholar implicitly with his tales of glory and ambition, and Belomas saw something in Velaquo which attracted him as well. What he, Belomas, may have become, if he had not chosen to forge his linked chain at the Citadel all those years ago, truth be told. They told each other of their current plights as well, Velaquo without an army, tail between his legs for the moment, and Belomas, unceremoniously kicked out from his post at Tarth, and sent on his merry way, ingloriously.
Strange pair, yet history was made of stranger stuff.
Strange old man, but much to teach, and guileless, thought Velaquo, I could use one someday.
Too clever by half this one, overly ambitious and bloodthirsty, thought Belomas, but charismatic and willful
Finally, the Shy Maiden sailed into brackish Blackwater Bay and docked at King's Landing.
Maester Belomas and Velaquo Silkblood disembarked. It was obvious that a great battle had recently been fought here beside the walls, and on the bay. There was tension in the air, and wisps of smoke everywhere.
It was time for good-byes.
