The Seaworth ships set sail towards the Island of Tarth on a cloudy night when the moonlight wouldn't shine upon them and betray their arrival. The lanterns on the ship were not lit. All around them was only darkness. Dark water and dark skies, indistinguishable from each other.

Devan Seaworth stood by the railing of the ship in front. Looking down at the darkness beside him. The darkness that had been the last thing his brother Mathos had seen before he perished. Dark water and exploding wildfire all around him. And then his brother had died, never becoming older than Devan was now. It was a weird thing, becoming older than your older brother. Mathos would always be that boy who never came back, while his brothers grew old. Only a memory of a friendly smile, a helpful hand, and an unwavering loyalty to his family remained. Mathos Seaworth had died, but he would also never die in his family's memory. He would never grow old, he would never fail, he would never let them down. Only the living can do that.

"Take care of them," Mathos had said. "Take care of your mother and brothers, Dev."

It was the last thing Mathos had told Devan before he left forever. And Devan was failing at it. He knew that. He hadn't taken care of them. When he found out that his brother was gone he had left instead. He had joined the siege at Storm's End. Because he couldn't stand being around their home at Cape Wrath knowing his brother would never come back.

Devan failed all the time. He failed at being the oldest brother he was never supposed to be. He failed at being the responsible and honest man his mother thought he should be. He failed at forgiving his father for his mistakes and shortcomings. Because he wasn't his brother, the perfect Mathos Seaworth who would never die.

But today Devan wouldn't fail. He had set out to save people and that's what he would do.

Since his brother's death Devan had kept away from the sea. Determined to not meet the same destiny as his brother. He wasn't going to be swallowed by the dark waters. But yet here he was, leading a fleet into the darkest of waters. And he was scared. Scared of failing. Scared of being swallowed by darkness like his brother. But fear wouldn't stop him.

Guided by smuggler maps left behind by Devan's father the ships navigated towards the island of Tarth. The maps revealed a cove under the castle where they should be able to pick up the people safely. A raven had been sent to Lord Selwyn about their arrival and he would make sure that the women and children were gathered in the cove.

The Seaworth ships weren't big, but they were fast and easy to navigate in the strait between the island and the mainland. There was no sign of the Iron Fleet as they approached the island. Hopefully, they had laid anchor for the night.

The water turned blue as it got shallower closer to the cove. The white sand on the bottom lit it up despite the lack of moonlight. This change of color made Devan a bit calmer. The waters weren't as dark as death anymore.

***

Lady Brynda of Tarth stood at the shore in the cove where they had been told to wait for the ships to get them. Her uncle Lord Selwyn of Tarth had forced her to join the women and the children who were to leave the island. She would have preferred to stay and fight instead.

All women of Tarth were taught to fight with a sword from a young age. Although she was far from the skill level of her cousin Brienne, Brynda could certainly stand up in a fight against most men. But her uncle had still insisted that she'd leave, as the Iron Islanders were known to commit unspeakable acts against women captured in battle. And she had given in to his wishes as she figured the people leaving the island needed someone to defend them if the ships got discovered.

So there she stood, sword by her side, awaiting a rescue she didn't need. Brynda was tall, everyone in her family was. Her blonde hair was braided and put up into a crown around her head, it was a good way to keep it out of her way when she practiced fighting. Her eyes were as blue as the sapphire-colored water around the island she called her home.

Waves started rolling on the water and then they saw the ships coming in, disguised by the darkness around them. The people of Tarth had boats prepared on the beach to get themselves out to the ships. As they saw them approaching they started boarding and pushing them into the water.

Brynda got into one of the boats and grabbed an oar, she wasn't going to let the men do all the rowing. She looked back as they left the island behind. She had never left Tarth before. Sapphire waters and the lush mountains surrounding them was all she knew.

As the boat got up to the ship the people onboard started to disembark by climbing a ladder. Brynda waited in the boat until all the other people had left the boat. She climbed up the ladder and saw a hand reaching out to help her up as she reached the railing. She didn't take it.

"I don't need your help," Brynda said to the tall young man with unbrushed hair who was trying to help her. "I've been getting in and out of boats since I was old enough to walk."

***

For the first time in Devan Seaworth's life, he was left speechless. No snarky remark came to him, no witty comeback, no charming line. The woman who was standing in front of him had rendered him lost for words. She was beautiful, that was for sure, but there was something else about her too. An unshakable sense of self-confidence and self-reliance. A defiance against a world deeming her to be less than a man. A complete and utter inability to handle nonsense. And Devan Seaworth was so full of nonsense.

As the woman stood up he realized that she was about as tall as he was. Devan had never met a woman he didn't tower over before. Except for his mother of course.

"I'm... sorry," was the only thing that came out of Devan's mouth. But only after an awkwardly long period of silence where she was probably wondering if he was mute. Then Devan realized that he still had his hand outstretched and swiftly pulled it in again.

She smiled, finally. Amused by his obvious flustered state.

"I'm not insulted," she said. "I just wanted it to be stated that I don't need help."

"Yes, Mylady," was all Devan could retort with.

"It's Lady Brynda of Tarth," the woman said. "What is your name?"

Devan had to wreck his brain for a moment to remember what his own name was. It's hard to remember details like that when you're a young man looking at a beautiful woman. Especially when that woman seemed completely unfazed by his charms and good looks.

"I'm... Dev. Devan I mean," he said while scouring his brain to remember what his last name was. "Devan Seaworth that is."

"Oh, so you are the onion knight's son?" she asked. "These are your father's ship?"

Devan could only nod in reply. Words were suddenly very hard to come by for him.

Brynda smiled at him one more time and then walked away to join the rest of the people she had arrived with. Devan didn't have much to offer much in the way of conversation at the moment anyway.

After she left Devan was left standing by the railing. Having forgotten where he was and what he was doing. All he could do was to watch her walk away with a silly look on his face.

***

The waters got darker again as the ships exited the cove. Once again they were soon surrounded by darkness on all sides.

Then there was light. Light from lanterns. Hanging on the sides of a ship sailing towards them. Flying the flag of the Iron Fleet. Devan gasped as he stood at the top of the ship. Had it seen them already? Would it fire on them? Would he die surrounded by darkness?

He ran down to warn the people on board. Most of them were gathered on deck still.

"There's a ship approaching," he said in a hushed voice. "But if everyone is quiet and still it might not discover us."

Everyone sat down on the deck. Holding each other. Not saying a word.

Devan sat down with them. There wasn't much else to do. And he, of course, ended up sitting down next to Brynda. It might not have been an accident.

Suddenly his sudden lack of words wasn't a problem as no one spoke anyway.

He pulled his hands through his hair as he sat there, making it even more unkempt than usual. Devan Seaworth was scared. Scared that his mother once again would have to be told that her son was resting on the bottom of the ocean.

Without even thinking about it he took the hand of the girl sitting next to him. Because he needed something to hold onto. Brynda gave him a weird look as he did but let him do it. Devan didn't even notice the look as he was too caught up in his own fear.

The lights came closer and closer. Now Devan was sure the ship had seen them. It would soon start firing cannonballs at them. Breaking the hull of their ship. Then it would be all over. Darkness. Nothing.

They watched the approaching lights for hours it seemed. Everyone was completely quiet and still. Devan still held Brynda's hand.

Then the lights didn't come closer anymore. They started disappearing in the distance instead. No canon balls came raining over them. No darkness came. No nothingness.

Devan exhaled and suddenly realized he was holding the hand of the girl next to him. This made him blush but he still didn't let go. He figured if she let him hold her hand for this long it would be stupid to let go now. And he really liked feeling her hand in his.

"Did you think I was scared?" she asked and looked over at him.

"No," he responded. "But I was."

The fear in Devan's eyes made it apparent that he was telling the truth. So Brynda squeezed his hand and let him hold on for a while longer. It seemed like he needed it.

***

The darkness finally dissipated in the early hours of the morning. The water and the sky became blue again. Seagulls started to circle around them. The water was calm, nearly a wave in sight. The island of Tarth was behind them and the mainland laid ahead.

They sailed towards Cape Wrath, the castle belonging to the Seaworth family laid. It was a place filled with rugged cliffs and pine trees. Many ships had met their destiny there on stormy nights. But not these ships, they safely made it to their harbor.

The people from Tarth started to get off the ship and Devan stood by the railing lending them a hand as they disembarked. He saw Lady Brynda keeping in the background and he wondered why she was waiting.

Then it was suddenly only them left on the ship.

Devan once again stretched out his hand to help her over the railing. Knowing she would probably reject it.

But she took his hand this time.

"I don't need it," she said as she climbed over the railing. "But I don't mind taking it."

"I know you don't need it," he replied. "But I was hoping you would take it anyway."

Then they were left standing there for a few seconds on the dock. Face to face. Her hand in his.

Brynda quickly looked around, to see if anyone was watching. The other people from Tarth was up ahead on the dock and the sailors were all busy tying up the ship.

Then she kissed him. A quick and soft kiss that turned Devan's whole world upside down. Everything in his head and body got scrambled. He had kissed girls before but it had never made him feel like this.

Afterward, she released his hand, turned around, and walked away at a fast pace to catch up with the rest of the people leaving the boat.

Devan Seaworth was left standing on the dock, and for the second time in his life, he was left speechless.