The Black Fawn

[Lord Yohn Baratheon]

A  large carrack built with black dyed wood. On it's sail is embroided the Black Stag of house Baratheon.

[Lord Yohn Baratheon]

Yohn boarded the Black Fawn followed by Oswyn, passing silently without even glancing at his crew. He climbed the stairs to his place beside the steering wheel.

"Third rule, nephew... Discipline." The Black Stag cleared his throat and took a deep breath. "CREEEEW!" He roared imponetly. At that very moment men started pouring from every door, hatch and whole in the ship. They formed lines on the deck, all seasoned men clad in grey uniforms embroidered with the same sigil as the one of the sail.

"Remember: Fear comes before empathy, but either are important." Yohn whispered on his nephews ear.

[Lord Oswyn Baratheon]

"With all due respect Uncle, I know how to lead." he said as he watched the men line up, mildly impressed. He had been trained to command armies since birth and knew well the importance of discipline and respect in the chaos of war. "But proceed as you wish."

[Lord Yohn Baratheon]

"Of course you do..." Are you taking the full lesson or joke of it, you little piece of shit? Yohn frowned an turned back to the crew.

In the midst of the uniform crowd there could be seen a man with a green mustache making his way through it.

Nicomo, already breathless, climbed the stairs to where Yohn stood with Oswyn, he had his master's Captain hat on his hand. "Good morning, my lords." He gave a bow.

"Finally, Nicomo!" Yohn snatched the hat from his sergeant's hand. "Fourth rule, Oswyn. Hats... you'll have to have one." He slowly placed it upon his curly dark hairs.

Back turning to the crew, Yohn stuffed his chest. "Good morning, Sers... This is our new Master of Ships and my nephew, Oswyn Baratheon."

He rested his left hand of Oswyn's shoulder and leaned his neck indicating him. "You see, boy, if you have a competent crew they'll now exactly what to do, and you'll have only to sit and once in a while scream... TO YOUR POSTS!" It took less than five blinks, the crewmen were ready in the sixth.

"Notice the ones by the parapet? They are the main fighters, there they are able either to open fire against the enemy ship and to board it." The Blackstag pointed towards a line of men with bows on their shoulders and hands on the hilts of their swords.

[Lord Oswyn Baratheon]

Oswyn looked to his uncle's hat with a raised eyebrow, but did not comment upon it, deferring to the man's wealth of knowledge and expertise.

He nodded to his uncles right hand, Nicomo, a show of deference to the experienced sailor.

The rush of the men to follow their orders and man their posts was certainly impressive, though no less than he would have expected of his own troops on the battlefield.

"And I suppose it is your job to get them to the other ship to do their job?" he asked, inspecting the boarders, who all looked as if they had seen their share of combat.

[Lord Yohn Baratheon]

"Exactly..." Yohn nodded.

"The ones on the center are, as I call them, the Holders. They are supposed to take care of the ship while the attack is promoted. Being it the maintenance of the ship or defending the deck." His hands indicated the rows on the centers. "Remember, uniformity is a key. Make sure they all work in all categories, this way you show they are all equal. Thus diminishing greatly the chance of rioting."

[Lord Oswyn Baratheon]

"It would seem more prudent to have the men specialize in their tasks, but I can see your logic." Oswyn remarked. "In the way you recommend, if a man falls in battle, he is more easily replaced. I suppose this reduced the chance of the ship ending up in dire straits and allows it to operate with a skeleton crew after heavy casualties."

[Lord Yohn Baratheon]

"You're a fast learner... Being the other way, losing one men would leave an almost irreparable whole since we are in the midst of the High Seas and we can't produce competent men from water." Yohn drank some water from his skin, motioning an offer to Oswyn.

"Now we are done with the crew, I wish you to name and point out any ship part you know."

[Lord Oswyn Baratheon]

Oswyn drank deep from the skin, the salt of the sea air having made him parched.

Thankfully, his time in the library paid off at least. He pointed to the starboard, port, bow, and stern sides. Then he named the simple parts that most ships shared: sails, keel, gunwales, ect. Last he began pointing out the parts that made the carrack unique: four masts, high rounded aftcastle, forecastle, and bowspirit. He only hesitated on a few names, clearly having spent much of his free time studying over the last weeks.

[Lord Yohn Baratheon]

"I see you've got future in this..." Smiling, Yohn slapped his nephew on the back. "You've got your own boat yet?"

[Lord Oswyn Baratheon]

"A new flagship is under construction." he said with a grin, beaming at the praise from an experienced captain.

[Lord Yohn Baratheon]

"Good. Remember, boy..." Yohn said plainly.

"You gotta love your ship as you love your wife..." He slid his hands on the wooden parapet, feeling every imperfection in it. "You gotta give her love..." The lord closed his eyes. "And care for her... For she'll always be there by your side, no matter what."

Yohn opened his eyes and stared blankly at Oswyn, he felt a strange sensation rising in his throat, he sensation he'd thought to have suppressed long ago.

"Aye..." Nicomo spoke up. "Sailing another man's ship is like fucking another man's wife: It may feel good and different for some time, but deep inside you know it's wrongs." He chuckled at his own statement.