Daeron's Gambit

While Alyn Velaryon had successfully brought the islands of the Stepstones under his dominion, he had made a certain number of enemies to do it. Namely, Lord Daeron Velaryon, the new Master of Driftmark. The man had been less than pleased when Alyn made off with a good portion of the Velaryon fleet, and after years of preparations, he meant to do something about it.

Prelude
Using the coffers of the Velaryon treasury, Daeron rebuilt his fleet, not quite to what it had been before, but a respectable force unto itself. He hired ships from King’s Landing and Gulltown, and even received financial aid and blessing from the Queen herself, his status as the Master of Ships lending aid in that regard. With all of these factors, Daeron made for the Stepstones, eager to clear out his great-nephews holdings and take back his ships.

The Battle of Pryr
The Velaryons of Driftmark arrived at Pryr, seeking an audience with the Pirate Lord that ruled there. Instead, they were met with Merchant Prince Kasporio Lahar, whose trade had benefited greatly since Alyn had become King. While the Prince himself would not sally out to defend his liege, he would not let Daeron’s ships go unblooded. He sent half of his fleet to do battle with the Velaryons, while the other half made for Bloodstone. The men of Pryr inflicted minimal losses on Daeron’s fleet, on account of being so outnumbered. Still, the battle gave enough time for the men of Highwatch to spy the conflict from their island outpost. Ferriko Balare, the fiercely loyal pirate he was, gathered every ship and sword that he held to his name, and valiantly sailed for Pryr. Catching the Westerosi off guard, Balare was able to destroy a good chunk of the Velaryon fleet, meeting Lord Daeron on his vessel to challenge him to single combat. Daeron showed the corsair no mercy, slaying him without hesitation after a short but fierce duel. Ferriko’s compatriots did not give up after his death, fighting to the last against the invaders but they too eventually were slain.

Riptide's Revenge
With the warning from the escaped ships from Pryr, Alyn was able to gather his fleets, and he set out to meet Daeron in battle. They met in the waters between Pryr and Bloodstone, and the Velaryons of Driftmark quickly learned the vengeance of King Alyn I Velaryon. The King of the Stepstones earned his epithet during this battle, dubbed “The Riptide” for his ferocity. Daeron died from a ramming by Alyn’s flagship, and his forces crumbled around him. The sellsails broke first, sailing away as soon as the tide turned against them. Daeron’s captains held out for as long as they could, but they were forced to flee or be captured. The battle would result in more gains than losses for the men of the Stepstones, and Alyn cemented himself as a worthy ruler of the isles.

Aftermath
Lord Daeron's debacle cost the Crown in terms of financial and prestige. The Master of Ships had failed to win against pirates in the Stepstones and Queen Rhaenyra was furious. She refused to entertain any more ideas of sending men to the Stepstones and instead focused on Westeros, deeming the Stepstones not worthy of her time.