Mira Sunderland

Introduction
Mira Sunderland, Lady of the Last Refuge, is the second born child of Milanna Sunderland, Lady of the Three Sisters, and Prince Aegon Targaryen. Although she lives in self-imposed exile from the Three Sisters after betrayal of her older brother, Lord Aelyx Sunderland.

Appearance and Character
All five children took features from their parents in some form, but where Aegon could be seen in her siblings, Mira had grown into the spitting image of her mother save having her father’s eyes. While still being tall and lean for a woman, but she missed out on her full height standing at six feet even. Albeit, the more distant she wandered from the Three Sisters, the more her appearance altered from the days of chocolate waves and sun streaks in her hair. She painted her lips in black and lined her eyes heavily in kohl. Inky dyes were washed through her hair, sparing a few locks to be brightened with lye until they were near white or grey. True to the image of a pirate queen, Mira often garbs herself in rich leathers and fabrics with accents of gold and silver. Most of the latter are usually kept to jewelry rather than reaming on her clothing. Several rings of precious metals and a few gems decorate her fingers and ears with one simple silver hoop pierced through right nostril. She keeps a number of small blades displayed openly upon her person -most of which are fit for throwing- as both a means to contribute to a menacing appearance and manner of attack or defense. In stark contrast to preconceived notions and her infamous deeds, Mira often composes herself as a font of patience. It is one of the few attributes that can be likely used to draw a link between her current position and previous ties to the nobility of the Vale. Unfortunately, that is not the case in the slightest. Rather, Mira Sunderland is an opportunist more akin to an adder in the grass than any civilized lady. Every ounce of her composure, patience, and astute quality is a calculated time of observation as she waits to strike with the full force of her venom.

Innocence
Mira was born in the year 410 AC as the first daughter, but second child, of Milanna Sunderland and Prince Aegon Targaryen. Despite living her early years in a “den of sin and avarice” before the great reconstruction of the Three Sisters, Mira was a happy and healthy child. She received a proper education from the maester, learned the ways of her blood from her father, and her place at sea from her mother. Though Aelyx would be the one to inherit the islands and be the first to attempt taming Meleyx, it was she who would maintain their prosperity on the waves. As Aegon had been the Lord of the Sky and Milanna the Lady of the waves, their children would act in the same to keep their small islands and shores safe. Mira never showed resentment for the inheritance that was thrust upon Aelyx. In fact, until the death of Aegon Targaryen, he was the closest person she had to a best friend even during his time away at The Eyrie.

Inheritance
In 420 AC, Milanna shook Mira from her sleep in the dark of the morning, and led her to the decks of *The Devastation* under the cover of storm clouds. The ship had mostly kept to port in the two years that followed their initial progression to trade, only being taken out to meet with allies upon their shores when Lady Sunderland was not riding with her husband. It was the very ship that she declared Mira would learn to navigate without moon nor stars to guide her and uphold a tradition that was meant to be forgotten. Ways that were so deeply rooted into the blood and lives of Sistermen that the change had been one against the grain of instinct. Milanna revealed that the warship she had commanded would be passed down to her, but it would rot in a life spent living by the Westerosi laws on the islands. Her duty would not be to a lord bearing his children for his line nor to uphold the values of a strangers house by the obligations of marriage. Centuries of Sunderland tradition rest upon her shoulders to ensure that the true ways of their house would not disappear into the texts of history. Mira was only a child, but she could not deny the gravity in her mother’s face and voice. As to how she would accomplish this task, Milanna never gave an answer. She only provided the tools and skills for her daughter’s future.

Mutiny
Like all changes, the shift to lawful practices and industries did not settle well among certain groups on the Three Sisters. It had taken many years of progress and rebuilding, but despite the growth and prosperity, many Sistermen had lost faith in Lady Sunderland’s ability to lead appropriately. A primary point of blame had been her marriage to Aegon Targaryen, but a small group of rebels were unwilling to challenge a man with a dragon nor the wrath of his wife. In 434 AC, the mutineers finally set their plans into motion and slipped into the Sunderland Hall with an intent to remove the lady from power. A small, short-lived battle erupted within the walls, and when the dust settled Milanna Sunderland’s body was found among a few she had taken to death with her. Prince Aegon managed to slay a few in his grief-stricken rage, but Mira guided the remainder out of the castle to the safety of *The Devastation’s* decks. For a time, Mira had been quietly building support for her cause to take to the seas in the true ways of the Sistermen. Under the assumption that this would be the night they finally set sail under their new lady, *The Devastation* pulled away from port. Mira made her promise that the time would come, but it would be under her command. With her crew agreeing, she made her fury known and had the remaining mutineers keelhauled.

Betrayal
Prince Aegon Targaryen died only a few months after his wife, and the moment his heart ceased to beat, Mira found the opportunity she had been patiently waiting on. Carrying the final lessons of her mother with her, she took a bold step over the predetermined lines of inheritance. In the sacred hours that Aelyx stood vigil over their father’s body, five ships had pulled away from port with *The Devastation* at the front of the formation. When the final cries of mourning for his rider had died out, Mira faced Meleyx as the next in line rather than her brother. Aelyx might have cursed her as a heartless traitor to her own blood, but the pain she felt as she watched Sweetsister sink away into the horizon was excruciating. At the very least, it served to harden her heart for the road ahead as she and her Sistermen turned to the sea.

Refuge
Mira Sunderland did not cross the sea with only a few ships and a dragon to call her own. While having any sort of dragon was a considerable boon, it was not enough for her in terms of vessels and forces. A departure from Westeros gave her a reason to shed inhibitions and the honorable styles of fighting she once knew, and Mira began a naval conquest steeped in brutality and ruthlessness. Morals she once stood for, such as the practice of slavery, were forgotten and left in the dust. The ways of reaving and raiding was once more alive upon the decks of a growing fleet, cultivated by capture of vessels and powered by the labors of the defeated. Although she had been merciful enough to offer boarded ships the option to surrender, many were forced into subjugation. Dissenters that dared to raise their heads in defiance found a new home for it dangling from *The Devastation’s* prow. Given the reputation Mira carried on the sea, they had very few ports to turn to for resupply and repair. Too many were eager to play the hero and their arrival brought speculation of an eminent raid. The only choice left was to establish a new home free of the laws that stifled their true way of life and where their ships could dock in a defensible harbor, so their eyes turned to the Stepstones. Unfortunately, the Stepstones were already occupied under a ruler, but Mira did not see this as a deterrent. Rather, this was a challenge to test her skills in warfare and her overall power. The Sisterly exiles, however, did not engage in an elegant strategy. There was no mastermind tactic fit for annals of history with tales of great heroics. Their attack came by surprise at the dark hours just before dawn. The full brunt of their strength fell upon Last Refuge swiftly, and by late morning, Mira faced Vyrmidon Melos. It was a battle that promised to be fierce, but did not last to see either party defeated. Not long after claiming The Last Refuge, talks among the Stepstones leaders began.

The Dread Fleet

 * The Devastation - Flagship
 * Ugly Stepsister

Notable Ties
The Triumverate of the Stepstones The Triarchy of the Three Daughters The Sistermen - Mira’s closest and most loyal
 * Vyrmidon Melos
 * Baldassare Otherys
 * Creighton Borrel
 * Adrian Stone
 * Roose the Lost
 * Falena Rains
 * Robin Fairwater
 * Petyr Torrent
 * Ryella Stone

Family Tree

 * Roland Sunderland - deceased
 * m. Milan Sunderland - deceased
 * Milanna Sunderland - deceased
 * m. Aegon Targaryen - deceased
 * Aelyx Sunderland
 * Mira Sunderland
 * Daemon Sunderland
 * Alanis Sunderland
 * Maelys Sunderland
 * Lyssa Manderly -nee Sunderland
 * m. Torrhen Manderly
 * Davos manderly
 * Jocelyn Manderly
 * Jasper Manderly
 * Errold Manderly
 * Leona Manderly
 * Eva Rykker -nee Sunderland
 * m. Erasmus Rykker
 * Asher Rykker
 * Garrick Rykker
 * Helaena Rykker