Aelyx Sunderland

Aelyx Sunderland is the firstborn son of Lady Milanna Sunderland and Prince Aegon Targaryen of Summerhall. He is the Lord of the Three Sisters and Captain of the Emancipator.

Appearance and Character
Aelyx is every inch of his father, from the silver hair to the purple eyes. While he does not bear as many scars as his father did, he has his own from his own adventures. Aelyx also did not inherit his father's thirst for sex and debauchery. A quiet and reserved child, he was raised knowing that he was the future of the Three Sisters, this was broken somewhat during his time at the Eyrie where he was taught the way of the sword and other important lessons. He often dresses as befit his station thought nothing overly flashy, as if to move away from the pirate life that his people had held so dear for generations.

History
Born in 408 AC as the firstborn child of Aegon and Milanna, he was given all the education, care, and attention that he could want from either parent. Some of his fondest memories from his childhood included running around the castle with his siblings, riding atop Meleyx with his father, and splashing in the freezing waters of the Bite. Of all his siblings, he was especially close with his sister Mira whom the two would play and keep in touch. The siblings had even worked out a plan for when their father eventually passed. Aelyx would be the first to try and tame Meleyx for his own. If he failed, then Mira would do so, then Daemon, followed by Alanis, and then Maelys. It was agreed upon from a young age and both Aegon and Milanna supported that fact so that their children would not resort to treachery upon their deaths.

In 418, Aelyx attended the Tourney at Summerhall with his parents and sister Mira. There he stayed outside the castle, much to the anger of his father who was slighted at the fact that he could not even be inside his former home or the fact that his royal blood still prevented such a thing. He would witness his mother win the horse race, which was cause for great cheer for his family and the Sistermen that accompanied them to the tourney. The deaths of Selwyn Storm and Leyton Hightower in the joust were sobering for Aelyx as this was the first real death that he had witnessed, though it would by no means be the last.

Following the tourney, Aelyx was fostered in the Eyrie as part of an agreement between House Arryn and House Sunderland to heal some of the rift between the two houses following the Mummer's War. There he learned many things from scholarly lessons to lessons in swordplay from some of the greatest knights in the Vale. He was squired directly to the Lord of the Eyrie himself, Osric Arryn. His display of tactical leadership was impressive though many of his tutors felt that his talents would be wasted as he was expected to be either in the air on Meleyx when the time came or that he would be on the sea. The young Aelyx would say nothing, allowing them to think what they did. One day he would show them that they were wrong.

In 428 AC, Aelyx was betrothed and married to Lady Jeyne Hunter, a match made to pacify the Sister's relations with the mainland Vale. Similarly, his sister Mira was pledged to the Heir of House Waynwood, though the wedding planning for that went rather poorly do to her insistence that this not happen. Still, Aelyx's marriage was stable and simple enough. Though the two held no great love for one another, they slowly warmed towards one another and the news of her pregnancy the following year brought them even closer together. Early in 430 AC, Jeyne went into labor and after hours of struggle finally gave birth to a healthy baby boy that the couple named Alesander after her deceased brother and because she adamantly refused to name him Maekar or Jacaerys. The birth took it's toll on Jeyne who would quietly pass after three days of struggle. Aelyx was devastated but found solace in his family. The future of House Sunderland was still secure but at a price he did not want to pay. Aelyx would find solace in the ocean, learning to love the sea just as much as his mother did, quickly learning how to fight on a ship and lead an armada into battle.

The Bleeding and the Betrayals
The year of 434 AC saw the realm aflame with the fires of chaos and rebellion, though Aegon Targaryen was one to mutter about the incompetence of King Rhaegar II and that maybe he should have killed him with Maegor all those years ago. Still, the Three Sisters remained relatively quiet. Though it seemed that this was not to last as a group of rebels, dissatisfied with the reforms that the Sunderlands had made since the marriage of Prince Aegon and Lady Milanna, infiltrated the castle intent on removing Milanna from power. What ensued was a fierce battle in the Great Hall of Sunderland Keep which culminated in Lady Milanna's death and the remainder of the conspirators either keelhauled by his sister Mira or killed by Prince Aegon and Meleyx. Aelyx was stunned by the turn of events and quickly took up the lordship and enacted several laws and provisions that tightened the grasp on the pirate way of life that his parents had been slowly trying to remove from the islands.

Prince Aegon was never the same after his wife's death, spending most of his days out with Meleyx or his quarters. His health rapidly deteriorated and Aelyx soon had guards following and escorting him so ensure nothing happened. And things would remain that way until one day he mounted the dragon and flew off to the West. The guards were perplexed, sailors had brought the newest news of the Second Hammer Uprising and Prince Aegon had swiftly left on Meleyx soon afterwards. The Prince was gone less than a week but when he returned he practically fell off of the dragon and had to be carried back to the castle. For a week, he lay in bed, talking about how he'd saved Stannis. Finally one afternoon Prince Aegon Targaryen finally passed away with all his children present. Aelyx, Daemon, and Maelys all stood vigil in the Sept that night watching over their father's body. In the early hours of the morning one of the guards burst through the doors of the Sept and exclaimed that Mira was nowhere to be found along with Meleyx and five of the ships from their fleet, including the Devastation. Aelyx was furious. His sister had betrayed him in the most cruel way possible. His best friend had sunk a dagger into his heart and his entire family's heart. From then on, Aelyx knew that there would be more change to the Sisters. He would rid them of the scum that had taken his mother away and that had driven his sister to betray him.

Piracy was now completely illegal on the Sisters and nearly every day there was someone being hanged or jailed for the crime on the islands. Lords Borrell, Longthorpe, and Torrent were brought to the castle and were quickly informed of the new policy and should any of them harbor Mira's followers or any pirate, their heads were on the line. After executing one of Lord Borrell's cousins in early 435 AC, the Lords of the Sisters were quick to follow their orders. Aelyx rebuilt the Sisters navy back to the strength before Mira stole their ships. His own flagship is the Emancipator, while his brother Daemon commands the Executor, and Maelys commands the Judicator. Now the sight of Sunderland sails does not bring cause for alarm for many merchants, instead it sends pirates and smugglers running for cover. Over the course of the last few years, Aelyx took it upon himself to track down and destroy several small pirate bands that have raided the Narrow Sea, though he never sailed south towards the Stepstones where reports that his sister had taken up residence on the island of Last Refuge.

Family
Full Family Tree: http://www.familyecho.com/?p=START&c=24ks2uk7q6&f=351232181211523651

Household/NPCs
Ser Robert Torrent- Captain of the Guards

Ser Andrew Borrell- Master at Arms of Sunderland Keep

Maester Archibald- Maester of Sunderland Keep

Ser Triston Longthorpe- Castellan of Sunderland Keep

The Sunderland Fleet
Warships Longships
 * Emancipator- Aelyx’s ship
 * Judicator- Maelys’ ship
 * Executor- Daemon’s ship
 * Liberator
 * Devastator
 * Avenger
 * Redemption
 * Relentless
 * Prince Aegon
 * Lady Milanna
 * Stalker
 * Nemesis
 * Stormhawk
 * Ravager
 * Reaper
 * Iron Fist
 * Sweetsister
 * Littlesister
 * Longsister
 * Intimidator
 * Night Hammer
 * Dominion
 * Crab Eater
 * Lord’s Justice
 * Wrath of the Island
 * Vengeance
 * Decimator
 * Invincible
 * Hellfire
 * Lady Luck
 * Tempress
 * Terror
 * Back Breaker
 * Monstrosity
 * Pride of Sisterton