Born to the Lord of Fair Isle, Elissa Farman fell in love with sailing at a young age,
said to have spent more time on the seas than upon land.
By the age of 14, she voyaged around her family’s home, and by 20 made the journey to Bear Island
in the North and the Arbor in the south.
Though she was betrothed twice in her youth, Elissa refused to settle down, aggressively
chasing the boys away.
Growing up during the reign of Jaehaerys I, her father spent his life as a loyal supporter
and friend to House Targaryen, and so when the King’s elder sister Rhaena and her dragon
Dreamfyre were in need of a new home, Lord Farman offered fair isle.
Living through a period of great political turmoil, Rhaena was young but twice widowed,
first by her brother Aegon and then by his killer, her uncle King Maegor the Cruel.
Following Maegor’s death, Rhaena, as the first born child of the previous ruler was
considered for the Iron Throne.
But the nobles of Westeros ultimately decided against choosing a woman, instead supporting
with her younger brother Jaehaerys.
Believing there was no place for her in King’s Landing, she eventually came to be known as
the queen in the west, establishing her own informal court upon Fair Isle.
Developing a strong friendship with Lord Farman’s daughter Elissa as well as Alayne Royce and
Samantha Stokeworth, the group spent much of their time together, coming to be known
as the 4 headed beast.
Young, beautiful and of royal blood, many vied for Rhaena’s affection, but she proved
uninterested, instead surprising everyone by marrying Lord Farman’s youngest son Androw,
a plain man without titles, inheritance or any particular charms, claiming to have wed
him simply because he was kind.
However, some have suggested that this marriage was just a cover so she could continue to
spend time with her true romantic partner, Androw’s sister Elissa.
Unfortunately, Marq Farman passed away in 50 AC and was succeeded by his eldest son
Franklyn, who did not share his father’s affection for the Queen in the West and upon
becoming Lord of Fair Isle insulted Rhaena and banished her from his lands.
Though she seemed to consider burning him alive for his disrespect, she instead acquiesced
to his demand, gathering her people together and departing.
As her husband, Androw was expected to go with her, but Elissa was forbidden, with her
brother demanding she stay and be wed to a man of his choosing.
But Rhaena had made many friends during her time on Fair Isle, and Lord Farman found himself
outnumbered and surrounded when he attempted to force the issue.
Unsure where to go next, Rhaena and her court travelled around the Westerlands, before being
granted Dragonstone by her brother the king.
Now coming to be known as the Queen in the East, Elissa continued to accompany her, becoming
a close friend to her daughter Aerea.
However as the years went on, Elissa grew unhappy being confined to Dragonstone, desiring
to sail away and fulfil her lifelong ambition of journeying across the Sunset Sea.
However, her dream was an expensive proposition and having defied her brother when she left
Fair Isle, she was disinherited and would receive no help from her family.
Therefore, in order to finance this venture, including the construction of a new ship,
she reached out to her friend and possible lover Rhaena Targaryen who rejected the notion,
claiming she would miss Elissa far too much.
Furious at her refusal, a rift opened up between them that was never mended and in 54 AC, Elissa
asked permission to depart from Dragonstone, to which Rhaena coldly agreed.
However her icy demeanour changed to fire and fury when the Queen in the East learned
Elissa stole 3 of her dragon eggs before skulking off in the night.
Despite conducting a great search, Elissa Farman was never found, and in fact no longer
existed, as she changed her name to Alys Westhill on her way to Braavos, selling the dragon
eggs to the Sealord of the city for a generous sum.
With the financing acquired, she commissioned a great carrack named Sun chaser, before sailing
to Old Town in 56 AC and assembling a crew by speaking of the great adventure that awaited
them, and the possibility of a new land to be discovered in the West.
Her journey generated so much interest, she was soon joined by Ser Eustace Hightower aboard
the Lady Meredith and his brother Ser Norman Hightower on the Autumn Moon.
When word spread about Alys Westhill recruiting in Oldtown, Rhaena came to suspect it was
Elissa, and ordered her capture.
However the old Lord Hightower claimed he could not catch up to them, and some believe
he may have deliberately slowed their response as he did not wish to endanger his grandsons
who were sailing the wanted criminal.
For 3 years, no one heard anything about Alys Westhill and the Sunchaser, until 59 AC, when
Ser Eustace Hightower pulled into Old Town with a battered ship a story to tell.
As he told it, they sailed south west for some time until they were caught in a storm
that killed his brother and sunk the Autumn Moon.
His own ship also suffered damage, and had to be towed by the sunchaser until they at
last coming to rest upon 3 islands they discovered.
Naming them after Aegon, Rhaenys and Visenya, Alys Westhill was determined to continue moving
forward, while Eustace had enough and turned back for home.
The woman once known as Elissa Farman then sailed off into far west and was never heard
from again.
However a curious tale emerged several years later, during the voyages of the famous captain
Corlys Velaryon, who claimed that during his time in the far eastern city of Asshai, on
the edge of the known world, he saw an old ship ragged and beaten, but of a familiar
design, which he believed was the Sun chaser, suggesting that perhaps, somehow, Elissa accomplished
her goal of sailing across the sunset sea to end her journey in the lands of the east.