章 55: Chapter 55
- Iron Island - Short Time Later -
Balon Greyjoy was not amused. He was an old bitter man with one loss after another under his belt. His rebellion against the Crown had cost him most of his family with only his only daughter and hostage for a remaining son in Theon. Not that he considered the boy his son. Not anymore. He had been corrupted. Tamed by the wolves into thinking like one of them over a Greyjoy. Over a reaver. He would sooner fight beside the Starks in battle over pillaging, raping, and plundering like a Greyjoy should. As far as Balon was concerned, the boy was no son. Those of his children he lost during the rebellion against the Crown were his sons.
All Greyjoys and Iron Born to the end.
And years later, when he could strike back again, his House failed to win again. It had been defeated. The Iron Fleet burned with most of its men. Only a small handful of ships survived. His daughter returning in disgrace. In shame. Defeated not by the Northerners, which she was suppose to attack, and entrench themselves onto the coast like the days of old. But by two fucking dragons and one rider among them burning the mighty Iron Fleet to ash with some of it sinking to the Drown God to claim for his own.
And like any bitter King, when his forces are defeated in battle, he takes it out on the one leading them in his name. In this case, his daughter Yara Greyjoy.
"You failed Yara. You failed to claim the North. You failed do what was required as one of the Iron Born. You failed me!" exclaimed Balon angrily at his only daughter while he continued to rant and raved with Yara standing there without saying a word back.
What could she say to him? Sorry?! Sorry for losing the Iron Fleet to a fucking dragon that could destroy them single handedly from the sky? Sorry for returning home to tell her Father what happened to the Iron Fleet and how the Targaryens had returned? How she chose to flee with what few ships they had left over not returning at all? How she had barely escaped with her ship and crew alive and saw dragon fire burn everything around her into nothing? That those who weren't burned jumped into the sea and chose to drown to meet their God?
The image of the great beast flying overhead burning everything in sight bladed through her mind and Yara had to hold back the flinch that wanted to appear on her face. The smell of burning human flesh and her men drowning in the water while she escaped had appeared once more. It would haunt the woman to the end of her days, of this Yara had no doubt, but would she apologize for doing what needed to be done to survive. Fuck no. She wanted to live to see another day and while what is dead may never die...it could still be burned and turned into ash.
Yara had no intention of being burned or turned into ash. Especially by a dragon.
"Well? Do you have anything to say for yourself?!" demanded Balon while glaring at his daughter angrily.
"What would you have had me do Father? Die? Burn or drown with the rest of the Iron Fleet?" asked Yara at last.
"You could have died like a true Iron Born. Like your brothers did!" spat Balon while Yara scowled and almost snarled.
"And be without an heir? You already cast Theon aside. Who would you have be your heir, if not me at this point? All your other children are dead or disowned. Besides, you haven't exactly lead by example," countered Yara while Balon looked ready murder her and she was honestly expecting it or possibly contemplating the idea for such disrespect.
"I am the King of the Iron Islands. I will command who I want, when I want, and how I want to without some prissy little cunt I have for a daughter telling me how to lead. You think I need you to be my heir? I don't! I can easily find a woman, mount her, and see she gives me a true Iron Born heir. Maybe I should. Or maybe I should have some of my men throw you into the sea or simply violate you until one of them puts a baby in your belly. Maybe I should let them help in giving me an heir through you. Bastard the child will be, but at least I will know without question it comes from my bloodline and I can legitimize him on the spot when born," remarked Balon with Yara looking shocked that her Father would consider such a thing.
"I am your daughter! The only child you have left to call Iron Born. Yet you would use me in such a way? That is beneath even our ways. King or not!" countered Yara while Balon sneered at her and the bitterness from the years past showing clearly.
"I am the King of the Iron Islands. What I do with it is mine by right! If I want you dead, I would and could order it. If I want my men to violate you every day until you are with child, I can and will order it. You think because you are my blood that it protects you? It does nothing! You either prove yourself as an Iron Born or you are used to strengthen the Iron Born. And as King, I decide how you are used my dear daughter!" spat Balon with Yara looking at him in disgust.
"It is no wonder we lost to the King Stag. With the way you have run the Iron Islands, it is amazing our home stands at all!" countered Yara with Balon looking enraged by her continued disrespect.
"And that's what I love about our family. Always fighting everyone and everything we see around us," remarked a man cloaked in shadow standing in the doorway, an evil grin on his face.
"Who in the Seven Hells are you?" asked Balon angrily.
"Come now brother, surely you remember me? The last of your true Iron Born kin. The kin you cast out. Exiled. Threw away before the King Stag could get to us," remarked the man, who walked into the room, and revealed himself to his family.
"Euron? Euron Greyjoy?" asked Balon in shock while his brother grinned.
"The one and the same brother. I'm back! Though I must say you look like you have seen better days. Is our home not agreeing with you since casting me away?" said Euron with a look of mock pity.
"You do not belong here. Get out!" commanded Balon with Euron walking forward with a swagger about him, confident in his walk and stride, and the evil smile never leaving his face.
"Come now brother, is that anyway to speak to long lost family?" asked Euron while he stood several feet away from Balon.
"You are not family. Not my kin. You were never one of us. You were mad. You still are from what I can see," remarked Balon with Euron Greyjoy laughing.
"And so what if I am. Madness makes life worth living! Enjoying! Look at you? You are sitting here, complete sane, yet you look like shit the birds drop on the shore rocks. Me? I feel great. Fantastic! I have sailed all the seas and been to one end of the world and back. I have seen things you wouldn't believe, yet here I am. Back home to claim what is mine that you are sitting in," said Euron with Balon gritting his teeth.
"You have no claim to the Salt Throne. Not while I am King," replied Balon with Euron's grin never leaving.
"True. You sitting on the Salt Throne does prevent me from having it. But there is a way around that problem," said Euron with that evil grin still on his face.
And all the while, Yara tensed since she knew of the only way Euron could have it. Her Father had the same thought since he was tense while sitting on said Salt Throne.
"You wouldn't dare strike me down. Not even you would resort to kinslaying," remarked Balon with Euron shrugging.
"You have something I want. Something I have no problem taking. Those are our House words after all. 'We do not Sow'. So why should taking the Salt Throne from the current King be any different? Because I am your brother? You don't even consider me one so I would say kinslaying is not an issue with us," remarked Euron before glancing back at his now very cautious niece.
Of course, Balon saw this as a moment to strike and drew his sword. If he was going to be marked as a kinslayer, so be it. At least he could justify the act in self-defense. Euron wouldn't have such an excuse or want one. It was clear the man would gladly admit to such a thing and kill anyone who denounced him.
He had to die. Now!
Unfortunately, Euron anticipated this. Even planned it. Looking back at his niece was done to make his stupid brother take the bait of acting first. Balon had always been the more impulsive one. The one who acted first without thinking. He had ordered Euron to make the rest of the Seven Kingdoms be put on notice of the Iron Islands breaking away from the Crown. He didn't think of what would happen with such an act or if all the other Kingdoms would unit against him. Still, Euron had responded to his brother's command by burning down the Lannister fleet while laughing the entire time the Iron Born did as ordered.
Before Balon could get in striking distance of Euron, the crazed brother of the two moved to meet with a blade of his own. Easily got within Balon's defense, cut the man's arm off, and followed up with stabbing the man in the gut before twisting the blade just because he could.
"What is...dead...may...never...die!" called out Balon before Euron pulled out his sword and watched his brother die in front of him.
"That was lovely. Now dear niece, if you would be so glad to tell everyone I am back and there new King I...," said Euron, only to find when he turned to face Yara, she was gone.
If anything, Euron was a tad impressed. He was planning to kill his niece too after being named King and it was clear Yara knew he was going to do it too. Even he had to admit, she had good instincts that one.
Of course, such thoughts were ruined when a roar of a dragon was heard outside and the room he was in was now consumed in flame.
- With Yara - Moments Prior -
She had run to the docks. Run as hard and fast as she could. Yara Greyjoy knew enough to know if she didn't leave the Iron Islands now, it would be her end. She would die. By her Uncle's hands no less. She knew he was mad. Even before his exile. Her Father and Uncle both. One embracing it with pure joy. The other one was drowning in it with pain, grief, and anger over past failures.
She knew what her Uncle planned to do long before he hinted at it when walking into the room. Her instincts had told her as much. The look on his face. In his eyes. That fucking crazy smile when he walked into the room and the hunger for power she felt coming off of him like the foul stench one smells from a whore house when the wind is blowing in your direction.
And this stench was blowing in her direction. Heavily. Her Uncle was a kinslayer. Yara had no doubt she was next when it came to Euron. The man would have no problem with ending her life since she was the only one who could challenge him for the Salt Throne. She had her supporters, men loyal to her, and would rally them to make her the Queen of the Iron Islands despite many viewing women as weaker of the two genders. She wasn't weak like those other women on the mainland and they knew it too. Which is why they would follow her if called upon.
Or they would provided Euron didn't kill them all first. Many of the men around her as she fled were her fellow Iron Born loyal to her Father and herself to some extent. But it seemed Euron had wanted them out of the way and already had them killed before he even entered the throne room. No doubt to prevent anyone from stopping his ascension to being the new King of the Iron Islands.
It was when she got to the docks did it happen. Wave of relief and dread rolled up into one when the roar of the dragon was heard by all. Soon dragon fire came down on Pike, burning everything and everyone in its path. And not just from one dragon, but two. Just like before with the silver haired Targaryen woman flying the one, looking down at her target, eyes blazing with the same fire the dragon's unleashed.
And Yara knew if she didn't get out of here now, she would be one of those targets.
All around her, people were screaming, running, some trying to shoot the dragons with arrows, only for the creatures to attack with greater range, speed, and power. Yara saw her home fall and burn to the ground, somewhat glad Euron would not be made King after he killed her Father, but was saddened to know it came at a heavy price.
Her home was burning. The Iron Price...no, the Dragon's Price was being paid this day, and it was being paid as only a dragon could demand payment.
Through fire and blood.
She had just made it to her ship when a blast of dragon's fire came down on the docks she had just been standing on. Her men were getting the ship ready for sailing when the two dragons attacked Pike. They had been waiting for her of course. Loyal men all. The very moment she was on the ship, they were off! Sailing with all the strength they could bring to the oars. Only her ship and two more behind this one made out undamaged despite the flames getting dangerously close.
"Where to now Captain?" asked one of her men.
"Essos. We sail for Essos. We only stop at ports to resupply and nothing else. Westeros as a whole is no longer our home. We must make a new life elsewhere. One that doesn't require our House words being 'We do not Sow', but something else. Something better. Something stronger," said Yara knowing what they had to do and not look back.
To look back now was to die.
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