Chapter 99: King of the Iron Islands
In the 289th year since Aegon's Conquest, Lord Balon Greyjoy of the Iron Islands arrived on the shores of Old Wyk. Surrounded by guards, he entered the sacred hall of the Drowned God's followers, the Kingsmoot Hall, where the Ironborn had traditionally gathered to choose their king.
"King Balon!"
"King Balon!"
Separated by the guards, the Ironborn caught sight of Balon Greyjoy and burst into enthusiastic cheers.
In their eyes, Balon was the staunchest supporter of the Old Way. They believed that he would lead the Ironborn to reclaim the glory of ancient times.
However, Balon Greyjoy, escorted by his guards, merely waved to the Ironborn gathered outside before entering the Kingsmoot Hall without further delay.
The Kingsmoot Hall was sacred to the Ironborn, as it was constructed from the ribs of the sea dragon, Nagga.
Nagga was said to be the first sea dragon in the world, the most powerful creature born of the sea. Terrifying sea monsters and beasts were mere food to it, and in its anger, Nagga could even swallow entire islands.
However, during the Age of Heroes, the Grey King had slain Nagga. The Drowned God turned Nagga's bones to stone so that future generations of Ironborn would forever remember the deeds of their first king.
Nagga's ribs became the beams and pillars of the Kingsmoot Hall, its mouth the Grey King's throne, and its teeth the towering pale crown.
"My king."
"Over here..."
The Drowned Priest called 'Three Drowned Men,' Talon, guided Balon.
Balon Greyjoy wore a black cloak, a dark fur collar, and sat confidently on the black stone throne called the Seastone Chair.
The Seastone Chair, the ancient throne of the Iron Islands, appeared to be a massive sea monster, carved from a single piece of glossy black stone.
Legend has it that when the First Men first set foot on Old Wyk, the massive stone lay on the island's beach. Due to exposure to wind and sun, the Seastone Chair was uncomfortable and cold, even slightly jagged.
But Balon's expression remained unchanged, his sharp features like chiseled flint, his eyes cold and black, his hair flowing freely in the wind.
Then, the Drowned Priest Talon stood before the Seastone Chair and recited the coronation oath with a loud voice as the chilling wind penetrated his clothes and chilled his body.
His brothers, Euron, Victarion, and Aeron, stood on his left, silently observing the Iron Islands' king's coronation ceremony.
Balon's wife and children, wife Alannys Harlaw, eldest son Rodrik, second son Maron, daughter Asha, and youngest son Theon, all stood to the right of the Seastone Chair.
"Since the War of Conquest, the resilient Ironborn have been ruled by the cowards of the green lands and lost their revered Old Way."
Drowned Priest Talon's voice resounded, and the guards below formed three layers of protection around the Kingsmoot Hall. The Ironborn, filled with passionate emotion, crowded the barren hills outside the guards' perimeter.
As the flames of the Old Way began to burn in the hearts of the Ironborn, even Balon Greyjoy could not extinguish this fire and had no choice but to continue down this path.
"The great Drowned God has passed down His will!"
"He demands that Balon Greyjoy, the descendant of the Grey King, inherit the title of King of the Iron Islands, wear the crown, and lead us on a new journey—"
Inside the Kingsmoot Hall, the booming voice continued to carry far beyond its walls. The Greyjoy family claimed to have inherited the bloodline of the Grey King, and thus held the inherent right to rule the Iron Islands.
"King Balon!"
"Long live King Balon!"
Below, the Ironborn let out deafening roars, their passions ignited. The desire and malice burning in their veins stirred, as the wicked thought of gaining without effort took root in their hearts. Perhaps it was not just the Ironborn who felt this way.
They yearned for the return of the Old Way. The poor hoped to plunder the wealth of others to end their poverty, and the men desired to take other men's wives and daughters as their salt wives.
Ironborn women, too, could fight like men, board longships, and raid the weak and cowardly inhabitants of the green lands. Some could even become captains, commanding their own ships.
It was the Drowned God and the sea that gave them the same desires as men.
Subsequently, the 'Drowned Man' Talle saw the swelling fervor below and knew that the climax of emotion and atmosphere had been reached. He held up the driftwood crown and personally placed it on Balon Greyjoy's head.
The coronation ceremony was complete.
Balon Greyjoy the Ninth rose from the Seastone Chair.
...
The news of the rebellion in the Iron Islands spread rapidly throughout the Seven Kingdoms.
Balon Greyjoy, Lord of the Iron Islands, donned the crown and proclaimed himself the Iron King. His wife became the queen, and his offspring were called princes.
Under the scheming of Balon's younger brother Euron, their youngest brother, Victarion, led the Iron Fleet in a surprise attack on Lannisport. They set fire to the Lannister fleet amassed in the harbor, consigning the ships of the Westerlands to the depths of the sea and depriving them of their naval capabilities.
In an instant, the news of Balon's coronation and the obliteration of the Lannisport fleet shook the entire realm.
It was said that a drunken King Robert smashed several valuable vases that night, raging with fury. He vowed to personally lead the charge and take Balon's head, hanging it from the walls of the Red Keep. Only after the Hand of the King, Jon Arryn, pleaded with him did he finally abandon the idea of leading the attack himself.
The next day, the king's order spread throughout the Red Keep. King Robert called upon all the lords loyal to him to muster their armies and attack the Iron Islands, putting down the rebellion.
Meanwhile, the royal fleet, led by the king's younger brother Stannis, was en route to Dragonstone, intending to capture the island first. They received the king's order and reluctantly abandoned their previous plans, turning their ships around to join the fight against the Iron Islands.
...
Far across the Narrow Sea,
Viserys received the news more than a month later. The young king was in his castle, studying his black dragon egg.
The heavy black egg was placed on an iron grill above a blazing fire. Flames surged and smoke billowed into the sky as Viserys tried to roast the dragon egg.
Yet, the dragon egg lay still on the fire, as if nothing had happened.
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