บท 375: Chapter 375: Asha
"By my reckoning, Euron should have arrived in Pentos with our gifts by now."
In Pyke Castle, a gloomy corridor connects the main keep and the Bloody Keep. Legend has it that thousands of years ago, a River King had all his sons slaughtered here while they slept, their dismembered bodies returned to their father. Hence, the Bloody Keep got its name. The castle exterior is covered in white salt crystals and green lichen, while the interior is pitch black, sealed tight, and eerily silent.
A gaunt man, his face somewhat haggard, sits in the grand hall of the Bloody Keep, a goblet of crimson wine in his hand. A plate of roasted sausages and pickled fish sits before him. He is Balon Greyjoy, King of the Iron Islands, now wearing the driftwood crown he was forced to remove years ago due to rebellion.
To his left sits his younger brother, Victarion, and to his right, his eldest daughter, Asha Greyjoy. Asha, the same age as Viserys, had just completed her coming-of-age ceremony last year. She is slim, with long legs, short black hair, and an upturned nose.
"Father, do you think Viserys will agree to our terms?" Asha asks, cutting a piece of beef with her knife and fork, then popping it into her mouth. She is as fiery and hot-tempered as any man, chewing her beef while voicing her concerns.
This is a family feast of House Greyjoy. However, Balon's second brother, Euron, has been sent on a mission to Pentos, and his fourth brother, Aeron, is conducting a Drowned God ceremony on Great Wyk Island. Only Asha and Victarion remain in Pyke Castle.
"Hmph, if he doesn't agree, we'll go to the Baratheons," Balon scoffs, still dining, his knife gleaming. "Even if he does agree, we'll still contact the Baratheons."
"Asha, you must understand. If the Ironborn are to conquer the Green Lands and plunder more wealth, land, and women, we must keep sowing chaos. We absolutely cannot let them settle down."
Asha understands her father's words. He wants to play both sides, using the advantage of their iron fleet to maintain a balance, keeping the Green Lands in constant chaos. This has been the method of countless generations of Ironborn.
However, Asha is somewhat dissatisfied with her father's talk of plundering wealth, land, and women. Not because she sympathizes with the girls who are plundered, but because she wants to plunder men, to capture more handsome men and bring them back to the Iron Islands as her 'salt husbands'. Why should only men be allowed to plunder women?
Balon, of course, has no idea what his daughter is thinking. Even if he did, he probably wouldn't blame her. After all, his youngest son, Theon, has been a hostage for many years, adopted as a ward by Lord Eddard Stark. Asha is his only heir.
What Balon hasn't mentioned to Asha is that he plans to contact Robert Baratheon next, using the threat of House Targaryen to try and retrieve his son Theon.
But at this moment, the girl looks at her father, whom she admires. His face is gaunt, his long hair streaked with white, and he rarely smiles. His white beard trembles slightly as he chews his sausage, then he emphasizes again, "He will agree."
Just then...
Clang—
The sound of metal chains echoes from outside the hall. A maester with white hair and a grey robe hurries in from outside the Bloody Keep. He is Maester Qyburn of Pyke Castle, now holding a short note in his hand. He speaks urgently, "King Balon, there's trouble!"
He has received a distress signal from Blacktyde Island. The Drowned God priest on the island sent the message. They claim they have been attacked by the Others, and most of the island has fallen. Only the castle is still holding out.
As Maester Qyburn's words fall, the Bloody Keep falls silent.
Balon, sitting at the head of the table, continues to eat, slowly chewing a piece of sausage as if he hasn't heard what Maester Qyburn is saying.
On the other hand, Balon's younger brother, Victarion, has been silent all along. He is a tall and formidable man, a fierce warrior and capable fleet commander on the battlefield. Off the battlefield, he is calm and composed.
But at this moment, after hearing Maester Qyburn's words, Victarion finds it hard to believe. He slams his knife and fork on the table and speaks in a low voice, "Maester Qyburn, you're not joking, are you? Those Others don't have ships. Did they swim to Blacktyde Island?"
Victarion doesn't want to believe it, while Asha, on the other hand, looks anxiously at her father. Unlike her uncle, Asha believes that Blacktyde Island wouldn't dare to joke about this.
"Father, what should we do?"
Whether the Others can row boats or swim, since they can silently attack Blacktyde Island, they could appear in King's Landing at any moment.
Her father had just
decided to sit back and watch the fight, confident that the Iron Islands wouldn't be attacked by the Others. He wanted the usurpers and Viserys to fight each other until both sides were weakened.
But not long after her father had made this decision, the Others attacked the Iron Islands.
Asha is curious about what kind of decision her father will make at this moment.
"Sir..."
Maester Qyburn, hearing Victarion's doubts and seeing King Balon's indifference, becomes more anxious.
"Vic."
At this moment, King Balon finally speaks.
His face is grim, and he doesn't know what he's thinking. He grips his knife and fork tightly, the veins on the back of his hand bulging.
"Take the fleet and see for yourself."
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