บท 59: The end of preparations
The end of preparations
Theon POV
I pretended to sleep with Arianne resting next to me. While I lay on the bed with closed eyes, Rocky moved through the palace. Warging into Rocky, I moved unnoticed. I was climbing the walls, getting into rooms of lords and ladies. The night of the banquet wasn't as silent as one may think. Plotting and scheming were everywhere.
The news of my wanting to marry the princess of Dorne shook the lords. They couldn't predict it, nor did they like it. I eavesdropped on House Yronwood complaining about their situation. They were the second most vital House in Dorne, just behind the Martells. Their history was long, their lands vast, and their armies strong enough to compare to the Martells.
It was clear from the words the lord spoke that they felt isolated by the Martells. They feared that the Martells would be using me to weaken them. Lord Anders Yronwood was suspicious that his ward Quentyn would leave with me. They feared their plan to use Quentyn to get more influence in Dorne was discovered.
I didn't care about them, but when I moved to Doran's solar, it shocked me that Doran was using lord Yronwood's fear to hide his plans. I couldn't hear much, but from what I gathered from his talk with Oberyn, Doran knew what was happening behind closed doors and used the situation to throw off the Lannister spies.
I knew that Doran was cautious, but not this much. In the end, I couldn't find much, as I didn't even know what I was looking for. I used the night to move around the palace and listen to everyone. Gossip from the servants. Drunken grumblings from guards. Bosting from the highborn children. I gathered information about various houses but didn't think I would use it soon.
…
Areo Hotah, a big guy that towered over most men. His broad shoulders and ax with way too long shaft looked menacing. Even in the wheelchair, I couldn't see many men who could harm prince Doran with this man standing guard. My Greycloaks weren't any worse. Wherever they went, men stepped aside.
"I see the ships are ready," Prince Doran stated as we strolled through the harbor.
"We shall leave soon," I replied. "I just am waiting for a message from the Iron Islands."
"I will let you know when a raven from the Iron Islands arrives."
"Just don't read them for too long," I laughed.
I didn't care if he did. I only needed to get information about what was happening while I was gone to put my mind at ease. I didn't know how long I would be gone, maybe for a month or a year. The seas were unpredictable, but I knew the Iron Islands had to be prepared for what would come.
"You jest," Doran chuckled. "At most, I would take a glance."
As I walked with Doran, I saw how busy the harbor was. Many merchants were looking to make a deal with the loot we brought. Most thought that the Ironborn would be foolish and could swingle them for a petty coin, but I make sure to put men with good sense for trade in charge of our gold.
"I hope you have taken a liking to my daughter," Doran said as we returned to the palace.
"She is a lovely woman. If she were my daughter, I would not let her get close to someone like me," I replied. "Are you not worried I might corrupt her?"
"What a strange thing to say," Doran chuckled. "She might learn some things from you."
I still couldn't believe that Doran had agreed to marry his heir to me. I wonder if he had thought of a way to annul the engagement, or was he playing along? I suspected his true motives, but he seemed too calm and under control. He didn't even say anything about my present to him. Maybe he was ready to get rid of me once I served my purpose.
…
When the night fell, I got news from the Iron Islands. A series of letters explaining that Asha had secured the islands we took. The Arbor, the Shield Isles, and Fair Island were secured as much as possible. Even though they experienced some losses to lord Hightower and his fleet, it wasn't much.
It seemed that the Tyrells took back the castles on the Westerland coast back. Yet before they did so, the Ironborn had already looted everything of worth and left. Robb has returned to Winterfell and agreed to an alliance with the Iron Islands. He had already started cutting down and sending wood.
Lord Rodrik Harlaw made a deal to buy the wood and sell some new ships to the North. Robb has commissioned a hundred ships to be built for them. Everything seemed to go according to my plan. The North and the Iron Islands didn't have that much bad blood. And the whole realm knew what I did for the Starks, so I believed our relationship would only grow stronger with time.
"Your grace," A messenger knocked on my chamber's door. "Princess Arianne would like to invite lady Alyssane Lefford to accompany her. She asked if you don't mind it."
"They can do as they wish," I answered, not opening the doors. "Now leave me. I will be resting."
There was no way that I would not listen to what Arianne wanted to say to Alyssane. After I locked my doors, I lay on the bed and warged to Rocky. When I got to my senses, I found myself sleeping outside the palace's kitchen. I made my way to princess Arianne's chambers. Spending the previous night there, I knew the way.
I sneaked through the open window and found princess Arianne with her cousins drinking wine and talking. After a few minutes, Alyssane arrived. She didn't look disturbed or annoyed by the princess. Arianne quickly sat Alyssane and poured some wine for her. It was the same tactic she used with me, trying to get me drunk.
"Please be at ease, my lady," Arianne said. "We are all girls, no need to be cautious of each other."
"I rather hear what the princess wanted from me," Alyssane replied. "I am tired and would like to rest."
"Don't be like that," Nymeria Sand, one of Obery's daughters, sat beside Alyssane. "We only want to talk."
"Then speak," Alyssane said.
"How impatient. I wanted to know what you think of Theon Greyjoy," Princess Arianne said. "I heard many things but still can't understand your position with him. You don't seem to be a hostage. Are you what they call the salt wife?"
"I am what he wishes me to be," Alyssane said with a dead voice.
"Interesting, but you see when he spent last night with me, he felt like he had not been with a woman for a long time," Princess Arianne said, sipping her wine. "He was so lustful for me, and even if he was a bit brutish, he didn't stop until he was too tired to continue. So, I wondered if he is the same with you."
"Why don't you ask him, yourself, princess?" Alyssane asked.
"Well, we talked a lot. I thought he would handle his wine better. But after drinking a bit, he answered everything I asked, yet he didn't talk of you much, or rather he has not spoken about you at all."
"Heh," Alyssane chuckled. "Do you think he loves you?"
"I am not that naïve, my lady," Princess Arianne scowled. "But he will. Then he will do as I wish. And I am sorry, but there is no place for you by his side after our marriage, my lady."
"He does not love," Alyssane said. "He is a monster that laughs at men dying under his feet. He toys with people as he wishes. You will be nothing to him but means to his goal."
"And what is his goal?" Obara sand, oldest of the Oberyn's daughters, asked.
"Burn the world," Alyssane said. "Rule the world under his thumb. Get rich. Let the world fear his name. All of them could be his goals, or maybe neither is. I don't know, but why don't you try to get some answers from him with a few drinks, princess?"
"What is that supposed to mean?" Tyene Sand, the third daughter of Oberyn, asked.
"He does not get drunk," Alyssane answered. "In my time with him, he has never been drunk. And I would let you know that the Ironborn love to drink. He pretended to be drunk with you, and his answers to your questions were probably lies."
"If that's the truth, why are you telling it to me?" Princess Arianne asked.
"He took my home away, he is responsible for my father's death, and now I am nothing but a toy to him," Alyssane said. "I hold no love for him."
"You hate him?" Princess Arianne asked.
"I do, but I fear him far more," Alyssane answered. "You don't know what kind of man he is. He might be smiling at you while he was planning the next war. And I would be careful not to anger him. He is ruthless to everyone, and even death won't stop him from achieving his revenge."
With these words, Alyssane excused herself and left. I wasn't surprised by how she felt about me. Still, I didn't think she feared me so much. Well, I didn't do anything that would change her mind. I didn't care. I just kept her by my side out of pity. Her thoughts and feelings meant little to me, and she could be helpful someday.
"Well, I didn't think she would act like this," Nymeria said. "What do you think of her last words, cousin?"
"I saw his scars," Princess Arianne replied. "I heard of many battles he been in. His chest was riddled with slash and stab scars."
"I heard my father say that Theon was very dangerous," Obara said.
"He still as a man," Nymeria replied. "Don't worry, cousin. We will go with him to Essos. By the time we return, he will be wrapped under our fingers."
I didn't think so. For all they talk, I could tell they were naïve. Little girls that don't know what despair is. They would never understand me. Even I don't always know who I am. I will use them if they give me a chance. But in the end, all I had to worry about was their fathers. Both Oberyn and Doran were dangerous in their own way.
…
Two thousand and five hundred men were in my fleet. Our ships weren't even half filled, but enough to operate them. Every ship had enough gold for any lord and lady to be envious of. I have already started to count the unsullied and sellswords I will be able to hire. I should visit Bravos and the Iron Bank on the way back too.
"Everything is ready, your grace," Anguy reported to me.
"So, it is Astapor?" Thoros asked.
"It is," I replied just before Oberyn and his entourage arrived. "Have you seen anything in your fires?"
"I have not seen storms," Thoros replied. "For some time now, I saw nothing but flames. Yet it felt like that was all I needed to see. Whatever it means, we will have to find it in Essos."
"All I hear is nonsense," Oberyn commented. "What will be our route, captain?"
"We will not stop anywhere. We are going to sail straight to Astapor," I answered. "If we don't find what we are looking for there, we will sail to Qarth."
Both places held something that I could buy with my gold. Qarth had the sorrowful men. I don't think I could buy the faceless men with all the gold I had, but sorrowful men would be useful to get rid of some lords for my plan to proceed smoothly. I will use all I have to achieve my goal. The Lannisters had not seen everything of me just yet.
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