First things first, I want to apologize for not posting this chapter last weekend. Things got really busy for me between my robotics program and my job at the Michigan Renaissance Festival. I'm here now though, and this should be a nice chapter. I really wanted to highlight House Greyjoy in this series, and Balon is not an interesting character to me and Theon and Asha are too young. Then I remembered that Theon had two older brothers. So, here I am, with the first Maron Greyjoy chapter. I hope you enjoy.
The door to the brothel swung open. A sailor with an unkempt beard shoved Maron aside. Maron kept his footing, ignoring the drunken man. It never failed to surprise him that men got this drunk early in the morning.
Catching the door, he walked into the common room. It was a little less than half full. Some men were sitting down, with women on their laps, laughing. Some were sitting alone, drinking. One large group were all laughing and drinking together. He didn't see his brother.
A woman approached him, and seductively put her hand on his shoulder. She was descent looking, wearing only lower garments and a loose shirt, letting her breasts carelessly hang out.
"You look lonely, captain," she whispered in his ear.
Maron wasn't interested in anything this woman could offer him. "It's 'my lord'. I'm looking for my brother."
The woman smiled. "Well, mi' lord, I could help you look for him. I suggest we start downstairs."
She began to pull him away from the door, but he stayed put. "My brother's name is Rodrik. Have you seen him?"
A man approached Maron. He shooed the whore away, and looked back at Maron. "Greyjoy?" he asked.
"Yes. Have you seen him recently?"
The man shook his head. "He refused the pay for the services of our good ladies here, stating it was his 'right' that he takes them without pay."
Maron sighed. He expected this of his older brother. "And?"
"I threw him out, with pleasure," the man said.
The ways of the ironborn would require Maron to cut off the hand of this man, for laying it on the heir to the Seastone Chair. However, Maron did not agree with the old way. And he had no doubt that Rodrik deserved it. He was a drunk, and cared nothing for the people around him. Not for the first time, Maron reflected how horrible of a lord Rodrik would make.
"Would you happen to know where he went next?" Maron asked the man.
"To bug some other sorry bastard, no doubt. That man is a plague to this island."
Maron nodded his thanks to the man, then walked back out the door. He took in the salty smell of the ocean. It was about the only thing enjoyable about this rocky hell. That, and Bella, the only child of Lord Baelor Blacktyde.
Maron had been to every tavern and brothel on Pyke, and this was the only lead he had to finding his older brother, who had been missing since yesterday morning. In all honesty, Maron didn't care that Rodrik was gone. And neither would their lord father on a normal occasion. However, a knight from Casterly Rock was expected to be here today, with an important request from Lord Tywin Lannister. It would be expected that Rodrik be present at the meeting.
However, it couldn't be helped that Rodrik was missing. He did this often, and Maron could not see finding him in the near future. He would return on his own. Maron would have to take his brother's place in court.
Upon entering the castle on Pyke, the home to House Greyjoy and the Seastone Chair, and the seat of the Lord Paramount of the Iron Islands, Maron saw that he was too late. His father, Lord Balon Greyjoy, was seated on the Seastone Chair, and a knight, with his squire carrying the banner of House Lannister standing beside him, was addressing Maron's father. When he entered, however, both looked at Maron.
"My lord," Maron immediately said, bowing to his father.
"Son," Balon said, anger in his eyes.
The knight bowed. "I have the honor of being Ser Tyrek Lannister, son of Ser Tyget Lannister and nephew to Lord Tywin Lannister, Lord Paramount of the Westerlands, Lord of Casterly Rock, Shield of Lannisport, and Warden of the West. You must be Ser Rodrik Greyjoy."
Balon Greyjoy laughed. "That is Maron, my second son."
The Lannister knight smiled. "Then greetings, Ser Maron Greyjoy."
"I am no knight, ser, and neither is my elder brother," Maron replied. Knighthood was not a tradition on most of the Iron Islands, including Pyke. Harlaw, Orkmont, and Blacktyde were the only islands that gave out knighthood to their soldiers. Those three islands also had septs on it, and allowed the worship of the Faith of the Seven. This was all because they were closer to the mainland of Westeros than any of the other islands.
Ser Tyrek cleared his throat and looked back towards Maron's father. "As I was saying, I come on behalf of Ser Kevan Lannister, who acts as regent in Lord Tywin Lannister's stead. He has a request for you, and perhaps news as well."
Lord Balon frowned. "What could the lion possibly have to offer the kraken, greenland knight?" he asked.
The young knight looked nervous. "Have you heard of the recent event at King's Landing?"
"The happenings of nobles do not worry us," Balon Greyjoy told him.
"Perhaps this one will, my lord," Ser Tyrek said. "King Aerys Targaryen lays on his deathbed. Prince Rhaegar attempted to open kill him."
Many questions went through Maron's head at that moment. He had not known much of the royal family. He knew, as everyone else did, that the king was mad. He had not known that there was bad blood between the king and his heir, though.
His lord father remained silent for some time, but finally spoke. "What of the crown prince?"
The knight, still nervous, responded. "I do not know, my lord. No one knows what is happening in King's Landing. Some say that Prince Rhaegar has taken the kingship, others that Rhaegar was executed."
"What ignited this murderous attempt?" Lord Balon asked.
Ser Tyrek's face visibly grew sadder. "There was a wedding. It was going to be between Prince Rhaegar and Cersei Lannister, the daughter of Lord Tywin." Ser Tyrek took a long pause. "The mad king murdered her."
This came as another shock to Maron. Once again, Balon showed no expression. "I see why you have come to me, today. I assume Tywin himself was present at this wedding, along with his two sons."
"You are correct. Lord Tywin and Ser Jaime remain in King's Landing. It is unknown what has become of them. The Imp has returned to Casterly Rock."
Ser Tyrek took out a roll of paper, and handed it over to Lord Balon. Maron's father broke the seal, and read the letter. After several minutes, he beckoned Maron to his side. As Maron stood next to his father, he took hold of the letter, and read it over.
It was a request to take up arms against House Targaryen. In return, Ser Kevan Lannister offers Lord Balon Greyjoy a seat on the small council as Master of Ships when a new king arose.
Maron knew what he would do if he was the Lord of Pyke. He would take the offer, and move his fleet against King's Landing. After the murder of Cersei Lannister, the realm would surely rise against the crown. However, his lord father was a very different man.
Lord Balon Greyjoy stood, and spoke. "I am a Greyjoy. Our sigil is the kraken. We do not sow, and we do not bow down to the lesser beasts."
The knight was about to say something, but the doors to the hall burst open, with ten Greyjoy household guards coming in with spears in their hands. They quickly surrounded the knight, and closed in around him.
"My lord, what is this?" Ser Tyrek demanded, reaching for his sword, only to remember it had been taken from him before he entered the hall.
"We do not sow, we reap," Lord Balon responded, and then the spears were entering the body of Ser Tyrek Lannister, until his body lay lifeless on the stone floor of Pyke.
