Asha IV
Asha and Edmure had specifically chosen a landing spot a good distance away from the sprawling main camp. The Expeditionary Force was taking on water at Tarth while the commanders discussed strategy, and that meant Evenfall Hall and the lands surrounding it were thick with men and horses. Many of the knights that had come along were less than pleased at the rough treatment some of their precious war horses had received, so tempers were high.
Black Wind was beached on a relatively quiet stretch of shore, alongside the Seaswift, the Royal vessel that had been given over to transport the heir to Riverrun and his men. Those same men now wandered around, drinking, tending to their horses, and trading barbs with Asha's crew, who likewise we pitching tents and breaking into the rations of mead.
"Your crew are...rough-mannered," Edmure said to her carefully. Asha laughed as she watched Rook try and teach Marq Piper how to throw a hand axe.
"They're a pack of fools. But they're my fools. And your friends are hardly better."
Asha had met Edmure's friends when they had mustered at Riverrun: Marq Piper, Karl Vance, Patrek Mallister, Lucos Blackwood, and few others whose names she hadn't quite learned yet. She thought them a pack of hotheaded young idiots thirsty for glory, but she had to admit they got along swimmingly with Edmure Tully.
Then her own crew had arrived, portaging the Black Wind to the Trident after landing at Seagard. Her own crew were more rough around the edges than the cultured Riverlordlings, but they shared a love of drinking, fighting, and wenching. They had even formed a sort of friendly rivalry, often in the form of drinking contests.
Edmure was about to reply to Asha when the sound of hoofbeats reached them from further up the camp. A dark-haired youth in a gold-and-black doublet arrived on a horse, and for a moment Asha did not recognize her brother Maron.
"Hello, little sister!" he shouted, then reined his horse to a stop and smiled at Edmure, "And hello to you, goodbrother. How's the trout taking to the open seas?"
Asha laughed and crossed her arms.
"Maron? It's been, what, a few years? You didn't even come to my wedding," she said, a hurt look on her face.
"Sorry, little sister, there were smugglers to hang on Skagos," he said, and Asha laughed.
He dropped his smile and looked at Edmure.
"You're wanted up at Evenfall Hall. Father's there, and the King."
Edmure nodded and called for horses, and leaving Lucos Blackwood in charge, the three rode for Evenfall Hall. They passed through the main war camp, thick with knights, freeriders, men-at-arms, and common infantry, mainly Manderly soldiers with pike, spear, and trident.
"Maron, aren't you to be married?" Edmure asked, "A granddaughter of Lord Wyman, I'm told."
Maron's face turned red.
"Aye, Wynafyrd is her name, I'm told. She's to be of age soon."
"So you haven't met her?" Edmure asked. Asha winked at him, and he nodded.
"Aye, they say she is fair..."
"But she may take after her father. One never knows with these things," Edmure said teasingly. Maron coughed and kicked his horse up to a trot.
Once admitted to the gates of Evenfall Hall, the noise and smells of the camp faded. Here the high lords were quartered, along with the king.
What immediately drew Edmure and Maron's attention was the duel going on in the courtyard. Ser Renly Baratheon was sparring with Jaime Lannister the Kingslayer. Both wore gleaming plate and were going at each other with flashing longswords, but it was not the two men that drew Asha's attention.
Rather, she was fixated on a young maid standing quietly in a corner of the courtyard, dressed not in a dress but in leathers and mail. She was watching the duel with a trained eye, but stayed half-hidden behind a pillar, as if she wanted to avoid all attention.
While Maron and Edmure cheered on the sparring knights, Asha slipped behind the crowd of knights and servants observing the duel and approached the young maid. What stuck Asha the most was her appearance - the girl was ugly, plain as day, tall and muscular despite appearing to be a young girl, flat-chested, with coarse features and crooked teeth.
Her eyes are nice, though, Asha thought. She stood in front of the girl and looked her in the eye.
"Greetings. I am Asha Greyjoy, wife of Ser Edmure Tully,"
The girl seemed shocked at being addressed. She took a step back and stammered out a response.
"Greetings, m-my lady. I am Brienne, my f-father is Lord Selwyn."
Asha raised an eyebrow and gestured to Brienne's garb.
"And why is the daughter of Lord Selwyn dressed for war?"
Brienne looked at her suspiciously.
"I...want to be a knight. I always have, my lady."
Asha blinked in surprise.
"I'm sorry to say this, but I don't think the greenlanders will let you. How old are you, girl?"
To Brienne's credit, her face hardened.
"Two and ten. And I will be a knight, I'll uphold the vows and everything!"
Asha couldn't help but chuckle good-naturedly.
"You've got fire. You'd get along great with my goodsister Dacey Mormont."
Behind Asha, the Kingslayer had tripped Renly Baratheon, putting him flat on his back. The crowd let out a mixture of cheers and disappointed groans, and gold and small trinkets began to change hands.
"You...are not mocking me, my lady?" Brienne asked. Asha smiled and shook her head.
"No. I know what it's like to be in your shoes. You'll always have to be twice as good to get half the respect. But you'll get it, in the end. At least, that's how it is on the Iron Islands and in the North. These greenlanders are another sort entirely."
She turned to look at the courtyard. The knights and servants were moving off one by one, and Edmure and Maron waited expectantly by the doors to Evenfall Hall's main keep.
"Perhaps we can talk more, my lady," Brienne said. Asha smiled and nodded.
"Aye, perhaps."
Finally, Asha found herself in Evenfall Hall's war room. A great table, with a map of the Stepstones laid across it, took up the center of the room. King Robert Baratheon, in armor and with a warhammer slung across his shoulders, stood at the head of the table, with his brother Stannis, Ser Barristan Selmy, and Asha's father. The Iron Fleet was still taking on water at Sunspear, but Balon had sailed around the Arm of Dorne, landed at the Weeping Town, and ridden for Storm's End to take a ship to Tarth for this council of war.
"Father!" she cried, and dashed forward to embrace him. Balon chuckled and ruffled her hair.
"It's good to see you, daughter. And you too, Edmure."
"Likewise, goodfather," Edmure said politely, then waited while the rest of the attendees trickled in. Maron took his place at Stannis' shoulder with the one men called the Onion Knight. Renly Baratheon arrived, nursing a sore shoulder and ignoring the Kingslayer's japes, while Ser Wylis arrive, half a pastry in one hand and crumbs in his mustache. Gerion Lannister followed his nephew in, both clad in gilt armor. The last to arrive was Selwyn Tarth, who was present purely by dint of it being his hall.
With that, the debate began. Asha did not contribute, rather watching the lords and knights debate, as she did not think any of them, except perhaps her father, would want to hear her opinion. Edmure was of the same mind as her anyway: he counselled a series of coordinated attacks at the main islands to catch the pirates off guard. Others, like Robert and Ser Wylis, wished to take the islands one by one.
"That will allow the pirates to gather their forces and counterattack," her father cautioned.
"Bah! We have the greater army!" the King replied, "We'll take them all on at once!"
Balon looked to Stannis, who ground his teeth.
"Either way, we'll need to sweep the islands clean. Any who decide to flee rather than fight after our initial assault will scatter across the Narrow Sea."
"Jon Arryn's diplomatic efforts will bear fruit. The Free Cities will help to round up any strays," Gerion added. Balon, though, was unconvinced.
"Even if we have the greater army now, that is not guaranteed. Many of these pirates have relatives in the Free Cities, and they may hire mercenary companies as well."
Robert shook his head.
"A bunch of sellswords and cheesemongers. Our heavy knights can smash any rabble they can put together."
The debate continued. Who was to land on which island? How would the army be resupplied? Would the pirates offer battle? Asha said nothing, merely watching and listening.
The King would welcome the pirate's retaliation, while Stannis favors a decisive strike. Father recommends caution, Renly is hotheaded. Edmure sides with father, Gerion with his nephew.
In the end, the King's word was final. The Iron Fleet and the main force would both launch a surprise attack on Grey Gallows, then wait for the pirates to retaliate. They would crush the pirates on land and sea with superior numbers and discipline, then take the islands one by one, while the fleets swept the Narrow Sea clean of pirates.
Asha was unsure of the plan's chance of success, but the King had spoken. Edmure gave her a helpless look and shrugged as the commanders filed out. Asha gave him a sympathetic look, then suddenly seized on an idea.
She stopped Lord Selwyn as he was about to retire to his chambers.
"Lord Selwyn, tell me of your daughter."
Lord Selwyn looked at Asha suspiciously, but shrugged.
"Brienne has always had...martial leanings. I have tried to have her trained well, and to find her a match, but she is stubborn."
Asha nodded.
"I had wondered if you would permit her to join us. I could take her on as my...shall we say, squire."
Selwyn looked at her oddly, then glanced at Balon, then back to her.
"Hmm. I may have to think on it. She is young, and I do not want any harm to come to her, but...she has already driven away two suitors. In truth, I sometimes despair of finding any match. I will discuss this with your father, my lady. Thank you for your concern, though."
With that, Selwyn Tarth turned and left the hall.
"Squire?" Edmure asked incredulously, "That's an odd notion."
Asha turned to him with a scowl on her face.
"She may not be pretty, but I know a warrior when I see one. She'll go to waste in some greenlander's hall."
Edmure shrugged and led Asha back to the courtyard.
"You, Dacey Mormont, the Tarth girl...you Greyjoys have some odd notions about women."
"It never seems to bother you," she said slyly, pressing herself against him. He smiled and wrapped his arm around her waist.
"Well, I cannot argue with that."