2nd Month of 300 A.C. Great Wyk
Aeron Greyjoy
Balon was dead, the greatest of Quellon Greyjoy's sons had finally slipped into the abyss and now supped in the Drowned God's watery halls. Brought low by a storm that rocked the bridges of Pyke. Balon had been true iron, strong and determined, a fierce fighter and reaver and an even better lord, he had given the Ironborn many heirs Rodrik a drunk fool, Maron a good Ironborn but a sadist, Theon a weakling now dead and finally Asha, the heir to Balon Greyjoy and the woman Aeron rested his hopes on. Aeron's older brother Victarion had died some eleven years ago in that failed rebellion where Balon had attempted to take more listening to the poison of Euron's Crows Eye. Euron was a devil, the storm god's vessel on earth meant to bring the Ironborn down. The man would not sit the Seastone chair nor would any of the other fools who had put forward their name, it must be Asha, and the Greyjoys must hold the fort down against all comers.
That was why Aeron had summoned Asha and her uncle Rodrik the Reader to Great Wyk, to speak with them and to advise his niece on what she must do. "You must publicly give yourself to the Drowned God once more niece." The Damphair said in a voice that would make normal men cower and only made his niece smirk. "Many of the lords here will question your right to rule even with my support. They will feel as if Balon's children have become soft."
His niece became angry at that. "I was not the one fostered in the Greenlands I did not come back home thinking to have the world at my feet. I was my father's chosen heir, and it is only right that I succeed him. I will give myself to the Drowned God and then I will slay all those who try and take my right from me."
Aeron smiled somewhat, at least his niece had iron, unlike her brother who had been all green. "That is good. But there are those who already press me to call a Kingsmoot. Those who say that a woman should not inherit the Seastone chair when in ages past none ever wore the Driftwood Crown. Euron Crow's Eye has much support amongst the greedy and the ambitious."
"Euron Crow's Eye will destroy the Ironborn if he becomes king." His niece responds. "The man is half mad and besides he talks of bringing the Reach into our domains, not just the Arbor but the whole of the Reach. Something that has never been achieved nor ever likely will be."
Aeron nods and says. "Aye but he also mentions claiming the Iron Throne. Taking Myrcella Baratheon from the Rock and wedding her. He is getting support from those who grew opposed to attacking the north."
Rodrik the Reader speaks then. "Then such men are not true Ironborn but are mere fools. Attacking the north was one thing, the Stark boy had taken all of his strength south. The Lannisters still have a lot of strength in the West, and should we take Myrcella Baratheon, you can be assured that the Lannister fleet will come and harangue us till we are all dead."
Aeron nods but then says. "The seas shall be our moat should Tywin Lannister think to cross over. But then he might not, he is too busy trying to have his son freed of kinslaying. And Stannis Baratheon remains a challenge as well. By the time they realise what has happened, we shall have gotten the girl and crowned her Queen and moved forward."
"It seems as though you are in support of the Crow's Eye's plan Nuncle. And here I was thinking you were going to crown my Queen of the Isles and the North." Asha said.
Aeron bristles then. "I do not support the Crow's Eye, nor will I ever utter words in support of the man. I was merely pointing out how he could look an attractive option. You shall need to think on what you can offer the Ironborn that the Crow's Eye cannot. And then you will need to think on how to convince them of this. Some will seek to wed you, others to kill you."
His niece is silent a moment and then she says. "And what would you do to help me Nuncle?"
Aeron is silent and then he says. "I shall crown you right now, with my fellow priests as witnesses." And so he does, his niece allows herself to be dunked in the salt water surrounding Great Wyk and arise again as a true Ironborn once more. Aeron then begins reciting the prayers and chants that his predecessors once chanted to crown a king in days of old. That done he asks his niece. "Do you swear by the drowned god, to protect your people and bring them undying glory?"
"I do." His niece replies.
"And do you swear to never be tempted by the false gods of the Greenlands?" Aeron asks.
"I swear, they shall burn before I do." Asha replies.
Aeron nods and then solemnly says. "Then rise and say with me. What is dead may never die…"
"But rises harder and stronger." Asha responds.
Once she has risen, Aeron looks at her and bows. "Your Grace. We are yours to do with as you please."
Asha looks at him then and with a wicked smile says. "Go and spread your word Nuncle. Tell the Ironborn that they have a new Queen. And she demands homage. Tell the people from Great Wyk, to Old Wyk to Orkmont to Pyke. Tell them the Kraken is alive once more. And this time she will know no surrender."
With that his niece walks away and once she and her uncle have gone, Aeron turns to one of his fellow priests and says. "Find the man the Crow's Eye keeps as a sign of his religion and kill him. And then kill the Crow's Eye. We cannot have him around to hear this declaration." The man nods and then leaves, and Aeron says a prayer to the Drowned God.