DENYS
The Storm God-made-flesh that is what the Ironborn called Robert behind his back. The comparison from what little Denys could make of Ironborn culture was an apt one, and probably stemmed from Robert having been born in the Stormlands, but in that situation, Denys might have been over thinking the comparison.
After all, Robert did just wage a campaign that killed their King…
Ravens were sent out to each of the Iron Islands, commanding them to come under a banner of peace to bend the knee or to meet the same fate as Balon and Pyke. Attacks by Ironborn to retake the isle with ships from Great Wyk and Saltcliffe were then made but repulsed by Lords Paxter and Stannis. In response to this expeditions led by Ser Jaime and Ned and his fresh supply of Northmen from Seaguard to suppress the islands were made, which they managed to accomplish with some effort.
Little else was heard from the rest of the Iron Islands for a time, and plans were made to take the other islands as well, should no further communication arrive. What Denys knew more than anything was the need for one Ironborn house, any Ironborn house, to accept Robert—but as more time passed it looked as though that would not occur. Denys began to worry that they would soon have to take each and every island like they had Pyke, Great Wyk, and Saltcliffe, which would mean that plenty of men would die before they were through. The Iron Islands would bleed their army dry. It would be a victory, but a Pyhrric one at best.
And then the oddest thing occurred, a response to their initial flock of ravens was returned, from Harlaw. Lord Rodrik Harlaw of Ten Towers was prepared to come in person, as representative of the rest of the Iron Islands, to bend the knee and work to end this "senseless rebellion" as he put it.
He came under the white banner of peace. He appeared to be a rather ordinary looking man, brown of hair, eyes, and beard. He had a slight thin build and appeared to be on the smaller side of what was usually considered a "healthy-sized" Ironborn. He bent the knee almost immediately to Robert, who sat upon the Seastone chair.
Lord Rodrik began, "I come before you, your grace, to not only see peace come to these islands but as an advocate for my sister, Lady Alannys Greyjoy and her children."
Robert announced boldly, "Balon's sons are dead."
Lord Rodrik looked startled at this proclamation but continued nonetheless, having obviously well-prepared himself for this meeting.
"I mean of course my sister's two youngest children, the young Lord Theon and Lady Asha."
"Lord Theon! After the atrocities his brothers committed in the Westerlands, do you truly expect me to tolerate sitting another Greyjoy in this blasted seat?" Robert fumed.
"What atrocities, your grace?" asked Lord Rodrik, clearly confused.
Robert stormed, "Against Lord Prester, for hanging him by the wrists to the entrance of his castle and burning him alive while he hung there. Against Lord Westerling, by stuffing seashells down this throat, and breaking his jaw open to fit more in there when not as many fit as they liked. Against Lord Farman for hanging him and his sons from their own ships like sails! Against Lord Banefort hanging him by his cloak—"
At this the hall's doors burst open and an imposing figure of a woman all dressed in black with a golden kraken pattern decorating her dress. Like Lord Rodrik, she too was brown of hair and eye. She came storming into the hall—on her heels was a small black of hair girl and boy as she shouted, "You lie! My sons would never—!"
"Lanny! I told you to—" began Lord Rodrik
However Robert cut them all off, addressing Lady Greyjoy as he did so, "And yet I have an entire castle full of raped women who said they were forced to watch as their husbands, fathers, uncles, brothers, cousins, nephews, and sons were murdered before their eyes by your sons' own hands!"
Robert then took a deep breath and continued, "I have prided myself on being a patient and… forgiving man, Lady Greyjoy. I could chose to meet out punishment for punishment—life for life. I could give your children the same mercy your sons gave House Kenning of Kayce."
At this, Lord Harlaw took interest—as well he should, Denys noted, as the main branch of House Kenning were his sworn bannermen.
"Your sons exterminated House Kenning of Kayce—even down to the babes in their cradles. And they took this "Gold Coast" as they called it, for what? In the end we came upon them fighting amongst themselves over taking the maidenhood of a woman. If all of that is what you call honorable mayhaps you should have a taste of your own stew! Do not tempt me by calling me a liar or House Greyjoy will find itself at an end this day!"
At this, Lady Greyjoy held tighter to her two children, fear plaintively passing across her face.
"It mayhaps be that we have begun on the wrong footing," offered Lord Rodrik.
Robert roared in agreement, "It bloody well seems that way!"
Lord Rodrik offered terms in which he could bring the rest of the Iron Islands' houses to heel for: seeing his nephew, Theon, keep lordship over the Iron Islands, with himself as lord regent in his stead until he reached the age of majority. After some arguing and bartering, this was agreed to but only with the following conditions:
The Drowned God was prohibited from being worshiped—anyone caught practicing or preaching his dogma would be tried & killed.
The Lords of Saltcliffe and Great Wyk, for having persisted in this revolt after the fall of Pyke were to be attained and replaced with houses loyal to the crown, while the lords themselves were to be held captive in Oldtown for the remainder of their days. If the rest of the Iron Islands continued to bend the knee like Rodrik, they would be able to keep their lands and titles—but if they did not they too would be removed.
Lastly was the immediate fostering of both Theon and Asha Greyjoy among lords loyal to the crown. Upon reaching the age of majority, Theon would be allowed to return to his uncle's care before coming into his lordship at the age of twenty namedays—while his sister upon coming of age was to be married to a loyal lord of the crown as chosen by the crown, befitting her station when the time arose.
With these three articles grudgingly agreed upon by Lord Rodrik—to the shock of Lady Greyjoy—the question of where to send the children was left to the assumption that Ned would take them in, and Ned being on Great Wyk could not speak for himself on the matter.
Lady Greyjoy did not however find these articles of peace agreeable, nearly shouting, "You can't take my children from me. Balon sent Rodrik and Maron out… but he promised me that he would not take Asha and Theon from me. Please, your grace, let me go with them."
Robert was unyielding in his response, "Your place is here Lady Greyjoy to assist your brother in bringing the Iron Islands under the rule of reason."
"No! Please your grace…" she groveled.
Lady Greyjoy was ignored by the King. She then turned to her brother, who had avoided meeting her eyes during the entire affair.
"Rodrik… please… say something! They can't take them!"
In what was a barely hushed retort, Lord Rodrik angrily asked, "Would you rather we were all killed like your foolhardy husband, Lanny?"
His sister begged, "Please… Rodrik!" Lord Rodrik's eyes met his sister's and Denys could see that he was lost to her urgings.
The Harlaw lord sighed and then asked, "Your grace… might not the boy stay for a year? He is just beginning to be weaned from my sister's breast, and—"
Robert did not let him finish, proclaiming, "A wetnurse has teats enough for a little lordling."
And so it was agreed that Asha and Theon would be fostered out. Denys ultimately felt sorry for Lady Greyjoy so when they had been dismissed from the King's presence Denys, he attempted to soothe her concerns by assuring her that all contact would not be lost to her, but his words seemed to have no impact upon the bewailing woman, who held tight to her children-the girl giving him a dark glare, while the boy joined his mother in crying simply because she was crying most likely.
Denys sighed and turned to speaking with Lord Rodrik, who seemed shaken by the events. He seemed reluctant to talk with Denys, until Denys explained he was the Lord Justice, and would wish to discuss the reforms the king had proposed and his belief—knowing the Iron Islands as he did—as to the feasibility of their accomplishment.
"Is it true, all those crimes that my nephews committed?" asked Lord Rodrik in seeming shock.
Denys could tell he was not so much doubting that they had occurred, but simply needed to hear them spoken aloud once more. He gave him half of what he wanted, saying, "I saw the lords myself, and interviewed the women as well. Burnt flesh is not a pleasant smell, nor is a sight of bloody half broken seashells pouring from the dead mouth of a lord while his young son screams for him to wake... none of them are memories to dwell on for long. But there was no exaggeration in what the King said."
Rodrik closed his eyes, nodded and sighed.
"My goodbrother wanted his sons to help him to bring back the old ways, to revitalize the strength of our Islands—re-establish the Hoare Dynasty as it were. He could not see that the old ways were for their time. So he had his eldest sons be raised on Old Wyk… where I am sad to say they returned not as they had left. My sister was right in saying that her sons would not commit those atrocities… but the men who came back from Old Wyk weren't her sons… not anymore. They came back saying that they had seen the Drowned God themselves, that he commanded them to do things, and that they would bring more glory to his cause than any before. At the time I thought it simple fantasy… but to hear of what they've done… I cannot even fathom it. I can understand and sympathize with the King's reasons behind demanding that the worship of the Drowned God come to an end—especially given the fate of House Kenning of Kayce—but I must admit that I do not believe it will be a point ever enforceable. The Andals after all tried to bring the Faith of the Seven here to little success," admitted Lord Rodrik.
Denys weighed the words which Lord Rodrik had given him before continuing. He contemplated just how long it would take, how much of an investment it would be to root out every bit of Ironborn culture. Shuddering at such a cost he then imagined a compromise-was it ideal? No, but it could work. He began saying, "Truth be told, Lord Rodrik, I do not believe that such an endeavor would be completely possible. I would prefer the honor of the law intact but given the choice between likely futures, I would rather the more extreme elements of its worshipers be the target of the law, rather than those who more quietly observe its customs."
Rodrik looked at him with some confusion, asking, "You would have me fail to uphold his grace's law, Lord Justice?"
"I'd have peace in our Seven Kingdoms once again. A lasting peace, by any means I can find," explained Denys.
"I would as well," concurred Lord Rodrik after a long moment of silence.
Later that night, Denys was busy composing a letter to send to King's Landing, telling Hoster of the news here on the Iron Islands when a raven came into the rookery with a note attached. It was addressed to King Balon. Curious as to who could have sent the letter, Denys opened it immediately and paled when he read the news—Ned would not like to hear this…
Bear Island had fallen to Euron Greyjoy, and as such the man reported that reaving along the Northern coast had provided some timber for more ships. He signed the letter with the title of Prince of Bear Island.
It was after Denys had finished reading this letter that another raven came into the rookery with another similar note attached to its leg. He read that immediately as well, only to hear that the Arbor was putting up much resistance and that Victarion was asking for reinforcements to help secure the island. With these letters in hand, Denys went forth to speak with Robert.
