Hey everyone!

This is the next Thursday update early; I have really been encouraged by all your reviews :D Plus I think I might have checked/read this chapter like fifty times and I didn't want to do that another fifty times so ta da (also we are getting to one of my favourite scenes in ARC III and I just want to get there you know!)

This massive chapter takes place entirely in the Iron Islands so enjoy all the bleakness and fighting!


Chapter 68: The Kraken's Pit

A few days later …

The Kraken's Pit, below the cliffs of the Guest Keep, Pyke, Seat of Power of House Greyjoy in the Iron Islands


Kenna didn't waste any energy trying to keep up with the two Ironborn brutes practically carrying her down the cliff edge steps. The descent took roughly five minutes and at the bottom was a sandy beach that had seaweed scattered all along it. She spied many footprints in the sand which they followed to an open alcove in the cliff edge.

The alcove was about two people wide and Kenna was hustled through the gap by the two men escorting her with arbitrary care.

What she saw was not what she had expected.

The crack in the cliff had led to a circular open space with a sandy floor but the main feature was an enormous rock in the middle that sprouted many metres into the sky.

Another notable feature was that Kenna's husband was attached to the sky bound rock by rusty looking metal cuffs that encased his wrists.

"Dear wife I have missed you," Jaime greeted in his usual cocksure way but Kenna caught the slight dip in his smile as he saw the extent of her injuries and appearance.

Her grey tunic went to her knees but the back was in tatters from her shoulders to just above her bottom and the torn edges were coated in dried blood. She knew her face was covered in black bruises and her nose was a mess but it was her back that Jaime focused on as she was thrown against the rock.

"What did they do to you?"

"I took your advice but I couldn't add to my Greyjoy tally," Kenna said as she turned herself away from the rock, "ended up with some broken ribs and a broken nose for my attempt though," after half a second she added, "Thank you for that."

"But your back," Jaime shuffled closer to her to see that the cuts had been tended to and were sealed.

"Balon whipped me then had all the captains of the Iron Fleet do the same," Kenna said morosely not wanting to revisit the fresh memory.

"You deserved every one of those lashes and all the pain you are in is of your own making," both Kenna and Jaime turned their heads to see Balon emerging from the crack in the cliff.

Kenna leaned back gently against the rock in need of some support as Balon approached.

"The Iron Fleet was defeated a few days ago," Balon said as if it didn't change any of his plans, "Victorian and my daughter now probably lie at the bottom of the ocean."

"My condolences," Jaime said in a voice that was at cross purposes to the content of his words.

Balon gave out a singular puff of fake amusement, "You will be joining them soon. A shame considering your father and his forces have just landed on Pyke."

"My father is here? Let us go and he might not destroy everything you hold dear," Jaime tempted.

Balon shook his head, "I hold nothing dear now except my revenge. By the time your father storms my castle and beheads me you two will be nothing more than sacrifices to the Drowned God." He paused, then let his dark eyes bore into Kenna's. "The most painful way to die in this world is to drown and your life belongs to the Drowned God as much as it does to me. Call it my final offering to my God."

Kenna then looked to the crack in the wall and saw the waves beyond the sea. They wouldn't stay there. The waves would make their way up the beach, to the crack in the cliff and start to fill the alcove they were currently trapped in and they would drown when the water came high enough. Kenna looked around her and saw where the water normally got to. The water line was halfway up the walls of the small alcove, roughly two metres above her and Jaime's head.

Balon approached Kenna and in a quick movement he brought his fist to the side of her head and watched as she crumpled face first to the sandy floor at his feet. He knelt by Kenna in a fluid motion and pressed one hand to the fallen woman's cheek pushing her face into the sand while his other caressed her open back, tracing all the cuts and marks that were there.

Kenna didn't struggle under his grip; she didn't have the energy and there was no point trying to escape an inescapable situation.

"I may not end your life with my own hands but in your dying moments I want you to remember who put you here, at the sea's mercy," Balon said with real spite as he clamped the chains around each of Kenna's ankles.

Balon rose leaving Kenna on the floor while Jaime kept his annoying smile on his face as if thinking today wasn't the day he was going to die.

"I don't know what you are smiling about Kingslayer, there is no escape from the Kraken's Pit," Balon spat before walking away from the tied couple and disappearing through the crack in the cliff.


Once all the Ironborn had vacated the open alcove Jaime moved to Kenna and helped her rise to a sitting position against the rock.

"How is your back?" he asked inspecting her.

"Why do you care?" Kenna raged more at the situation she found herself in than at Jaime but anger always liked a target.

"I don't .. but my father might want the mother of his children to be alive to mother them," Jaime said haltingly not sure if now was the best time to discuss her new-borns, "He isn't exactly cut out for parenthood and I say that from personal experience."

"I can't tell if you hate me for sleeping with your father or you think it is funny but I will not die in this hole and leave my children to be raised by him. I don't want my children turning out like you or your siblings."

"I thought you liked Tyrion."

"I do but no mother wants their child to grow up to be a drunkard."

"Fair enough and just so you know I find it funnier that Cersei will but less so than Tyrion would."

Kenna took a moment to remember how Tyrion had teased her over her relationship with his father. At the time Kenna had not known how to react but now she looked back warmly on their interactions. Not many sons would react the way he had but then again not many fathers would have done what Tywin Lannister had done and not many Ladies would have agreed to such terms.

"Tyrion already knows and were you this annoying as a child?" Kenna snarled but Jaime could tell his words had lightened her mood.

"Of course he does, my little brother always knows and I have no idea if I was born this annoying or if I developed the talent in my youth, you will have to survive long enough to ask Tyrion or my father."

Kenna grunted in response before raising her eyes to the sky. She eyed the rocky sides of the cliff that surrounded her and reluctantly noted that any cries of help would be drowned out by the sound of the sea rushing to claim them.

But she did smile when she saw Balerion circling overhead. Her constant companion during her stay on this miserable island. Balerion had been flying over Pyke ever since her arrival and each time Kenna had got a glimpse of her falcon it had reminded her that she wasn't alone that her allies and friends were coming for her. Whether they would come in time was still to be decided.

If only you were a dragon you could rip these metal shackles from the rock and I would be free, Kenna allowed her mind the brief fantasy but the sound of crashing waves in her vicinity kept her based in reality.

"Can you move? Can you run if we have to?" Jaime asked switching his attention from Kenna's face to his chains and where they were attached to the massive tall rock.

"If I must, I will," Kenna replied with determination like those words had been her motto her entire life.

"Good," Jaime unhooked his golden hand and slipped one of the handcuffs off before reattaching his golden hand.

"What is your plan?" Kenna asked brushing the sand from her face.

"What makes you think I have a plan?" Jaime grinned back.

"You aren't acting like a man resigned to death."

Jaime chuckled, "I have half a plan."

"Mmm," Kenna encouraged wanting to see where Jaime's positivity was coming from.

Jaime's eyes flicked between the cuff around his wrist and the point where the metal chains were chiselled into the large rock, "I think I may be able to get out of this pit."

"You are not going to cut off your other hand, are you?" Kenna asked looking up at her husband.

"No," Jaime said flashing Kenna an amused look, "the chain connecting me to the rock is loose. I think I will be able to leverage my golden hand to pry it from the rock."

"Would you be able to do the same for me?" Kenna asked hopefully.

Jaime walked over to the point where her chain connected with the rock, "There isn't an obvious way to pry this one off."

"Great," Kenna said sarcastically letting her shoulders droop.

"But the waves will take a few more hours to reach us and probably half a day to actually fill this alcove up."

"I am not seeing half a plan so far."

"It doesn't take half a day to reach Pyke from Lordsport as you might remember from the last Greyjoy Rebellion. My father will be here soon and when he is, I can escape, find help and bring them here."

"More help won't free me," Kenna pointed out desperately.

"No," Jaime agreed, "but before you showed up an Ironborn unlocked these cuffs with a key. A key I saw him give to Balon before they left."

Kenna's eyes lit up in hope at that comment. She pushed her battered self from her sitting position and rolled her shoulders to test her bodies current limits. She walked rigidly to stand just in front of Jaime and her light blue eyes locked onto his dark green ones.

"So dear Husband the full plan is for you to escape this pit when you can hear the clashing of swords, run towards your father, tell him of the key and hunt down Balon to obtain it and then run back to your adoring wife and free her before the waves wash her away?" Kenna said sceptically.

Jaime's lips twitched before he opened his mouth to reply, "I am sure you would prefer my father to be the one rushing back with the key-"

"Don't start," Kenna said in a tired voice, not willing to expend anymore energy on sparring with Jaime on this topic.

Jaime nodded seeing the strain of the past week literally etched onto her skin and proceeded to jam his golden hand in-between the rock and the slightly warped metal that attached his chain to the lone rock.


A few hours later …

By the walls of the Great Keep, Pyke, Seat of Power of House Greyjoy in the Iron Islands


Lord Royce scrutinised the walls of the Great Keep, it was the last of Pyke's keeps that was still under Ironborn control. The combined armies of the Vale, the Westerlands and the North had secured all the other keeps with overwhelming numbers and there was still no sign of the Kingslayer or Queen Kenna.

They must be in the Great Keep with Balon, Lord Royce assumed.

"He won't surrender," Tywin stated absolutely from beside Lord Royce who stood just off the bridge connecting the Great Keep to the Guest Keep. Soldiers from the Golden Company and all three Kingdoms stood ready waiting for the order to assault the walls and bring this siege to its end.

Lord Royce was about to agree with the Old Lion's assessment when a younger voice interrupted.

"He might if he saw we have his daughter," Robb said with one hand dragging a bound Yara behind him by the rope of her tied hands.

"Perhaps," Lord Royce said unsure of the love Balon held for his family.

"Try to barter with Balon but if he refuses, we assault the walls and end this," Tywin said definitively to Robb, eyeing the direwolf at his side with wariness, he had heard what the wolf had done at the Battle of Oxcross.

Robb nodded at both men before pushing Yara in front of him and approaching the keep so he was in eyesight but not in range of the Ironborn archers.

"Balon Greyjoy," Robb shouted at the top of his lungs before kicking out Yara's legs so she knelt on the muddy floor, "I have your daughter here."

There was half a minute of silence as Robb stared at the black stone of the keep willing Balon to make himself known but he did not.

"I come here to trade your daughter for Queen Kenna," Robb yelled again at the gloomy keep.

Lord Royce immediately looked at Tywin's face to see his reaction to Robb only demanding Kenna's return but there was barely a twitch of muscle from the Lion Lord in response.

Suddenly a voice thundered out of the dark walls, "What is dead may never die!"

Yara knew her father's voice and returned the comment with pride shouting, 'What is dead may never die!"

Robb looked back at Lord Royce and Lord Tywin, "What does that mean?"

"That means no trade," Lord Tywin elaborated and when Robb still held that confused look he added, "It means that my son and good-daughter are as good as dead if they aren't all ready and Balon's daughter is no use to us."

Robb saw Lord Tywin unsheathe his sword and realised what he was going to do, 'Stop. I captured her and I was the one to suggest to use her as a trade. Now that has failed, she is my responsibility."

Starks and their honour, Tywin lambasted in his mind but he didn't advance towards the kneeling female Greyjoy Captain, "Get it over with then."

Robb took Trident's Vengeance from his belt and placed it just above Yara's neck. He hesitated knowing that his anger wasn't for the woman kneeling in front of him but her father.

"If you do not kill her now, every time in the future you try to negotiate with hostages the other side will wonder if you will actually carry out your threats. You have to show them that you mean what you say now so they do not question you later," Robb turned to Lord Tywin to argue but realised a split second later it had been Lord Royce to utter those words.

The Vale Lord's face was stone cold, probably trying to process the fact that his Queen was most likely dead. Robb didn't know what was making him more uncomfortable the anticipated intimidating stare from Lord Tywin or the surprising coldness that was now emanating from Lord Royce.

He slowly raised his sword, "Lady Yara Greyjoy, I am sorry for what I must do but often the greatest casualties in a war are not the people who deserve most to die."

"Get it over with pretty boy. The Drowned God is calling me to his watery halls to feast and drink for all eternity," Yara announced back with no fear in her voice as her eyes scanned the Great Keep for a final glimpse of her father.

A glimpse she never got to see as Robb's Valyrian sword severed her head from her neck.

Before her lifeless head had even stopped rolling both Lord Royce and Lord Tywin roared for the assault to begin. Both thirsting for blood to sate their perceived losses. Mercenaries, Valemen, Westermen and Northmen ran past their battle commanders and charged at the final obstacle to their siege, the walls of the Great Keep of Pyke.

Robb was about to join his men in the assault when a familiar voice stopped him.

"I never thought I would see the day when the honourable Robb Stark would execute a woman. Though I suppose Yara Greyjoy wasn't much of one."

"I am not beyond killing a cripple either," Robb sparred as all three commanders turned their heads to see Jaime Lannister pushing past some armoured men with a metal chain dragging behind him.


It was hard to tell who wore the more relieved face. Lord Tywin to see that his son was alive, Lord Royce because if Jaime was alive maybe his Queen was as well, or King Robb because his execution of Yara Greyjoy might not have condemned Kenna to her own death.

"Jaime," Tywin walked towards his son but stopped stiffly before him and placed a hand on his shoulder, "I thought you were dead."

Jaime made no move towards his father but he didn't brush the hand on his shoulder off either, "Lannisters are hard to kill," then he lowered his voice so only his father would hear, "Even one-handed ones that apparently are not worth rescuing."

Tywin pressed his lips together and lowered his eyebrows, "You were no hostage, you were with your wife," he returned in an equally low tone.

"Where is Kenna?" Robb interrupted the intense father and son moment, his mind only on one person.

"She is in the Kraken's Pit," Jaime replied as his father's hand slipped off his shoulder.

"And where is that?" Lord Royce asked urgently.

Jaime pointed to one of the bridges, "Past that and walk to the edge and you will see some steps carved into the cliff side. They lead down to a beach where there is an alcove. Kenna is chained to a rock there and the sea is rising."

"You left her there? She is your wife," Robb accused, his sword was still in his hand and was painted red with Yara's blood.

Jaime put his hands up in a surrender gesture, "I couldn't get her free."

"Let's go," Lord Royce said as he brushed past Jaime towards the bridge.

"We need the key to unlock her from her chains," Lord Royce turned back to Jaime, "Balon has that so if you really want to help your Queen, we need to get to Balon before the high tide gets to my wife."

"Fine," Lord Royce boomed, "Lord Grafton, Artys go with Jaime and find Queen Kenna, make sure she is okay. The rest of us will find Balon and get that key."

When there were no objections the large Vale Lord unsheathed his sword, stepped over Yara's headless body and followed his men in running at the walls of the Great Keep. He had an objective and a target now and nothing was going to get in his way. He would find Balon, get the key and rescue his Queen.

Tywin gave his son a slight nod then started to bellow orders at the surrounding Lannister men. Robb sent Jaime a look something close to annoyance or it might have been frustration of a man that wanted to be in two places at once before following the Vale Lord into battle.

"Golden Hand you ready?" a gruff voice asked.

Jaime turned to see a short stocky man who was missing a few fingers addressing him and a young man that was about the same height as him staring expectantly at him.

"Lord Grafton and Artys I presume?"

"Ser Artys," the young man replied tautly, "and I want to see my Aunt now so .." he gestured to the bridge.

Aunt? "You are Alyssa Arryn's bastard," Jaime said out loud appraising the young dark-haired man.

"I hear you know more than most on that topic Ser Jaime but I would like to see my Queen now," Lord Grafton said with force cutting off any response from Artys.

"Follow me then," Jaime said holding his tongue and running towards the bridge.


Fifteen minutes later …

The Kraken's Pit, below the cliffs of the Guest Keep, Pyke, Seat of Power of House Greyjoy in the Iron Islands


Kenna wrapped her arms around herself to try to preserve her warmth but the flimsy grey tunic was thin and the torn back did nothing to insulate her from her cold surroundings. Since Jaime had left her, she had nothing but her own thoughts for company and they were not encouraging.

The water was up to her midriff now and Kenna half thought Jaime had just abandoned her.

But her dark thoughts were dispelled as Artys appeared through the crack in the cliff followed by Lord Grafton and her husband.

"Kenna," Artys yelled as he sloshed his way through the water to reach his beloved Aunt.

Kenna let her nephew embrace her and she was so overjoyed at seeing him that it was only a second later that her back registered the mistake.

Kenna howled in pain as Artys jumped back from the embrace. Her back was on full display to the three men and only Jaime didn't utter a curse in shock.

Artys carefully supported his Aunt as Lord Grafton appeared at her other side to say, "We will kill every single Greyjoy for what they have done to you."

"A sentiment I don't disagree with but right now I will settle for being set free from this blasted rock," Kenna replied grating her teeth through the fading pain of her embrace with Artys.

"Lord Royce and King Robb are searching for the key now and as soon as they have it, they will be here," Lord Grafton said with total belief in the mentioned men.

"Robb is here?" Kenna asked wincing through the words.

"Yes, and he brought the might of the North with him too," Lord Grafton replied, eyeing how the water was spilling in from the crack in the cliff.

Artys hooked an arm underneath Kenna's to help her stand, "I know it is painful," he responded to Kenna's groan, "but we need you to stay dry and conserve as much energy as possible or the waves will get you."

"Aye what the lad says is true I have seen many a sailor saved from the clutches of the sea just to shiver into an early grave," Lord Grafton added looping one of his arms around Kenna so she didn't dip further into the water surrounding them.

"Is there no chance you can just bash me free?" Kenna asked into Arty's shoulder.

"The chain connecting to the rock is underwater now and I know we look strong but we aren't strong enough to sperate metal from rock," Jaime said watching the two devoted Valemen hold their Queen up. He briefly wondered how she inspired such loyalty; his father and sister used fear but it wasn't fear driving these men to rush to their Queen's aid.

"Lord Grafton," Kenna murmured as she hung between her nephew and her Master of Ships, "You appear to be missing a few fingers."

Lord Grafton raised his partially bandaged hand that was getting wetter the more he held Kenna up, "Ah yes well I got into a bit of a fight with a one-eyed Victorian Greyjoy. I suppose you had something to do with his missing eye?"

Kenna simply smiled weakly before asking, "And how did that end?"

"I killed him," Artys answered quietly, "with his own axe."

Kenna had a flash of satisfaction imagining the scenario then she remembered her nephew was still just a boy of fifteen.

"Artys, are you okay?"

"He deserved what I did to him and more," Artys said darkly, revealing a side Kenna had never seen of her nephew.

Kenna shot him a tired smile, "If someone had asked me if I was okay after killing Euron I think I would have answered the same."

"Balon should be quaking in his boots right about now with the likes of you two after him. The Kraken killers," Lord Grafton remarked with a chuckle hidden beneath his words.

"He didn't seem to be very afraid the last time I spoke to him," Jaime stated indifferently to the three Vale nobles.

Kenna eyed her husband. He was no use here just watching the water rise around them and awkwardly observing the interactions in front of him.

"Ser Jaime I thank you for finding help but a fighter of your talent should really be on the battlefield," Kenna said to her husband rather pointedly.

"Well I have been told," Jaime huffed as he wadded away before throwing over his shoulder, "I hope you survive today dear wife; our children will need you in the future."

Kenna sent a silent curse to Jaime for what could possibly be his last jest to her as she watched him half swim and half climb through the crack in the cliff.


An hour later …

The Seastone Chair Chamber, Great Keep, Pyke, Seat of Power of House Greyjoy in the Iron Islands


Tywin's personal guard surrounded him as he walked towards the chamber containing the Seastone Chair.

"What?" he demanded to one of his guards who was hovering near him.

"Mi' Lord, we control the lower levels and soon the upper levels will follow. The Ironborn appear to be concentrated in that chamber," the guard pointed towards the room Lord Royce and Robb had just entered.

"Balon will be there," Tywin said more to himself than his guards, "Round up the prisoners captured so far and move them to the Guest Keep. Keep track of who is alive, who is dead and where they are. I want Pyke to be under our control, not the Northmen or the Valemen's."

The guard nodded in abundance before running off in the opposite direction. Tywin brandished his sword and nodded at one of his personal guards before they entered the Seastone Chair Chamber.


A minute ago ..


Robb burst through the doors of the Seastone Chair Chamber with Grey Wind in front of him and a flood of soldiers at his back. They all spilled into the long room and mingled with the Ironborn. Screams of war filled the long hallway and swords flashed everywhere.

Robb spotted his target at the end of the hallway.

Balon Greyjoy had his sword out and was slashing through a Lannister solider that had dared to come close to the Seastone Chair.

Robb caught Lord Royce's eyes through the throng of men and flicked his head towards Balon. Lord Royce nodded in reply and alongside their men they started to cut their way through the scattered patches of Ironborn.

After five minutes of harsh and brutal fighting the Ironborn had been totally pushed back to the end of the hall.

"Give up Balon," Lord Royce's voice filled the air, "You are outnumbered and outmatched."

"Why? I am dead if I do and dead if I don't so I might as well fight on," Balon railed back with one hand steadying himself on one arm of the Seastone chair.

"Surrender for your men then," Robb enticed trying to interject some sentiment into the debate, "give us the key and surrender and we will let your men return to their families."

"This key?" Balon asked producing a long dark black key from his inner pocket.

"Yes, end this feud between the Greyjoy's and the Arryn's once and for all," Robb pleaded with sincerity.

"Feuds only end when one of the offended parties is dead," Balon snarled as he hurled the key out of the nearby open window.

Lord Royce and Robb watched as the key sailed through the air. They both seemed to collectively stare out of the window as if all their hopes had just flown away.

Robb Stark broke this trance by yelling like a mad man and running at Balon who had his sword ready.

The King in the North tore through the defensive Greyjoy line with the help of his men and Grey Wind's deadly claws and teeth. Lord Royce smashed through two Ironborns with a single swipe of Honour's Edge, following Robb's descent into fury at Balon's actions.

Robb engaged Balon with a few quick jabs to test the older man's reactions. They were slow but not indicative of his opponent's skill overall as the Sea King offensive strikes showed. He knew how to handle a blade; he was just more inclined to attack than defend.

"You could have ended all this peacefully," Robb swiped with Trident's Vengeance and Balon parried low.

"Peace?" Balon sneered as if the concept was below him, "The Ironborn follow the Old Way and that teaches that there is no right or wrong, there is only what you want and how you will get it."

"A thoroughly barbaric way of living in this world," Lord Royce said as he slammed into Balon who's focus had been on Robb.

The proclaimed King of the Iron Islands landed hard on the floor but his hand was still around the hilt of his sword.

He went to swipe at the legs of his opponents but Robb's foot trapped his sword and Lord Royce's Valyrian blade rested on the back of his neck.

"Tell me you have another key or another way to free Queen Kenna from the Kraken's Pit," Lord Royce asked with a face full of thunder.

Balon slowly released his grip on his sword and turned over to face the large Vale Lord but a nasty snarl remained on his lips, "There is no second key but you could cut off her feet and she would be free then."

Balon's suggestion was met with a heavy punch from Robb that had him flat on his back breathing hard.

"What do we do?" Robb asked Lord Royce with worry clouding his words.

"There is nothing that can be done now," the older Lord replied, the raw emotion was evident in his words and on his face.

"You should be with your Queen in her final moments then," Lord Tywin's sharp tones floated over their shoulders as the great Lord ignored the nagging fact that she was his chosen Queen too.

Both men turned their heads to see the Old Lion had made it to the end of the hall and had pulled his helmet off, examining all the corpses that littered the floor and noting the few remaining Ironborn survivors being rounded up.

"He doesn't have the key anymore, it is now resting at the bottom of the sea, there is nothing more that can be done here for Queen Kenna so go to her," Tywin said with cold practicality, "I can handle the aftermath of the siege."

Lord Royce didn't ponder the Lion Lord's words for long as he sheathed the red rimmed Honour's Edge and placed a meaty hand on Robb's shoulders, "He is right."

After a further second Robb dropped the point of his sword to the floor and followed Lord Royce as he hurried from the hall, passing Jaime Lannister on their way out who gave Grey Wind a wide berth.


Author's Notes

If you are unsure of the layout of Pyke (the castle not the island) feel free to google it but essentially Pyke Castle is a bunch of keeps that are situated on mini islands, as the ground around them has been eroded by the sea, and they are connected by a lot of bridges so it is a bit of a unique castle to try to take as there isn't a lot of ground to stand on. Also, this is also why when Balon throws the key out the window it lands in the sea.

Note that Honour's Edge was the Valyrian blade formerly know as Lady Forlorn that Kenna gifted to Lord Royce in Chapter 53 and The Trident's Vengeance is one half of Ice that Robb had made in Chapter 60.

As Robb, Lord Royce, Artys and Lord Grafton rush towards Kenna, Tywin is being Tywin and ensuring he has total control over Pyke.

Balon is captured and the Rebellion is effectively over but without a key for Kenna how is she going to survive ….

The mentioned conversation between Tyrion and Kenna on her relationship with Tywin occurred in Chapter 39, after Oberyn's failed assassination attempt on Tywin.


RIP

Yara Greyjoy (Robb beheaded her after Balon refused to trade her life for Kenna's)

She was captured by Robb in the last chapter while Artys, Grafton & Redwyne were facing off against Victorian. I thought it would be repetitive to have two ship fight scenes and I judged the Victorian death to be more important story wise than Yara's capture by Robb.

She does die due to her father's inability to compromise and limit the damage coming his way in the end but her death was really sealed when she agreed to sail with her uncle instead of heeding her father's orders to sail to Meereen and treat with Dany, which would have been a cool plot in itself but alas she was seduced by the glory of victory that Victorian painted for her. I think her reaction to her impending death was typical Yara Greyjoy too, she was a hard person.


Reviews:

Lord Demolitions – Query, wouldn't wildfire destroy the shrapnel as well in that scenario? Also, what if the dragon drank wildfire and then the next time it tried to set something on fire BAM dragon is now a fireball … wouldn't that work too? (Not a spoiler but would be awesome!)

Supremus85 – I know right! Very ironic :P

NightlyRowenTree – No problem :)

Shadow Wolf 15846 – Haha I always reply, I like the interaction :D I am glad because the next few chapters are really action heavy :P

Guest (commented 15/10/2020) – He will indeed and yes, it is stupid! Not a sustainable way of living. Always poking your bigger neighbors until you are a big enough of a hinderance for them to come and put you down.

DannyBlack70 – That is gratifying to hear because he is one of my OCs :D He has a growing importance to the story I would say from this point onwards and although I would still classify him as a side character he has a great story to him and he has agency in this tale as a whole.

Indianboy – First of, I love the term "mumbo jumbo" :P I get where you are coming from; the Ironborn are seafaring people, who have a formidable armada in the Iron Fleet and are notorious for pirate like looting of merchant ships and their Viking like raids on the coast of Westeros, and they got humbled by the Greenlanders combined Fleet.

However, I wouldn't call the Iron Fleet the "greatest armada in the western world", it got trashed in the original Greyjoy Rebellion, as I mention in the last chapter, due to Victorian's lack of tactical awareness or glory hunting. Plus Paxter Redwyne & Lord Grafton had way more ships this time than Stannis did in the original Greyjoy Rebellion and they did a pincher move on the Iron Fleet/Victorian so there really was no escape or space for Victorian to maneuver successfully with his Fleet. They got trapped and crushed between Artys/Davos's ships and Paxter Redwyne's and Lord Grafton's.

I know it probably feels like the Ironborn just got stomped on and that is because they kind of did just get stomped on. In my opinion the Greyjoys really do not have the capacity to survive a well-coordinated war effort from the combined military/navy might of the Westerlands, the North, the Vale and the Redwyne Fleet (Which is twice the size of the Iron Fleet on its own!)

Kano547 – I love predictions! Where do you think it is going? I can't find any story just called Bitten in the G.O.T fandom?

Kenna has questioned her morality on multiple occasions - Chapter 10 (Lannisport burning threat/talk with Jasper) & Chapter 36 (discussion with Oberyn where she notes that she doesn't deserve a simple life). Kenna is under no illusion that sometimes she doesn't live up to her house words (Threatening to burn Lannisport to the ground, supplanting Robin as the leader in the Vale and drugging him despite him being a child and possibly still an Arryn and the rightful ruler, sleeping with Tywin who is not her husband, the way she took KL, denying the traitorous Vale Lords a Trial by Combat, manipulating Robb to join the defense against Dany – all these actions weren't exactly honorable).

You think that Kenna is a bigger shit than the sadistic Joffrey? Than the turncoat Roose Bolton and torturer extraordinaire Ramsey Snow? Than Tywin 'Red Wedding" Lannister? Than Cersei "let the Night King kill everyone" Lannister? Than Meryn Trant the Pedophile? Than Jaime fucking "lets push this innocent child out a window because he saw me banging my sister" Lannister … I could go on … wait let's go on! Than Stannis "lets burn my daughter for good weather" Baratheon? Than Petyr "basically started all this shit by assassinating Jon Arryn" Baelish …. *breathes* … Well I think I will take that as a compliment XD

Generally, here you have just said what you feel but you haven't explained why so there is nothing I can really work on in response to your comments, if you would like to elaborate please do so. If not thanks for reading but if you don't enjoy the story, I advise you to stop reading it.


Next Up: High tide comes for Kenna but Robb refuses to let her go while Jaime and Tywin continue the bloodshed and discuss their legacy.

If you are enjoying this story please *Toss a coin to your writer, Oh valley of readers* and review, follow and favorite!