THE YOUNG KRAKEN
He and Urri had been in Tyrion's chamber, talking of all that occurred on this night-that daring escape and sinister plotting-and all three had been in agreement that it was a shame they could not bear their arms when Lord Tully's men came for them. The men had been polite but firm, and so Aeron and Urri had been trundled off by them.
The walk to the Hall of a Hundred Hearths had been silent and off-putting. Urri kept glancing at Aeron in concern, something that made Aeron's heart quail within him, despite knowing that this could be nothing too terrible. We are their guests, he reminded himself. We have broken their bread. They will treat us well. They must. He found himself humming one of Mother's songs to himself. 'I sing to you the fourth charm, if you be assailed on the road, your foes' hearts shall fail them, and they shall to peace be turned…'
"I tell you," came Victarion's booming voice, "I must know why you've called me here."
"Patience, Master Greyjoy," said Hoster Tully. "I'd like your brothers here as well." The Lord of the Riverlands turned as they approached. "Ahh, here they are." A light smile touched the old man's face. "Urrigon and Aeron Greyjoy. So good to see the both of you." Aeron saw their elder brother standing there, among a handful of Tully guards. Victarion was scowling, more than usual.
Urri managed a swift bow, and Aeron followed his example. "Lord Tully."
Aeron saw Tully's daughter and her husband standing in the corner, both looking discomforted. "Lady Tully," he said, then realized he'd made an error. "That is… Lady Stark. And Lord Stark."
Lord Stark made a nervous nod, while his wife bit her lip and looked away. "Either name is fine," she said.
"Now, tell me again, what is your business with King Stannis?" said Lord Tully.
Victarion rolled his eyes at that. "Have I not told you a dozen times? We offer him the service of the Iron Isles against the Reach and Dorne-Father had terms, but they are all in the damned scroll. Something about the Shield Isles."
"To keep the Reach in line after the war, no doubt," said Lord Tully softly. "Quite sensible, really."
Their elder brother scowled at this. "If you say so. You are… wise in such things than myself."
"Oh, I am wise in many things, Greyjoy," said Lord Tully softly.
Aeron took a deep breath, with a growing impression that Victarion was doing their case little good. "We were also to pledge our service to the King," he said.
Urrigon nodded, and Aeron felt his love for his elder brother swell. "Yes, which we are eager to do. Praise to Good King Stannis!"
"Long may he reign!" Aeron added.
Lord Tully chuckled. "And he would be a fool to refuse such valiant and leal service. And you may rest assured, Stannis Baratheon is no fool." He sighed. "But alas, that is not true of all."
Victarion's nostrils flared. "What are you…? I have not come here to be made a fool of! I could have stayed at Pyke, and even now be sailing for the Reach."
Aeron saw that Lord Stark and his wife both flinched at that. "The Reach you say?" asked Lord Tully, turning to regard Victarion. "And not the Fair Isle?"
Victarion blinked, clearly confused. "By the Drowned God, speak sense! I told you, the Iron Isles move on the Reach!"
Lord Tully chuckled at that. "Alas, Victarion, you tell me a falsehood, though I am certain you do it unwittingly. The Iron Isles have already attacked the Fair Isle. Perhaps you have been sent as a ruse and a distraction."
Aeron felt his stomach sink. "That's impossible!" said Urri. "Father would never do something so unworthy! Send his own sons into a court with terms of peace while he plotted war!"
"I suspect you are right," said Lord Tully. "Which brings me to the saddest, grimmest news I have to tell you. It appears your eldest brother Balon has ordered the attack, which would suggest…" The old man paused, as if what he had to say was too unpleasant to consider, but Aeron knew what he meant.
Father is dead. He lived well, and long, and he stood on the edge of achieving everything he could ever want, but he died, he died, and now it is all being taken from him… "It was Euron!" Aeron shouted. "Euron has done it! It's him! He's killed him! He's done it! Euron!"
The eyes of the entire room were on him, he realized. Victarion scowled and clenched his fist. "Shut your mouth, whelp," he spat out. "Shut it or…"
Urri stared at his older brother, then put himself in front of Aeron. "Or what, Victarion?"
Victarion glared at Urrigon. "I'll not be gainsayed by a pair of stripling boys," he said. "I'm the eldest here, and that means the pair of you will…"
"Will answer my questions," said Lord Tully. "You forget who is the lord here, Victarion Greyjoy. I suggest you do not."
Victarion turned to regard the old man, his frown deepening. "You encourage my brothers in this folly?"
"I do as I wish, Victarion," said Lord Tully, "and I'll not be contradicted by a young fool, even one as tall and strong as yourself. I do not know if you've kept an eye on this company but there are quite a few taller and stronger, and they like me far better than you." He glanced at Aeron. "Now then, Aeron, my lad, what was this you say of Euron?"
Aeron froze beneath Lord Tully's eyes. 'Is this what you are?' came a voice within him, a voice that sounded like Balon. 'One who'd betray the Iron Isles to the Greenlanders?' For a moment, Aeron felt abashed but then a fury grew in him. You are not the Iron Isles, and you just betrayed me. And Urri. And Father. And when Euron… He shut his eyes, and blotted out those thoughts. "My brother Euron is a cruel man, who delights in… cruel acts," he said quietly. "I think he killed my father. So this… could happen."
Victarion scoffed at that, but Lord Tully only seemed interested. "But it is Balon who commands the Isles now, not Euron," the old man said.
Aeron nodded slowly. "Yes, but… Balon wants to see the Old Way return. Euron… Euron knows this and he goads him on, and Balon listens. They were telling Father he should fight for Aerys at first, and then Robert, when he started winning all those battles, and then Aerys again when things turned against the Stags, and then…"
Urrigon crossed his arms, and looked at Lord Tully. "Always contrary, and always insisting that something had to be done. And when Father chose what to do, well, that became the wrong thing."
"It was timid!" snapped Victarion.
"An assault on one of the largest fleets in the Seven Kingdoms was timid?" asked Lord Tully mildly. Victarion growled at that, and looked away. "So that is why you suspect your brother's hand-your father dies, conveniently, and your elder brother then sets out on a course the opposite of he'd chosen, something that Euron had been trying to make happen for some months…"
"And Balon would never have killed father," said Aeron softly. "But Euron… Euron would have." He shut his eyes. "Done it, and laughed."
"The bawling of children," grumbled Victarion. "Look, if what you say is true, Tully, then my father is dead, and Balon is Lord Reaver in his place."
Lord Tully turned to regard their brother. "Oh, he has declared himself more than that, Victarion. He calls himself 'King of the Iron Isles'."
To Aeron's surprise, Victarion smiled and chuckled at that. "Aye, that sounds like Balon. But that ends my mission, so if you please, I'll leave here on the morrow." He glared at Urri and Aeron. "With my brothers. We should be in Pyke in a few days' time."
"Where you will no doubt take up command of a ship to raze the lands of those sworn to the king I serve," said Lord Tully, a sad smile on his face.
"Aye," agreed Victarion. "Such is the fortune of war."
The old man shut his eyes and sighed. "Victarion Greyjoy, if you think you will simply be allowed to go to Pyke, then you have pease for wits." Lord Tully opened to gaze on Victarion calmly. "And to be honest, I am likely insulting pease with that assessment."
Victarion started at that for a moment. "I have guestright," he said at last.
"Granted to you by my goodsister, Lady of this heap, not by me, who is her Lord," stated Lord Tully. "And that is before I consider that you have announced your intent to injure your host and those about her." A smile played on Lord Tully's face. "And then there is the fact that I have no plan to harm you, Greyjoy. Merely to see you detained."
Victarion shifted awkwardly on his feet. "That…" He pouted, like a sulky boy. "You quibble. You quibble like a merchant."
"So I have heard," said Lord Tully. "Ser Desmond, escort this man back to his chambers, and keep a close watch on him. He will be leaving Harrenhal tomorrow, but for Riverrun, not Pyke." One of the guards nodded, and soon Victarion was surrounded by guards and taken, gently but firmly, from the hall. Lord Tully watched him go with a definite look of satisfaction.
"Well, that matter is finished," he stated. He turned to regard Aeron and Urri again. "But that does leave the question of what is to be done with you."
Aeron shivered slightly. "Oh, please, Lord Tully, Urrigon and I aren't like Victarion," he pleaded. "We're loyal to Stannis, like we said."
Urrigon nodded eagerly. "Yes. We want to do as father said, and pledge our swords to his cause."
Lord Tully smiled at them. "Sadly, without your father's ships, well, such a pledge is… less impressive." He coughed. "As pleased as His Grace doubtless would be." He shook his head. "With this present situation… I fear it would prove difficult to handle… Oh, something must be done, something must be done."
"Father," said Catelyn Stark suddenly, "Eddard and I could… guarantee them."
Lord Stark nodded. "It would be no trouble. They could serve in our household. Until things were… settled."
Hoster turned towards his daughter and goodson. "That would be helpful for a time, but you go to the North."
Eddard Stark shook his head. "After this night…" He shut his eyes. "I will stay here in the Riverlands with those of my forces that are willing to remain. I'll send Lords Dustin, Bolton and Umber back North. And a raven to Winterfell, to tell my brother to raise more troops. The North wants to see this war won, Lord Tully."
Hoster nodded. "Very well then. If the brothers Greyjoy do not object…"
"Oh, no, no, no," said Urrigon. "Thank you, Lord Stark. Thank you for your kindness."
"And Lady Stark!" added Aeron. "Thank you as well."
The pair seemed discomfited by Urri's and his gratitude, but truth be told, it seemed to Aeron they'd been discomfited for this entire discussion. Still they both adjusted to it, and nodded in response. "Very well," said Lord Tully. "The matter is settled. I am thankful to you both, for helping me with this thorny issue." He smiled. "You best go. We all need rest on this night, after all that has happened."
The Starks nodded and left, with Urri and Aeron following them. "We are thankful for this," said Urrigon quietly, after a while. "We… we are not our brothers, Lord Stark."
"I know that," said Lord Stark quietly. "You… we did what we felt we must. The pair of you seem… You should not be punished for what your kin has chosen to do." He was silent for a moment. "It is a shame about your father. There's been too much death, of late." His face tightened and Aeron remembered that he'd lost a father as well. And a brother, and no doubt a dearer one than Balon or Victarion to me, Aeron thought. The sound of a screeching door began in his head but he blotted it out.
"That which is dead does not die, Lord Stark," Aeron said suddenly.
Urrigon nodded at that. "It rises again, harder and stronger."
Lord Stark stopped, and regarded them. "Do you truly believe that?" he asked quietly.
Aeron and Urri considered that briefly. "We hope it, Lord Stark," Aeron said at last. "We hope it."
