Asha

They crossed the Sea of Dorne in two long weeks and the better part of another one, never stopping anywhere in fear that the pirates of Euron come chasing after them. It was a lonely time for Asha, having lost her brother and almost all of her friends. Of those close to her only her crew remained, even at that she had lost Erik and Loren and Darkon and Fenris in the fight against Euron's creatures. The rest of her crew and companions were all that's left for her from the twenty five strong ships who had accompanied the start of the voyage.

Asha missed her brother most of them all. Rodrik Greyjoy had been a good brother as much as a brother could be. He helped her face her fears, taught her to swim, put the axes in her hands when she finally let go of her mother's hand and saved her life from a certain death even though it cost him his life. She never knew how Euron managed to find them there at the right time. Someone must have told them that they were there, otherwise how could the Crow's Eye have known that they were taking that route the very same day he returned back from his voyages in the east.

She missed her family too, more than she ever would have thought. Asha had never thought that she would come to miss them ever in her life. But in that moment she did miss them. She was Lord Balon's daughter as much as she was the captain of her ship. She had to alert them of the return of Euron Greyjoy. Asha didn't know why her uncle had come back from the east now, but she knew that it was not for anything good.

The cost of his return had already been dear. Rodrik dead, half the ships who had come with them destroyed with all their crews dead, while the other half is captured. Her lord father had given her twenty five longships to accompany her in the voyage. Two remained, counting her own Black Wind, and the Salty Wench which belonged to Quentyn Greyjoy, who had joined her when all the other men were dying or fleeing to take Euron's side. No. That is not just. They were just saving their skin. If anyone fled, it was me. The memory still shamed her. The Black Wind and Salty Wench had been the only ones to escape the clutches of her uncle that day. Even still the damage had been done. Her men had fallen in the fight as well, friends and companions and confidants who had been with her for many long years.

She was more than glad to have escaped unscathed with most of her crew. Still she hoped at times that she should have died with her brother fighting alongside him. If Rodrik had not pushed her off his ship at the last instant, she would have done that after all. Another dead kraken in the waters without much use to anyone.

She said as much to Qarl the Maid that night, as they ran away from Silence. "Be careful what you pray for, my lady," he replied. "You might just get your wish fulfilled. If your uncle doesn't care a fig about your brother, then he would care even lesser about you."

"Or I might finally put him down for what he did to my brother," Asha said "Euron Greyjoy is a man as well, and I have killed a lot of men in my life."

"Is that what your uncle is? A man?" Qarl grimaced, his smooth cheeks shining in the light of the torch. On the isles he was known as Qarl the Maid, in part to distinguish him from Qarl Shepherd, Queer Qarl Kenning, Qarl Quickaxe, and Qarl the Thrall, but more for his smooth cheeks. When Asha had first met him, Qarl had been trying to raise a beard. "Peach fuzz," she had called it, laughing. Qarl confessed that he had never seen a peach, so she told him he must join her on her next voyage south.

She brought him to the Arbor, where the peaches were always the best to be had. "You see," she'd said, the first time she'd held one up against Qarl's cheek. When she made him try a bite, the juice ran down his chin, and she had to kiss it clean.

That night they'd spent devouring peaches and each other, and by the time daylight returned Asha was sated and sticky and as happy as she'd ever been. Was that six years ago, or seven? It had been three years since Asha last enjoyed a peach. She still enjoyed Qarl, though. Qarl wanted her for what she was, not what he wanted her to be.

Asha had known other lovers in her life; some shared her bed for half a year, some for half a night. Qarl pleased her more than all the rest together. He might shave but once a fortnight, but a shaggy beard does not make a man. She liked the feel of his smooth, soft skin beneath her fingers. She liked the way his long, straight hair brushed against his shoulders. He had a swimmer's body like her own, long and lean, with not a scar upon him.

A shy smile, strong arms, clever fingers, and two sure swords. What more could any woman want? She would have married Qarl, and gladly, but she was Lord Balon's daughter and he was common-born, the grandson of a thrall. That had put an end to her dreams of wedding, but it had not stopped the bedding though.

"A man would not have done what he did to your brother, my lady," Qarl said. "Euron Greyjoy is as mad as only the worst of the beings could get. The gods hate and curse kinslayers. Yet it didn't stop your uncle from killing your brother."

Poison, thought Asha. Yes. The Crow's Eye was like a poison. Quick or slow, it made no matter. In the end it always kills. This is poison that I am supposed to face now, she thought. I should alert my father of this poison.

The air was moist and warm and dead calm that day, and the Black Wind was adrift upon a deep blue sea far beyond the sight of land. They had sailed upon the morning tide as the gulls started flying overhead. The drowned god was good to them and the sea was calm like most days. Even with good winds, the crossing of a Summer Sea took a long time than she had known before. It's all because of nuncle Euron, Asha thought. "We ought to find some land soon," Dywen was heard to say. The Ironborn lived and thrived on the sea like no one else did, yet even they were getting tired of the spray of sea water and the smell of salt in the air.

They are just tired of the fighting and the news of Euron coming back to Westeros, Asha told herself. Once we have gotten some food and water and make our way back to our home, they will be good.

"Keep a close watch on the shore," Asha told her men. "If you see any place where we can land, you bring it up to me."

"We are on the middle of nowhere," Quentyn Greyjoy replied. "There are no lands to be had here. We should continue on our way to the Iron Isles to join the fight against the Crow's Eye."

"Aye," said Dagon Greyjoy. Dagon the Drunkard, men called him, but drunk or sober he loved to fight. "We should make Euron pay for what he did ourselves. Why should the others have all the glory which should belong to us?"

Asha had heard enough. "We will not reach the Iron Islands alive to fight my uncle if we don't find some food and water soon. So do what you are supposed to do first."

Asha Greyjoy loved her men, captains and crew alike, but half of them were fools. Brave fools, but fools nonetheless. Go to the Iron Islands, yes, as if we could …

Between the Black Wind and Pyke lay long leagues and vast spaces of open waters. And there might be more of Euron's creatures than she cared to contemplate. Asha had two longships and not quite one hundred men… For all the talks of glory, she could only imagine rushing off to Pyke will get them a glorified death and that was what most of her men wanted.

Asha herself might have wanted that once, but she had to live now and right all the things which were wronged by her uncle.

The crossing was uneventful for the rest of the day. At dusk they spied a galley in the distance, her oars rising and falling against the evening stars, but she was moving away from them, and soon dwindled and was gone. Asha played a game of dice with Qarl and Hagen, and another one with Dagon and Quentyn, and somehow managed to lose both. The others were kind enough to not rub salt in the open wound, but Qarl mocked her. "You should learn much and more about dicing, captain. Try to play when you have learned it sometime or else you might get stripped of all your wealth."

"I know how to dice, beardless boy." She wanted to slap the smile off his face. Or kiss it off, perhaps. The man was as smug as he was comely. "It is just a game."

The next day, as they were crossing the Summer Sea the worst news a captain could ever receive reached her ears. Hagen came to her with it, bringing the news that their provisions were running dry. They had been running with the supplies they had taken from the Tyrosh harbour. She knew sooner or later they would run out of the supplies, but Asha had hoped that they would have enough to at least make it to Oldtown.

Asha looked despairingly at the haze that marked the distant shoreline. They would have to stop somewhere soon, she knew, or risk dying of starvation and thirst. A week ago the last barrels of wine had run out and three days past the last barrels of water had run dry. They cannot keep going on like that. She would have to find a way to make a quick stop, get some food and water and then continue on to Pyke.

Asha climbed upon the prow of her ship and looked for something she could make use of. Far off to the north, a haze was visible low on the horizon. The coast of Dorne, she knew. Sand and rocks and scorpions, and no good anchorage anywhere as far as she could see. Even if she made it there, she did not think there was something that would be of use to her. It was rather good to walk to Oldtown than hoping to find anything there. All she will have to do is to cross the deep desert and climb some mountains and swim the Torentine.

Then she remembered, the dark and dismal place where a King had fallen and a kingdom with it. The halls of the gods and a place so ancient and washed with blood. She has heard the tales everytime she crossed it on her voyages. It might have terrified others, but Asha was not afraid of ghosts or men for that matter.

It was then she gave the command to turn their way towards the shore just as the mountains started to dotted the shorelines, baked red in the dornish sun. "We will make a quick stop here to get some food and water before continuing onwards to the Iron Isles," Asha told her crew and there was no objections to that.

As the Black Wind slowly made her way through the wedge towards the mouth of the Torentine, Asha looked behind with a looking glass to make sure no one was creeping up behind them. With a good brisk wind behind them, the Black Wind could outrun any galley, though here caught in between land and a ship she couldn't do much. Though the narrow strip of water leading to the Torentine offered plenty of places to hide.

Wind and wave had the Black Wind hard in hand now, driving her swiftly toward the land. Her double bank of oars stroked smoothly, lashing the sea to white foam as the shadows of the mountains fell around them. Standing alone at the prow, Asha could taste salt where the spray had touched her face. She heard the river before she saw it. The sound was as huge as the river itself was, a terrible and mighty roar, so loud it drowned out even the voice of her crew and the crash of the waves against those pine-clad ridges. A thousand seabirds took to the air at once.

She had to look straight up to see the Torentine rushing forth like a rougue wave. A small port scrawled neatly beside the mouth of the Torentine where the clear blue waters came rushing into the sea like a watery breath of the sea dragon Nagga, with a mighty roar that accompanied it.

The harbor was clearly visible as they closed further, a tangle of piers and quays crowded with galleys and trading cogs with painted hulls, carracks and big-bellied whalers out of Ibben, and more skiffs than one could count.

"Our stop is here," Asha told her men. "Gather your belongings. Lower the sails. We are going ashore. We will make a quick stop, and get some supplies to stock up for the journey. Half the men come with me ashore and the others stay here with the ships."

Ashore. The word still felt queer on her mouth. She had crossed the narrow sea and the sea of Dorne to get here, but she would rather stay aboard the Black Wind rather than going ashore. But she had to, else all her men will die.

Guards armoured in silvered plate wearing swords and cloaked in lilac cloaks guarded the harbour and walked the docks. Asha frowned as she saw them. She didn't know how the knights of Starfall would receive Ironborn to their lands at times like these, especially when the King in the North was the son of Starfall fighting the Dragon and its allies. Though Lord Balon had not declared for either side, the Daynes have no reason to believe some battered and beaten Ironborn. Asha herself wouldn't believe if someone crept upon her doors like this.

She climbed down from the deck of her ship onto the wooden dock.

"No closer!" a voice rang out. "The port is closed. What do you want?"

"It's alright," Asha said stopping with her men as the two knights crossed their path. The captain spurred his horse onward, lifting the visor of his helm. His companion held a tall spear from which the banner of House Dayne fluttered in the wind. "We come unarmed." Asha said, holding her hand up away from her axes.

"You," the man who held the banner called out to her when they were only a few feet from her and her men. "Who are you? What is your business here in Starfall."

"I am Asha Greyjoy," Asha told them. "Lord Balon Greyjoy's daughter. We were attacked by pirates on our way back to the Iron Isles. We need your help."

There was no reply. The two knights looked at each other, silently discussing whether to admit them into their lands or to cut them down where they stand. It makes no matter. A death in glory is what her men hoped for and she would only be giving them what they wanted.

"You," the first knight pointed to her. "You can come with only one companion. The rest of them can stay here."

Asha didn't want to go with them alone. At least this is better than going alone. "Qarl," she said, "come with me. The rest of you stay here."

They gave horses for her and Qarl, and led them towards the castle. "Who is ruling in Starfall, ser?" Asha asked the knight.

"Lady Allyria rules in Lord Edric's place in the King's name." He did not say which king though. "No one should be allowed within the castle. Lady Allyria's orders. But I think she will want to meet you. And you all look like you're back from the seven hells."

Perhaps we did, Asha thought. Not many would come to face against Euron Crow's Eye and live to tell the tale.

Their party kept a more sedate pace as they rode to Starfall with an armed escort of twenty mounted men wearing purple cloaks and flying the banners of House Dayne. Asha found herself riding beside Qarl the Maid, remembering the tales that were said of this lands and the castle of Starfall. "Tell me what you know of this Starfall," she commanded him in a silent tone.

"Nothing much," Qarl said. "Only things I've heard from others in drunken talks and tales."

"Then tell me what you've heard of him from others."

"That this war between the wolf and the dragon started here. That the castle is a place of grief and sorrow where the ghost of the Queen in the North can be still heard mourning for her dead husband and son."

"Only that her son never died at all." Could Andrew Stark have been pretending to be dead for all these years? Only to come back from the death to bring more death and destruction. The thought made Asha uneasy. Fighting men was not new to her, but ghosts were entirely different. "Do you believe in ghosts, Qarl?"

"Can't say that I have, captain. But with all the things that's happening now, you don't know what to believe anymore."

When she reached Starfall perhaps she could send a raven to Pyke to warn them of Euron Greyjoy's return. Asha had to do it or else risk her father be surprised the same way Euron surprised her. Should she get word to her father in advance and tell him of what happened, perhaps then he could have his hosts massed, and then meet her uncle with a powerful force. One word from Asha and her family might be safe. She had to get the word sent to Pyke though.

By evenfall they came to the island upon which Starfall loomed up before them, its white marble walls shining against the pale blue of the sky like a bright star, so bright that it shone in the light of the day. From the cone shaped roofs of the circular, octogonal towers at the castle's corners flew the banners of House Dayne; the sword and falling star, upon a lavender field. But it was the other banner which caught her eye. The highest tower flew a different banner. Though it was so high up in the air, nestling amidst the clouds that she could not make out the device it bore. She did not have to wait too long to know which banner was that. The banner of House Stark streamed atop the great central keep, a long white standard emblazoned with the direwolf of Stark.

So this is the King whose side you have taken, Asha thought to herself. It didn't surprise her though. Andrew Stark's royal mother had been a Dayne of Starfall. She left this world here in this very same place where she was born.

The lands around Starfall and Torentine were densely wooded, a tangle of cedars, chestnuts, and tall pines that cast deep shadows across the rushing water, hiding snags and the rotted trunks of drowned trees. At the centre of the river the island shot up sheer and rocky, and at its foot the river foamed whitely around broken boulders and tumbles of rock fallen from the cliff face.

The castle rose upon an elevated mount on the island, almost a few hundred metres from land. All around it the Torentine roared it's defiance, swirling around the mount. A narrow landbridge connected the island to the mainland they were standing upon. The bridge was largely defensible as the incoming violent waters of the Torentine stranded, drove off, or drowned would-be assailants.

"Starfall," Asha thought to herself. This is where a King and his Kingdom met it's demise.

"Not completely," the knight said. "Lift your eyes, and you will see that the direwolf still flies above our walls."

Asha looked at him, sheepishly knowing that she had spoken out loud. "Andrew Stark..." she started.

"-is our King," the man said. He took out a horn and blew it out loud. The long wide drawbridge which connected the castle with the landbridge lowered down. They crossed the wooden drawbridge whilst the Torentine raged beneath, ready to wash away anything that was unfortunate enough to fall into the torrents. Once they were inside The gates were closed again and the drawbridge was raised up. The portcullis descended with a rush, its iron spikes biting deep into the muddy ground. Asha Greyjoy was alone in the castle built by gods, which had seen both the reigns and fall of Kings.

In the stories it was said that the walls of Starfall were painted red with the blood of those who had died in the massacre, a reminder of the Dragon's mercy to those who would go against him. But Asha saw walls white as the moon, pale marble shining in the sunlight. She had never seen a castle so beautiful before in her life.

Riders had rode ahead to warn Lady Allyria of their coming, so the inner gates were open, and Lady Allyria Dayne herself came down to meet them in the yard. Beautiful and fierce, with long blonde hair the colour of honey, so pale that it almost seemed white. Lady Dayne greeted Asha with a shout of, "What are you doing here in Starfall?"

"We are not here to cause any trouble, my lady," Asha said, bowing her head respectfully. "We come in peace." It would be better if she saw Lady Asha Greyjoy now instead of the ironborn captain.

"So said those men who murdered my sister and her family in breach of all the sacred laws of hospitality."

"My men are hurt," Asha said. "We were attacked by pirates. All my men are hurt and hungry. We will die if you don't help us."

"And why should I help you?" the girl asked.

A good question indeed. "Because your sister would have done so," Asha said softly.

Lady Allyria looked at her silently for a moment. She turned around and for a moment Asha thought she was going to walk back and send them back away without any help. Allyria Dayne stopped after taking a couple of steps looked over her shoulder. "Come in, Lady Greyjoy," she said then. "The hospitality of Starfall is yours."