The castle of Pyke was an impressive construction. Ancient Pyke was originally built on a cliff jutting out into the sea, but over time the cliff had eroded, leaving the castle's keeps and towers standing on three barren islands and a dozen small stacks of rock, surrounded by water. The towers were connected by swaying rope bridges. The keep, its towers, and walls were made of the same grey-black stone of which the rest of the island is composed. In the thousands of years, the castle had stood, it had become covered with green lichen giving it an eerie feeling.
Ned, better known as Lord Eddard Stark, the Warden of the North and Lord of Winterfell, stood in the middle of the long, smoky Great Hall in the Great Keep of Pyke, his long sword in his right hand colored red from blood. The legendary Seastone Chair was facing him, located on the dais at the far end of the hall. It was made of a block of oily black stone carved into the shape of a kraken. According to the legend it was found on the shores of Old Wyk by the First Men when they came to settle on the Iron Islands thousands of years ago.
Balon Greyjoy, the Lord Reaver of Pyke, was crowned with a driftwood crown not even a few moons ago and proclaimed himself King of the Iron Islands believing that King Robert I Baratheon might not have the strong support of the other lords the way that the Targaryen kings before had after he took the throne through a rebellion himself. He especially seemed to have thought that he could defeat Robert's fleets at sea.
The Ironmen began his rebellion with the burning of the Lannister fleet at anchor and a surprise attack on Lannisport in the Westerlands led by his brother, Victarion, Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet. Afterwards followed raids and attacks on the coast of Ironman's Bay and the northern Westerlands.
Lord Stannis Baratheon, Lord of Dragonstone and the Master of Ships, had joined the royal fleet with the Redwyne fleet from the Arbor and ships from Oldtown. They had then caught and smashed the Iron Fleet under Victarion Greyjoy in the Straits of Fair Isle. Sadly, the leader of the victorious side hadn't been able to witness his great triumph that had changed the tide of the war and initiated the absolute defeat of the Ironmen. His ship, the Fury, had been rammed in the side by the Silence, the personal galley captained by Euron Greyjoy who was Balon's oldest brother. The stationary flag ship had been ripped apart in the middle. Its remnants had swiftly vanished into the depths, dragging its commander and many other brave men with it.
Aeron and Victarion, Balon's youngest brothers, had been captured after the Battle of Fair Isle. Euron himself had apparently fled like a coward from the retaliation of the Baratheons and Lannisters with his ship and crew.
The final battle had just ended on the island of Pyke, led by Robert and Ned. The nearby Botley castle had been swiftly destroyed, together with the town of Lordsport beneath it, before the main attack on the castle of Pyke had been launched. The royal forces had assaulted the southern wall with siege engines, shattering the main watchtower and bringing parts of the surrounding wall down. Thoros of Myr, a Red Priest, had been the first through the breach wielding a sword coated in wildfire.
By now, all islands except the far-off archipelago around Lonely Light were already occupied by the mainlanders.
Balon Greyjoy now stood alone before King Robert I Baratheon, flanked by two of his Kingsguard, Ser Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer, and Ser Mandon Moore, clothed in their white armor with white cloaks.
Balon was thin and gaunt with a hard face. He had black eyes with long grey hair flecked with white that hangs past the small of his back. Even before his impending doom he did not seem to cower.
King Robert on the other side had the classical Baratheon look: black hair and bright blue eyes. He was a very tall man; Ned estimated his height to be around six and a half feet. He was strong and powerful, how a king should look. He slightly leaned on his trusted giant war hammer that once smashed into Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and won him the Iron Throne.
It was clear for all people in the Great Hall, under them Ned and other main contributors of the campaign like Lord Paxter Redwyne and Lord Jason Mallister that this was the end of Balon's short reign. The remaining young Greyjoy children Theon and Asha were held by tightly by a few men on the side. The dark-haired children looked frightened and had tears in their eyes. Their sibllings, Rodrik and Maron Greyjoy were dead. Rodrik had been slain in the Riverlands, Maron crushed by a collapsing tower just hours before.
They shouldn't be here, Ned thought. This situation reminded him too much of the Throne Room of King's Landing. The bodies of Elia, Rhaenys and Aegon wrapped in red cloth were destined to never leave his nightmares.
"You cannot name me traitor, stag!" Balon spoke with a proud face. "I never swore fealty to you, someone who took his crown through war as well."
Ned hated him.
So much lives lost, for nothing…
Robert let out a crackling laugh.
Stannis' death is affecting him quiet a lot.
The brothers had never been very close from what he remembered, but they were brothers, nonetheless.
Now's not the time for revenge, but for reconciliation.
"Ha! Don't take me for a fool, squid," Robert boomed. "Kingslayer!"
Ser Jaime Lannister's seemingly always present smirk vanished. "Your Grace?"
The member of the Kingsguard was a tall, handsome man, with curled hair the color of beaten gold and flashing cat-green eyes. His originally white mantle was spotted with red flecks of blood.
A murderer, stabbing the King he had sworn to protect in the back. That was Ned's impression of the man.
"It is time to prove how you earned your name," Robert said. "Another king for your collection. Defenseless, how you want it, no?"
All of a sudden Balon paled and went on his knees. "Your Grace! I may have spoken hastily…"
"Father!" Asha and Theon screamed with tears in their eyes from the side.
A few struggles and the blade of the now double Kingslayer falling later, the Greyjoy Rebellion of 289 AC was over. The two children continued to wail until they were dragged out.
Ned wasn't quite sure what to think. Balon Greyjoy as a traitor deserved his death. However, Asha and Theon shouldn't have seen their father killed. They were just innocent children.
At least they are still alive, unlike Rhaenys and Aegon…
"Your Grace, what is now to be done with the Iron Islands?" Lord Jason Mallister asked who stood to Ned's left. "Young Theon here is Balon's last remaining son. Is he the new Lord of the Isles?"
Lord Jason was a tall and lean man with brown hair and fierce blue-grey eyes. He had a gaunt, chiseled face with high cheekbones. He looked exhausted. The storming of the castle with its different islets had lasted for hours after all. Ned respected Jason for he was known for his courtesy and his honor.
Balon's oldest son Rodrik Greyjoy had been slain by Lord Jason during the storming of Seagard, the keep of House Mallister. Seagard was also located at the coast of Ironman's Bay, close to the Isles. The man had a vested interest in their future.
Robert surprisingly made a thoughtful face. After almost a half a minute he suddenly looked up and smiled at Ned. "Ned, you know what? I think it is time to reward you, as my best friend and brother in all but blood! I lost Stannis, I don't want to lose you, too. I know we had our differences, but this war showed me how much I missed you."
Ned was intrigued like most of the present nobles. What kind of idea did Robert have now? He had a foreboding feeling and the fingers on his sword tightened their grip.
"Ahem… by my right as King of the Seven Kingdoms, Protector of the Realm and you know it all…," Robert boomed for all to here. "I hereby declare that the House Greyjoy has lost their right to govern these rocks. The new Lord of Pyke and the Iron Islands shall be Lord Eddard Starks naturalborn son, Jon – that's his name, isn't it, Ned?"
What?
"Robert," Ned said aghast, completely shocked. "This isn't appropriate! Jon has no connection to the Ironmen, and he's a bastard to boot. They would never accept him. He is only six too, not even close to being of age!"
Affirmative loud murmuring followed this statement from all sides.
"Ehhh… don't worry," Robert replied swiftly. "He can wed Balon's squid daughter when he's older. And then he shall take over as the Lord properly! Ha, this King of yours has thought of everything!"
Ned was silent. This was indeed an amazing opportunity for Jon. Ned did not have a plan for Jon's future himself in mind yet. A second Lord Paramount of Stark blood also opened many possibilities for the North. An end of all or at least most Ironmen raids would additionally be without a doubt a great boon for all of Westeros.
"He shall take a new name for himself and his new House," Robert decreed
Robert's actions clearly showed that he didn't know, but Ned couldn't help but get nervous. If Jon left for Pyke, he couldn't protect him anymore.
I can't tell either of them, he resolved. It could be this war all over again.
"Until the power turnover regency should be taken over by someone competent. The sanest Lord alive on these islands, is there even someone like that?" Robert asked with loud laughter which was mirrored by many men in the hall. The war had left behind a deep hatred between the Ironmen and the people of the mainland.
After some debate, it was decided that Lord Rodrik Harlaw should be the one to govern the Iron Islands temporarily. The Maester of Pyke, Qualen, said that Lord Rodrik had unsuccessfully attempted to dissuade Balon from rebelling. Rodrik's sister Alannys was also wed to Lord Balon Greyjoy making him the uncle of the future Lady of the Irons Islands, Asha Greyjoy, for which he would be responsible. Additionally, a loyal servant to the crown would oversee the Iron Islands.
Ned offered to take Theon Greyjoy as a ward. Maybe Jon could befriend the mourning boy and learn from him about the Iron Islands and their culture to be better prepared for his future role. Theon would then be sent to take the Black when Jon received his Lordship.