Asha

Asha Greyjoy was seated in the long hall of Starfall drinking the Dornish red provided by Lady Allyria as she read the last letter she'd received from Pyke.

The parchment was still fresh inat her hand, and while as much as Asha wanted to crumple it and get rid of it, she could not do soit regardless of her desire to do was. She had the letter tightly rolled —, seal of hard black wax and all.

She remembered the day the maester of Starfall — a short, squat man with enormous hands — had brought it to her, a short, squat man with enormous hands. Asha had known that the letter was bad news even before she had even gazed at the button of black wax which bound it —.s She could see in it Marwyn's face. She knew that it was from Pyke the moment she had it in hand. Many a houses in Westeros rode to battle beneath black banners like the Greyjoys — along withnd then there was the Night's Watch of the Wall — but none but the Ironborn had any reason to send a letter to her:. iIt only stood to reason that the black sealing wax was from Pyke. She had known that it was poison that she held in hand, the thought of Euron and his creatures still fresh ion her mind. "I should have burned it before I had opened it," Asha thought. Instead, she had cracked the seal and read everything that had happened in Pyke whilst she had been crawling along the Dornish shores after being scattered away by Euron's storm.

She read the driedy black words again, and her black mood grew blacker still. "Dark wings, dark words," she thought.. The ravens never brought glad tidings. She recognized Theon's words easily, as he had hurriedly scrawled what he could before flying this raven to her. At least Theon had received the raven she'd sent from Starfall. It was the first thing Asha had done:, inform her father of Euron's return and her brother's death. It did nothing in the end though. This was worse than what anything she had thought might happen.; fFar, far worse.

The message spoke of the fall of Pyke, of her father's death, of the triumphant return of the King of Salt and Rock to his domains, of the deaths that Pyke had seen. Asha had believed her little brother would be the first to die should Euron come upon Pyke. Of all of Lord Balon's children, Theon had been the last born and the least recognized. How the gods must be laughing now, to leave Theon as the last of Balon's sons alive. She held the letter to the candle and watched the smoke curl up, until the last of it had been consumed and the flame was licking at her fingers.

Qarl hovered expectantly at her elbow, watching as she burned the letter. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"What I should have done earlier," Asha told him.

"Burning the letter doesn't make it all go away?"

"It doesn't," Asha said. "But it feels good all the same,." she thought. Anything that mentioneds Euron's name wais evil come all over again. Only fire could cleanse it, — if her mad uncle didoesn't corrupt the flames first.

Asha wondered what Euron might do now. She had expected him to go for Pyke, so it didn't surprise herim that he took it by force., bBut now... hHe'd styled himself as the King of Salt and Rock according to Theon's letter. It wouldn't surprise her if her uncle would send his creatures after her and Theon now. With her father and elder brothers both dead, she Theon and her Theon were the last remaining heirs of Lord Balon. She was Balon's daughter, and her claim was stronger than her uncle's. So long as she dreawsw breath she'lld remain a danger to him.: sShe wouilld be killed the moment she was seen. Whether the Crow's Eye would bother himself with by sparing any effort to search for her or her brother, Asha could non't say. She thought not.; bBy now her uncle would have gathered athe Kingsmoot and turned them all the lords toward him. Not many of those oin the Iron Islands dared to cross Euron Greyjoy, and those who weare brave enough wouilld be bought offfor or erased from existence —. Uher uncle had a sweet flair forof doing it.

She wondered if he would send someone off searching for her here in Starfall, should he come to know that she was here.. The time was ripe for it as well. — tTo stage an attack on the mainland with the wolf and the dragon tearing the realm apart. Others may think twice of crossing Rhaegar Targaryen, but Asha knew her uncle better. Euron Greyjoy had never feared the molten ruin that was Valyria, and one more Vvalyrian dDragonlord would not deter him in any way.

"If Pyke and your father has fallen, the Iiron Iislands will soon follow Euron. Then it will be our turn;. hHe will not have forgotten you."

"Not for a while yet. My uncle will have other better things to do than come chasing after me."

"

If my father still lived, the Iironborn would never have fallen onto the unsuspecting greenlands," Asha thought miserably.. Balon Greyjoy had known that the rebellion was the key to winwinning his own crown. Her uncle knewows that as well,. bBut Euron hads no interest in her father's plans. He wais in it for more than just a crown. There was no one left on Pyke to appeal to, or anyone to run to get for help in fighting her uncle.

"Without Pyke we stand alone," Tris Botley insisted.

"We should go to Iron Islands and join the fight against Euron with anyone brave enough to stand against him," urged Quenton Greyjoy, a distant cousin and captain of the Salty Wench.

"Aye," said Dagon Greyjoy, a cousin still more distant. Dagon the Drunkard, men called him, but drunk or sober he loved to fight. "We will go down in history and feast in the halls of the Drowned God."

"Who is there to oppose Euron?" Tris said. "I don't even think anyone from Lordsport would follow me against Euron, even though I am their rightful Llord."

"The Reader is your uncle, my lady," Qarl reminded. "Maybe he would lendt us his support.""

He would, of that there was no doubt. However, Asha failed to see how that wouldmight change anything. The Harlaws were ancient and powerful, and there were other Harlaws who rode with Euron before he was sent away by her lLord father. As much as her uncle loveds her, the Reader wouilld not have the Harlaws fighting each other for the sake of a feuding uncle and niece.

Two of Starfall's serving men brought forth the roast, but the letter had taken Asha's appetite up in smoke with it. "My men have given up all hope of victory," she realized glumly. "All they look for now is a good death." Euron Greyjoy would give them that, she had no doubt,. sShould they go searching for him oin the seas.

The sun was sinking behind the tall olives of the woods that surroundinged the mound upon which Starfall sat. Asha climbed the wooden steps to the bedchamber that lLady Allyria had graciously given her when she allowed sheher and her men to stay after hearing her plight. She had drunk too much wine and her head was pounding. Asha Greyjoy loved her men, — captains and crew alike, — but half of them were fools. Brave fools, but fools, nonetheless. "Go and fight the Crow's Eye;, yes, as if we could ,..." she thought morosely.

Long leagues of salt-water lay

bBetween Starfall and Pyke, lay long leagues of salt water and once they were past thoseat there were more of Euron's creatures than she cared to contemplate. Asha had five longships and not quite two hundred men ... —including Tristifer Botley, who could not be relied on. For all his talk of love, she could not imagine Tris rushing off to Pyke to die with her.

Asha threw the windows open, and the cold air hit her right ion the face. The sea was close — and she could set sail for Pyke if she wanted —. bBut there was nothing left for her there. Despite being closer to the coast, the air smelled of trees instead of salt. The muddy red mountains stood all in silence, whilst the Torrentine roared it's defiance around the castle. This was the castle which saw the murder of the great Northern King and his Queen. "And now their son is back from the dead to claim his crown, not so different from the Crow's Eye," she thought.. Asha wondered how Rhaegar Tagaryen would react if he knewows that he hadds another King contestnding his rule in his Kingdom.

Starfall's bright white walls sat atop a strong, crude hill with a flattened top, crowned by the beautiful castle with its tall, straight towers and bright walls. The bailey, with its stables, paddock, smithy, well, and sheepfold were all situated within the walls,. aAnd the walls were defended by watchtowers along withnd iron and steel gates. The outer defenses were designed entirely by nature or the gGods, as the people ofin Starfall said. The hill was encircled by the raging waters of the Torrentine. Even the most experienced of her captains and sailors were taken aback by the fury of the white waters of the Torrentine. The only way to the castle following the contours of the land was through the land bridge , which was protected by a gatehouse and the twin towers of fifty feet each flanking it on either side.

It was an old castle, and a strong one. She could be safe here should she hide here. Asha Greyjoy did not intend to hide and live the rest of her life under shadows though. If she should die, she would die as she had lived,: with an axe in her hand and a laugh upon her lips. Her lord father had given her brother thirty longships foron their voyage. Four remained, counting her own Black Wind, and one of those belonged to Tris Botley, who had joined her after Euron's Ssilence sent the others to the depths of the ocean. Others sailed home to paydo homage to their king,. aAnd she had fled. The memory still shamed her.

"I cannot go home," she thought, "but I dare not stay here much longer." The quiet of the woods and the booming waters of the river unnerved her. Asha had spent her life on islands and on ships:. tThe sea was never silent. The sound of the waves washing against a rocky shore was in her blood, but the waves of Torrentine wereas a different thing entirely.

She turned away from the window, away from the woods. "I need a deck beneath my feet again. Or failing that, some food in my belly,." she thought. She'd had too much wine tonight, but too little bread and none of that great bloody roast.

She padded down the keep's marble stairs, her boots making a soft sound against the marble.

She was looking at the waters of the Torrentine flowing into the Sea of Dorne from a hallway that joined two towers of when Lady Dayne stepped in beside her, dressed in a lilac satin gown. "Lady Greyjoy,."" she began.

"Lady Dayne."

"I saw you haunting my halls from my tower."

"You must have seen a different ghost then," Asha replied. "I was told there are no lack offor ghosts here?"

"You were told wrong," Allyria Dayne said. "It's nothing more than the rustle of leaves in the moonlight. We need to talk."

"Talk?" She sighed. "I could think of a few concerns reasons that you might'd wantlike to talk with me. I know we've overstayed our welcome and it' is time for us to go., bBut..".…""

"'It's not about that.." Allyria Dayne leaned over the marble rail of the hallway. "When I let you and your men into Starfall I said you weare welcome here as long as you needed it,. aAnd I meant it."

"I know," Asha said. "Still, I should return home to Pyke,. Return home back to my family." "Or what was left of it," she left unsaid..

"And do what? Die fighting your uncle?" Asha looked at the Lady of Starfall. "Starfall is the only thing holding back your uncle from having your head. If you return to Pyke, the Iironmen will kill you all —, you know that."

"The Iironmen are sworn to my father. They would never harm me,." Asha lied.

"You know that to be as big of a lie soas do I do."

"What would you do?" Asha asked bluntly. "Would you run and hide away from the man who murdered your family?"

"I did exactly that," Allyria said. "That kept me alive though. I lived long enough to see Rhaegar Targaryen's kingdom crumble around him."

She could hardly deny that. When Eddard Stark and Ashara Dayne had been murdered, Starfall had submitted to Rhaegar Targaryen much like the rest of the Kingdoms did,. aAnd so the castle survived was saved from the dDragon's wrath. Now the signs of defiance flew over the towers of the castle with the return of the Born King. It seemed tThe gods sure liked to play with the lives of men, always turning the wheels one way or another. Maybe they would be kind enough to grant onea turn for her as well.

"You want me to hide here?"

"That's for you to decide," said Allyria Dayne. "You have your ship. You can sail away if you want, and make new lives upon the sea."

"As a pirate?" The thought was almost tempting. Let Euron have his Sseastone Cchair, and the wolf and dragon fight for their Iron Throne. She could rule the open sea.

"Or as a trader," she suggested.

That would be good as well. She could voyage east as the Crow's Eye had done,did and come back with silks and spices. One voyage to the Jade Sea and they'dll be as rich as gods. "I can have a manse in Oldtown or one of the Free Cities and live away the rest of my life with Qarl," she privately fantasized..

"I wish I could do that. I am still the kraken's daughter. My place is oin the isles. My best course may still be to return to Pyke . There are those on Harlaw who would welcome my return —. oOn Pyke as well. I could find my brother and uncles, raise the isles against Euron,." None of her uncles had any love left between them and the Crow's Eye.

"Even if you found your uncles, what wouilld you do?" Lady Allyria said. "Try to fight…-" she broke off suddenly. Asha looked at her face, listening. "That's a warhorn,." tThey both said at once. Her first thought was of her uncle. Could Euron Greyjoy have come all this way to kill his wayward niece?

Dawn was already creeping from the east, and the dark red blooms of dragon's breath surrounded the castle of Starfall. "It must be, Ser Garrison, returning back from his patrol."

"The Drowned God loves me after all. Here I was wondering what to do, and he has sent me foes to fight,." Asha ran her finger along the hilt of her knife. "The battle's come to us."

She was trotting along withside the Lady of Starfall by the time she reached the castle bailey. The gates were open, and Ser Garrison pushed down a man rolled boundup tightly with ropes from the back of his horse. His armour was smeared with dirt and blood. He had come fresh from a fight, she could see.

Two of the guards from Ser Garrison's party pulled the bleeding man to his knees in front of Lady Allyria. "We came across them at a few leagues west of here, my lady," Ser Garrison explained to Lady Allyria. "All armed with swords, and spears, and bows, but flying no banners. Some even spoke in strange tongues of the east. Bloody bastards shot Wat as we were approaching them."

"How many?" Allyria Dayne asked. "Twenty- five," Ser Garrison gave a hard swat at the back of the dying man's head, "including this one. We killed all of them and took this one alive to question him."

"Who are you?" Allyria Dayne asked the wounded man.

The man kept silent until Ser Garrison hit him square on the nose with his mailed fist, breaking it bloody. That brought forth an answer.

"A guide, only a guide."

"What were you doing in my lands?" Allyria continued. "Who were those men you were leading?"

When he did not answer, Lady Dayne looked to the captain of her guards, and just the sight of blood and brain crusted on the knight's steel made his strength falter. "We were scouting, that all be all, m'y lady," the wounded man pleaded. "We were just scouting."

"Are there any more of you hiding?"

"It was just us five."

Asha looked into his eyes. She saw the falsehood there and leaned towards Lady Allyria. "He is lying," she informed the Lady of Starfall.

Lady Allyria looked at her knight. "How many more? " Sshe asked again. "Tell me, or I'll have my men make your dying last for days."

To make good on her threat, Ser Garrison placed his armored boot on the deep gash at his side. "Many," he finally sobbed, between screams. "Thousands. Three thousand, four ... tThat's the truth ... please ..."

Lady Allyria stopped Ser Garrison with a hand on his. "Take this man away and put him in irons," she instructed. "I want all the men who areis strong enough to fight on the walls, prepared to defend the castle."

The knight nodded and pulled the man up to his feet before leading him to the dungeons.

By then most of the castle had gathered in the yard including Asha's men. "I don't think this is my uncle's work," Asha informed. "These scouts must have been sent ahead to screen for the main attack."

Lady Allyria nodded.

Starfall's bailey was soon full of frightened people. The soldiers were struggling into armor or climbing up onto the wall-walks. The castlefolk- folk looked on with fearful faces, whispering to one another. The steward and maester soon arrived in the yard as Ser Garrison and the master at arms of Starfall were shouting at their men to prepare the defensces of the castle.

Asha stood beside Lady Allyria and the maester on the wall-walk watching for any movement across the drawbridge. Her own men had stood beside her, all dressed for battle. There was nothing to be seen for a long time. The marble walls of Starfall bristled with archers, and spearmen, and hundreds of swordsmen alike, all waiting to face the foe that might soon come upon them.

"There, captain," said the guard on the watchtower, as the sun was rising high in the sky. For a minute Asha saw only trees and bushes and rocks and hills and the red mountains beyond. Then she saw them as the sunlight winked off the tips of their spears and swords, creeping toward the castle from the seashore.

"

We cannot fight so many," Asha knew at once. There were too many even for Starfall's two thousand strong garrison to make a battle.

Ranks and ranks of men in leather vests and spiked helms, armed with spears and round shields marched against them. The cloud of dust they kicked up beneath their boots covered the entire hills behind them. One look at them was enough to tell Asha that this was no mere army —, not with the way they moved forthward as one —. aAnd the commanders who led them were all mounted on horses. It was the banners they flew which caught her eye, the three- headed dragon, blood on smoke soaring marvelously from the tips of a thousand pikes.

The Drowned God sure liked to torment her in more ways than one. She had escaped from the Crow's Eye only to come upon the dragon's gaze.

She wondered who was in command of her foes. "If he was any good, they would have put my longships to the torch which were docked in the port before attacking Starfall," she thought.. There was no escape from here like there was with Euron. By now these men would have taken the port and the ships there.

"My lady," Tris Botley said. "We shouldn't stay here."

"And go where?" Asha asked him. "Do those faces look like they'll treat you well if you tell them you are not a part of this war?"

Someone from the walls blew a long, rumbling boom of his war horn, signalling the castle-folk about the impending doom. From below came shouting, the clatter of spear and sword, the whinnying of horses.

The great army marched straight up the the river and stopped when they saw the raised drawbridge.

"There's no way they are getting past the river," Asha announced.

"They don't intend to.", Qarl the Maid pointed out toward the great siege weapons that rolled down the plains behind the men. "They caome prepared for a siege."

That was worrisome. She did not know how the stores of Starfall stood. Asha didn't think they were empty, as Lady Allyria had been rather generous to her and her men,. bBut now with more mouths to feed within the castle and a siege to resist, she didn't think how long they could sustain them.

Lady Allyria turned away and headed for the stairway. Asha followed. "What are you going to do now?"

Allyria Dayne shrugged. "Defend the castle no matter what." She stopped in the bailey and turned to face Asha. "I will not let Rhaegar taint my home once again with the dragon's mercy." The Lady of Starfall took her hands in hers. "Help me defend the castle, my lady, and I shall not forget that help. We have much need of you, and your men, and your steel — now more than ever. Help me save my home, and I shall help you claim yours."

Her surprise must have shown on her face as Allyria Dayne continued. "Help me defend my home, and when this war is over, I will tell my nephew of your plight. When he hears of how you helped defend his mother's home, he will no doubt return that aid in kind. Andrew is his mother's son.: yYou will return to Pyke not with a mere hundred men, but with the King of the Seven Kingdoms sailing beside you., aAnd then vengeance will be yours."

That was a sound plan. They ought had to survive this war though. "How do you know your nephew will win this war?"

Lady Allyria chuckled. "You wouldn't have stayed here if you didn't believe that."

Asha looked back and found Qarl the Maid waiting with her war-helm, and her throwing axes. She had a bad feeling in her belly. Would she ever feel Black Wind's deck beneath her feet again? And if she did, where would she sail her? "The isles are closed to me, unless I mean to bend my knees and bare my neck to myher uncle's blade, and no port in Westeros is likely to welcome the kraken'' s daughter.," she thought. She could turn merchanter, as Tris seemed to want, or else make for the Stepstones and join the pirates there.

Or ... Sshe could do what Allyria Dayne asked of her,. aAnd when this war iwas over, she might have a better chance of having her vengeance. They said that the Born King was born by the grace of the gods when they kissed his rRoyal mother's womb. Maybe the best way to defeat the demon that was Euron wais to find a god strong enough to defeat him, and she may very well have found one now. Or at least one who iwas praised to have descended from one. This was her best option — and this maybe her only option.