Chapter 4 Plans…
Theon's POV
As far as I know, I've been pushing my luck and boundaries countless of times in my eventful four name days of life here in Planetos. I'm always on top, and I know I'll be sinking soon.
And sink, we did.
I've given my grandfather Quellon some plans to back up our plans. What I haven't prepared for is the Clash of the Stag and Kraken.
Plan A is to try and negotiate our independence explaining our new kingdom and how we will govern it.
Plan B is to trade all of our political prisoners to our cause of independence.
Plan C is to negotiate again and be autonomized.
Plan D is to accept all of the New King's terms and then proceed to ignore them while someone in the court is keeping an eye on King's movements.
Plan E is to completely isolate ourselves except for trade and then raise the Islands according to my taste on surviving the Long Winter.
Plan F is a mix of Plans A, B, and C.
Plan G is to make my grandfather King along with every captain in the Iron Islands, held another Kingsmoot, and name King Robert as Emperor Robert.
Plan F is what Grandfather used.
And now my father and nuncles, my lady mother with Rodrik and Maron along with Asha, are prisoners for treachery to the crown of King Robert Baratheon with most of our bannermen.
My grandfather however is about to lose his head tomorrow.
We received the news earlier when breaking fast.
Lyanna immediately tried to console me when she saw my tears even if I didn't made a sound.
The three Kingsguard are stunned and Ser Arthur Dayne tried to comfort me with more food.
Lady Betha Blacktyde swore revenge in the name of her husband and two sons, Lady Brienne Botley weeped loudly for her father, husband and only son. Lady Maria Drumm is shell-shocked while Lady Felicia Goodbrother is trying to maintain peace and calm despite the tears brimming in her eyes, Nuncle Rodrik Harlaw and his Lady Mione Harlaw immediately pledge their swords to me. Lady Rose Hoare, Lady Jeyne Humble, Lady Kianna Kenning, Lady Shae Merlyn, and Lady Yanna Sparr are already fighting among which route to take. To fight or to bend the knee?
I shouted for them to calm down, to be silent for ten minutes and think over the course of what they would think would be the best for us.
Five minutes into the silence, I wiped my tears and take a sip on my milk laced with honey.
"Call for Maester Karl, tell him I summon him here in the Great Hall Rick, if you please also trouble yourself on bringing some papers and ink with our seal that would be great." I commanded one of my sail guards and he immediately left, I then turned to Podrick.
"Bring me the master-of-arms Hiro, and our castellan Yun. As soon as possible please."
I heard his steps quickly fade away. I then grabbed an apple and play it with both of my hands.
"I have an idea my lords and ladies but it is something anyone would disagree to." I said out loud as I scan the table for their reactions.
"Your Grace." I heard three voices that belongs to Maester Karl, Hiro and Yun. I only gestured for them to sit and they did as asked.
"Nuncle Rodrik, my father and nuncle Victarion are successful in capturing Princess Elia and her children but nuncles Euron and Aeron are not. Please capture Queen Rhaella and her children for me. Bring a skilled midwife with you and use one of our new models of tornado catamaran ships to Dragonstone and capture them along with Ser Willem Darry." I stated then drink some more milk.
"As for me, I will need to negotiate to save my grandfather's head through Kraken's Thunder delivering my letters. My letters should rain down on the whole of Red Keep and we shall await on what will happen then. However, I would not rest on that. I would need a letter be sent to Tywin, Jamie, Cersei, and Tyrion Lannisters then another to Jon Arryn and Lysa Arryn. Lady Lyanna you will write to Lord Eddard Stark and I will have a letter for him as well, you will also send a letter to the New King with another letter of mine. As the letters rain down, there will be a group of three men or women infiltrate Princess Elia's cell and her children's room then kidnap them for our benefit. The Kraken's Thunder will sail with all its might back here to Pyke then. I would need another unit to kidnap Stannis and Renly Baratheon even if the siege is still going on, the more pawns I have the more leverage we can have. If need be we can sway Dorne, the North, and the Westerlands to our side." Maester Karl raised his hand and I nod to him to speak.
"Your Grace, I get that Dorne and the North will help us to our cause but why the Westerlands?"
"I know Jamie's secret that can release him from the Kingsguard and be back home at Casterly Rock as his father's heir. The whole King's Landing is filled with wildfire underneath, the Mad King will burn King's Landing believing he'll rise from the ashes as a true dragon and then he will burn us all. Jamie killed all the alchemists and went for King Aerys, and he saved King's Landing because if he do not King Robert will rule a kingdom of ashes and dread. It will be written in the letters that will rain down on King's Landing and to the personal letters to the Lannisters."
Everybody is stunned by this news, I smiled with a smile that didn't reach my eyes when Podrick walked back in again carrying two of my press print. I then immediately went to work, I have my family to save and a kingdom to protect.
Nuncle Rodrik would capture Queen Rhaella and company, Yun will lead 3 other men in capturing Stannis and Renly while Hiro would temporarily captain Kraken's Thunder in my stead and rain down letters while some would deliver the letters I personally made along with Lady Lyanna's and then attempt to capture Princess Elia and kids.
They Nuncle Rodrik and crew immediately left after breaking their fast, Yun also left with them on another ship while Hiro left after an hour with letters Maester Karl wrote for me as I print press with Rick letters that can rain down enough the half of King's Landing.
After they left I press print the news and told our citizens to be ready, stack food and clothing along with some bandages and sewing kits, then wait for the New King's next move. Plus to blow on their whistles one long note to alert for danger. I gave it to Maester Karl and he immediately run for dear life to send the ravens. I then went rounded the rest of the Sirens and let them tell their opinions one at a time, I told Danna my handmaid to fetch Maester Karl immediately along with midwife Talia and escort Lady Lyanna to one of our birthing chambers. Ser Oswell informed me that Lyanna had gone into labor after three hours I sent them there, I nodded in acknowledgement and turned back to listen to the Sirens.
I also sent Danna to fetch Drowned Priest Talon and together with the three Kingsguard and the Sirens we ate in dreadful silence. After the luncheon I requested to make an offering to the Drowned God to help the Iron Islands survive this storm we're facing and he immediately carried out the ceremony.
After the ceremony, I faced the smallfolk and nobles alike with our priests and sailors and merchants.
"The North has its Honor, and the South its Chivalry. But we Iron Islanders have our Strength! For the hour of the night is the darkest before the rising of the sun! For the start of the storm is only our beginning! Never forget who we are after this storm passes! For we are Ironborn! For what is dead may never die!" I screamed with so much determination I don't need the Horn of Sound to maximize my voice for my voice rang loud and clear around me.
"But Rises Again Harder And Stronger!" I heard them chant as I ride my pony back to Pyke.
As I ride back I immediately directed my pony to the launching and landing pad of the Kraken's Thunder, then the bells started ringing its arrival. A servant wave two torches and soon enough after half an hour our ship landed. The movable stairs is placed by the entrance and Hiro escorted not only Princesses Elia and Rhaenys but also Prince Aegon and my grandfather Quellon.
I immediately hop off my pony's back, holding back my tears and launched myself to latch on his thighs laughing. He picked me up and kept apologizing for scaring all of us and thanking everyone who still believed in the Greyjoys even if it is only me at their disposal.
We're back in Pyke again and I immediately let my grandfather drink some cucumber juice for his stomach pains, he may be still tall and intimidating but my grandfather is weakened by what ever happened there. Hiro started explaining that he did capture Princess Elia with her kids on the right time of them allowing her to spend time with her children (courtesy of Jon Arryn) and he saw a figure heading for the Kraken's Thunder and saw that it is Quellon. I lightly tense as I gingerly felt my dagger, I can't have an impostor at this time.
"Grandfather, what's my scandalous statement?"
"It is the talk you had with me that forced me to side to Robert Baratheon, you said that independence is within our reach and we can be free from the Game of Thrones."
I dropped my walls and sighed in relief, only my grandfather know this.
I then walked to Rhaenys and introduced myself. She cheerfully introduced herself and asked if we could be friends, I agreed and Danna magically appeared with my stuff toys and wooden toys for us to play in the Great Hall.
Quellon then started telling everyone what went wrong, starting from my nuncles and father getting cocky and them arguing about the Iron Price. My mother intervened and pleaded to the King to hear our cause while he demanded we give back Lyanna, the argument and being disrespected to be negotiating with a woman infuriated the New King that he suddenly declared a war among us. Lord Jon and Lord Eddard tried to rein him and salvage the situation but the knights are eager to please their King and pointed their swords to them while Robert tear of the book and booklet I made. It then started going downhill from there.
All of our bannermen who are liege lords are thrown into the black cells with my family, and our smallfolk are either slain or also thrown into the black cells if their important enough.
I cried after my grandfather's retelling, losing men especially is something I would not want to happen but it is a necessary evil for me. It will make my ideal Iron Islands with both women and men fighting alongside, this will be the break our women needs but it didn't stop me to cry and lust for justice.
All the ladies are furious, even Lyanna and Elia, about what they did to our smallfolk. Rhaenys comforted me when I told her I lose many friends and I might lose my family forever as Danna hug and cooed to me.
"Theon, come here." I obeyed my grandfather and sat on his lap. He bent low and whispered, "What is our next step?" in Japanese.
It helped cement my belief that he's my true grandfather, because all of our family members found my Japanese dictionary and taught themselves to better understand me and for tactical reasons.
"Bring Dayne-san and Elia-san back to Dorne with the Royal Children. They'll be safe there and earn our favor along with the Reach, hopefully. Then ship Lyanna-san to the North because I want her awaited return be much longer for Robert, who knows he might either sail or rode enough to meet her there with Lord Ned. Arryn-san would be at the Red Keep with Tywin-san and smuggle our family out, they're more important alive than dead grandfather. We also have the King's brothers if Yun succeed with Queen Rhaella and her children if Nuncle Rodrik also succeed." I replied back in Japanese.
My grandfather retold them my plan in the Common Tongue and most of the ladies agreed but protested we should keep Lyanna here. Then grandfather said it's too risky and we're going to severe the rift some more between Ned and Robert if we want to survive.
We had an early dinner and sent our visitors away, Princess Elia told us Dorne would help us as soon as she and her children are safe and she's very thankful for us. I gifted Rhaenys, Aegon, and Elia with identical whistles of a dragon and sun engraved into it then I gifted Lyanna a whistle with dragon and wolf engravings. Grandfather gifted the two mothers two rapiers, one as red as the sunset and the other as white as snow. The two ladies bent down so I can see Aegon and Jon, "Goodbye Princes, we'll meet again soon.".
Arthur Dayne scooped me up and I shrieked gleefully then he whispered that I can keep his dagger that is also made from the same meteor of the Sword of the Morning. Quellon then handed him the Sword of the Morning and off they went, promising help.
Lady Lyanna and Ser Oswell Whent went North shortly with a wet nurse promising to make Robert grovel for forgiveness. Ser Oswell just want to protect one of Rhaegar's child and Lady Catelyn because they're both Riverborn.
Ser Gerold Hightower pledged his sword to my grandfather shortly, we were shocked but my grandfather accepted it. Danna happily congratulated him and kissed him, Quellon just chuckled and muttered about young love even if both Ser Gerold and Danna is 39 years old in Earth. I joked that they should get married already and then Drowned Priest Talon walked to us, baptized Ser Gerold and then immediately wed them. I was stunned and tired that grandfather Quellon personally carried me to my room to sleep while they enjoy some humble merriment in the wedding feast.
I woke up early after a nightmare of the Ghost of High Hearth looking at me through her window from my south and at my north there is a three eyed raven. By my east is the Isle of Faces and an ancient greenman looking at me. I feared that they know what I know, so I hurriedly do my morning routine and break my fast by myself in the Great Hall as grandfather's already moving his next move after Robert had done his.
Lady Lanna Piper then said that my grandfather would be busy and she will be my companion, I smiled and said no because I will be her companion through her labor. She immediately go to the birthing chambers as her water broke and Maester Ollyver (our 2nd master) managed to teach me on how to manage a village and keep by touring me around Pyke. He then explained to me our new wind mills and sea mills which allows them to harvest more of our natural resources and produce our basic needs, I didn't tell him I already know them because I'm the one who planted it on Maron's head and he suggested it to grandfather so now we have a meager renewable energy.
We then go horseback riding on my pony and his is a palfrey around the cliffs. I named my pony Nae Nae because I'm still a little shit so yeah.
I haven't known I wandered around until I lost Maester Ollyver when he's picking some weeds around a coconut. I felt like I've been going around and around for almost ten minutes until I saw something shiny floating at the sea, I immediately head for it and grab two of them then I also grabbed the third one. I immediately put them in the saddlebag because one is burning my hand, the other is freezing it and one makes me feel watery. I felt a call from the sea, I turned around dazed and from the sea is a glowing stone of gold. I also gently picked it and put in my saddlebag, weird, all of them are shaped like dragon eggs but okay I won't judge. This is the game of thrones after all I just hope the eggs don't murder me in my sleep.
Smirk galloped and we found Maester Ollyver still picking weeds so I helped him and returned home together for dinner.