King Aemon I Targaryen
Pyke loomed large before them, King Aemon Targaryen and the army he had assembled made up of men from the Crownlands, Westerlands, Riverlands and the North were all camped on the banks of the Ironman's Beach looking up at the walls and planning their next move. Balon Greyjoy, the king's own uncle had rebelled and crowned himself king of salt and rock, but his rebellion had failed just as Aerys war had failed. Balon's son, Aemon's own cousin Rodrik had died beneath the walls of Seagard slain by Lord Jason Mallister, his brother Robin and his strong right hand Dagmar Cleftjaw both killed during the battle of the Fever, his son Theon and his brother Euron both slain during the fire of Fair Isle. His uncle had rebelled and paid for it with the lives of his family.
The loyalists had experienced their own casualties as well, Rickard Stark the former Lord of Winterfell had died from his wounds taken during the battle of the fever, Aemon's oldest friend Brandon was now Lord of Winterfell. Lord Brandston Cuy had died during the fire of Fair Isle, countless others had died as well, and yet there was one person that Aemon continued to think about. His niece Cerenna was somewhere within those walls held hostage by Balon Greyjoy and he intended to have her back, no matter the cost. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the command tent opening and Lords Tywin, Brandon, Garth, Hoster and Stannis entered the tent. "What news do our scouts have for us?" Aemon asked immediately.
Tywin Lannister ever the faithful hand replied. "Lord Sawane Botley is mustering men to meet us beneath the walls of Lordsport. His host is some 2,000 strong. These are not old men or green boys Your Grace, but men who retreated following the failed attack on Seagard."
Aemon nodded. "The siege towers and battering rams are ready I trust?"
"Yes Your Grace," Lord Stannis Baratheon the new Lord of Storm's End replied. "They are waiting your command."
"Very well, Lord Stannis I want you to wait for three horn blasts before you begin bringing down the walls of Botley Castle. Brandon you shall lead the charge that deals with Lord Botley's host, leave none alive. Kill Botley and his sons if you have to." Aemon said.
"What of the rest of us Your Grace? What would you have us do?" Lord Hoster asked.
"We use the remaining siege towers to bring down the watchtowers and the other walls of Pyke. I want Pyke to be in ruins by the time we are done with it." Aemon replied. There was some murmuring at that and then Aemon asked. "Has Balon Greyjoy replied to the offer yet?" Ser Gerold Hightower Lord Commander of Aemon's Kingsguard had been sent to offer terms for Balon's surrender, but to also sneak Cerenna Lannister out of the castle should Balon refuse the terms.
"No Your Grace. But word came from Old Wyk, Ser Barristan has gotten them to bend the knee once more." Tywin replied. If he was worried about his granddaughter he did not show it.
Aemon sighed. "Very well then. Then there is no more to discuss. Leave all of you and get ready for the fighting. Remember to leave none of those scoundrels alive."
The lords bowed and left, all except Lord Tywin, who was silent for a moment before he spoke. "Your Grace, far be it from me to question you. But I must ask, what do you plan on doing with Asha Greyjoy should she be thrown in front of you?" Aemon was silent and then Tywin spoke once more. "I only ask because she could be of great use to you to bring Balon to heal."
Aemon is silent for a long moment before he finally says. "She will not be used to bring Balon to heal; Balon Greyjoy will be dead before his daughter is ever used against him. Besides she shall be marrying my cousin Harlon. I see no need to make the girl suffer anymore than she has to for her father's crime."
Tywin bows then and leaves, shortly afterwards Aemon's squire Garlan Tyrell enters the tent and begins helping Aemon don his armour. As the armour gets put on, Aemon hears the sounds of the camp stirring and the whole scene that will soon unfold plays before his mind's eye. It is this that makes him stop Garlan's movements and speak. "A word of advice before the battle begins Garlan. What is about to happen will be bloody and chaotic. We might get separated in the throes of battle but make sure you keep an eye out for myself or for the Kingsguard. And make sure you remember what I taught you."
"Yes Your Grace. Strong and true Your Grace." Garlan replies.
Aemon smiles then and says. "Perhaps there might even be a knighthood for you at the end of this battle." A horn sounds then and Aemon's armour is securely fastened on, black and red plate and mail, he takes his dragon's helm from his squire and then marches out to where his horse is ready and saddled. He mounts the horse and waits, and waits and waits. Eventually the sound of another horn being blow, followed by the sound of drums indicates that Brandon has begun his march. "And so it begins," Aemon whispers to himself.
As he moves his horse towards where Lord Tywin mans the remaining catapults, he hears a horn being blown twice, and then sees the catapults launching their bulk through towards the walls of Pyke from the west, Stannis Baratheon true to his word as ever. He hears the impact and then hears the walls shake with it all before rock comes tumbling down and the wall opens. At that there is a roar and he sees men streaming down from the open wall and into the throng of the northern host. "Fire," he hears lord Tywin shout and catapults unleash rocks and flaming torches onto the southern wall of Pyke. The fire lights up the sky and the walls and the foundation of their defences comes tumbling down.
This process continues for what seems an age, the sounds of fighting near the eastern wall continue for an age, until they eventually stop and by then the eastern wall is gone crumbled to dust, Botley Hall a smoking ruin. Next the southern wall falls, crashing like thunder, or a kraken's mournful wail. With it goes the last chance Balon Greyjoy had for a peaceful settlement, now he will get the blood and iron he so desperately wanted. Aemon draws his sword from its sheath and bellows for the charge.
They meet the Ironborn in the shadow of the Grey Cliff, and there they find the kraken of Greyjoy flapping proudly and defiantly but not for long. Hacking and slashing the Kingsguard by his side, Aemon fights his way through the Ironborn noting their lack of discipline and their great strength and how it all will ultimately be for nought for them. He hacks his way through seven men or boys all of whom fall like sacks of meat to the floor, the ground drinking up their blood greedily.
The push continues through the southern wall, and through and through. Hacking and slashing, the armies fight and break apart and fight again. The waves are a distant memory, there is only the foe in front of them, and on it goes, hacking and slashing and cutting and ducking and hacking and hacking and hacking, hacking until his arms hurt with the strain of it all. Still he goes on, pushing and pushing. On and on, hacking and slashing, he cuts through a man with a twin blade axe, cutting through him like he's nothing more than mince meat, and he kills a man wielding a mace, kills and kills, Blackfyre singing with the blood on its blade.
The push continues, the throng of bodies is lessening now as men break away either from wounds or from death. Still the throng continues the push the urgency. He can hear the roar of battle from close by, still though his arms ache and his mind tires, he pushes on and on and on and on. The death toll rises and on he goes, his white shadows following close by. Ser Gerold Hightower falls fighting five men bringing three of them with him, the other two are finished by Ser Arthur Dayne.
They find guards at the foot of the bridge that will lead them to the Great Keep of Pyke, they fall easily enough, Ser Brandon and Aemon cutting them down like the flies they are. There are more guards on the bridge itself and yet they fall as well, hacking and slashing cutting and crawling they make their way through. The bodies fall from the swinging bridges and fall plunging into the ocean below, ominous for the Greyjoys and so on it goes.
There are more guards at the doorway to the great keep all of whom fall easily enough though Aemon is injured taking blows to the chest and shoulders that cut into his armour and open up fresh wounds. Grimacing through the pain he pushes into the great hall where Balon Greyjoy is sat, his crown on his head and a sneer on his face. "So mine nephew has come to end my reign as he?" his uncle snorts, spitting on the floor.
Aemon walks towards his uncle on his throne, and walks up the steps before hitting his uncle square in the face. Through gritted teeth he says. "I have come to kill you uncle. Your sons are dead; your brothers are near but all dead. Your daughter will wed my cousin and this war is over. Bend or die uncle, which will it be?"
His uncle ever the proud and stupid man spits again and says. "I would rather die than bend my knees to you."
Aemon sighs. "Very well, Ser Brandon, Ser Arthur take this fool to a cell and leave him there for now." Once they have hastened to obey, Aemon sits himself in his uncle's chair and waits, eventually Lord Tywin and Lord Hoster arrive, bending the knee before him they report on what has occurred.
"Pyke is yours Your Grace. Lord Brandon has brought Botley Castle down to the ground with Lord Stannis' help. Lord Botley and five of his sons were slain." Lord Tywin says.
Aemon nods and then says. "We shall wait for news from the other islands before Balon's death happens."
And so they wait, for a week they wait on Pyke taking the supplies and the food and the plunder, and reuniting Cerenna Lannister with her father and grandfather. The girl was well looked after it seems, though she was scared by Balon and Euron Greyjoy as any sane man would be. Eventually news filters in, along with Old Wyk being subdued, Wyk itself is subdued by Ser Oswell Whent whilst Harlaw and the other islands bend their knees once more through official letters. Aemon knights Jorah Mormont the lord of Bear Island for being the first through the breach at Botley, and he also knights some twenty other men for their bravery during the fighting.
Eventually the lords of the islands and those men Aemon had sent elsewhere arrive at Pyke, and with them comes Balon Greyjoy's final day of life. On the steps of Pyke Castle in front of half the Iron Islands, and the lords who came with him from Westeros, Aemon proclaims loudly for all to hear. "Balon Greyjoy, you stand accused of treason. You refused my offer of peaceful surrender and as such have paid the price. How do you plead?"
His uncle stood ramrod straight. "Guilty, though I do not bend to a greenlander and never will."
His uncle is forced to his knees then his head mounted on a chopping block. Aemon unsheathes Blackfyre and in a loud voice says. "Then I do sentence you to die." And with that he brings his sword down and cleaves his uncle's head right off. Balon Greyjoy is beheaded on the fifth day of the eighth month of the 289th year after Aegon's Landing and with him the rebellion dies and peace returns.