Asha Greyjoy I
Three days had passed since Jon died and now she was once again reaching the gates of Winterfell. Rain fell softy over her jet black hair, and made her coat feel heavier and her feet wetter. But she was glad to feel the water on her skin and could almost imagine it was the breeze of the coast of Pyke. Asha could not complain, they had flown all the way from the wall and now finally she could sink her feet on the mud. Flying in the back of a Dragon had not been a pleasant experience to the Greyjoy girl, so she thanked the drowned God to at least be on the ground again. Tyrion laughed at her all the way through the flight and made his dragon dive in wild maneuvers in purpose, if she could she would hit his smugly dwarf face.
However, that could not be done because back at the wall Daenerys had struck her an irrefutable deal. And though Asha thought it to be a weird concept that she should follow the woman she envied so much, it had to be done. She would not kneel, but the alliance was made and deep within she reckoned that Jon had a small part on the arrangement. Now he was gone and she was following the woman he loved under the sole pretext that she could have rule over the iron islands. She wished to be home again, yet the iron girl was now back to where she had first meet Jon. She began to walk faster towards the castle to rid herself of the memory of him. From the distance she could see that Winterfell was being built up again, probably with Manderly's money she thought gazing at the castle.
The green and bronze ridge of Raeghal wing brushed against her arm almost sending the iron girl to the ground. Startled, Asha looked up with venom to the dragon rider and said: -'Watch it! Can't your little imp hands handle a Dragon to a straight line!?' Tyrion smirked down at her and it made her want to drown him. To add to her aggravation the dwarf idiot joked: - 'Oh I do question my skills, my lady. Nevertheless, I do not see your Dragon around, perhaps I should lend you mine then we will see your skills'. Before the iron girl could reply, the dwarf continued: -'Try not to puke again while at it, Greyjoy.' Asha felt her face blush with rage, but controlled herself and replied with venom: -'It was your retched dwarf smell of dung, my lord. Did you ever think about bathing?'
She was surprised to see Daenerys speak, for the Targaryen girl did not speak much since Jon's passing: -'Stop…both of you. Lord Selmy, go tell the Northmen that their Queen is here and that we come in peace'. The old Knight nodded and started walking ahead, Tyrion had stopped his dragon. This will not do Asha thought and then said: -'Stannis is king here, his men will kill that old man for speaking of a Targaryen Queen.' The white haired girl looked back at her impassively as she responded: -'Then, I will kill the Baratheon usurper king.' Asha frowned, but keep staring at the queen as she said: -'Jon respected Stannis, the Baratheon is a righteous man like you once were too.' Daenery's did not answer, but her purple eyes seemed to pierce through Asha's skull.
Maybe speaking Jon's name was a little bit too much and too early. However, the little Dwarf saved her by saying: -'Well, it seems someone's got a crush on Stannis! But it is true Danny let me accompany the old knight, dragons always impose a certain level of respect and we are such a small party. It will not hurt.' The queen conceded with a nod, slipped down from Viserion's back with the aid of her maid Missandei and turned her back to them to stare at the Winterfell castle. The white Dragon followed her and caressed her arm with his nose. Asha watched as Tyrion flew low after Ser Baristan and thought about Daenery's stubborn intent.
The Targaryen girl was too intense and focused on finding Jon's sister at any expense, but how she would do that and also conquer a country and be a good leader. The Greyjoy girl remembered learning that Jon was a Targaryen, remembered thinking that he would be a good king, a king to fight for, remembered learning that Jon was dead. Now he was gone and Asha had spent so long on earth that she yearned for her home sea. Yet she could not refuse his Targaryen girl, it was not only for the right to rule over the Iron Islands, but also because being near Daenerys made her feel closer to Jon. Protecting the Targ would be the last gift to her friend, but the Queen was making it an extremely difficult present to deliver.
Asha passed back and forth in the cold rain, while Daenerys just stared at the castle. Finally, she decided to talk to the queen. Viserion stood to the left of the Targaryen with Missandei sleeping comfortably on top despite the rain that fell upon them. The Greyjoy sighed and approached the queen by the right, keeping a reasonable distance she spoke: -'Winterfell, first keep is looking good from here. The Manderlys are doing a good job getting the castle to it's former state.' Daenerys ignored her and kept looking at the castle, but Asha did not mind, she was too bored of waiting so she continued: -'The Godswood has a beautiful hot pool near and intriguing weirwood tree. You will like it, Jon liked it.' That last sentence finally made the queen look at her.
It as a gamble to play with such fire, but Asha could not stand the queen's apathy no longer. As the Targaryen remained silent, the Greyjoy smiled and continued speaking: -'He was a good friend Jon and honorable man. I am anxious to see if his little brother looks anything like him, aren't you?' Daenerys looks back at her with sadness in her purple eyes, but her expression is soft and calm. Asha gets no answer, but is relieved to not have to deal with the rage of the dragon. The queen takes her hand and slightly squeezes it and they share an awkward silent moment. Saved by the bell, the iron girl watches as the green Dragon lands near them and Tyrion Blackfyre says: -'Good to see such beautiful ladies getting along, but the Northmen awaits you my queen. Stannis is dead.'
As Daenery's nods and climbs onto Viserion's back, Tyrion extends his small hand to the Greyjoy girl to help her climb on Raeghal's back. However, Asha looks at it and refuses, making the climb alone. At her mind she repeats, we do not sow. Though in her heart she feels that she is doing just that. As they enter the courtyard, she hears the singing of steel against hammers and the cutting of wood. Men work all around them only glancing at the dragons, but Winterfell's reconstruction does not stop. To her right she can see Lord Wyman Manderly walking slowly to meet and looking like he owned the place. She was amazed that the fat man was looking fatter still than before.
Strutting around him a girl of ten-seven years with green long hair, smiles at Asha whilst the fat lord says: -'By Gods, it is Asha Greyjoy. Unfortunately, without Jon. How fare you girl? Do you see how much we have built already? That great building there will be the new kitchen!' She blows her head and thinks that the warden of the north had made a big mistake of not acknowledging the queen first. Looking at Daenerys she can see the burning rage in those dark lilac eyes, but the queen does not give in to it she remains silent as Ser Wyman continues: -'I was sorry to hear about Jon, such a young lad. He will always be remembered by the Manderlys.'
That is the last drop for the Targaryen girl and Asha looks away, but the queen surprisingly keeps her voice low and rashly says: -'Jon will be remembered by my whole kingdom…' The small dwarf man interrupts her speech by holding her hand and saying: -'But that is not why we are here for'. Asha watches as the purple eyes grow a bit lighter and Daenerys says: -'Yes, today we shall honor Winterfell with our visit and I will have a gaze on Rickon Stark's face. Nevertheless, as my brother pointed that is not why we are here. I came to tell you that Arya Stark lives and that soon I shall return her to Winterfell.' The fat lord was now looking at them wide-eyed and the Greyjoy girl could not help but to chuckle.
Power shifts were a funny thing, Manderly were running the north, but now a young white haired girl had come and quickly took their power away. It must have stung. The Dragons were a far too great weapon to be ignored, Viserion though was looking a little bit wild now that they were at Winterfell. Lord manderly took the dragon's behavior to make his worries know: -'It is a honor to have Jon's friends at our castle. However, you must recognize how difficult it is to trust people in this dark days.' The iron girl frowned as the fat man continued: -'I am glad for news of my liege Lady Arya. I myself sent Davos to search for Rickon for I could not go in person.' Tyrion laughed and said: -'You can come with us if you lost the weight of two to four persons.'
Asha chuckled at the joke and even Daenerys smiled, but Lord Maderly remained serious and the little mermaid at his side finally spoke: -'You came here seeking shelter, but that is not the way to speak to a host...' The Greyjoy girl sensed they were about to be thrown out into the icy lands and imagined having to fly again in the cold rain weather. So before the little girl continued, she said: -'I am terribly sorry, Lord Wyman. We have been traveling so long and I just want a bed to lay in. We pose no threat to Rickon, Daenerys fought alongside his brother and soon will be the new Queen of Westeros.'Both Manderlys seemed to grasp her meaning, Daenerys was not there to take Winterfell away from them, but she would be the queen and it would be good for them to befriend her.
Lord Wyman was the first to change the manner of speech and say: -'Of course, you are all tired. My servants will find suitable rooms for you and tomorrow morning I'll arrange a couple knights to escort you in this trip to find Arya Stark.' The Targaryen queen shook her head negatively and said: -'No need for that, horses will slow us down. Where is Lord Rickon?' Asha was startled as a huge black wolf jumped in the middle of them with teeth bared, that she barely noticed there was a boy in its back. She only noticed him, when he said: -'Rickon that is me, what are those animals!? Asha's heart filled with disappointment as she stared at the boy, auburn hair and blue eyes. She wondered if Daenerys felt the same.
Lord Manderly gave them a yellow smile and held the boy back from the dragons whilst saying: -'Forgive my Queen. Skagos left him slightly wilder than the average boy.' Then he turned to the boy and said: -'You must not touch the Dragons, my Lord.' The black direwolf growled wildly at the fat man and Rickon took the opportunity to disengage his arms from Ser Wyman. Asha watched in shook as the boy ran towards Viserion, thinking the dragon would rip the boy's head right off. However, the white dragon did no such thing, it just took a smell out of the small boy clothes and remained frozen to the spot as Rickon screamed: -'He is beautiful! Beautiful and mine!' And all of them where standing around like statues, except for Daenerys.
The Queen just knelt near the boy and said: -'His name is Viserion, he is a dragon. He belonged to your brother Jon and now he belongs to me. Dragons can not be given, they follow whom they choose.' The young boy Rickon stared back at Daenerys in wonder and Asha feared he would throw a fit, but he did not. The kid just pouted a bit and held close fist at his side whilst he said: - 'I am Lord of Winterfell and I will have the Dragon.' It amazed the greyjoy girl that Daenerys kept her patience and responded: -'Now you are just a boy. One day though, you will be the king of the North, just like your brother Robb, but for that to happen you must stop being a child. Soon I will return your sister Arya to you, that is all you must know.'
Daenerys stood up and walked away leaving a dumbfounded boy behind. Asha watched Viserion follow her in the direction of the godswood and then turned her eyes once more to Lord Rickon. At her back Tyrion was speaking seriously to Lord Manderly: -'The boy is too wild and before long he will sit Lord of Winterfell. You must teach him to become a better man or we will have another Joffrey in our hands.' Asha could not think of something more true as he watched the boy stormed off, mounted on his big black direwolf.