Queen of the Iron Islands Chapter 7
Asha Greyjoy and company come to deliver justice to Germund Botley and Lucas Codd. Euron changes strategy and cooperates with his former adversaries in "delivering justice" to the murdered Lord Balon Greyjoy. But can the Crow's Eye be trusted? All recognisable ASOIAF characters, locations, and concepts belong to George R.R. Martin and HBO. I own nothing and this work is solely fan fiction. As always, feel free to read and review.
In the Camp of the Crow's Eye
Together with her uncles, Asha and a large force of armed warriors made their way towards Euron's great tent, which lay on the slopes of the grassy hill overlooking the shores of Old Wyk. The great tent was made of a golden cloth-like material that glittered under the bright sunlight.
The great golden tent was surrounded by dozens of smaller tents. Dozens of dark blue banners with a malevolent-looking red eye beneath a black iron crown flanked by two crows fluttered above Euron's camp. This was Euron's personal coat of arms.
Aeron Damphair and Victarion led the way, followed by Asha and several warriors from both Victarion and Asha's forces. After some haggling, Euron's sentries reluctantly allow the Damphair and the Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet. A Drowned Man and a Lord Captain carried much religious and political clout in the Iron Islands and it was extremely foolish to get on their wrong side, particularly if they were working together. Under Victarion's orders the Iron Fleet had sealed Nagga's bay, preventing any ship from leaving Old Wyk.
The Crow's camp was a kaleidoscope of men, women, and children from the various places that Euron had sailed to during his exile. There were black-skinned men and women from the Summer Islands to the far south of Westeros, ape-like brindled skin half-men from distant Sothoryos, and yellow-skinned folk from Slaver's Bay. Asha also spotted several of Euron's motley crew of mongrels and mutes who spoke no word. She had heard rumours among the campfires that Euron had ripped the tongues out of his crew. There was something deeply disconcerting about their presence.
The crowd parted to make way for the newcomers. Not long after their arrival, Euron marched out of the golden tent accompanied by several of his supporters. The Crow's Eye had a flustered look and frown on his face. Since his return to the Iron Islands, Euron had used the vast treasure he had accumulated in the Silence's hold to win supporters. Many were men of small account; the sons of salt-wives, the grandsons of thralls, and opportunists like the Codds and the Wynch, who wanted to take the easy route to wealth and power. Lucas Codd and Germund Botley were among them looking smug and defiant, not expecting what was awaiting them
Tailing the Crow's entourage were richly dressed slave traders from the Free Cities of Lys and Volantis, which had originated as colonies of Old Valyria. As the descendants of the old dragon lords, the Lyseni and Volantene exhibited traits like pale skin, silvery-gold hair, and purple, lilac, and pale blue eyes. Euron had not been idle as Asha would discover.
"What is the meaning of this commotion here," boomed Euron. He then decided to deliver yet another grand-standing speech. "I have been meeting with these honourable gentlemen from Lys and Volantis to discuss the new opportunities, in slaves, that will arise from my campaign to unify the Seven Kingdoms by blood, fire, and iron. As soon as I'm crowned King, I will lead a campaign to conquer the Shield Islands and then the Reach. The Tyrells are preoccupied helping the Lannisters to fight their wars. Undefended, their rich lands and beautiful maidens will be ripe for the picking."
This men is a crafty politician, though Asha, he's as cunning as a serpent. Victarion and Aeron scowled back at Euron with disdain and contempt. The Damphair was the first to open his mouth.
"So, the Crow's Eye has turned slaver and merchant," said Aeron "But alas, we have not come to praise your business acumen but rather to deliver justice. Last night, an assassin, a Faceless Man from Braavos, came to our niece Asha's camp and attempted to kill our main witness, the Wildling girl called Ila. His evil scheme failed and the coward took his own life rather than face the strength of steel. Alas, he stole the lives of two brave reavers, Qarl the Maid and Hagen the Horn. Fortunately, the villain left some evidence which helped us to identify the perpetrators."
At Aeron's signal, two men presented the left-handed sword and the belt-buckle found on the Faceless Man.
"We believe that the left-handed sword belongs to a certain Lucas Codd," continued Aeron "And the belt-buckle bears the sigil of House Botley. Perhaps one of Lord Germund Botley's belongings."
For once, Asha saw a look of shock and dismay on Euron's handsome face. Was it one of learning that his scheme had been exposed? Many of Euron's supporters looked genuinely shocked and horrified. Muttering broke out amongst the crowd. Both Germund and Lucas's faces had turned a pale tinge. Beads of sweat had started to flow down their faces and the two men began quivering. They had finally been caught in their tracks. After a still silence, the Crow's Eye regained his composure.
"You're right, my uncles," said Euron in a conciliatory tone. The Crow's Eye also bowed his head. "I was wrong to disbelieve my niece's reports that our dead King has been murdered by these two scoundrels in my midst. Men whom I have trusted and elevated to positions of power. These are the same men who murdered our dear brother, the King."
As he spoke, his voice then rose and his face turned a bright shade of crimson. Euron then pointed an accusatory finger at both Germund and Lucas who were trying to weasel their way out of the crowd. On Euron's orders, several of his men seized Germund and Lucas. The men protested their innocence but their pleas fell on deaf ears.
"As a King, I cannot allow murderers to stand as my champions," said Euron solemnly "My brothers and niece, I deliver the kingslayers Germund Botley and Lucas Codd to face the Drowned God's justice. I strip them of all ranks, lands, titles, and holdings."
Asha could not help smirking at the two men's predicament. But, why was the Crow's Eye turning ship now? From what she had learnt about Euron from her father and uncles, he was a master of deception and manipulation. Was there more that lay beneath the surface of his motives? Were Lucas and Germund acting alone or were they Euron's disposable henchmen who had outlived their usefulness? They could only find out by extracting a confession out of the two men.
The Moment of Truth
Hours later…
Dusk had descended on Old Wyk. The sky had turned a vivid mixture of dark indigo and dark orange. A cool breeze was blowing over the sands of Nagga's Bay. Campfires were being lit by thralls and salt wives. People were gathering over campfires for their evening meals. Asha and her men along with Ila were settling down to a supper of corn and fish roasted over a heap of coals.
"What will happen to those bad men," asked Ila curiously, as she licked her fingers. Since the arrest of Lucas and Germund, the Wildling girl had been over the moon.
"They will be put on trial and then probably executed," replied Asha "By drowning. You will never have to worry a thing about them again."
"When will I get to see my mum again," added Ila "Is she still alive?"
"I don't known," replied Asha gently "I could talk to my Uncle Euron tomorrow and perhaps he could release her into my custody."
This is going to be tricky, thought Asha. In the Iron Islands, thralls could not be bought nor sold for gold. While they were still the spoils of war, thralls were fellow men and were not chattel. Their children were born free as long as they were sacrificed to the Drowned God. A man paid the iron price for thralls, or else had none. But Euron is talking about reviving the slave trade in Westeros. Perhaps even a man as unscrupulous as the Crow's Eye could be willing to trade Orla, Ila's mum, for a lump of gold.
All of a sudden, Asha felt a tap on the shoulder. She found herself starring rough, weathered face of Nute the Barber, one of her uncle Victarion's champions.
"I beg your pardon, Lady Asha," said Nute softly "But your uncles are requesting an audience with you at Nagga's Lair."
Nagga's Lair was a network of tunnels which lay beneath Nagga's hill. It served as a temple and base for the Drowned Men. Now, it was being used as a makeshift dungeon to interrogate and force a confession out of Germund and Lucas. As a lady, Asha did not take part in interrogations or torture; which were the domain of men. This message could mean one of two things. Germund and Lucas were ready to confess to their crimes. Or they had decided to cut a deal by turning against Euron.
After several minutes of treading over the sandy beach, Asha and Nute arrived at Nagga's Lair. The sun had set and a half-moon was hanging over the skies like a lantern. Stars speckled the night sky like diamonds and rubies. Two Drowned Men were guarding the cave and let them through. Several flaming torches guided their way into the Lair. Their journey came to an end in a large stony hall that resembled one of the septs she and her men had sacked during her campaign in the North. The hall was lined with murals of the Drowned God fighting the Stormed God and the Grey King battling Nagga the Sea Serpent. At the left-hand corner of the hall lay a small alcove that was covered by a sheet of indigo curtains.
Asha saw a dejected and bloodied Lucas and Germund squatting between her uncles Victarion and Aeron, who loomed tall and proud. Lucas' thick, long black mane had been shorn while Germund's curly blonde hair had been cut short. Both men were half-naked and had been stripped to their loincloths. Both men had obviously been scourged or beaten. But they were otherwise physically unharmed. But their haughty spirits had been broken.
"Ah Asha, it was good for you to join us," said Aeron "After some scourging and water-boarding, these men have confessed to their part in Lord Balon's death. In addition, they have named Euron as the mastermind in this vile conspiracy. In exchange for being spared the penalty of execution by drowning, both men have agreed to testify against the Crow's Eye in tomorrow's hearing. In return, both men are to be sent to the Wall for the rest of their lives. Perhaps, the new Night's Watch commander Jon Snow could do with a couple more men. Well, let's hear what each of them has to say."
Germund was the first man to speak. In a down-trodden voice, he confessed that he had met the Crow's Eye following a reaving expedition into the Summer Islands. After filling the holds of his ship Ferocious with slaves and booty in the Three Exiles, they had sailed to Lys, a Free City that rested on an island in the Summer Sees. These were men who had forsaken the Old Ways for the easy path of trade and profit.
"Me and my crew were working as slavers for the Lyseni," explained Germund "While celebrating our hard-earned gains at a tavern called the Indigo Dragon, we met the Crow's Eye who had contracted the services of a Faceless Man. In exchange for getting half of the Botley lands from my brother, I agreed to take the assassin back to the Iron Islands with me. After the Damphair began preaching for a Kingsmoot, I agreed to serve as his champion in exchange for being named as Lord of the Arbor, once the Crow's Eye had conquered it. I gave him the belt as a gift of goodwill and this is how he repaid me. By backstabbing me. That damned Crow, I should never have trusted him. I repent that I was blinded by my greed for power and wealth."
"Well, that's the Drowned God's punishment for betraying your King," interjected Victarion "You reap what you sow."
Lucas was the next to speak. In a remorseful voice, he confessed his part in the conspiracy to murder Balon.
"I was a guardsman at Balon's castle in Pyke," said Lucas "Germund convinced me to bring the assassin into Lord Balon's quarters. I supplied the Faceless Man with armor and garments in exchanged for a beautiful Lyseni jacket and a salt-wife from the Summer Islands. I was also named by Euron as his new captain of the guard after my predecessor Loron Shepherd refused to bend the knee to the Crow's Eye. I also agreed to serve as his champion in exchange for being given a vault of diamonds and rubies from a captured Ghiscari galleon. He bought one of my expensive left-hand swords in exchange for offering me lordship over one of the Shield Islands."
Hearing the two scoundrels confess only fuelled Asha's rage against the Crow's Eye. Asha had only contempt for his accomplices, who had betrayed their own liege in return for material and political gain. Sending them to the Wall would not would serve as an everlasting punishment for these kingslayers as long as they lived. After hearing the men's confession, Victarion spoke.
"These men have sworn by the Drowned God that every word of their testimony is true," said the Iron Captain "If any falsehood is discovered, the offer is off and they'll drown. A fitting punishment considering that Germund's brother Sawane Botley was drowned for defying the Crow's Eye. I and Aeron have accepted this plea bargain. We brought you here my niece so that you could offer your consent to this offer. What say you, Asha, the last surviving heir of Balon?"
Asha exhaled and took a moment to consider the offer. Banishing them to the Wall would never bring back her dear father but it would send a strong message to other potential kingslayers in the realm. Suddenly, another thought rang in Asha's head. Her uncles were effective interrogators but how could they be sure that the two men were telling the truth.
"Before I accept this offer," asked Asha calmly "Can we verify that they are telling the truth?"
A broad smile appeared on the Damphair's weathered, bearded face.
"Oh yes, we do have another witness," replied Aeron gleefully "Jaya, you can now join us."
An ebony-skinned woman dressed in a faded green dress emerged from the purple curtains. She had short curly hair and a long pony tail of black pitch. Asha recognized her as a Summer Islander, a dark skinned people who lived in the Summer Isles, an archipelago that lay near the dark continent of Sothoryos.
"This is Jaya, one of the Crow's Eye's salt wives," explained Victarion "She can testify that Euron hired the assassin to kill both Balon and Ila. She risked her own life to bring us this truth."
"For almost eleven years I have been the plaything of this monster called the Crow's Eye," said Jaya in solemn voice. "Euron and his reavers raided my village in Koj. He murdered my parents and made me his saltwife. He liked my songs so he did not cut off my tongue like the other slaves and crew. He made me pregnant and I bore him two children. A boy of ten called Farouk and a girl of seven called Nissa."
At the mention of the name Nissa, the woman began weeping. Aeron comforted her and Asha helped to guide Jaya to a nearby stool.
"Take your time, you are safe here," said Asha gently "We can protect you from the Crow's Eye and these two men."
Asha pointed an accusatory finger at Germund and Lucas who hid their heads in shame.
"So, tell us the rest of what happened," spoke Aeron in a gentle, breezy voice.
The Summer Islander woman continued.
"On the day that he sent the assassin to kill the Wildling girl," continued Jaya "The Faceless Man demanded that he kill his child as payment. He desired to sit on the Seastone Chair so much that he ordered me to bring Nissa. I begged for him to consider but he brushed me aside. Before my very eyes, he pierced my sweet daughter in the heart... I wept all day and night but he did not care... He told me that I was lucky that he did not kill my son Farouk... He told me that my children were as valuable as the contents of his chamber pot. It was so hurtful."
Jaya broke down again. However, she gathered her wits. She told them that Euron had kept the services of the Faceless Man following Balon's death. The Faceless Man had assumed the disguise of a northern thrall who served as a night's soil man. Finally in a tearful voice, she pleaded with Aeron and Victarion to spare the life of her son. Throughout the Seven Kingdoms, it was common-place for different factions to kill the heirs of their opponents to wipe out opposition. When King Robert Baratheon ascended to the Iron Throne, he had ordered the killing of the Mad King's heirs. However, at one of his offspring, a beautiful golden maiden, had survived and had wrecked havoc in Slaver's Bay, disrupting the global slave trade. Asha along with her uncles agreed to honour the woman's plea.
After she had finished testifying, one of Aeron's servants led her out of the chamber. This Jaya was a gift from the Drowned God, if he even existed. Together with Ila and the testimony of Germund and Lucas, Jaya's testimony could sabotage Euron's ambitions to sit on the Seastone Chair. She hated dealing with scum like Germund and Lucas but this was one of the few exceptions. She turned to look at the two men directly.
"Germund and Lucas, I accept your offer," said Asha resolutely "But if you try any tricks at the hearing, me and uncles will personally drown you at sea."
Endnotes
Just a disclaimer, I don't condone the use of any form of torture as a means of getting results. But I wanted to give an authentic feel of Ironborn society. Torture is widely used to get results in the world of A Song of Ice and Fire. My mental image of Euron based on A Feast for Crows is that he is unscrupulous and crafty politician who is willing to do anything to get to his goal of conquering all of Westeros. Under the circumstances of my fan-fiction story, that would mean turning on his accomplices if it's politically expedient to do so.
I've never really liked Lucas Codd after he rapes one of Lord Hewett's daughters in the book. Sending him to the Wall would be a fitting form of justice for such a man. I also think that Germund is an opportunist who jumped on Euron's bandwagon to get a greater share of the Botley lands. In my revised version, I added the subplot involving one of Euron's salt-wives. In A Feast of Crows, we never learn the name of his dark-skinned son who briefly appears at Lord Hewett's castle. For this story, I decided to expand on his family's backstory. Astute Readers will also recognise a reference to one prominent ASOIAF character. Is this the end of Euron? Or does the Crow's Eye have yet one more trick up his sleeve?