Queen of the Iron Islands Chapter 11
"What do we mean by the defeat of the enemy? Simply the destruction of his forces, whether by death, injury, or any other means—either completely or enough to make him stop fighting. . . . The complete or partial destruction of the enemy must be regarded as the sole object of all engagements. . . . Direct annihilation of the enemy's forces must always be the dominant consideration."
Carl von Clausewitz
At last, we come to the final showdown between Victarion and Euron Greyjoy. Which Greyjoy will win? The fate of the Iron Islands and Westeros hangs in the balance. All recognisable ASOIAF characters, locations, and concepts rightfully belong to George R.R. Martin and HBO. This is just a work of fan fiction which tries to imagine an alternate history of the World of Ice and Fire. This chapter is told from the point of view of Victarion Greyjoy.
Victarion: Leading the Counter-Offensive
The rain and thunder storm had come to a sudden an abrupt stop. The rain clouds retreated and the sun shone with all its glory and majesty over the blood-stained shores of Nagga's Bay. The sandy shores were still muddy and blood from the recent downpour and the fighting. Countless bodies and weapons defiled the sacred shores of Old Wyk. What should have been a trial had devolved into a life or death battle that determined the future of the Iron Islands.
The evacuation of the women, children, and thralls had been successful. Most of the survivors were safely aboard the cogs, carracks, and dromonds which lay in deeper waters. The sudden end of the rainstorm had allowed Victarion to land his reinforcements. It was a good idea to keep the fleet anchored in Nagga's Bay, he Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet had held back half of his forces on the Iron Fleet. These included archers, crossbow men and cavalry riding on horses.
Horses were precious few in the Iron Islands since these fair isles were too rocky and sparse to breed horses. Thus, unlike the other Seven Kingdoms, the Ironborn lacked a large cavalry of knights on horseback. Knights on horseback were some of the strongest pieces on the battlefield. Horses gave their riders an advantage over their ground opponents in close quarters combat. And Victarion commanded most of the Ironborn's cavalry.
Victarion's archers and crossbowmen unleashed a rain of death on Euron's forces. His cavalry then descended on the shores of Old Wyk and cut a deep scythe of death through the Crow's Eye's forces. In his haste to destroy his opponents, Euron had thrown all of his forces into the battlefield. By doing so, he had inadvertently exposed his weakness for Victarion to exploit. And the Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet did so with utmost Machiavellian cunning and brute force.
No quarter would be shown to Euron's mutes, mongrels, and turncloaks. They would be purged with steel and their dead corpses would be burnt in a great pyre and scattered to the four winds where they would find no resting place. By joining forces with the Crow's Eye, they had ceased to be Ironborn.
Victarion himself commanded the cavalry charge from atop a strapping black stallion. With his kraken's helm and thick armour, he inspired terror and awe among friend and foe alike. A sallow-skinned Oriental savage attempted to hack at Victarion's horse with his axe. The Lord Captain beheaded him with a quick slash of his sword. A half-naked brindled-skin berserker armed attempted to impale him with a spear. However, one of Victarion's mounted archers finished him off with an arrow through his eye.
Victarion's cavalry trampled over Euron's forces, leaving crushed bodies in their wake. The infantry put the wounded and dying out of their misery. Euron's forces fled for the safety of the Crow's Eye's tent city but they found no refuge there. His reliable niece, Asha, had already attacked Euron's great golden tent and put his warlocks and Unsullied to the sword. Asha's men had formed a line outside of the tent city using the shields and spears of Euron's fallen Unsullied guards. The Crow's Eye's forces were now crushed between two iron fists. Euron's crew of mutes and mongrels fought to the last men. Some of the masked turncoats threw down their arms and attempted to surrender. However, Victarion and his men cut these cowards down with their blades.
"If any of these traitors begs for mercy, cut their throats first," bellowed Victarion "Pile up the bodies and burn the dead. None of them will be dining in the halls of the Drowned God."
His niece was more merciful and spared those who surrendered. Asha had made an agreement with Euron's salt-wife to spare her life along with that of her son Faruk. In addition, Asha had ordered her men to spare Euron's other salt-wives and their offpsring. She had little appetite for killing women and children in cold blood. Plus, children should never die for the sins of their parents. Finally, as Greyjoys, they were valuable chess sets.
Harmund Pyke, Freya, and several others were taking them into custody. By the ninth hour, all resistance had ceased. The shores of Nagga's Bay were strewn with countless bodies and discarded weapons. Many of the bodies were so mangled and mutilated that it was hard to tell which side they had been on.
In addition, Asha's men had also seized control of Euron's red ship, the Silence, after a savage battle. All of Euron's crew of mutes and mongrels had fought to the death. The ship's hold were reportedly soaked in blood and guts. Victarion made a mental note for himself to order the accursed ship's burning. All of Victarion's things were cursed. Who knows how many demons and monsters he had been fornicating with inside its dark holds.
Asha, Aeron, and Rodrik Harlaw approached carrying several withered pale-white heads with blue lips. The foul stench of rotting flesh filled the air. Victarion along with Nute the Barber and Ralf the Limper dismounted from the mounts.
"So, what have we here, my family," asked the Lord Captain
"These are the heads of Euron's warlocks," said Asha triumphantly "With the help of Lucas Codd, we snuck into the Crow's Eye's tent and slew them."
"They called on black magic and sorcery," added Aeron "But the Drowned God proved stronger and gave us the victory to defeat these foes."
"We're got Lucas Codd and Germund Botley to thank for that," finished Rodrik the Reader "These men have whitened their blackened names and done penance for the crimes that they had committed. What do you say? Should we pardon them?"
"It doesn't change the fact that they helped Euron to kill our Lord and my brother," responded Aeron "But, I guess that we have to give them credit where it is owed. They did help to turn the tide of the battle. I don't think we'll need to banish them to the Wall."
"But don't let my rotten uncle hold his ill-gotten gains," protested Tristifer Botley "I am the heir to Lord Sawane Botley. I want you to restore the lands to my family that Euron unlawfully usurped. I wouldn't let a traitor gain my father's lands. Not over my dead body."
Before an argument could break out, Victarion silenced the young Botley heir. Due to the stress of the day, Victarion had begun to develop a raging headache. The heavy Kraken's helm only made things worse.
"Enough, we're have had enough fighting for the day," growled Victarion impatiently "And you're making my headache worst."
"Where's Ila," asked Asha "Has anyone seen her?"
"I thought I sent her to the ships with the other women, children, and thralls," replied Victarion, as he removed his great heavy kraken's helm. It was a relief feeling the cool sea breeze flowing past his grey head.
"For that matter, has anyone seen Euron," interjected Aeron "The Crow's Eye is a dangerous foe even when defeated."
At that moment, three of Asha's men – Droopeye Dale, Six-toed Harl and Eerl Harlaw – appeared. They had been running and were panting deeply.
"My apologies, my lord," reported Dale "But it's a very urgent matter. The Crow's Eye…the Wildling girl…"
"Our men cornered the Crow's Eye at Nagga's Hill," finished off Six-toed Harl "He's threatening to kill her… unless we give him safe passage off the Iron Isles…"
A Time to Settle Scores
Victarion and his relatives mounted their horses and galloped as fast as they could to Nagga's Hill. The Lord Captain's mind burned with rage. The Crow's Eye had cheated death yet again and that Wildling girl Ila had disobeyed his direct orders to leave the battle. Now, she had landed herself in trouble and Victarion and his relatives had to bail her out. When would kids ever listen to their grownups, grumbled Victarion.
Several warriors had formed a rough line at the knoll of Nagga's Hill. Between the great stone ribs of Nagga stood the Crow's Eye and his hostage. The Crow's Eye was still in good shape despite a gash on his forehead and a cut on his lower left arm. His steel breastplate was still intact apart from a few dents and several missing belts. Euron had cast off his crimson flowing robe in the heat of the fighting but he still had his great Valyrian sword, which he held against the neck of his captive, Ila. The Wildling girl was unharmed but her long blonde hair was a messy wet mop. She had been crying since Victarion saw several streaks on her soft, rosy cheeks.
"Brothers, in-law, and sweet niece," said Euron, who made a childish cheeky grin at Victarion "It's great that you could come here to discuss my surrender. I know that I have caused the deaths of many good Ironborn men and created many widows and orphans. I deserve every punishment for all the sins I have done. So, to save you the trouble of drowning me at sea, I've decided to leave the Iron Islands for good."
"The only way you're leaving this sacred isle is as a naked corpse thrown into the sea," roared Victarion "I'm not willing to shed the blood of a fellow Ironborn. Enough Ironborn blood has been spilled on Old Wyk today. So, you can choose to embrace your watery willingly or I will come and drag you down into the sea in chains. It's your choice, brother."
Victarion spat out the word brother with contempt. He hated the Crow's Eye with every bone and sinew in his body.
The Crow's Eye merely laughed at his offer.
"How' bout I propose a counter-offer," replied Euron in a mocking tone. "I know you want to kill me after I seduced your salt-wife and sowed my seed into her. So, why not we settle our argument once and for all? Don't you want to kill me, brother or are you too craven and honourable?"
Upon hearing Euron's words, Victarion felt the rage and anger building up under his boiling metal armour. Euron was no longer his brother ever since the Crow's Eye defiled his salt-wife and sowed his seed into her. The only way that Victarion could protect his honour was to put the unfaithful wrench out of her misery. How dare she have the temerity to tell him to his face that the child in her womb was not his! He would have bash the Crow's Eye to death with his fists had Balon not stepped in and exiled the scoundrel to the far corners of this World of Ice and Fire.
"I do," bellowed Victarion fiercely "But, enough blood's been spilled today. I will not a kinslayer like you!"
"Oh, I'm afraid you have no choice, Vic," replied Euron. The Crow's Eye dug his dagger closer to Ila's flesh. Not deep enough to kill her but enough to draw out a droplet of blood.
"Now listen my brother," barked the Crow's Eye "If you don't give me safe passage from the Iron Islands, you can kiss this Wildling brat goodbye forever! However if you want to settle our differences in combat, I will let her go. Her life for yours or mine! So what say you, my brother? My family! Come on, let's settle this once and for all."
Despite his raging headache and his sweat-soaked body, Victarion suddenly felt a surge of strength flow through his blood and veins. The opportunity to exact revenge on the Crow's Eye for defiling his bed and forcing him to take the life of his salt-wife.
"I'll take the deal," Victarion found himself shouting "But let the girl live."
"Challenge accepted," replied Euron curtly, and he let Ila go.
The crying Wildling girl ran into the arms of Asha who cuddled her and carried the Wildling girl away from the scene. Victarion's decision to take on the Crow's Eye sparked some discussion among his relatives and men.
"Don't do it," pleaded Aeron "He's just baiting you for a fight. He's not worth fight about. His cause is dead."
"Give us the order," added Nute the Barber "And I'll willingly cut down the Crow's Eye myself."
"No," replied Victarion solemnly "A deal is deal and I always honour my word. Even with a rogue."
The Kraken and the Crow's Eye
For his duel with Euron, Victarion had decided to wield his trusted battle axe and a rounded rectangular shield emblazoned with the golden Greyjoy kraken on a midnight black field. He was covered from head to toe in plated armour. Victarion never shied away from the battlefield especially from a conflict that had been raging in his mind and heart for three long years. How he long to smash Euron's smiling teeth with his bare fists. His niece Asha had placed the kraken's helm on his head.
"Take care, uncle," she said "Whatever you do, don't get yourself killed."
"There is a time and season for everything," replied Victarion gruffly "The Drowned God alone chooses when a man should live or die."
"One more thing, Uncle," whispered Asha "Could you reconsider my offer to be your Hand."
The thought of a woman helping him to rule the Iron Islands irked his mind. It went against the grain of Ironborn society to have a woman rule. Asha had twigged some conservative noses by wearing chainmail and commanding her own longship. But, now was not the time to argue about whether women should stay at home.
"I'll think about it," replied Victarion, as he lowered his visor.
The Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet boldly strode forward to face his adversary at the slopes of Nagga's Hill. Behind him, a crowd of tired warriors had gathered. The sky was turning a light yellowish-orange hue which foreshadowed the night to come. For the Drowned God and family, thought Victarion.
While Victarion was capped from head to toe in plate armour, the Crow's Eye was lightly armoured by contrast. He wore a steel breastplate over boiled leather but had no helm. His sole weapon was a steel sword forged from Valyrian steel. But, Valyrian steel was the strongest and most durable metal in the entire Known World. Forged from spells, they were lighter, stronger, and sharper than even the best castle-forged swords.
Since the Doom of Valyrian, Valyrian swords had become exceedingly rare since the secret of making them had been lost. Many noble households kept them as treasured heirlooms. Only the most knowledgeable swordsmiths could reforge swords from existing Valyrian steel. The Crow's Eye must have either stolen one during his numerous raids or paid a blacksmith at Qohor to reforge one. Victarion was skilled at fighting with the axe but he did not know how he would hold out against Euron's Valyrian sword.
Burning with rage and hatred, Victarion charged at the Crow's Eye with his axe but the scoundrel dodged him.
"Ha ha, brother," taunted the Crow's Eye "Want to dance with me."
The Crow's Eye then jabbed him at his left-elbow joint. Victarion felt a painful scratch and saw some blood trickle down his armoured lower arm. Scowling, Victarion tried to bash him with shield but the scoundrel quickly jutted to his right like a hare. Victarion then swung his axe at Euron's head but only caught his boiled leather-covered left arm. To Victarion's joy, his axe had drawn some blood but Euron had not given up the fight.
Scowling in pain, Euron hacked at the wooden handle of Victarion's great battle axe. To the Lord Captain's horror, the wooden beam shattered and the axe head fell to the ground, narrowly missing his boots by a few inches. However, Victarion had prepared for this situation and drew his sword; a single-handed castle-forged steel blade.
"Now, that's more like it," said Euron "Let's play with swords like when were little kids."
For minutes, the two former brothers parried with their blades. Victarion's ears rang with the hard thud of metal against metal. Euron tried to prise off his kraken's helm but the Lord Captain shielded his blows with his great rectangular shield. Striking gold, Victarion managed to wrench off Euron's patch with his sword; revealing an empty chamber where once his left eye had been.
For the second time since the fight began, Euron scowled with rage.
"Ready to give up now, Crow's Eye," taunted Victarion
"Not yet," barked the Crow's Eye, who turned to address the spectators "Do you want to know how I lost my left eye? Well, me and little Vic here were playing bows and arrows one afternoon. I had killed his beloved moggie Lady Norris by accident but he did not believe me. He told mum and dad that my eye injury was an accident. Mum and Dad believed him. You were always their second favourite, next to Balon."
"Liar," roared Victarion "You were the black sheep of the family. You shamed the Greyjoy name by spending your youth drinking yourself silly with fine wines, getting into pub brawls, and lying in bed with every fair maiden you laid your right eye upon. To top of your disgrace, you raped my third salt-wife."
"True, I may have been a drunkard, brawler, and fornicator," fired back Euron "But I beg to differ on the last incident. She came to me with a willing heart, saying that she wanted to know the handsome Crow's Eye. You killed her because you could not live with the fact that nobody loves a dullard such as you."
Victarion let out a deep how of rage and tried to head-butt Euron with his great Kraken helm. However, the Crow's Eye dodged his head out of harm's way and sliced Victarion's hamstring with his Valyrian sword. The Lord Captain felt an excruciating jolt of pain as Euron's Valyrian blade sliced through flesh and bone. Victarion found himself kneeling in pain in a prone position.
That gave the Crow's Eye the perfect opportunity to deliver a hard kick to his chest, knocking him onto his back. As the Lord Captain fell to the ground, Euron used his Valyrian steel sword to wrench Victarion's helm off his head. The heavy Kraken's helm landed with a loud thud nearby. Several of the spectators gasped in horror and shock. Victarion felt a great thump on the chest as Euron landed on his armoured chest. Thankfully, Victarion had won a layer of chainmail and wool which insulated him from the worst of Euron's kicks.
However, the worst was yet to come. Grabbing the Valyrian sword with both hands, Euron used his weapon to pierce Victarion's chest-plate armour. The sword burrowed its way through steel, chainmail and woollen garments to pierce through Victarion's chest. The Lord Captain felt a sharp jolt of pain as Euron's sword pierced through skin and flesh, inches from his heart.
"Now, release me, my brother," demanded Euron "Let me leave these shit-stained rocks for exile freely or I will stab you in the heart."
"No, never," bellowed Victarion "As long as I live, you are a dead man."
Euron drove his blade deeper into Victarion's flesh. The Lord Captain began to choke blood. Suddenly, Victarion caught sight of a figure creeping up behind the Crow's Eye. It was an ebony-skinned woman wearing a purple gown. Jaya, one of the Crow's Eye's salt-wives. She had a look of rage and hatred on her face.
Before any of the spectators could react, Jaya had shoved her spear up Euron's unprotected backside into the man's body. Euron's triumphant face turned into a mask of shock and agony. The Crow's Eye's began choking blood and blood ran down his bottom on the golden sand. Euron fell face-first onto Victarion's body, knocking the sword out of his chest. The Lord Captain felt his skin tearing apart and blood leaking over his chest and linen undergarment.
"This is for my father, my mother, and my brothers," roared Jaya triumphantly. "And my little girl Nissa!"
To his disgust, he found his lips touching the Crow's Eye's pale blue lips. With every remaining ounce of energy in his body, Victarion pushed himself and Euron upward, and shoved the dying Crow's Eye aside. With his armoured fists, Victarion smashed Euron's teeth and nose. Catching side of his fallen shield, he knelt beside Euron and used the great rectangular shield to pummel Euron's face to a bloody pulp.
"This is for Matahari," bellowed Victarion "This is for Balon! And this is for all the people you killed today."
With one final blow, Victarion shattered Euron's forehead, splattering his face with blood and brain. As Victarion made his final blow, all his strength and energy deserted him. Things around him began to feel funny. Victarion found himself vomiting. Before he knew it, he had fallen unconscious.
Endnotes
The only death that I thought fitted Euron was a bloody, violent death on the same level as Oberyn Martell and Ser Meryn Trant's deaths. Well, there goes Euron out of the picture and his dreams of conquering all of Westeros with dragon fire. But will Victarion live long enough to sit on the Seastone Chair? Wait for the next chapter. For Harry Potter fans, Lady Norris is a reference to Argus Filch, the Hogwarts caretaker and the same guy who acts as Lord Walder Frey. I have also decided to give Victarion's third salt-wife a name: Matahari, a Dutch dancer who was convicted and executed for spying by the French during World War I.
I have since decided to the ending of this chapter. The idea that a frightened eight-year old girl who shove a spear up someone's backside sounds too gory for a child. So, I decided to give that role to someone who had even more motive to kill Euron - his salt-wife Jaya (one of my Original Characters). He literally butchered her daughter Nissa to pay the Faceless Man. Well, we can say adios to the Crow's Eye forever!