Wildlings and Tsudere .
Mormont castle, but it was certainly the oldest structure on the island. The building dates to the times of the Greyjoy occupation of the island and over the centuries had been destroyed and rebuilt several times as it changed from owner to owner, but despite all the changes it had undergone the skeleton of the structure always remained the same.
The reason why the building had never been abandoned was its enviable position, located at the top of a hill overlooking the port, making the tower the perfect observation point of the entire bay.
From a strategic point, the tower was a very precious place for the defense of the port and the rest of the island, being the first and most effective line of defense on the island, and at this moment Archer was in the heart of it.
The office the boy was in was cold and spartan, minimally furnished with no embellishments or ornaments whatsoever, it was a room dedicated to efficiency and nothing else.
The men who were manning it at the moment were also dedicated to efficiency; the two greatest powers on the island were sitting behind a simple wooden table, Lord Jeor Mormon and Jorah Mormont his son and heir.
Archer was finally in the presence of the old bear himself and after hearing about him he couldn't help but compare him to all the heroes and legends he had met in his long life.
The man's size could recall that of the king of conquerors, but it was the only similarity between the two, where the Rider of the Fourth Grail war was red-haired and temperamental Jeor was the exact opposite.
He had white hair and beard and a cold and calculating temperament, worthy of the great polar bears of the north, and like them, the lord was a predator who, despite having long passed his prime, still remained one of the most dangerous creatures that walked the earth.
A mighty warrior and leader there was no other way to describe Jeor Mormont even Emiya had to admit that for once the rumors had not exaggerated the fame of a man, quite the opposite and the proof was right before Archer's eyes.
Longclaw has been the ancestral sword of House Mormont for five hundred years and had never bathed in glory as much as in the hands of Jeor. Valyrian steel seemed to sing in the hands of the man who had wielded it for more than forty years.
The blade may have been younger and less famous than Ice but where the sword of the Starks was still far from becoming a noble phatasm Longclaw was only one step away from accomplishing the feat, and all thanks to the man who carried it around his waist.
"Tell me who gave you the authority and right to act as you did?" asked the gruff voice of the lord
"No one," Archer replied, not at all intimidated by the alleged interrogation he was being subjected to
"Then why did you act this way?" this time it was the heir who spoke for his father
"I was surrounded with no reinforcements in sight, killing my attackers seems more than normal to me."
"or should I have held back for their sake?" Archer asked with feigned innocence
"I'm not talking about that pathetic trash," the lord growls, not at all amused by Archer's antics
Aeron too Greyjoy ?"
"He was more useful alive as a bargaining chip than as a corpse," Emiya answered truthfully
"Are you sure?" the cynicism in the old bear's voice was palpable
"If he had died during the assault we would have been able to explain everything as a simple accident. As you said before, you don't spare your attacker's life when you're surrounded." Jeor paused so that his words could better reach the child.
"Instead you took him alive and allowed him to reveal his name in front of witnesses. Soon the news will reach the Greyjoys who will demand explanations and compensation for our actions"
"They won't ask for any of this, far from it they will try to resolve the situation as quickly and quietly as possible to avoid any fuss."
"Why do you think they act like that?" Jorah asked genuinely curious
"Because they lost and not only were they defeated but the author of their defeat was a child. They cannot allow this rumor to circulate otherwise they would lose all the aura of mystery and fear that surrounds them. So they will try to hush it up as soon as possible."
"Quite right but keeping this in mind wouldn't it be easier to make you disappear completely, with this they would not only silence the voice but regain the lost honor?" as a man who had lived a long time Jeor could see very well the pros and cons of the child theory.
"Normally it would be like this but I am not just any child even if I bear the name Snow I am still the son of Lord Stark, I am not a nobody who can simply be made to disappear" Jeor was not the only man with experience Archer could have had the body of a child but mentally he was probably the oldest man in the world; therefore, he could easily see the pros and cons of his plans.
"I see you've thought about everything well" complimented the pleasant old man, surprised that Archer had understood what the situation actually was
"Tell me then what we should ask for Aeron Greyjoy ?"
"Money of course, I believe ten thousand gold dragons is the minimum for such a noble individual" Archer chuckled remembering the ultimate troll for those unfortunate enough to know him.
Hearing the obscene figure that the boy had proposed, the heir Mormont choked, unable to believe his ears, and the barbaric courage that Archer must have had to even think of such a figure.
The father's reaction was completely opposite to that of his son as he burst out laughing, amused by the audacity of his new protégé
" Ahhhaa you have balls boy I have to admit that," the old man said between laughs
"But the sum is too high, Balon will never pay such a sum for his useless brother."
" It is not far-fetched that Balon will pay the full amount. Aeron, in fact, is not only his brother but the undisputed proof that the Greyjoy house is behind the looting of the northern coasts, especially those of Bear Island".
"What you say makes no sense and it is well known that every act of piracy can be traced back to the Greyjoys " Jorah said skeptically, the young heir in his haste to expose his doubts did not notice the interested expression on his father's face
"Really? What all the remaining seven kingdoms claim doesn't matter when the head of House Greyjoy can hide behind the excuse of bias and false flag operations."
Jorah admitted confusedly, unable to keep up with the reasoning of a child who was less than a third of his age, much to his enormous shame.
"Until now the Greyjoys have been able to act undisturbed and unpunished because they always had an excuse to hide behind, a justification that could not be broken that kept them safe from everything as long as they acted within reasonable limits"
"Continue" The old bear seemed more and more interested, with every word from Archer he found himself nodding enraptured.
"No matter how many accusations of plunder Balon receives, he can always say that the accusations are due to the hatred that the remaining kingdoms feel towards him due to ancient feuds. Not even the banners found on the raiders are sufficient proof, every man is capable of embroidering a Kraken on a piece of cloth but this does not mean that they are truly members of the Greyjoy house "
"This is not possible, no noble worthy of the name would allow his men to hide under such a ruse" I immediately refute the young bear, unable to believe in the child's theory
"Then it means you still have a lot to learn before you can sit in my place," the elderly lord grumbles, scolding his son.
"Intrigues and betrayals are the order of the day among the nobles and not only in the south. Remember Jorah, acting with justice and conscience is always good but in the end, for those who bear the heavy burden of command, these principles can be heavy chains that can drag their people through the mud. Because in the end, nothing is more important than the well-being of your people," the older man wisely instructed, imparting a bit of knowledge to the younger generations with his lessons.
"Eco because I don't doubt that Balon did everything the boy says but that he wasn't the only one of the seven great lords" Jeor reveals
"Exact. but with Aeron in our hands Balon can no longer deny his involvement, even if he denied his brother he would still have to pay for the misdeeds he has committed up to that moment"
"But why should he pay once he's already denied it," Jeor asked curiously
"Because at the time of the attacks, he was still part of the royal family so his actions fell under the jurisdiction of the throne, it doesn't matter whether he was aware of it or not" the old bear explains in Archer's place, instructing his son in this way
"Once again I expected nothing less from the Mormont lord" Emiya complimented once again seeing that Jeor was not only a skilled warrior and strategist but also a shrewd politician capable of understanding his stratagems.
"Really. I don't know if I'm worthy of all this praise," the old man shook his head.
"If I were as wise as the rumors say I would not have underestimated the famous bastard of Winterfell," Jeor admitted.
"As my son will have already mentioned you are a famous boy, the only blemish on the honor of Ned Stark, an unparalleled swordsman capable of defeating grown men when he hasn't even lived a decade. Those are the rumors going around about you," the older man said as he leaned forward as if to get a better look at Emiya.
"But that's only what the populace knows. But for the lords who have ears and power to listen this is just the tip of the iceberg. It is the lesser-known news that is the most interesting, we are talking about a child with boundless knowledge that would make even the most erudite of masters envious, capable of turning anything into gold." A reality more imaginative than any fantasy, the old bear was telling
"I thought it was all nonsense, I was wrong"
One had to be a great man to admit he was wrong so easily and by doing so Jeor was proving his greatness once again
"Only a person worthy of the stories I have heard would have been able to understand the situation and come up with such a plan in such a short time" complimented the elderly lord
"I'm inclined to follow your idea, considering everything I don't see why it shouldn't work. This very day I will send a crow to Balon with the ransom demand."
"If I may." Archer interrupted
"Don't just send a missive to the Greyjoys. Make the other lords, especially my father and the Starks, aware of our actions, so Balon won't be able to pull off any tricks with too many eyes on him."
At Archer's proposal, both father and son remained silent, despite the compliments they had just paid to the boy both men were surprised again.
Although in their hearts the two men had sworn to no longer underestimate the bastard of Winterfell, once again his brilliance had surprised them.
"I've never been the type to love Game of Thrones no matter how good people say I am at playing it but for the first time in my life, I'm eager to take part in the game" The smile on Jeor 's face wasn't that of a bear was more similar to that of a wolf or a bloodthirsty hyena.
As Archer expected, the Greyjoys more than willingly accepted the exchange and did not even try to negotiate the ransom, such was the haste with which they wanted to bury the whole matter.
Incredibly, instead of being happy that his prediction had come true, Emiya became agitated. A premonition that could only derive from millennia of experience agitated him. The enemies had accepted the proposal too easily. There hadn't even been the shadow of a negotiation. The Kraken had simply surrendered, accepting the fate that had been presented to them.
Instinct told Archer that something wasn't right considering that Balon wasn't incompetent, there was little reason why the Greyjoys would have acted like this: they were plotting something or hiding something.
A bigger picture was unfolding before Archer and the former heroic spirit was eager to see the full picture which is why he joined the exchange expedition.
It had been agreed by both parties that the ransom would be made in a neutral location, to avoid any foul play on one side or the other.
The head of the mission was naturally the young bear, the situation required a figure of the utmost importance to handle everything but Lord Mormont did not dare leave the island for fear of sudden attacks on his home in his absence, a prudent attitude that Archer he respected and understood.
Like Emiya, Jeor had also been alarmed by the ease with which the Greyjou had accepted the deal, with his vast experience it hadn't taken the man long to spot the potential dangers lurking in the shadows. The greatest risk was that the Greyjoys would take advantage of his temporary absence from the island to raze it with fire and sword.
That's why, to avoid this risk, the man had sent his son to manage the entire negotiation while strengthening the internal defenses to prepare for a possible assault by the men of iron.
Archer's presence at the exchange had been a debated topic, neither of the two Mormont men wanted the boy to participate in such a risky operation, even though the young man had already proven his worth during the defense of the island the men still feared for his well-being.
Only with time and effort was Emiya able to change both their minds by claiming that participating in a similar experience would be educational for him. With logical arguments and proof that he was capable of defending himself with these weapons, Archer had managed to break the iron will of the bears and convince them.
So once again the former guardian of humanity was traveling between winds and tides towards the unknown, the boy's second sea voyage was going much better than the previous one who now seemed to have freed himself from the slight nausea that had accompanied him for his previous trip.
Without the previous discomfort to accompany him, the boy was truly enjoying the journey, finally understanding why so many heroic spirits of the past loved to wander the sea.
With a more relaxed and freer mind, the boy allowed himself to make the first changes to his new temporary home. The first innovation he presented had been so obvious that Archer almost didn't realize the great change his innovation would bring.
Spyglasses and binoculars in general were such common tools in his old world that Archer had taken them for granted not realizing the great change they meant for the seven kingdoms.
Even the most rudimentary of telescopes with little magnification was a surprising innovation for people who could not see beyond what their eyes normally permitted.
From a military point of view, such an invention was extremely valuable, especially in the naval context where identifying the enemy was even more difficult due to the width of the sea.
There was a reason why in Archer's old world the Doge of Venice had been willing to pay Galileo handsomely for the first specimens, to cement the power of the Serenissima of his time in history.
Emiya a few hours with his knowledge to accomplish what had taken the famous Italian scholar months and attempts. Now the first and only example of this new invention was traveling with Archer made available to the ship's captain for his field testing.
To say that the NightWing captain was enthusiastic about the new tool made available was an understatement, the man seemed to have fallen in love with the toy presented by Archer, finding every possible excuse to use it.
Even now the man was using the telescope to scan the horizon for any unexpected dangers, aware that the closer they got to the agreed meeting place, the higher the chance that the ironborn would attack.
He wasn't the only one worried, the small garrison that escorted Archer and the Mormont heir were also sharpening their weapons in preparation for a possible clash.
Emiya had also prepared for any eventuality in secret away from anyone's gaze, he had prepared special arrows, they were rudimentary weapons that didn't even use gunpowder but simple flammable compounds and small flints.
They could almost be defined as rudimentary Molotov cocktails, perfect for damaging boats and inducing panic among people, nothing remotely as powerful as some of the enchanting weapons that the former hero had at his disposal. But in any case, Emiya had thought for a long time before creating them, not wanting to put into circulation in the world a plague that could be defined as the ancestor of firearms.
Archer knew very well that the seven kingdoms were not yet ready to know gunpowder and he also had no desire to be the one to introduce this misfortune to a world all too eager to bleed.
His explosive arrows while dangerous were not completely alien to this world having been anticipated and surpassed in some ways by the Wildfire. His arrows although less powerful were certainly more stable than this world's version of Greek fire and were a useful tool in a pinch.
Emiya didn't want blood but that didn't mean he didn't prepare in case he had to spill it.
"Enemy ships in sight" as if to confirm everyone's predictions and suspicions, the alarm was raised, signaling that the Iron Men were truly worthy of their reputation as unreliable men.
The trap everyone was expecting had finally been revealed to the world all thanks to the tool Archer had brought for just that, more than one man was breaking out in a cold sweat at the thought of what could have happened if the boy hadn't brought the trap to their attention. his invention.
"What should we do?" the captain of the ship asked worriedly, for the moment they were still out of danger, thanks to the telescope they had managed to identify the enemy ship before it could even feel the hint of their presence.
"Let's go back, there's nothing else to do" Jorah simply replied, not at all conflicted about his choice to retreat.
"And the prisoner?" the captain asked once again.
"Let's slaughter him and feed him to the fish. With a bit of luck, the Greyjoys themselves will find the body" proposed one of the sailors, immediately obtaining cries of agreement from his companions who were all too eager to shed the blood of the rapist and house burner who was Lord Greyjoy 's youngest brother.
"We could have a third way," Archer said calmly while with his enormous experience, he evaluated what was the best strategy to follow.
Despite not having shouted the words of the youngest passenger on the ship seemed to pierce the air as everyone turned towards him, the young bastard should simply be an observer and given his young age normally no one would have given any weight to his words.
Instead, everyone fell silent to better hear Archer's words about the child who had performed one miracle after another who once again with his foresight had saved them from a probably fatal trap.
"Before continuing I would like to gather more information, captain if you can answer some of my questions I would be grateful" Feeling challenged the elderly sailor stood at attention feeling everyone's eyes on him.
"If I'm not mistaken, this stretch of sea is subject to thick banks of fog, right?"
"Yes, especially late in the evening when the wolf's hour approaches. In those conditions it is almost impossible to navigate" The sea dog answered the first question
"Aren't the currents particularly violent?"
"Exact"
"So you could sail with a small boat like a lifeboat?"
"It is certainly possible, you should simply be careful of any sudden gusts of wind "
"Does this also apply in case of fog?" this was the central part of Archer's plan everything would depend on what the captain answered to this question.
The said sailor seemed to understand the importance of the question he had just been asked because this time instead of answering immediately he took his time to think before answering.
"With a lot of attention and caution it could be feasible" the captain finally admitted
"Perfect" The grin on Archer's face startled all the men present who didn't believe it was possible that such a young boy could make such a scary expression.
"That being the case I would suggest we take things to our advantage"
"Continue," said the Mormont heir, clearly intrigued
"Thanks to the binoculars we know that there are three ships in ambush, all supporting a fourth which is presumably the one holding the ransom. To maintain the maximum surprise effect, these three boats maintain a considerable distance from the main ship, just waiting for us to get closer before converging towards us:" With calm and cold logic Emiya begins to explain his plan starting from the information known to everyone.
"By taking advantage of this distance with the favor of darkness and fog we can destroy them one by one, thus eliminating any threat to us"
Jeor's proposal
"Even with the element of surprise we will be outnumbered, not to mention that to be truly successful our attack would have to be conducted simultaneously on all three ships thinning our numbers even further" Jeor ruthlessly destroyed Emiya 's plan.
But instead of being upset by this turn of events, Archer continued to smile and with every weak point the young bear found in his plan his smile seemed to grow showing more and more fang-like teeth ready to bite some fool.
"Everything is correct and you would be right if the attack method I am proposing was the classic one"
"So what do you propose?" one of the sailors asked curiously.
"To sink ships. no boarding, no hand-to-hand combat, none of this"
"It's impossible," the captain blurts out, not believing Archer's words, already not very credible for someone who had no experience in maritime battles, let alone for a veteran like a man.
"What if I told you that I have something very similar to the Wildfire available" immediately upon hearing the cursed Targaryen fire.
"You're crazy," the captain shouts in fear, unable to believe that anyone would be crazy enough to carry an unstable substance like Wildfire on a sea voyage where waves and jolts were all too common.
There was a reason why after the first attempts the Wildfire had never really been used as a weapon, the substance was too volatile to be truly useful, excessive heat and shock tended to make it explode and like any person with a little salt in the pumpkin he could tell you in war heat and shocks were all too common.
"I said similar to Wildfire, my creation is perfectly stable and although less powerful than Green Fire it can easily destroy Greyjoy ships ."
"Even if what you say is true the explosion would alert everyone else"
"True if it were a large explosion, but a smaller, controlled one just below the waterline would go unnoticed. The danger would be even more reduced if all ships were attacked at the same time."
"How big would the explosion be?" the Mormont heir asked seriously, beginning to see the merits of the boy's plan. I'm still not entirely convinced
"Powerful enough to create a hole in the hull would not immediately result in the sinking of the ship but it would only be a matter of time even in the best of circumstances the vessel would be unable to navigate"
A silence fell on everyone present as they tried to digest what Archer had said, the information that the boy had reported if correct had the strength to change the seven kingdoms forever the child might not have understood it but if his invention had been successful in the operation a new type of war would be unleashed on the seas.
"Are you completely sure of your words?" the young bear asked once again to be completely sure of his decisions, aware that if everything went right today would be the day his name would be engraved in history.
"Sure, I'm ready to swear it on my honor" There was nothing else to add
Dawn rose early on the horizon and with it a man's fate was about to be decided, two ships faced each other separated only by a thin layer of land known as a shark's tooth.
A mere completely insignificant islet not even present in most nautical charts but after today it would most likely go down in history, these were Jorah 's thoughts Mormon as he stepped onto the ground.
The operation conducted the previous evening had not only been a resounding success, it had demonstrated to the young Lord that his father's protégé was a more than dangerous individual.
It was something the young bear already knew basically having witnessed the boy's martial skills firsthand but nothing had prepared him for facing the bastard's greatest weapon: his mind.
Jorah had participated in the expedition out of scruples to make sure that everything was done in the right way and also out of personal curiosity to see if the boy's words were completely true.
Just as his father had taught him, Jorah had been cautious, preferring to first attack a single ship rather than try to destroy the entire Greyjoy escort, only after witnessing with his own eyes the devastation created by the compound created by the boy had Jorah given the order to attack the remaining boats.
Through his orders, the waters were dyed red and the Kraken's dominion over the seas forgotten even if they didn't know it yet, and all thanks to the ingenuity of a boy of not even ten years old, the true most powerful and frightening weapon of the seven kingdoms.
A boy who now stood in his shadow Jorah would never admit it to anyone but feeling the bastard's eyes peering at him made him shiver in fear. The child had a fearsome mind not only capable of creating all sorts of contraptions but also of making some of the oldest and most dangerous lords of the seven kingdoms play in the palm of his hand and as if that wasn't enough he was also skilled with a sword and the bow.
Jorah had no doubt that the bastard would be more than capable of killing him not only if he wanted the boy would be able to erase his entire house from existence and perhaps even from history.
Compared to so much talent and skill the young bear felt smaller than an ant, the man couldn't help but wonder if this was how men of the past had felt when faced with figures like Aegon the Conqueror or Brandon the Builder.
It was lucky that this little monster was on his side ready to destroy the hated Iron Men and after seeing who they had sent for negotiations Jorah couldn't think of a better choice than the boy to join him.
Balon Greyjoy had three brothers and while the youngest Aeron could be considered the black sheep of the family the other two were powerful and feared individuals.
Victarion Greyjoy was an immense man considered by many to be the second strongest individual in the seven kingdoms who did not hold the title of strongest only because of The Mountain.
His enormous size combined with the fact that he wore full heavy armor made him an intimidating figure, his face covered by a helmet depicting the Kraken not only adding a veil of mystery to his person but also making him an individual worthy of a nightmare.
Greyjoy 's second brother smiled from atop his ship to scare him.
There was no pirate more well-known and feared than Euron Greyjoy, the captain of the Silence, the man did not have the size of his brother but this did not make him any less fearsome, his cruelty and cunning were anything but.
Where one brother had muscles the other had brains and after the events of the previous evening, Jorah was starting to fear cunning men more than strong ones which is why he was happy to have young Snow by his side.
Even the young Bastard seemed to understand which of the two was the more dangerous because the more massive brother was worthy of a single glance before focusing completely on the one perched on the ship like a crow.
" Mormont " Victarion 's booming voice began the negotiations as the giant of a man stopped a few meters from the two representatives of the North.
" Greyjoy," Jorah replied in kind
"Where is my brother?" the big man asked
"Where's my gold?" the young bear replied in kind, not at all intimidated by the giant in front of him
"We didn't have that much cash available but I don't think there would be any problem replacing it with goods of the same value"
"That wasn't the deal," Jorah growls
"This or nothing," Victarion replied as he tightened his grip on his ax preparing to fight in case the negotiations went badly.
Archer had to admit that it was smart of the Greyjoys to accept the offer immediately and then start negotiating in person when the chances of refusing were certainly lower. And even in the event of refusal, the hostage would not have been in danger considering that they had set more than a deadly trap that only had to be sprung.
It was unfortunate for the ironborn that their plan had already half failed, the trap they had so diligently prepared had been destroyed even before it could be sprung and while the substitution of the ransom for assets would certainly have greatly diminished the sum they had requested it was certainly better than the nothing they had initially expected.
Emiya then gave the green light to the Mormont heir to continue the exchange, the bastard's gesture, however discreet, did not go unnoticed from his perch Euron saw everything.
Archer was well aware of this from the beginning, he had not taken his eyes off the infamous pirate knowing instinctively that he was the mastermind behind all the pitfalls and deceptions he would face today.
"Good, I accept," said the bear after being given the green light
"Brother," Victarion roared, chuckling Euron caught the order as he rang a bell and raised a flag before descending to the banks.
"What are you doing?" Jorah asked in alarm, fearing that those were signs of an imminent attack by the Greyjoys
"I'm calling your payment" as if to prove the point at that moment lifeboats filled with crates and people appeared from the back of the ship.
The man was lying. It didn't take Archer even half a second to understand. If his words had been close to the truth, there would have been no need for two signals. Probably one of the two was aimed at the ships that the two brothers still believed were lurking.
"If you're worried you can call your men," Victarion said dryly, not at all intimidated by the possibility of the Mormont deploying his troops.
Jorah readily accepted his enemy's suggestion by calling out to the guards who remained on the ship.
Throughout this exchange, Emiya remained silent, more interested in scrutinizing the contents of the approaching lifeboats than in participating in that useless display of power.
At the sight of the contents of the lifeboats, Archer's eyes narrowed while, unknown to everyone else, his mana began to boil due to the barely concealed fury he felt at the discovery of yet another evil deed of the ironborn.
The reincarnated was not the only one to notice what the ransom that the Kraken had so kindly brought consisted of, with the boats now so close to the shore even Jorah had noticed the cunning deception that they wanted to carry out against him.
"What does this mean," the bear growls
"Because those men and women are in chains. You know very well that slavery has been prohibited in all seven kingdoms" With these words the man revealed the true nature of the goods that the two Greyjoys wanted to exchange with him.
"just presenting them before me gives me the right according to the king's laws to execute you" By now the man was foaming at the mouth as he shouted at the two brothers who seemed unperturbed.
"So tell me why I shouldn't enforce the laws?" Jorah asked angrily
" Eh, eh. I'd really like to see you try Jorah " Euron chuckles, not at all intimidated by the bear's threat
"but before continuing my entertainment I should specify that those you see are not citizens of any of the seven kingdoms but of the pathetic savages of the Wildingns therefore our laws do not apply to them" I continue with a sneer Euron noting the loophole on which he was working.
"In this case, I assume that …" begins the young bear eager to complete the negotiations
" Jorah continues and your house will need a new heir" only to be interrupted by Emiya.
The boy who had remained silent on the sidelines, preferring to leave everything in the hands of his protector's son, had finally spoken, his mask of indifference removed while a barely controlled fury crossed his young face.
" Jorah who is this brat who dares to interrupt you?" Victarion asked threateningly as he came forward with his ax to try to intimidate Archer, who did not even remotely deserve the man's glance, preferring to continue staring at the Mormont heir as if to challenge him to accept the ignoble proposal of the two men of iron.
For his part, Jorah was breaking into a cold sweat as he felt the boy's gaze on him, the fear he had previously felt when thinking about the bastard's abilities had returned stronger than ever leaving him paralyzed.
"Calm down brother. We have the honor of speaking with the famous bastard Ned Stark the greatest prodigy the North has seen in decades" Euron said mockingly, revealing at the same time that he knew very well who Archer was.
"And even knowing who I am, you dare threaten and offend me?" Emiya asked bluntly, still angered by the presence of the slaves and not at all surprised that the pirate knew who he was.
Indeed, the boy had already considered it possible that the Greyjoys had spies in the Mormont court who could warn them in other circumstances Archer would take his time to play with the man's mind so that he would detect who his spy was.
But these were not normal circumstances, the sight of the slaves paraded as if they were even less than cattle had lit a fire in Archer's veins that the boy no longer believed he had been buried by the ashes of the time and torment he had experienced.
Instead that fire still existed and was burning stronger than ever and asked nothing more than to make the cheeky smile on the pirate's face disappear.
"We are not afraid of your father, boy," Euron replied, his smile a little narrower after Archer's threat, still present in my mind, showing with his words all the arrogance for which his house was famous.
Ned Stark's son but you should fear him because I'm his son" were arrogant words that no one in their right mind would dream of uttering.
In fact, how could a simple child on the threshold of adolescence be more dangerous than a great lord capable of commanding and leading hundreds if not thousands of men into battle?
The two brothers were well aware of this so they didn't hesitate in the slightest to burst out laughing in the bastard's face, too caught up in their fun they didn't notice that instead of joining them or scolding the boy Jorah was trying to make himself as small as possible so to avoid whatever was about to happen.
Archer was laughing too but of the two men, in his long life, he had seen and accomplished feats beyond the human, comparing him to a mere noble would have been ridiculous even in his weakened state and without much of his mystical abilities at his disposal, Emiya was more than capable of bringing not only the seven kingdoms but the entire known world to its knees.
It was only his unwarlike nature that had held him back until now, but individuals like the two Greyjoy brothers put his peaceful nature to the test, the ironborn seemed to be eager for blood and Archer was tempted to please them.
"Let me explain better, your trap has been completely destroyed, your reinforcement ships have sunk and with them your men. Free the slaves and I will let you go without even asking for the rest of the loot" Emiya generously proposed.
Finally, the laughter and smiles of the two pirates disappeared, the bastard's words had finally silenced them
"You think you scare me, you bastard, in my eyes your pathetic bluffs are useless" Euron growls arrogantly, confident in his cunning and not believing it possible that his stratagems had been revealed and foiled.
"When this is all over I will crush you in my arms," Victarion promised as he flexed his arms menacingly to make the point.
Seeing his act of mercy being rejected Emiya decided to let go of mercy and begin to let the steel speak.
"If so, then let's put an end to this farce," said Emiya tiredly, the stage was now set, and reinforcements from both sides had arrived, making the battlefield uniform without any real numerical superiority on either side.
With the rest of the men the prisoners had also arrived, on the Mormont side the third and youngest of the Greyjoy brothers was being dragged in chains, his hair still wet from his failed escape attempt the evening before which had brought him too close to the liberated man called death while he risked drowning.
Since then, Aeron had been particularly silent, yet it didn't help that in his search for freedom, the man had witnessed the destruction of one of the ships of his fleet.
"Brother please run away" Aeron whispered trembling trying to warn his brothers of the danger the child in front of them represented.
Though spoken softly, Aeron's words were heard by both of his older brothers, but instead of taking his warnings to heart, both men laughed at him.
"Here is your ransom," Euron said mockingly, making the slaves advance. To tell the truth, the men and women brought by the pirate were not old and shabby, but young people in perfect shape who could have been sold very well at a good price if Archer had decided. to follow the path proposed by the Greyjoys and become a slaver.
"Of these two I am particularly proud" At the sign of the pirate two prisoners were brought forward.
They were both girls Archer's age, one red as fire, the other golden as dawn, both with blue eyes although of different shades as if to remember the various temperaments of the sky. Despite their young age, anyone could say that they were splendid, beauties worthy of the stories told by the bards.
Just looking at them most men would feel the fire in their veins eager to make both their own no matter the methods or actions taken to do so.
"Beautiful princesses Willdings. I have to be honest it was hard to resist the temptation and not take them for myself" Euron admitted wickedly with a lecherous look on his face as he expressed his desire for the two girls.
"I said all this was over not that I accepted your offer" I vehemently refuse Emiya as he slides his blade out of its sheath.
Seeing their leader's warlike intent, the Mormont men also drew their weapons, this was the signal for the battle to begin.
"DIE!" the first to act was Victarion as he moved his mighty double ax in a terrifying slash, the target of his attack was naturally Jorah. In the most classic of strategies the man tries to eliminate the enemy leader first to throw chaos into his troops, Jorah was a skilled fighter but the Greyjoy 's attack had been so impetuous and had so much strength behind it that the bear feared not being able to block it completely.
As if by magic the attack never connected, being deftly deflected by Archer's blade to the amazement of the two Greyjoy brothers
Euron for a moment, " Emiya ordered Jorah as he threw himself against the second strongest man in the seven kingdoms. Seeing the boy's assault, Victarion laughed, wanting to dye his weapon red with the bastard's blood.
The large man didn't fear the small boy at all, his enormous size and incredible strength made him confident that he could easily deal with any boy no matter how great his reputation as a prodigy was.
And even if the boy proved to be a capable opponent, Victarion was sure that his thick armor would protect him from any damage that the child's small blade could cause him.
For his part Emiya looked condescendingly at his opponent, the arrogance and cockiness of the Greyjoys had long since surpassed his tolerance threshold, normally Archer would have simply defeated or killed them but their sins required a worse punishment.
Like a serpent, the bastard slithered between his opponent's broad slashes, his sword feeling soft as it is as he trapped and guided the ax into his whorls and webs.
Emiya was playing with Victarion as if he were a child, sending his weapon flying left and right, barely held back by the Greyjoy 's strong hands
"What are you doing brother?" Euron asked worriedly as he was dueling against Jorah seeing his brother's difficulties.
"Stop playing. Kill him"
"I'm trying," Victarion growled as he swung his weapon harder and harder, trying to fight against the vortex that Archer seemed to create with his every movement.
Victarion felt like he was drowning the more the fight went on the more he felt dragged into the vortex of steel created by the bastard from the north, the more he tried to get out of that integrated network the more he remained entangled in it, the trust that had accompanied him at the beginning of the fight was disappeared.
Only now did Victarion realize that not only had he underestimated all the rumors that spoke of the Snow of Winterfell's swordsmanship, but even worse, those same rumors were not accurate enough, they did not fully describe the boy's true abilities, and for the first time Once in his life the Greyjoy feels afraid.
In Victarion 's eyes Archer was turning more and more into a monster out of nightmares, there was no other way to explain the boy's overwhelming ability no one so young in the man's mind should possess such abilities.
"Get hit, you little bastard," Virctarion growled, using the anger he felt against the child to give himself new strength and chase away the fear.
"Well then hit me," Archer said with a smile as he stopped, thus allowing the giant to deliver a direct body blow, his actions were taken as madness by anyone who watched him in a direct confrontation skill and technique counted for next to nothing the main advantage was given by strength and in this area Victarion was second only to a man.
Yet, despite the apparent folly of his actions, Archer stood confidently still awaiting the attack, his blade held firm in his hands; and yet, that hunk of metal seemed insignificant against the Greyjoy 's enormous grindstone.
"DIE" Victarion didn't take any time to realize that his opponent had given him a chance and he seized the opportunity offered.
"If I remember correctly, you said you would crush me with your hands?" Emiya asked mockingly.
"After today I think it will no longer be possible, the strength and arms you are so proud of I will take them now" Archer had never been a cruel guy, all his life he had preached calm reasoning there were few individuals who could boil the blood in his veins and make him mean and cruel and Victarion and Euron Greyjoy had become two of those few.
The Kraken's ax coming down from above with its mass seemed capable of crushing anything, yet Emiya 's figure remained as firm as a mountain in the face of that attack, not at all disturbed, in fact, his figure seemed to shine more than ever.
With the speed of lightning, the boy acted, when the ax was halfway there Archer's sword moved with the same arrogance as a dragon rising from the depths and roaring to the sky. The ax came down, the sword went up, and when they collided they burst into a shower of sparks.
"AAAAAHH" a cry of pain rent the air, a sign that there had been a clear winner in the clash between the two titans, but the loser to everyone's disbelief was not the Snow but the Greyjoy.
Victarion had lost in a battle of pure strength against a child, no one could believe their eyes but this was the reality, Grayjoy 's ax was completely destroyed and split in two only the shaft remained near the man while the head flew away.
But it wasn't just the weapon that was ruined, Victarion 's right arm, his dominant arm, was mangled and torn lengthwise in a horrific sight that would turn even the most hardened of men's stomachs.
"The strength you were so proud of is now just a memory" These were Archer's last words to the man before turning to face Euron, the bastard didn't even bother finishing his opponent off the wound he had inflicted on him it was so serious that it was seriously life-threatening if not treated immediately and even if he had survived his arm would have been useless for the rest of his life.
After his brother's defeat Euron did not panic, the eyes he was so proud of had not lost the madness and cunning they were famous for as they scanned the battlefield for opportunities.
His fight with Jorah had been interrupted by the rapid intervention of some of his men, only thanks to this interruption could the pirate have the luxury of calmly observing the situation.
Mormont men seemed to have gained new strength, the situation was proving to be increasingly disadvantageous but Euron was confident that with the arrival of reinforcements, everything would be resolved in his favor.
"For a man who is considered a master of strategy, he has banal and predictable ideas," Archer said, fully understanding what the pirate's intentions must have been.
"I already told you your ships are sunk there are no reinforcements on the way for you"
"You're lying," Euron growls, not believing the boy's words for the umpteenth time
"And why would I do that?" Emiya asked sincerely not understanding how an intelligent man like Euron didn't see that all his plans had gone up in smoke
"To make us retreat and win the battle"
"The battle is already won your men are falling one after the other and even if as you claim I lied about the reinforcements they would never arrive in time to save you" The truth can be crueler than any lie and now Emiya was making it clear this lesson at Greyjoy.
Euron 's long-awaited reinforcements existed, they would have been useless, given how quickly the battle was progressing. In itself, the pirate's plan in its simplicity would have been successful but it was based on principles that Archer had made sure to destroy.
First, Greyjoy expected a non-land sea battle, second, because he expected to attack at sea, after the exchange had been successful, he had the reinforcement ships placed further out to avoid any Mormont scouts.
But by attacking immediately on the mainland Emiya had already destroyed these two basic conditions, the plan would still have been salvageable it would have been enough for Victarion to have resisted until the reinforcements arrived, with his immense strength only man could take on the burden of holding he alone takes care of all the enemy forces with his defeat even the last thread that tied the Greyjoys to safety had been severed.
"Surrender now and I will leave you alive" Archer proposed for the last time, who even in his disgust was capable of extending a hand to them.
Euron found himself in, he lowered his shoulders almost defeated, and yet despite this his eyes continued to shine as they darted desperately in search of a solution.
"It's not over yet" With a growl Euron sprang into action, starting to run, his objective was the slaves, Archer took a second to understand what the man's objective was but that slight delay cost him.
"Step back or I'll kill her" I threatened the pirate as he used the red-haired princess as a shield.
"What makes you think I'm interested?" Archer asked, however, despite his words he lowered his sword momentarily.
"Don't lie boy I saw how you reacted when I brought the slaves. You can deny it all you want but in the end, you are a chivalrous type"
Hearing the man's words, Archer could hardly help himself from laughing, while it was true that he was disgusted at the sight of the slaves, defining a person like him as chivalrous was ridiculous.
A knight would always act according to justice and honor, and Archer was not known for following these principles, stratagems and subterfuges were more in his style. In the end, as much as Emiya hated to admit it, he and Euron were quite similar, their use of tactics and subterfuge was similar.
One more reason to find the words of the man so funny who, even though he couldn't recognize someone similar to him, boasted of his eyes. The reality is that if put under pressure Archer would not have hesitated for a moment to kill the girl, he certainly would not have carried out the action lightly, but he would not even have lost sleep after having carried out the act.
"You are trapped boy or you give up or give up your ideals and for a knight like you this is impossible," said Euron still convinced that he had framed Emiya perfectly.
Too bad for him who not only hadn't understood the bastard in the slightest but was also enormously underestimating him as his brothers had done before him; in fact, Archer had a third option compared to those presented by the pirate, with his skills it wasn't difficult for Emiya to free the girl without causing her harm.
"You're even more blind than I thought, what use are eyes to see if you don't know how to use them" Archer said dejectedly as he assessed the distance between him and his enemy.
Euron was less than five meters away from him and was shielding himself with the body of the girl who, to his credit, Archer had to admit did not show the slightest sign of panic, in fact, her blue eyes almost seemed to challenge him to act.
Taking action wouldn't have been too difficult either while it was true that Euron had placed himself at a considerable distance that didn't allow him to reach him in time with the sword, the man was still close enough to be susceptible to an attack.
What made the situation worse for the pirate was also the fact that while he was shielding himself with the girl, she was too small to rediscover the man's entire figure, leaving part of his chest and, more importantly, one eye exposed.
"Let me help you solve the problem," Archer said smiling as he surreptitiously slipped a small remnant of the Victarion ax he had picked up earlier into his hand.
Greyjoy spat angrily
"We agree on this," Emiya whispers before making his move
The throw was completely unexpected, the pirate was so sure of being safe behind his living shield that he didn't believe it was possible that anything could harm him, the small piece of metal thrown by the bastard proved him wrong.
A flash of silver followed by a flash of red and Euron Greyjoy found himself rolling in the mud in pain, desperately trying to stop the blood from flowing from what was once his eye.
"With two eyes you were half blind but I wonder what you will be like now that you only have one?" Archer asked curiously as he approached his downed enemy
"Not that it matters, you're about to die," said Emiya now over the body of his downed enemy ready to deliver the final blow
"Please stop" an unknown scream stopped Archer before the owner of the voice threw himself between him and Euron.
The voice belonged to a young girl a few years older than Emiya dressed with typical sailor skills and her soot-stained face almost seemed as if the girl had disguised herself to go on board.
"Please spare him, he has already lost an eye, there is no need to kill him" I beg the girl
"Why would I do that?" Emiya asked genuinely curious
"I don't think he would have been as lenient in my place," the bastard continued, finding no logical reason to fulfill the girl's wish.
"Because you are a good person" the girl replied with extreme confidence and for the second time that day Archer found himself labeled, both times the adjectives used did not represent him in the slightest in the boy's opinion.
"You're wrong" Emiya had too much blood on his hands to be called good
"I'm not wrong from the beginning you tried to resolve the situation without fighting even though you had a very good chance of crushing us only this shows that you are a good person" Of all the reasons the girl could give this one was unexpected for Archer and revealed that the young woman was a skilled observer.
"Not to mention the fact that if two of Lord Greyjoy 's brothers died at your hands today the outbreak of a war would be inevitable" Once again the woman highlights her extraordinary intellect, managing to perfectly analyze the situation and also predict the possible succession of events. events.
Archer had to grant the woman this argument was much more effective than the previous one and was dictated by cold logic and not by some stupid and misrepresented sensation.
Emiya could see talent in the woman who could potentially become an even greater strategist than Euron.
"And so be it. You will leave the slaves and the rest of the ransom but on the other hand, you can all leave with your life intact including Aeron " After a long moment of reflection Archer agrees to the request but not without adding his conditions however
"But remember, my decision wasn't made out of fear of Balon's reaction, tell your father that if he comes looking for blood that's what he'll get from me. I will not hesitate for a moment to sink his entire fleet and destroy his throne so that he feels even some of the suffering and pain he has caused all these years." Emiya said making the now detected Asha Greyjoy pale with her threats and knowledge of her true identity.
The Counter Guardian knew from the beginning who the girl was, a single glance at the dagger at her side as a gift from her mother told him the whole story.
"Mark my words Asha Greyjoy. I hope with all my heart that your father has at least a little of the foresight that you showed today" With these words Archer turned around the battle was over, the Greyjoys had won and they were completely defeated.
It did not take long after the end of hostilities for the ironborn to gather their dead and wounded before they quickly departed and took to the sea. Only after the ship was far from the coast did Archer allow himself a sigh of relief, despite all the variables that had occurred in the end the situation had resolved itself in the best way.
One of the variables was observing him from the sidelines with wary eyes, the Wildings were a heterogeneous group, made up of individuals of different ages and colors but among them, all the two princesses certainly stood out.
It was the two of them that Archer had to convince to gain the trust and collaboration of the remaining part of the group because there was no doubt despite their youth that the two of them were in charge.
The best way to make a good impression was a gesture of goodwill so Emiya stepped forward, heading directly towards one of the two princesses to free her.
"You're safe now," Emiya said as he removed the chains from the hands of the woman whose blue eyes seemed to pierce him.
The red-haired woman stood for a moment looking at her hands finally free from the restraints before firmly grasping Archer's as if to thank him it was a perfectly normal attitude that Emiya expected what she didn't foresee was what happened next.
The powerful head butt from the woman was completely unexpected, so unexpected that even with his extraordinary abilities Archer managed to avoid it and his poor nose paid for it.
With a hand on his nose to stop the blood from escaping, Emiya couldn't help but look at the woman in disbelief, a cold shiver ran down his back as if to announce a bad feeling.
"I didn't need you to save me, I could easily free myself" the woman declared proudly as she ignored all the uproar her actions had caused.
But Emiya wasn't paying attention to all this, his total concentration was on the girl, especially her face which had become even redder than her hair.
Archer hoped with all his heart but the girl was showing all the symptoms of a curse he thought he had left behind with his new life, the bastard had always feared that this day would come, the day he would meet his greatest enemy and weakness: a Tsudere.
New life, new name but Archer's fortune can never change especially when it comes to women and while he suffers because of it the legend of his exploits begins to spread around the world.
As always, the next chapter is already available on my p a treon
/RedArcher739
P a treon . com(slash)RedArcher739
Next chapter: Fame