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Queen Sanira Stark - Caitlin Stasey
Book Three of the Winds of Freedom Saga. Follows The Lady of Winterfell and The War for the North.
Chapter Seven: The Greyjoy Civil War.
"The Glovers have retaken Deepwood Motte," Yara Greyjoy told her father as she entered his presence chamber, he was seated before the fire alone with no company; the room was dark and the only light to be seen was from the fire. Yara had gotten the news before her father, she seemed to have taken on a lot of his duties as of late and she couldn't recall the last time that he had actually left Pyke.
"And the Ironborn who held it?" Balon asked not looking up from the soup that he was having, it was quiet apart from the storm that raged around Pyke; he stirred the soup that the kitchen had brought up for him. No doubt instructed to do so by his wife, Alannys had always been good at that although she avoided him these days preferring the quiet of her chambers after the death of the sons.
"They died fighting to the last man," Yara stated staring at her father, she had disagreed with him in holding Deepwood Motte especially with the Northern army back from war now. It would not do for them to anger their neighbours more than necessary in her opinion, they needed allies especially now that Westeros had been reshaped and they were left outside in the cold.
"What is dead may never die," Balon stated dismissive of the men's deaths, they had died fighting and that was what mattered; they would be rewarded in death for the work in life no doubt. They had done as their liege lord had asked of them, they had fought for the expansion of the Ironborn and that was what mattered to him in the end; lands could be reclaimed all the time. Yara echoed her father's words before placing the piece of paper that she had been reading from on the table; a look of disgust on her face at how callous he was about the deaths of those men.
"What is dead may never die. But they did and our invasion died with them. Deepwood Motte was our last stronghold on the mainland," Yara pointed out, there had been nothing gained from her father's actions not since this war had started. Everyone else was enjoying peace now, yet it only seemed them that were trying to carry on the fighting from the last seven years that had started with the execution of Ned Stark.
"Then we will take more," Balon instructed with a nod of his head, he brought the spoon back to his lips to carry on eating as if he wasn't wasting the men that they did have on a reward-less errand. There would be no winning in this, Yara scoffed at his words knowing that this could only end in tears and the people grew tired of her father's pointless war.
"Why? For more pinecones and rocks?" Yara spat knowing that there was little that could be gained from angering the North right now, she had already suffered the loss of all of her brothers for her father's ambitions. Rodrik and Maron had been lost during the rebellion within a few weeks of each other, while Theon had first been taken from them as a hostage then because of their father's goading he had tried to take Winterfell which had brought his death in the end. A part of Yara wondered if her father was determined to sacrifice all of his children, to watch her mother fall apart when their family was destroyed by her father's ambitions.
"Because I order it," Balon stated turning to face Yara from his seat by the fire, he glowered at his daughter, his only remaining child in the world and one day his heir. It was his will that they carried on with his ambitions for the North, people would fall inline and be grateful for the glory that.
"We can defeat anyone at sea, but we'll never hold lands and castles against mainland armies," Yara tried to reason with her father, she didn't see why he was so set on the path that he was taking nor why he would risk it when there was nothing distracting the North anymore.
"Not if our captains defy my orders, abandon their posts, and sacrifice our men on foolish mission," Balon spat at Yara, he blamed her for what had happened to his hold on the North and how it had all worked out. Yara had risked it all for nothing in his mind, they would have been stronger if she had not done as she had and ridden on Winterfell.
"I won't apologize for trying to rescue Theon," Yara replied knowing exactly what he was thinking of, even now that he was dead she wished she'd been able to save him from the fate that had befallen him.
"Then where is he?" Balon snarled knowing that if Yara had not wasted their resources then the answer would have been simple, Theon had died a fool and even Yara's failed to rescue him had not changed the boy's fate.
"Where is your kingdom? We took those castles because the northerners marched off to war. That war is over. The last time we provoked them too far, I watched from that window as they breached our walls and knocked down our towers. I lost two brothers that day," Yara spat shaking her head. She refused to allow her father to punish her for his own failings as a leader, she had done what she could and she would never apologise for trying to spare her mother from burying another child. Balon stood from his seat and moved towards Yara who did not backdown, she was his heir afterall and she refused to be bullied by him into silence for something that she did not believe in.
"And I lost three sons. The War of the Five Kings, they call it. Well, two of them are dead, the other two spite the kingdom between them and I remain. When you rule the Iron Islands, you can wage all the peace you want. But for now, shut your mouth and obey or I will make another heir who will," Balon spat at Yara. The two of them staring at one another when the door to the chamber opened and Alannys stepped inside having heard the commotion from down the hall. Her eyes looked between her husband and daughter, her hands clasped before her as she moved the prayer beads through her fingers; she often found herself in this position these days.
"I heard yelling," Alannys stated calmly, she was the person to bring peace to their fractured family and she knew that Balon grieved the death of their sons just as much as she did. He wanted to leave a grand legacy to Yara, one where it would have been worth the losses of her brothers but even Alannys had to question her husband continued actions when they had no more to lose.
Balon scoffed before storming out of the room, his supper left to go cold while Yara let out a sigh and turned to her mother; she just wished that her father could see what damage he was causing. The men were displeased with him, they whispered about his desire for lands they could not hold especially with how strong the North was under the rule of King Robb and Queen Sanira.
Making his way out into the storm that raged around Pyke Castle, Balon Greyjoy could not help but ponder the situation that he currently found himself in with the death of his youngest son and heir. When Yara had broken the news to him of Theon's death, she spared him the details even if he knew that something more had occurred only that Theon was not Theon anymore after his time with the Bolton bastard.
The boy had died of his injuries according to Yara, he had been comfortable in his death and the Starks had given him an honourable sendoff that no one could argue against. Lightning lit up the sky as he stepped out onto the unsteady bridge, his hands resting upon the ropes as he moved into the storm. The rain was pouring down upon him as he reached the middle of the bridge between the two tower of Pyke Castle, Balon leaning upon the ropes as he looked down at the ocean below him. It was then he noticed that he was not alone, a cloaked figure on the other side of the bridge appearing in his vision as if from nowhere.
"Let me pass. You fool, move aside for your king," Balon ordered moving to continue across the bridge, his hands resting on either side of the rope as he tried to make his way down the bridge that swayed in the storm.
"Haven't I always, brother?" the figure asked recovering his hood to reveal his identity, a smile on his face as Balon took a few steps towards him; it had been many years since the two brothers had last seen one another.
"I thought you'd be rotting under some foreign sea by now," Balon stated staring at the younger brother, he had never thought that he would see Euron again after he had disappeared of to sea. Euron laughed at his words, dismissing them as if they had been lost into the storm that raged around them; it seemed to grow worse with each passing moment.
"What is dead may never die," Euron stated, the words that were so often used by him and his kinsmen; he received no response from Balon who stood motionless upon the bridge refusing to engage with Euron.
"Has the custom changed since I've been gone? Aren't you supposed to repeat the words?" Euron queried rather amused by the look on Balon's face, he knew that the custom had not changed it was just Balon being Balon. His brother was a stubborn old fool, one that could not see what was right in front of him until it was too late.
"You can mock our god without my help," Balon stated gruffly, he was in no mood to deal with his idiot heretic brother who had clearly lost his mind many moons ago. There was nothing good that could come from Euron's return, no doubt he was bringing more trouble in his wake than Balon needed especially if what he heard about his brother's travels were correct.
"I don't mock the Drowned God. I am the Drowned God. From Oldtown to Qarth, when men see my sails, they pray," Euron stated spreading his arms in the air, just as the wind buffeted the bridge back and forth. Balon tries to hold on to preserve his balance while Euron laughs at him, unphased by the winds that sway the very bridge that they both stand on.
"You're old, brother. You've had your time. Now let another rule," Euron dictated, he knew that it was his time and he could bring the Ironborn into greatest; he already knew what he had to do and had made the sacrifices to do so. Balon walked towards his brother, his head held high and he refused to listen any further to Euron's delusions.
"I heard you lost your mind during the storm on the Jade Sea. They tied you to the mast to keep you from jumping overboard," Balon stated having heard the story quite recently, he had no doubts especially given his brother's delusions in the past. No sane man would follow Euron, he was a recipe for disaster and no matter what happened, the line was secure with Yara; Euron would have no hopes of taking the throne with her in the way.
"And when the storm passed, you cut out their tongues," Balon continued after Euron affirmed the story, he eyed his brother wondering what had brought him back; he could think of nothing that was draw Euron back to Pyke after all these years.
"I needed silence," Euron stated calmly as if it was the most obvious answer in the entire world, nothing that Balon could say that would upset him.
"What kind of an Ironborn loses his senses during a storm?" Balon taunted him, a look of displeasure on his face as he stood just feet from the brother that he had not seen in years.
"I am the storm, brother. The first storm and the last. And you're in my way," Euron stated stepping closer to Balon to get in his face, his eyes revealing why he had come home after all these years. He heard the tales of King Balon, how poorly he handled the Iron Islands during the war and how he had allowed greatness to slip through his fingers after all this time.
Balon drew a knife and slashed at Euron across the face only to have something plunged into his very own back making him cry out. His voice carried away by the storm as he turned to face the blonde haired woman that had stabbed him in the back with a smile on her pretty face.
"Allow me to introduce my wife, Arlenna Lannister," Euron stated with pride upon his face, there was no denying that his match would secure the throne in his favor. Arlenna was a rich woman in her own right, the rightful heir to Casterly Rock and its riches; she was destined to be Queen, with her by his side there was no way that Euron could lose.
It was then Euron grabbed onto his brother and threw him off the bridge, Balon unable to steady himself or grab onto the rope to stop his fall this time before he plunged into the waves below. Arlenna watched Balon go, her hands covered in the man's blood and she knew that this was just the start; everything that she had ever done was for her survival and nothing could stop her.
Euron grinned at her and stepped forward, he took her hands that were covered in his brother's blood and brought them to his lips to kiss. The storm continued to rage around them, both of them knowing that soon they would have everything that they desired and more; the funeral of Balon would be a quick affair especially after he had fallen to his death and was lost to the sea.
Euron had all but assured his assent to the throne, there would be no one better to rule the Iron Islands but him; his brothers would surely agree as he was the rightful heir with Balon's sons dead. Arlenna felt a surge of power, first the Iron Islands would fall to her feet then she would focus on making those who brought down House Lannister pay for what they had done.
Standing by the ocean, Balon's funeral only the day before with those able to step forward to be the new King of the Iron Islands around them; the ocean calmer than it had been for days and there was a sadness in the air. Alannys stood by her daughter as she looked around at the men that would attempt to decide the fate of her family; she dressed in black as she had done since the death of her eldest sons.
"We speak in the presence of the Drowned God. In his name we father today to choose a new king as our leader. Who makes a claim?" Eron asked looking around the gathering of Balon's relatives. It was Yara that stepped forward first, she held her head high knowing that this wasn't going to be easy; she was more than aware that there would be those who disagreed with her putting her name forward.
"I am Yara Greyjoy, daughter of Balon Greyjoy, King of the Iron Islands. I claim the Salt Throne," Yara stated loud and clearly, she looked around the gathering as she prepared to claim her birth right. As the last child of Balon, she was the obvious choice of heir and she saw no reason that it should not be her; she was everything that Balon could have asked for in an heir.
"We've never had a queen. Not once," one man called out, it was true that in all of Iron Islands history that there had never been a queen elected to claim the salt throne. It would make them wary to elect a woman for the first time, it would be an uphill battle no matter the fact that two of her three uncles were in attendance.
"There are many things we've never done. We've never made our mark upon the world. The great lords of Westeros pay us no mind until our little raids buzz through their kingdoms long enough to become a nuisance. Then they swat us down. They conquer us, humiliate us, and go right back to forgetting we exist," Yara stated knowing that she had to get the people onside. Yara looked around knowing that she had fought with many of these men, they had served on her ships and they knew what she was about.
"We are a sea people. Our god is a sea god. When I am queen, we will build a fleet that…" Yara continued on, she was interrupted by another man that yelled out that she could not be Queen since she was a woman and there were male relatives present.
"She is your rightful ruler. Those of you that have sailed under her, and there are many of you here, you know what she is. She is a reaver! She is a warrior! She is Ironborn! We will find no better leader. This is our queen," Alannys shouted to the men, she would defend her daughter's rights until her dying breath.
For too long she had been silent, for too long had she sat back and watched the world move on after she had lost her sons; she refused to allow them to take away what was her daughter's right, she was Balon's heir. Yara stared at her mother as the men cheered and chanted Yara's name, she nodded to Alannys knowing that she had not expected her mother to speak up for her at this meeting.
"I'm Euron Greyjoy," called a voice from the crowd, the men falling silent at the voice as Euron appeared through the crowd and walked towards Yara and Alannys. Alannys looked far from pleased to see her brother-in-law, she stood close to her daughter as he stepped out of the crowd. "I claim the Salt Throne," Euron stated emerging from the crowd and standing before Yara, he nodded in greeting to her before looking to Alannys who he smiled at as if he had just appeared talking about the weather then he turned to the crowd.
"When did you return, Uncle?" Yara asked before he could address the crowd, she could not recall the last time that she had seen Euron but she had heard of him from her father and mother. It was bad enough that he was here just after her father's death, as if it didn't raise questions about what had happened to Balon.
"A few days ago. I had some things to take care of. Long overdue," Euron stated smugly, he watched Yara wondering just what she was going to do now; it had been a long time since he had seen little Yara. She had certainly taken after her mother in the looks department, no doubt but it appeared that in every other way she was her father's daughter from what he had heard of her in passing.
"I'm glad you're here. Now I know what my first act as queen will be. To execute the man who killed my father," Yara stated, her hand resting on her blade as she watched him closely, knowing that it could not be a coincidence that her father died after his return. The men murmur to each other, no doubt catching on to what Yara was implying happened to her father and she refused to back down as Euron stepped closer to her and her mother.
"I did. I killed him. Threw him right over a rope bridge and watched him fall. He was leading us nowhere and we would still be heading there if it weren't for me. No one loved him. No one wanted to follow him. He led us into two wars we couldn't win. I apologize to you all for not killing him years ago," Euron stated aloud for everyone to hear. Yara glared at him unable to believe that he had the nerve to brag about murdering her father, especially in front of her poor mother who had lost so much in her life.
"That would have been hard to do. You weren't here. Last I heard, you were gallivanting around the world having a grand old time," Yara spat shaking her head, she gripped her blade knowing that she could take him down with one strike but she refused to lash out. It would do her no good to stab her uncle in the back like he had done to her father, she looked to her uncles who seemed uncaring of what was happening.
"I will build the largest fleet the world has ever seen," Yara stated knowing that she could not allow him to push her out, he was trying to undermine her and make her seem weak. This was a vote and she had to show that she wasn't going to be pushed about by anyone, least of all her crazy uncle who had been missing for many years now.
"Right idea, except I'm the one who's going to build the Iron Fleet because I'm the one who knows how to use it. I've been all over the world. I've seen more of it than all of you combined. And across the sea there is a person who hates the great lords of Westeros just as much as we do. Someone with a large army, three large dragons, and no husband. I'm going to build that fleet and I'm going to gallivant right over and give it to Daenerys Targaryen along with my big cock," Euron bragged making the Ironborn laugh at his words. Yara shifted awkwardly, she had no doubts that Euron thought he was god's gift to women and his words irritated her knowing that the dragon queen would bow to no one.
"You're going to seduce the Dragon Queen?" Yara scoffed, her intel told her that he had married some Lannister bitch who had fled when the family fell; no doubt his new bride would not be pleased with his plans. Her eyes moved across the crowds spotting a woman dressed in red, a woman with blonde hair that looked pleased with what Euron was saying.
"I'm not going to seduce her. The Iron Fleet will seduce her. And together we're going to take the Seven Kingdoms. I wasn't born to be king. I paid the iron price and here I stand," Euron shouted leading to the Ironborn to cheer and chant his name. He revelled in the cheering knowing that he could bring the Ironborn to greatness, the likes that Balon could never imagined and he could taste his victory was in hand.
Arlenna moved through the crowd to stand beside her husband, between them they would crush Westeros; they would bring them all to their knees and they would beg her for forgiveness. She could see it now, her children pleading with her for mercy and begging her to save them from the Dragon Queen when she buried down everything that they held dear.
Arthur would knee first no doubt, he would see reason and do as his mother wanted when he realised that there was no winning against the three dragons of Daenerys Targaryen; he would forgive him and Deston for their waywardness. There would be no saving Sanira or any of her children, they would either bend the knee to the Dragon Queen or be burned and Arlenna knew which she would prefer in the long run.
Arlenna would never forgive her daughter for what she had done to her family, that she should stood there and allowed House Lannister to fall and put some dwarf in command as if Tyrion wasn't just as much a traitor as she was. Tywin would be rolling in his grave if he knew that Tyrion had gotten his dirty claws on Casterly Rock, that the beast that killed his wife had succeeded in being his heir.
Yara looked at her mother, who stared passed her grimly at Euron who was soaking up the cheers that came from the crowds; they both knew that there was no coming back from this. Euron had clearly won this vote even after admitting that he had murdered her father, he would not be able to keep the promises that he had made and Yara knew that she could not stay here nor could her mother. If there was one thing that she knew, she would never be safe with Euron as King of the Iron Islands.
Several Ironborn carrying flags stand on the shore with Arlenna watching proud as Euron kneeled in the water with Aeron pushing him down under the water. It was later that day and Euron was officially being welcomed as the King of the Iron Island, his coronation taking place so quickly that there had barely been time to prepare. It did not escape Arlenna's notice that Yara and her mother were missing from the celebrations, no doubt licking their wounds after Yara had lost the vote.
"May Euron, your servant, be born again from the sea as you were. Bless him with salt. Bless him with stone. Bless him with steel," Aeron stated holding the back of his brother's head as he spoke, his words meaning little to Arlenna as she watched with little interest. She would be Queen, she would rise higher than even her brother had when he had been alive and she would bring down those who had tried to wipe House Lannister from the map.
"Listen to the waves. Listen to the god. He is speaking to us and he says we shall have no king but Euron Greyjoy. Let the sea wash your follies and your vanities away. Let the old Euron drown. Let his lungs fill with seawater," Aeron stated holding Euron down under the water as he started to drown. He thrashed slightly against the hold that Aeron had on him, his brother not deterred as he continued speaking as if nothing was happening.
"Let the fish eat the scales off his eyes. What is dead may never die, but rises again harder and stronger," Aeron said as finally Euron stopped moving, he released his grip on his brother before nodding for two Ironborn to approach. They carry Euron onto the shore were Aeron and the other Ironborn gather in attendance to stare at Euron who does not move.
There is silence before one man begins to walk closer to Euron who suddenly gags and starts to cough up water, he props himself up on his arms and legs, spitting up water and gasping for air. Aeron finally approaches, retrieving a crown made of driftwood and placing it upon Euron's head; even as he slumps forward slightly trying to catch his breath.
"What is dead may never die," Aeron states, the crowd echoing his words and cheering as Euron rises to his feet and looks to the crowd in triumph; he moves to wrap an arm around Arlenna who dodges him in disgust. A look passing across Euron's face before he shook it off and turned his attention to the gathering, his eyes noticing who was still missing from his coronation.
"Where are my niece and sister-in-law? Let's go murder them," Euron announced the crowd with a laugh, he leads Aeron and the Ironborn up to a seaside cliff that looked out across the ocean only to be greeted by the sight of a fleet of ships sailing away from Pyke.
"They stole our best ships," Aeron pointed out with a shake of his head, he could not believe what he was seeing; he had thought that perhaps Yara would be better than this to steal away the fleet while everyone else was attending Euron's coronation.
"Won't be enough to save them," Euron dismissed, he would catch up to Yara eventually as there was no where for her to run; she could not out sail him, she had no allies to turn to now. He turned to face the Ironborn, who watched their ships sail away into the distance and knew that this was far from over.
"Go back to your homes. Chop down every tree you can find. Quarter-saw the timber and start building. I want every man bending planks. I want every woman spinning flax for sails. Build me a thousand ships and I will give you this world," Euron announced raising his fist up into the air. He would make them the greatest nation the realm had seen, people would remember his reign and how he propelled the Ironborn into the history books.
Looking back at the Iron Islands as she sailed away, Yara took a deep breath hoping that she was playing her cards right; she knew that if she got this wrong then Euron would execute them all before they had their chance to escape. If Euron planned to ally with the Dragon Queen then Yara was going to place her own bet on another Queen, she had a feeling that this one wouldn't take too kindly to what Yara had to tell her.
No doubt Queen Sanira would be thrilled to hear where her traitor mother had been hiding out, she would no doubt reward Yara for such information. And have a plan of her own to deal with the Dragon Queen before she ever landed on Westeros' soil.
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