"With the understanding that so much as a single rebellion will result in a complete eradication of all captains and lords in the islands, as well as a full occupation by a combined force of westermen, northmen, reachmen and riverlanders, whom I assure you will be less than kind to whatever will remain of your kin."
...
Asha seemed newly incensed. "You make such threats and still expect me to agree?"
"I should have thought I was being kind," I retorted. "I do not need you, nor your people. I do not desire their destruction, of course, but in the face of such circumstances one must be firm, and if I must go myself to slit the throat of every man, woman and child then I will." I let my smile briefly turn into a snarl.
Her dark eyes widened slightly in disbelief at the sudden turn in my demeanour. "Do not mistake my mercy - nor my desire for peace - for weakness. Remember I was raised in the lap of my late father, King Robert Baratheon, who bested Balon without so much as breaking a sweat, and that I am the grandson of Lord Tywin.
If pushed, I can and will make the Reynes of Castamere look fortunate in their fate after I'm finished with you and all your ilk." Then my smile slowly returned as I relaxed back into my seat.
"But if the ironborn can be welcomed back into the fold, the Old Way turned against our common slaving enemies in the east, and Lord Quellon's grand ambitions accomplished, then I should much prefer to do just that."
"And all this out of the goodness of your heart?" Asha asked, her voice thick with an almost sarcastic scepticism, still visibly wary at seeing the venom and vitriol of which I was capable, and the speed at which my fury seemed to wax and wane.
"There will be a more direct price, of course," I said. "Firstly there is the issue of hostages. I understand you have Lady Glover and her children with you?"
Asha sat briefly stunned. "How...?"
"The crown has eyes and ears in every corner of it's lands," I assured her nonchalantly, as though the exercise of such power was routine. "Even in those areas presumed to be under the control of our enemies. Not a single word said nor written in Westeros goes unheard or unread. Regardless, I expect any such hostages to be handed over to me without hesitation.
Secondly, the ironborn under your authority will cede any claims on any part of the Westerosi mainland, and withdraw from any occupied territories immediately upon your ascension.
Now, if this goes well I will see to it that you are granted royal assent for expansion into the Stepstones as well - the construction of trading ports and towns, the creation of a shipping guild, a real presence beyond simple piracy, potentially even one day permitting you the authority to collect tolls for the crown."
Asha nodded, her jaw tight even as her eyes glinted with greed. "The north gave us precious little but pebbles and scars. To give it up is no great loss."
I smiled widely, almost from ear to ear. Who knew Asha Greyjoy of all people would prove so pragmatic? "Excellent! So then-"
"Not yet," Asha cut in over me. "I have some conditions of my own I want met before I agree to anything."
I nodded, my smile wilting on my lips. "I suppose that's only fair. Very well, let's hear them."
"I want my nuncle left alive," she started. "Euron you may need to slay, but Victarion will live. I will have need of him to exert my authority. Him and Rodrik Harlaw."
"I see no issue with keeping Lord Harlaw alive," I said. "From what I understand he is an eminently reasonable man - at least by the standards of the ironborn. Hells, I might even elevate his kin! Any handsome young men in his house you fancy for a husband?" I allowed myself a little grin before I became grim again. "As for Victarion... That will be more difficult, and there is no guarantee, but it is doable. Of course, assuming he does not pass in the midst of battle, I shall still have to punish him - he is after all a traitor. But in place of a life a limb will suffice. An arm or a leg should send an adequate message."
Asha scowled again and stared me down in stubborn silence for a few long seconds. "And as for the Stepstones," Asha pressed on, conceding my point, "I want those now. I want to be able to sail my ships out of the bay and begin building my fortune and asserting my claim without delay. I need something substantial to satisfy the ironmen upon sitting the Seastone Chair. Something to rally their spirits to my rule, quell their thirst for conquest, and hold back the inevitable calls for rebellion."
Now that point was a tad more difficult to concede, even if her justification was surprisingly compelling. "And what assurance have I that you won't run off some place beyond my power, or get yourself killed, or even go back to your uncles to warn them and hinder my plans?"
"You have none," she spat. "You'll just have to trust me."
"Hard to do with a woman so wanton," I snapped back. "Yet I believe I can agree to even that so long as I can claim a few hostages from your crew, and replace them with an agent of my own to keep you honest. Earl Harlaw and Hagen's daughter should suffice, so long as I can be certain that you understand the consequences for breaking whatever pact we make today.
If you do not answer my call when the time comes, if you disobey me in any way, I will know and I will do precisely as I threatened to. Men, women, children. None will be spared my wrath."
Asha cocked her head to one side in silent outrage, but nonetheless nodded. I could tell I was more than beginning to test the limits of her tolerance with these threats. Yet still her ambition stayed her hand and held her tongue even as she again eyed the crossbow held tight in my arms.
More concerning for me was that my words were not empty. The Ironborn were a pest, none could argue that. Yet women, children? That had been a spur of the moment addition, meant to better sell the threat. Even still, I could not help but note how easy it was to condemn an entire people to death from on high!
"And I want to keep whatever land in the Stepstones I can control if you don't deliver," she added at the last second.
"A little fiefdom to call your own, eh?" I chuckled, shrugging. "Well enough, not that you need worry. Disposing of Euron may be expensive, but I can assure you it will be easy enough for me." I smiled, my lips stretching almost to a grin.
"Now relax yourself, Lady Asha, for on this day you have won yourself a kingdom! Go, enjoy the delights of Kings Landing for tonight whilst my scribes draw up the documents necessary for setting our agreement into stone. I will see you by the end of the week, and not long after all arrangements have been made you can set off with your fleet towards the Stepstones, and establish yourselves around Torturer's Deep - which by all accounts seems the best suited place for such things."
Asha stood from her seat slowly, eyes wordlessly meeting mine before she turned sharply on her heels and stormed out. I could not help the sigh that slipped past my lips at her departure. A dangerous woman, that one, volatile.
I set the crossbow in my lap down on the floor, leaning it against the side of my desk. Yet not much more than a minute after I was alone I found Tywin Lannister walking through my door.
...
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