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At Lordsport on Pyke, merchant ships large and small, laden with cargo and passengers, passed one another at the harbor mouth. Everything looked orderly and well arranged.
In the waters near Lordsport, longships of the Iron Fleet patrolled at intervals to maintain order.
Asha stood on the deck of a small oared warship and looked at Lordsport, now far more prosperous than before. The sight left her stunned.
The ironborn of the Iron Islands had followed Robb and made a great haul in the Westerlands. After returning satisfied, Theon followed Robb's suggestion and established rules for Lordsport.
He forbade any ironborn from attacking merchant ships that came to Lordsport to trade and sent the Iron Fleet to patrol the nearby waters for protection.
He also redrew Lordsport's layout, divided it into functional districts, and continuously expanded it outward.
Lordsport had originally been a fairly prosperous haven for selling stolen goods. With the new route from Moat Village to Lordsport, it now truly had the appearance of a developing large harbor city.
After the plunder of the Westerlands, the Iron Islands, whose population had always been small, had no shortage of food for the moment. Many ironborn who had grown wealthy drank and whored in Lordsport, spending gold dragons and silver stags freely throughout the port.
Those ironborn who wanted to continue getting rich mostly followed their captains away from the waters near Lordsport, heading to the waters near Lannisport or the Shield Islands to raid.
"Come here! Fresh oysters, two for five coppers, tender and juicy!"
"Fresh rye bread just out of the oven. Come smell it!"
"The Jonas is hiring deckhands for Braavos. Two silver stags a month, food and lodging included, no sleeping in the bilge."
The moment Asha stepped onto the ground of Lordsport, all kinds of shouts filled her ears. Compared with a few months earlier, it was noisier, but it also made Lordsport feel alive rather than oppressive and dull as before.
"Asha?"
Asha was looking around as she walked onto the harbor's main street, preparing to find a horse to Pyke, when she heard someone call her name.
She turned and saw Quenton, wearing a new suit of armor carved with a kraken sigil, leading a large group of ironborn dressed the same way. He was looking at her with surprise and delight.
"Hey, Quenton. In just a few months, how did you start dressing like a greenlander whore?"
Although Asha had submitted to Robb after witnessing supernatural power, the unruly pride of the ironborn remained in her bones. She frowned at Quenton, her words full of disdain.
"Ah, do not mention it. This is King Theon's order. When we patrol and enforce the law in the Iron Islands, we must wear uniform armor. We can only take it off before going to sea for battle."
Hearing Asha's mockery, Quenton sighed and explained. Then his tone changed, and he continued angrily.
"That rotten idea came from that damned Ramsay. I do not know what is going on, but many iron captains on the islands now support that bastard."
"Ramsay Bolton? How can a greenlander gain support in the Iron Islands?"
Hearing the name Robb had specially emphasized, Asha immediately asked.
"Before attacking the Westerlands, His Grace Robb put the ironborn of Great Wyk and Saltcliffe under Ramsay's command. That bastard tricked those fools into risking their lives for him, and they earned quite a few merits.
"At first, King Theon was very wary of him, but I do not know what happened at Lannisport. Afterward, he trusted the damned bastard more and more.
"During the fighting in the Westerlands, I charged and bled for King Theon. In the end, that bastard's position in the Iron Islands is already about equal to mine."
Hearing Asha's question, Quenton immediately poured out all his pent-up resentment.
"Mm. I understand. Give me a horse. I need to go to Pyke now."
"Good... you, dismount!"
Quenton nodded, then turned and had one of the ironborn behind him give his horse to Asha.
Asha nimbly mounted, nodded slightly to Quenton, and pulled the reins toward Pyke.
After riding for half a day along Pyke's familiar roads, Asha reached the castle. Its gates had been freshly painted and decorated, and kraken banners flew everywhere along the walls.
As Balon's daughter and a capable iron captain, Asha was well known among the ironborn. When the guards of Pyke saw her, they immediately opened the gate and saluted.
Entering the castle gate painted with gold, Asha looked at the guards in fine armor and curled her lip in contempt.
Led by a servant, Asha passed through castle towers that felt both familiar and unfamiliar and arrived at the main keep's long hall.
Before entering, she heard singing and women's laughter from inside.
Creak.
Asha pushed open the heavy oak doors of the long hall. The once dark and solemn hall had been redecorated with gold sculptures and colorful streamers. Although it now looked splendid, it also carried the air of sudden wealth.
Theon wore a splendid robe and a driftwood crown. Blindfolded, he was playing a game of catch with several women.
Although she had not seen Theon since he had been taken to Winterfell as a child, Asha recognized him at a glance. She stared expressionlessly at her brother and silently walked forward.
Theon, absorbed in playing with the women, did not notice the door opening at all. The guards watching the hall prepared to step forward and stop Asha, but Ramsay, standing nearby, revealed a smile and raised a hand to stop them.
"Heh. Finally caught you, did I? Let me guess. Not very large, but springy. Mm, Daisy!"
Theon grabbed Asha as she came before him, reaching all over her body while laughing.
Seeing the woman in front of him remain silent and sensing something wrong in the atmosphere, Theon tore off the cloth covering his eyes.
Seeing the stranger before him, he took a large step back, looked Asha up and down, and asked uncertainly, "Asha?"
"My dear little brother, it seems... you are enjoying yourself in Pyke."
Asha gave him a faint, unreadable smile. She tilted her head to look at Ramsay not far behind Theon, then confirmed her identity.
"Cough. Ramsay made the decision on his own to call these women here and play this boring game."
Hearing this, Theon felt humiliated. He pointed at Ramsay behind him and shifted the blame.
"King Theon speaks truly. It was all my fault. Mainly, I saw that Your Grace had been burdened with affairs of rule and working too hard."
Ramsay, who had been standing quietly beside them, immediately smiled, bowed, and admitted his fault.
"Enough. Let us speak of proper matters. His Grace Robb ordered me to return and assist you, King Theon."
Asha waved a hand, unwilling to continue the topic, then bent in formal salute to Theon with a serious face.
Asha had not been present when Theon was elected King of the Iron Islands. Her bow now proved that she acknowledged his position.
Hearing this, Theon immediately became pleased and helped Asha up. "I am glad you have returned, Asha. From now on, you must help me manage the Iron Islands."
"Of course. Also, His Grace Robb orders you to gather the Iron Fleet and the Northern Fleet. Mm, we are to meet at Seagard in five days."
Asha nodded, then gave Robb's order.
"Good. Asha, I will leave this matter to you. It will be a good chance for you to become familiar with our present strength."
Theon trusted his sister greatly and directly handed her the task of gathering the fleets.
"As you command, King Theon. I will handle it now."
Asha accepted the task decisively, answered Theon, and turned to leave the long hall.
"King Theon, I will also take my leave."
"Mm. Go. I will speak with these women a little more and learn about the livelihood of the Iron Islands."
After taking leave of Theon, Ramsay quickly walked out of the long hall and caught up to Asha before she had gone far. "Lady Asha, congratulations on returning to the Iron Islands."
"Lady? Are you insulting me?"
Hearing Ramsay's address, Asha stopped and answered in an icy voice.
"Of course not. If my words offended you, please forgive me."
Ramsay had intended to build some rapport with Asha, but seeing her so sensitive and irritable, he immediately spread his hands and smiled in explanation.
"Good. Do not let me hear that address again."
Asha nodded, then continued.
"I heard from Quenton that making the ironborn dress like whores and turning Pyke into this was all your idea?"
"Those were all King Theon's intentions. I merely offered a few suitable suggestions."
Ramsay shook his head, naturally refusing to admit these were his ideas.
"Ramsay Bolton. The last time I saw you in the long hall, you looked like a loyal dog. This time, you still look the same.
"I warn you, if you are going to be a dog, know what a dog should be. Stop giving Theon rotten ideas.
"If I hear of it again, hmph."
Asha scolded Ramsay without mercy in the tone of an owner training a dog, then turned and left.
After being scolded like this, the smile on Ramsay's face slowly disappeared, and his expression darkened completely. Looking at Asha's departing back, he murmured, "Heh. A starving dog will eat its master too.
"Asha Greyjoy. The Iron Islands are no longer the place you remember."
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