4Hi guys!
So finally here is chapter 3! Thanks to all who reviewed and commented! I am really really sorry it took so long RL has been problematic to say the least and let's just leave it at I had to entirely overhaul the whole chapter and this storyline because I was incapable of looking at the map -.- Chapter 4 will be up next Saturday (14.4.) latest. Promise. I hope you enjoy!
How awesome was the ep1 of s2 huh? Not sure about the Baelish scene but what is worse was I was sitting for neigh on 50 min only to see like 3 seconds of Gendry :D ! WHY did it take so long T.T :D loved the interior on Dragonstone!-ok no more peskering here we go!
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters and I am in no way profiting from this FF. They all belong to George R.R. Martin, only the plot post- A Feast For Crows is mine. Some scenes from the HBO Series A Game Of Thrones may be referenced to, these also do not belong to me. (Trust me I wish they did ;D )
3. Chapter: The Kraken's Daughter
She hated it and loved it all at once. She loved being free of the bloodlusting fools determined to destroy her home, surely bringing down the wrath of all Highgarden if they kept their current pace. But this was land, firm earth beneath her feet with no ocean within a half a day's ride. No salt air, no seagulls, no crashing waves, just the cold mist. This was what she hated, the chains of land, that and not being the ironqueen she was born to be, but she couldn't have stayed. Euron would have killed me, like he did my father it still turned her stomach in hate and dismay when she thought of the events at the Kingsmoot. Trist was worth listening to, and nuncle. However she had had to stand by and watch as all her hopes and dreams turn to ash. The moment that horn had been blown, the decision had been made.
No one except her had noticed how Damphair just slid away into the background as the men roared in euphoria and bloodlust, if she were to disappear would anyone care? She signaled to her first captain to stay as he saw her backing in to the crowd.
Stealing through the dark as they roared, her footsteps carried no sound, just her shadow running along beside her. Only when she heard quiet thuds echoing her own did she slow her pace. Glancing behind she could not make out any figure lurking or following. It did nothing to ease her though, she was on a hill, things that follow you don't just disappear. She continued down the slope running sure and soft footed as she kept her eyes on Damphair, he had reached the shore and had already begun striding into the sea.
It was insanity, going into the sea when a storm like something fierce was beginning to stir, the Storm God has found his man too then. She kept the faith but it wasn't until the moment that horn had blown had she felt something beyond her that cut down to her bone. It was anything but human. Even thinking about it sent a shiver down her spine. The men hadn't lied to her when they spoke of Crow's Eye's affinity for sorcery. As she came to the edge of the stony shore she called out to him, but he was too deep in his trance to hear her. She had no interest in going into the warring water, especially not with the dark clouds gathering in the alarming pace they were, but she had no time to pander to his delusions.
Rushing in after him the waves suddenly began to dance wildly, the wind started to rise, tearing the foam into the sky. She hadn't known a storm to grow so violent so quickly. "I hear you! I hear your anger! He will be struck down!", Aeron cried out. She hadn't noticed before just how much he believed to be in direct contact with the God until now and it frightened her. He had once been as fierce a warrior as he had been a gambler and womanizer, this was more than a shadow of that person. He was oblivious to the waves crashing in over his head, how the wind was tearing at his hair, the water whipping at his body with the fury of an executioner; he just stood there, his arms outstretched and face raised to the heavens. "It will be done!"
Asha finally managed to reach him, turning him around to face her, the howling of the gales drowned her words, so she just tore at him with all her might, trying futilely to drag him to shore before he was wrenched from her. After what seemed a lifetime of wasted effort, he started to follow her willingly, just in time as the ocean started to thrash and batter at them in earnest. The rain had started to pour down, lashing in their faces with the force of the wind behind it. The sky was as black as night and the hailing storm as cold as ice, behind her the waves were taller than men and higher than quite a few masts. It was the coming of winter storm but none of the stories prepared her for this.
Euron was still rambling to himself yet none the words he spoke could be heard as the lighting and thunder begun their merry dance overhead. Despite being as hard a captain as she knew, she couldn't remember one single storm that echoed the perilous nature of this one just beginning to awaken. Suddenly she felt her uncle's freezing hands clasp around her arms and turned her around to face him, "It has begun. The long winter is coming and we must be prepared." She tried to wrench herself free of his grip, their roles of a few seconds ago now reversed, "Uncle we must take shelter! This is madness!" "This is the wrath of the Drowned God, we shall be safe. He will only strike those fools." "Uncle, we must leave now." The spark of madness in his raging eyes seemed to quiet and he let her guide him back up the hill. The weather was making it impossible to see and making the ground treacherous too, they stumbled back up the hill, slipping and sliding, gathering many bruises in the process. They were shivering and shaking as they ascended, however time seemed to drag in the face of the unrelenting storm, which seemed to be worsening by the second, she thought she hear the flapping of cloth, just mere moments before nearly being torn to the ground by what seemed to be the remnants of a tent as it hurtled down the hill towards them.
The shock seemed to freeze her to the spot and would have been ripped away with the wreckage, hadn't her feet suddenly been taken away from under her. Slamming into the ground the mud did nothing to cushion the force of the blow. Grasping for her dirk, she tried to roll around in the muck to face her attacker. The storm was blinding though and made it impossible to barely make out Aeron lying next to her. Thinking that she had possibly been mistaken, that it had merely been the earth coming loose that wrenched her to the floor, she tried to stand again as a hand clasped around hers and hauled her up, glad that she hadn't relinquished her blade, she tried to stab at the person in front of her. Crow Eye wasted no time. Surprisingly though her assailant withstood her strike by deflecting it with his own dagger. Outmaneuvering her, he managed to twirl her around and firmly kept her in his arms, with her back to his chest and both her arms firmly pressed overlapping against her chest, disabling her without having disarmed her. She struggled in his grip but the muscular arms didn't budge. Instead she felt the tickle of a short kept beard against her ear as a deep voice shouted, trying to be heard over the thundering storm, still raging and tearing at them with gales and hail. "I wasn't sent, I have no intention of hurting you. We have to take cover though, come with me, I swear I won't hurt you or keep you restrained. Trust me. There's shelter a few minutes away, we must hurry. Another is coming!" Still fighting his hold she yelled back, "Why? You attacked me!" "I saved you! There's no time for this. Die in this storm, die by a blade or come with me." Releasing her and re-exposing her to the chill and lashing rain, he took a step back just as lighting struck, providing a moment of light to show his face. The only features she could make out in the blur were his striking grey-blue eyes.
Whatever she saw in those eyes clinched it, they were mesmerizing pools and she felt like she was drowning. "Where's Damphair?" she tried to vocalize despite the rawness in her throat. Whether he heard or not was irrelevant he was tugging at her arm and pointing to two shadows somewhere in front of them. It wasn't really a choice in this weather. Following him for what seemed to be hours but was in truth mere minutes, they suddenly had stopped and the man began clawing in the mud desperately seeking something. Then she saw what he was looking for, a leather loop. Tugging at it the best she could, a sodden wooden flap covered in grass exposed a deep dark hole, seemingly bottomless with what could only be described as roots as apparent ladder handles judging by the man's gesturing.
There was no way she was going down there. She started to shake her head and back away until she felt a heavy warm hand on her lower back pushing her forward not without a little force. She came closer to the bottomless pit, just the sight of it made her breathing erratic, the blackness seemed unending and so narrow she doubted anyone could fit in there. She tried to turn and run but slammed right into the chest of the unknown friend or foe. He wants to kill me, was all she could think over and over as he pressed her close to him and began lowering himself into the hole. She tried to kick with all her might but as she stared up into those grey-blue orbs again her thoughts were silenced. She felt a terrible pain in her mind, like someone was driving an iron hot blade through her head, the heat seemed to spread through her veins, it was all consuming and eating her alive, she tried to scream, the searing pain too unbearable, but no sound came out. She started to panic, her body was entirely aflame, like a thousand pokers stabbing at her, but her arms and legs were the worst. Like molten coals and heavier than they had ever felt before, they felt like they were being torn from her as her joints jarringly started to move of their own accord, her hands latching on to the roots of the tunnel wall, whilst her foot started to lower itself to the lower root.
So she began her descent in utter panic and tortuous pain, and after a few seconds of unwilling climbing the little light that had shone down the hole was blotted out as the latch was closed above her. Total darkness engulfed her and terror started to overcome the agony as her heart fluttered like a caged bird. Air seemed to escape her lungs and stars started to cloud her sight, her head was light and heavy and every sound seemed to tear at her ears but in slow motion, her grip loosened and then there was nothing.
Lights of warm orange and the most peculiar shades of green and blue fluttered before her eyes, before they gave way to the black, then the lights would appear again basking a seemingly small cave in their glow, but they never stayed too long. What could have been an eternity later she started deciphering the rustling sounds as labored and whispered speech, "You shouldn't have done that. It's forbidden! What would he say?" "She had to go, he was just behind us. I had no choice!" "There is always a choice you darn fool! What are you going to do?" Despite the voices growing louder she couldn't focus on them any longer and succumbed yet again to the drowning noises and dancing shadows.
Slowly the buzzing in her head seemed to recede as did the fire in her limbs, but something wasn't the same, they felt wrong, like they were someone else's. The voices became clear again and this time she could make out her Aeron's praying. Trying to sit up and open her eyes was much harder than it had ever been before, including the time she had flown from one side of the deck to the other in a storm, cracking a few ribs and breaking her arm in the process.
"She's awake", he spoke in his solemnest voice. Slowly opening her eyes, only to close them again due to the blinding light, "Blow out a candle", she croaked, her voice strained from apparent disuse.
Eventually peeking out, she started to take in her surroundings, they were still underground judging by the low muddy ceiling. Again her heart fastened but at least the room was large enough to stand in without having to bow slightly. She was in a cot and at the end an old woman with those same piercing grey-blue eyes stared at her. "Where am I?" "Safe", the elderly woman with lines too many to count muttered. Aeron snorted in disapproval, "If we were safe, we wouldn't be here.", a glance from the woman silenced him though. "How, how long?" unable to continue her sentence due to the dryness, " A few hours at most", was the response that came through the door as it jarred open.
The face was that of her attacker, "What do you want?" "Here," passing a jug of ale to her, "it's not poisoned. That is one of Euron's tricks, not ours. We tried to reach you before the moot, but this took longer than expected." , he stated glaring at Aeron and gesturing to the walls. In the light she could see he had rugged looks. Dark hair, almost black, slightly wavy and unkempt, a short kept beard and square jaw, a darker taint than was common to these islands, broad shoulders, large hands, and apparently he was well endowed too as her eyes wandered lower than intended. An unbidden smirk and cocked eyebrow appeared on his face, probably mirroring her own expression. Not what I usually go for. "Why did you want to meet me?" "As much as I want to get to know you, I actually came to talk to Damphair, Victarion and yourself." "Talk is overrated, doesn't sink into most brains, you saw that at the moot", she answered, her tone bordering on a growl towards the end.
"Well if we had been here on time there wouldn't have been a moot, but still my father wouldn't listen. Instead he brought unwanted attention to our family, nonetheless we are here now." "Your father is mad and you are too. The Kingsmoot was the will of the Drowned God." Aeron harshly replied. Something snapped in her at the sound of his self-righteous tone.
"Look what your Kingsmoot has done, nuncle! Euron is King and means to destroy the Iron Islands with his madness!" "The Drowned God has other plans for us, something is still hidden in the depths of the ocean. The tide will come in on Crow Eye's reign, this the Drowned God has whispered to me, he wants Victarion to lead us." "No nuncle, that is what you want! Were you drowned too long to know the difference between your thoughts and those of His? I should be Queen on the Seastone Chair by birth, you know I would rule justly." "You would live in sin, that would not befit the manner of a Queen. Victarion will rule, the Drowned God has decided it." "You are not the Drowned God!" "Hush child, he has plans for you too and we must both leave this night to do his bidding. The Kraken lies in the deep." "Leave? And let Euron tear us apart unchallenged?" "He will not be unchallenged, you saw the moot. He has brought evil with him and his work is not yet done. Gather all the ships you can, others can come later."
She turned to the other man in the room in incredulity, "Have you heard of this madness?" "Yes and he is right." "May the Drowned God take the two of you, I will play no part in this delusion!" "The Drowned God may take me, but I am not his. We of the Farwynds worship the oldest Gods, of the land and sea and air, of all that was, all that is and all that will be. The children lived on the Iron Islands once too, their blood is ours." She now knew why his eyes and those of the women looked familiar, "Your father is Lord Gylbert? It would seem insanity is either infectious or hereditary. Perchance both, but I'll not stay here and find out. There is enough madness here on this island."
"My Lady Asha, please hear what I have to say. Things are moving and events more important than any one Kingdom or even five Kings or Queens are unfolding. Many games are being played and there are games within games, but only a few players actually know what true game they are playing, even fewer still know all the true players. Euron is only a peasant on the larger scape of things. He's caught in a web and thinks he is the spider, but there is another spider, whose web he is growing evermore stuck in. In turn that spider is under the spell of another and in short there are more intricacies then you could ever fathom. I promise I will win you your game and win your prize you never knew you were seeking if you help me and mine play the game of life and death. My father may have rambled, but it's not all madness. Just like the bog devils as your uncle cares to call them, we too on the far off islands can suffer from what they call greensight. It's what makes our eyes change from grey to blue, father drifts between the many worlds, of could and should and if and would, too often now to tell any difference, not quite unlike Damphair", he added with a bemused smile, "Still, we have all seen it, and heard from a far off friend, whose identity I am not at liberty to divulge, due to the many players in the field at the moment, things are accelerating, not lastly because of Euron's foolish behavior. Darkness is coming, this storm is just the beginning. Things will rise soon and swallow, burn and tear. There is more truth in legend than you think."
"Will you stop talking in riddles and undertones? Who's behind Euron then? Pray tell me, I do so love to hear a good tale." "It's no tale, and I could name you names, but you'll never have heard of them." "If they are that powerful I would have heard of them." "Alas they're so powerful you'll never have heard of them not even a whispering. Trust me. Had you heard of me before you met me?" , he leaned back in a cocky manner raising his eyebrow yet again, whilst unashamedly appraising her shape with an intensity and smirk on his face, which under other circumstances, she would have loved to wipe off his face just to prove that she could. Now however she had to retort with a quick quip, "Well you musn't be very powerful then, either on the sea or in bed. I make sure I know my champions in both. " "Oh I know who champions you of late, still it didn't make much difference at the moot did it. Bed as many as you want but that's not your sole source of power, besides it's all a mummers farce. Euron would have been King come what may." Gritting her teeth she knew he was right but it irked her nonetheless.
Before she could make any kind of reply a stomach turning stench wafted through the door. "You want proof, here it is" , was all she heard before her stomach gave way. Once raising her head from the pail beside her bed, she turned to see the supposed proof. Before her though lay what could only be described as a pointed white rock that took up neigh the entire room. Upon closer inspection she saw the rock wasn't a rock It couldn't be "It's not…" "Yes it is. It is a Leviathan tooth, the beast near killed an entire fleet. It was only a pup though, it was not near as large as the legends suggest. " "Do you take me for a fool? You had a craftsman shape this and stuck some rotting seal flesh on the end." "I am no fool, feel the fang. You can see the serrated edges but you can't feel the warmth it holds" "I'm sure you have some very capable craftsmen, but have them build some weapons instead of this trickery."
Aeron who had previously remained suspiciously quiet during the conversation, turned to her, "No child. This is neither magic nor design. It is real. The beasts of old awaken in the depths. We must leave." Pursing her lips together she simply sat and stared. "Child even if you do not believe him now we must flee Euron. Much has still to be done. The Drowned God demands we leave this night, we must both follow other currents but His course is clear." "Lady Asha your Uncle speaks truth, either way, there is only one direction you can sail." "Tonight, in this storm?", she could only splutter faced with their certainty. "We'll be lucky to survive; no one would dare risk following us. As you say, it's madness", the man who still remained unnamed answered with a grin.
What had happened after that was much a blur, she remember arguing a little longer but she was defeated and knew it. The Farwynds had burrows littered across the island, she never saw many people just the heir, the old woman and a few others. They managed to escort her to her ship and men without much trouble, once they left the burrows though the weather seemed unimaginable. If possible it had worsened over the few hours she had been underground. Despite the initial reaction from her crew members, she had managed to convince them to set sail. Two of her men remained behind to spread the word that if anyone sought to escape Crow's Eye's rule they should contact them or a Farwynd. Apparently the entire clan knew of their plans and where they were heading, still none of them saw it fit to tell her where they were going and how they were to remain in contact with those left behind, they just stared at her with their strange cold blue eyes and looked away again, as if she had never asked them at all.
Despite the lack of visibility and fierceness of the storm none of her men backed down and she was pleased to see that Tristan, Qarl and Ser Harras had all agreed to come with most of their respective men and ships as well. Tristan most likely agreed with the intention of wooing her, Ser Harras more out of the fear of being killed for showing his support for her claim and Qarl, well he warmed my bed for quite some time.
They fled with a number of five ships including those of the Farwynds, but only four survived the sea and its treacherous conditions and the Drowned God claimed a few others by tearing them from the decks. It was only when they had made a safe harbour did she notice that Damphair was missing, fearing the worst she had franticly asked others on the ships whether they had seen him. None had seen him step upon any of the ships.
She did remember the look on the Farwynd heir's face however, with clear distinction. Those expressive eyes clouded over in guilt and resignation, the look as if he were trying to not reveal anything, the finality of the words he spoke with the clear tone, that he was not to be pressed further on the issue, "He is elsewhere, his task is not yours.", as he then turned away without a second glance.
It had been months since landing at Saltspear and they had heard nothing of Euron, but they must have had many days' worth of sailing ahead of them, as the storm had only grown weaker a week or so after they had set foot in the Neck. Nonetheless it made her uneasy and if he didn't get them soon, the Bog devils would.
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