Chapter 225: The Storm Dances with the Sea Monster, Euron Greyjoy Conquers the Iron Islands

In Pyke, King Balon sat upon the Seastone Chair, wearing the driftwood crown.

Recently, King Balon had been in a good mood; the shipyards across the Iron Islands had been building a longship fleet day and night, and the Iron Fleet had already been rebuilt.

When the Iron Fleet had originally invaded the North, they had conquered Sea Dragon Point, Blacksmith City, Stony Shore Castle on the Stony Shore, and Wolf Castle in the Rills, but the Iron Fleet's offensive was halted at Dawn Watch, a Wolf Castle in the Barrowlands.

When the Iron Fleet sailed up the Salt Spear, Jon Snow, the bastard of the North's House Stark, blocked the river with iron chains and attacked with wildfire; combined with the Wolf King Eddard leading giant eagles, magic dragons, and flying wolves in a pincer attack, the Iron Fleet was wiped out, marking a bloody end to King Balon's conquest.

Asha Greyjoy's *Black Wind* and Victarion's *Iron Victory* were both destroyed in the flames of war; now, the shipyards had built new ships, and Asha and Victarion both possessed new vessels, still naming them after their previous ships.

With the new ships launched, the recruitment of crew was also completed smoothly; after all, on the barren land of the Iron Islands, no matter how poor the Ironborn were, they never lacked ships or sailors.

King Balon sat upright on the Seastone Chair, while his fourth brother Aeron Greyjoy and third brother Victarion stood in the hall. King Balon raised his voice.

"The Iron Fleet has been rebuilt, and we can finally launch our revenge against the Starks!"

Asha walked over, holding a letter in her hand.

"Father, I fear your revenge must be delayed. This is a letter sent by Theon from Harrenhal."

King Balon frowned, "What does the letter say? Could it be that the Starks want to use Theon to threaten me?"

Asha said softly, "Theon warns us that Euron Greyjoy has returned."

Aeron Greyjoy and Victarion exchanged a glance.

Asha truly did not know if Euron's return was a good or bad thing for the Iron Islands.

As an Ironborn, Euron had always been an expert at war, but he was equally dangerous and evil to his own kin.

Euron Greyjoy enjoyed tormenting the minds of those around him for amusement; his two younger brothers, Aeron Greyjoy and Iron Fleet Commander Victarion, had both suffered from Euron's bullying, and both hated Euron Greyjoy.

Aeron Greyjoy had been brutally raped by Euron when he was a child. Euron had an affair with Victarion's salt wife; after being insulted, Victarion beat the salt wife to death with his fists, and he had never married since, remaining without heirs to this day.

It was precisely because of Euron's affair with Victarion's salt wife that King Balon exiled Euron, declaring, "As long as I live, Euron is not permitted to return to the Iron Islands."

King Balon finished reading the letter and muttered, "Euron Greyjoy has raided the Three Sisters and Crab Isle; he is approaching the Iron Islands with a pirate fleet."

Aeron Greyjoy said, "Brother, Euron is a godless madman who has always taken pleasure in tormenting us brothers. He has returned to the Iron Islands with a fleet this time, clearly intending to defy your orders and seize the Seastone Chair."

Victarion clenched his fists, "If it weren't for the Drowned God cursing kinslayers, I would have slaughtered Euron back then. Our brand-new fleet is starving for blood; if Euron dares to cause trouble on the Iron Islands, I will lead the Iron Fleet to crush his pirate fleet."

King Balon crumpled Theon's letter, "The Iron Fleet has just been rebuilt, and we are going to fight among ourselves? Regardless, I will not allow anyone to kill Euron; Euron has done many bad things, but he is our brother after all."

"When I exiled Euron years ago, and he left with his ship *Silence*, I made it very clear that as long as I live, he was not allowed to return. Do you know why?"

Asha said, "Father, you are very merciful; you hoped that when Euron was old and frail, he could return to the Iron Islands, return to his homeland, and then feast in the Drowned God's halls."

King Balon shook his head, "Wrong, completely wrong! My only living son, Theon, was captured by the Starks as a hostage and ward. Asha, I am very satisfied with you, but it is a pity you are a woman; it is difficult for a woman to rule the Ironborn. Aeron Greyjoy has become a priest of the Drowned God, and Victarion is made for war, but unfortunately, he is a fierce general, not a commander."

"I allowed Euron to return to the Iron Islands after my death to leave a candidate for ruler of the Iron Islands. Euron is cunning and cruel; if my successor is weak, Euron can seize the Seastone Chair. In this way, the Iron Islands will at least have a fierce leader of raiders, so as not to be bullied by the people of the Green Lands."

Aeron Greyjoy said, "Brother, if someone who blasphemes the gods like Euron sits on the Seastone Chair, that would be the end of the Ironborn and the Iron Islands."

Victarion said, "The problem now is that Euron clearly intends to seize the Seastone Chair. We should prepare our forces and wait for Euron's arrival."

"If Euron dares to attack, the Iron Fleet will crush them."

Euron Greyjoy stood at the prow of *Silence*, gazing into the distance at Pyke and King's Port on Pyke Island; he smelled the salt of the sea, the scent of pine from shipbuilding, and the smell of saltpeter and steel from the blacksmith shops.

"The scent of home, so familiar."

Littlefinger Petyr Baelish wore his customary sly smile.

"Lord Euron, once you occupy the Iron Islands, you can wear the driftwood crown, lead the Ironborn, restore the Old Way, and achieve great things in this chaotic world."

Littlefinger had been captured by Euron on the Narrow Sea; relying on his glib tongue, he begged Euron to spare his life. Now, Littlefinger served as an advisor and treasurer in Euron's fleet.

Euron said, "It is a pity that my brother Balon, and my brothers Victarion and Aeron, will not welcome my arrival, and they certainly will not hand over the Seastone Chair."

Littlefinger said, "A surprise attack is enough to settle everything. Since wizards can use magic horns to control storms and waves, why not create a storm directly to destroy the Iron Fleet?"

Euron revealed an evil smile, "No, I still need to keep the Iron Fleet for my conquests!"

"I will defeat them, but I must try to preserve those longships of the Iron Fleet."

When Euron's *Silence* approached Pyke Island with the pirate fleet, the Iron Fleet intercepted them.

Victarion's *Iron Victory* appeared in the north, Asha's *Black Wind* appeared in the west, and King Balon's *Great Kraken* appeared in the south.

Surrounding these three large longships of House Greyjoy were a dozen longships each, and more longships appeared behind Euron's fleet, cutting off their retreat.

Victarion, clad in fine steel plate armor and wearing steel gauntlets, stood at the prow of *Iron Victory* and saw Euron on *Silence*.

"Euron, in the name of Balon I, King of the Iron Islands, I order you and your sailors and crew to lay down your weapons immediately; otherwise, only destruction awaits you!"

"Do not force me to become a kinslayer!"

Euron said disdainfully, "Victarion, you want to be a kinslayer? You speak as if you could actually defeat me. I heard that you were completely wiped out by the Stark bastard at the Salt Spear; you still have the nerve to call your new ship *Iron Victory*—you have shamed the face of the Ironborn."

Victarion was like an angry bull; he waved his hand, and the crossbowmen on *Iron Victory* and the surrounding ships immediately aimed at *Silence*.

"If your ship dares to move one step forward, I will order an attack!"

Euron hurriedly smiled, "Don't, I traveled across mountains and seas, not to fight with the Ironborn; the Ironborn should love one another as a family, shouldn't they? I beg you, don't be impulsive."

"I will blow the horn immediately and order my men to surrender."

Victarion frowned, "A horn? Could it be a magic horn? I warn you, if you dare to play tricks, neither you nor your men will live."

Euron laughed loudly, "Where in this world would there be a magic horn? Don't listen to their nonsense; this is a horn of surrender."

Aeron Greyjoy, standing beside Victarion, said, "Under the watch of the Drowned God, even if Euron wants to play tricks and use dark magic, he will surely fail."

Euron clapped his hands, and a burly wizard walked up, holding a horn engraved with runes, and blew it.

The sound was like rolling thunder, echoing between the sea and the firmament.

A storm descended from the sky; in just a heartbeat, *Iron Victory*, *Black Wind*, *Great Kraken*, and other ships were tossed about, and many of the Iron Fleet's soldiers and crossbowmen were swept directly into the sea.

The magic storm only attacked the Iron Fleet, while Euron's fleet remained unharmed within the storm.

Subsequently, another wizard blew the Kraken Horn, which was engraved with the crab crest of House Celtigar.

The sea tore open, forming a massive whirlpool; many small ships were swallowed by the vortex, and a terrifying sea monster over a hundred meters tall, with countless tentacles, rose from the ocean.

Under the attack of the sea monster and the storm, the ships of the Iron Fleet collided with one another; the soldiers were terrified, curling up on the decks and shivering, with screams, sounds of falling into the water, and cries for help constant. Even the Ironborn, who had spent their whole lives drifting on the sea, had never seen such a terrifying ocean.

Littlefinger knelt on the deck, staring at the storm, the sea monster, and the surging sea, dumbfounded and filled with adoration.

Victarion was bound by the tentacles of a sea monster and taken prisoner; Aeron Greyjoy was captured by the mute pirates under Euron; Asha Greyjoy was swept into the sea by the storm, only to be fished out later by Euron's men with a fishing net.

After defeating the Iron Fleet, Euron's pirate fleet easily captured King's Port, the port closest to Pyke; Euron's pirates immediately attacked the Greyjoy family stronghold, Pyke.

King Balon, on the walls of Pyke, still wanted to close the gates and hold out, but the storm tore apart the rope bridges of Pyke, cutting off the connections between the various keeps; the sea monster swam to the foot of Pyke, shattered the gate with its tentacles, destroyed the arrow towers, and Euron's pirates swarmed in.

Just one hour later, Pyke had completely fallen into Euron's hands, and Euron sat upon the Seastone Chair in the great hall.

King Balon, Victarion, Asha, and Aeron Greyjoy were escorted before Euron.

Asha glared at Euron, "You actually dare to sit on my father's throne."

Euron smirked, "The law practiced in the Iron Islands is that the strong prey upon the weak, and the strong are kings. Now that I am stronger than Balon, it is only right that I sit upon the Seastone Chair."

"Balon, back then you knelt and submitted to King Robert Baratheon, and all the ironborn of the Iron Islands had to kneel along with you. Since you were willing to submit to a brute from the Green Lands like Robert Baratheon, I presume you wouldn't mind kneeling and submitting to me?"

Balon pondered for a long while, "If you are willing to spare my daughter Asha, spare Victarion and Aeron Greyjoy, I am willing to relinquish the Driftwood Crown and acknowledge you as King of the Iron Islands."

Aeron Greyjoy, Victarion, and Asha immediately began to curse.

Victarion said, "I would rather die than kneel to Euron."

Aeron Greyjoy said, "Euron is a beast who does not respect the gods; if he sits upon the Seastone Chair, the Drowned God will surely send divine punishment."

Asha spat on the ground, "I would rather die than kneel to Euron, who manipulates dark magic!"

Euron laughed, "You all truly have backbone; it would be too merciful to execute you. It seems I must teach you how to be humble."

Subsequently, Euron ordered the sorcerers to bring out four magic crabs.

"These crabs were found by me in the ruins of Valyria. If you do not obey, the crabs will pinch your heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys, making you wish you were dead. You can only obediently become loyal servants; otherwise, you will suffer a fate worse than death!"

Then, the sailors pried open the mouths of King Balon, Victarion, Aeron Greyjoy, and Asha, and fed them the crabs.

The crabs quickly began to pinch the hosts' internal organs; King Balon, Victarion, Aeron Greyjoy, and Asha screamed repeatedly in unbearable agony, and had no choice but to kneel and beg Euron for mercy.

Euron was satisfied, "I will gather the lords and captains of the Iron Islands at Old Wyk, in the Grey King's Hall, upon the ribs of Nagga, to be formally crowned King of the Iron Islands."

Seven days later, hundreds of noble lords, captains, and thousands of commoners from the Iron Islands gathered at the Grey King's Hall on Old Wyk.

In the Iron Islands, the wealthiest and most populous island is Harlaw, the largest in area is Great Wyk, the most powerful is Pyke, and the most sacred belongs to Old Wyk, because Old Wyk is the location of the Grey King's Hall; this place possesses the ribs of Nagga, and the ancient kingsmoots were all held in the Grey King's Hall.

Whether it was the noble House Harlaw, House Goodbrother, House Drumm, or the lowly House Codd and House Hambly, all arrived.

Littlefinger looked at the fossilized ribs of Nagga everywhere and sighed, "When I was Master of Coin in King's Landing, I often ran the customs, and sailors from all over the world said that the Grey King's Hall is the holy site of the Drowned God faith."

"May I ask, what legendary story happened here?"

Euron poked Aeron Greyjoy with his elbow.

"As a priest of the Drowned God, Aeron Greyjoy must know these legends and stories clearly."

Although Aeron Greyjoy was extremely reluctant, he still had to speak: "In the Dawn Age, right on this land beneath our feet, the Grey King slew Nagga; Nagga was the world's first sea dragon, feeding on sea beasts and sea monsters, capable of swallowing an entire island in one bite."

"After Nagga died, the Drowned God blessed the Grey King and used Nagga's bones to build a palace for him. Nagga's ribs became the rafters and pillars of the Grey King's Hall, and Nagga's mouth became the Grey King's throne. The Drowned God preserved the fire of Nagga for humanity, keeping the Grey King's Hall forever warm and bright."

"Mermaids wove tapestries for the hall with silver seaweed, and warriors sat on chairs made of mother of pearl, drinking merrily with the Grey King, enjoying the gifts of the sea and the wine plundered from the Green Lands."

"However, after the Grey King died, the Storm God extinguished the fire, thieves stole the chairs and tapestries, and the Grey King's Hall decayed and collapsed. Now, only the Grey King's Hall and the ribs of Nagga remain, a perpetual memorial to the glory of the ironborn during the Age of Heroes."

Euron sneered, "Under my leadership, the ironborn will win a glory even greater than that of the Grey King's era."

The captains and lords from all over the Iron Islands looked at Euron with cold, indifferent eyes; Euron had never been loved by the ironborn of the Iron Islands.

Euron said, "In recent years, my Silence has raided the Nine Free Cities, Ibben, the Summer Islands, Slaver's Bay, and ports all over the world; I have completed the conquest and glory of the ironborn. Today, I will ascend the Seastone Chair, and at the same time, I will demonstrate to you the magic power I brought back from the East."

"I will use the ribs of Nagga to resurrect Nagga!"

The lords immediately began to discuss among themselves.

Lord Goodbrother: "This is impossible; Nagga turned into fossils long ago."

Lord Drumm: "Does Euron take us for fools? No one can resurrect a pile of rocks."

Aeron Greyjoy said, "King Euron, Nagga was killed by the Grey King long ago; you cannot resurrect Nagga. The Drowned God has told me: you cannot do it."

Euron smirked, "I will prove with my actions that I am the true voice of the Drowned God."

The sorcerers brought a bowl of clear water; then, Euron cut his finger, dripped blood into the bowl, and poured the bloody water onto the ribs of Nagga.

Subsequently, Euron blew an ancient horn.

The lords of the Iron Islands held their breath in anticipation.

With a ground-shaking tremor, the ribs of Nagga actually grew flesh and scales; soon, it became a giant sea dragon taller than a mountain.

Aeron Greyjoy was dumbfounded, and the lords of the Iron Islands knelt on the ground one after another, beginning to shout at the top of their lungs.

"Long live King Euron!"

"The true King of the ironborn!"

Victarion, Asha, and Balon stood in the distance, not kneeling.

Asha said bitterly, "Now, Euron has completely won the support of the ironborn."

Balon said helplessly, "No matter how evil Euron is, he is still an ironborn, our own kin. Perhaps under Euron's leadership, we can defeat Stark, restore the Old Way, and conquer the Green Lands."

Subsequently, Aeron Greyjoy brought out the prepared Driftwood Crown; the Driftwood Crown must be made from the first piece of driftwood sent by the sea to the king's homeland. On the day Balon decided to pass the throne to Euron, the first piece of driftwood that floated to Pyke was, again, weirwood.

Weirwood is the sacred tree of the Old Gods; the last time, King Balon's Driftwood Crown was also weirwood, and this time, when Euron was to craft the Driftwood Crown, the Drowned God still sent weirwood.

Because there are no weirwood heart trees in the Iron Islands, and coupled with the naval battle at Pyke that day where many ships were destroyed by the storm and sea monsters, there was driftwood from shipwrecks everywhere in the surrounding seas, yet not a single piece floated to Pyke; that it was weirwood that appeared at Pyke made it even more incredible.

Euron Greyjoy put on the Driftwood Crown, sat upon the sea monster Nagga, and once again accepted the shouts and cheers of the ironborn nobles and commoners.

After the enthronement ceremony ended, Littlefinger said, "King Euron, now that you have won the support of the Iron Islands and possess the sea dragon Nagga, sea monsters, and the Iron Fleet, in Westeros, King Euron can easily crush the Arbor Fleet, the Royal Fleet, and the Wolf Fleet."

"Now the Wolf King Eddard occupies the Riverlands, the North, The Vale, and the Westerlands in Westeros, already showing a trend of dominating all others. The Wolf King Eddard is garrisoning Harrenhal to confront the undead of King's Landing; I suggest King Euron immediately send troops to attack Seagard, Bear Island, Kayce, Lannisport, Deepwood Motte, and other places."

"In less than a few months, the Wolf King Eddard's strongholds by the sea will all fall into the hands of the ironborn. At that time, King Euron can blow the horn, concentrate his forces, and attack the Riverlands; the Trident will be the perfect stage for the ironborn, history will repeat itself, the ironborn will once again conquer the Riverlands, and the Wolf's empire will crumble!"

(End of chapter)