Theon panicked.
Looking blankly at Botley Castle, where blood flowed like a river, he panicked.
He didn't understand how things had developed into this state, considering he had only come to the Iron Islands as an envoy for Robb Stark of Winterfell to discuss an alliance.
He stared blankly at Reese, who held him in a death grip. It wasn't that he hadn't tried to stop the man, but his strength was too meager to break free.
Moreover, the more Theon struggled, the more Reese tightened his grip, squeezing him until he could hardly breathe.
To avoid being suffocated to death in another man's arms, the naturally timid youth chose to remain silent.
"Enough, Ironborn!"
Just as the people inside the castle had been almost entirely slaughtered and the blood-crazed Ironborn were beginning to turn on one another, a robed corpse was thrown from the second floor of the castle. It hit the ground with a heavy thud, the loud sound instantly silencing the scene.
Everyone looked up toward the castle hall's balcony, where a thin man sat expressionlessly on the railing, his legs dangling as if he had no fear of falling.
Wiping a strangely shaped, blood-dripping harpoon, a cruel smile played across Pyke's lips. His dull, raspy voice reached everyone's ears clearly:
"My name is Pyke!"
"I am the one you call the 'ghost of the bloodport'."
Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, Pyke's body turned into a blur as he leapt from the second floor, solidifying once again upon landing.
Walking with an eerie gait to the corpse he had just thrown down, he picked it up with one hand and walked to the steps of the hall, sitting down regally like a king:
"I am a bastard. I grew up on Pyke Island, suffering the cold stares and bullying of others."
"To remember this hatred, I cast aside my name and survived in the Westerlands under the name of Pyke."
As he spoke, he held the corpse high, his voice booming through the entire hall:
"But it was I, this lowly bastard, who today personally killed the noble lord of Lannisport—Sawane Botley!"
The crowd looked at the corpse in his hand and raised their weapons in a cheer.
The law of the jungle was the way of life flowing in the blood of the Ironborn. Furthermore, the fact that a lowly bastard had achieved such a feat made them even more frenzied.
The Ironborn looked at the figure with a kingly aura with fanatical eyes, dreaming that one day they too could become a powerhouse like Pyke.
"But we are celebrating too early!"
Amidst the cheers, Pyke doused them with cold water.
Looking at the Ironborn holding the wealth they had looted from everywhere, he pointed his harpoon toward the outside of the castle, his voice filled with killing intent:
"You have the treasures of House Botley in your hands, but I can guarantee that not a single one of you will leave here alive with them."
"Because Balon Greyjoy has already received word. I believe he is currently assembling all the troops on Pyke Island to come and suppress this rebellion!"
A man's reputation follows him like a shadow. Although Balon had lost the war years ago, he was still the undisputed king of the iron islands.
The people who had followed the crowd to loot had not considered such consequences. Now, reminded by Pyke, their eyes flickered as they looked around blankly, clearly showing fear.
But they still gripped their treasures tightly with bloodshot eyes. For the Ironborn, there was no such thing as returning something that had been taken!
"Very good, Ironborn!"
Seeing that they were hesitant to retreat and unwilling to give up the hard-won loot, Pyke laughed loudly:
"'We Do Not Sow' is the motto of House Greyjoy, and it is the iron rule we live by. Are you willing to just give up what you worked so hard for?"
"No!"
"Are you willing to obediently stretch out your necks for Balon's army to cut off your heads?"
"No!"
"Then what should we do? Should we pick up our weapons and fight them to the death, or give up resistance and let them slaughter us?"
"Pick up your weapons and fight them!"
"Pick up your weapons and fight them!"
Under Pyke's incitement, the Ironborn were impassioned, as if they were immediately facing Balon Greyjoy's butcher knife.
They raised their weapons and surged out like a tide, just as they had come, their eyes red with the determination to protect their looted goods.
"These guys are really easy to fool, My Lord."
Old Shag walked to Pyke's side, looking at the crowd that had been turned against Balon Greyjoy with just a few words, and couldn't help but remark with emotion.
"It's not that they are easy to fool; it's just that wealth moves people's hearts."
The world hustles for profit, and the world bustles for profit. Pyke understood this simple truth all too well. It was by exploiting this that he had persuaded them to join his side in just a few sentences.
Although there might be a few clever people among them who saw through his intentions, it didn't matter.
It was the trend of the times; a situation like this couldn't be swayed by the thoughts of one or two people.
"However, if Balon Greyjoy really defeats them, what should we do?"
Looking at the confident Pyke, Old Shag felt it was necessary to remind him.
"It is a certainty that this rabble will be defeated."
Pyke narrowed his eyes with a smile, watching the crowd surging out frantically, seemingly not worried at all that these people would be wiped out by Balon.
This was exactly the effect he wanted.
"To tell you the truth, Old Shag."
Patting the other man's shoulder, Pyke spoke incredibly sinister words with a calm Face:
"I was the one who sent someone to notify Balon Greyjoy!"
While Old Shag stared in shock, the corners of Pyke's mouth curled upward. He looked at Theon, who was still being held tightly by Reese, and murmured:
"Don't forget, we still have a hostage in our hands."
"As long as the Iron Islands are in chaos, they won't be able to spare a hand to block the Master's plan..."
...Balon Greyjoy sat on a steed atop a small hill not far from Botley Castle. Behind him followed nearly two hundred Greyjoy knights with golden krakens embroidered on their chests.
This was all the force he could assemble on Pyke Island in a short amount of time.
Ever since he lost the rebellion ten years ago, although he remained the undisputed leader of the Iron Islands, his military strength had begun to suffer a serious shortage.
Over the years, he had hidden on Pyke Island to secretly build up his strength. He could pull together a decent-looking army, but most were sailors. For the horse-scarce Iron Islands, cavalry was a very rare branch of service.
If it were any other noble of the Iron Islands, they probably couldn't even muster twenty knights.
Squinting at the Ironborn waiting in battle formation ahead, Balon was very confused.
House Botley had managed this largest port of the Iron Islands for so many years and had done it very well, never having any trouble. Why would it suddenly provoke public anger and be wiped out by a thousand Ironborn with lightning speed?
"Father, the knights are assembled. Shall we charge them?"
Behind him, a slender young woman with long legs and short black hair, looking valiant and heroic, rode up to ask.
This was Theon's sister, and currently Balon's only child besides Theon—Asha Greyjoy.
Despite being a woman, Asha had a fierce personality and was agile and exceptionally brave in battle. Even though she was a woman, Balon had long regarded her as his heir.
"Go up first and ask them why they did this. I suspect someone is pulling the strings."
Old Balon might be somewhat arrogant, always dreaming of making himself king, but he was actually a smart man.
It was normal for these Ironborn to rob some merchant caravans on a daily basis, but for them to unite so quickly in such a short time to commit such a major crime—no one would believe that there wasn't someone controlling them in the shadows.
Hearing her father's command, Asha decisively spurred her horse forward.
She wasn't afraid of these Ironborn attacking her. Over the years, as the captain of the 'Black Wind', Asha's performance in battle had been entirely worthy of the ship's name.
Whenever a battle occurred, she was always at the front, and because of this, she was well-loved among the Ironborn.
Furthermore, the nearly two hundred elite Greyjoy knights behind her were not to be trifled with. In the open field, the gap between cavalry and infantry could not be bridged simply by numerical advantage.
"I am Asha Greyjoy!"
Riding her horse before the crowd of Ironborn, Asha's clear voice rang out over the lands of Botley Castle.
"Put down your weapons, Ironborn."
"For the sake of the drowned god, tell me why you were so impulsive, and King Balon will consider granting you a way to live!"
"It's Asha!"
Some Ironborn recognized the eldest daughter of House Greyjoy, and their eyes began to waver unconsciously. They slowly lowered their weapons, intending to speak with her.
"Don't believe her!"
Just then, Reese's tall figure appeared in the crowd. His right hand was clamped around Theon's neck, choking him slightly, as he shouted to the Ironborn:
"As soon as we put down our weapons, their knights will charge immediately and slaughter us like chickens!"
"And even if what she says is true, we certainly won't be able to keep the treasures we worked so hard to steal!"
Hearing this, the Ironborn who had lowered their weapons looked at the gold in their hands and raised their weapons again with determined eyes, staring fiercely at Asha. Only a few people's gazes flickered, seemingly unsure of what to do.
"Don't be afraid, everyone!"
Just as Asha was about to speak again to launch a psychological offensive, Pyke's lean figure slowly stepped out from the crowd, pointing at Theon, who was held tightly by Reese:
"We have a hostage in our hands; they won't dare do anything to us!"
"If they dare to charge, I will have this tall warrior kill Balon's only heir first. When Pyke has no successor, we will all have a chance to become the king of the iron islands!"
Pyke's words seemed to contain some kind of magic. After he said this, the eyes of the wavering Ironborn turned red. With endless desire, they looked toward Pyke, as if they had already imagined the beautiful scene of themselves sitting on the throne of the king of the iron islands.
Some Ironborn even quietly moved a few steps toward Theon, seemingly considering whether to kill him before the battle began.
Yet no one thought about how terrifying it would be to Face nearly two hundred knights in the open.
And Pyke was not kind enough to remind them that defending the castle based on Botley Castle would be the best way to wear down the Greyjoy knights.
Seeing that the surrender attempt had failed, Asha glared at Pyke with an unfriendly gaze, thinking that this damn guy must be the one instigating things. But at this moment, she had no better way; these Ironborn had been blinded by desire.
Looking from afar at the man in Reese's hands and confirming once again that it was indeed her brother Theon, Asha rode her steed back to Balon's side.
"Father, these people have no intention of surrendering. Moreover, Theon has returned at some point and is now being held as a hostage among them."
"Theon..."
Murmuring this familiar yet strange name, Balon's eyes narrowed, and he seemed to have made a certain decision.
He looked at the valiant Asha, gritted his teeth, and raised his whip to point forward:
"Knights loyal to Greyjoy, kill all of these rebellious bastards for me!"
"What is dead may never die!"
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