Asha was not merely bluffing.
She was Balon Greyjoy's only daughter, the Pearl of the Ocean and Princess of the Iron Islands. She had always taken pride in her identity, until Robert Baratheon led the armies of the Seven Kingdoms to attack the Iron Islands, storm Pyke, kill her two elder brothers, and take away her only younger brother. Only then did she come to realize she was nothing more than the princess of a group of useless pirates.
From that moment on, the dream of leading the Iron Islands away from the old path of "plunder or starve and remain poor" and toward prosperity and strength took root in her heart. Though she wasn't as noble and selfless as she had claimed before Aegor, willing to sacrifice everything for that dream, if the day ever came when she was forced to choose between family honor, personal interest, and the future of the Iron Islands, and the two could no longer coexist, she would abandon the former without hesitation and willingly become a sacrifice to usher in change.
However, her seemingly flawless, detailed plans and beautiful aspirations were completely shattered when her hateful uncle Euron returned to the Iron Islands first, murdered her father, and seized the Seastone Chair. When the Gift army, led by Aegor, unexpectedly intervened in the war and captured Asha through a scheme, she was already lost about the future and unsure of where to go.
Aegor defeated and captured her, but in a way, it was more like he had set her free.
Fate is often strange. Just as reality cruelly slammed shut the door she had once wanted to walk through, it opened a window she had never noticed, revealing to her a new possibility.
...
When she was first handed over by the Starks and imprisoned in Crown Town, Aegor had not yet become Lord Commander. He had only given brief orders to ensure she was treated humanely and with dignity, then completely ignored her as though she no longer existed. After several unsuccessful attempts to attract attention or change her situation, she began to resign herself to her fate, prepared to waste away in boredom. But after calming down and letting go, it was as though her heart had died, and in that numb state, she began to observe her surroundings from a new perspective. Soon, she started to notice things in this rapidly developing capital of the Gift that surprised her.
The first was the lively vitality this previously unheard-of stronghold displayed. It wasn't just its newness, sturdiness, or astonishing speed of expansion, but also the discipline, energy, and perhaps more accurately, the sense of purpose shown by the Night's Watch logistics soldiers and industrial workers stationed here. It was something she had never seen before, not even after traveling throughout Westeros. Here, every officer, soldier, and laborer carried a unique, indescribable quality. It made her uneasy, but not in a repulsive way.
Asha's literacy only allowed her to read and write, and her vocabulary was too limited to fully describe what she sensed. If she had to try, it was something like "hope." Everyone here cherished what they had while firmly believing that tomorrow would be better. It was the complete opposite of the restless desperation of the Ironborn, who lived only for today, always uncertain where their next meal would come from.
At first, she told herself that perhaps it was only natural for elite Night's Watch members, who had stable pay and strong support, to present a different appearance from a group of disorganized pirates. This guess wasn't far off. The industrial workers and soldiers Aegor brought to the Gift were indeed carefully selected, capable, and reliable. But the more discoveries she made, the more confused she became.
Within less than a year of her transfer to the Gift, Crown Town had grown wildly from a small outpost and temporary stronghold into a solid semi-permanent fortress, and then quickly expanded further into a medium-sized settlement centered around a castle. That alone would have been impressive, but it continued to grow at a visible, astonishing pace into a military stronghold with inner and outer layers, divided into districts with functions including defense, housing, and industrial production.
In just two years, Aegor had built something in this previously barren no-man's-land that the Iron Islands had never possessed in thousands of years, despite having more than twice the population. A truly prosperous and thriving town.
If Crown Town's rapid construction had only been a matter of spending money and manpower, that could be explained. But the deeper discoveries shocked her even more. The people of the Gift, who had come from all directions and settled here, soon began to show the same spirit that could initially only be felt among the residents inside the castle walls.
Strict law enforcement and harsh punishment maintained order, but where did this inexplicable sense of hope come from?
The outer-city residents of Crown Town were not eating or dressing better than the average Ironborn. In their daily conversations, they complained about low wages, tiring work, the coldness of the guards and overseers, and how the Night's Watch officials squeezed them like slaves. But no matter what they grumbled, each morning when the sun rose, those same dissatisfied people would still gather in droves outside the inner castle gate, full of energy, fighting to be first in line for job assignments. From white-haired elders to ten-year-old children, their eyes gleamed with contentment and anticipation, not with the confusion and cynical hostility that filled the eyes of the Ironborn.
Was it because the Gift's people had survived the White Walkers and now asked little from life? Or was there something she couldn't yet see, quietly shaping this vibrant, thriving society, something that left her bewildered but full of longing?
Asha didn't know. But one miracle after another gradually formed a deep impression in her heart. Aegor West, this black-clad man who broke the Night's Watch's tradition of neutrality and acted without restraint, might be despicable, but he possessed talents that others did not and carried endless potential.
And it was that realization that led her, when she heard the news that Aegor had knelt publicly and pledged loyalty to Daenerys and vowed to help her reclaim the Iron Throne, to make a near-instant judgment in her heart: this man will win.
She didn't understand cannons. She didn't consider dragons. She had no idea about Aegor's strategic plans. But she had a premonition. This cursed Night's Watch commander would be the final victor.
Her own plans had been ruined, but this man, who would most likely be the one left standing in the end, he surely knew the way. He surely had the means to realize her dream and lead the Ironborn to a better future. For the sake of that dream, for the people she cared about, what Asha had to do now was find every possible way to jump onto Aegor's train mid-journey.
As long as she could reach the destination, even if she had to cling to the axle beneath the wheels, she would do it.
---
Staring into Aegor's eyes without the slightest hesitation, Asha gave her answer steadily, word by word.
"I want you to support my struggle against my uncle, and save my people from the path he's leading them down. A path that only leads to death and failure."
The candlelight flickered in response to the woman's calm and forceful words. The shadows of the two on the wall swayed slightly. Her answer didn't surprise Aegor. He chuckled softly, his expression unchanged.
"Neither of us is a bard, so why speak so poetically? Lady Asha, just say it plainly. You want the Night's Watch to send troops to help you retake the Iron Islands, right?"
"No, more than that. I also want you to guide my rule and help build the Iron Islands into a prosperous and thriving land like Crown Town."
Aegor pressed his lips together and looked at her determined face. His smile slowly changed from polite to faintly amused.
He quickly understood why she made such a request. No matter how much freedom a prisoner has, she is still a prisoner. Asha was not part of the Gift's administration and had limited access to information. She could only see Crown Town's prosperity under his leadership, but not the mountain of red on the Night's Watch's financial records.
The ability to make the Gift appear impressive with loans and outside support was indeed a testament to the skill of the leadership team, headed by Aegor. But without those outside injections, even a god couldn't change the Gift's fate.
The Night's Watch was buried in debt. If Aegor didn't have a grand strategy in motion, as Lord Commander, he would have spent the rest of his life just repaying those debts. In truth, the crushing weight of monetary debts, material obligations, and personal favors was one of the reasons he kept pushing forward.
Forces across Westeros, those who had the foresight and the ability, were willing to support the Night's Watch because if the White Walkers ever broke through the Wall, no one would be safe. But asking people to spend gold and effort helping a group of pirates live in peace and wealth? What fool would agree to that?
He certainly wouldn't.
Perhaps sensing Aegor's thoughts, Asha immediately added her final bargaining chip.
"I swear by the Drowned God. If I succeed, I will lead the Ironborn to become the most loyal subjects and followers of the Night's Watch and the Queen, until death."
She likely meant it. But in Westeros, were there not already enough lords and factions eager to declare loyalty to the Queen? Even the Reach, strong and reputable and sincerely loyal, Aegor still sought to persuade Daenerys to break and absorb. A small, notorious archipelago, requiring war and regime change to bring under control—who would care?
In the context of feudalism, Asha's proposal was neither unreasonable nor excessive. It could even be considered fair.
But what did Aegor want?
To help the Queen break the wheel of history.
Although breaking one wheel might only bring forth another, in the new world Aegor envisioned for the Queen, there was no room for House Greyjoy. There was no place for the Iron Islands.
...
Aegor could easily list a hundred reasons to refuse her, but most of them would lead to endless argument. So he chose the safest approach: claim he was unable to help.
No matter how noble your ideals, the Night's Watch had just fought a brutal battle with the White Walkers and truly had no strength to spare. What could Asha say to that?
"Lady Asha..."
Seeing the trace of scorn and confidence at the corner of Aegor's mouth, Asha knew he was going to reject her. Before he could speak again, she laid her last card on the table.
"And I, personally, can also become Your Lord Commander's... most intimate and trouble-free companion. I swear never to marry, to remain pure, to never approach another man. You can summon me or send me away as you please, without any title or promise, while I fulfill all the duties of a wife, and never cause you the slightest trouble. If you want, I can even begin this arrangement tonight."
Was this an offer to exchange her personal "exclusive mating rights" for political and military support? Aegor had originally been smirking, but the moment Asha stood up from her chair, reaching to unfasten her leather belt, his expression went completely cold.
"Stop." Aegor narrowed his eyes and slammed the table. "I said, stop."
Asha had the qualities to attract men. From the moment she entered the room, Aegor had listened to her claims while admiring her strong, healthy figure and her unique charm, different from other women.
But appreciating beauty was one thing. Taking it further was another matter entirely.
Aegor was no ascetic or moralist. He enjoyed the pleasures of the flesh and never cared for romantic delusions like "love." He was open-minded. In modern terms, his tolerance was far beyond average.
But that didn't mean he had no bottom line.
Sex could be a remedy for boredom, a way to relieve stress. It could serve as a bonding tool with female subordinates, friends, or even partners. It could help maintain or raise favorability and expand his social circle. But it absolutely could not become a form of payment or reward from others.
In Aegor's worldview, the strong did not arbitrarily set rules for themselves. To others, this might look like ruthlessness. But only the truly pathetic lacked even a shred of self-control. When Asha made this offer, no matter what her true thoughts were, Aegor felt one thing clearly. She was treating him as an ordinary man ruled by desire, someone weak enough to be manipulated.
Asha had struck a nerve by offering him something he liked.
(To be continued.)