Chapter 45: What is dead may never die
What is dead may never die
Asha POV
"Kill him," I never thought I would hear such words from my own father.
What was going on? Why would father order something like this? I didn't have time to think as Theon was already injured, even though he didn't look like he cared about two stab wounds. I could only draw my dagger and take the hatchet, and throw it to Theon for him to defend himself with something.
He caught it with ease, and instead of defending himself, he rushed to the side of his companions. When I stabbed one guard in the throat and took his sword, I saw Theon killing one guard and punching the other to the ground before freeing Thoros of Myr. As others joined the fight, my uncles decided to intervene.
"Enough. Everyone drop your weapons," Most of them listened to them.
Victorion was furious about the guards attacking Theon. I didn't blame them. They didn't know Theon, but they knew well who my father was. Yet my father ran, and my brother chased after him. Without waiting, I quickly followed them. I wanted answers. Has my father already forsaken Theon? Has he betrayed us?
Before I could realize I was at the rope bridge leading to the Sea tower. My mind was clouded by confusion, anger, and questions. Even if I would never admit it loudly, I was happy to see Theon again. I was so proud to see him grow up with legends surrounding him. I felt pleased that we could get closer to each other once again. I was delighted to have a brother once again.
Nothing last forever. I could do nothing but scream my brother's name as father plunged his dirk into Theon's chest before throwing himself and Theon into the sea below the bridge. Thoros of Myr tried to run after Theon, maybe hoping to catch him, but it was too late. Theon with my father was gone.
"We need to find him," Thoros shouted, getting me out of shock.
"They are lost," Aeron said, looking at the waves below. "It would take hundreds of ships to find their bodies. It is better to leave them in the embrace of the Drowned god."
"Theon will come back. We only need to find him before it is too late," Thoros didn't let it go.
"He is dead," I spoke finally, feeling so tired.
"Yet he will come back," Thoros replied.
"Enough," I couldn't control my voice and yelled. "Theon is dead."
"Lady Asha, please trust me," Thoros got down to his knees. "I can bring him back. We only need to find his body before it is too late."
"Are you insulting me," I was prepared to kill him but stopped as he was Theon's friend.
"I brought him back before," Thoros said. "You must have heard rumors about how he was once killed but rose again. Those rumors are true. I can bring him back once again."
"Even if what you say is true," Rodrik came to Thoros. "It would take hundreds of ships to scour the sea below to find him."
"Hundreds of ships that are in Lordsport," Anguy, another friend of Theon's, came up to us. "Lady Asha, please believe us this once."
"Order all the captains on the island to go to the sea and find my brother and father," I shouted, not knowing what came to me. "Now! They are not to return until they are found."
"You heard Lady Asha Greyjoy. Go to work," Rodrik nodded to me and yelled.
I didn't know what I would expect. It would take days to find them. It would probably be more likely for them to be washed up to the shore at some time. The fall was too high for them to survive, especially with how fragile my father already was and with the wounds Theon had sustained.
…
I didn't expect to see a fire arrow flying through the night sky. It indicated that they had found something. Thoros seeing the arrow, ran straight to the port to await the ship's return. I was surprised that it only took a few hours, but at the same time, I felt relieved as at least I had a chance to say my farewells to my brother.
Once the ship returned to the port, men quickly brought a body and laid it near me. Other ships followed soon, and almost all the captains came to see us. Theon was pale, with his wounds standing out, even though they had stopped bleeding. Theon lay before me, lifeless, and I didn't know what to do. Rodrik put his hand on my shoulder, and Victorion looked down on Theon. He didn't even have a chance to know him.
I didn't know if I was sad for Victorion or envious of him. If I didn't have a chance to know Theon, maybe it would have hurt less. Thoros' prayer broke the solemn moment. I didn't understand what he said, neither did I care. I wanted to punch him, so he could leave us alone to grieve him, but Anguy stopped me.
"Wait a moment," He said.
"What is he doing?" I got angry as Thoros kissed Theon.
I pushed Thoros away from Theon and was ready to drown the damn priest when I heard a harp intake of air. Turning around, I saw Theon sit up to the pure shock of everyone surrounding us. I could do nothing but stare at Theon, whose eyes turned to look at me. It looked to me like Theon didn't know what was happening, didn't know where he was and who we were. He looked lost.
"What is dead may never die," Aeron knelt next to Theon.
"But rises again harder and stronger," Everyone, even Victorion, knelt and spoke with Aeron.
"Hail the King of the Iron Islands," Aeron yelled as Theon stood up and looked at everyone.
"Hail the King of the Iron Islands," I was the only one left standing as everyone yelled. "Long live the King. Long live the King."
"Long live the King," I yelled and knelt, at least I tried before Theon gripped my shoulders.
"I need at least one sane person to explain what is in the name of the Drown god going on there."
Theon POV
Wherever I went, I could see people bowing to me. Nobody dared to look at my eyes, not even Aeron and Victorion. Asha, too, didn't feel comfortable around me. I had no idea what I should think about this situation. Well, in the end, it didn't matter much. Now my plans can proceed.
It took some time to get myself back to normal. My mind was quite messed up for some time. I could feel I had many missing pieces in my memory after my talk with Thoros. I can barely even remember having a different life before this one. It is my third life, technically, but I didn't want to think about it too much.
I felt weird, remembering parts of my life and not being able to see the whole picture, always missing some part of it. The journal, which I don't remember writing, gave me many details I should focus on. Weirdly enough, I can clearly remember Jalabhar and my promise to him and my hatred toward the Lannisters.
"Your grace, your dinner is here," A servant knocked on my solar door and informed me.
"Come in."
The servant was a young girl. She bowed her head once she entered and set a tray of dishes on my desk. Not once she looked at me, not even daring to take a glance. Once I told her she could leave, she bowed her head deeply and scurried away. She closed the doors behind me as quietly as she could.
I took a spoon and scooped a big mouthful of what was supposed to be chicken soup. It tasted like paper. I could only enjoy its heat and chicken tenderness. I could not taste anything. It was just bland, like paper. I took a wine bottle and chucked it down my throat. It tasted like water. It had no bitterness or sweetness that I expected.
I angrily threw everything from my table to the ground and bashed my fist at it. Another thing I have noticed, I was quick to anger. I don't think I was like that before, but now I feel like I can't control myself. I don't even know who I am anymore. Letting out a sigh, I stood up and cleaned the mess I had created.
"Theon," Thoros came into my solar without knocking. "Are you all right? I heard something breaking."
"You were outside the door all the time?" I asked.
"Yes, I am worried about you. Are you sure you are fine?"
"No, I am not sure. I am not sure of anything. The moment of my father murdering me keeps repeating in my mind. I am angry, I am sad, I am lost, Thoros."
"I am sorry."
"It wasn't your fault."
"It was me who brought you back, yet I can't do anything more for you."
"Being by my side is enough," I said. "Can you bring me, Asha? I have something to talk about with her."
…
While I awaited my sister, I read the journal I had written. There were many things inside that piqued my curiosity. Especially the drawing of a comet splitting the sky. It was in black and white, yet somehow I could see the red and blue. The picture fascinated me as it was like my memory on paper rather than a simple drawing.
The rest of the drawings felt like that too. The campfire, the castle walls. People and roads were poorly drawn, yet they were so alive. I could see colors and details where there weren't any. They calmed me and let me feel safe in some weird way. If I could, I would have hugged the past me for thinking of saving his memories on the paper.
"Your grace, you have called me," As I was immersed in my journal, I heard Asha's voice behind the door.
"Come in," I told her, and she entered. "For fucks sake, Asha, you are my sister. You don't need to bow to me whenever you see me."
"I am sorry."
"Asha, please treat me as if I am your brother, not your king," I pleaded. "It is already weird that everyone acts so formally around me. Even Victorion is polite to me."
"The Drown god has chosen you. How could we act any differently."
"Again, with that nonsense, I don't have time to think about, and neither do you," I said. "For today onward, you are my Hand, and I need not a foolish devotee but a capable Hand that could advise me wisely. So, please don't disappoint me."
"Theon?" Asha looked at me for the first time since I was brought back.
"Look at this," I threw her my journal with a certain page open.
"Euron Greyjoy, the worst enemy," Asha read my writing.
"What can you tell about Euron?" I asked.
"Why are you asking me?"
"Because I don't remember why I wrote this in my journal. I have many things that I have forgotten. I don't even know what I have forgotten. You have to help me."
"So, there was a price for bringing you back?" Asha mumbled. "I wouldn't say it was wrong for you to write this about Euron. As far as I know, he doesn't care about the family and has much ambition."
"Please try to find everything that could be found about him. You have a week."
"A week?" Asha asked.
"Yes, in a week, we are leaving."
"Leaving to where?"
"To fight, to plunder, to conquer," I said. "It is time for the world to pay the iron price and for us to collect it."
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