Stephen Baratheon POV
"Wait! You're saying that you've been in talks with my uncle for many moons now? Why didn't you tell me!?" Asha asked as they settled down into Lord Rodrik's solar to continue their conversation on trade.
Instead of him, it was Lord Rodrik who answered her question. "A Raven can only carry small parchments for such long distance flights, niece. And both of us had to communicate a lot in order to settle our trade agreements. Among other things."
"Other things?" Asha asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion as she turned to him. "Like the Drowned Priests rebelling against my family. Why didn't you inform me about this, Steph?"
He looked at Rodrik to answer this question as well, since he was never informed about this little rebellion in the first place.
"It's because he did not know." Lord Rodrik said as he steepled his fingers and leaned forward on the table. "Your mother and I deemed it appropriate to deal with the matter discreetly. We didn't want to cause unnecessary concern to you or your brother."
Asha glared at her uncle upon hearing that response and leaned forward on the table as well. "I would rather be worried for my family than know absolutely nothing about what's happening here." Then she huffed and stared at him. "Anyway, what other things did you and Steph discuss during your talks?"
He shrugged. "I helped the Iron Islands secure a loan from the Iron Bank while I was in Braavos. And the Faith as well." Then he chuckled at a particular memory before he continued. "I swear that thethe High Septon acted like a two-penny whore while negotiating the interest rate on those loans."
The fact of the matter was that he has been eyeing the Iron Ores in the Iron Islands long before the war even begun. And he knew that helping the Iron Islanders in the aftermath would definitely secure their future cooperation. Hence the loans he secured on behalf of them.
The fact that Asha Greyjoy became his father's ward, and now his waifu, was just a cherry on top of the entire situation.
"And we are truly grateful for your assistance," Rodrik expressed, although he could sense that the man was struggling to converse with him, evident from his clenched fists and lack of eye contact. Considering their history, it was understandable. "The loan you secured for us spared us from the most severe famine that the Iron Islands has encountered in generations."
"Was the situation really that bad?" Asha asked, looking concerned. He leaned forward in his chair as well, in interest. Sure, he had known that the situation in the Iron Islands was dire, but he hadn't known exactly how bad that situation was.
It seems that the situation was worse than he had expected.
"Yes. If not for those loans then I cannot even imagine just how many men, women and children would've died in that famine." Rodrik said, shaking his head before he looked at Asha. "His support for us was one of the main reason why we signed a 20 year contract with him for the Iron ores produced in these Islands."
"Wait! You're saying that you signed a 20 year with the Iron Islands. Why didn't you tell me anything about it?" Asha asked, looking hurt that he hadn't shared such important details with her.
"Because we were not very close back then. And I didn't want others knowing about such an important trade agreement." He said. "If it is any consolation though, then I would not mind sharing such information with you in the future. If you're interested."
Asha gave him a firm nod. "I am."
He nodded and took her hand in his own for comfort, something that Rodrik noticed with narrowed eyes. He met Rodrik's narrowed eyes with his own, unconcerned ones, and spoke up. "That being said, I saw a lot of malnourished kids and women on the way here. The loan I secured for you should've easily kept the Iron Islands fed for a year at the very least. What happened?"
Rodrik let out a frustrated sigh upon hearing his question. "Lord Tywin happened. That old monster has put an official embargo on any trade activity with the Iron Islands. So the Westerlands are closed to us for the foreseeable future. The Riverlands are also unwilling to trade with us, not that they had much food to begin with. They're the Kingdom who suffered the most under the Ironborn offence after all. The only immediate neighbours who are willing to trade with us, are the North and the Reach. But the North also has very little to give us, and the Reach merchants and traders charge us eye gouging prices for their food."
"Those bastards!" Asha cursed under her breath and her uncle gave a morose chuckle upon hearing that.
"Don't blame them Asha. Blame your father for leading us down this road. And your uncles and other Ironborn warriors for following him blindly, without any regards for the consequences." Rodrik said before he slumped back on his chair, looking defeated. "This is a monster of our own making. Now we can only tighten our belts and ride it through to the end without falling off."
Asha didn't look very happy with this line of topic so he decided to change it. "What about the other lords? I wanted to purchase Iron ore from all of them, but I do not see them here."
"A recent freak storm delayed their arrival." Rodrik explained. "They're all be here in a day or two."
He wasn't sure if he believed Rodrik when hearing that, but if Rodrik wanted to be the first one to bargain with him and keep the choice benefits for himself and House Greyjoy, then who was he to deny it.
After all, while he had initially helped the Iron Islands with the express purpose of gaining their Iron ores, now he had another reason for doing so.
Asha.
Because the truth of the matter was that, while he had indeed offered her the Storms End for any children that they might have, he was not stuck on that decision.
For why would he bother doing that, and risk a rebellion from the Stormlords, when there is an entire Kingdom simply waiting for their children right here.
Sure, it'll take a while for the Iron Islands to recover. But he had time. And while it'll be a bit hard to cause Theon's death and make it look like an accident, he won't hesitate to do it for the sake of his children.
Alternatively, he could prevent Theon and his wife from having children, making his children with Asha the only viable heirs for the position of Lord Paramount of the Iron Islands.
Not that he could tell Asha all that, since she still loved her brother and would get mad if he told her of his plans.
"That's regrettable." He said "But I did plan to stay in Pyke for a week or longer, so it's not a problem. Though I would also lik-"
"Where is mother?" Asha asked, cutting him off and he side glanced at her. Asha had become far more respectful toward him ever since she was captured. The fact that she was willing to cut him off meant that she must be incredibly worried for her mother.
"Your mother… she's… not doing well." Rodrik said with another sigh, looking ten years older than he did at the start of this meeting. "The death of her husband and her two eldest sons, along with her separation with you and Theon has taken a heavy toll on her. Ruling the Iron Islands, dealing with a famine and quelling a rebellion hasn't helped her either."
"She's not dead, is she?" Asha asked with great worry and her uncle blinked.
"What? No. What would make you think that?" Her uncle said, shaking his head with mild amusement. "No, she's merely bedridden at the moment. She would get better once she sees you, I have no doubt about that."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Asha declared, rising from her chair with a resolute expression as she extended her hand to him. "Let's go meet my mother, Steph. I've been wanting to introduce you to her for some time now."
Her uncle raised an eyebrow at that but didn't say anything as he took Asha's hand and got up from his chair. He gave one last nod to Rodrik before he left the solar with Asha.
Asha knew the winding stairs and the dark corridors of the castle like the back of her hand, and soon enough, they were at the top of one of the smaller tower that was reserved solely for Rock and Salt wives. And for bedding them.
He hadn't known that there was a separate tower for the women in Pyke, but in hindsight, it kinda made sense. What with many of the salt wives being nothing but kidnapped women who were being kept here against their will.
Keeping them all together in one tower would make it easier to keep an eye on them and make sure that they don't try to escape.
The tower was mostly empty now. The Salt wives had either left the castle after the death of their 'husbands', or they were taken back home by King Robert's forces.
They eventually reached the top of the tower and Asha knocked on one of the closed doors a few times.
No one gave a reply so Asha kept knocking. And when no one replied her still, she started slamming and kicking the door until he heard a weak reply from inside.
"I'm coming." His sensitive ears picked up those words and he stopped Asha from doing any further damage to the poor door.
A minute later, he hard the latch of the door being removed and then the door slowly opened to reveal a middle aged woman with disheveled grey hair and a face filled with stress lines.
The woman took one look at Asha and her eyes went wide in recognition. Before she could say a single word though, Asha rushed forward and enveloped the woman in a tight embrace.
He hung back and watched as the mother and daughter were reunited.
Asha's mother, Alannys Harlaw, wept and sobbed upon seeing her daughter, while Asha had tears in her eyes as well. After calming down, Alannys inspected Asha to make sure she was alright, and then her gaze fell on him.
Her eyes narrowed at the sight of him, or more specifically, at the Baratheon stag heraldry on his doublet as she pushed her daughter behind her and glared at him. "And who are you?" She asked.
"That's Stephen Baratheon, mother." Asha said, interjecting on his behalf. "He's the son of Stannis Baratheon. The lord who I'm fostering under. He was the one who brought me back to the Iron Islands so that I can meet up with you."
"Did he?" Alannys asked, still glaring at him before she turned to look at Asha, her eyes softening as she gazed at her daughter. "Did you bring Theon with you?"
The hopeful look in her eyes almost choked a sob from Asha who gathered herself and shook her head. "No, mother. Theon went to the North to live with the Starks. He doesn't live with me. Don't you remember?"
"Oh… I see." Her mother said, looking heartbroken before she looked up at her daughter once again. "What about Rodrik and Maron." She asked softly. "Did you bring them with you?"
Asha looked stricken at the question and did a double take at the woman, as if seeing her for the first time. Then she took her mother's hands, her lips quivering all the while as she gathered her courage and spoke up. "Rodrik and Maron… they're dead, mother. They died in the rebellion."
Her mother looked confused at her words. "But… I just saw them last night. I heard them…" Then she trailed off, as if she just realised something, and the calm facade she was trying to show wore off as the woman broke down into sobs.
Asha held her mother up and guided her back to the bed where her mother was finally overcome by grief and started wailing uncontrollably for her dead children. Cursing her husband, the world, the drowned priest, the King and anyone she could think of.
Then abruptly, the woman got up from the bed and pointed at him, with a hateful gaze. "You!" She screamed. "You killed my children. I'll kill you! You hear me! I'll kill you!"
"Mother, calm down!" Asha said as she tried to hug her mother but Alannys broke out of her grasp and picked up a knife from a nearby table before she ran toward him.
She didn't get far as Asha immediately caught her once again and carried her struggling mother back to the bed, where she fought with her until she got the knife away from her mother's grasp and threw it to the side.
He stood in the doorway in silence as Asha spoke sweet nothings to her mother until Alannys eventually calmed down and broke down into silent, heartbreaking sobs.
The sight was difficult for him to witness, observing the toll that the grief of losing her children and the stress of ruling had taken on Alannys. He couldn't help but wonder if 'blessing' her would even bring her any benefits, given the nature of her suffering.
Sure, he could heal her body, but the problem was not with her body but with her mind. Or her heart/spirit, or whatever the correct term was.
This would also explain why Rodrik Harlaw had to take over the duty of the Regent in her stead. She was not fit to rule a single house in her state, let alone an entire Kingdom.
He closed the door behind him, leaving mother and daughter to their privacy, and walked out into the corridor. There, he picked up a window and gazed out at the waves crashing below and, taking in the sight in quiet contemplation.
After some time, the door to Alannys' room creaked open, and Asha tiptoed out of the room before softly closing the door behind her. She joined him by the window, standing silently at his side.
He opened his arms and pulled the girl into a hug at which point she started sobbing and broke down into tears.
"That's not my mother. My mother was a stern, and strong woman. Not this… not this thin wisp of a shade." Asha said amidst her sobs. "She… she is a ghost. What's left behind." She looked up at him with desperate tear filled eyes. "Do I even have a family left anymore Steph? Would Theon be similarly changed when I meet him the next time?"
"I do not know Asha." He said as he pressed her face to his chest and hugged her tightly, giving her all the comfort she needed from him. "But you'll always have a home with me."
Asha broke down into tears once again and he let her cry in his arms until she eventually ran out of tears.
—
He dodged a ball of lava, launched at him by one of the dozens of Lava Hellhounds chasing after him as he jumped from one rock to another, keeping ahead of the pack.
He gathered a ball of mana in the palm of his hands as he ran, concentrating more and more Mana inside the ball until it started to become a bit unstable.
He dodged another Lava ball, and looked behind him at the pack chasing after him.
They were closer now. The dog monsters running on top of the lava lake filling this entire ID as they frothed in their mouth, intent on tearing him from limb to limb.
He let them get a little more closer to him before he revealed the Mana balls in his hands and threw in their midst.
The Lava Hounds scattered in all directions. Their Intelligence being much higher than that of their weaker brethren, their instincts much sharper.
It didn't save them this time as the mana balls expanded outwards, and immediately enveloped almost all of the Lava hounds in that group before it Exploded.
The force of the explosion was enough to shove him off of the rock he was standing upon and throw him directly into the lava lake.
He skidded on top of the lava lake for a few moments before he picked himself up and created a Mana platform to stop himself and hold him up while he gathered his bearings.
He had lost some HP from that explosion and a bit more from skidding on top of the Lava Lake. But his Fire Resistance was high enough that the lava didn't really harm him all that much so aside from his clothes being burned to cinders, he was mostly alright.
His Gamer system filled his view with Damage and confirmed Kill notifications, giving him experience points for the death of the Lava hounds. But he only counted about a nine notifications while there were over forty Lavahounds chasing after him.
Sure enough, a closer look in the direction of the explosion showed that the Lavahounds were slowly but surely getting up. They had lost a lot of HP in that explosion and most of them were in the critical. But they were still alive.
He had to shake his head at their resilience. An explosion like that would've obliterated the Red Keep. But those Lava Hounds managed to survive despite being so close to the epicentre.
Even he himself, with his high Explosion Resistance, had suffered some damage despite behind much further away from that explosion.
High level monsters were truly monstrous.
And to think that he was only in Level 14 of the Create ID. He could not even fathom what kind of monsters he'll face once he reaches Level 50, or Level 100 of the Instant Dungeon.
Seeing that he was running low on Mana, he decided to end this fight in a melee instead of drinking more of his Mana Potions.
He took out his Valyrian Steel sword and channeled his Mana into the blade, further reinforcing its sharpness before he lunged toward the Lavahounds, intent on killing as many of them as he could before they were able to gather themselves.
The fight turned out to be harder than he had anticipated. The Hellhounds were the size of cars, and not only were they almost as fast as him, but they were also more agile than their size would suggest, and knew how to fight as a group.
His extremely high Physical Resistance was the only reason why he wasn't torn to pieces moments into the fight.
HIs flying ability, and danger sense was the only thing that kept him in the game, as he was able to sense their surprise attacks and fly around and to dodge, our counter attack them.
It was a long, brutal fight but the Hellhounds fell to him one by one.
Eventually, he shoved his sword through the body of the last Hellhound, his sword looking comically small as he tore it out of the giant beast, and watched as its HP fell to 0 and the beast fell to the side, dead.
After a brief moment, the beast turned into motes of light and dispersed into the atmosphere and his notification chimed up with another Level up.
He ignored the notification and quickly started to gather the various loot that the Lavahounds had left behind before he used Escape ID to escape the Lava world.
After all, he did not want to fight the Lava Demon that would emerge out of the Lava Lake at the end of this ID.
He had only fought that monster once so far. He came close to death two times during that fight and had to go through a lot of Health and Mana Potions in order to attain victory.
He had no interest in fighting that monster again until he'd gained a bit more power.
The Escape ID brought him back to his guest bedroom in Pyke and he sat down on his bed, thinking back on his fight against the Hellhounds and how he could've been more efficient in killing them.
Gathering the hellhounds together and then finishing them off at once with a powerful Mana Bomb was an efficient method, but there was always a more efficient method out there.
He stared at the Skill book he'd gained from this ID. A skill book called Lava Ball, which allowed him to spit out balls of lava similar to what the Lavahounds had used to attack him from range.
He'd already absorbed one such skill book though so he put in his Inventory. He'll give it to Mel once he's back in Dragonstone. She'll definitely be happy with a fire type magical skill book.
Realising that he was still naked, due to his battle, he used the Inventory and equipped another set of clothes for himself.
Once that was done, he said status and watched as a blue screen appeared in front of him.
NAME: Stephen Baratheon
JOB: The Gamer
LEVEL: 58 NEXT LEVEL: 3.09%
TITLE: Monster Hunter
HP: 9,386/14,020
MP: 1,036/11,680
POWER: 273
VITALITY: 219
AGILITY: 143
INTELLIGENCE: 106
WISDOM: 51
FREE STAT POINTS: 282
Hm… he needed more training. And an Agility of at least 200 before he's able to fight that Lava Demon with full confidence. But… that'll come in time.
For now, he took out his Glass Candle and started channeling his Mana into it.
Time for his weekly talk with Mel to check up on her and see how things were progressing in Dragonstone and Kings Landing.