[Chapter Size: 1000 Words.]
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A week later, Tyrion's reply arrived. He agreed to grant Theon Crackclaw Point, but as for Runestone and Gulltown, both key ports of the Vale, he said he could not decide on his own.
If Theon was willing, he could bring a fleet of at least five thousand men to King's Landing. If not, the matter would end there.
Theon studied the map. He had not expected Tyrion to yield Crackclaw Point so easily. As for Gulltown, he had asked for it as a bargaining chip, knowing full well it was unlikely to be given.
Crackclaw Point belonged to the Crown. Once occupied, it would give Theon control over the maritime exit from both King's Landing and the Trident. Half of the Iron Fleet could then be stationed there, allowing him to collect protection fees and amass a fortune.
To be honest, mustering five thousand men for King's Landing was already a test of the Iron Islands' mobilization. Theon commanded around seven thousand soldiers in total.
Five thousand were tied up at Riverrun. Five hundred Iron Guards were stationed at Pykefort to keep Apolo's presence hidden. The remaining fifteen hundred were preparing to strike at Seafront.
When Balon Greyjoy had rebelled years before, he too had attempted to seize Seafront first, only to be defeated beneath its walls by the local earl.
The five hundred Iron Guards could not be moved, so Seafront would have to be abandoned for now. Theon summoned Maester Stan and ordered him not to send the letter to Tywin just yet.
Originally, Theon had planned to strike Robb Stark alongside Tywin. But Robb was already doomed. The Freys and the Boltons would not fight to the death for him.
The better course now was to leave Yara to garrison Riverrun while he himself sailed to King's Landing to honor his bargain.
He wrote a new letter and instructed the maester to send it to Tywin three days after his departure.
Theon then gave Maester Stan three key tasks: recount the population of the Iron Islands, resurvey the land, and compile a register of all the island lords, great and small.
The realm of Westeros was in chaos, and Theon had many soldiers under his command who were not native to the islands. He was already seeking the chance to purge the nobility of the Iron Islands.
Soon after, Theon and Yara marched their remaining soldiers to Riverrun. Gazing up at the towering walls, Yara asked her brother what he thought of the stronghold.
"There aren't many defenders left," Theon replied. "I stormed the city myself. It was only thanks to good steel and heavy armor." He was not boasting; it was the truth.
Once Theon's identity was confirmed, the defenders quickly opened the gates to welcome him.
Inside the hall of Riverrun, the lords of the Riverlands were assembled. Theon sat in the high seat, armored and armed, watching as the nobles argued below.
Most believed Riverrun should be fortified as a base from which to subdue the Riverlands and restore the glory of the ironborn. As for the war between the Starks and the Lannisters, they insisted it was none of their concern.
It was, without doubt, the safer course. The Riverlands lay at the very heart of Westeros, bordering five of the Seven Kingdoms.
Once the Iron Fleet controlled the Trident, the heart of the Riverlands would be in Theon's grasp. Whoever emerged victorious in the wider war would still be forced to acknowledge the Iron Islands' dominion.
And after such a war, with seven thousand ironborn holding the Riverlands, no power could easily threaten them, in fact, the threat might even run the other way.
But Theon's thoughts reached further. He wanted Myrcella. And he wanted the Vale.
The Vale was a paradise among the Seven Kingdoms. The cliffs of the Fingers were natural barriers, and the Bloody Gate was an impregnable pass. Nearly every approach was shielded by mountain or stone.
Its interior was just as well-defended and blessed with the most fertile lands in the realm. It was said that pumpkins from the Vale grew larger than those along the river bend.
How could Theon not covet it?
He had once planned to use Sansa to control the North. But without the Three-Eyed Raven's guidance, Bran was little more than a gifted medium.
That meant Bran would one day become Warden of the North, or Roose Bolton would see him and Rickon dead.
Theon raised his hand to silence the squabbling nobles. When quiet fell, he made his declaration.
"We will not settle for the Riverlands alone. We will take the Vale as well. If we must choose, we will forsake the Riverlands to claim the Vale. And if we can take both, then so much the better."
The hall fell silent. All eyes fixed on Theon in shock. The Vale was unlike the Riverlands. It was fortified by nature itself, and it had a legitimate heir in place. To overthrow it seemed impossible.
"The Princess Myrcella will wed me," Theon continued, "and I will cast down Lysa Arryn. With a royal decree from the Iron Throne, the Vale will be mine. All that remains is to root out the disobedient lords."
In truth, the reason Littlefinger and Lysa had failed to secure the Vale was that Petyr Baelish was despised for his birth. He had no loyal troops, only a single writ of appointment.
But Theon was different. He knew how Jon Arryn had died. He commanded real armies. He would not hesitate to rule through force.
When he finished, the nobles raised no further objections. Theon's prestige had risen beyond challenge.
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