Chapter 20

The third day of the week that Asha had visited I threw a large feast inviting not only my own household knights and the officers of my standing Army, but also Asha's crew, the captains of my fleet, the Lord Mayor of Hidden Cove, several hedge knights seeking employment, and many others. I also gathered standing troops from all over my holdings on the Point, all less than three days away thanks to my roadbuilding projects over the past year. The feast itself was furnished off the large surplus we had gathered during the harvest, due to the new agricultural techniques. Officially, this was a celebration of the coming together of family. Unofficially I had thrown this feast for two reasons, the first being that Robert was due to expire any day now, he'd gone out hunting boar yesterday and came back grievously wounded or so the court gossip from the Capitol said. I wanted my best troops in one place if I had to muster my levies to fight for Stannis.

The second was to sound out Asha to see if she would be amenable to an alliance of sorts. I knew from canon that Balon would summon his ships to him and had in fact already been preparing another rebellion. I needed some way to persuade her to ameliorate the worst of the tactical idiocy Balon was cooking up. It was unlikely she could sway him towards attacking the Westerlands if things proceeded the same way with Theon. Balon already was predisposed to hate the North due to his last rebellion, but it was the insult of what the North had done to Theon, and Robb Stark offering to give him a crown that sealed the deal. If I couldn't effect that, then I could at least set things up for the Kingsmoot once Balon inevitably gets ganked. Euron might have a horn that may or may not be able to control dragons, but if Asha can bring concrete innovations to the Isles through our alliance, things that have been proven to work instead of things that MIGHT work, then she might be able to be crowned Queen over Euron and THAT would allow her and the other Reformers to maybe do something to better the position of the Isles. . .and thus be better allies.

Anyways, the feast started well enough, with a cheese course. I had opted for local cheeses, but a cheesemonger in the Town had recently acquired Dornish spiced cheese as well, which was something I wouldn't pass up, as it had paprika in it. Being Polish in my previous life, before I had gotten sent to Westeros, it reminded me a bit of home. I had to buy it for the feast. There was also a variety of breads, from rye bread to garlic bread, some of which I had introduced to my chef as a way to prove my culinary bonafides. The cheese was remarked on favorably by one of the hedge knights, a man with a blue and yellow chequy rooster on his tabard, as well as Asha. Everyone loved the Garlic Bread, and when I told Asha that I had come up with the dish she laughed and said, "It seems you missed your calling, cousin."

The next dish was Cock-a-leekie soup, which I had several bowls of. I always was something of a soup connoisseur back on Earth and my time spent in Westeros hadn't changed that. I followed that up with several roast fowls, one for each table, and finally the piece de resistance, roasted boar. That was a subtle dig at the Royal Court, which everyone knew was Lannister Dominated. Unfortunately, nobody seemed to catch that but Asha.

While eating the boar, I turned to Asha and asked, "How fares things back home?"

"Well enough. Father has sent out messages to all the Houses of the Isles to gather at Pyke." She said, letting the fact that the last time he had done so was before he rebelled hang unspoken in the Air.

"I see. And does he anticipate any difficulty to come from his summons?" I asked cautiously.

"He doesn't think so, but then he didn't the last time either." Asha replied, eyes boring into mine.

"Do remind him that, though he is family, my first duty is to Lord Stannis. He elevated me to the nobility and I will not remain in his debt when I could use loyal service to even accounts. However do tell him that should any difficulties arise that do not conflict with my current duties, I would welcome the chance to aid my family." I said.

Asha's eyes narrowed, "You would side with a greenlander over your blood?" She hissed.

"I do not see why I cannot side with both if the occasion would arise. If there is one thing that was drilled into me by the instructors my father left me with, it was to keep to my word, and back it with steel if necessary. I gave Stannis my word. Still as I said before, there is a path that leads to both Stannis and Uncle Balon getting what they want." I replied.

"You speak of an alliance? Do you think Stannis will go for it?" She Asked Quietly.

"Stannis respects ability. Our people's naval prowess is well known. Stannis does not like uncle Balon, but he at least respects him as an Admiral. If I recommend an alliance to him, it is possible he would go for it. Especially if the target of such an alliance were to be the Westerlands. If uncle Balon needs further convincing, remind him that grandfather once sacked fair Isle and made off with a fortune in plunder and hundreds of salt wives. If Stannis can distract the old lion's armies long enough here on the mainland, there might yet be further riches for the taking. . .if an admiral were bold enough to strike at Lannisport." I replied.

"You think Stannis will rebel against his nephew?" Asked Asha.

"Cousin, let me let you in on a little secret. Stannis believes the royal children are Lannister bastards and not Robert's trueborn sons. He has some fairly strong genealogical evidence to back this up. Chronicles about Baratheon-Lannister marriages in the past and how black hair has always triumphed over gold, Robert's own bastards look more like him than the Prince does. I think that once Robert dies from his boar wound, that he will at the very least press his claim in court, if not rebel. He has the strongest claim if the royal children are in fact bastards. If uncle Balon does truly wish independence, he's going to need allies. Please tell him that I think I can sell an alliance to Stannis." I replied in hushed tones.

Asha's eyebrows shot up at the news but then furrowed in thought. "If my father thinks Stannis is offering to give him a crown, he will refuse." She Replied.

"How would Stannis possibly project power on the other side of the continent without making common cause with the Tyrells, something I might add, that he would never do due to Mace Tyrell's actions during the Rebellion. No, uncle Balon would still be paying the Iron Price for his crown. Stannis couldn't give him a crown if he wanted to. . ." I replied.

Asha frowned before saying, "I will think on what you have said and tell my father, but I cannot say if he will agree or not."

"That's all I can ask of you cousin." I replied.

Two days later Asha's Ship Sailed off, heading back to the Isles. Two days after that, the King Died. . .