Loki: Game of Thrones

Chapter 77 - The Ironborn

Balon Greyjoy, Lord of the Iron Islands, and master of the greatest fleet in Westeros, was even farther removed than the Dornish men from everything that was going on in the Seven Kingdoms. He had heard rumors of the rebellion, Robb Stark proclaiming himself King in the North, and the even more mysterious whispers of a powerful warlock. Such things did not normally interest the sea baron, but since he was aching for revenge, he tried to put his feelers out and pick up more information. The land was ripe with fear and one more family entering the fray would not alarm anybody. His attempts at getting into the action, however, did not go unnoticed by the one person who organized events in Westeros. That was when the god decided it was time to bring the Krakens into the mix.

Loki looked at the rocky edges of the Iron Islands, and wondered if Dragostone had a twin. The lonely cawing of the seagulls sounded harsh against Loki's ears. Asgard did not have these creatures, or even a beach really. Loki bent down and scooped up some wet sand between his fingers. He watched it slip to the ground and get washed away by the oncoming tide. Loki shook his hand and cleaned it before he glanced up at the dark stone castle the Greyjoys called home. He smirked and teleported himself to the main hall. Balon Greyjoy was standing by the table with his daughter, Yara, when Loki appeared standing by the fireplace. "Bit chilly in here. Forgot to pay your heating bills?" Loki asked and they both looked up. Yara reached for her sword, while Balon Greyjoy just studied Loki. The god waved his hand and Yara was forced to drop her sword because it became colder than death itself. Balon Greyjoy stepped back as the blade hit the floor with a loud crash. "Now, now. That's not anyway to treat the best friend you will ever have," Loki scolded.

"You're our friend? You have no name, ser; and as far as I'm concerned, you could have been sent to murder me," Balon Greyjoy pointed out and Loki shrugged his shoulders.

"Maybe. But if I had wanted you dead, Balon Greyjoy, you would already be dead, and there would be nobody to mourn you," Loki elaborated as he approached the table. Finally, he was standing before them, and he rested his hands on the thick, wooden surface. He smirked, his teeth nipping his lower lip mischievously. Yara watched him with a raised eyebrow while her father just took his seat.

"What is it you wanted to say, ser...?" Balon asked.

"Ser Loki Frostborn, first of my name, and head of House Frostborn," Loki introduced, adding the Westerosi flair of titles and what not.

"House Frostborn? Never heard of you," Yara said, starting to roll up the map before Loki stopped her.

"That's why I said 'first of my name'. My house is new. Spawned by this strife and the opportunities it can bring. You people understand that, right? Being basically pirates and all," Loki jabbed, grinning and Yara's expression tightened.

"You say House Frostborn... What is your sigil?" Balon queried and Loki threw a leather glove from his belt to the table, and Balon looked at it. He could see the image of a horned helmet etched in the material, along with a serpent coiling around one of the horns. Balon looked up at Loki, and the god waved his hand, summoning the glove back into his hand.

"Now, for my proposition, Balon Greyjoy, Lord of the Iron Islands. You want in on the war," Loki said, and Balon tilted his head to one side as he listened. "However, you don't know which side to enter in on."

"That is easy. My side," Balon said and Loki waggled his finger.

"See? That is going to get you and your men killed before you even really get started. There are three sides to join in this conflict: House Lannister in the South, House Baratheon to the East, and House Stark to the North. You try to come in and represent yourself, you will be swallowed up. That is why I am here," Loki walked around the table, his one hand trailing along the edge. "I have an offer for you."

"What offer?" Yara asked, folding her arms across her chest and tapping her boot on the floor.

"Enter the war on the side of the Starks." Balon Greyjoy and Yara Greyjoy looked at each other in disbelief for a moment, before they burst out laughing. Loki waited for them to run out of air before he waved his hand, making the map float away from Yara and over to him; manipulating it with his magic so that it was held up before Balon Greyjoy. "Not so illogical, considering your son and heir works for Robb Stark, and loves him like a brother he never had... oh wait, he did. You just got them all killed in your ridiculous failed rebellion," Loki pointed out, rubbing salt in an old wound. Balon frowned and Loki smirked. "Just listen to me, old man." Loki suddenly pointed to lands near Winterfell and they glowed green.

"Those are the lands of the Boltons, the Flayed Men. Roose Bolton fights for Robb Stark as one of his bannermen, while his bastard son, Ramsey Snow, holds those lands for him," Yara said, and Loki's eyebrows wiggled.

"Roose has other, disloyal agendas, and I've heard that Ramsey Snow is a sick, twisted little prick," Loki said.

"He does have a habit for flaying people, among other things. He kills the girls he beds if they bore him," Yara said and Loki winced slightly. Definitely sounded like somebody he wanted to remove from the face of the earth.

"Well, my plan is this, you bring your ships to the aid of Robb Stark and you can easily besiege Lannisport. They get all their wealth from sea trade. You create a blockade, and you begin to slowly strangle Tywin Lannister. Then, I expose Roose Bolton for the traitor he is. I will demand of Robb Stark that he gives you the Boltons' old lands as your reward for aiding him, and Theon becomes the tenant lord. And you, Balon Greyjoy, finally get the respect you lost after your uprising," Loki explained. Using his magic, he rolled the map up quickly and placed it back on the table. Balon Greyjoy and Yara looked at each other, whispering amongst themselves for a moment. Loki let them talk. Small minds often needed several minutes to process larger schemes. Finally, they looked back at him.

"One question," Balon demanded, and Loki nodded his head. "What do you get out of this?" Loki snickered.

Now that was the right question! Loki loved it when people actually caught on. "My satisfaction? You probably didn't hear, but, Tywin Lannister tried to have me killed when he discovered I was a double agent, giving information to Robb Stark. And that I basically was the one who got Jaime Lannister sentenced to death. I did respect him, except for the part where he wanted me to be Lord of Casterly Rock, over his blood son. Anyway! He thinks I'm dead. And he has made a deal with Roose Bolton and Walder Frey to kill Robb Stark, his wife, and Catelyn Stark at the Twins. I just really want to f-k up his plans," Loki admitted. That was sort of the reason why as well. He knew it would mess with both Tywin Lannister and Petyr Baelish when their carefully laid plans went horribly awry. For no apparent reason as well. It would drive them insane! Balon looked at Yara and she shrugged her shoulders. "Believe me. Sometimes causing mischief is all I live for."

"You're the devil," Balon said and Loki shrugged.

"Take it or leave it. I mean, you probably had the 'greatest' plan plotted out before I showed up," Loki jabbed and Balon sighed. It was the truth. They really did not have a good plan and this one was their only chance and bringing dignity and honor back to the Greyjoy name.

"Very well, Ser Loki Frostborn, first of your name. We accept your terms," Balon Greyjoy acceded, and held out his hand. Loki took it and they shook.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you,"Loki said, his smirk plastered all over his face.