Gasi

Balon was as prepared for war as he could get when Asha had arrived bearing the offer of alliance. It seems Aeron's whelp was trying to fulfill both his oaths to Stannis and duty to his family. It was an admirable sentiment, but Balon wondered if he would not be better served just going with his initial plan anyway off the bat. Could he trust Stannis to be an ally? The man seemed to almost have Iron in his blood at times, but he doubted he would allow the Ironborn to go their own way if he gained the crown.

Still the idea of a king paying homage to a High King was an interesting one. Aeron and the Reader had been urging him to accept and then take the subtle route to independence offered by the approach. He finally decided. He needed the timber and plunder offered from taking Fair Isle and the Arbor if he was going to be independent. Even he was not far gone enough to think that in ten years he had built a fleet powerful enough to defend the Isles from all of Westeros. He was still arming and impressing merchant men as of right now for the Drowned God's sake. He could afford to ally with Stannis until he was ready.

As he pondered this decision, he crossed the bridge from the great hall to his quarters. It was extremely windy tonight and so he had to be very careful.

Unfortunately, as he passed a guard, he felt a rough shove and was soon falling. . .his body would wash up on shore in the morning. . .then a Kingsmoot would be called. . .