House Mormont of Bear Island received a raven letter from Viserys in King's Landing. The handwriting was clear, but its message was cold.
After reading the letter, Countess Maege Mormont slapped it down on the table and said to her daughters, "The Dragonlord wants us to deal with the Ironborn ourselves, but he has the gall to be arrogant about it. Fine, then we'll show him that the women of Bear Island are every bit as good as the men."
Her voice rang out with steely strength, echoing through the rather shabby hall. The women straightened their backs, determination shining in their eyes.
She sent out Bear Island's few longships to patrol the coastline. Though the ships were old, their sailors were experienced fishermen who knew every hidden current and reef in these waters.
But the waters around Bear Island were too vast, and the Ironborn longships were fast and nimble, always finding gaps to slip through. The patrol ships threaded their way through the mist, their lookouts straining their eyes, yet often seeing nothing but the foam on the waves.
On one occasion, the Ironborn landed on Bear Island's northern shore and carried off more than a dozen sheep and three women. The attack came at dawn, amid thick fog. By the time the villagers organized a defense, the Ironborn had already sailed away.
By the time House Mormont's patrol ships arrived, the Ironborn were long gone, leaving only blood on the ground and burned fishing boats.
The wreckage of the fishing boats floated in the shallows, smoke mingling with the briny stench of the sea until the air was suffocating. The survivors huddled together and wept, while the soldiers who had come could only silently deal with the aftermath.
"Those Ironborn are like fish in the water. There's