In a sense, the dirty work Crow's Eye had done had helped Gendry, for Crow's Eye had also been pursuing absolute power.
"The Seastone Chair," Asha said in astonishment, then deep confusion.
"The Iron Islands cannot be without the Seastone Chair, without a supreme leader. House Greyjoy's throne was promised to us by His Grace Aegon the Conqueror, and we were chosen by all the Ironborn together."
Asha felt no burden kneeling to Gendry, but losing the crown would bring shame upon House Greyjoy.
Asha's body trembled. Because of their defeat in war, House Greyjoy was about to lose the throne it had held for three hundred years.
"Daughter of the Sea Dragon." Gendry looked at Asha. "One king granted you your high station. Why should another king not take it away? I hear you never kneel. This should count as fulfilling your captains' wishes."
Asha raised her head to look up at Robert Baratheon's son, black-haired and blue-eyed, tall and handsome, like a towering colossus.
Asha remembered the war all those years ago. Robert's son was even more terrifying than his father, his edge sharper than any in the world.
Back then, Robert had breached the castle at Pyke, swinging his warhammer as he charged inside over rubble and corpses.
Eddard Stark had followed at his side. Asha and Theon had watched it all from far away in the Sea Tower. Even now, she still dreamed from time to time of blazing torches and heard the thunderous crash of collapsing towers.
"Your Grace, this will..." Asha wanted to argue further, but when she saw the look in her uncle Rodrik's eyes, she did not dare continue.
"Let me recall how the Sea Dragon's throne came about. House Drumm joined House Greyjoy, House Hoare, House Oakwood, and Andal pirates, mercenaries,