Under Jon's leadership, Lynd quickly arrived at the tent where Dagon Harlaw was being held under house arrest. The guard at the entrance lifted the tent flap, allowing Lynd to step inside.
Within the tent, a young man sat on a bed of straw. His appearance was striking—his hair and clothes were well-kept, his complexion sun-kissed. The moment he saw Lynd enter, he rose swiftly and bowed in deference, observing the rites of the Faith of the Seven. "Greetings, Ser Lynd, the Chosen One of the Gods."
Lynd chuckled. "I thought the Iron Islands worshipped the Drowned God?"
"I do believe in the Drowned God," Dagon Harlaw replied smoothly, "but that does not prevent me from paying my respects to the Faith of the Seven. In my father's Book Tower, several Septons of the Faith were tasked with managing the books. When I was a child, I often spent time there under their care, learning a little about their faith."
Dagon's demeanor set him apart from other Ironborn. Beyond the sun-weathered, brownish-red skin typical of those who spent their lives at sea, he seemed far more like a scholar steeped in the world of books than a seafaring raider.
Lynd, uninterested in theological discussions, cut to the point. "You told my men you want to live. Why? Who wants to kill you?"
Dagon let out a weary sigh, his expression marked by resignation. "Many wish for my death—my brother, my aunt, members of House Greyjoy with their eyes on Harlaw, and others besides." He paused, then added with a peculiar tone, "Even the Drowned God wishes me to return to his embrace. But I want to live. There's so much beauty in this world I've yet to witness. I want to stay alive until I've seen all of it."
Lynd frowned slightly, puzzled by the sudden mention of the Drowned God. He was wary of entangling himself with the supernatural forces and enigmas of this world. Until he could defend himself against them, he preferred to keep his distance.
Still, he couldn't be sure if Dagon's strange statement stemmed from paranoia, delusion, or something truly otherworldly. To be certain, he decided to call Glory, who had been outside burning off energy. Lynd asked him to return immediately.
Glory soon bounded into the tent, its energy undiminished by the summons. Lynd shared a vision with Glory, using their link to ascertain whether any supernatural power lingered around Dagon Harlaw.
The result brought a mix of relief and disappointment—there was no shadow of the supernatural about Dagon. He was an ordinary man. The earlier mention of the Drowned God was likely born of idle speculation or sheer nonsense.
Lynd set aside his curiosity. In this world, religious adherents and mystics often claimed divine connections or visions. The Septon of the Tumbleton Sept, for instance, frequently approached Lynd with similarly outlandish declarations. Over time, he'd grown accustomed to dismissing such talk.
"Why do you think that following me will allow you to escape your fate of death?" Lynd asked suspiciously.
Dagon, though visibly fearful, answered with a serious tone. "Because you are the chosen one of the Seven Gods, and being by your side can reverse many things, including the fate of death."
Lynd froze for a moment, surprised by Dagon's answer. He instinctively used Glory's special vision to scrutinize Dagon once more, but as before, he found nothing unusual. Yet, Dagon's words unnervingly aligned with many incidents that had occurred around him.
For instance, under normal circumstances, Nymeria should have perished over a year ago when Lord Tywin set his sights on the lands near Tumbleton. Similarly, Bert Falwell would have died in a battle beyond his skill. Coincidence aside, it seemed that Lynd could indeed influence the fate of those around him, saving people who should have already met their end.
After a moment of contemplation, Lynd asked, "If I accept your defection and let you join my ranks, what do I get in return?"
Dagon responded earnestly, "You will gain the friendship of House Harlaw, a captain with extensive naval experience and sailing proficiency, and a large number of sailors ready for immediate use without special training. The 2,000 men sent by House Harlaw to assist Rodrik Greyjoy in attacking Seagard suffered minimal losses during your attack on the camp. They can be quickly assembled for your use. Although most of these men are merely ordinary fishermen and not seasoned Ironborn warriors, they are skilled enough to manage the ships. If you take a ship from the Cape of Eagles and cross the sea to Harlaw Island, your combat strength should allow you to reclaim it with ease. By then—"
Dagon's eagerness to lead Lynd into an attack on his home of Harlaw made Lynd smile. He interrupted Dagon's words, speaking with measured seriousness. "I can accept your defection, but I despise traitors. I will use every means to hunt them down and kill them."
"My lord, rest assured, I will never betray you," Dagon promised, a look of joy spreading across his face as he interpreted Lynd's words as acceptance of his submission.
However, Lynd continued, "Your submission will have to wait until after this war, once His Grace has dealt with the prisoners of war. If His Grace decides to execute you, I will intercede on your behalf and use my military merits to persuade him to release you into my custody."
Dagon's stunned expression was clear, but Lynd paid him no further attention. Turning on his heel, he left the tent. Outside, still within Dagon's hearing, he addressed Jon. "Full of lies, not a single word of truth. Starve him for two days to make him behave."
Although Lynd ordered Jon to punish Dagon, it did not mean he intended to discard the man. On the contrary, Lynd had already earmarked Dagon as the future captain of his fleet. His earlier words were not empty threats, but a means to maintain order and discipline. Dagon's formal recruitment would wait until after the war, once King Robert had resolved the matter of the prisoners.
Recruiting battlefield prisoners was one thing when it came to low-level fighters supplementing the ranks. However, recruiting the heir of a major Ironborn house like Dagon Harlaw without authorization would invite accusations of treason or disloyalty. Lynd could not afford such risks.
For now, his focus was on securing territories and titles through steady progress. His military achievements already positioned him for honors, and reclaiming Banefort, The Crag, and Faircastle would strengthen his claim to even greater rewards. There was no need to jeopardize his ambitions with unnecessary complications.
Meanwhile, House Frey of The Twins, led by Black Walder, had arrived at Seagard following an overnight, two-day march. They arrived just in time to take custody of the Ironborn prisoners of war, as per Lynd's orders.
Two days earlier, after receiving Lynd's raven-borne letter from Seagard, House Frey found its contents almost unbelievable. They knew well the number of Ironborn laying siege to Seagard, and the idea that Lynd could have obliterated the entire force in just a single day seemed impossible.
It wasn't until Black Walder arrived at the camp and saw the thousands of prisoners and the towering pyres of burning bodies in the distance that his skepticism dissolved, replaced entirely by fear.
Lynd permitted Black Walder to take several thousand prisoners of war and sternly reminded him that their numbers had been meticulously recorded. He warned that, after the war, these prisoners would be tried by King Robert, and any significant loss of life during their imprisonment would bring serious repercussions upon The Twins.
Black Walder left with a bitter expression, clearly disappointed. He had initially hoped to acquire a free labor force, only to end up saddled with thousands of old and infirm men requiring care. However, he dared not refuse Lynd's instructions. Stevron Frey, his grandfather, had already impressed upon him the gravity of Lynd's growing influence. Displeasing Lynd could spell trouble for The Twins, and Black Walder could not afford such a risk.
After Black Walder's departure, Lynd transferred over 2,000 Ironborn prisoners of war to Seagard. His terms for Seagard were less demanding than those for The Twins; his only insistence was that the prisoners not be allowed to die.
The remaining 2,000 Ironborn prisoners were absorbed into Lynd's own ranks. These were not native Ironborn but rather thralls, enslaved individuals the Ironborn had abducted from other lands.
Thralls like these constituted at least half of the Ironborn invasion force. Lacking loyalty to House Greyjoy, they willingly accepted Lynd's recruitment without any need for him to offer incentives.
With their assistance, Lynd abandoned plans to march along the mainland coast of Ironman's Bay to Banefort. Instead, he utilized the Ironborn longboats they had used in their assault on Seagard, employing his new recruits as sailors.
The Iron Islands' attention was firmly fixed further south, on their campaigns in the Westerlands, and they could not have anticipated Rodrik Greyjoy's catastrophic defeat at Seagard. By moving carefully, Lynd could remain unnoticed by the Ironborn as he advanced.
By the time Lynd set sail from Seagard, the battle report from Seagard had already reached the rebel camp at Deep Den.
The news left its recipients stunned. Lynd had led over 2,000 men to retake Moat Cailin, annihilated more than 10,000 Ironborn besieging Seagard, and killed Rodrik Greyjoy, the eldest son and heir of Balon Greyjoy—all before the rebel army had even reached its target.
The magnitude of Lynd's achievements left Lords, nobles, knights, and officers alike feeling both awed and shamed.
"Good boy, well done! I knew this boy could do it," King Robert declared cheerfully, breaking the tension that gripped those around him. Unlike the mixed emotions of the nobles and Lords in the camp, Robert was unreservedly delighted by Lynd's triumphs, as though he himself had orchestrated the victories.
"More than 10,000 people were easily annihilated by a few thousand. Could this battle report be..." A court noble hesitated, glancing toward the Lords for approval, before cautiously questioning the authenticity of the report.
"Shut up! Just because you can't do it doesn't mean no one else can!" Robert snapped, his anger flashing as he glared at the nobleman. His sharp gaze swept across the room as he coldly declared, "If you want military glory, go fight for it on the battlefield and earn it yourself. Don't sit here slandering those who have already achieved it."
The tent fell into a tense silence. No one dared to voice further doubts after Robert's admonishment.
Breaking the quiet, Stannis interjected. "The letter states that Ser Lynd will imprison more than 8,000 prisoners of war in Seagard and The Twins. We could take them into custody—they may prove useful in the upcoming naval battles."
Robert nodded, quickly appointing several Lords to lead troops to retrieve the Ironborn prisoners and transfer them to Lannisport, the gathering point for the forces fighting the rebellion. He then instructed the accompanying Maester to officially record Lynd's victory at Seagard, including the annihilation of over 10,000 Ironborn, in the War Roll, beneath the earlier victory at Moat Cailin.
With these two achievements, there was no doubt that Lynd would be made a lord. However, Robert had even greater ambitions for him. If Lynd continued to deliver such extraordinary victories, Robert was ready to make him a rare exception in the history of the Seven Kingdoms.
Lynd did not disappoint. Shortly after Robert's arrival in Lannisport to consolidate the rebellion's forces, reports of Lynd's further exploits began to arrive.
First, using the Ironborn prisoners of war who had accepted amnesty, Lynd tricked the Banefort garrison into opening its gates. This allowed him to capture the fortress and its more than 1,000 Ironborn defenders. Following this success, he quickly moved on to retake The Crag.
After recovering these two castles, Lynd informed House Banefort and House Westerling, who had sought refuge in Ashemark, to reclaim and defend their respective homes. However, receiving no response from either house, Lynd left soldiers from House Frey and House Umber to garrison Banefort and The Crag.
Continuing his campaign, Lynd utilized Ironborn longships to cross the Straits of Fair Isle and launch a surprise attack on Fair Isle. Before the Ironborn could organize a defense, he had liberated Faircastle, killing the 3,000 Ironborn stationed there.
However, Lynd's campaign came to an abrupt halt. The Iron Islands had learned of his movements and dispatched Victarion and Euron Greyjoy to command the Iron Fleet, which now blockaded Fair Isle. Trapped, Lynd could neither advance nor retreat, but his position effectively immobilized the Iron Fleet, preventing it from moving south.
Upon learning of this development, Robert acted swiftly. He ordered the combined fleets of the Arbor and Oldtown, supplemented by the remaining Lannister warships and armed merchant ships, to form two royal fleets. Stannis Baratheon and Paxter Redwyne were appointed as the commanders. Their fleets were to sail immediately to the Fair Isle Channel and engage the Iron Fleet.
Meanwhile, Robert prepared the rebel coalition, drawing forces from the Westerlands, The North, The Riverlands, The Vale, and The Reach, and directed them toward Banefort. There, he would await the outcome of the naval battle at Fair Isle. Once Stannis defeated the Iron Fleet, the coalition would converge and strike at the Greyjoy stronghold of Pyke.