Game of Thrones: The Road to Pirate King

Chapter 364 Pirate Alliance - Submission to the Iron Islands

On the edge of the Stone Steps Archipelago, Edwin Ramirez stood on a weathered reef, the salty sea breeze ruffling his faded old cloak. He gazed at the familiar yet unfamiliar sea before him, his grey-green eyes reflecting the hardships of the past three years.

Three years ago, when he received Euron's sharp and cryptic letter, he was a rising young captain on the Lizard Islands.

The letter contained only a brief invitation and a tempting promise about the Steppe Islands, about opportunity amidst chaos. Without hesitation, he set out with his most loyal crew and several fast ships, braving the storm, and came as promised.

These three years were a period of bloodshed and fire.

Edwin struggles to survive in these waters rife with betrayal, greed, and fleeting alliances. Euron Greyjoy, the "King of the Sea" far away in the Iron Islands, has kept his word.

Although the Iron Islands fleet did not intervene on a large scale, it always appeared at crucial moments in just the right way—sometimes a precise flanking maneuver, sometimes a timely delivery of weapons supplies, and sometimes simply the deterrent effect of the Greyjoy flag appearing on the distant horizon.

With Euron's unseen support, Edwin, through his own bravery and increasingly sophisticated cunning, gradually climbed over the corpses of his opponents and the broken alliances, ultimately securing his position as the leader of the pirate alliance on the Stone Steps Islands—a chair crudely crafted from driftwood and black iron.

Not long ago, a familiar, wide-winged Greyjoy raven crossed the Narrow Sea once again and landed on the window of his Lord's Hall.

The bird's leg was bound with Euron Greyjoy's new letter.

Edwin took down the thin roll of parchment, his fingertips seemingly able to feel the power contained in his old friend's words, a power that would soon stir the sea once more. He knew the calm was about to end, and a new voyage was calling.

The Pirate Alliance Hall of the Stone Steps Archipelago.

It's more like a crudely modified natural sea cave than a large hall.

Water seeped from the damp rock face, torches crackled on their supports, casting flickering shadows on the ground littered with seashell debris. The air was thick with the mingled stench of cheap rum, sweat, and rotting seafood.

Dozens of pirate captains, each with a distinct appearance and exuding a wild and bloodthirsty aura, crowded the space, some sitting and some standing. Among them were an elegant executioner from Tyrosh, a one-eyed butcher from Myr, and a greedy speculator from Rhys.

They were making a ruckus, arguing, and sharing the looted treasure and women, until a figure stepped onto the slightly protruding rock platform in front of them.

Edwin Ramirez, the leader of the pirates who had ruled the Steps Isles for over three years, stood before the crowd. He wore no ornate ornaments symbolizing power, but casually twirled his meticulously groomed, now streaked with silver, goatee, a cryptic, smirking smile on his face.

"Brothers," Edwin's voice wasn't loud, but it strangely drowned out the noise in the cave, drawing everyone's attention. "I've gathered you all here today to announce something."

Edwin Ramirez slowly surveyed the pirate captains below the stage, some sprawled out, some drunk, some with menacing expressions. His gaze lingered for a moment on the faces of the most powerful leaders to make sure everyone had heard him.

He paused deliberately, watching with amusement as the atmosphere of doubt gradually rose below the stage, before clearly and calmly uttering a decision: "From this day forward, I, Edwin Ramirez, will no longer serve as the leader of the Pirate Alliance."

The moment the words fell, the entire noisy cave seemed to be gripped by an invisible giant hand.

The commotion, clinking of glasses, and cursing abruptly ceased.

The crackling of the burning torches became unusually clear. The wine flask slipped from the drunkard's hand, making a dull thud, but no one paid any attention. Every face—whether contorted, cunning, or numb—was filled with incredulous astonishment.

Edwin Ramirez slowly rose from the leader's chair, roughly pieced together from wood, whalebone, and black iron, a wicked grin on his face as he scanned the bewildered faces below.

"Now," he stood up to make way for his seat, spreading his hands, his tone flippant as if discussing a trivial matter, "anyone who wants to sit here can come up here themselves."

A joke? Or a test?

"Look at me, how do I look like I'm lying?!"

The deathly silence was broken, replaced by a buzzing murmur and a commotion.

A captain wearing a crooked pirate hat and with a scar on his face suddenly stood up, his voice filled with confusion and a hint of panic: "Why leave!? Boss, aren't we doing just fine here? We have wine and meat every day, we don't have to wander the seas like stray dogs, we don't have to put up with the scorn of those noble lords, and we rarely have to risk our lives fighting anymore. Just guarding the sea lanes and collecting some 'trade taxes' is enough to support all of us brothers!"

"Yes!" A portly captain immediately chimed in, waving his thick arms and roaring, "Ever since the Iron Islands gained the upper hand in these waters, the combined fleets of those bastards from Mill, Reese, and Tyrosy haven't dared to bother us anymore! Life's much more comfortable than before! Why leave?"

Edwin maintained his nonchalant smile, as if it were none of his business: "Isn't that perfect? ​​My departure won't stop you from continuing your comfortable lives. I didn't ask you to come with me."

"This is different!" another voice rang out, its tone even more urgent. "You are the one with the most contact with the Iron Islands! You are the leader personally appointed by Lord Euron, the Lord of the Sea Beasts and the Crown of the Sea Skeletons! Without Lord Euron's word, who among us would dare to sit in that position?" These words revealed the fear in the hearts of many. They feared not only Edwin, but also the silent behemoth behind him.

"That's easy," Edwin scoffed, mocking their cowardice. "Go to Pike City yourselves and find Lord Euron, the Lord of the Sea Beasts, or go talk to Lord Balf, the Terror of the Sea, who's currently in charge here."

The pirate captain who made the suggestion was speechless and turned pale: "This—" Go find those two big shots known for their iron-fisted nature?

They don't have the guts.

The current height of the "Crown of the Sea Corpses" is enough to instill fear in anyone.

Seeing the fearful expressions on everyone's faces, Edwin abruptly changed the subject, his voice turning somber as he sighed, "Brothers, what is it that allows us to maintain this secluded corner of the Stone Steps Islands? Is it because our swords are sharp, or because we have many ships?"

He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the crowd like a knife, the answer self-evident.

"We're relying on the Iron Islands Alliance!" Edwin answered himself, raising his voice, "To be honest, although we've outwardly maintained the 'Pirate Alliance' label and acted independently for the past two years, every major operation we've undertaken has been at the behest of Lord Balf, the 'Terror of the Sea'! We've long been his de facto vassals! Since that's the case—"

He paused again, then threw out that groundbreaking suggestion: "Why not just go for it and become part of the Iron Islands alliance, rightfully and permanently under their protection? Let's get rid of the 'pirate' label completely!"

"Can—can it be done like this?" someone asked in a trembling voice, their tone filled with disbelief and a hint of longing.

"Of course!" Edwin's answer was decisive and persuasive. He chuckled, "We're offering ourselves up, bringing our familiar waters, our ships, and ourselves. What reason would they have to disagree? What reason would they have to refuse?"

A deeper silence fell over the cave, but this time it wasn't astonishment, but rather a fierce internal struggle.

Some hesitated, their eyes darting around; some remained silent, heads bowed in thought; but most, after a brief exchange of whispers, began to nod slowly in agreement. Comfort and survival, ultimately, were more appealing than the illusory notion of "independence."

Edwin Ramirez watched this scene unfold and knew the time was ripe.

"In that case," Edwin declared loudly, making his final decision as leader of the alliance, "before I depart, I will personally consult with Lord Balf, the Terror of the Sea. From this day forward, the Stone Steps Islands Pirate Alliance is officially disbanded! And we will all become part of the Iron Islands Alliance!"

On the coastline of Grey Gallows Island, jagged black reefs resemble the skeleton of a colossal beast, while broken waves echo endlessly through the crevices. On this land, favored by death and storms, a ceremony destined to alter the landscape of the Narrow Sea is taking place today.

Balf Greyjoy, the "Terror of the Sea," stood atop a massive rock on the shore that resembled a guillotine, draped in a heavy walrus-skin cloak. The sea breeze tousled his dark beard and hair, yet it could not shake his rock-like figure.

Balf Greyjoy's sea king companion, the terrifying sea spider known as "The Thousand-Eyed," stood silently beside him. Its mountain-like body was densely covered with nearly a thousand pale green compound eyes, flickering like will-o'-the-wisps, silently scanning everything around it.

His cold gaze swept over the group of anxious former pirate guild members on the beach below.

Edwin Ramirez stepped forward alone and knelt on one knee on the rough sand, his posture extremely humble. He raised his head, his voice still clear despite the howling sea wind, filled with a deliberate, unreserved earnestness: "Your Excellency Balf, the Terror of the Sea! I, Edwin Ramirez, on behalf of all the brothers of the Stone Steps who are willing to submit, humbly beg you to accept us! We voluntarily renounce our pirate status and covenant, offering our ships, our swords, and our complete loyalty to this sea to the Iron Islands Alliance, to House Greyjoy!"

He repeated his plea over and over, his words earnest, as if it were their only way out.

Balf listened in silence, a silence more oppressive than the roar of the waves. His sharp gaze swept over Edwin, and over the anxious pirate captains behind him, as if weighing their worth and loyalty.

After a suffocating wait, Balf finally took a step forward. "Since you so earnestly request—" Balf's voice, like the friction of rocks, deep and powerful, echoed along the shore, "Iron Islands, accept your allegiance."

He took a ceremonial battle axe from the Ironborn warrior beside him, tapped the back of the axe lightly on Edwin's left and right shoulders, and solemnly declared: "From this moment on, the Stone Steps Pirate Alliance ceases to exist! You will be protected by the laws of the Iron Islands, and you too must shed your blood for the banner of Greyjoy!"

There were no cheers, only the eternal roar of the sea breeze.

But the moment Balf announced its acceptance, the delicate balance that had lasted for many years in the Steppe Islands was completely shattered.

The once-powerful triumvirate of the Iron Islands, the Pirate Alliance, and the Kingdom of Three Daughters has fallen.

Now, on this sea of ​​strife, only two behemoths remain, facing each other across the water: on one side is the Iron Islands Alliance, which has integrated pirate forces and is now even stronger; on the other side is the Kingdom of the Three Daughters, which will inevitably be shaken and united as a result.