The sky was barely bright.
Outside the Sea Tower, three or five seagulls braved the morning sea breeze, sweeping past the bedroom window.
Their crisp cries echoed nearby, causing Galon, who had fought a grand battle through the night, to slowly open his eyes.
He first stared blankly at the bedroom ceiling for a moment, then felt a weight pressing down on his chest.
Lowering his eyes to take a look, a smooth expanse of tan skin entered his sight.
He instantly recalled the events of last night.
'Galon, oh Galon, your great grand work is not yet achieved. How can you indulge yourself like this?'
Galon caressed Asha as she lay sound asleep on top of him, unable to stop himself from feeling a sense of self-blame.
'Well, things have already come to this, so I might as well enjoy it first.'
His right hand reached downward, playfully fondling a certain spot.
"Mm..."
Asha, exhausted from the night of exertion, knitted her brows slightly. She let out an unconscious groan and wrapped her arms tightly around Galon once more.
Seeing that she had only shifted her body and had not yet woken up, Galon did not rouse her immediately.
He continued to caress Asha's body while pondering the events of yesterday.
'I never expected Euron to truly possess magic.'
A flash of lingering fear crossed Galon's eyes.
If the power of the Old Gods had not taken effect yesterday, he would likely have been severely wounded by Euron's magic.
In his past life, although he had seen theories on internet forums speculating that Euron was highly likely to possess magic and was also a powerful skinchanger~
~The only magic Galon had encountered since his transmigration belonged to the Three-Eyed Raven and the Old Gods.
Because of this, he had grown negligent regarding Euron. As a result, he had nearly suffered a disastrous defeat.
'The blessing of the Old Gods and the Whitestaff, it truly is a series of incredible coincidences.'
Galon's eyes grew deep. In his heart, he became even more interested in the secrets of the Three-Eyed Raven and the Old Gods.
'However, regarding the secrets of the Old Gods and the Three-Eyed Raven, I can wait for Bran to figure them out. It can be set aside for now.'
'I should focus on the current situation.'
Bran's figure flashed through his mind, and he then carefully refined his subsequent plans.
'With this identity, my control over the Iron Islands will be even more stable. Combined with Asha's capability, it will be enough to ensure the Iron Islands do not spin out of control.'
He had originally intended that if Asha refused to submit, he would take her along before he departed, giving her no chance to control the Iron Islands and break free from him.
He would have used the method of controlling the ruler to command the nobles, leading the army into the southern war by using Asha to control the Iron Islands.
However, the Iron Islands had just invaded the North. With both sides fighting together, there would definitely be friction.
A single mistake could trigger hostility between the North and the Iron Islands.
It was a strategy that would have severely tested Galon's leadership and military management.
But now, Asha was willingly lying by his side, and he possessed the identity of Galon Whitestaff.
He had no fear that Asha would slip from his grasp.
Therefore, there was no longer any need to bring her along to the southern war for now.
Leaving Asha in the Iron Islands and having her suddenly join the war at the right moment would produce a decisive, game-changing effect.
'However, I still need to take a portion of the captains to Riverrun to use as leverage to convince Robb.'
'Calculating the time now, the Battle of the Blackwater must have yielded a result. The Lannister alliance will hold the absolute advantage from here on out.'
'There is also the Dragon Horn. I need to attempt to bind it with my blood as soon as possible.'
'Skagos...'
Countless pieces of information drifted through Galon's mind as he deduced the future development of the situation, completely failing to notice Asha gradually waking up.
Asha opened her eyes languidly, her cheek resting against Galon's chest.
While listening to Galon's heartbeat, which sounded like a war drum, she felt his hand sliding continuously across her skin.
A wave of heat spread from her heart.
The chaotic and decadent memories of last night began to resurface.
She raised her head slightly, only to find Galon completely absorbed in thought, paying her no attention.
Asha raised an eyebrow. A look of desire surfaced in her dark eyes, and her hands began to misbehave.
"Hiss..."
Galon, who was deep in thought, felt the stimulation and instantly sucked in a breath of cold air.
He looked down and finally realized that Asha was awake.
"Stop fooling around!"
Galon slapped Asha's shapely rear, signaling for her to let go of him.
But Asha was stubborn. She bit her lip and narrowed her eyes, flipping over to press him down beneath her.
What followed is skipped. Use your imagination.
By the time she had no strength left to fight and begged for mercy repeatedly, Galon, as the victor, finally concluded this campaign with great satisfaction.
"Mm..."
Asha's cheeks carried the flushed glow of afterglow, her body lying weak and powerless against Galon.
She traced shapes absentmindedly on Galon's chest with her finger. Only after her heavy panting quieted down a bit did she speak lazily.
"What were you thinking about when I woke up earlier? Don't tell me you were plotting against the Iron Islands again?"
Galon, who had entered a state of serene calm, leaned his head against the headboard and said casually.
"I was merely thinking about how to give you a proper reward."
The moment these words left his mouth, Asha's sweat-glistened body tensed up.
She immediately looked up at Galon and asked tentatively.
"I gave myself and the Iron Islands to you. You wouldn't give me something worthless in return, would you?"
Galon smiled faintly, caressing Asha's face as he spoke with underlying meaning.
"Of course not. I am never stingy with my own people, especially those who are obedient and well-behaved."
Without waiting for Asha to respond, he provided the answer.
"What do you think of the Westerlands?"
"The Westerlands? Casterly Rock?"
Surprise and joy flooded Asha's eyes, causing even the fatigue from their recent intimacy to vanish completely.
"Are you confident you can take the Westerlands from Tywin's hands?"
Asha propped herself up, staring intently at Galon, attempting to get a definitive answer.
Meeting Asha's expectant gaze, Galon answered indirectly.
"The current situation in the Seven Kingdoms is that Dorne and the Vale are staying out of the conflict, while the alliance between the North and the Riverlands is capturing territory.
Meanwhile, the internal conflict of House Baratheon has likely produced a result.
The winning side is marching toward King's Landing, and the battle for King's Landing may have already erupted.
Faced with the assault of the Northern wolves, the Riverrun trout, and the Stormlands stags, if you were the Lannister lion, what would you do?"
Asha frowned and thought for a moment before speaking cleanly and decisively.
"First, concentrate all military forces to fight a decisive battle against Renly at King's Landing.
After winning, win over other houses to fight against us.
If I couldn't win, I would open the gates and surrender.
I heard Renly has a gentle nature. He probably wouldn't engage in mass slaughter and would at most force the Lannisters to take the black."
Galon neither agreed nor disagreed.
His right hand slid down her cheek, continuing until it reached a smooth curve, before he asked his next question.
"Why do you assume it would be Renly fighting the decisive battle against the lion? Why couldn't it be Stannis?"
Asha adjusted her posture, making it easier for Galon to stroke her skin.
"Stannis?
Galon, stop joking. Stannis only has a few thousand troops from Dragonstone.
How could he contend with Renly and the tens of thousands of troops from the Reach and Stormlands?"
At this time, the intelligence regarding Stannis using Melisandre to assassinate Renly had not yet spread, so Asha's judgment did not exceed Galon's expectations.
Perhaps aside from Galon, who possessed an omniscient perspective, anyone else would assume Renly would be the victor at first glance.
After all, the difference in troop numbers was too vast.
Galon did not intend to reveal the outcome of the battle for King's Landing to Asha ahead of time.
To further deepen the impression of himself in Asha's heart, Galon stirred his spirits and analyzed the situation for her.
"Robb has crowned himself king. Whether Renly wins, Stannis wins, or the Lannisters win, none of them will allow anyone else to style themselves as king.
A war is inevitable between the North and whoever takes the throne. Naturally, that includes you, who has already claimed a crown."
Galon's calm and unbothered demeanor made Asha gnash her teeth in frustration.
She leaned down and bit Galon.
"Isn't this all because of you?"
"Because of me?" Galon hissed, quickly pulling Asha away. "Stop it. Even without me, would the Iron Islands have refrained from declaring a king?"
Asha knew in her heart that Galon was right.
Without Galon, Balon, who would have successfully taken the North by now, would probably be even more complacent.
His desire to claim a crown was not a matter of a day or two. Even the crushing defeat nine years ago had not dispelled his notions.
On the contrary, his desire to be king had only grown more fervent.
He was simply too unlucky, first running into Galon, and then being assassinated by Euron.
Seeing that Asha remained silent, Galon continued.
"The outcome at King's Landing will determine who our opponent is.
Whether it is the Lannisters or Renly, if they want to deal with us, it will amount to nothing more than political manipulation, division, and deciding the victor on the battlefield.
But if Stannis wins, we will have no choice but to consider other factors."
Asha paused. "Other factors?"
"Yes." Galon pulled Asha into his embrace and explained. "Just as you said, Stannis's apparent chances of victory are extremely low."
"But if he manages to win, it means he must possess certain hidden trump cards that can decide the outcome of a war. For instance, magic."
Asha drew in a sharp breath, the bizarre scene of Euron using magic yesterday resurfacing in her mind.
"Surely it wouldn't go that far.
Euron possessing magic might be due to his travels in the ruins of Valyria. Stannis has been on Dragonstone all this time. Where would he learn magic?"
Galon did not reveal too much of the plot, preventing Asha from suspecting him of foreknowledge later on.
"Who knows? It is merely a guess on my part.
However, regardless of who wins or loses, based on my understanding of Robb, he will never bend the knee and surrender before the final victory or defeat is decided.
Therefore, this is precisely our opportunity."
Hearing the word opportunity, a strange light flashed in Asha's eyes. She asked tentatively.
"Galon, you want the Iron Throne. Relying solely on the strength of my Iron Islands will definitely not be enough.
The North belongs to the Starks. With Robb around, no one will listen to you.
Could it be that you, like Euron, plan to use the Dragon Horn to hunt dragons?"
Galon did not answer immediately. Instead, he glanced at Asha, thinking to himself.
'Since Asha has decided to depend on me, I should reveal a part of my plan to her...To steady her heart.'
'It is just that many things involve future events. How should I phrase it?'
Galon deliberated for a moment before speaking slowly.
"Of course not. We know nothing about the true situation with the dragons, nor do we know what is happening on Skagos.
Dragons can be our final retreat, but they must never be our only path."
He patted Asha's back and said meaningfully.
"However, it is just as you said earlier.
Although I have repeatedly achieved military distinctions in the North, most of the Northern lords still obey the Starks and obey Robb."
"Unless..." At this point, Asha did not need Galon to finish his sentence to fill in the rest of the blanks in her mind.
"Unless Robb dies suddenly, and your fiancée becomes the ruler of the North."
Asha sat up abruptly, staring at Galon in shock. "Do you intend to kill him?"
A surge of pleasant surprise arose within her.
If Galon truly killed Robb, she would possess a secret vital to Galon's very survival.
If used properly, Asha could even use this matter to force Galon to lean toward her at a critical moment.
Galon was naturally prepared for this. He would certainly not admit to it.
"No. House Glover has served the Starks for generations. How could I possibly do such a thing?"
Asha was slightly disappointed, but then confusion arose in her heart.
"Then what do you mean?"
She paused slightly, a distinct look appearing in her eyes as she spoke intentionally.
"You just said it yourself. If Robb does not die, you have no qualification to command the North.
If you cannot bring yourself to do it, why don't you let me do it for you?"
Hearing this, Galon moved his body up the headboard by a few inches. His red eyes looked calmly and directly at Asha, seemingly warning her.
Asha's heart skipped a beat, and she unconsciously averted her gaze.
'Asha still wants me to completely throw my lot in with the Iron Islands. She might even have the idea of breaking up Sansa and me.'
'Kill Robb? Unless it is absolutely necessary, how could I possibly kill him with my own hands? The future trouble would be endless.'
'But the plan to kill with a borrowed knife is not suitable to share with Asha. I should just gloss over it for now.'
Many thoughts flashed through Galon's mind.
Seeing Asha's unnatural expression, he pulled her back into his embrace and comforted her.
"Regarding Robb's matter, I have my own plans, but it definitely does not involve killing him.
So Asha, do not speak words that harm our unity in the future."
Asha wisely leaned into his chest and gave a soft grunt of assent.
"To return to the main point, regardless of whether the Baratheons or the Lannisters win, to achieve our goal, the North must be defeated but not entirely broken."
"Defeated but not broken?"
Asha looked puzzled, not quite understanding the meaning of this phrase.
Galon explained further.
"War is the continuation of politics.
Once King's Landing decides a victor, it means the Lannisters, Baratheons, and Tyrells have reached some sort of political equilibrium.
If only the lion or the stag can survive, given the Queen of Thorns' personality, she will never hang herself from a single tree.
If the stag wins, the Highgarden rose will naturally continue its alliance with the stag.
But if the lion wins, the rose will quickly abandon the stag, just as they historically swore fealty to the Targaryens.
And once the victor gains the support of House Tyrell, it will not be something the North and the Riverlands can cope with."
Galon glanced at the thoughtful Asha, thinking secretly to himself.
'In fact, the rose has already allied with the lion. Stannis is bound to lose.'
He could not speak these future details aloud, so he could only use his omniscient view to deduce the cause from the effect.
"The North has few soldiers, and the situation in the Riverlands is complex and tangled. It has never been a monolithic entity.
Furthermore, the current head of House Tully, Edmure, is mediocre in talent.
He cannot mobilize and command all the forces of the Riverlands at all.
Once King's Landing utilizes its victory to wage war, many lords of the Riverlands will have no choice but to defect to King's Landing to save themselves.
The Northern allied army is bound to lose."
Asha understood immediately and looked up at Galon.
"So at the critical moment, you and I need to provide a safety net for the Northern allied army, frustrating the forces of King's Landing.
This is what you mean by defeated but not broken?"
"Clever." Galon tapped Asha's high nose with his finger. "Since I have allied with you, I will naturally not send your men to the battlefield as cannon fodder."
"I will send you onto the field at the critical moment to play a decisive hand in determining the outcome of the battle.
As for the reward, once the grand situation is settled, I will cede a portion of the Westerlands to the Iron Islands."
Asha's spirits turned vibrant, and she said urgently, "Is that true?"
A smile appeared on Galon's face. "I said earlier, I never mistreat my own people."
He paused, meeting Asha's delighted gaze, and instructed her.
"Currently, we are overseas and do not clearly understand the situation in King's Landing and the Riverlands.
You must send people to gather intelligence as quickly as possible.
At the same time, after I leave, you must remain in Pyke to construct a fleet and await my word."
Seeing Galon mention future arrangements, Asha's expression gradually turned serious as well.
"But if I stay here, what should be done on your side?
Should I send a portion of men to accompany you? On one hand, it can also prove our cooperation with the North to them."
The two of them were now grasshoppers tied to the same string; they would prosper together and suffer together.
She naturally did not want Galon to fail.
Asha's proposal aligned perfectly with Galon's thoughts.
"Yes. Think about which of your subordinates are trustworthy and steady in handling matters."
Asha did not hesitate. "My uncle is currently the person I trust most. I will convince him to lead five hundred men to accompany you."
"Harlaw?" Galon recalled Rodrik the Reader's intelligence. "He acts with caution. Indeed, he is a suitable candidate. Let it be him."
Galon made the final decision on the spot.
"The time is almost up. We should get out of bed and head to the Great Keep."
Unexpectedly, Asha's eyes turned coquettish again. She flipped herself back on top of him and said with a beaming smile.
"Those drunkards will sleep for at least another hour or two. It is still early. I cannot wait to fulfill my promise to you."
"Oh?" Galon's breathing grew heavy. "You are that impatient?"
Without waiting for Asha's reply, he suddenly exerted force, twisting his body.
Accompanied by a startled cry from Asha, Galon pressed her beneath him. "I am not in the habit of being pressed down by a woman all the time."
Amidst their words, another round of passionate intimacy began.
While Galon was freely enjoying Asha's company, far away in Winterfell, Sansa also startled awake from her dream.
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