THE IRON SUITOR

At dawn, Victarion Greyjoy learns only fifty-four ships have reached the Isle of Cedars, far fewer than the ninety-nine that left the Stepstones. Storms and foul winds have scattered or sunk many, and his captured prizes are poor substitutes for lost warships. Despite counsel to wait for stragglers, Victarion orders the fleet to depart on the next tide to reach Daenerys before the Volantene armada.

While brooding over Euron’s schemes, foreign seas, and ominous omens ashore, Victarion struggles with a festering sword cut in his left hand, sustained at Southshield. He mistrusts his young maester, Kerwin, who repeatedly lances the wound and warns amputation may be needed. Unwilling to show weakness, Victarion hides the injury from the crew and suspects Euron’s malice in gifting him both the maester and a tongueless bedmate.

Grief arrives with a prisoner: Moqorro, a red priest allegedly adrift ten days after a storm. The crew clamors to drown the “wizard,” but Victarion stays their hands when pain from his hand surges. Moqorro declares he has seen Victarion’s peril in the flames and offers to heal the hand with fire, warning of terrible pain. Victarion accepts, threatening death for failure.

Behind barred doors, searing rites and chanting in High Valyrian resound. Monkeys flee the ship as strange laughter and song echo from the cabin. At sunset, Victarion emerges bare-chested, his left arm bloody and his hand charred and smoking, claiming Moqorro has saved it.

Emboldened by the priest’s visions of favorable winds and Daenerys’s impending marriage, Victarion points out Maester Kerwin as a curse and orders his throat cut and body thrown to the sea. He reaffirms his plan: strike the slavers by surprise at Meereen, seize the dragon queen as his bride, and flee before the Volantene fleet can descend.