The darkness withdrew in soft billows, spotting along Ramsay's vision as his eyelids fluttered and eventually remained open. The air was heavy with urine and feces. It entered his mouth in cold streaks. He felt the cords binding his hands and legs, restricting his body to a chair. At his feet, the dirt and shavings bunched around his feet and the chair's. He raised his bloodied face, and beheld Sansa before him, just on the other side of the iron kennel gate.
"Is this where I'll be staying now?" He asked.
Sansa stared at him coldly, silent. The wintry air came in through the kennel's doorway to settle heavily into the occupants' bones. The torch behind Sansa did little to heat the area. The flame danced in the slight breeze, and cast odd shadows throughout.
Ramsay sighed. "No," he resolved, and swallowed a mouthful of gritty blood. "Our time together is about to come to an end."
Sansa said not a word. She stared at Ramsay hungrily. Taut, and expectant.
"That's all right." Ramsay waited a moment before he told her, "You can't kill me. I'm part of you now."
"Your words will disappear," Sansa said at last. "Your house will disappear. Your name will disappear." Her words held a mixture of bitterness and satisfaction. "All memory of you will disappear."
Upon hearing growls, Ramsay turned his head and noticed his dogs' kennel doors were ajar. The animals began stepping out of their cells. With eyes locked on Ramsay, they crept forward. They drifted towards him like smoke.
Unconcerned, Ramsay turned back to Sansa. "My hounds will never harm me," he told her defiantly.
"You haven't fed them in seven days, you said it yourself," Sansa reminded him smoothly.
Ramsay glanced at the dogs as they came closer. Their growls were deep, like thunder, and sent chills down his spine.
A sort of scuffling caught the dogs' attention. They looked towards the kennel entrance. Sansa turned abruptly. Her eyes narrowed at the sight.
"What do you think you're doing?" She demanded thinly.
Reek stood on trembling legs, a sword in his fist, and a bag in the other. The bag was steaming, and dripping with red. The hounds could smell it, and they licked their lips. Reek held the sword at Sansa's chest, though he was a few feet away from her.
"Unlock the gate and m-move away," he ordered. His own words seemed to instill fear in his heart. He flinched and drew his shoulders in tighter.
"Theon," Sansa began, stepping forward angrily.
"Not Theon- Reek!" Reek insisted, hunching over himself. The bag of meat dropped to the ground. A few chunks of gore slithered out. The hounds began to whimper at the gate, their eyes flicking from Sansa to the meat pleadingly.
"Reek." Ramsay grinned through broken teeth. He blinked with slow, drunken lids. Crust and blood smeared across his face as warm tears dribbled from his eyes.
Reek gazed at Ramsay and his mouth did a sort of jerk into a small smile. "I'm here, my lord," he answered loudly.
"This man tortured you," Sansa cried. "Why would you want to release him?"
Reek looked at Sansa darkly. "Unlock," he repeated. "The gate."
"No," Sansa snapped. She drew a sword of her own, levelling it with Theon's. "Don't make me kill you."
Sticking its muzzle through the bars, a hound barked. Reek panicked. He lunged forward and stabbed Sansa in the belly. Immediately, he released his sword, and Sansa clutched at the hilt still in her and sank to her knees.
"J-Jon," Sansa whispered. Her wide eyes were black in the dim light.
"Finish her," Ramsay told Reek.
Reek obeyed. He pulled the sword out of Sansa and slashed it in a jagged line across her throat. She fell, gurgling, and began to bathe the dirt in her blood. Her arm twitched a little too close to the bars, and a dog seized it between his teeth. Snarling, the dog ripped her arm away at the wrist, sinew stretched and snapping like fresh pasta. The rest of the dogs lapped the dirt, desperate for her blood.
After a moment of fumbling over Sansa's spasming body, Reek found the key to the kennels and unlocked the door swiftly. He knelt as in prayer before Ramsay Bolton. The hounds streamed on either side of him, rushing to the meat bag, where they commenced to fighting. Barking, growling, snapping. They tore open the bag and gorged themselves on the hot flesh within. One dog stopped to sniff tenderly at Sansa, but abandoned her when she kicked at him. Reek carefully untied Ramsay's binds, wincing at how tight they were, for they had cut into Ramsay's skin.
"Quickly, Reek," Ramsay said shortly, straining. His eyes scanned the entrance to the kennels, but they remained alone.
"F-forgive me." Reek spoke in a pained voice, stretched thin. "I should have come sooner."
"All will be forgiven," Ramsay said automatically. "Once we are free from this place."
Tears ran from Reek's eyes. Ramsay had said we. The simple word sent a warm and wet feeling all through Reek's tortured soul. He finished with Ramsay's legs and straightened up to untie his right hand. The hounds had settled down. They each had a pound of flesh between their paws, lying amongst the blood and shavings as they feasted.
Ramsay watched Reek work quietly. Once his hand was free, he placed his palm on Reek's filthy hair. Reek froze for a moment, but when nothing happened, he continued to untie Ramsay's left hand.
"You're a good boy," Ramsay said softly. "Yes you are." He scratched Reek's head lightly. "My good Reek."
After gently unwrapping the cord from Ramsay's left wrist, Reek hesitated. Struck with a sudden daring, he lifted Ramsay's wrist and kissed his hand. Just as quickly, he released him. His heart pounded crazily. Reek didn't apologize, for he could not speak. He slipped behind Ramsay and untied the cords from around his chest. After a moment, Ramsay stood up. Reek remained on his knees behind the chair, trembling. He kept his eyes on the floor, although he could not see it.
Ramsay stretched and groaned from the pain. He cracked his neck and patted the butt of the hound nearest to him. The hound was wagging its tail, happily licking the ooze running from Sansa's stomach. She had passed away, and Ramsay hadn't noticed.
"Someone will be looking for her soon," Ramsay mused. He looked around for Reek and saw him still behind the chair. He stared at Reek for a long moment, and something softened inside of him. He smiled and held out his hand to Reek, who crawled to him. Reek stayed on his knees, ducking humbly below Ramsay's hand. Automatically, Ramsay started petting him.
"Thank you, Reek," Ramsay cooed. He stroked Reek's hair methodically.
Reek closed his eyes.
Ramsay surveyed the area with black eyes. All seemed calm. "Shall we depart now?"
Reek twitched in response. Ramsay took it as a positive one. He lifted both swords from the ground and gestured for Reek to stand. Reek stood and took the sword Ramsay offered to him.
"I say fuck Winterfell, right Reek?" Ramsay elbowed Reek playfully.
"Right my lord," Reek sputtered.
"Too many crows, if you know what I mean." He winked but it was hard to tell, for his face was so swollen.
Ramsay Bolton and Reek walked to the kennel entrance. Now that the hounds were fed, they trotted behind their master, awaiting orders. Ramsay peeked out from the shadows, squinting in the bright, snow-white light. Guards and citizens milled about, taking the Iron-Born flags and banners and dragging them into a pile to be burned. Seperately, bodies were being piled as well. There was general chatter about House Stark. The dogs smacked their lips together from Ramsay's feet. Their mouths were stained with blood. Reek turned his head to stare at Ramsay and found Ramsay was already staring at him. Reek blanched but kept his gaze.
"This is going to be fun," Ramsay told him, delighted. His fingers flexed around the hilt of his sword. He pointed it out into the light. "Ready?" He asked. Following the sword's tip, the hounds stood at attention, suddenly bristling. They focused on the people outside the kennels. The fur stood up along their backs. Ramsay held his breath. His eyes sparkled.
"Get them."
The dogs sprung forward out of the darkness.