When she finally learned for certain where Theon was, he had been gone for nearly two full months.
She had been happy to see him board the ship that would take him to King's Landing to spend a few weeks ashore as he had told her.
"A few weeks," she had asked, a smile on her lips but a slightly concerned frown on her brow. "That seems like a long time, brother?"
"I know." His gaze had been level and calm and her concern had been replaced by mild curiosity.
"It's not that I don't appreciate all that you've done for me. You've cared for me and I can never thank you enough. But I want to spend a few weeks away from the ship. On my own. I want to go hunting. I used to love going hunting. I want to find out if I can manage with - with my hand being how it is," he said softly. "I've not hunted for years. Not after something edible that is."
He huffed in a way that sounded close to a chuckle but might as well have been a snort. Either way the sound warmed her heart. He glanced up at her and gave her a quick smile which only warmed her even more and melted away any reserves she might have had to his leaving on his own. He reads me well, my little brother. She dismissed the short unpleasant pang of knowing the reason why he was always so quick to pick up on other people's moods and act in accordance. But so what if he was being manipulative. Wasn't everyone?
"Who knows with any luck, I might come back with some nice, soft Greenlander rabbit pelts for you, sister. After all, winter is coming. I should like to see you stay warm and healthy throughout it."
And then he had had the nerve to smile at her fully. It had been one of those rare smiles that lit up his entire face and made his eyes shine bright.
Yara prided herself of having very few weak spots, but Theon's smile was definitely one of them.
She had believed him. She had believed his story. And she had let him go.
When he didn't return a fortnight later as he had said he would, she wasn't worried. After all, Theon was a man grown. But when more than twenty days had gone by without his return or any word from him at all, she had decided to go to King's Landing and look for him.
Before leaving for the mainland, she had asked those of her men who had been to King's Landing during the same time as Theon for any possible news of his whereabouts. But none of the various crew members who had taken turns being on leave while Theon had been ashore had talked to him, let alone seen him in the city. None of them knew anything about where he could have possibly gone hunting either. After all, as they had told her, hunting rabbits was a Greenlander's idea of fun, not an ironborn's. She had let the insult pass. For now.
She cursed herself for not knowing more precise details about his plans. She understood his need for privacy but now that he had gone missing, her lack of proper information made her feel like a fool. And worse, it made her feel helpless which she hated more than anything.
Worried, Yara went to King's Landing on her own and searched for her brother. She asked about Theon in whorehouses, pubs, and boarding houses. She searched for him in ditches, and in sick houses. She even went to the morgues. But there were no signs of him anywhere and as it turned out, rabbits could be found everywhere outside the city.
She went to see the queen as well but was told that Daenerys, Lord Varys, and the Hand were currently visiting High Garden and would not be back in the capital for the next three weeks. Lord Greyjoy had not been to visit The Red Keep, either.
Although feeling uneasy and restless, she had thanked the queen's advisor and friend, Missandei, and agreed to return to King's Landing once three more weeks had passed.
"I will let you know if the queen returns sooner than expected, Lady Greyjoy. I will also ask the Unsullied to look out for Lord Greyjoy," Missandei had told her as they parted, and what more could she ask for?
Frustrated, Yara returned to her ship to wait for Daenerys' return.
It wasn't until the evening before she was to sail back to King's Landing that she found Theon's note placed inside her sea-chest. She had been feeling tense and was going to apply some of the ointment on her shoulders when she discovered the folded paper tugged in under the jar. Feeling apprehensive, she unfolded the note and read it.
Yara slowly put the note back down. What in seven hells had he done?
Lord Varys, Lord Tyrion, and Daenerys all listened to her with grave concern. She showed them Theon's note and didn't like their lifted eyebrows nor their knowing exchanges of looks among themselves afterwards.
"You seem to know something I don't," she said. "Where is he? What has he done? Tell me!"
Lord Varys cleared his throat. "Lady Greyjoy," he began.
"Spare me your pleasantries. Where is my brother," she demanded.
"From what we already know and because of the note you have just shown to us, I believe Lord Greyjoy has returned north," Lord Varys replied.
"North," she asked in puzzlement. "Why would Theon go north?"
"I know it will not please you to hear this but it would seem likely that your brother has returned to Winterfell on his own free will after I sent you the news about Rickon Stark."
"What? What news? Returned to Winterfell? To Ramsay Bolton? No, that makes no sense. Why would Theon do that?"
"You obviously haven't read the message I sent to your ship several weeks ago, but it would seem as if your brother has."
"What message?"
Lord Tyrion took over.
"Lady Greyjoy, as you know, Lord Varys has connections all over the realm. Nearly two months ago, we received a report concerning Ned Stark's youngest son, Rickon Stark. For the first time since your brother took Winterfell, the young Stark boy had been seen alive. He was in the company of Umbers, who have been known to be longtime allies of House Stark. At the time, I must confess, we didn't think much of it other than we believed that your brother would be pleased to know that Rickon was still alive. After all, we all know how much those boys' unknown destinies weighed your brother down. But I must admit, we didn't consider which side the Umbers would support now that House Stark is mostly dead, nor did we question whether the boy was in any danger. It would appear that your brother was much quicker to pick that up than we were."
Yara frowned and Lord Tyrion sighed.
"Since the news about the Stark boy, we have been told that the Umbers and the Karstarks have decided to side with the new Warden of the North, Ramsay Bolton. As for the boy, Rickon was handed over to Ramsay Bolton as a sign of good will by House Umber.
"We also know that Sansa Stark and her half-brother Jon Snow are rallying forces. They plan to take back Winterfell of course but from what we know so far, they are still outnumbered so we don't expect any such advance to happen anytime soon.
"Varys received news of all of this while we were still in Highgarden. From your brother's note, I believe your brother realized that the Umbers would support the new Warden and hand Rickon over to Ramsay Bolton."
Lord Tyrion hesitated and gave her what looked like a sympathetic smile. "Lady Greyjoy, I think your brother has decided to go save the Stark boy on his own. You know how he feels about turning on the Starks. Yes, you need not say anything, I know what your thoughts are about that, but you must know that your brother was very fond of his captors. Knowing what he has been put through in the hands of Ramsay Bolton, I can certainly understand why he wouldn't want a boy he's known since the boy was but a babe to end up as that madman's prisoner."
Tyrion shook his head. "Still, what a stupid, stupid thing to do."
"Watch it, Lannister," she snapped. But then her shoulders sagged. "But if what you say is true and Theon's gone back to Winterfell to save that boy, Bolton will surely harm him, if he's not killed him already. Theon's already been hurt so much by that monster I…" Her voice cracked, and she stopped talking. For a few seconds nothing was said, and she appreciated that they let her compose herself in quiet. She took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders.
"Theon may be foolhardy, but he's not stupid. I wish he would have talked to me before leaving but he knew I would have said no, and had I agreed to go with him, he'd have blamed himself if I got hurt. But no matter what I'm not going to lose him to Bolton again!"
She looked at them. "Will you help me get him back?"
"Lady Greyjoy. Yara," the queen said. "We made a pact, you and I. And your brother. You were to help me win back the seven kingdoms and in return I would help you kill your uncle. So far, you have upheld your part of the bargain and for that I thank you. Profoundly, but…"
Lord Tyrion took over. "We cannot send men all the way up to Winterfell just yet, my Lady. Please, Lady Greyjoy, surely you can understand this. We need to take back the kingdoms gradually. Peacefully preferably. Winterfell is a far way away from King's Landing and House Bolton is not a threat to us just yet."
Yara looked at them. The queen would only meet her gaze briefly.
"Aye," Yara replied. "Winterfell is a long way away from here. Since my uncle seems to stay put on Pyke I will go on my own. I will sail my ship to White Harbor and this time I mean to return with Theon, dead or alive. I cannot bear to have him suffer in the hands of Ramsay Bolton again and should I rescue a young Stark boy along the way, I gather that won't be a bad thing either."
She left the throne room but as soon as she was in the hallway away from their sympathetic but unyielding stares, she had to put a hand on the wall for support. Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn it all to the stony shores and back.
Theon stood in the corner of the dining hall and watched as Rickon ravenously ate from the food placed before him. Every now and then, the boy glanced in Ramsay's direction. He hadn't been a prisoner of Ramsay's for long, but he'd learned how fast any given situation could change, especially the seemingly pleasant ones.
As Ramsay had said, he had allowed the boy to be taken up from the cold crypts and locked up inside the castle proper. It was much warmer up here than down in the crypts or in the kennels where Theon still spent each night. He was glad to know that the boy didn't have to suffer in the cold. But Ramsay had clearly forgotten to feed the boy much. He looked much too thin for a boy his age and there were dark shadows under his eyes. The boy was filthy too. He was wearing the same clothes he had worn when Theon had first seen him. Ramsay took particular joy in causing pain, but he also liked neglecting his prisoners' most basic needs. He reveled in their discomfort and humiliation. Of course, Theon was well aware of his own appearance and smell, and he was only too familiar with hunger. If he hadn't been given the task of tending to Sansa's needs back when she was still Ramsay's prisoner, he was certain she would have been left to starve as well, Ramsay's wife or not. He closed his eyes, remembering Sansa's face and her angered and disappointed look earlier today.
His return to Winterfell hadn't saved Rickon and he hated how the pitiful sight of him by Ramsay's side once again must have reminded her of her own captivity and pain. So far, his intentions for coming here had accomplished absolutely nothing. He should have known that he would fail them all once again.
Theon's stomach suddenly rumbled interrupting his bleak thoughts. He hadn't eaten anything yesterday but thankfully, Ramsay had decided that Theon could stay outside the kennels for a bit and muck out the stables this afternoon. He had managed to get hold of an old and creased apple from one of the horses' throughs, and gobbled it down. But it was far from enough. He swallowed as if saliva would make any difference to his empty stomach at all.
"Reek?"
Ramsay's voice made him snap to attention.
"Yes, Master?"
"Why are you standing over there? Come, join us at the table. Sit and have something to eat and drink."
Alarmed, and wary Theon approached the table, ankle chains clanging against the floor with each hampered step.
"Sit down, Reek."
He quickly did as he was told.
Ramsay pushed a platter with a roast and some overcooked carrots and onions towards him. He hesitantly grabbed a slab of meat and a piece of carrot and, quickly stealing a look at Ramsay discerning if it was indeed all right, took a bite of the meat. He had to concentrate in order not to groan in pleasure.
"There, isn't this nice," Ramsay said and popped a piece of food into his own mouth. "Another family dinner of sorts." He looked pointedly at Rickon. "Reminds me of the happy days when my wife, your sister Sansa, was still here by my side. And my late lord father, of course."
Rickon's eyes grew slightly bigger at hearing Sansa's name but to the boy's credit, he didn't say anything. For a little while all that could be heard were the sounds of chewing and swallowing. Theon tried not to eat the food too fast – unlike Rickon, he knew the kinds of vicious stomach cramps you could get if you were too eager after not having been fed well in a while.
He glanced up at the boy who was seated opposite him. Rickon looked at him as well clearly trying to figure him out. Ramsay, of course, noticed their exchange of looks.
"Do you remember him now, Lord Rickon?"
"Yes, I do, my lord." Rickon's voice was meek and subdued. Clever boy. "He's Theon, my father's ward. He took our castle and he executed Ser Rodrick."
Theon bent his head before looking back up at Rickon.
"I'm sorry, my Lord. I'm sorry I made you witness it. Ser Rodrick was a good man. And I should never have taken Winterfell."
Rickon frowned and studied Theon more closely. He noticed Theon's missing little finger, starring at it for long seconds, saw the filth and what looked like the remains of dried blood on Theon's face. He turned to stare at Ramsay.
"Please my lord. If this man is my enemy and you are married to my sister, then why have you taken me prisoner? What have I done?"
"Oh," Ramsay clucked. "I think I'm allowed to have my concerns regarding the two of you even though you may not think you have much in common. I know you knew him under the name of Theon Greyjoy, but he is not really Theon anymore. He hasn't been Theon for years. But he's not quite Reek either. Not as much as he used to be. A shame.
"You see, Rickon, it's true, that you and I are brothers in law. I married your sister. And Reek here has been my prisoner ever since I took over Winterfell only weeks after you and your brother ran away from him. I punished Reek for what he'd done to your family. To Winterfell. And to this Ser Rodrick. But in the end I decided to allow him to live. I graciously let him stay with me and serve me instead of killing him. As you could imagine, it took me a while to make him fully understand that he'd lost all rights to call himself a lord ever again. But in the end, he learned. Or so I thought.
"When I married your sister, who turned out to be rather ungrateful with the arrangement, Reek decided to turn against me and help your sister run away from me despite the fact that Sansa and I were lawfully wedded right here under your own sacred heart tree. Still, Reek felt that it was necessary to help a Stark get what she wanted instead of what I, his lord and master, needed.
"Ridiculous as it may seem, Reek chose to stay loyal to the very family he himself had turned against only a few years earlier.
"For some reason, your sister doesn't like me very much and she and your bastard brother have reunited. They have the audacity to believe that they still have a right to rule Winterfell even though none of them bear the name Stark and despite the fact that your sister is wedded to me, the new Warden of the North. Your sister and her Watcher brother mean to take back Winterfell back and rid themselves of me. Naturally, I can't sit idly by and do nothing about it. I should like to treat you as a brother but when someone who grew up as a prisoner of the Starks is more loyal to the Starks than to me, I am quite certain that an actual born and bred Stark of the blood will not support me over his sister and his half brother either. To put it quite simply, I can't trust you at all, my young lord Stark.
"I need your sister, my wife, to return to Winterfell and stay here and be a good and obedient wife, and I need to eradicate whichever excuse for an army your half-brother has gathered. Which – so my sources tell me – isn't a very impressive one at all. From what I've heard, it consists of wildlings and old men." Ramsay laughed.
"Of course, before we go into battle, I will send you back to your brother. I'm not as cruel as you might think and family does matter. Besides, it's thanks to you, Jon Snow's decided to move against me despite his lack of a proper army. And I'm sure your sister will appreciate the gesture once she is safely back where she belongs, right here inside Winterfell with me by her side. I know you too would like to see your half-brother after all these years apart, even though it will only be shortly, and even though your dear father fucked a whore instead of your mother to get him! But bastards are, after all family too, as my late father taught me. Once you have greeted your brother and said your goodbyes, I urge you to go to your sister's side and stay there until I come pick you both up. So, it will be an exciting day for you tomorrow. In the meantime, however, I'm afraid I will have to keep you locked up."
He turned towards the hallway "Guards! Escort Lord Rickon back to his chamber. And make sure to chain him up properly. I wouldn't want to wake up as our dear Reek here once did to see our young lord had gone missing. Of course, Reek was distracted by your wildling friend back then. Before he was Reek, he was quite easily fooled by women."
"Osha? Where is she?" Rickon's voice was suddenly anxious.
"Osha didn't behave very well, I'm afraid. She was a typical wildling that one. She tried to kill me and of course that left me with no choice but to kill her."
Rickon made a strangled sound. Tears welled up in the boy's eyes making Theon's eyes sting too. Poor Rickon. Poor Osha too.
Theon managed to make brief eye contact with the boy as Rickon was led past him by Ramsay's men but he was careful not to show any emotions and he saw nothing but despair in the boy's eyes.
"I wish I could trust you again, Reek," Ramsay said.
Theon got up from the chair and fell to his knees. "You can, Master," he said. "Please, let me prove it to you. I'll do anything!"
Ramsay studied him, head tilted, eyes narrowed.
"I want you to come with me outside tomorrow. I want you to witness as I bring down the remains of House Stark. I want you to see me crush Jon Snow and his army. Maybe then, you will understand that there's only one person who matters to you in this life, and that's me."