Elyssia Thorne

A/N: Forgive me for any errors you see in the following chapter. It took quite some time to do the distance/time estimation, determine the best place to insert OL's (Original Locations btw), and all together get this chapter to be as accurate to the Lore, Landmarks, and general atmosphere of Westeros (and Game of Thrones in general) as an AU could possibly be. I have a lot of things planned for Elyssia, Theon, Robb, and the many lovable (and questionably hateable) characters of this wonderful series, and I sincerely hope you'll stick around for the ride. -TaylaWrites (Also, I have nothing against (most of) the characters of the series. Some of them would just have honest reasons to dislike Elyssia (and have her dislike them) were she an actual character in the series (: )

Elyssia's patience was wearing dangerously thin. Between the rainstorm, riding for the better part of a week, and the company she was forced to keep, she was nearing her wits end. There were still two days, if the rain let up, between their small party and Saltspear. After that they'd spend another four on a ship bound for Pyke.

"Lady Elyssia, perhaps you should ask Lord Greyjoy for a slight rest. You're soaked to the bone" One of her guards, an older man called Ser Hamish Varner, said as he urged his horse up beside her. Hamish was a man of Lord Cerwyn's. When Robb had announced to his vassals that she and Theon would be leaving Winterfell, many of the lords present had insisted on sending a man with their group. It was clearly a measure to further their spying on Robb's "envoy", but Robb had been forced to allow it.

Why Theon had chosen to assign Ser Hamish to her was beyond even her sense. He was older than many of the others traveling with them, but had spent less time as a knight. Though Lord Cerwyn spoke highly of him, Hamish Varner was simply a very lucky hedge knight that had been employed in the service of a lord and worked his way up. There was a small part of her mind that suggested Theon had chosen him to keep her away from the younger men with them, though "Ser" Hamish had stolen quite a few looks at her in the time since he'd been sent to guard her.

"If I want to rest I have no need to ask Theon anyway. I'll do as I please" Elyssia snapped, having finally lost her temper. "Despite what you might believe, he is by no means my commander. Now please, find something to do that gets you away from me until we stop."

To his credit, Ser Hamish didn't flinch as many of the younger men at Winterfell had when she lost her patience with them. Instead he quietly fell back, allowing the second guard to take his position. Olenna Wold was Lady Mormont's house guard, and Elyssia had immediately found the woman more pleasant than any of the others traveling with them. "You should have a confident from your home." Lady Mormont had smiled as she'd found Elyssia only an hour before they left. "Olenna is now sworn to you. You may do with her what you will" Elyssia had been more than thankful for the gesture. She may have just met Olenna, but it was reassuring to have another women around, especially when Theon was being his usual, arrogant, self.

"Lady Elyssia" A younger man, probably just out of his teens, rode back to her. "Lord Greyjoy says we're stopping for a short rest"

"Fine" Elyssia nodded. Lord Greyjoy, huh? There was nothing about that title that didn't annoy her. It was a silly thing the men, with Theon as their commander of course, had picked up after they'd left Winterfell. One of the younger men even had the nerve to call her "Lady Greyjoy" before she'd threatened to feed his tongue to one of the hounds that belonged to Lord Umber's man.

Theon approached her as Olenna dismounted. Elyssia quietly accepted his assistance, allowing him to help her down from her horse. He handed the reigns off to Olenna to be tied with the rest of the horses. Elyssia pointedly glared at him, hopefully conveying that she was already fed up with conversation.

"Are you alright?" He ignored her expression. "It shouldn't take long to get to Saltspear. We're closer than we thought. Gormon says we'll reach it by nightfall. Then tomorrow we'll be able to find a ship to-"

"Theon" Elyssia cut him off. "I'm in no mood to discuss ships and Saltspear and Pyke with you right now"

"You miss Winterfell" Theon clenched his jaw, giving her a heavy look.

"I don't." She gave him an equally dark expression. "I miss not having to set on a horse, and being out of the sun, and having the biggest thing I need to worry about being what Rickon could possibly be doing."

In truth she didn't want to reach Saltspear, or even Pyke, any more than she wanted to turn around and go back to Winterfell. When she finally left Winterfell for the last time she'd assumed it would be to Silverstream...and Elderbridge. Pyke was a long way from the warmth and prosperity of The Reach and Crownlands. Her own hold comfortably resided near the shield islands close enough to Crakehall, Oldtown, and Lannisport that it saw most of the commerce by sea that passed through. It was warm in the summers and much warmer than Winterfell would ever be in the winter. There were orchards of fruit tress and sunshine, and flowers.

In Pyke there would only be rocks, water, and more rocks.

"I know you don't like the idea of going to Pyke. But we're helping Robb. And besides, once we've convinced my father, Robb wants to send you to Oldtown, and then to Highgarden. And from Highgarden to Dorne. You won't be in Pyke forever" Theon assured her.

"Until we're married, Theon. You can't possibly think that I'd be allowed to live in Silverstream and you in Pyke. I'd have no choice but to name a regent to rule in my place until I'd given you one child to be your heir to Pyke and a second to be Lord to Silverstream." Elyssia gave him an incredulous look.

"But-"

"Theon. I know for a fact that you're not that stupid" Or at least she hoped she did.

"Robb promised that you'd have Silverstream" Theon shook his head.

"Robb also promised that Bran could be a knight, and that he'd hold down Winterfell until his father returned" She snapped at him. "He promised a lot of things that he'll never be able to give, Theon. Why can't you see that this is final? I'm trying to cope with the idea that I'll never be able to stay in Silverstream...in Elderbridge. So why can't understand that I'm trapped in Pyke as definitely as you are"

Before he could respond, the same young man that had old her they were resting came to their sides. "My Lord, Gormon Crane says we should leave if we wish to reach Saltspear by nightfall"

"Very well" Theon said tensely, glaring at Elyssia.

"You should be going then, Lord Theon." She glared back, returning to her horse as Olenna lead the mare up to her. "Wouldn't want to miss our ship"

She wasn't even sorry when he walked away cursing.