Two weeks later
"Theon?" Cassia asked as she lifted her head from his chest, curled tightly into his side. The two lay in his room in the midafternoon sun that drifted lazily through his window. Despite the brightness, it was bitterly cold, and the two were huddled under a pile of furs.
"Mmm?" he asked, keeping his eyes closed though he knew she was looking at him.
"Do you ever feel things are happening in the wrong order?"
"Is this about Robb and your sister?"
"I don't know, it just feels strange that she is marrying before I am. I feel as though I am turning into an old spinster right before your eyes," she teased, giggling when Theon snapped his hazel eyes open.
"You know I wouldn't let that happen."
"And yet here you are, rife with inactivity as I wither," she sighed dramatically, turning onto her back and letting out another laugh when he rolled on top of her.
"There will be no withering. I've yet to see you with sand in your hair and your toes in the ocean," he smiled, one of the rare, beaming smiles he saved for her.
"If you come back to the Snowsands with me, you will see both," she encouraged, cupping his face in her palm.
"And if you come back to the Iron Islands with me, I would as well."
"I have heard from a reputable source that the Iron Islands are grey and dim and utterly without sunny moments like these."
"Aye, it is. And I have heard the Snowsands are so cold that the seawater freezes against the walls of the keep," he countered, smiling when she rolled her eyes.
"Yes, it gets cold, but I would keep you warm."
"Cass, it is cold here, and yet, there you are, rife with inactivity as I freeze."
She laughed playfully and pushed him to his back, gathering her skirt at her knees so she could straddle his hips. This was bolder than she usually was, and by the look on Theon's face, her courage didn't go unnoticed.
"I think you would like it in the Snowsands, my lord. The beaches there are beautiful, pristine. There are songs all about the beaches and about what happens on them."
"And what happens on them?"
"It's a song I haven't heard in years, and one that made my mother blush so terribly when it was played at court that she would always send the singers away. It was about the Lord and Lady Devenny, and their children. The song, if I remember right, was called 'Children of the Sands.' The song was written after my eldest brother's birth, and then when each subsequent child grew to a few years of age, another verse was added."
"I'd quite like to hear this song. As long as we can skip the last verse," he jested, but put his hands up in defeat when she shot him a look. "Okay, okay. Please, I want to hear all of it."
"The Starfish and the Southern Star, a strange and lovely pair,
Did meet once each night among the chilly seaborne air.
The white sands watched and the blue waves washed and no one ever dared
To wander to the beaches so white and pure and rare.
One day in the morning upon the sand so white,
Lay a screaming babe that came from the starfish and the light
Strong like his father, he'd grow to lead with all his strength and might
And lovely like his mother, such a strange and wondrous sight," Cassia sang slowly, struggling to remember all the words. Once she finished the verse about Davian, Theon stopped her.
"I want to hear about you, can we skip your brothers?"
"My brothers are a very important part of the song, my love. Plus, my verse embarrasses me."
"Your brothers are not here, and you are the one sitting on top of me right now," he smirked, earning an eye roll but ultimately acquiescence as his hands moved to her hips.
"Then, a girl like her father but with beauty she was blessed.
With courage but with courtesy, if truth could be confessed,
Until that day a brother passed a sword and the girl became her best
The daughter of the sands, with passion no one would have guessed," she paused and Theon went to speak, but she shook her head and kept singing, refusing to allow him to distract her from singing her sister's verse. No matter how much he disliked her, Cassia had decided she simply wouldn't let him.
"And soon another beautiful girl, but so different from the first
The Southern Star's baby was as wild as ocean air.
Instead of swords, the girl chose books, rash words instead of care,
But the twinkle in her eye endeared her heart to all living there.
The children of the sands, the children of the sea
The children of the Nautic Keep forever blessed to be," she finished, and it wasn't until she sang the last note that a tear fell.
"Why are you crying, Cass? That was a beautiful song," Theon consoled sitting up from underneath her and pulling her into his chest.
"Because the children of the Nautic Keep are all gone, except for Adaira and me. I haven't sang that song since the last festival before the invasion, and sometimes, I can forget how much I miss them. But it never really goes away," she explained, sniffling as she tried to keep her emotions under control. "Adaira is soon to marry Robb, and then, I'll be the only Devenny left. She will become a Stark, and I will be alone."
"You will never be alone. I won't let it happen," Theon promised, his voice strong and willful. "Look at me, Cassia. I swear to you that I will take you home. You and I will have more children of the sand, and we can even give one of our boys your family name, so that the Devenny line will once again rule the Nautic Keep."
Cassia couldn't hide the shock that crept over her face. Theon had never been one to declare commitment, nor had she ever expected him to volunteer one of his sons to keep her name. To be truthful, she understood if that was a promise of the moment and not one to come to pass, but the rest – the promise of being together, of taking her home, and having children – that all felt so real.
Even at the idea of having his sons, she felt a blush cover her cheeks, but in this moment of his passionate vow, Cass felt her guard come crashing down as she crashed her lips against his.
Theon's hands pushed up underneath her pooled skirts, slowly running along her thighs. Cassia could feel the tension begin to pull at her stomach and even deeper inside of her as his hands and fingers touched her body. She pulled back, breathing heavily just inches away from Theon's lips.
He tilted his hips up against hers, getting a soft moan as she felt his breeches harden underneath her, his fingers lazily sliding along her inner thigh.
"Theon." She meant for his name to come out in a warning, but instead, it was only a soft sigh as her eyes closed.
Theon smirked, understanding. "I won't push this now." His fingers moved teasingly higher up her leg. "Look at me."
Cassia opened her eyes, staring into Theon's. He slowly traced along the lining of her smallclothes.
"I love you," he whispered. "After this insanity is over in Winterfell, we'll do something quiet. Just us."
Cassia nodded, leaning into kiss Theon again as he pulled her down to him onto the bed. Lost in each other, they were oblivious to the preparations going on below them.
The vows themselves would be said in the Godswood, but once that was over, there would be quite the celebration in Winterfell. The courtyard was being transformed with streamers, flapping in the wind, creating a color wheel of sorts.
"And lift!" Jon called as the boys worked to erect a tent.
Bran and Rickon were intent on helping, which did more harm than good, but neither Jon nor Robb were willing to tell them no. They were enthusiastic about the wedding, excited to know that Adaira would be staying forever. Finally, the tent stood on its own as the boys stood back to admire their handiwork.
"Does it not seem crooked to you?" Adaira teased, walking down the staircase towards them.
"It's perfect," Rickon insisted.
Mussing his hair, Adaira nodded her agreement, "It seems we will be well prepared for tomorrow.
"We ought to be; we've done a lot of work," Robb added, flexing his fingers in the cold.
Adaira put her hands over his, rubbing them together to try to warm them.
"What of my hands?" Jon teased.
"We need to find you a woman, Jon," Robb returned with a wide grin.
"We can worry about that after tomorrow," Jon returned.
"What else is there to do?" Bran asked enthusiastically.
"I think you boys have done enough," Adaira replied.
Bran shook his head, "There must be something else."
Adaira looked towards him and his younger brother. Rickon was all shivers while Bran's legs shook from some mixture of cold and excitement.
"It looks like most things are put together, but we could probably help with the canopy," Robb added.
The younger boys enthusiastically began to pull at Robb and Jon, beckoning them along.
"This would be a lot easier with Theon," Robb added.
Adaira made a face.
"You have not made up then?"
"Made up? I haven't said a word to him in days except for cursory hellos at supper."
"Don't you want to talk to him?"
"No, Robb, I can't say that I do. I told Cass I would try to be nice; he is doing the same. We have not had a true argument in days."
"Oh, well, you might as well be best friends, you and Theon," Robb teased with a grin.
"What of Theon?"
Turning around, Adaira saw her sister and Theon coming towards them.
"Just in time, we need someone tall to help with raising the canopy," Robb explained.
Theon raised an eyebrow, "Do you not have servants here to do that?"
"Rickon and Bran want to help for the wedding tomorrow," Jon added.
Theon sighed, "Something I'm terribly interested in doing as well."
Cassia gave a begrudging smile that caused Adaira to roll her eyes. The elder Devenny did smack Theon's arm, though, getting a raised eyebrow in response.
"How can we help?" she asked, turning back to her sister. Theon strode off towards the other boys.
"You could help me convince my fiancé that he doesn't need to spend all day overseeing the wedding preparations," Adaira suggested, still trying to warm Robb's hands with her own.
"I told you already, there is no way I can sit still and let other people prepare for the biggest day of my life. I need to be here helping."
"And what of me? All too soon, they are going to quarantine us from each other until the wedding, so I don't want to leave your side, but would you let your soon to be wife freeze simply so she can cheer you on as you lift things?"
"I take offense to that, love. I am quite good at lifting things," he smirked, wrapping her in tightly to him.
"Well, go on then, lift this last thing. I will marvel dutifully at your muscles. Then can we go inside?" she rolled her eyes, but the smile behind her whine was easy to hear.
"Gods, Robb, you are going to have your hands full," Jory teased, overhearing Adaira's complaint as he walked up to their group and clapped the young man on the shoulder. With a warm smile, he opened his arms and chuckled out, "Adaira! The beautiful bride-to-be. How did you grow up so fast?"
Adaira smiled widely and moved from Robb's arms to Jory's. The man had always been like a father to her, and she hadn't had a chance to speak with him in the whirlwind of the betrothal. Before she could say anything, though, Jory let her go and turned a sterner eye to Robb. "I trust I don't have to tell you to take care of her."
"I will," he promised, his demeanor growing more serious as well. A small smirk betrayed Jory's tone.
"And I trust you know that I will hold you to that promise?"
"I do. And I'd be disappointed in you if you didn't, Jory. Though I am a little sad you aren't giving my bride the same lecture; where is your affection for me?" Robb teased, anchoring Adaira back to his side.
"It is time that you get used to people favoring your woman, my lord. She is much prettier than you," Jory jested in return, shaking Robb's hand and embracing Cassia jovially before letting the young group continue preparations.
"Daira, it will be hard for Robb to follow your instructions if you stay pinned to his side. Come, walk with me," Cassia offered with a smile, taking her sister by the arm when she approached. The two strolled casually around the courtyard as the preparations continued.
"How are you feeling, little sister?"
"I still can't believe this is real," Adaira confided, her voice a mix of excitement and worry. "I'm so stunned that I actually am going to marry him."
"It isn't surprising to anyone who has known either of you for more than five minutes."
"It's just happening so quickly. Tomorrow night I will be a Stark. I can't even begin to imagine…"
"At least you don't have to be nervous for the bedding," Cassia teased, earning a pink blush from Adaira, which deepened when she added, "And judging from the silly grins on both of your faces every morning this week, it is a good thing you are wedding this quickly."
"Oh, please don't tell me you are going to start in on the children subject, are you?"
"Well, you and Robb certainly don't seem to mind the practicing."
"Cassia!" Adaira choked, blushing wildly. "That isn't anyone's business but ours."
"I am your sister, and you have never been one to hold back from me. You have been so quiet about the subject that I can't help but wonder who are you and what have you done with my sister."
"I am not sure what you'd like me to say," she mumbled, eyes focused on the ground in front of her. "Plus, a lady shouldn't discuss such things."
"Daira, a lady shouldn't have anything to discuss until she is married, but we both know that you are dying for a confidante," Cassia urged, trying to hide the fact that she had questions and was embarrassed that she had to ask them of her younger sister. Adaira sighed heavily and bit her lip before turning her eyes to her older sister. Cassia was glad to see the mischievousness returned to them.
"Cass, he is so perfect. I've gotten butterflies around him for a long time, but now, it's different. It's not just a want to be around him, it feels like an actual need. And gods, I have never felt the way he makes me feel. Also," she paused, looking around to make sure no one was listening, and then continued, "He is so ridiculously handsome that I just never want him to put clothes on."
Adaira continued for a few moments, and by the time she was finished gushing, Cassia couldn't help but laugh at how right she had been – her sister needed to confide. Now, though she wasn't sure what the reaction would be.
"Daira, I know you don't like him, but I need you to listen to me for a minute, okay?" Cassia started, pausing when her sister tensed.
With a slow, deep breath, the younger girl turned and looked at the older. "You are my sister. And I love you. And I will do my best not to say anything rude to whatever you are about to tell me."
"I love Theon. I really, really do love him. And that scares the hell out of me, because I never expected it. But every time I see you and Robb together, the way that he looks at you, that's how Theon looks at me. And I feel like I'm going crazy because I have all these feelings throwing me in his direction, but I have all of these expectations keeping me in place. And for you and for Robb, it has always seemed so easy, so organic. You have always been meant for each other, and when you two complicated everything by making love, the world kept turning. Yes, everything started to move a little faster, but it moved nonetheless. I just worry that with Theon and I, things will never be that easy. But, I'm the one who keeps us from finding out."
"Do you want my honest opinion, Cass?"
"Is your honest opinion going to be mean?"
"No. My honest opinion has nothing to do with the man who you have chosen, because that is exactly what it is – your choice, not mine. But, when it happens, and you choose to lie with him, it won't be an agonizing decision. It will feel right, and it will just happen. And it will hurt, but you won't care, because it will be with him. I was terrified of the idea of sleeping with Robb, but once I did it, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world. And then things will happen as they are supposed to. But if he makes you anywhere near as happy as Robb makes me, then I won't harbor any more negativity toward him. You deserve all the happiness you can find, no matter the source."
"Daira!" Robb called out, crossing quickly toward them. The canopy was in place, and as Adaira allowed herself to fully look around at the decorated courtyard, tears filled her eyes. Instead of answering Robb, she turned her gaze back to her sister.
"Cass, this really is happening, isn't it?" she asked with wonder in her words.
"Yes, little sister, it is. Go on, go to him," she smiled, rubbing her sister's arm as she turned to meet her soon to be husband.