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The greatest man in Westeros

Davos Seaworth is amazing. He is a sailor, the captain of his own ship. And he is – was – a smuggler.

And he is a hero and a knight, though he was born in Flea Bottom.

Davos allows Theon to come onto the deck of Black Betha. They cannot undock, but Davos shows the wheel, the sails, the ripping and the cordage, and explains everything to him about winds and currents and navigation. Theon is supposed to know these, he knew them once; but in the green lands he never needed that knowledge.

Davos has seen the Mander and Dorne and – across the Narrow Sea – Braavos (all of the free cities, actually). He knows every sea and every bay and every harbor (the true ones and those that are secret and hidden).

And he tells Theon all about his journeys.

His stories are far more exciting than Maester Cressen's maps and books. Though the maps and books seem more exciting after hearing the stories.

Theon hopes that one day, when the King does not reckon his father as a threat anymore, he can sail with Davos to Braavos or Qarth or just to the Arbor. Theon would even content himself with the Arbor.

But Davos is shaking his head. "Sorry to say, boy, but I'm afraid if your father is no more a threat, it means that he is dead. And then you will be the Lord of the Iron Islands, won't you?"

"I will, I think."

Davos gives him an inquiring look. "Do you remember it? Your home?"

"I do," Theon says, very uncertainly. No one has asked him about Pyke for a long, long time. Robb did once or twice in the beginning, but he was little, only six years old, and his curiosity was not lasting. So as time passed, the memories faded.

It seems like Davos understands that without words.

"Do you miss it?"

Theon frowns. "I miss my mother," he replies finally. "And Asha, maybe. My sister."

They have spoken about all the places reachable by water and some that are not. But they never spoke about Pyke.

"Were you there, Ser Davos? On the islands?"

"I was."

"What is it like? What are my people like?"

"Truly?"

No.

What remains for him if he does not like Davos' truth? On the other hand… he already has nothing. He is a hostage and a hostage needs reality, not illusions. Lord Stannis made that very clear.

"Truly."

So he tells him.


Author's note:

Anna & xion: Catelyn is a bit irrational in her fears. The whole "a new husband takes away Winterfell" plot in her head wouldn't happen through legal actions rather include schemes against her children.

Imagine this: in good faith, she marries a northerner, who can actually be a Karstark or another distant relative or even Roose Bolton himself. Then Robb will be overruled from inside: Catelyn's husband becomes Robb's regent, years pass, Bran and the girls are fostered somewhere, far from the North, and you know, accidents can happen all the time… Finally, the husband who has ruled the region for years, whom the other lords already trust, can turn to the King to make him the new Warden of the North officially.

Extreme thought? Sure. Would it happen? Probably not. But it isn't entirely impossible, and that's enough for Catelyn now.

After all, she is a young widow in a patriarchal society, with children and even his oldest is only eight. Her closest relatives, who could support her, are in the Riverlands. There aren't other Starks whom she can rely on. (Benjen perhaps, but he is a member of the Watch, he took vows that he wouldn't participate in the conflicts of the kingdoms.)

Guest: Intersting ideas. I thought of some of them while I was planning this story (for example the question of Robb's bethrotal). We'ill see which one comes true and in what way.