There were days when Yara Greyjoy wondered if her brother would ever be the same. Today was one of those days.

The night before, the young queen barely got any rest. She spent the night in Theon's room, cradling the trembling prince at her side and silently willing him to sleep.

The morning was no better, Theon refused to eat or drink anything; opting to cling desperately to his sister as Yara attempted to get ready for the day.

Yara had a meeting a Red Harbor with the shipwright to discuss the construction of additional longships for the Iron Fleet. There was no way that she could take Theon as the journey to the harbor was a treacherous one. Their uncle Euron offered to watch the boy for the morning; Yara felt horrible, leaving Theon after such a difficult night, but this meeting was one of the few that could not wait.

So, with a heavy heart, she pried her brother off of her and transferred Theon into their uncle's arms. She kissed the teen on the forehead, promising to be back before midday. She then walked out of the room; attempting to stem her unshed tears at the sound of Theon's panicked sobbing.


Theon took one look at his sister upon her return and bolted from the room. It took Yara almost an hour to find him, and when she did, her heart broke.

Theon was in the kennels, curled up in the corner of an empty cage. The 14-year-old looked just as he had when Yara saved him from the Dreadfort. He stared at her with blank eyes, hooking an arm around the bars of the cage as he watched her kneel.

"Theon, do you know where you are?" Yara asked, subtly reaching a hand back to halt the guards behind her. Theon was already in a fragile state; there was no need to distress him more.

The prince just stared at her as he backed further into the cage.

"You can't trick me," he muttered, as Yara reached out to soothe him. "Tell him you couldn't trick me."

"I'm not tricking you, Theon," Yara promised. "Now, let's get you back inside. You're just getting over a fever. The damp and cold are the last thing that you need right now."

"Not Theon!" the teenager screamed, clinging tighter to the bars as Yara took a gentle hold of his arms. "Reek! My name is Reek!"

"You're Theon," Yara responded, trying to ignore the knot of concern in her chest. It was clear that Theon had dissociated entirely. There was no sense in trying to talk to him; she just had to get him out of here. "You're Theon Greyjoy. You're my baby brother."

"No, I don't believe her!" Theon wailed. "I know who I am! I'm Reek! Loyal Reek! Good Reek!

I've always been Reek!"

Yara finally managed to heft Theon out of the cage, but the boy struggled so much that she was forced to go to the ground to avoid dropping him. The queen maneuvered Theon on her lap so that the boy was facing her with his arms trapped against his chest.

"Get my uncle," she ordered a guard, "Tell him it's urgent."

"Shh, shh, baby brother," Yara murmured, turning her attention back to Theon and pressing his head to her shoulder in an attempt to stem his cries. "You're not there. You're safe on Pyke. Safe in my arms."

"I'm Reek! Loyal Reek!" Theon squalled, renewing his struggles when he caught sight of Euron striding towards them.

"Ahh! Fuck! Theon!" Yara screamed as Theon sunk his teeth into the soft, unprotected flesh between her neck and armored shoulder.

Stunned, her grip about him went slack, and Theon attempted to crawl back into the cage; only to be lifted into Euron's arms. Theon bit and scratched at the man who had become a surrogate father to him; desperate to escape.

The prince finally managed to wrench himself free only to bolt headfirst into a metal support beam; splitting his forehead open and knocking himself unconscious.


Now, Yara sat at her ward's bedside, keeping the boy's hand entwined with her own to keep him calm. Their uncle Euron gave Theon an additional sedative, so there was no telling when the boy would wake up.

A set of manacles kept Theon tethered to the bed; a safety precaution until the prince awoke in his right mind.

Theon's faithful dog, a pup named Kyra, lay at the boy's feet; her head was resting on his ankles. Yara found the dog curled up in the same cage as Theon at the Dreadfort. Kyra was the only being that provided the prince with any sense of safety during his torture, and Theon refused to leave his only friend behind, so Yara took them both.

As the hours dragged on, Yara felt herself drifting off to sleep. Not wanting to risk have Theon wake up scared and alone, the Lady Reaper lay down on the bed next to her brother. She removed the manacles, opting to adjust Theon so that he was cradled in her arms. Once she was sure that her ward was secure, Yara allowed herself to drift off.