AN: I have to admit that I was nervous about posting this story, mostly because this is a pretty big project, and I was afraid that most people wouldn't like the changes.

In reply to a reviewer: Balon was spared because of Ned and Stannis. It was only the will of two of Robert's most important living people in that moment, that saved Balon, and by proxy, Theon and Asha. About Renly, in this universe, he was born four years before Theon and thus would probably be called by Robert to fight, just as Stannis I assume had been.

I looked at a post in the ASOIAF subreddit, when I was looking for the age difference between Theon and Asha, and I realized how bloody young everyone was, at the time of Robert's Rebellion.

I mean, Aeron, is only between two to five years older than Asha, for crying out loud, if that subreddit is correct... Like, that is ridiculously young for somebody who's supposed to be your uncle. It does happen in the real world, but it still feels strange to me.

Mostly character interaction, and development, but the plot does advance. Strangely, but it does.

Options and Opportunities

Chapter II

Aftermath

I have to admit, the fact that I was in an alternate universe threw me into a massive loop. What else had changed that I had no clue about? Were people who were boys, now girls for some fucked up reason? Would Robert finally decide that he should be a proper King, instead of relying on Jon Arryn...

Admittedly, the Robert one was wishful thinking, but given how this universe already seemed different to George RR Martin's one, just because of Renly's death, who was the least important Baratheon brother...

Well, it could just be my selfish side coming out - this had effected me quite badly, and had essentially crippled the Iron Islands for potentially decades. Balon had essentially been forced to try to emulate his father, Quellon, which had been quite ingenious from Robert, even if it had been fuelled from Baratheon rage over his brother's death.

Fucking Renly... Why didn't he just stay in Storm's End, like I assume he did during the books?

Luckily, Asha had taken it upon herself to keep herself (and by proxy, myself), informed on nearly everything that the King said, mostly by sneaking around, and asking whatever the Ironborn heard.

I meanwhile, made an extreme effort to speak to all the sailors, and try to learn all of their dirty fighting tricks, and practice my swordplay with anyone who would take me up on it. I got beaten up nearly all the time, but I more importantly, learned things, and improved my relations with the Ironborn - they appreciated anybody who could take a hard hit, and continue on - especially a 'whelp' like me.

"You've been getting beaten up again?" Asha commented, with a smirk on her face.

"No," I denied, forging on despite her smirk getting wider as I nursed my cuts with cold water and a flannel. "I've been getting my fighting to a better level."

"Why? You've never been all that enamoured with it, 'til now."

I opened my mouth, but then closed it, as I tried to figure out my desire to become a better fighter... I did feel pretty annoyed about my plans going to waste before they were even realized, but I also felt that I could still make my position better.

Knowing characters was key, and nobody had diverged much from what I had read, and interpreted.

"I..." I started to reply, before thinking on it more. "I just realized that in the North, where we'll probably be staying for a good portion of our lives, that nearly all the greenlander lords know how to fight."

I paused, looking to the ground in embarrassment. "I also really didn't like seeing you get beaten up like that."

I stood, and surveyed my sister for a moment. She had a pretty nasty bruise on her face, with a new one on her right eye, and I knew for a fact that she had taken more hits than I had seen happen - I had been rather out of it, after I got kicked in the head.

I had taken more, but I didn't really care about how many hits I took.

"You took way more of it then I did, Theon." She replied, after a moment of silence. "I'm your big sister, I'm meant to be the one to protect you, not the other way around."

"... I don't particularly care about you being older - all that matters, is that they hurt you." I retorted, Theon's insecurity merging with my confused anger. "Don't think that I didn't see that massive bruise on your ribs and eye, that only appeared today! What's that about?"

My sister glared harshly at me, faltering at whatever she saw in my eyes. She lowered her eyes to the ground, before she started to say pleadingly, "Just... Please, don't ask Theon. I'll... I'll handle it. I'm much stronger than you think I am."

I felt like continuing so much, but I relented. "If you need anything, just... Say it."

A somewhat awkward silence ensued, as I continued to nurse my cuts with whatever modern medicinal/hygiene notion I could apply to medieval medicine, and whatever I could use, whilst she started cleaning her weapons.

"The King's replacing his master of laws with his brother, and Stannis's getting Storm's End, whilst one of the Celtigars, is castellan of Dragonstone until his now legitimized bastard son is of age, and capable enough to handle the castle."

I managed to withhold my surprise at Stannis getting Storm's End, and for Robert having the audacity to legitimize his bastard. "He's going to set a precedent, you realize?"

"What do you mean? I have heard of a few bastards getting legitimized." Asha asked, with a raised eyebrow.

"But not royal bastards." I replied, scouring through my knowledge of the verse. "Whilst I don't know of any at the top of my head, I'm pretty sure that there haven't been a lot of them throughout history."

"What about knighthood?"

"Knights aren't lords though - even if they can have a higher prestige, wealth, or land than a lesser lord." I replied, and upon seeing her face scrunch up, as she tried to understand. "Don't worry, let's put it like this: a royal bastard being properly legitimized without any fanfare, and taking the seat of a lord is unheard-of. Get me?"

"I do, I think." She said, a small smile blossoming on her face. "Have you ever though about being a maester?"

"No way in hell." I retorted. I did like to know things, but I didn't like to get surrounded by things to know, and was forced to know - which was why I hated school. Also, the maesters in Oldtown were a bunch of creeps who knew far too much. "You aren't getting me down there, even if I've been permanently crippled."

I momentarily thought of Bran and Tyrion, but easily dismissed them from my mind.

"What else?" I asked.

"Nothing really, except that they plan to move us in two days, which is when Stannis estimates how long the..." Asha sighed. "Ships, are going to take to move."

I really did feel for her - she had wanted to sail her entire life, free from nearly everyone, and now we'd probably never be able to, at least in the near future. I put my hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

"I have a plan." I say, with a massive grin on my face.

"What is it?" She asks, her look still forlorn.

I didn't reply, apart from taking a cup filled with water, and poured it down her neck. "That!"

"AH!" I heard her shout, too busy laughing and running to get another cupful of water whilst she screamed at me. "You're soooo going to get it, this time Theon!"

On our last day on Pyke, Asha had requested between my sword fighting and her information gathering, for us to see our mother before we go. I hadn't protested - whilst Alannys Harlaw wasn't my mother, she was Theon's, and thus, I still felt a massive kinship with her.

When we had arrived at Ten Towers, Rodrik had gazed impassively at the Stark bannermen, who had been chosen to accompany us, in case we tried and run off.

Our mother had begun sobbing as soon as we had tried to explain, and she had even started cursing Balon for his stupidity, before her anger got overwhelmed by something between the realm of madness, and the realm of overwhelming despair and sadness.

We hadn't been able to stop her crying, even when Asha had tried desperately (and was nearly sobbing herself) to stop it. I just... Stopped working during that period. My mouth had been ready to say something, but...

Her last words to us when we had left, had to be honest, nearly made me cry myself. "My little Theon, my Asha, please don't... Take them... PLEASE!"

That last word especially had torn my heart apart. The depair, the way she had added the 'little' to my name...

God, she had even made me think like Theon for a second there...

The Stark bannermen had been silent when we exited, and silent when we finally arrived at our tent, that had been designated for us, to separate us from our 'father'.

After tonight, I didn't know who I blamed more: Robert Baratheon, or Balon.

My rational mind said Balon.

My emotionally high mind said both.

Asha had said both, and I hadn't hesitated to agree at the time. But now, when I actually think on it...

Is this what it's like playing in Westeros? Emotionally exhausting, tiring, painful, for a bunch of different reasons, even at the same time. With it being morally grey nearly all the damn time?

Theon had no answer for me this time, and I had no answer this time either.