Game of Thrones: Short stories.

You love her. Don't you? - Part 1 - Theon x Reader

There was a great flurry of activity around Winterfell. Soon it would be (Y/n)'s name day, and even though the Starks always celebrated these important days, this year in particular would be something special for the oldest female child in the family. This year, the family would find out who their daughters' soulmate and future husband would be, when the soul mark finally appeared on her wrist.

It was tradition, that at a certain age, all girls would look forward to the soul mark that would appear on their skin. The mark being the sigil of the mate's House, and their name. It was a right of passage that showed that a girl was no longer a child and could finally call herself a woman. It was normally a day for festivities and love, especially for the young woman. But in Winterfell, it was apparent that everyone was looking forward to it, except (Y/n).

(Y/n) had always been stubborn. Always self-reliant and strong. Always scoffed at the idea that she should lose her independence and her right to decide on the course of her own life, just because a mark appeared on her skin.

"Who do you think it will be?" Jon asked all of a sudden, as he and Robb sat in the courtyard sharpening their swords. The pair looking over at Bran periodically as he practiced with his bow.

"Hard to say. But whoever it is he better be prepared for a fight, because (Y/n) won't like it. I know that there are many young men out there that would be delighted to find out that (Y/n) is their soulmate. But we all know that our sister doesn't want to leave the north. That she doesn't want to be far away from the rest of us. And soul mark or not, I know that (Y/n) will defy the gods themselves rather than do something she doesn't want to." Robb replied. Jon nodding in agreement, before the brothers looked up to see (Y/n) storming through the courtyard, with Theon in close pursuit.

"Leave me alone, Greyjoy. I'm warning you." (Y/n) growled, as she came to a sudden stop. A grinning Theon nearly barrelling into her.

"Soon you won't be able to argue back to me, (Y/n). Your soulmate wouldn't want you to be anything but a lady. And fighting with your father's bannermen is not very ladylike. Most men want their wives to be soft and gentle. Not tough and gruff warriors like you think you are." Theon chuckled. Knowing that every word he uttered would be getting further and further under (Y/n)'s skin.

Robb and Jon rolled their eyes. This had been going on since Theon had come to Winterfell as Ned's ward. Not a day went by without an argument between Theon and (Y/n). Not a day went by without slammed doors and raised voices. The arguments were never about anything serious. Just the she wolf, and the kraken seeing how much they could tease and annoy the other before one of them stormed off. The pair, in truth, seeming to quite enjoy their verbal stoushes, with Ned always joking that what they had could only be true love. But recently, things had seemed to take a turn for the worse. And Theon seemed to have taken it upon himself to hurt (Y/n) with every word.

"Firstly, I will continue to argue with you for as long as I like, Theon Greyjoy. And I don't care what my soulmate likes or doesn't like. Secondly, I will fight with anyone I choose, and I have never claimed, or want to be, ladylike. And finally, most men don't want women that are warriors, because they couldn't handle one. Because they don't want a woman that is strong enough to be their equal. Because they are weak, feeble, and pathetic. Just like you. And I assure you, no matter what the gods wish, if my soulmate cannot accept that I am a fierce woman that knows her own mind. Then I would rather die an old maid than subject myself to a life like that." (Y/n) replied, as she glared at Theon. The Stark growing angrier by the minute as Theon continued to grin.

"Oh please. As soon as that mark appears, you'll be off to marry some unworthy fool. You won't care about us, your home, or being a soldier anymore. You'll be too busy sewing and breeding heirs." Theon continued, as he crossed his arms over his chest and stood toe to toe with the now irate, she wolf.

"Why you........." (Y/n) began. Only stopping her tirade when Robb and Jon stepped in between her and Theon.

"Theon. Will you stop! You know that (Y/n) would never do anything like that. She would never forget about us, or stop being what she is. What's got into you?" Robb asked his friend quietly, as Jon pulled (Y/n) away and tried to calm her.

"Nothing has gotten into me. We all know that (Y/n) will leave us. She's the only one that can't accept it. Like all girls, she'll turn into something that she's not as soon as she finds out who her soulmate is. And we'll never see her again." Theon scoffed. Doing his best to ignore Robb as he continued to try and reason with him.

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"What started it this time?" Jon asked (Y/n), as he sat her down. Gently taking his sister's face in his hands so that he could turn her gaze away from Theon and focus it on him.

"I don't know. I was sparring with Jory and a few of the other men. The next thing I know, Theon is telling them all to stay away from me. That they have no claim. That they aren't my soulmates so they shouldn't be near me. The closer it gets to my name day, the worse that he seems to be getting. And it's getting to the point that I might actually leave, just so that I don't have to deal with Theon anymore." (Y/n) explained. Taking a deep breath as Jon kissed her on the forehead.

"It'll be alright, (Y/n). Why don't you take Bran back inside? Robb and I will talk to Theon." Jon said, helping (Y/n) to her feet and walking her over to where Bran was watching the interaction between his older siblings and Theon. (Y/n) quickly escorting her younger brother inside as Jon moved to join Robb.

"You want it to be you, don't you? That's why you're so angry at (Y/n) and any man that comes near her. You're worried that when (Y/n)'s mark appears, it won't be your name and the kraken that shows. Your being cruel because you think that someone else if going to get to love her. You're jealous." Jon suddenly declared. Both Theon and Robb turning to look at him.

"What would I be jealous for? I know enough girls already. What would I need (Y/n) for?" Theon huffed indignantly. Not liking the fact that Jon was confronting him about something he believed was none of Jon's business.

"But (Y/n)'s not like other girls, and you know it. You're in love with (Y/n). That's the only explanation for everything you're doing." Jon continued. Theon's face flushing bright red.

"And who made you an expert on women and love all of a sudden? You wouldn't know one end of a woman from another." Theon retorted. Growing angrier by the minute as it became Jon's turn to smile.

"I might not know much about women, but I know (Y/n) and you. She just told me what you said to Jory and the other men. That they had no claim on her. That they should stay away from her. A man would only do that if they loved her." Jon said. Robb looking between his brother and friend as the two glared at one another.

"Is that true, Theon?" Robb asked as he looked at the man next to him. Theon shaking his head as he tried to persuade the brothers as well as himself that anything that Jon had said was complete lunacy.

"No! And you are out of your mind. (Y/n) can leave or stay. I don't care who her soulmate is. I don't care about her." Theon declared angrily, before turning around and heading back into the castle. Leaving Jon and Robb to laugh at his protests. Both of them knowing that Jon had hit the nail on the head.