Guiltless / Theon Greyjoy

32. Misdirect

Cookie Monster / Vaera Targaryen out now!
"We got a good start on them, but we can't outrun hounds forever.'' Osha remarked. 

"We can misdirect them." Rieka corrected.

"Rieka-" Bran corrected. She hugged Rickon tight, kissing his cheek she moved to Bran and he shook his head, repeating no, no rieka dont, over and over again.

"I love you baby. I love you both, I'm going to throw the hounds off." RIeka looked to Avalon and she yipped her agreement, "Keep going, I will throw them off your trail." Rieka declared making a run for it in the opposite direction. 

"Rieka come back!" Bran begged. Rickon lunged but Osha grabbed him. 

"Rieka no!" Rickon begged. "Bran we have to go after her." Rickon begged. 

"She is doing this to get you safe, come on." Osha corrected. 

"Rieka,'' Rickon whimpered. 

+

'Children, come inside, quick. Hurry up!' The dogs barking echoed getting closer and closer

'Can't find anything, Ser. They've lost the scent.'

'Try again.' Theon demanded

'We've circled this farmhouse twice. There's no sign of them. We could start the search fresh in the morning, My Lord.'

'I'm looking at spending the rest of life being treated like a fool and a eunuch by my own people. Ask yourself, "Is there anything I wouldn't do to stop that from happening?" The hounds will find the scent again.' Theon shouted 'I'll beat them until they do. I'll whip every man here until I have both those boys in hand. And once I've got them, the pampered little shits... It's better to be cruel than weak.' Theon remarked thinking of what his father would do.

'Prince Theon.'

'Where are they?' Theon shouted

'Who, m'lord?'

'The Stark boys. Where are they?'' Theon yelled storming towards him

''I don't know. I have seen no one.''

''Think harder.' Theon declared punching him in the stomach he doubled over.

''I swear, m'lord, I don't know.' He said through a labored breath.

''My Lord, over here. I think I've found what we're looking for.' A guard called

''Send the old man home.''

''Go back to Winterfell. Take him back.''

''Theon, don't do this.''

+

"I told you what would happen. All of you ... I told you what would happen if you served me loyally... and what would happen if you did not.'' Theon stared at the bodies in shock. He knew it wasn't Bran or rickon but he didn't demand this. ''What are you doing? What have you done?'' he hissed taking a step back.

'If there's any who still question whether your new lord means what he says... Here is the answer to your question.'' The crowd gasped and a murmur of sobs echoed. The starks were dead. "If anyone else asks we can say we have RIeka stark as our prisoner, good for leverage." 

"We dont have her." Theon corrected. 

"They dont need to know that." 

"No!" the people shouted out seeing the charred bodies. Two charred bodies burn past recognition. 

+

Bran was walking again he was shooting an arrow, pointing at a raven in the trees.

'Don't think soo much Bran.' Jon told him, he smiled back at his brother.  He shot and missed the raven flying off his brothers laughing. Rieka smiled kissing his cheek, Bran stared back at her confused. when suddenly a boy came walking up to him.

'You can't kill it you know' the boy told him.

'why not?' Bran questioned looking to the raven.

'Because the raven is you.'

The raven came flying at bran and he jolted awake.

''We should bury them.' Theon remarked

'I'd leave 'em up a few more days. Sends a message.' His guard remarked.

'If they haven't got the damn message yet, a few more days won't help.' Theon told him softly, he couldn't look at their bodies lifeless before him another moment, it broke his heart, all because of him and his need to please his father.

'As you say. But it don't hurt to let 'em rot a while longer.'' Theon handed over a pouch of coin. 'What's this?'

''Gold for the farmer. For his trouble.' Theon answered softly

''His troubles are done. He's feeding the crops now. His wife, too. You want to keep a man silent, you silence him.''

 Theon let out a sigh, what had he become? Rieka was right, she usually was. He didnt recognize himself. 

''Got as far as the farm and then doubled back. Walked through the stream to throw off the hounds. Hoped this would be the last place they'd think to look." Osha remarked. "Their sister went the other way. Made a trail surely, she seemed smart, i hope she doesnt die out there."

'You're right... so far.' Lewin answered

'Who was that out there hung up the gates?' osha questioned softly. 

'Must have been the farmer's boys." Lewin answered. 

"He killed them and burned them and passed them off as the little lords?' osha asked appalled

"Shh, shh, shh. They mustn't know. Bran would blame himself.''

'They'll never hear it from me. The little lads have suffered enough.''

But Bran was wide awake.