The Iron Thorn | Theon Greyjoy

15.

Massey

I can't go out there like this. I look terrible.

   I stared into the mirror as though my injuries would heal instantly just because I had willed them to. It was already well into dinner time. If I didn't leave soon, I'd miss it all together.

   What will Robb think? This is not the face of a lady. This is the face of a practice yard boy.

   The branch had left its mark diagonally across the left side of my face. My eyelid was still a bit swollen, and beneath my eye, a bruise had already begun to form. My nose, on the other hand, had gotten the worst of it all. It was a still completely swollen and cut up all over.

   I am hungry, though. And I can't hide in here forever.

   At least the gash above my eye was closed. I was leaning forward to inspect the stitches when a knock on my door made me jolt from my seat. I covered my face with my hair the best that I could without looking like a wild animal and moved to open the door.

   "Robb. Hello," I said, surprised to see that it was him standing on the other side. He held something in each of his hands.

   "May I come in?"

   "Of course," I said under my breath, moving aside to permit him entry. I lifted my hand to my face in an attempt to hide the worst of my injuries.

   He walked past me with a bowl of soup, steam rising off of it, and something else in a small jar. He set the soup on my table and turned around to face me.

   "I didn't think you'd like to come down for dinner, so..." He paused to let a heavy huff of air out of his lungs. "I've also brought the salve from Luwin. May I?" He gestured for me to sit on the edge of my bed and pulled my stool over to sit in front of me. I kept my head down, barely glancing up while he pryed the lid from the jar.

   "I'm sorry for being so short with you this afternoon."

   "Please," he insisted. "You did nothing wrong." He had scooped some of the salve out with his fingers and gestured for me to remove my hand from my face.

   "It's not pretty," I warned without lifting my head or uncovering my face.

   "It can't be that bad."

   Oh, but it was. I swallowed my shame and tucked my hair behind my ears to expose my face entirely. To my surprise, Robb's expression didn't change when he saw my injuries. No eye bulging, no gasping. He, instead, got to work on applying the salve to each of my cuts individually. He was gentle, and I sat as still as I could through the stinging pain.

   "Did I miss much at dinner?"

   "No," Robb answered, pausing to look from my forehead to my eyes. "Everyone was asking about you, though. Wondering how you were."

   "That's kind. What did you tell them?"

   "I lied," he answered with a short laugh. "Told them all was well. Barely a scratch. Told them that they shouldn't worry."

   I laughed too, thanking him for his decorum and for lying on my behalf. "How is Grey Wind?"

   "He's well. Quite the loyal beast."

   "I'd say," I said with a smile. "I think he was meant to be your's."

   "You can come visit with him after breakfast, if you'd like."

   "I'd love to." Seeing those pups was the best part of my days lately. Robb was nearly finished applying the salve, digging the last of it out of the jar and leaning in to put the rest on my largest cut. I glanced over to my soup and noticed that the amount of steam rising from it had dissipated greatly.  "I should eat."

   "Aye, you should," he agreed gently. There was a shift in the room. He still sat at eye level in front of me, no wavering in his attention on my eyes until he glanced to my lips briefly. It was quicker than I could have blinked, but it had happened. I could feel that he sat in anticipation, and I sat frozen in thought. A million thoughts in one moment, it seemed.

This is how it was meant to go, how it was always meant to go. It's why I came to Winterfell to begin with. It was the best case scenario for everyone involved. Well, mostly everyone. My father would be thrilled to return to me happy alongside Robb, but could I be? Could I truly be happy with a man whose most trusted friend coveted me, and who I coveted in return? And why did I find myself longing for Theon in this moment, in any moment? After what I had learned of him through Robb, I shouldn't have given him a second thought. But, he had apologized today. He was so caring, so gentle. I should have pressed him more when he began to open up to me.

"Thank you, Robb," I uttered suddenly, shattering the growing tension between us. He leaned further back, obviously thrown off that I had interrupted this moment. Disappointment flashed momentarily in his eyes, and I felt just then like I must be the worst person in the world. Had it been more of a statement than I had intended? Had it revealed the truth in my heart, or had it merely seemed I was a lady asserting manners?

He rose without acknowledging what had just transpired and made for the hall. "Anything you need," he said awkwardly, but sincerely before exiting, the door swinging shut heavily behind him.