Guiltless / Theon Greyjoy

41. Proper

"Rieka, might I steal you for just a moment." Roose countered. 

"I will find my way." sansa assured, her gaze filled with horror as she looked to Roose, she wanted to run away already. 

"Whats wrong?" Rieka questioned. 

"Baelish." Roose answered. "He is..." he hesitated, he knew that Sansa was traveling with him, didnt know if Rieka was fond of little finger as well.

"My mother never liked him." Rieka remarked. "Didnt trust him really, called him slimy." Roose chuckled. Rieka kept her voice low so Petyr wouldnt hear them. 

"He certainly is that." Roose agreed. "Just stay close and dont listen to what he has to say... No doubt he has been spinning lies."

"Spinning lies about what?" Rieka questioned.

"Me." Roose answered honestly. Half honestly, they were not lies.

"You? What could he have to say about you?" Rieka countered.

"I can't even imagine the lies the spider has spun."

"I couldnt have survived this past moon without you Roose." 

"Roose Bolton kill Robb and mother."

Rieka didnt know what to say to that.

"Nonsense, Petyr has been lying to you."

"Joffrey said that Walder Frey-"

"They were headed to a wedding between Edmure and one of the Frey girls." RIeka remarked. "I was there. for a time... I wanted to come home. I'm glad i did or else I would be dead too."

"Roose-"

"He has taken care of me. Protected me. Treated me right through this all." Rieka corrected. "I dont think I would have survived without him, Ramsay has been kind as well.... we are to be wed."

"Rieka he's a monster! He killed-"

"I dont believe you." Rieka corrected. "I saw Roose with Robb at his camps, he was a great man. He showed honor and mother trusted him." Rieka corrected.

"Rieka you have to listen to me!" Sansa begged.

"No. I dont." Rieka corrected. "You have been with Petyr too long. Mother never trusted him, you remember that? Yet you trust him over your own sister. Mother trusted Roose, Robb trusted the north to roose. Told him to look out for me and he has, tenfold." Rieka declared. Roose smirked from behind the door, hearing their conversation. Rieka was the right choice, she would bring them the north easily. 

"Rieka he's a killer!"

"So was Robb, so was father, they killed the bad guys Sansa. Roose tried to save Robb."

"He wants power!" Sansa demanded.

"And Petyr doesnt?" Rieka countered, Sansa's lips pursed, petyr did want power. "Roose was an ally through it all and coming back here... dont you think that if he wanted control of the north, he would have gotten rid of me. No, he took care of me, he helped me when I grieved mother and Robb." Rieka demanded. "He didnt ask for anything and said I was safe." Rieka hated that she had tears in her eyes, she tried to blink them away but they fell down her cheeks. "I hadnt felt safe in a really long time and being here makes me feel safe."

There was a knock on the door and Rieka took a step back wiping at her eyes, sansa turned her face down, she didnt remember the last time she felt safe. She couldnt blame Rieka, maybe she heard wrong, Rieka seemed convinced Roose was the good guy after all.

''Welcome home, Ladies Stark. The North remembers.''

That echoed in Rieka's mind.

The North remembers.