King of the World / Roose Bolton (2.1)

16. Stay Away

Theon couldnt stay away, he had to see her, he needed to talk to her. He knocked on her door and she flinched back when she saw him again. Her face pinched, filled with mixed emotions of hate and sorrow, need and panic. Seeing him on the kennel floor brought back too many feelings she wished would stay buried.

"Rieka... I..."

"No, theon." Rieka shook her head tears falling from her eyes.

"Reek." he whimpered.

"What?" rieka rasped confused.

"Not Theon. Reek." He corrected.

"What happened?"

"You shouldnt be here, Rieka. You need to go. You need to go." Theon whimpered out through chattering teeth. He was crying just as hard as she was. She crumbled back and he knelt beside her.

"Theon- Gods I hate you. I hate you."

"Reek." He whimpered. "And I hate me too." Theon assured, she met his gaze finally and he looked so broken, not the man she used to love but something else.

"What did they do to you?" Rieka rasped.

"Rieka you are not safe here." Theon begged. "I know I hurt you before but I... I want to help you now. Please, you have to get out of here."

"Here is my home Theon." Rieka whimpered. "I dont want to leave, the BOltons have been kind to me."

"No, no, no," Theon repeated over and over again. "Rieka please!"

"Go away." Rieka sobbed out. "Just go away."

+

''You smell particularly ripe this evening." Ramsay remarked when Theon came in. He remained quiet as he waited for instructions. ''Pour me some wine." Theon poured the wine wordlessly. ''Do you have something to tell me?''

"No my lord." 

''Reek.'' Ramsay cooed, his word sweet like venom.

''She saw me.'' Theon whimpered.

''Who?''

''Rieka and Sansa.''

''Lady Rieka and Lady Sansa." Ramsay remarked slowly.

''They came to the kennels.'' Theon whimpered

''She saw you?''

'' Yes. I'm sorry, master. Forgive me. I didn't think--'' Theon rambled.

''Come here.'' Ramsay instructed grabbing hold of Theon's head. ''You mustn't keep secrets from me, Reek. Get on your knees." Theon obeyed. ''Give me your hand." Theon held out his hand. ''I forgive you.'' Theon stared up at him amazed.

+

"Keep your pet away from my wife!" Roose demanded. 

"They found him, what was I supposed to do? Give him a room and treat him like a person?" Ramsay countered nonchalantly. 

"He is a problem, dont you see that? And he is upsetting Rieka." Roose hissed. 

"Hmm." Ramsay countered looking his father over. "I have never known you to have a heart." 

"Keep him away from Rieka." 

Rieka was in the kennels, not looking for Theon but letting the hounds run around, they circled her as she gave them treats of meat and stale bread. Avalon bound through the snow joyously. 

"Rieka," Roose called out and her head turned. He moved, his feet crunching through the snow to her. He wrapped her up in his arms. "I'm so sorry." 

"I dont know why I am so upset." Rieka countered. "I... I hate him." She let out a quivering breath with her words. Roose rested his chin on the top of her head. If only she knew what he had done to her brother, then she wouldnt be hugging him, she would be hating him even more. 

+

"My lady needs more wine!" Ramsay declared. "Reek, fill her cup." Rieka hesitated as Theon came forward. Theon poured her the wine. He kept his eyes down, refusing to look at her just as she refused to look at him.

''I heard you two had reunited. A fitting place for it. I like to imagine that the last time you spoke was in this very room." Ramsay remarked, Rieka couldnt look up, she drank her wine again but left some on the bottom so as not to need Theon closer to her again. Roose was not happy about Ramsay's disobedience and bringing Theon to supper. ''Are you still angry with him after he... what he did?" Ramsay mused looking between them. Rieka's gaze shifted to Ramsay and she looked just as murderous.

''Don't worry. The North remembers. I punished him for it." Ramsay assured. Rieka stared back at Ramsay wordlessly. ''He's not ironborn anymore. Not Theon Greyjoy anymore. He's a new man." Ramsay declared but smirked back at Theon. ''A new person, anyway. Aren't you, Reek?''

''Yes, master.'' Theon answered obediently. Rieka sucked in a pained breath, Theon had never been one for laying down without a fight, he was always so charming and mischievous... but that was before.

'' That's his new name-- Reek." Ramsay clarified.

"Yes I heard." Rieka agreed but her chest felt tight and her words choked her.

"Ramsay, send him away." Roose suggested but Rieka gripped her silverware tapping it down gently on the table. "She doesnt need this now. Or ever." Although Rieka did appreciate Roose trying to help she needed to say something before she exploded. 

"Why did you care though, ramsay? YOu didnt know my family or I, you never met us, never cared about us, you were not at Robb's camps like your father, fighting for their victory." Rieka remarked, Ramsay's gaze shifted knowingly to his father. "You were a bastard but a few moons ago no?" Ramsay hissed out a breath. "So Ramsay my unfortunate son... Why are you doing this?'' Rieka questioned and Ramsay leaned back in his chair his tongue peaked out from between his lips. 

''Because Reek has something to say to you. Don't you, Reek?'' Ramsay asked turning back to Theon. ''An apology. Apologize to Lady Rieka for what you did." Rieka stared back at Ramsay a moment longer. ''Apologize for murdering her two brothers." Ramsay went on.

''I'm sorry.'' Theon whimpered.

''Look at her, Reek.'' Ramsay demanded as Theon's eyes slowly moved up from his feet. ''An apology doesn't mean anything if you're not looking the person in the eye."

"Ramsay." Roose hissed. 

"I'm sorry." Theon whimpered. 

"Sorry about what?" Ramsay prompted.

''For killing your brothers." Theon whimpered out holding back a sob.

''There, over and done with. Doesn't everyone feel better?" Ramsay remarked smiling happily. ''I do. That was getting very tense. Whew.'' Ramsay said grinning as he wiped a hand over his forehead. ''You know what, my lady?" Ramsay looked to Sansa who had tried her best to remain invisible this supper. "What with him having murdered your brothers and the rest of your family gone... Reek here is the nearest thing to living kin that you have left." Ramsay remarked. Rieka stared at Ramsay perplexed.

"I'm her sister, also your mother, I think I out rank you." Rieka reminded him. 

''No, no, no mother dearest, you see, it is my wedding." Ramsay corrected. 

"It is sansa's wedding as well." Rieka hissed. 

"Reek. You will give away the bride. Someone has to. What better person?" Ramsay declared. Rieka's mouth hung open, he couldn't be serious. ''Good? Good? Yes, yes, very good." Ramsay declared with a clap. ''Wonderful.''

Rieka looked to Roose for help but Ramsay was beyond help.