Zokla | Theon Greyjoy

Chapter 7

She slept in much longer.

It wasn't intentional, and certainly unexpected. Lyarra was sure she would have woken up sooner with all the noise Maggy was making once she did finally rouse herself. The sky was dark and she figured it was the same day until the witch told her that she and Minisa had slept until the following evening.

Lyarra immediately moved to pick up Minisa, who was happily staring at a few birds– made entirely from leaves– suspended on strings over the cot. "I didn't realize how exhausted I was," said Lyarra, rocking Minisa gently. "I have not slept well since... before this little one was born. And even then, full nights of rest were scarce."

"You'll not be left wanting for sleep here," said Maggy, nudging a stool toward her bearing a bowl of steaming stew. "Eat. We will talk here. What can you do, girl?"

"I can shoot, a bit," said Lyarra, feeding herself with one hand. "I've much more to learn about accuracy... though I think I may be able to bring someone down even if they are not mortally wounded."

Maggy huffed. "I suppose it is a start. Now, what do you know of men?"

"I... in what sense?"

"If you had to convince one to spare you, could you?"

"I don't think so. I get angry so easily, if they wouldn't cooperate, I'd snarl at them. I was only quiet when that Ironborn who brought me here threatened my daughter's life."

"Then you will learn to manipulate men. To make them do your bidding."

Lyarra's face burned– was it the stew or was it that she felt flustered? "Make them do my bidding? Do you mean... seducing them?"

Maggy looked serious for a moment, then burst out laughing, which sounded much more like a hoarse croak. "No, that I cannot teach. But you may learn it with ease after what I will show you. To use one's body is only a fraction of the game. The rest comes from the mind– knowing what to say, how to move. First you must know what you see, and what you will need to say.

"You see, men will manipulate you in many ways. They will bring you to unfamiliar territory where you will have nowhere to call your own, nothing to use against them. There, they exert their control. They will isolate you in any setting, so they might be your only comfort, so you may depend on them. Some play their cards carefully, they will be kind to you and make you feel as though you are a queen prior to when they begin to beat you into submission. By then, you'll love them and will excuse all of their actions. They will bring you feelings of guilt, of insecurity, so that you might feel so small... so unlovable. And then they will be there to love you and make you feel as though you are worthless without them."

"I've..." Lyarra hesitated. "I don't think I've ever known a man like that, not for a long time, anyway. Smalljon treated me so kindly. My daughter's father was... immature, but then again, so was I."

Maggy gave her a significant look. "I do not teach you these things because you already know them, child. I teach you them because you will need to know them."

"You see men like this in my future?"

"Many, I'm afraid. You will need to know how to survive them. You must be a good manipulator, the way they are. They will not expect you to use their tricks. Now, first we teach you to lie."

"To... lie? Doesn't one simply pretend it's the truth?"

"In some instances, yes. But some men are perceptive. If you begin by acting as though you are a terrible liar, they will never be able to know when you are really lying. They will believe it to be the truth. You've hidden things in the past..." She nodded to Minisa. "You must be good at hiding things under worse pressure. Now, let us practice. I want you to tell me a lie."