The Lone Wolf Returns(RECONTINUED)

Chapter 8:The King's Hostage

Asha Greyjoy shuddered. Damn this castle, she thought bitterly. Damn this wasteland North, and damn this man who calls himself king. She wanted to speak to Theon. She wanted to see Qarl. She wanted to be home, in Pyke. But Euron would kill me if I stepped foot on the shore. Else he'd lock me up in another castle, with my lord husband.

Looking out from the window of her dismal little room, Asha gazed at the men working in the castle yard below. Theon said that Winterfell used to be a warm and happy place, but there was no trace of the merry castle he spoke of now. Stannis had set his men to restoring all the towers and walls, and they had nearly finished, but Theon insisted it was all wrong. It isn't how it looked, he told her. There should be glass gardens. And the gargoyles are missing. The parapets don't look the way they should.

He was getting better, but Asha knew he would never be the man he was. The Bastard of Bolton had unmanned him, and while Theon's hair had returned to its natural darkness and there was now meat on his bones and colour in his face, he would be a eunuch forever. I'll kill him, Asha thought with fury. I'll kill Roose Bolton's bastard, but first I'll cut his cock off and let him use it as a gag to bite on while I flay him.

She thought of it constantly. Asha hated being trapped in a tower, far away from her longboat; she hated being a hostage when she could be fighting. Stannis had taken her axes when he made her a prisoner, however; she called herself lucky that he even spared Qarl and Theon.

He uses Theon as a hostage, though, and Qarl is only a means to keep me obedient. She was grateful that he found a way to come and see her, though. Stannis thought little and less of keeping her chaste; she hadn't consummated her marriage to begin with, and he wasn't entirely pleased about Ser Justin Massey's plans to wed her anyway.

Asha strode to her door, gingerly opening it and peering at the guards standing outside. "I'd like to see my brother," she told them. They exchanged looks, but eventually nodded.

"We'll notify the king," they told her. One of them gestured her forward and began to walk her down the corridor.

Good, Asha thought as she followed the burly knight. If Theon was speaking with the king, I wouldn't be permitted to see him. And Asha knew that when Theon spoke to the king, it was never a good thing. Stannis wants his head badly, if only for the sake of his stupid honour; but Theon's too precious a hostage to do away with just yet. Even in her little tower, Asha had heard of the news from the Islands. Theon was Balon's rightful heir; there could be no question to his inheritance. Even if Euron had won the Kingsmoot, there were Ironmen who resented him and cried out for the son of Balon Greyjoy. If they saw my little brother now, they might sing a different song, however.

The king's onion knight had brought Theon's squire from Winterfell home when he delivered the screaming Stark boy to Stannis; the dour king had half a mind to claim that Wex was Theon's bastard, in the event that Asha's brother ever did end up ruling Pyke and needed an heir. The Drowned God knows he hasn't the means to make any more.

Theon only had one guard stationed outside his chamber, which was so low in the castle that it was only a quick walk from the dungeons. Asha's escort unlocked the door and stepped away, admitting her.

Theon's rooms were even smaller than hers, though they were blessedly warm; even Stannis knew that her brother's health was still frail, and keeping him alive was a necessity.

Theon rose from his seat when he saw her. The speed with which he did made her glad. He is better every day.

"Asha," he said softly. She strode to him.

"Theon," she greeted gently, throwing her arms around him. She had to be mild in her gestures, lest she hurt him; Asha made note not to squeeze too tight.