FIRE AND BLOOD ( CHAPTER EIGHT ) "I DON'T WANNA THINK ABOUT IT NOW IT'S DARK IN MY IMAGINATION"
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290, KING'S LANDING
"ONLY SORCERERS AND THE WEAK KNOW HOW TO READ," Theon Greyjoy argued firmly, arms folded across his chest and frowning down at the book that Aerea was holding out to him. Aerea's eyes narrowed in disbelief and growing irritation.
"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard," Aerea snapped, "No ward of mine is going to be illiterate. You will learn how to read and write, Theon Greyjoy."
Theon's face twisted as he spat back, "I'm your captive! Not a ward."
Aerea's glare darkened, "If you're so adamant about being a captive, I'll throw you in the Black Cells and show you how I really treat my captives," Aerea said lowly and Theon blanched, reaching out for the book immediately. Aerea raised her chin, smirking, "That's what I thought."
It's been nearly a week since the Greyjoys attacked King's Landing and the rebuilding of the city was well underway. Almost all of the buildings demolished had been rebuilt and Aerea had gotten little sleep but she thought it was worth it. The Greyjoys had been able to destroy much in the short time they had before she had taken care of them and now the city was looking better than ever. She had the City Watch overseeing the construction of the new houses and buildings, which, if she might say, were much nicer than the originals anyway--her city was actually beginning to look like a city and not a shithole. Even some of the soldiers from the other houses were chipping in to help with the reparations, Lord Stark had his men working in building as did Prince Doran, Jon Arryn, Mace Tyrell, Renly Baratheon and Tywin Lannister, but Aerea knew that the only reason Tywin Lannister's men were helping was because he was trying to begin to appease her anger toward him.
Theon Greyjoy, on the other hand, was a whole problem that Aerea should have expected. He spent a few days wallowing, as Aerea expected but then he turned to anger and she didn't necessarily blame him, he was probably trying to mask his fear and trauma with it but it did cause problems that Aerea couldn't exactly deal with when she had half of a city to restore.
"You better not give Astara any more problems," Aerea warned before leaving her room and turning to Astara, who was waiting outside for her, looking thoroughly amused.
"I assume he won't be protesting about learning to read and write anymore?" Astara chuckled and Aerea rolled her eyes.
"He better not," she muttered, "I've got too much shit to do to deal with a nine-year-old kid having a temper tantrum because he doesn't want to fucking learn how to read."
Astara laughed and patted Aerea's shoulder, "If I could teach you to read, I'll be able to handle the little Greyjoy," Astara said and Aerea laughed because she knew she had been beyond difficult to teach anything.
