So in Love

Chapter 3

The great hall was filled with laughter and music. Bottles of wine were carried around by servants and maidens and plates with food were scattered all over the wooden tables. Winterfell wasn't really known for its big parties and huge dinners and most likely not even this one would make a true impression on the royal family. But for the North it was almost revolutionary and without a doubt the event of the year.

"Normally you never shut up and now you haven't been talking for at least five minutes." Robb planted an elbow in Theon's side and Theon shook his head.

On the opposite side of the table sat Sansa. She wore a pretty dress and her red hair waved around her angelic looking face. She had always complained that minstrels never bothered to travel to the North and that there was never anything amazing to do. But now she was thriving, drinking in the atmosphere.

And the flirting smiles Joffrey sent her way.

Theon clenched his jaws when he caught another one of their stolen glances and he tightened his grip on the spoon his was holding until his knuckles were pale white.

"Theon? Should I get you a doctor?"

He didn't need a doctor. He wasn't ill. But he would feel a lot better if that stupid crown prince and his stupid family would be on their way back to King's Landing again, far away from Sansa and far away from the marriage he kept on hearing rumours about.

"Is it true?" He turned his face towards his best friend and he bit on his bottom lip.

Robb furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head. "Is what true?"

Theon rolled his eyes and he dropped the spoon on his plate. The clattering echoed through the entire hall, but everyone was too busy with their own conversations and the exciting new people crossing their paths to notice him. "Is Sansa gonna marry Joffrey?"

Robb shrugged. "I don't know." He looked at his sister and at the crown prince, seated at the table of honour next to the empty seat of his father. "I've heard Robert proposed the idea to my father. But from what I know he's still thinking about it."

Theon let out a mocking chuckle. "As if your father is ever gonna say no to the King."

Why did that Jon Arryn guy have to die? If he hadn't died, King Robert and his Lannisters would still be in King's Landing. The crown prince wouldn't have laid eyes on Sansa and Sansa wouldn't have dreamed about becoming his Queen.

Robb chuckled. "Why does it matter? Sansa seems to like the guy. I have no idea what she sees in him exactly, but as long as she's happy, everything is fine, right?"

Of course Theon wanted Sansa to be happy too. He wanted her to wake up with a smile on her face each and every morning. He wanted her to sing songs while walking through the hallways of her castle. He wanted her to be surrounded by friends and people who liked her. But more than anything he wanted her to be happy with him. He wanted her to wake up next to him. He wanted her to sing songs because of him. He wanted to be one of those people who liked her, who loved her.

And somehow he had allowed himself to hope that maybe that dream wasn't out of reach. He had been stupid. He had been incredibly stupid.

"Wait a minute..." Robb's jaw dropped and he wrapped an arm around his best friend's shoulders. "You're not in love with Princess Myrcella..." He had a glimmer in his eyes that Theon usually loved, but hated right now. "You're in love with Sansa!" He chuckled. "O, I can't wait to tell Jon about this."

"Please..." Theon whispered and shook his head. He was kinda glad that the bastard sat as far away from the royal family as possible, because that meant he was also seated far away from Theon and Robb right now. But Theon knew that begging would probably only make things worse, so instead he leaned back in his chair and tried to look as uninterested as possible. "As if I'm not a far batter match for her than that stupid crown prince will ever be."

Robb raised his eyebrows and then he burst into some annoying endless laughter. "Theon..." He patted Theon's shoulders. "I don't wanna be rude, but that boy is gonna be our King one day. And if my sister gets the chance to be his queen and likes that, I don't think there is a better option in Westeros for her."

Theon crossed his arms over his chest and he bent his head to hide the tears burning in his eyes. "He only likes her because she's pretty." He mumbled. "If she marries him, he'll force her to be pregnant all the time so she constantly has to push out beautiful babies."

"And that's not why you're in love with her?" Robb tried to muffle his laughing, but failed hopelessly.

"No!" Theon raised his voice and looked up again. "She's more than just pretty! She's smart and funny and kind. She sings beautifully and she makes all those lovely clothes." Theon took a deep breath. "And when she enters a room, it's like..." He searched for the right word. "Like the sun starts shining."

"O boy..." Robb shook his head in utter disbelief. "I didn't know it was this bad."

"Arya!" Sansa's high pitched scream interrupted their conversation before it could get even more uncomfortable. A blob of food slid down her cheek and quickly her friend tried to wipe it away. "It's not funny!"

But it only worsened Robb's uncontrollable laughter.

"Robb..." This time it was Theon's turn to plant his elbow in his best friend's flank. "I thought you wanted her to be happy?" He hissed between his teeth. "Does she look happy to you now?"

"Fine, fine..." Robb stood up from his seat to get Arya out of the room.

It was way past her bedtime anyway.

But just when Theon was about to stand up to offer Sansa his help, he noticed how Jeyne Poole already guided her safely out of the great hall to get herself properly cleaned up.

Damn it. He had just missed his chance to play her knight in shining armour.