Iron and Blood: a Theon & Sansa Story

Chapter 82

Theon
Theon sent for a new maester from the Citadel when they found Wendamyr dead in his cell. He had crushed his own skull against the bars, but no one cried for him.

When Theon met Asha in their father's old solar, she asked after Sansa. "Better each day," Theon replied. It had only been a week since her rescue, but some of the wounds still bled, and there were times when she flinched under Theon's touch.

"Good," Asha remarked. "A raven came for you." She held out the unfurled parchment, and Theon crossed the room to take it from across the long table.

Asha had already broken the seal, which made it impossible for Theon to make out its sigil. He realized soon enough.

Theon, Sansa, Arya, it started, we received word that Lord Robb plans to cut the Southern army off near the Twins, but his rider suggested a Lannister ship was coming for the Northern shore of Pyke to rescue Sansa. I wish I could have told him it would not be a rescue at all, but he knows nothing, I swear it. If there is war, I cannot say that it will come to your shores. We will send word as soon as we are able. My father hopes it will not be long before you can pass through the Neck on your return to Winterfell. Theon, I hope you made it home safe. Abylene Saaro is the kindest woman in all of Westeros. I have no doubt she will take good care of Sansa and the baby. My brothers and I are looking forward to your return. The North remembers.

It was signed only M.R. but it made Theon smile all the same.

"Did Sansa mention a ship coming on the Northern shore?" Asha asked, sitting down in the chair that had once been her father's. "That cunt Kal had a big mouth—can't imagine he would have kept quiet about his plans."

Theon put the letter down on the table and shrugged. "She has trouble remembering everything they told her," he sighed. "She mentioned the Lannisters coming to take her, but I don't know about the Northern shore in particular."

"Well," Asha hummed, "I don't want to send Tris and his brothers to wait at the docks there, search every ship that arrives. Mostly smugglers that come that way."

"I trust Meera Reed," Theon replied. "If she says a Lannister ship might land there, I have no reason to doubt that we ought to send men."

Asha was not convinced. "No ship will dock waving a Lannister flag," she reminded him. "How would we know which ship was theirs?" She stood up and approached Theon carefully. "Our men are better spent preparing for an assault—a real assault. Your wife is safe now, and the men who planned to give her away are dead."

It was true: Asha had found Harrag's younger brothers first, put a dagger through both of their throats before moving on to Harrag, himself. She told Theon that she had found him hiding at the docks. "I spooned out his eyes," she bragged to Theon, "and then I made him eat them."

All four of the captors were posted near the tower entrance on stakes: a warning to any other Ironborn who dared lay a hand on Sansa Stark. Theon insisted his sister take down the display after the sight and the stench made Arya vomit. Reluctantly, Asha had obeyed.

Arya would be excited to know that Meera had written them, but she would want to go to the Northern shore to meet the Lannister ship herself. For the most part, Pyke had been good to her. She told Theon on several occasions that she was ready to face Joffrey and put an arrow through his cock.

"The little girl wrote that the fighting might not reach out shores," Asha added. "That's not what your friend Lord Stark seemed to think."

Theon considered it a moment. "If Robb can prevent bloodshed on the Iron Islands, he will do it."

"All this for one girl?" Asha mused. "Can't say I would ever go to war for you, little brother."

"It's not just about Sansa," Theon breathed. "We've always been a threat to the mainland. If we ally with the North, we might overpower anyone in King's Landing."

Asha scoffed. "As though I would ever let my people align with Northerners," she muttered.

"You already have," Theon remarked. "Your brother married into the most powerful Northern family that ever lived. The Starks were kings once. What happens if they decide they want to be kings again? If the Ironborn help them do it, they could grant us our own freedom."

Asha put her head in her hands and sighed, "I never liked the Northern fuckers, but the Southerners may be worse."

It was true: Northerners and the Ironborn were not nearly as different as they had convinced themselves they were. Neither was well-loved throughout the Seven Kingdoms, which would have made them proper allies—had either been any less stubborn.

"We don't have an army to face them," Asha added after a moment. "If they come here, we won't be ready."

Theon knew that she was right, but he did not want to say it aloud. Somehow, he reasoned, that would make it real; that would call the Lannisters to their shores and mark the end of the Ironborn for good.

"Your Grace," someone shouted from the door. Theon turned to face Tristifer Botley, red-faced and breathless. "A Northern ship!"

Asha stood up. "Where?" she hissed.

"Approaching the docks," Tris heaved. He looked to Asha and then to Theon, but neither had answers for him.

"Take us," Asha commanded, and Tristifer Botley obeyed.

He led them down the tower steps and through the small wood that opened up at the docks. Sure enough, a small vessel sat alone on the water, but it bore no flag to indicate its identity.

Theon asked Tris, "How do you know it's a Northern ship?"

Tris, still catching his breath, pointed towards the deck. "The girl," he declared.

Theon followed his finger to the bow of the ship and shielded his eyes from the beating sun. It could only be a dream.

"Meera?" Theon yelled to her, and she smiled. He still wasn't convinced that she was real. Shaking his head, he asked, "Your letter only just arrived. Why are you here?"

She disappeared from the ship's bow to approach Theon and his sister on the dock. "I sent word before I really knew anything at all," she told them. "My father sent me here with my uncle Havhan because we could not trust a raven with our message." Meera's eyes flicked to Asha and then went back to Theon. "Who is this?" she asked.

"My sister," Theon announced. "Asha Greyjoy."

Neither spoke upon their introduction, so Tris cut in, "Perhaps we should go somewhere to speak privately."