The Finding of Lya Stark

return to winterfell

A/N: thank you for all the votes and adding my story to your reading list. As always I apologize for the delay. And enjoy this update!

I sit on Silver deciding I would ride that day instead of riding with Sansa as  I'd  been doing. I was excited to see the place I had somehow missed no matter the little amount of time I'd actually spent there.
A part of me is nervous. Nervous to lay a claim against Theon, nervous to see how the place had changed since we'd been there. The towers are the first thing I see in the distance. "Almost there," Jaime says reaching over with his stump. I squeeze it and smile at him. "Everything is going to be OK, " he says.
The walls come into view and then I can make out a figure standing watching us  "Who is it?" I ask Jaime.
He squints "I do not have the eyes of a hawk I cannot answer that one."
I hide my smile behind a glare.
When we come into view of whomever it is they've disappeared. The gates are opened however and upon my insistence Jaime and I are the first ones to ride inside the walls. Looking around I'm shocked the walls I'd once known are blackened and some parts are so charred it's amazing they're still there.
"Hello My Lord and Lady," comes a voice and I turn to see an unfamiliar face. I sense the anger from Jaime as he moves slightly ahead of me.
"What are you  doing here Bastard?"
He tuts at Jaime though, "Bolton. My father has decided to make me his heir."
"What is going on here?"
"I am here to show my loyalty to make wrongs right."
"By burning down my home?" I ride forward this time.
"Please," he says in what should be a placating voice but accompanied by the look in his eyes only makes me shiver. "I'm sure you are all tired. My father should be here by tonight and we will discuss things then."
"We are the Lord and Lady here not you. We will decide what happens. Get settled in," I turn to the people behind me spilling out. "There is much to be done. We will meet at noon for tea," I say turning back to the Bolton.

"Are you sure it's wise?"
I look up from unpacking. "Is what wise?"
"Meeting with that bastard without his father?"
"Why wouldn't it be?"
"He hasn't sworn his allegiance to you."
"Every person we meet with won't have sworn allegiance. When we show up at people's houses looking for it we are putting ourselves in danger."
"Yes, but he is not all of those people he is the son of a dangerous man."
"Do you hear yourself?" I ask starting to feel annoyed. "There are lots of "sons of dangerous men". You're one of them!"
He takes my hands in his. "I didn't mean it like that. I just meant," he takes a breath. "The Boltons sigil what is it?"
"A flayed man," I say quietly.
"This is a house of people who skin people alive when they cross them. I've heard things about the son that not only is he as cruel as his father he's sick. Sadistic. I just can't stand the thought of him wanting to hurt you." He pulls me to him hugging me.
"I have you and all of my men to look out for me. I appreciate your concern," I pull away. "But we need to find out what happened here. Where Theon went and what he's doing here commanding the people as though they are his. Trust me?" I cup his face. He sighs.
"I guess I'll have to but I'm not leaving your side til him and his father are gone."
"Fine," I say turning so he can pull on the strings of my dress allowing me to slip it off. He pulls me in close kissing my cheek. "We have stuff to do," I say pulling away out of his reach. He groans but sits to watch me move around pulling on a new dress and fix my hair in a simple braid.

Ramsay sits on one side of the table Jaime and I on the other. I catch that feeling again when his gaze falls on me. I fight the urge to shudder and he leaves a sick feeling in my stomach.
"I think we all know the true reason we are here," Jaime says interrupting him in mid sentence. He'd been talking about his dogs just the thought of hunting with them seemed to make him come more alive on the inside. That was what bothered me even more making my skin crawl.
"Don't be rude. The lady-."
"Your future Leige lord asked you a question." I said. "You wish to come under our aid in good standings?" I say. "Winter is coming." For a moment I see anger flash behind his eyes but it is quickly replaced by a grin and a nod.
"Of course My Lady," he says the grin on his face slipping away as if it was never there.
"What are you doing here?" I ask.
"Securing the walls for you of course."
I squint at him. "How long have you been here?"
"A week," he says. "We received the good news and decided to take the place back from that wretched traitor. My father sent me to take care of it."
"What did you do to Theon?" I ask and he smiles again. It says a lot.
I can almost hear him taunting me asking me "wouldn't you like to know?" At the same time I think of what Jaime said about the flayed man as his sigil and how cruel of a person he was. I start to wonder if I wanted to know what this man had done and so clearly gotten pleasure out of doing.
"When did your father legitimize you?" Jaime asks when it seems clear he wasn't going to answer the question.
"Not too long ago."
"Why did he?"
"I'm his son," Ramsay says.
"What are you really doing here?"
"I already told you."
"It doesn't explain the damage."
"I didn't just walk in and take the place," he says as if it's completely obvious. "Theon put up a fight. That's the result of our skirmish."
"Where is he?"
"Why does it matter?"
I couldn't quite put it into words why I wanted to know so badly. Something about Ramsay terrified me. If he'd flayed Theon or just killed him either way I wanted to know. "His father deserves to know. Theon was my fathers ward."
"He betrayed your family if you don't remember correctly."
"So did yours,"I counter.
"So did his," he nods at Jaime. "Fine," he says. "Reek!" He calls and someone shuffles through the door into the room.