Solace {A Game of Thrones Fanfiction}

Chapter 27

Theon and Tara finally reached the coast.

While they were riding the horse, they suddenly turned a bend and the ocean was out in front of them. Tara commented how she couldn't remember the last time she saw the ocean. It was definitely the most beautiful thing she had seen in a very long time. Even though it was cold and foggy, to her it was calming.

They managed to find a boat that was on it's way to the Iron Islands. Theon had found a boat with the golden kraken sigil on the banners. He had explained to the men on the ship who he was. Luckily, they believed him.

They set sail and the entire time Theon kept Tara close. He wasn't sure what desperate sailors might think about her.

Late at night, they were in the hull of the ship on thrown together bunks. They didn't really care where they slept. Theon was just happy to be on a ship because the farther from Ramsay he got, the better he felt. Every day, Ramsay felt more like a distant nightmare. 

Theon and Tara leaned on each other listening to the boat creaking through the wind and waves outside. Only dim lanterns lit the inside of the boat.

"Thank you." Theon said suddenly. Tara looked up at him. She didn't understand what he meant.

"You saved my life Tara." Theon continued.

"So did you." Tara said. Theon didn't listen and continued, "If you weren't there I don't know what might have been." Theon looked off into space. Tara knew bad thoughts were seeping in. 

Tara gently grabbed his chin and turned his gaze towards her. He clicked out of his remembrance as she spoke. "Theon," She said softly, "You saved me too."

Theon looked away, pulling his gaze away from her. Her expression fell. He didn't know if he could believe that. He didn't think he did anything besides hurt her.

"Theon." Tara said more strongly this time. Theon didn't look over.

"I just hurt you." He said quietly, but Tara heard him.

Tara had caring in her voice, "Look at me."

Theon forced himself to look up at her. He could see all the caring in the world in her soft eyes.

"That's not true. If it weren't for you, I would have died a sad whore." She said. Theon's eyes trailed away once again.

Tara reached out to the side of his face and pulled him back over to her. "It's not true. You saved me. You and you only."

"You never hurt me. You can't blame yourself for the actions of Ramsay."

Theon finally spoke, "But Ramsay hurt you because of me. If you hadn't meet me, you wouldn't have had any of that happen."

Tara didn't break her fixed look on him. "You can't think like that." Tara said, "Even if you weren't there, I still would have gotten hurt by evil men like Ramsay. It was always like that, even before." This time she trailed off.

Theon looked over at her. He felt so bad for her. He knew that their childhoods and younger years were probably very different.

"You stopped it." Tara continued, "I'm now here with you and I don't need to worry about evil men."

"You don't owe me anything." Tara ended.

Theon thought for a moment. Everything she said, he was beyond glad to hear. He had thought it all his fault for the longest time. However, even though she said he didn't owe her anything, she probably did not know how much she had helped him. There was no way she could ever repay for all she did for him. From the very beginning soft touch of her hand on his cheek all the way to now. There was too much that she had done for him without even knowing it. The simple sound of her breath had helped Theon more then she would be able to imagine.