I'm Theon Greyjoy

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***

Hiding in the deep corners of the castle, Asha watched the Baratheon soldiers carry off anything of value that caught their eye. Weapons, jewellery, even furniture. She'd seen a few ladniks dragging a couch from the Sea Tower, muttering and cursing.

Half of the interior had once been taken by the Iron Price Lords of the Iron Islands themselves, but now it was all taken from them themselves. A humiliation the inhabitants of the Pike will not soon forget.

Father looked on grimly, as did the surviving captains and warriors. There were occasional skirmishes, but they were quickly quelled, not in favour of the Ironborn. Asha had seen the childish corpse of one of the servants accidentally killed during the assault on the stone corridors of Pyke.

The corpses of the dead were carried off, looting in the process. Unlike the dead of Baratheon's men, the corpses of the islanders were simply thrown into the sea. King Robert was merciful and allowed his dead loyalists to be transported on separate galleys to be buried in Westeros.

The King of the Seven Kingdoms wished to preserve the life of Balon Greyjoy. The deposed and defeated ruler spat, threatened and shouted that he would not bend the knee. 'The Iron Islands swore oaths to dragons, not stags,' he said, unafraid of the fury of the Demon Trident or the Silent Wolf.

The Crowned Stag liked the squid's bravery and gave him a choice:

Kneel or the entire House Greyjoy will be slaughtered.

It's unclear what his father was thinking, but he swore an oath to Baratheon. That same day, Uncle Victarion, who had locked himself and a handful of warriors in Bloody Castle, laid down his arms. Pyke finally fell and Baratheon and Stark men filled every corner of the stronghold.

Asha had been in one of the rooms of the Sea Tower during the assault, armed with a few daggers Rodrik had given her. But luck had favoured her, and it wasn't the angry and blood-smelling men of Stag or Wolf who had entered the room, but a few of her father's loyal fighters.

They led the girl to the Great Castle and Asha watched with a heavy heart as her father, in a cluster of lords throughout Westeros swore allegiance to King Robert Baratheon, his first name.

The next day, the king made a new condition - his last surviving son would become a hostage to Lord Stark. He will be raised there as long as Baelon lives. And then he would inherit Pyke with all the lands and titles.

She remembered for the rest of her life the look on her father's face as he learnt that one of his sons had survived and was taken from him at the same moment. Anger, rage, bitterness and something - something Asha couldn't recognise. Or didn't want to.

But gritting his teeth and with a ghastly expression on his face, Lord Baelon was now forced to agree. The Greyjoys were in no position to be rude and refuse those who had defeated them.

Father had sent a letter to the Isle of Harlow, to the Ten Towers, to a relative on his wife's side. It was there that Theon was stationed with the remnants of the Iron Fleet. At the news of her brother surviving, she smiled for the first time since the fall of Pyke.

Drowned God as her witness, she loved her little brother. With all her heart. The war had taken Rodrik and Maron from her, but Theon had survived.

She watched the dead Maron buried in the sea. The dead man's head was hidden in a cloth, but Asha could see - broken by the stone, it looked ugly. And the stone became the thing that sent him to the sea-chambers of the Drowned One - the priests pinned a few of them on Maron and plunged him into the water.

The girl did not weep in public, but in her chambers she could weep with all her despair and passion. The rare moon was her witness, and looking at it she thought. Of herself, her late brothers, and Theon.

'We do not sow,' the Greyjoys and all who lived on Pike Island had said proudly. She would prove herself worthy of the axe and glory. Asha will become Rodrik, Maron, and Theon - everything that was taken from her father.

Pike will become hers and she will free her younger brother. Taking her father's place and reclaiming what the greenbloods took from her.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''"'

The piece of parchment brought by the raven from Pyke pleased and saddened.

The Greyjoy fiefdom had fallen. Father knelt before Robert Baratheon, the Iron Islands are part of the Seven Kingdoms once more.

The death grip is gone, with a faint breath of wind. For how long?

After reading the last word of the letter, Theon looked up at Lord Harlow:

- What of other news? - He asked, glancing round briefly.

-They are not cheerful, prince..... my lord,' Lord Rodrik chuckled, quickly correcting himself. Theon was not a prince now, and Harlow sometimes forgot to call him by the empty title.

-I have long asked you not to call me prince, and now it no longer makes sense,' Theon grinned, putting the letter aside, 'I am simply my Lord Theon now. The youngest of Lord Reaper Baelon's sons.

Theon's companion was silent for a moment, then said carefully:

-I'm afraid, Theon, that you are no longer the youngest of the sons,‖ and at the shocked look, finished finally, -Your brother Maron is dead. He was found dead in the rubble of one of Pyke's ruined towers.

Rodrik saw bitterness, weariness, even humility in his nephew's gaze. And shame? But Theon quickly shut himself in his shell, a cold expression on his face.

- And my sister Asha? Is she all right? - The young Greyjoy asked a new question, hiding his excitement behind a mask of indifference.

- The ravens haven't brought bad news about your sister. I'm sure Asha's all right.

-Good... -he pushed aside the book he'd been reading recently. A thick tome about the distant lands of the East, I.T. and Qarth, -Father is urging you and me to come to Pike. What do you expect of this visit?

- The oath to the Baratheons is the only thing I can expect from this visit. You are heir to the Iron Islands now, and I am Lord Harlow, who can bring a large army under your father's banner.

Theon nodded in agreement at his uncle's reasoning.

- 'That's right, Uncle, there will be an oath. I wonder at the king's mercy in keeping my father alive. What was the reason for his action? - He asked the question as if into the void. Rodrik gave no answer, not knowing or simply unwilling to share his speculation.

'It's doubtful there's any nobility behind it. A Trident demon is not known for good deeds or a generous heart. Calculation? Or just plain stupidity? Kill Baelon and put me on the throne, the king could pacify the violent island kingdom for a dozen years, if not a generation...'

Theon had heard of King Robert, a man of little interest in running the state or counting coppers. The merchants of Lordport spoke of the king's fornication and constant drinking.

While the king entertains himself, the kingdom is ruled by the Small Council, under the mighty Hand, Lord Arryn.

Greyjoy's musings were interrupted by the whistling of wings and the chirping of birds.

- I WANT TO EAT! I WANT TO EAT! I-want-to-eat! - The parrot began to whine again, having flown into the library through the small window.

Sighing, Theon untied a small pouch from his belt and poured a handful of grains onto the table. The parrot flew over to the table and began to quickly peck at his lunch.

The reader, standing nearby and observing the whole picture, asked interestedly:

- Nephew, I have always wondered. How did you teach this bird to speak whole sentences?

-I practised with it every day for half an hour. I repeated the words, and after a couple of weeks he spoke,' Theon shrugged, stroking the parrot with one hand.

-How's that. How smart is this bird? How many words does it know? - Rodrik, in his dark fur camisole and silver chain around his neck, asked with interest.

- I'm quite sure it knows two or three hundred words. I try to give it a large vocabulary, but insults and swear words are more to its liking,' Theon said, noticing that the parrot had eaten the grain he'd sprinkled out.

- I'm surprised such a clever bird doesn't have a name. - Rodrik smiled, trying to pet the unusual bird. The parrot accepted the caress cautiously, twitching slightly but not pecking back.

- I haven't figured it out yet. - his nephew said phlegmatically, 'When I think of it, then I'll name it.

- Tell me, uncle. How long will it take us to get to Pike? - After a moment of silence and watching Theon's pet eat a handful of grains, he asked:

- With a tailwind, a day or two.

- Then we should leave tomorrow?

I didn't want to go back to Pike. Yes, we need to see Asha, and with her, Baelon and a bunch of continental lords and the king. We don't know what Robert and his closest advisors want. Who knows, maybe Baratheon will get the idea to send Baelon to the Night's Watch... along with Theon.

Rodrik was thinking about something. Theon stayed out of the way, lazily watching the parrot.

- Good. We'll set sail on my galley, the Sea Song. I think your men will keep us company.

After eating another handful of grains, the parrot flew out of the room again, through the window. Sometimes Theon wondered how that bird could stand the cold here. It should be sitting in the castle, warming up, but it wasn't, climbing outside.

After half an hour of chatting, Theon left the library and went to his private room, which the Ten Towers had given him.

His mood was lousy, though he couldn't tell it from his face. He looked around, wishing he had his jacket and chain mail next to his new sword forged by the Ten Towers blacksmith. It had deteriorated so badly that the artisan had spoken without concealment about the impossibility of getting it into proper condition.

On the table lay his new helmet-almost identical to the one Greyjoy had had in the past.

It was all useless now, Balon Greyjoy had bowed his head and there was no point in fighting any further. Not only Theon realised this, but the others as well.

Few answered the former prince's call, mostly Lord Harlow's vassals. The Orkwoods of Orkmont Island, which neighboured Harlow's islands to the north, and the Sanderleys of Salt Cliff, one of the seven largest islands. The Sanderleys were one of the most important Greyjoy bannermen and Theon's grandmother came from that house.

The other bannermen chose to respond with silence or an honest refusal. Many castles in the Isles have been besieged or stormed. Some have fallen, others have chosen to surrender.

And now it was very likely that even the few who had agreed to come to Harlow would not come. The war is over and no one wants to shed their blood for nothing anymore.

Sighing, Greyjoy rested for a while and cleaned his gear as he had become accustomed to, heading to the local training field to drown out his tired and sad thoughts with the sounds of steel and cracking wood.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''"'

The triangular formation of five galleys, their sails embroidered with Greyjoy's kraken and Harlow's scythe, were approaching Pike Island.

Theon could see Lordport from afar, with many dark smokestacks billowing over it. The city had been hit hard by the united army of Westeros and now it would take years to undo the damage that the Westerosi had managed to do in the few days of the assault and weeks of their stay.

Calm weather reigned, no rain or frowning clouds and they made their way to the anchorage quietly, noiselessly.

The whole harbour appeared packed with ships. He saw sails with different emblems. There was a silver seahorse on a sea-wave-coloured field, the Velaryons, and in the corner, the Lannister ships stood apart from the others. There weren't very many of them, unlike the others. It wasn't surprising, most of the fleet had been burned by his uncle at Lannisport.

Theon had seen the ships of the Manderlys, Stark vassals, and the ships bearing the banners of the Northern Lords were not too few. There were enough crests from the Vale and the Vale. Even the Mallisters were among the armada of ships, their eagle crest Theon had noticed when they'd come ashore.

But the vast majority were ships with sails bearing a black stag on a yellow background.

The Iron Islands had to face all of Westeros. Only Dorne did not send its small fleet, remaining neutral.

The Iron Islanders' galleys, carefully skirting the clusters of Baratheon ships, docked at Lordport Wharf. As he stepped ashore, he saw a huge number of soldiers scurrying about the city. The taverns were filled with warriors and knights, and many and varied banners hung on the roofs or in front of the houses.

The town had suffered a great deal - many houses lay in ruins. The wooden fortress of Botley was practically burnt and destroyed. There are no corpses to be seen, but Greyjoy is sure the streets were littered with them after the assault.

'How many women raped, how many children or men killed? And how many slaves have been freed since the coming of the Stag King?' - Theon thought involuntarily as he travelled.

On low horses they reached Pyke. The castle, too, had taken quite a beating from the catapults. Several towers had been turned into lying chunks of stone, and a huge hole in the wall gaped as a passageway. They had to suffer the humiliation of going through it rather than the main entrance, which was packed with Baratheon and Lannister men.

The Greyjoy fief itself was bustling with life - King Robert had decided to celebrate his victory with a feast. The very place where the war had ended.

As he entered the Great Castle, escorted by Rodrik Harlow and a couple of foot soldiers, he saw all the festivities of a foreign feast - the black-haired man sitting on the Sea Throne was a bit of a shock to the ironborn. King Robert showed that he was the triumphant one by taking the host's seat, and at the same time seated the latter beside him. In a small throne-like chair.

Baelon Greyjoy's eyes looked indifferently at the guests who had entered. It was impossible to tell what the man was thinking. It seemed to Theon that he was broken, but that proved to be a deceptive impression.

All the long tables were occupied by the lords of Westeros. Right in front of Greyjoy's eyes was the end of another eulogy in praise of the king.

He was noticed - first by those on the very edge, and then, gradually, like a falling domino effect, more and more eyes began to look at him. King Robert noticed the boy.

-Kha! Lord Baelon, isn't that your youngest son, Theon? He smiled at the elder Greyjoy and then turned his gaze back to him. An unknown emotion flashed in the Trident Demon's eyes.

Rodrik was the first to get down on one knee, Theon following immediately.

-Your Majesty,' Rodrik greeted the king quietly, 'Lord Baelon. We have arrived as you summoned us.

Addressing him made the old Greyjoy cringe. Robert nodded and said in a loud tone:

-Then sit at the table! The war was yesterday, and today is a feast! By all the gods, Old and New, I want to try this boar with baked apple as soon as possible. I'm sick of swallowing fish alone!

There was no choice but to follow the king's almost command. Theon sat down next to his father, who allowed himself only a brief show of emotion - he put his hand on the child's shoulder, as if he couldn't believe his own son was sitting next to him. But quickly yanked it back.

He did not see his mother or sister among the celebrants. Greyjoy wanted to question his father, but Baelon was completely lost in himself, reacting little to outside stimuli.

Victarion appeared nearby, a small void forming around him. None of the Westerosi wanted to sit down with this sullen and gloomy ironborn. The islanders at the feasting tables were far too few in number.

The feast was loud, with constant cheers for the king and other war heroes, and Theon had to sit through it all. He kept catching glances from all sorts of people - mostly appraising ones. He also kept catching glances from his father. Silent and sorrowful.

Baelon didn't utter a single word to Theon. Throughout the entire feast, he had been few words and carefully concealed his emotions.

And it displeased the younger Greyjoy greatly. Was returning to Pyke a sensible idea?

'''''''''''''''''''''''''"'

The next Theon learnt the reason for his bad feeling. He should have fled while he was still in the Ten Towers, but it was too late to do anything about it now. He had walked right into the jaws of the forest beast, and there was no escape.

He is now a hostage in the care of House Stark. He'll be the safeguard that keeps the Isles from another uprising.

He'll stay within the walls of Winterfell as long as his father lives. Not a good prospect, considering Lord Baelon isn't going anywhere. Not in the next ten to fifteen years.

The constant stares of a man with a stern, long face, who turned out to be Lord Eddard Stark, Guardian of the North, were becoming clear.

Under an escort of Stark soldiers, he was bidding farewell to home. Theon did not know if he would return to Pyke again. He caught a glimpse of his sister and mother from a distance. They watched as the boy left the walls of his home, surrounded by lancers with wolf crests.

And so he left Pyke and travelled North, accompanied by Lord Stark's men.