Theon Greyjoy x Fem!Stark Reader
Theon was used to the cold. When he first arrived in the walls of Winterfell he had been shivering, dwarfed under his seal-furred cloak. Now he was certain he could wander around half naked and feel nothing at all, a big part of this would be the warm veins of water crossing the castle, but he would not admit it. Today was important, for the Starks, for him, just another day in the shadows, standing behind the little wolves, with the moping bastard on his side. Still, he dressed in his best clothes as quick as he could, covering himself in his black cloak with the golden kraken, nine years had passed but he would always be a Greyjoy. Rushing out of his room he was met with the servants running around like ducks without a head, he avoided bumping into any of them, successfully maintaining a clean set of garments once he reached the yard.
And, she had gotten there before him again, there she stood by her mother’s side, waiting for everyone else to arrive. The crunching of his steps on the fallen leaves gave him away to the women, the youngest turning with a sweet smile directed solely at him, unlike the Lady of Winterfell who scowled at him.
“Where is Robb? Did you not accompany him?” Lady Tully never truly liked Theon, always expecting him to watch over her oldest son.
“I believe he was finishing up when I left,” he smiled towards Y/N with a glint in his eyes. “I wanted to make sure I was on time to help around.” Catelyn seemed appeased turning to her eldest instead.
“Go make sure Rickon and Bran are ready and not prowling around the woods, I can’t have them covered in mud in front of the king.”
“If the king is anything like father says he would probably join them.” She laughed; it was apparent Catelyn agreed but still she gently shoved her daughter away.
Grinning she signed for Theon to follow her, which he gladly did falling into step at her side.
“Seems we are both in brother watch duty.” He leaned towards her, being a good bit taller than her and her siblings, he had become used to this, though he always leaned the closest to her.
“It is because I’m the most responsible,” smirking she linked her arm with his. “I don’t really understand why they trust you so much though.” His hand shot to his chest.
“My lady you wound me, I have only been loyal to you and your house, and you insult me in such a way, I may not be able to look upon you ever again.” He feigned pulling away from her, but she only tightened her grasp cackling in the gentlest way a lady could. They walked together towards the weirdwood, they were sure the kids would be there, most likely accompanied by Arya.
Today she was wearing a white dress with blue velvet adorning it, covered by a grey coat decorated with soft garnet leaves on its trims. She looked warm, but most of all she was enchanting, he had known many women, believe me many, but none compared to the oldest Stark sibling. She stood tall in her red leather heeled boots, and a warm fur hat covering her head, her cheeks were glowing, and a soft smile accompanied her wherever she went. A soft tapping of her gloved finger reminded him they were having a conversation.
“You seem dispersed today, are you nervous about meeting the royal family? I hope they don’t stay long; I hate when such important guests come, everyone is a hair’s away from losing their temper, and things happen too fast, I prefer when its just us in our home.”
Home. He wishes he could understand her, he had been ripped from his true home, the rocky island of Pyke, he would like to say he missed it, but he had forgotten too much for that. The Starks were good and kind, but he cannot forget, when he first saw the Warden of the North, cold gray eyes, and a heavy hand on his shoulder, guiding him away from his sobbing mother and kicking sister. Ned Stark was noble, Theon had not lacked any comfort, still he knew why he was here, not to be raised, but to keep his father in line. Nevertheless, he smiled at the girl.
“I doubt they will be here long; no southerner can handle the cold of the North for more than a few days before freezing their bottoms off.”
“You acclimated quick enough. Never mind that, father and mother seem anxious, I wonder why. Not much we can do, so let’s enjoy the festivities, I expect at the very least they will be entertaining.”
“I could entertain you.”
She scoffed, like always, turning away from him to cover her smile. He knew her entirely too well, could recognize her by the sound of her steps, her soft breathing, her distant laughter. He must be ill.
Finally, they reached the kids, not only the youngest were there, but the dark boy and the little lady trying to pull them away from their games. Though Sansa was trying harder than the boy. Arya was ignoring them to the best of her abilities, throwing snowball after snowball at Bran, who could do little more but escape, while Rickon chased him with a stick, pushing his little legs to the limit. All this ruckus stopped the moment the eldest appeared, unlinking her arm from his and embracing the frustrated redhead.
“You all should listen to Sansa, mother is waiting, she really needs us to act in our best behavior today, yes?” Bran ran to her side.
“I was trying but they are rabid dogs!”
“I’m not a dog! I’m a wolf!” The last snowball hit him straight on the nose, and if it wasn’t for the girl holding him, he would have launched at his cackling sister.
“Come on Arya, I gave you time to release that energy, time to be a little lady.” Reluctantly she walked towards them, she always listened when her bastard brother spoke. Rickon was the last bastion standing his ground, fiercely crossing his fat little arms in defiance to his boring brothers. Theon knew it would not last long, the moment his sister called for him sweetly he would run into her arms and be lifted away happily.
With Rickon in her arms, the siblings turned away from the forest, and made their way to he yard, Theon followed two steps behind. He was close to the older siblings, but he knew he was not part of them, he was an outsider, he was ironborn, the night to the day they were.
“Can the wolves come?” The littlest had the hardest time being away from his wolf, his beast would be better said, Shaggydog was the wildest of the bunch.
“You know mother wants no problems today, but if you are good, we can go to the forest after the feast.” Rickon smiled satisfied, not knowing by that time he would be knocked out in bed.
“Look what the cat brought in! How are you always so late when we have guests.” Robb had brushed his curly red hair away from his face, he looked younger than he was with such a clean face.
“Maybe if you helped rally the little ones like Sansa, we would be timelier.”
“I helped too!” Y/N gave Snow a knowing look, he shrugged smiling and went to stand by Robb. The rest of the kids were corralled around them when their parents appeared. Lord Eddard Stark looked as solemn as ever, with his eyes glued to the entrance, Catelyn looked just as anxious about the king’s arrival, but the kids seemed to not notice.
Finally, the royal family’s court arrived at the heart of the North. The king had changed much since he had last seen him. He remembered a tall and broad man, smashing his way through the battlefield, not a fat old cunt. The queen on the other hand was the definition of beauty with her golden curls and emerald eyes shining, a great contrast to her husband. He decided to ignore him for the rest of their stay, but he was unable when he noticed the king freeze for a second in front of the eldest Starkling.
“I cannot believe you have grown so; I still remember holding you when you were just a suckling babe.”
“A long time has passed since then your highness.”
“Bah, I know Ned,” he grinned at the young lady, “your father thinks me a stupid old man, but I am just as strong and sound as I was back then Lady Stark.”
Gently bowing, she replied, “I am certain of it your highness, our father often speaks of your prowess during the rebellion.”
The king turned to his old friend then, a heavy scowl on his eyes. “What? So, I have lost my strength since then? You are one to talk! You have gotten fat!” The yard went quiet at that, both men holding their gazes while the rest held their breaths.
With a raised brow from the lord of the north it all dissipated as if it were never there. Theon thought about him and Robb. Would they maintain their friendship till their late years? Would he ever be able to look at him as lord of the Iron Islands? Stand tall at his side?
The royal family went on greeting the Starks and completely ignoring everyone else. The festivities began with the families sat together in the dais. As always Theon had to crane his neck to look at them, sat by the damned bastard. Snow was sulking, while looking for his uncle, the black man.
“Your eyes are gonna fall out at this point,” his voice came out muffled by the mug holding his precious beer, “hopefully.”
“Have you seen him? I lost him in the crowd.”
“Fuck if I know, I don’t care for those sad bastards.”
Snow turned to him, with a fire on his ass. “They are the ones protecting us from those savages, they have more honor in one toenail than you do in your entire body.”
Theon was not going to argue with that, he was not honorable and did not care to be. At least not until he heard the girls laugh. His eyes looked up to the heavens. She had taken off her hat, her hair cascaded around her, her braids adorned with silver, glinting as brightly as her eyes. They laid on her sister who was showing off her dress-making skills to the queen. Her elder sister’s pride could be seen from the wall to Sunspear, already commenting on the gloves she had been wearing and the designs the red head had added to them.
She had always been the type to shower people in compliments. He still remembered the first time he had successfully hunted. A fat and slow hare, which had been butchered by his 3 arrows, destroying the fur coat and most of the meat. She did not mind, clapping at his feat and taking it out of his hands to ask the cooks to make something of it. Completely ignoring their grimace to cheer for him again.
“You will be feared in battle a few years from now Theon, I can already see it.”
All he had done since then is present her with his prizes, always the best pieces he shot down. Hoping for another smile, another pat on his shoulder, another run to the kitchens to boast the dinner they would have tonight. He had taught her how to handle a bow, she was not bad herself. He could still feel her back glued to his front, warming him up as he held her trembling arms the right way.
Theon missed those times when they were younger and freer. Now he was stuck accompanying the lord and lordling wherever they went. And she stayed by her mother, learning the ways of a high lady, leading an entire castle on her own. Sometimes, he would allow himself to fantasize, for just a few moments, that it would be his castle she led. Turning the gloomy decrepit towers on his dark shores into a home, if anyone could do it, it would be her.
He was woken up from his reverie by Snow launching towards the doors, probably in search of his sad uncle. Now his sole only entertainment would be the rowdy drunks who kept knocking over their mugs and themselves. He could’t really complain, he was basically doing the same, he probably stunk of beer.
As he was getting up to relief himself, a strong hand caught his shoulder.
“We need your help getting the young ones to bed, “Robb’s cheeks were as red as an apple ”They are a bit rowdier than normal.”
“Sure.” Its not like he could say no, still he followed him, like he always has, and most probably always will. At the end of their path stood the eldest and youngest, a tangle of limbs as Rickon tried to escape her embrace. He went straight to them and grabbed the boy, he went limp in his arms, knowing he would be carried as a sack of potatoes if he didn’t behave.
“Oh, so you let Theon carry you but not your dear sister?” Her huffing made the kid laugh, hiding in Theon’s arm. Bran run to grab her hands, she was his favourite sibling, and he was terrible at hiding it.
Caressing his plump cheek she smiled at him. “See how Bran behaves? That’s a little man right there, a knight in the making.” The little snores ended the conversation. Bran quickly grew bored of walking at his sister’s pace and ran to annoy Arya, who was receiving a piggyback ride from the eldest boy.
“You can pass me Rickon if you want to go back, the party is more fun than putting the pups to bed.”
“And miss Arya throwing a fit?” He pitched his voice annoyingly higher” No, I’m not tired! what do you mean I’m tripping all over myself and can’t keep my eyes open? Don’t laugh at me Theon, you stupid ass!”
That laugh again. Her cheeks had grown redder as the night and the drinking proggressed. Her eyes wetter with a mischivous glint shinning through. He needed a drink.
“Thank you,” the girl’s tone had grown solemn, “I know we don’t say it enough, but we really appreciate you. It wouldn’t be home without you here.” Theon didn’t know how to answer. She also seemed to be a bit out of bounds, her reddened cheeks had grown scarlet, but she was braver than him, she pushed forward.
“Its just… Seeing the royal entourage, how alien they feel to each other, no warmth between the children, the marriage frigid… And knowing what we have here, it may not be perfect but its good.” She grabbed Arya as she tried to dash through, fleeing her brother, opening the door to her rooms. “And you are part of this goodness Theon, rest well.” With these parting words she closed the door behind her, and Theon was able to breath again. He could still hear the bumps and laughter of the girls as they battled for a few more minuted before bed.
A part of it. He wanted to believe it. So many days had been spent on dreaming of strong hands on his shoulder, embracing him as his own, of sweet lips laying sweeter kisses on his cheeks. But it was for naught, his efforts went unnoticed or were berated directly. Still one day, he would make a place for himself, and she would be right there, by his side, as its supposed to be. No doors between them, just love.
