For Freya -- Leaving Pyke

You see a ship waiting at a port. There is an honorable man walking with a scared, terrified young boy in tow. The boy is young and sandy-haired, shy and sullen. His brothers have died. And now he has to leave home. If his father rebels again -- he'll die.

That's why he's being given to Ned Stark. Because the man is honorable and will keep his word. He will do his duty. That is what they say. But as he directs the young boy to the ship where the others are waiting for them they are stopped by a woman -- his mother.

Alannys Greyjoy is not an ugly woman, but she lacks the stunning beauty of southern beauties such as Catelyn Stark or Cersei Baratheon. Her eyes are wide and filled with tears as she is overwhelmed by grief. She tries to plead with Ned.

"Please. You can't take him from me. He's my only boy left. The others died I can't lose him too."

Ned is quiet for a moment -- it is after all not this woman's fault that her husband decided to rebel against the crown. Still, actions have consequences and he had sworn to Robert he would take Theon back to Winterfell, he would raise him among his own.

"I have my orders. The boy will be well taken care of, I swear to you."

Theon is quiet, but if one looks they can see tears in his eyes too. He doesn't dare run to his mother like he used to when he was upset. He is ten now and beyond that he is now his father's heir by default, a position he never would have had otherwise. He has to be brave. The Ironborn do not cry. They are strong.

"Not like I would. Theon belongs here. With me. With his sister. My husband may have agreed to these terms but I did not." Alannys begs and pleads and cries but even she must realize how futile it is for her to do so. She has lost so much already. She can't lose another child when she is still grieving her other two. It is too much to bear.

"That does not matter." Ned's words are final, but not cruel. He takes no joy in this, ripping an innocent child away from its mother. But maybe if Theon is raised next to his children they can foster a future that isn't as rife with conflict as the present. "I have two sons near his age back in Winterfell. He will not be alone. They will grow up as if they are brothers."

Catelyn is going to kill him for bringing another unwanted child home, especially when she still hasn't quite forgiven him for Jon, but Ned knows that this is what has to be done. His wife will come to understand that, just as Alannys here would as well. What is good for the kingdoms is not always kind to the individuals. It frequently is not.

Alannys' face screws up in hurt and anger as she sobs again. "He had brothers. He has a sister. He does not need another family. He does not need you. He doesn't belong there."

"He will, with time. He will not grow up like a prisoner. Now we have to go."

Ned starts to tug at Theon to take him on board when Theon finally speaks, unable to hold back his own crying now. "I'll be okay, Mama. I'm brave, you'll see. I'll come back big and strong."

Of course, his mother won't live to see that day, but they can't know that yet. Instead he looks back at her as long as he can until it hurts to look behind him anymore. They board the ship and start the long journey back to Winterfell, away from the Iron Islands. Pyke never felt like home, but he will cry and miss his mother for a long time. Ned Stark tries to be kind to him, tells him about his own boys, Jon and Robb and how well he thinks the three of them will get along.

As if that makes anything better.

(It does a little)