Chapter Text
Away from the noise of the city and towards the noise of the sea. Theon was soon off the train and walking towards his house. The only house left in tact by the Lannisters after their raids. They controlled so much of the city and they wanted to make their mark. Once large buildings had been reduced to piles of rubble by the roadside. Theon had to step around it. Dark smoke from bombed out neighbourhoods was swept into the skies by the brewing storm above. He was glad that was all he had to step around.
He was glad not to see any bodies but still found himself curious as to who had taken them. He hated this street, he had always hated it. Many of the worst of his memories had occurred here. Most of the best had too. Asha was gone, she would have made contact with him if she was still alive. So she must be among all the other charred body parts inside the remains of these houses. He tried not to think of her. Coming here had been on his mind since he'd heard about it. Plastered all over the news, fucking propaganda all of it. Saying that his family had been making bombs here. Everything awful they could think of, he knew his had to be that Lannister bitches doing. Coming up with these stories, drugs, terrorism, human trafficking. All of these had been pinned on the Greyjoy family when they were found in the city. Theon knew that the proud Greyjoy house did not fight like that. His sister would not be so sly. He knew his father wouldn't either. His pride was a thing to be feared.
The sky was getting darker still. There was a wind so strong Theon struggled to stay standing. He was nearing the house now. The even the cars were burned out, how did they explain that away? All of the cars where still parks where they would have been before, he spotted Asha's near the largest house at the end of the road. He saw the huge van she drove and the golden kraken emblazoned on the side. Hers remained in tact. The rest had stopped burning by now but the smell of it was still thick in Theons nose, despite the wind and the time that had passed. His true home and his true family. Burned up. He had seen Asha on the news. The bullshit the crown passes off as news anyway. Slandering the Greyjoy name. Calling Asha an enemy to the city, his father depicted as a power hungry snake. All this control and they still wanted more.
So they did this, killed them all. Much of the Greyjoys territory had been lost but then they had to take it one step further and eradicate them all. All but Theon. If he didn't visit this place he would have no peace with this city and then he could not leave. He would be hunted down by the Lannisters lapdogs if he didn't flee soon. Theon wondered if they thought it necessary to kill the last Greyjoy. Nearing the door now, he only now realised how afraid he was. This house meant so many different things to him. His brothers, all they had done. All they fought for. Only for it to be shattered by fucking Tywin Lannister. Theon braved the front door and made it into the lobby. He was hit with a cloying sickly smell all at once. Lifting his shirt he covered his nose and blinked away the tears forming in his eyes. He continued through the house. Theon tried to be quiet so as not to disturb the memories here. This marble floor reflecting his own dark shadow back at him did not help with Theons fear. His eyes flickered around. Paintings, animal pelts and even mounted stag heads along the walls. Their eyeless sockets staring down at him. All along this cold uninviting hallway. The family he never truly knew and now never would.
Slowly he walked thorough this empty home, the only sound being his own footsteps. He should have dressed more warmly, it was so cold. The windows were open, why were they windows open? It did nothing to rid this place of the smell. He could hear the strong winds whistling through the house, like ghosts calling out to him. He hoped he wouldn't find his sister's body. Maybe he shouldn't have come here, what did he hope to find? Robb was right to try to make his stay away. In the night he left. Looking over the city in the stark penthouse he dressed himself and left with only a look at Robb's sleeping face. He was still asleep on the couch after drinking too much. Theon had drank too but not for enjoyment for once, but with hopes of distracting himself. Robb had known how much Theon thought about Asha.
He had done well up to now, keeping Theon distracted. Tonight he had slipped though and in some small way Theon felt guilty for leaving then. He knew Robb wanted him isolated from the rest of the world. He thought it would be safer. After all that had happened. Ned Starks imprisonment and subsequent lethal injection. Sansa and Arya's disappearance. His mother being so far away still. Robb was still soft in some ways and Theon knew it. They both did. Both of them were weaker than they feigned to be. Now he had to decide if he could go back to him and hope Robb would forgive him and offer him shelter again. He continued further into the house, he would go upstairs first. As he climbed the long staircase to the second floor he thought of what he would do if he didn't go back to Robb. If he went back and was refused, would he hand him over to the Lannisters?
He needs all the help he can get, but the only son of a now dead house would be of little use. If didn't have the means to get out of the city on his own. He would have to ask Robb. He could at least grant him that. Already he was thinking as though this had happened. Robb might now abandon him after all he had done. Looking upwards he could see a glorious chandelier in the room ahead of the stairs. When he reached the top he found himself speechless. A balcony straight ahead was aglow with so many lights and it was so soft, so carefully arranged. Pieces of fabric were hung from the ceiling and all of them blew in in the wind from the stone roof overlooking the old docks. He felt for his handgun at his waist before continuing forward. Walking out onto the balcony he could hear the whistling winds even stronger now. Still so many boats say near the docks, their owners absent. These lights were so out of place here. Glowing with warmth against the colourless sky all of it so violent and unforgiving. In contrast these fabrics were made of rich silks and heavy velvets. Reds and golds swirling around, Theon he found himself distracted again. The smell coming from inside was so strong suddenly. He turned and found his vision black.