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One drizzly afternoon on the Iron Islands, little Theon Greyjoy was exploring the rock pools by the sea, his face stoic in concentration as he crouched down and stared into the tiny pools of water, gently sloshing around a piece of driftwood.
Soon, he saw a very small crab thrashing about, and he quickly scooped it up in his little hands, the water falling between his fingers.
The crab was on its’ back, its’ tiny legs moving about in a panic.
Then Theon noticed the bit of water left in his hands was turning a strange colour.
He squinted, and he saw that the crab was bleeding on its’ side.
“What have you got?” A voice suddenly demanded behind him, and he gasped and looked over his shoulder.
His sister Yara stood with her hands on her hips, her face a frown, as usual.
She looked down at Theon, waiting.
“Nothing.” He muttered, closing his hands so that the crab was in complete darkness.
“Let me see.” Yara’s voice was still stern, but became slightly playful as she edged closer to take a look.
Theon reluctantly opened his hands.
He didn’t want his sister to get rough and hurt the crab.
It was already hurt. It didn’t need more hurt, Theon decided.
“A crab,” Yara announced in a disappointed tone, “And it’s bleeding.”
“He’s mine. I found him.”
Theon thought about what he should call him.
He stayed crouched down, observing his crab and hoping Yara would go away.
“It’s not yours’.” She argued.
“Is so.”
“Is not.”
“Is so!” He gave her the most angry face he could muster to show his impatience.
“You have to kill it,” His sister suddenly said, “It’s dying. You found it so you have to stop its’ suffering.”
“No.” Theon turned away to look back at the creature in his hands.
“You have to.” Yara insisted.
“No I don’t,” Theon then stood, his face a mixture of worry and determination, “I can make him better. I found him so he’s mine. I’ll look after him.”
“It’s going to die, Theon,” Yara tried to explain, “But slowly. The right thing to do would be to stop its’ pain right now. You’re not going to be small forever, you know. You have to learn to be a man.”
“I don’t want to kill him.”
“If you don’t then that means you’re not a man. Just a coward.”
“You shut your mouth!”
“I’m just telling you the truth. Father won’t let you keep it anyway, and the others will make fun of you for not killing it.”
“I’ll hide him.”
“They’ll found out. Then they’ll make fun of you and then you’ll cry.”
“No I won’t!”
“Yes you will. And then they’ll beat you, and you’ll cry even more.”
“I will not!”
“You will.”
“Shut your mouth!” Already his eyes began to water as he scowled up at his sister.
He knew she was right. He knew his brothers would make fun of him, and he knew they would hurt him.
And maybe he knew he would cry.
But he didn’t know he had to kill the crab; he liked him and he imagined taking him around the island and talking to him, and him listening, and the two of them becoming the best of friends.
“Don’t be such a baby,” Yara sighed, “If you were suffering, wouldn’t you want someone to quickly kill you and make the pain stop?”
Theon thought about it.
“I would want someone to make me better.” He said.
Yara rolled her eyes.
“It can’t get better. It’s too late.”
Theon wanted to cry but he forced himself not to- though his bottom lip trembled slightly.
“That’s not fair.” He mumbled, looking down at the crab and watching him thrash around in his palm.
“It’s just how it is.” Yara’s voice became slightly softer.
It was silent for a while, save for the light pitter-patter of the rain and the whistling of the wind and the crashing waves of the sea and the gulls in the sky.
Theon wondered what sound the crab would make if he could make one.
Would he be crying in pain?
“I don’t want him to die.” Theon then spoke, his voice almost a whisper.
“Remember little brother,” Yara’s voice was strong and proud, but laced with a sliver of pity, “What is dead may never die.”
Theon sniffed and watched the crab struggle.
“What is dead may never die.” He repeated very quietly, before looking off into the distance and watching the crashing sea, wondering if the crab had a family somewhere, and if they missed him.