CHAPTER 27 | NO MORE

THEON was enduring the wrath of "killing" Bran and Rickon Stark. He knew they were nowhere to be found and escaped, but he would never let his crew know that. They'd think of him as even weaker than he already was.

He had killed all the crows within Winterfell so no letters could be sent out, but he still received a raven during this plot. Immediately after, he killed that raven. "This one arrived an hour earlier," Dagmer said, handing Theon the letter before snapping the raven's neck.

Theon nodded, opening the letter and realizing that it had been addressed to Bran and Rickon. A wedding had commenced at Robb's camp, just a few weeks after Theon left for Pyke. He read over one particular sentence a couple times: And so, it has now been so-forth proclaimed that Robb of House Stark and Freya of House Greyjoy were united as one in marriage. Long may the King and Queen of the North rule.

There had to have been a mistake. Was this true? His sister, who essentially was never Robb Stark's biggest fan, ended up marrying him? And for what? To piss off him and her father that they never sent ships for his cause? He couldn't believe her. What a fool he had been.

Theon ripped the letter in two and put the contents in Dagmer's hand. "Burn this," he ordered.

The gates to Winterfell then opened, revealing a hoard of men carrying Greyjoy flags. His other sister, Yara, rode in at the front. She was covered in dirt and gore, but she reminded him of Freya in so many ways. As much as he would never admit it, he knew the two females would always triumph over him in different ways.

Theon watched Dagmer walk over to the fire pit and place the letter in the flames. He waved to his sister, knowing that she would not be fond of this news either.

•••

"You what?!" Freya asked, startling Lady Catelyn as she scribbled down a letter. "I thought you were visiting the Kingslayer to have a talk with him, not to release him! How could you do this behind your son's back?!"

Catelyn didn't answer, and instead set down her quill. She sighed before glancing upward at Freya. She didn't understand her reasons for letting Jaime Lannister go with Brienne and her handmaiden, Laila, but she knew they were just.

Suddenly, the flap for Catelyn's tent was pushed open, and in walked Robb, followed by Lord Karstark. In an odd way, he gripped Freya then from behind, curling herself against him as she stared at Catelyn angrily. He smelled of rust and dirt, a scent that was weirdly nice.

"Tell me this isn't true," he said, looking down at his mother. Catelyn didn't respond. "Why?"

Catelyn looked as if she would cry. "For the girls."

"You betrayed me."

"Robb –"

"No!" Robb exclaimed. "You knew neither I, nor Freya, would not allow it and you did it anyway."

Freya moved herself away from Robb and looked at her hands. "Your men tried to kill Jaime Lannister because he murdered Torrhen Karstark." She explained, slowly meeting Robb's eyes. "I defended him with your mother, but I didn't think this would happen." Freya didn't exactly care that she was putting the blame on Catelyn, because she wasn't going to be put under the same punishment when she wasn't involved.

"I've heard," Robb replied with a nod and turned back to his mother.

Catelyn exhaled heavily. "Bran and Rickon are captives in Winterfell. Sansa and Arya are captives in King's Landing. I have five children, and only one of them is free."

"I lost one son fighting by your son's side. I lost another to the Kingslayer, strangled with a chain." Lord Karstark bellowed, narrowing his eyes at Lady Stark. "You commit treason because your children are prisoners? I would carve out my heart and offer it to the Father if he would let my sons wake from their graves and step into a prison cell."

"I grieve for your sons, my Lord," Catelyn said in an exasperated tone. Although, it did not sound as if she truly grieved over his sons.

"I don't want your grief. I want my vengeance," Karstark spat, "and you stole it from me."

Freya viewed at Lord Karstark as Catelyn responded, "Killing Jaime Lannister would not buy life for your children, but returning him to King's Landing may buy life for mine. I sent him off with two people I know I can trust."

"Lady Catelyn," Freya called, keeping her eyes trained on the elder woman, "I know that deep down you do not care for me, because of my family's past. I defended your actions yesterday. I thought they were true and just. But I was the Commander over this camp while Robb was away, and you defied me by doing this behind my back. Even you can't argue that this was okay."

Freya knew that killing Jaime Lannister was wrong, and that's the exact reason why she had not let Lord Karstark do it a day prior. He was their prisoner and he would stay that way. But Lady Catelyn had no right to release him under no orders. Freya felt her trust for the elder woman slowly fade. She didn't understand why Catelyn put blame on her for her family's wrongdoings, but this was not her best idea. She not only went against Freya's commands, but also her son's.

Robb stared daggers at his mother. "Jaime Lannister has played you for a fool. You've weakened our position. You've brought discord into our camp. And you did it all behind our backs."

Catelyn held no remorse in her expression. She looked at her son as if he were sentencing her to death. Freya rested her hand on Robb's cloaked shoulder.

"Make sure she's guarded day and night," Robb ordered.

Catelyn stood. "Robb –"

Robb shook his head, neglecting his mother as he took his wife's hand and led her out of the tent. He turned to one of his banner men. "How many men did we send in pursuit of the Kingslayer?"

"Forty, Your Grace," the man answered.

Robb didn't have a chance to reply, because Freya was already ordering, "Send another forty with our fastest horses." He managed to release a smile for only that.

•••

The letter in Selene's hand felt heavy. She looked down at Theon's handwriting, in a letter addressed to her and her only. He pled with her to forgive him of his promise, and if she still loved him, then she would try to drive Freya and Robb apart. He said this was for the good of both parties. Then and only then, he wrote, I'll return to you.

Selene was appalled. The bastard only wrote to her to guilt trip her into helping him. He was trying to use her because he knew she held passion for him. Theon had been the one find her on the shores of Pyke when she escaped Braavos, and convinced Balon Greyjoy to take her in. Because of this, she always held a soft spot for the lad. No more, she thought.

She began to cry. Gods, she realized. Selene was twenty-four years of age, and she was crying over a younger man who held not one ounce of care for her. This was it. She was sick of men trying to use her for their own personal gain.

Selene ripped up the letter and stomp on it. She pressed her foot into the ground several times. "Fuck you, Theon Greyjoy," she whispered. "We are no more."