A Rose in the Snow

Chapter Two: Theon/Reek

Reek woke up to darkness. He always woke up to darkness. Reek had grown used to it, and he had grown to appreciate it. Darkness became him. It was in darkness that Reek had been born, and in darkness that he would live.
Suddenly the door of the dungeon flew open. Light streamed in, and it sent him scrambling into the corner.
"Reek," came a cruel voice from the top of the stairs, "Reek why do you run from me? Why do you run from your Master?" Ramsay Bolton descended the stairs. Reek cringed. His voice cut as deep as his knives.
"I'm sorry m'lord. Reek is sorry." He was sure he'd be punished. Reek was always being punished. He was flayed if he stood without permission, he was beaten if he ate extra food, and he was whipped if he spoke to loudly. But nothing angered his master as much as Theon did. Theon couldn't be controlled, he wouldn't learn his place. There were times when Theon tried to rise up and speak. Reek couldn't always stop him in time, so Master had to discipline him. Theon needed to remember his name. Reek, Reek, it rhymes with freak.
"I have news, Reek. Good news." Reek cringed. Good news usually meant Ramsay would want to celebrate. Reek would likely lose another finger, or maybe a toe.
"Robb Stark is dead. Butchered by the Freys." The words hung in the clammy air in the of the dungeon. The words hurt more than being flayed. They hurt more than his stomach did after days without food.
"I'm sorry Reek. I know he was like a brother to you." Ramsay grinned, his lips as thick as worms and his teeth like fangs.
"No he wasn't," Reek wanted to say, "that was him. Theon loved him, as a brother, as a lover, as a dear friend. Reek never met him. Reek was born after Theon died." Reek's eyes were suddenly heavy with unshed tears. There was nothing left to do other than return to the darkness where he belonged. He heard his Master take his leave, cackling all the way.
In the blackness of his dungeon, thoughts raged around the creature's tortured mind. Robb was dead. Theon's Robb. His friend, his lover, his brother. Theon remembered the hours they spent sparring, the way that Robb would shake his auburn hair like a wet dog, the way the grinned wolfishly when he saw his opponent tiring, but mostly he remembered the way his blue Tully eyes flooded with concern when he thought he had wounded his friend. Those eyes were cold now, glazed over blue ice. There would be no more late night talks, no more kisses full of chapped lips and snowflakes, and no more late night pantry raids, looking for extra desserts. Reek shook his head. Theon disappeared, along with his memories. He was Reek. Reek, Reek, it rhymes with weak.