King of the World / Roose Bolton (2.1)

15. We Are Wolves

''Beg pardon, my lady. I've come to refill the wash basin.'' a old woman remarked coming into her room and closing the door quickly behind her.

'Oh, I don't need--'' Sansa began

''You still have friends in the North." The woman remarked and Sansa stared back at her ''If you're ever in trouble, light a candle in the highest window of the broken tower.''

'But who--''

''You're not alone.''

Sansa had to find rieka. She ran outside only to be cornered by Myranda.

"No touching." Roose instructed, the maester stared back at him confused. "You can... touch certain areas, at my discretion." Rieka rose a brow looking between them silently. 

"My lord?" 

"I dont want you anywhere near her under clothes, but you can feel her stomach if you deem it completely necessary." Roose demanded. 

"Lay back please." The maester agreed, Rieka did as instructed. "You know the usual examine-"

"I want you nowhere near her most private regions." Roose demanded. 

"My Vagina." Rieka agreed. "Stay away from it." The men seemed triggered by the word. 

''Or you will be dismembered, eyes first." Roose agreed. Rieka didnt know why she felt like roose threatening people was so damn sexy. But she liked it. 

"Alright," The maester agreed. He ran his hands over her stomach and took her pulse, otherwise there wasnt much he could do without losing his hands or eyes. "As long as the mother seems healthy I assume the babe is as well." 

"Wonderful." Roose agreed kissing Rieka. 

''I like your dress. Who made it for you?'' Myranda asked coming up to Sansa, looking her over. This was her competition? Ha.

''I made it myself.' Sansa informed her

''Really?''

''Who-- who are you?''

''I'm Myranda, the kennel master's daughter.' she said sweetly. ''May I?'' she reached for the sleeve of Sansa's dress ''Oh, wonderful. The stitching. Who taught you?''

''My mother.'' Sansa answered stiffly

''I'm sorry for what happened to her''

''Thank you.'' Sansa answered softly as myranda kept running her fingers along the seams.

"I have a meeting," Roose remarked. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I was going to check on Avalon, she was running around outside, wouldnt it be wonderful if we had puppies in time for this baby?"

"Is she pregnant too?" 

"No, not that I know of, she was close with Grey wind but he was her brother, that would be very Targaryen." Rieka mused, Roose chuckled running a hand down her back. "Go to your meeting." She assured when he hesitated. "I'm fine," She got up on her toes and kissed him. 

"I will find you later, for supper?" 

"I would love that." Rieka agreed. 

"I have them making Carrot cake, I know how fast you went through it on our wedding day." Roose teased. Rieka blushed. 

''I'd rather have a mother." Sansa hissed pulling her arm back.

"Sansa, oh you met Myrtle." Rieka declared running towards them. 

"Myranda." she hissed, Ramsay chuckled leaning against the tables. Sansa he would grow bored of surely, she was... easily frazzled, but Rieka had fire. To bad she was his mother now.

"Oh maybe we havent met then you look so familiar," Rieka pulled Sansa behind her. "I'm Rieka Stark and you are standing too close to my sister." Myranda looked like she wanted to punch Rieka but she grit her teeth taking a step back.

"We were just talking about your mother." Myranda remarked, glancing to Ramsay but he was already marching off. He grew bored so easily. ''I know you both want her back, its awful what happened. It's not the same here without them I'm sure... Still, it's good to remember." Myranda offered stiffly. "Remember the way things were. I almost forgot.'' she added cheerily. ''There's something else to help you remember." She lead Rieka and Sansa into the kennels the dogs barked wildly as they moved deeper.

"Hi pups," Rieka cooed reaching out and they silenced, kennel masters daughters my ass, Rieka thought as the hounds wagged their tails at Rieka. It only further angered Myranda. "If you are trying to scare us, its not working. We are wolves, they sense it, dont take it too personally." She added smugly. Myranda wanted to scare them but Rieka wasnt scared of dogs.

"Scare? Dear me no." Myranda feigned ignorance. "A gift... Down there at the end.''

''What is it?'' Sansa corrected.

''That would spoil the surprise.'' Myranda turned back around but Rieka kept going the dogs barked out. Sansa looked between them nervously but stuck with Rieka.

"Maybe we turn back." Sansa whispered.

" Go ahead, it's perfectly safe. You won't believe it when you see it." Myranda called from the end so Sansa kept going on unsteady feet, she grabbed to Rieka's hand.

"I have been in these kennels often, unless she is showing us a batch of puppies," Rieka began but her words cut off, along with her breath, snatched from her lungs. Rieka faltered back at step wordlessly. Sansa peered around her.

''Theon?'' Sansa questioned when she got to the last kennel

''You shouldn't be here.'' THeon whimpered looking between them. "Rieka... Oh Rieka, Gods."

Rieka couldnt breathe, she turned around and ran out of the kennels without another word. Theon stood up staring back at her as sansa stumbled out as well. 

"Rieka," Theon choked for breath as he watched her go. Rieka ran right into Roose. 

"What happened? Whats wrong?" Roose questioned. 

"Theon is here!" Rieka shouted, her chest heaving with every breath. Roose hesitated his mouth opening and closing, he knew they should have gotten rid of him. "You knew, he... he killed my brother and he's here. This whole time?" 

"Rieka, my darling listen to me," Roose begged. They had Theon here, here in her home, a prisoner but why not just tell her? 

"I'm... listening." She wheezed out. 

"Ramsay, he... mutilated him. He... turned him into a pet, he wont be hurting you or anyone else." Roose assured. "I didnt want you to have to see him, I know what he did, I know how he hurt you." Roose assured. "I just wanted to protect you." Rieka nodded into him. All the thoughts all the doubt left her mind as she held onto him because as stupid as it sounded to even Rieka herself, she felt safe with Roose Bolton and didnt think he would led her astray.