Lone wolf

Wolves

Waking up, I feel the strange sickness from yesterday has faded from my body, leaving me with a tired, but functional state of being. Swinging my legs out of bed, I stand up and feel a wave of release as my muscles are finally put to use. The stone floor is cold, but that doesn't deter me as I swiftly dress myself. The vision appeared again last night, and I'm sure this Daenarys is important. Dressing in a light blue dress, I swiftly make myself presentable before running out of the room. Normally I would simply teleport but given how ill I was yesterday I would avoid using magic for a while. Running down the hall, and nearly barreling into a servant along the way, I finally arrive at the dining hall. Hopefully father was going to be joining us for breakfast. Pushing the door open, Im disappointed to see that mother and father aren't here, only my siblings and Theon.
"Where's mother and father?" I ask, all of them turn to me.
"Father's in his office, and Mother is with the maester" Robb replied. I felt my heart drop, I wish I could have caught father before he retreated to his office. I guess I'll have to wait till dinner.
"How are you feeling?" Arya asked. I looked at her sitting at the table, her brown eyes big and curious. She looked so small in the large wooden chair.
"Much better. In fact, I feel in such good spirits that I might join you for breakfast." I smile. Walking into the room, I approach the table and take a seat next to Theon.
"Glad you could finally join us. It's been quiet without you" Jon smiled, the small action breaking through his quiet demeanor. I smiled back as I took a piece of bread.
"Well, I hardly imagine you would've found much entertainment without me around" I smile, my tone joking as I bite into the soft bread.
"Normally your absence would be greatly felt, but with the pups, we've found ways to occupy ourselves" Robb said. I froze at his sentence, pups? Father wouldn't let us have dogs, not just for the sake of it. Father felt hounds were a lot of effort to look after.
"What Pups?" I asked. Theon frowned at my question, as the others all seemed to be surprised.
"Didn't mother tell you. The boys found some direwolf pups in the woods, their mother had been killed by a stag. Father said we could keep them as long as we looked after them ourselves" Arya stated. Dire wolves, what were they doing this far south? Did this omen relate to my vision? Something was happening, the world was changing, and I had a feeling that the woman from my dreams, Daenarys, had some role in it.

"Well, by any chance do I have one of these pups?" I inquire, my heart swelling with hope. I look around and Theon is the first to respond.

"Yes, but since you were sick, we've been looking after it" He said smiling. I felt my heart clench at his smile; he was unbearably handsome when he smiled.  

"Theon's been the main person looking after it, the rest of us have been busy with our own" Robb inserted.

"My wolf's named Nymeria, I'm going to teach her to sit today" Arya shouted enthusiastically. I smiled, already I was excited and I hadn't even seen my pup yet. The vision that had been plaguing my dreams could wait till later. Eating as fast as I could I finished my meal before the others. Pushing out my chair I stood to attention.

"Well, I'm finished. Where do I go to see the direwolf pup" I smile. Theon sighs as he rises from his chair.

"Well, none of us will get any rest until you see her, so I'll take you". Taking my arm, Theon leads me out of the hall. The voices of my siblings fade as we venture down the hall, and soon we are walking through the silent halls of Winterfell.

"I'm glad you're better. I was worried when we came back from the execution and you didn't greet us. I tried to visit, but Lady Stark was guarding your room like a soldier." Theon spoke. He drew me closer as we walked through the hall, and headed for the main door. There was no one about, surprisingly, but that was good for me. I wanted to have a moment with Theon that was real, not accented with false airs.
"I'm sad I wasn't there to greet you, but the illness made me too tired to leave my room. I think what happened was linked to my magic, I don't know how, but I've been having this vision, and there's this feeling within me, urging me to go somewhere." I confide. As we open the door our arms fall apart and we separate to a reasonable distance, one that did not suggest close relation. The courtyard had a few people, but Theon and I didn't stop as we headed to the kennels.
"Well whatever it is, forget about that feeling. I like you here, where I can see you whenever I want. If you were to leave, well I would forever be tormented by the knowledge that I never got to have you" Theon's words struck me, considering we rarely admitted our feelings towards each other. We flirted on the rare occasion, but never spoke of our feelings, or of anything more.
"Theon, what are you saying?" I pressed, this was the most either of us had admitted, and despite Theon having a reputation among the girls of Winterfell, especially those of the brothels, I couldn't help my feelings towards him.

"Let's not pretend Valerie, you know exactly how I feel, and I know that you crave me as much as I crave you" Theon says as we stop in front of the kennels, he pulls my shoulder and forces me to face him fully. His voice is lowered, and as I meet his eyes I am surprised by the fire that burns within. Having my complete attention he continues

"I don't want you to hide your feelings around me, for once just be completely honest with me about how you feel". I stare at him, my heart speeding up as I was trapped within his gaze. I gave a slight nod as I took his words on board. I faintly smiled before turning from me, his hand slipped from my shoulder as he opened the door into the kennels. Why did he have to play with my emotions, especially now of all times? It was a good and well to feel something for each other, but the moment you admitted it was there, the actions of the other could harm you with less difficulty. I already found it hard to keep a neutral facade when he went away to the brothels.
Following him inside I peer into the kennels, hoping to see the direwolf pup. We walk down to the last cage. At first I don't see anything in the cage except some piles of hay, and a bowl of water.

"Watch this" Theon grinned. Pulling his hand to his mouth he let out a whistle. As soon as the sound left his lips, a small shadow like shape burst out from the hay and nearly ran full throttle into the bars. The small creature pulled up just short, and as soon as it stopped I felt my heart swell.

The wolf pup had a light grey fur with big yellow eyes. It's small body was covered in a layer of fur, that no doubt protected it from the cold winter of the North. I smiled at the small creature as I knelt down and slipped my hand through the bars. The small creature stepped forward tentatively, giving my hand a sniff before licking my outstretched fingers. Running my hand over it's head, it's fur was soft against me, as I stroked the small creature.

"I'm surprised she's being so nice to you. First time I tried to touch her, she tried to take my hand off" Theon stated.

"That's probably because you're of the sea, a kraken, but I am of the North, just like her" I said. Standing up I opened the door, and the small direwolf trotted out, her little paws soundless against the hard stone ground.

"She's adorable. What did you name her?" I asked as I picked her up. She looked up at me with her big yellow eyes and made a small sound as she settled within my arms. 

"I haven't named her, She's yours, seemed right that you be the one to name her" he replied. I smiled at Theon as I held the direwolf close. I was so happy, words couldn't describe the feeling that swelled within my chest.

"Well, then" I said holding the pup at arms length. "I think I'll call you Grey, after your fur, and the wonderful person that looked after you in my sted." I smile. Theon smirks at the name, clearly amused by my choice.

"Well then, we best take Grey outside. Only the Gods know how irritated she must be after being stuck in here" Theon smiles. Placing Grey on the ground, I summon a thin piece of rope and fasten it around her neck. Standing once again we walk together to the courtyard.