The Black Bear 》Robb Stark

Lost The Advantage

"The castle is mine. But these people are still yours. You'll yield to keep them safe, to keep them alive. That's what a good lord would do. Think carefully about what you want to say." Theon finalized going to leave the room.

"Theon." Bran called out before could leave. "Did you hate is that whole time?" He asked because to him Theon and Jaidyn were never wards. They were part of the family.

Theon didn't answer him instead he left. It was a question he had struggled with during his time on Pyke. In truth, he didn't hate the Starks and did consider Robb and the others family. But his father's greeting was anything but pleasant. All his doings from that moment forward was only to appease his father. But there was also been a side that resented Robb, a side he wanted so greatly to ignore.

His thoughts interrupted when his companion had returned. Hodor went passed them to gather Bran. But Theon was observant of his expression.

"What is it? Did you find Jaidyn?" He questioned wanting answers.

"The Queen couldn't not be found in her chambers. We gathered all the brunettes in hopes that one of them resemble the Queen but we have no way to identify her." He informed with reason.

Jaidyn Mormont-Stark had not been seen by anyone other than the people of Winterfell. Whoever discussed her always refer to her house sigil.

This made Theon sigh as he followed him to where they had gathered the girls. But a part of him was telling him Jaidyn would've been easy to spot because she would've resisted. It wasn't till he had gotten to the room that he realized how right he was.

In the room was all the brunettes in the castle but they all had a distinct similarity. They were all shaking in fear of the men surrounding them. Theon knew Jaidyn would never cower in fear of an enemy.

The more he looked, the more he began to realize the flaw in his plan. Jaidyn was not among them. And if she wasn't there, then he couldn't secure his holding of the castle.

He quickly made his way out and finding the only plausible person who would know her whereabouts. "Where is she?" He demanded to the maester.

Maester Luwin only looked at him and seen the frantic look in his eyes. Theon needed Jaidyn. It began to make him feel better about allowing her to leave.

"The Queen left Winterfell to attend to business. By now, she has received word of the current predicament and would be wise not to return." He stated simply.

Theon felt enraged at the information. His whole plan was to hold the Queen to his will. Without Jaidyn, the plan held little meaning. He could only hope that Bran and Rickon would suffice.

The Ironborn dismissed the girls into the courtyard before he and his men entered the courtyard. He had Bran publicly announce that he had yielded to support his rule. But this only encited the people to be against him. Theon could only sense that it was because the queen and the unborn heir wasn't in his grasp.

To strengthen his hold on the castle and its people, Theon had spoken with authority only for his companion to tell him otherwise. Theon didn't want to result to violence but in order to will submission to the people and respect from his crew, it had to be done. He sentenced Ser Rodrik to dead for speaking out against him.