Chained to his own boat, Theon Greyjoy waited for Jon or Sansa to arrive, while rain gods pelted him from above with hail. They will understand, he thought, uncertain what fate awaited him. If there is anyone who understands the folly of war, it’s the Starks. But as the wait grew longer, Theon felt the fear get more and more violent.
Sansa was not there, but Theon recognized Jon. He seemed to be chatting with the man besides. He was entirely oblivious to Theon being chained to the boat until his mate pointed him out. Jon bent to look at him in bewilderment, and in a few seconds, saw the confusion turn to hatred.
“I heard you serve Daenerys Targaryen,” he said, by means of introduction. “Why? Was sacking Winterfell not betrayal enough?” He pulled out his sword.
“Wait!” Theon yelled, shuddering. “I come of my own accord!”
Jon looked at his mate, and back at him. “What you did for Sansa,” he said slowly, sheathing his sword, “is the only reason I am letting you speak.”
Words failed to reach Theon’s tongue. He stammered, thinking of the right words to say, but when he saw Jon, old memories bled open. It was only now that he realized how much Jon Snow’s clothing resembled Robb’s.
“Speak!”
“I- I seek asylum,” Theon mustered. “I bring- I bring a gift!”
Jon’s countenance was hard to judge through the black of the night. He looked at his mate, perhaps in confusion, who then pointed at the boat. Theon could not bear to look at Jon, as he approached the boat slowly to see the cold eyes of Arya Stark staring back at him.
Everyone was dripping in rain, but through the faint cracking of his voice, Theon could tell that Jon was weeping. “You call this a gift?” he said quietly.
“A poor choice of words!” Theon said hastily. “The seas killed her at Pyke, not me. I wanted to bring her body to you, to Sansa, so that she could be buried in the crypts. I want her to be safe. I want to be safe, I want someone to keep me safe.” Streams of tears flowed through Theon, at that moment, he cared not what Jon’s judgement would be. “I want to be safe… I do not want to fight for Daenerys.” His voice cracked. “I do not… want to fight… anymore…”
Jon was silent throughout his breakdown. When Theon had composed himself, he spoke slowly. “Not many minutes ago, I spoke to my bannermen about honor and duty. I then came here to find a man who betrayed my brother to please a father who hated him. A man who swore allegiance to Daenerys Targaryen, then abandoned her. You left your queen, your sister, your people of Pyke… and you expect asylum from me?”
Jon unsheathed his sword again and this time threw the scabbard away, to prevent him from temptation. “Do not blame Balon Greyjoy, you cunt. Do not blame Daenerys Targaryen, do not blame war nor Westeros. It’s not them. It’s you.” He looked around, and then at his mate.
“Ser Davos,” he said, “there is a fallen tree beside us. Unchain Theon from the boat, but make sure his hands and feet are tightly bound. Make his head rest on the tree. Hold him from behind.” He looked at Theon with eyes unrecognizable. “I, Jon, of the House Stark, Protector and King in the North, sentence you to die.”
Reek shrieked as he tried to get away, but the hands of Davos were firm. Please, he wanted to say, talk to Sansa, don’t do this, I have changed, I will be loyal, I don’t want any more blood spilled, but all that came out were yells. He wanted to be brave, he wanted to prove he had changed, but when the chance came to say it, words failed to find him.
Davos made him kneel.
“She has three dragons!” he yelled as a last resort. “An army of nearly ninety thousand, of Dothraki, of Unsullied! I know how she will attack! I can help you win, if you let me live!”
He lay kneeling there, wet fungus of the fallen tree against his Adam’s apple. He looked at Jon, unmoving, in sheer silence of word and deed. Theon Greyjoy could not tell if he was contemplating his offer, or if his fate was predestined.
Jon Snow finally spoke.
“You do not deserve to live, neither as informant nor parasite.”
Longclaw descended.
*
End of episode – S07E08 will be published on Sunday, 19th August 2018, 8:30 am GMT
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