Dreadfort

Reek

With a great hesitation, Reek looked up from his shuffling feet and stumbled into his master's bedchambers. And all he felt was dread. He did not want to see her. He did not want to hear her. Knowing the fate that befell her last night, Reek did not even want to think of her. The girl he has known since childhood and the girl he couldn't save. If he had been Theon... if he wasn't Reek, he would have saved her.

He should have saved her.

Unable to keep himself from trembling, Reek begins to dig his fingers into his thin folded arms as he looked across the darkened bedchambers that held a dull light. He didn't see her but he saw him. It was a strange sight to behold. There, sitting in a chair near the window was a cheerful Ramsay Bolton, humming a tune that was all too familiar to him while he peeled a red apple.

The sight brought a shiver down his spine and made his blood turn cold.

Never before had Reek seen Ramsay so happy.

"My Lord," He said, his voice quiet and small.

"Ah, dear Reek!" Ramsay exclaimed, his tone holding a hint of malice and mocking as a smile graced his face.

"Y-Yes, my Lord? You a-asked of me?" Reek asked, stuttering over his words and shivered underneath the cold and cruel stare of his master. Looking down to his shuffling feet, he no longer found the strength within himself to hold Ramsay's stare. If he had been Theon. He would have killed him. Often he dreamed and when he dreamed, Reek was Theon. And the best dreams he had were about killing the Bolton's, about taking Naelahrys and Jeyne far away from Dreadfort. Far from Westeros.

To a place where no one else could hurt them.

"I have a little errand for you, Reek-" The dark haired man paused, placing the half-eaten apple on the table before he inspected the large knife, tracing a fat finger down the sharp blade.

"W-What errand, my Lord?" Came his next fearful question. Where is she? Theon thought in a panic, his heart racing faster.

"The dragon whore has an appetite for blood, doesn't she?" Ramsay mused, a huge smirk appearing on his face. He craned his neck causing Reek to stiffen when he caught sight of a bloodied wound on the man's shoulder. It was a bite mark. "I fear that a mere breakfast of porridge and oats will not fill her stomach. Would it, Reek? The cooks are preparing to make her a special meal for this morn...however, the cooks are struggling to find the main ingredient. Those whores did not have the stomach to get it. Tell me, Reek...do you have any idea what the Rat Cook served to his guests?"

It was a strange question to ask him but both Reek and Theon knew it would be best to answer him. And to answer it with caution. The whole of the North knew the tale of the Rat Cook but the question was not what frightened him. It was the gleefulness on Ramsay's face. Even dressed in fine clothing, he still remained the madman that had tortured him but to those who were foolish, it was a mask. This made Reek shake harder underneath Ramsay's scrutinising gaze. Tapping his large knife against the edge of the table as he awaited his answer.

There will be darker days to come, Theon thought to himself.

That's the look he wore when he 'saved' Theon. He also held that look when he met her.

His lips were smiling. His eyes were not.

"Reek," Said the man, bringing Reek's attention to the knife that Ramsay was twirling in his hand. "Answer me."

"T-The King's son, my Lord," Reek stammered. "The Rat Cook butchered the King's son and cooked him. The K-King ate his son."

"Good, Reek! You aren't as stupid as you look!" Ramsay replied, stabbing his knife into the table and leant towards him with a wide and chilling grin. "When I had my way with the dragon whore last night, it truly was amazing. You'd think she would protect her maidenhead and keep it sacred for that bastard on the Wall...but she didn't. All I had to mention was what I would do to her precious Stark children and pathetic Jeyne, and she took off her dress and let me have her. Now that I have married Naelahrys...that whimpering bitch in the kennels is not needed. I don't need a quivering whore. No, I have married the Dragon Born herself!"

"B-But what shall be done with..." Reek stilled, finding himself unable to question it when dread filled his stomach.

No, Theon thought. Not Jeyne. Please no.

"You have the honour of getting the ingredients for the kitchens," The Bolton Lord hummed, pulling the knife out of the table and pointed it towards him. Unable to suppress a whimper, Reek shuffled back. "Now, now, Reek. I'm not going to use this on you. You are going to use this on Jeyne. I have bestowed a very important job on you, Reek. Be grateful. It will be seen to. You will take this knife and carve out Jeyne Poole's heart for me. Once that is done, take it down to the kitchens. I will deal with the rest."

Peeking up at the raven haired man, Reek tried to see past the tears that had gathered at the corners of his eyes. As Reek, he knew he no longer could argue like Theon could. An order from his master was an order that must be carried out. Not Jeyne, Theon wanted to plead. Deep within him, his real self, was giving a howl of anguish but all Reek could do was give a simple nod of his head and look at his master with soulless eyes. Laughing, Ramsay reached over and pressed the knife into his shaking hand which he accepted with small whimpers.

"Do you understand, Reek?" Snarled Ramsay, his dark and dangerous stare fixated on him.

"Y-Yes, my Lord..." Reek choked out, unable to stop the tears from falling. "B-But what of..."

"What of who?" Ramsay mused, arching a brow towards him as he sat forward in his chair, his eyes filling with malicious glee. "What of Naelahrys? Is that who you mean? You can't even say her name. She is with that fat and simple bitch that I must call a mother. Having a bath, if I recall? I heard she was rather sore. Now, go to the kennels and go to Jeyne. Do not fear, Reek...the girl will not do anything. That pathetic whore couldn't even hurt herself. All she would do is weep and beg. Right until her last breath. The cunt would plead for her life. Go on, Reek and strike that dagger right into Jeyne's heart...imagine what Naelahrys would think...she would be ashamed of you."

His weeping stopped and with that, Reek began to think. Think! Theon pleaded with him, desperate and panicked as his heart started to race faster. Reek had to focus on how he said it. For Theon's sake. He had to think. It might be some sort of sick game. Reek the Freak, Ramsay's mocking rhyme filled his thoughts. You are weak and meek, now call me 'master' and kiss my feet. With a hoarse cry and a clatter of the knife, the knife falls from his hand and drops to the ground. But he finds himself falling along with it.

With his head down and on both his hands and knees, the shield he had wasn't of metal but was his hair as he peeked through it to the hysterical man. Coward, Reek could almost hear Naelahrys hiss. You're a coward, Theon Greyjoy. It wasn't just Naelahrys voice she could hear. He heard his too. Robb's. You betrayed me, Theon, came the murmured voice. You're the reason I'm dead. Traitor. Crawling until he saw the man's dark boots, there was a moment where Theon told him to take a bite into the bastard's leg and then drive the knife into the man's heart like he would have him do to Jeyne. But he ceased those thoughts.

In fear of the dark look of intent on his face.

"Well! How surprising is this?" Ramsay exclaimed. The glee in the man's voice pained him. "What's wrong, Reek? Frightened of a little girl? Cannot do the dead?"

"Reek...I'm Reek, weak and meek...Reek isn't a man," Finding himself sobbing once again, he knows that tears were not the sad or frightened tears that belonged to Reek. But the angered and ashamed tears that belonged to Theon. There was not much of Theon Greyjoy left but what was left, was his tears. Those tears were always his. "Please, I am nothing but a coward. Weak. I am sorry, my L-Lord. I can't kill anyone not even another like me...I c-can't kill Jeyne, master. Please..."

"Clever Reek!" Crooned Ramsay, giving him a rough pat on the shoulder and started to shake him roughly. "You aren't Theon. You are Reek. You remembered. Well done! You remembered what you are. You are Reek...and that rhymes with freak. Reek the Freak? I am impressed. So impressed, that I have decided not to punish you for upsetting my wife. You dropped my beloved knife...now go and fetch it, just like the hound you are and don't forget to bring it back to me like a hound does. You have lived with the hounds in the kennels that you are almost one of them now...but I find myself liking them much more than you. Fetch, Reek! Bring me the knife."

With his knees throbbing and his aching hands burning from the freezing stone, Reek turned and scampered for the knife. Letting out a soft breath, he leant down and used his mouth to life the knife. Ignoring the pain his mouth, Reek held it between his broken teeth and bleeding gums. Putting out the flat of his palm, Ramsay waited expectantly for his knife. Bringing the knife towards the dark haired man, Reek dropped the knife into the large and when he did so, a rough hand curled around his jaw and raised his chin so that he had no choice but to meet the ice coloured eyes of Ramsay.

"You are trying so hard to behave, Reek..." Ramsay trailed off, twirling the knife in his hand. Settling his hardened stare onto his face, Reek knew that Ramsay was trying to uncover any deceit but when he found none, his grin widened. The fear that Reek had for him hid the fury Theon had for him. "I hope the continues. You are such a good pet. Perhaps I will let you watch as I fuck the dragon whore tonight? Would you like that, Reek?"

"N-No," Reek breathed, his voice quiet and small.

"No?" Came his sharp response, his grin falling as all the manic delight left his face and turned malicious. "No? Did I hear right, Reek?"

"L-Lady Naelahrys is your wife, my L-Lord," He stammered. "I-It would be disgraceful-"

"You have known Naelahrys since childhood," Ramsay begins, his voice holding curiosity but still held its usual cruel mocking. "Did you ever want to fuck her?"

"No, my Lord," Reek whispered.

"You aren't lying to me, are you?" The man mused, but all Reek could do was shake his head in panic. "You know how much I despise liars. Don't make me take another finger...or perhaps an ear? Tell me the truth, Reek."

Looking down, he felt tears gather in his eyes. Back when the world was kinder...when there wasn't a war and there was just his kraken-life as Theon with the wolves of Winterfell and the dragon...he did want her. She was a woman and an attractive one...and he could relate to her. Both of them were Wards to Lord Stark. Both of them were from hated houses. Both of them wanted to be a Stark but both of them knew that would never happen. Though, most of the North desired either Naelahrys, Sansa or Jeyne.

"Yes, my Lord...I wanted to," He trailed off.

"Even now that she is married to me?" Ramsay sneered, the question making Reek shake.

"No..." Reek swallowed, searching for the right words. "No, my Lord."

"Good. We are still on good terms then, Reek. If you still thought that about my wife...well, I would have to beat the thought from you. It was Theon who wanted to fuck her...not Reek," Laughed the man above him, a sadistic smile settling on his face. It revealed all his lies and showed the truth. "Since I am a man who keeps his word..."

Lifting him to his feet, the raven haired man gave him a large grin and Reek found himself grimacing at the look that Ramsay possessed. That look. That look haunted his dreams each night. Hanging onto Ramsay's last words, he stumbled out of the chambers after him, trying to keep up with the man's larger steps compared to his smaller ones.

Stilling, Ramsay looked over his shoulder towards his cowering form and gifted him a smirk that brought a chill to him.

"I will not punish you, Reek nor will you kill Jeyne," Ramsay informed. "You will watch while I kill her, of course."

Naelahrys Targaryen

Watching the water ripple from her touch, Naelahrys brought her attention to Jeyne. Taking in the girl's bruised, broken and bloodied form brought her nothing but rage. Running her fingers through the water, she knew that it was scorching hot but Jeyne needed it. Needed warmth. Like she needed her dragons. Like she needed fire. Like she needed blood. Thinking back to him, she felt her skin crawl. From clawing at her skin, she had given herself wounds. Across her pale skin, red lines gave her flesh morbid decoration.

"Come on, Jeyne," She breathed, water droplets falling from her fingertips as she beckoned the girl over. "While the water still holds its warmth."

"He will not like it," The girl whispered, her voice holding pure terror. "He likes me in the kennels."

Clutching her knees to her chest, Jeyne rocked back and forth. At first, all she wanted to do was shake some sense into her. To be cruel. To tell her not to let him win. But, all she could do was watch on as her heart broke for the brown-haired girl. It wasn't Jeyne's fault. It was his. Watching the silent tears fall from Jeyne's soft face made her own blank facade crumble. The pain was almost unbearable but for Jeyne's sake, she would endure it. Endurance. That was all she had now.

I want to scream, Naelahrys thought to herself. I want to weep and wail and whimper. I want to be comforted yet I have to be the comforter. I have to be the one to comfort Jeyne. I want to be weak yet I have to be strong. Strong for Jeyne. All I want to do is close my eyes and sleep. Just for a while, that's all I want...just for a little while. Seeing gentle Jeyne like this, a girl she watched grow up alongside Sansa and Arya made her want to weep. To hide her tears from Jeyne, Naelahrys brushed the tears from her face.

"I don't care what he thinks," Naelahrys snapped, her voice hoarse. "I will never care for what he thinks."

"Sorry..." Jeyne trailed off, her head hanging low as she continued to rock back and forth.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," She sighed, letting her indigo eyes flutter shut. "It was his fault."

"Naelahrys?" The girl asked, her voice small. "Does it hurt?"

"Yes," Came her soft answer, wincing as she shifted on her knees and edged towards Jeyne. "Now that he has hurt me, he can't hurt me again. Ever."

The moment she let her trembling hand rest on Jeyne, the weeping girl pounced at her. The girl clutched at her thighs as she started to shake from her sobbing. Pulling Jeyne close, she held the screaming girl to her chest. I'll burn him for this, Naelahrys thought as she tried to hold back her own tears. All of them. After he had finished with her, there was so much blood and he laughed at her pain. That was all he did. He laughed. He had broken the wrong part of her. He had broken her wings. But he forgets that she has fire.

She wasn't a whore, she was a dragon.

Straightening up, Naelahrys lifted the girls head and gave her a smile but it was hesitant and pained. Hushing the weeping girl, her hands went to the ties of Jeyne's ragged and dirtied dress but she stopped and looked at the thin girl. The question went unheard, but when Jeyne gave her a small and timid nod, Naelahrys was allowed to remove her dress. The girl raised her shaking arms so that she could pull it over her head, but what she saw brought a chill to her.

Bite marks. Bruises. Blood. The wounds reflected her own. Reaching out, Naelahrys stroked Jeyne's tangled hair and led her over to the tub. As the girl looked at the water and then to her, Naelahrys wrapped her arms around Jeyne and held her small frame. The pointed nose of Jeyne was pressed against her sore breast but that was not what made her uncomfortable. It was Jeyne's bones. Looking down at Jeyne's back, she could see her curved spine and her ribs.

"You are afraid," Naelahrys murmured, causing Jeyne to nod against her breast. "Don't be. He can't hurt us. Not now. Not ever."

After that, both of them slid into the warm oil-scented water. Her tense muscles thanked her for the warmth as Naelahrys submerged herself into the water, bringing her knees to her chest. Both of them curled up together, and she found herself taking comfort in Jeyne's presence and touch. Beginning to wash, she started with her face and hands. There was a part of her. A part of her that want to scratch and scratch and scratch until her pale skin had turned red and was bleeding. Sniffing, Naelahrys tried to reach behind her back to wash but all her arms could do was wail from the pain.

"I-I can help...if you want?" Came Jeyne's timid voice. "One of the kitchen maids helped me when-"

"Yes," Agreed Naelahrys, cutting Jeyne off so that she did not have to continue further. "We will help each other."

Gifting her a grateful smile, Jeyne fished the cloth out of the water causing Naelahrys to shuffle closer to the younger girl. As her hands touched her, Naelahrys tensed at the feel of the girl's hands on her. Flinching, she awaited a roughness but when she was given a gentle touch, she relaxed. Pursing her lips into a sneer, she shook the bastard of Bolton from her thoughts.

I will never let him touch me again. The next time he touches me, he will not have hands.

"Well...is this not an interesting turn of events?" A voice called, causing her to stiffen and Jeyne to recoil in fear, scrambling out of the bath. "I've been looking for you, my dear wife."

"We were taking a bath," She said, avoiding his malicious gaze and continued to wash. "Since I bedded a mongrel, I wanted to wash away his sickening stench."

It did not take him long to reach her, it took less than three strides and the bastard had struck her cheek. The force knocked the tub to the side and as the tub fell, Naelahrys fell with it. Landing hard on her side, her mouth fell agape from shock and she reached to touch her stinging cheek. Although, she knew insulting him was a bad move to make in her game. Seeing him, stirred a burning rage within her.

Storming towards her, the bastard pulled her up to her feet and gripped her shoulders. There was no emotion on his face and that is what terrified her more. The more emotion he had, the better it was but when he had none...she became fearful for her life and Jeyne's. As his hand wrapped around her throat, Naelahrys could hear small whimpers from Jeyne in the corner.

"After last night..." Ramsay sneered, rolling his shoulders from tension. "I thought you would have got the message, wife."

"That's funny," Naelahrys whispered, gesturing to the bite on his neck. "I was thinking the same thing. A dragon is not a slave."

"What was she talking about, Jeyne?" He asked, a crazed look taking over his blank expression. "Tell me."

"N-Nothing, my Lord," Jeyne whimpered, tears trailing down her cheeks. "I-I swear."

"I have a feeling that you do know. You are meant to be in the kennels. So...why did she bring the likes of you here? To her chambers?" Ramsay hissed, his large fingers clenching around her neck tighter, causing her eyes to roll to the back of her head from the lack of her. She could feel her knees shake and buckle, but she remained standing. "Tell me, Jeyne! Was she planning to escape? To kill me?"

"N-No, my Lord!" Wailed the girl, crawling towards the corner of the room.

When his fingers unclenched from around her throat, Naelahrys' wet form collapsed to the ground in an ungraceful heap. After making a step towards Jeyne, his hand reeled back and he punched Jeyne in the face with all the strength he possessed. Crying, Jeyne clawed at the wall in a desperate attempt to get herself out of his lecherous reach. The punch had split Jeyne's lip and blood started to trickle down her chin.

Letting out a hoarse scream, Naelahrys begged for him to stop as he continued to punch Jeyne. The beating's continued and all she could do was hear Jeyne's cries of terror. Like a scared pup, Jeyne whimpered and whined. When the brown-haired girl collapsed to the ground, the bastard landed a kick to the girl's ribs. No! Naelahrys thought, scrambling to her feet as Ramsay continued to beat Jeyne. Leave her alone!

"Stop it!" Naelahrys roared, tears threatening to fall. "Stop it! Ramsay! Ramsay! Stop it! Let her go!"

"Or what?" Smirked the bastard, giving her manic grin.

"Or I will slit your throat!" She screamed, her chest heaving as she held a broken shard of glass in her trembling hand. "Let her go. Now."

"Get back to the kennels!" Ramsay snarls, causing Jeyne to scramble out of the chambers in fear. "Pathetic bitch!"

For what was to come, Naelahrys knew she must prepare for the worst. Perhaps locking his old wife in a tower and starving her to death had been too boring, Naelahrys thought and a laugh escaped her throat. Her chest continued to heave as she dropped the shard and started to laugh harder, that it brought tears to her eyes. Her own laughter startled her because it felt strange to Naelahrys. It was like she wasn't laughing at all, that someone else was but the horrible scowl on his face proved her wrong.

Perhaps, this was how her ancestors descended into madness.

Perhaps, it started with laughter.

Author's Note :Hi, I am so sorry for such a long wait on this story (and on my other stories). From around about November time, a lot of things have been happening in my life. From my broken arm, going to college and my mum becoming sick (for a while we didn't know what was wrong with her but thankfully it wasn't anything serious), I just didn't feel like writing for a long time but know, I am finally getting back to normal so I am sorry for the waiting. I will be updating regularly now!

I would like to give a massive thank you to everyone for being so patient, for reviewing, for making this story one of your favourites and for following this story! If you have any questions, feel free to ask and I will happily answer them.

Reviews -

12345678910: Yep, things will start to heat up in the next couple of chapters. Sorry for the long wait, I hope this chapter and the other chapters I post for my other stories make up for it.

Guest: Thank you, I hope you like this chapter!

Stormfly2468: Unfortunately, that was the case but I can say things will end really badly (and gruesome) for Ramsay.

ZabuzasGirl: Thank you! I hope you like this chapter, the other stories I will be updating soon after. I'm sorry for the long wait.

Luckygirl103: Thanks! I can say, that Naelahrys and Jon will reunite soon.

Slytherin Studios: Thank you!

HPuni101: Thanks!

Arianna Le Fay: I can't say much but I can say her dragons will be back for her. A dragon cannot be without its mother for long.

Marvelmyra: Thank you, I'm glad you like this story. The Bolton's will meet a rather gruesome fate.

Noah: Thank you! So sorry for such a long wait, but Naelahrys will be able to escape the Bolton's and get revenge.

MisfitCarter: Sorry for such a long wait, I hope you like this chapter. All my stories will be updated regularly now.

IdleDots: Thank you!