3 Uneventful journey to the South

Uneventful journey to the South

Theon POV

Now I truly know that timeline is fucked. Not only is Bran going with us, healthy and safe, but we are leaving way sooner than in canon. I looked at servants running around preparing stuff for leaving. I didn't have many things to prepare. A change of clothes, a bow, a sword, and my trusty dagger were all I needed.

"Next time I see you, you will be all in black," I heard Robb's voice.

"Black was always my color," Jon Snow replied to Robb.

"Theon, take care of my siblings," Robb turned to me after saying their goodbyes.

"If I feel like it," I replied.

"Don't be a grumpy asshole," Robb told me, shaking his head.

"Fine, I'll make sure they return home in one piece," Damn my mouth, why did I say that?

"I know you will," Robb responded with a smile.

"You know nothing, don't burn Winterfell while we are gone," I said to him, getting annoyed for no reason.

"I try, but no promises," Robb replied with a laugh.

"Theon, we are going," Jory's voice rang.

"It seems it is a goodbye," Robb told me.

"Aye, for now at least," I replied. "Well, see you around."

With those words, I left. It was pretty awkward to talk with Robb. Despite memories of this body, Robb was still a stranger to me. And for whatever reason, I promised to look after his siblings. I know it's going to bite in my ass later.

…

It was a worse journey than I thought. I was cold, wet, and tired as we rode through the North for weeks. It was worse than I could have imagined. My ass hurt like hell riding a horse for so long. I slept on hard ground, and my back didn't like it.

Most importantly, it was boring. I took a few books, thinking I read some legends, but it was primarily boring repeats of history that might not even have happened. The only exciting book was Wonders Made by Man by Lomas Longstrider, a damn cool name. Besides reading, I just shot birds with my bow, which was good practice, especially on a horse.

Riverlands weren't any better than the North. It has a better road, but it was no different for me, who rode a horse. It took fucking months to arrive at Darry's castle, and it was still some time before we reached King's Landing.

I was already thinking of running away, getting a ship at Saltpans, and going around Essos. The problem was that I didn't have much gold, in much, I mean any, and I had no idea of how much it would cost to go to Essos. And even if nobody was watching me, I still was a hostage. I started to notice that I was getting annoyed pretty often.

"Theon, look after Bran and Arya," Lord Stark ordered me, and I nodded.

Then, let's go to the capital. It will be fun. Damn it all. I think Lord Stark is trying to kill me if I didn't know better. And, of course, I had to watch out for his children. It is not like he has fifty loyal guards and dozens of other servants, not speaking of that obnoxious septa Mordane.

"Well, little grumkins, go play, but don't be too loud," I commanded Arya and Bran. "I want to read, and don't go off my sight."

"I am not a grumkin," Arya protested.

"As you say, snark," I replied.

"You promised to teach me how to use a bow," Bran declared.

"Fine, see that tree? Good, take this bow and hit it from the top where the branches start to the bottom," I ordered him. "I comment on how to do better while watching."

"Not fair. If you will teach Bran, teach me how to use a sword," Arya demanded.

"A sword? Can you even lift one?" I ask. "How about a few tricks with a knife if you promise not to bug me anymore."

"Teach me, teach me," Arya demanded.

So, here I was, teaching a little girl how to hold a knife and not cut herself. It was terrifying how quickly she grasped the basics and even could throw the knife at the end of the day. Damn, I don't want to be on her wrong side when she grows up.

Bran, at first, struggled even to hit the tree. He was losing half of his arrows at the branches of the top of the tree. But in the end, after telling him to start from closer and then go away from the tree, he became somehow competent, at least at close range.

"Look where you are shooting, brat," Oh, and I thought I could avoid trouble today. So goes my uneventful journey to the South.

"Let's calm ourselves. The boy was practicing. No need to insult his capabilities," I replied to the little shit when I saw Bran trembling.

"He almost hit me," The princeling responded.

"Then it is good that he almost hit you, isn't it," I told him. "Good job, Bran, for not hitting the crown prince."

"Don't you dare insult me, squid," Did the little princeling just dare me?

"How could I possibly insult his Highness, the crown prince of Seven Kingdoms?" I asked. "I am just a humble servant to the throne."

"And you better remember it," Joffrey responded with a satisfied smile and turned to leave with Sansa by his hand.

"Of course, it is good that it isn't you who sit on it yet," Damn my mouth, I swear it is this body's doing, not mine.

"How dare you," The prince turned to me again with angry eyes.

"Joffrey, let's go, don't listen to him," Sansa tried to calm him down.

"Don't tell me what to do," Joffrey hit away Sansa's hands.

"Arya, Bran, gather your stuff and go to your father," I ordered the kids quietly. "Look at the time, Sansa. Shouldn't you go back and prepare for dinner? I am sure that people will start looking for the prince and his lady soon enough."

"Don't patronize me, squid," Joffrey again commanded.

"I wouldn't dare, your highness," Is he looking for a fight or something? It's not like I insulted him or anything. "But look at the sky. It's getting dark. Your mother, the Queen, is probably worried for her little prince."

From how his face contorted, I think I said something wrong again. And seeing him stepping closer to me and drawing his sword, I believe I might have insulted him. But for god's sake, I can't think of anything I said that could have made him so angry.

"I have enough of you, squid. Face me if you dare," Joffrey commanded me.

"Joffrey, please, let it go, for me," Sansa pleads Joffrey.

"Be quiet. Women shouldn't interfere in my business," Joffrey retorted. "Now. Do you dare to face me, squid?"

"No, I don't," I replied to his surprise. "How could I, a humble servant to the Iron Throne, dare to fight against the crown prince. If you want lessons in sword fighting, I would suggest Jory, captain of the Stark guards. He is a capable swordsman, way better than me."

Again, his face contorts. I still don't understand what is going on in his mind. With a shout, he charged at me. He swung his sword at me from left to right. I step backward and dodge to his left, right, and around him. After a dozen or so swings, the prince started to breathe roughly. With a frustrating yell, he jumped at me. I just sidestepped and let him fall to the ground.

"What going on here?" The King's loud voice rang in question.

"Father, he hit me," Joffrey stands from the ground showing a cut on his left arm, probably cutting himself while falling.

"With what?" I asked, confused. I didn't have a sword, and I gave my knife to Arya.

"What are you blabbering around, boy. If you can't handle your sword, you shouldn't swing it, to begin with," The King seeing me unarmed, started lecturing the little princeling. "Give me your sword. You have proven yourself not capable of handling one just yet. Now see Maester about your damn wound."

Then the King looked at me and turned away, not saying anything to me. Joffrey gave me one last nasty glaze and too left. Only me and Sansa were left.

"I think I said for you to go back. It is getting dark after all," I told her.

Sansa looked at me, hmphed at me, and strode at a furious pace away. It's that a northern star I see in the sky. I wonder if this world's sky is the same as my previous one. There was a theory about Westeros being an apocalyptic world like my previous one, so the stars could be the same as I remembered. I only hope that it is true. At least I have something familiar in this life.