Capítulo 32: Red Comet
Red Comet
Theon POV
Massive pyres were built to burn most of the corpses. Even then, knights and lords or anyone notable would be buried. I knew that the bodies would rot sooner than they were buried. I didn't want to deal with that, so I ordered for most of them to be burned, and if there were bones left, they could be buried.
Bloody pox was a devastating disease that couldn't be taken lightly. So, everyone had to work with gloves and covered mouths. Even then, I still ordered for them to wash afterward. I won't take any risk, and those who didn't follow my orders would be whipped to make an example.
Older men complimented me on my decision as they knew what a terrifying thing was bloody pox. The younger ones cursed me for being so strict. I didn't care for either side, as I built a smaller pyre outside Golden Tooth. After finishing it, I carried Jalabhars body on it. He was covered by his cloak made of colorful feathers.
After putting his body on the pyre, I waited as Thoros spoke a few words. Anguy stood next to me when I lit the pyre to flames. It burned for hours, and I waited until nothing was left but ashes. Taking an urn, I fill it with the ashes.
"What are you doing?" Thoros asked.
"I promised I would bring him home someday. I will not break that promise."
Once the urn was filled, I went back to Golden Tooth. On the way back, I saw Lady Alysanne Leford crying over a dead body. Taking a better look, I saw it was her father. Lord Blackwood explained that his body was found on the walls. I let her be.
More than a thousand bodies were found, and hundreds of rings and other jewelry were recovered, too, not speaking of castle-forged weapons and full plate armor. I ensured every man who fought with me got a piece of loot. At least they can bring something home.
As the day went on and the sun started to set, people began to look at the sky and spoke with excited voices to each other. Curious about what they were talking about, I looked at the sky and saw a falling comet leaving a red trail behind it. Soon people started to calling it a bleeding star and whatnot.
"Fascinating," Lord Blackwood said. "I never saw anything like it. Do you think it means something?"
"Many things, to some, will represent themselves, and they come to power. To others, it will be an omen of more blood and murder. Priest and religious people will believe it heralds the world's doom."
"And what does it mean to you?"
"It means a new year came, and I have not even noticed it."
Lord Blackwood laughed at my response, but it was true. A whole year had passed, and I had not even realized it. One battle after another, I fought. Somehow, I felt tired now. It was a feeling I had forgotten. I wanted to take a long rest. Yet there was no way I could do so.
As the day ended, I returned to the keep and ate dinner quietly. After eating, I went to my chambers and lay on my bed. I had no motivation to do anything, and it became even a hassle to read. I just stared at the ceiling. I didn't have the energy to do anything else.
"Ser Theon," A guard knocked on my door. "Lady Alysanne wants to meet you."
Even though Alysanne was captive, I let her roam the keep as much as she wanted. Of course, a guard would always be with her. I felt sorry for her, not to the point of asking her forgiveness, but her fate is quite tragic. At best, she would be married off to someone. At worst, she would be nothing but my salt wife. Some already thought she belonged to me.
"Let her in," I told the guard and stood up from my bed.
The door opened, and the young woman came in. She was wearing a lovely dress that showed her curves. Her eyes looked determined as she looked at me. I lighted up some more candles as I didn't want us to be standing in darkness.
"You want something?" I asked. I just wanted to be done with this.
"My father was buried," She told me.
"At least he died and was buried at his home," I replied. "Not many have that kind of privilege in this war. Is there something else you wanted to say?"
Instead of answering, she stepped forward and dropped her dress, revealing her ample breast with pink nipples. Taking another step for me, she touched my chest with her hand. She didn't say anything and got closer to me, to the point where our noses could touch.
"You don't want to do it," I told her.
"I must."
Her words were quiet, but the determination in her voice was absolute. She kissed me on my lips and stabbed me in the stomach. At least she tried before I caught her hand. She was shocked. I grabbed her and tried to step back but held her in place.
"Killing me won't bring him back," I said to her. "You would only throw your life away. When the guard finds my body, he will kill you and everyone who helped you."
"No one helped me."
"Someone gave you the knife," I replied. "If no one confessed the maids and servants, even the Maester would be killed one by one. Revenge only will bring more death. Your father wouldn't want this for you."
"What do you know about death?" She was trembling in my arms.
"More than anyone has the right to. Put on your clothes and leave. I will pretend that nothing happened."
"Leave? And what will I do? You firstly took mine home and then my family. I let you inside, offering you hospitality, and you took everything from me. People will know of it, how detestable you are."
"No, everyone will only hear how I bravely scaled the walls alone in the night and rescued the captives that Tywin Lannister brought in. That will be the truth because I won. Neither you nor anyone else will be listened to. You lost, and so you lost your voice to the people."
"You monster," She tried to push back her tears.
"I am, so go before I change my mind."
She put on her dress and quickly left. I ordered the guard to send her to her chamber and not let her leave. She might kill herself, but I couldn't stop her. I was a monster. She wouldn't listen to anything I said to her. It was her decision, her life. It might not be fair, but nothing was.
I put the knife in the cupboard and again climbed to my bed. I stared at the ceiling. Yet after a while, I cursed at myself and left my chambers. Anger burned inside me as I entered Alysanne's room. When I came in, she sat on her bed, staring at the flask in her hands. I took the flask from her hands before she could even react.
Taking a sniff of what was inside, I knew it wasn't something good. It was poison, and the potent medicine smell indicated it wasn't a weak one. I stared at her as she looked down. Was she afraid or ashamed of herself? I didn't know, and I didn't care.
"You are mine," I told her. "You will die only when I wish you to die. From now on, you will live for me."
I left her crying. After leaving her, I went to the Maester. He was still working when I barged inside. He looked surprised at me as I walked up to him and handed him the flask of poison. He took it and immediately realized what it meant.
"It was me who gave it to her and the knife," The Maester confessed."
"A Maester should serve the keep, not a lord," I said.
"A good Maester should, but how can I not hold any attachments to the lady I brought to this world? I saw her grow up. I thought of her and took care of her. She is like my own daughter."
"You would let her kill herself?"
"What other path is for her to take? You are Ironborn. I saw your ruthlessness. Now that Lord Lefford is dead, her life has no meaning to you. You will take her as a salt wife if you don't kill her. That is not a life I would wish for."
"You had a chance to kill me," I said. "Many times you look over my injuries, I am sure you could have poisoned me. Why didn't you do it?"
"How can I kill someone already dead," He answered. "The first time I looked over when you pretended to be Steffon, I thought I was getting old and couldn't hear your heartbeat. Yet it wasn't because I was old. Any time I patch you up, I never could feel your heat. It stopped beating long ago."
"If you knew that, it means you didn't give her the knife. Was it one of the servants? Cooks?" He didn't answer. "I will forget it, but next time something like this happens, I will kill everyone serving in this keep."
I am a monster, after all. It wouldn't be difficult for me to do so. I didn't return to my chambers that night but walked outside. I stared at the countless sky stars and the red comet falling. It was better than the cold grey ceiling in my chambers.
"You there, Theon," Thoros came. "What happened? The guards were talking about you running in the keep."
"Thoros, get me paper and quill," I ordered him.
"Why would you want it?"
"I got tired of the books in the keep. It is time I write my own story."
Thoros didn't question me anymore and went to find some paper and quill. I stayed and watched the red comet. It heralded the return of magic. Return of dragons, I had no idea what to do with this information.
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