A Dance with Dragons-Chapter 32

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Reek
A Dance with Dragons chapter
ADanceWithDragons.jpg
POV Reek
Place Barrowton
Page {{{page}}} UK HC (Other versions)
Chapter chronology (All)
Melisandre I  ← {{{current}}} →  Tyrion VIII

The Prince of Winterfell

Synopsis

Ramsay and Theon - by Eeba-ism ©

Ben Bones, Skinner, Sour Alyn, and Damon Dance-for-Me return from a search for some Frey's men with Ramsay Bolton. Theon knows this means that an angry Ramsay may want to take his anger out on someone, most likely Reek. Theon knows that Ramsay has been forced to restrain his violent outburts in Barrowton as he needs the loyalty of the Dustins and Ryswells, but what he does behind closed doors was none of their concern. Ramsay then throws a severed head to Theon to catch, which he cannot because of his maimed hands. He does not recognize the head as it is covered in blood, rotting, and bursting with maggots.

Theon is then ordered to put away the men's horses, which he does. He is followed by Big Walder Frey, Theon notes that Big Walder is not taking after his older cousin in the malicious ways of the flayed men. Theon asks Big Walder who the man's head belonged to, which he replied was just an old man who called Ramsay, Lord Snow.

Then there is a feast, Theon is chained to the wall and waits his turn to eat though the dogs provide the night's entertainment fighting each other for scraps. Theon remembers when Ramsay told him that all the dogs are named after peasant girls he hunted, raped, flayed, and killed. He notes the next litter will likely include a Kyra. It is then that Roose Bolton enters the hall with some of his men. Here it is discovered what happened to the Frey men and why they were searching. The Freys had ridden ahead of the procession of the Manderlys. Wyman Manderly had stopped frequently to feast, when the Freys had ridden on they disappeared, likely dead. Roose tells how Hosteen Frey and Aenys Frey are distressed, but Ramsay says it is of no concern, there are plenty of Freys men at The Twins.

There is further discussion, Ramsay and Roose argue. Roose says that his son is acting brash and foolish, that Bolton fore-bears were no fools. He notes that they have powerful allies in the Freys and the Lannisters. They talk briefly about the dead sons of the Starks, if they were to "return" from the dead. Then Roose tells of how Stannis has marched from the wall, he adds on that it is not towards the intended trap that the Karstarks baited, thus revealing that the Karstarks are double-crossing Stannis.[1]

Roose tells Ramsay he is to wed the fake Arya Stark in Winterfell. By doing so, the clansmen who follow Stannis will be incensed to march on the keep, something they would not do while the Boltons are in Barrowton. Roose then takes Theon away from Ramsay. Ramsay tells Theon to observe everything and report back to him, but he is to say nothing about his treatment to Roose.

As they ride to Barrow Hall Roose tells him he knows what his bastard son has asked of Theon. Roose goes on saying that he knows what the real Reek was like, he was the opposite of the form Ramsay has turned Theon into. He notes that he provided the first reek as a servant to the unruly child that Ramsay was, he is not certain however whom corrupted whom. Whether Reek corrupted Ramsay or the other way around. Ramsay was the child of a rape, one that Roose was not proud of. She returned a year later, he was going to have them both killed but the child had his eyes so he agreed to aid them. He is sure that the women may have had a hand in turning Ramsay into desiring goals outside the rights of a Bastard. They also discus Domeric Bolton, Roose's true-born son, killed at the hands of Ramsay.

They finally arrive at Barrow Hall where Theon is brought to Barbrey Dustin, Lady of Barrowton. He is introduced as Theon Greyjoy, true Lord of the Iron Islands. A fact which frightens him into fits as he has been tortured into being called Reek. She asks if Roose if Theon has gone mad, which he replies most likely to. But it matters not. Theon adds he is not the turncloak, he died at Winterfell.

References and Notes

  1. House Karstark declared for Stannis in Chapter 3