Solace {A Game of Thrones Fanfiction}

Chapter 42

Theon was relieved to see Dragonstone again. He knew any minute he would be in Tara's arms and holding her.

And saying he's sorry.

The men and him pushed the rowboat ashore. He let out a long breath as his legs finally felt completely stable again on the sand. When he looked up, he saw someone he thought he would never see again. Jon Snow.

They locked eyes with each other. Theon knew what Jon must think of him now. Theon sometimes thought the same of himself. He waited patiently to see what Jon would do. Jon studied him for a moment, almost out of shock. 

"Jon." Theon broke the silence, "I didn't know you were here."

Theon decided he must try to be as kind as he could. He took a few steps toward Jon, but he was still a bit hesitant. "S-Sansa, Is she alright?"

Jon grabbed him hard by his shirt and pulled him close to him. His shirt was wrapped up in his balled fist. Theon tried to stay calm. He knew Jon was angry. He had every right to be.

"What you did for her," Jon looked at him intensely, "is the only reason I'm not killing you."

Theon didn't dare look him in the eye. Jon let go of his shirt roughly. Although Theon almost knew it was coming, it still hurt him to hear Jon say it, to reaffirm what he already knew. It was so long ago, but Theon remembered Jon as a brother.

Ser Davos broke the intensity, "We heard your uncle attacked your fleet. We thought you were dead."

"I should be." Theon answered.

"Your sister?" 

"Euron has her." Theon hated to say it, to think of it. "I came to ask the queen to help me get her back."

"The queen is gone." Jon said bluntly.

"Where did she go?" Theon asked, confused. 

--

Tara was running down the steps. She had been waiting to see a Greyjoy ship on the horizon. Now she was praying that Theon was aboard it. 

She finally got to the beach and saw all the Dothraki men with Davos and Jon. Missandei stood down next to them as well. Tara stood on the beach and searched through the faces of the men on the rowboat. They all looked tired and cold. 

Finally, she saw Theon look up. A wave of relief so powerful washed over her. Never in her life had she been worried about another person and then seen them again. She felt like she might cry or laugh or maybe both at the same time. She was going to run to him until she realized Jon was staring him down. Jon grabbed him by the shirt. After that, Tara had to get closer. She couldn't get Theon back and then have Jon Snow kill him out of anger. 

By the time she reached so she could hear the conversation, Jon had let go of his shirt and backed away from him. 

Tara wasn't taking her eyes off Theon. 

"The queen is gone."

"Where did she go?" Tara heard Theon ask. 

"To High Garden." Tara chimed in. Everyone turned to her including Theon. Immediately his whole self changed. He ran straight to her and held her in his embrace. 

"I'm sorry." Theon said to her and only her, "I'm so sorry I left you."

"You don't have to be sorry now that I know you're alive." Tara said. They just continued to hold each other. It was like they hadn't seen each other in centuries. 

Jon couldn't help but watch the exchange. He found this woman so strange since she was on the opposite side of the spectrum than he was. She obviously loved Theon. 

Tara and Theon broke their embrace as they turned to the others. Tara turned to Jon Snow and Davos, people she had heard about since she was a child. 

"This is my wife, Tara Greyjoy." Theon said, mostly not to be rude. 

"It's an honor to meet you both, Ser Davos and Jon Snow." Tara said. 

Davos nodded back in her direction. Jon did nothing.

--

Theon and Tara walked back to the castle side by side. Everyone else was ahead of them walking as well.

"I have a lot to tell you." Theon said, distraught. 

"I know." Tara said back. 

The wind blew to them from the sea. It held the silence for a moment.

"Lots has happened while you were away." Tara began, "The unsullied took Casterly Rock but the Lannisters have taken High Garden. Olenna Tyrell is gone."

"And the Queen?" Theon asked.

"She took the Dothraki and Drogon to meet the Lannister army." 

Theon nodded. "And you?"

Tara almost smiled for a moment but then she remembered. "I have something to tell you as well."