What is dead may never die (Theon SI)

Knight of rats

Loras POV

The dark alleyway was dirty, and I felt rats crawling through my legs, yet I still sat by the wall. I watched as the Mountain rode through the city. He was tall as ever, yet his men were hunched down in shame.

"I heard that Theon Greyjoy has taken an eye off the Mountain with his bare hands," Some people started to whisper.

"I heard he killed a hundred men by himself," Another baseless rumor was spoken in a quiet voice.

"Bah, who do you think spread those things? It was the riverlanders, and you believe them as they come from the King," A drunken man complained loudly.

"Should we believe the King?" Someone asked uncertainly. "You must admit that Lord Stark and Lord Renly conspiring against King Robert sounds a bit outlandish."

"I always said those barbarians from the North only will bring trouble. They have no loyalty to anything but their tree gods."

People who questioned the tales of King Joffrey whispered, and those who believed the King spoke loudly. With time the truth will be buried. Who would dare to say ill of the King? They would be punished severely if someone did, and those who rat them out would be rewarded handsomely.

The city was filled with rats, so rats would always win. But before they can celebrate, they will have to face me. No Lannister will escape me. Even if I have to blend in with these rats, my sword is still sharp and thirsty for blood.

The Mountain passed the crowd gathered in Cobblers' square with his men. He was riding to the Red Keep. Well, he was, but not every one of his men followed him there. I knew what most of them would do. After all, they had just returned from war. They will try to find warmth.

"You there," A goldcloak walked in front of me.

I knew he didn't know who I was. Even my parents wouldn't recognize me right now. My hair was cut short, and it was dirty. My face was covered with mud, and I smelled of shit. Who would think that I am Loras Tyrell, the Knight of Flowers?

"A coin, ser, please," I begged the man.

"Get out of here, you damn beggar, or I will beat you up and throw you away," The Goldcloak told me.

I listened to him, and slowly I got up. Not letting my cloak fall. My longsword was hidden inside the cloak, and I didn't want him to see it. I could kill him, but it would garner unwanted attention.

I had a long way to walk. I walked with a limp, so it took me till evening to reach the Street of Silk. I had to pretend to be a lowly beggar. I knew that Varys' little birds were looking for me. I was one of few who knew the truth about the Lannisters. They are hunting for me.

I laughed silently at that notion. They think they are hunting me, while in truth, I was the one who was hunting them. Like right now, I watched as three drunken men walked out of the brothel. I waited till they reached a dark alley. When I knew that no eyes were watching me, I struck.

"What the hell," Before one of them could comprehend what was happening, his companions were already dead.

"I have questions. You better answer them if you want to live," I said to the last living man, pointing to my longsword dripping blood.

"Please, I do everything. Please don't kill me."

"You are one of the Mountain men, aren't you?"

"No, I serve Lord Brax."

"Well, too bad. I wanted the Mountain's man."

"I know where you can find one. I know where Amory Lorch is. Please don't kill me."

"Oh, is that so? What are you waiting for then?"

"Blue Pearl, I saw him walking into the Blue Pearl brothel."

"Thank you," I said and cut his head off with a smooth swing.

He was a Lannisters man. Everyone who serves the Lannisters deserves to die. I still remember how the Kingslayer killed Renly. If not for Lord Stark, I would have been killed too. The gods had forsaken us that day.

The thoughts still tormented me. If only ser Barristan were with us that day. If only all of the Kingsguard were loyal to Robert. Ser Mandon Moore butchered Ser Arys Oakheart, and seeing a losing fight Lord Stark tasked me to leave and spread the truth.

I failed him as I failed Renly. I can still see his eyes as the Kingslayer stabbed him through the heart. Those eyes will always haunt me. I am nothing but a failure, and I have nothing to lose. The Lannisters will pay.

The Blue Pearl was a place I was familiar with. I knew of all brothels in the Street of Silk. I waited at the entrance, hiding in the shadows. Amory Lorch showed up only when the sun was starting to rise.

He was hungover and had a deep scowl on his face. People were starting to walk the street more and more. I should wait for another chance to kill the man, but I didn't care. Amory Lorch only had a moment to see me draw my sword before I stabbed him in the heart.

"Murder, murder."

Panic ensued in the street as everyone screamed. Withdrawing my sword, I fled the scene. It wasn't hard to blend in with the crowd as everyone ran in different directions, screaming.

Before the sun had risen fully, I climbed through a window of one of the brothels on the Street of Silk. Entering the room, I undressed and hid my longsword under my bed.

"You late," A woman spoke from the doorframe.

"It was a long night, Lady Eri," I replied respectfully to the woman who took us in.

"We were worried about you," Lady Eri sighed. "And how many times I have to say, I am no lady. I brought you a basin to clean yourself with."

"Thank you. How is Lady Jayne?" I asked.

"Fine, she was trying to wait for you but fell asleep," Lady Eri replied. "Look at you, all bloody and dirty. Have you eaten anything?"

"I am not hungry," I answered, but my rumbling stomach disagreed.

"You look like the day I found you. You need to rest, Lor."

Lor was my name now. She knew who I was, but for my safety, he shortened it. When I fled the Red Keep, lady Eri took us in. Before she met us, I had to hunt for rats and pigeons to feed ourselves. I had to kill every Goldscloak I met in fear of them recognizing me.

"You won't be leaving for a week, Lor," Lady Eri told me. "There are more and more of Goldcloaks patrolling around. It is not safe."

"It will never be safe," I replied.

"Lady Eri is right, young man," Vayon Poole said to me. "I have heard many rumors. It seems that Theon managed to bring the Stark children back home."

"Theon," I said bitterly. "He left you to die."

"We would only slow him down," Vayon replied. "Still, I heard disturbing things. Some say that the Kingslayer had killed him. Others say that he can't be killed."

"I heard some say he singlehandedly killed a hundred men," I responded. "It just rumors, nothing else."

"It might, but it seems he didn't go to the North with the children. He stayed behind to buy them time."

"If not for me, you and your daughter would have died like the rest of Lord Stark's household. They even killed Septa. Those animals."

"Calm yourself, young man," Vayon said. "My daughter and I will always be thankful for what you did for us. As we are thankful to you, Lady Eri."

"Just don't let Lor get killed himself," Lady Eri said before leaving.

Lord Vayon didn't come to see me with empty hands. He brought some soup and bread for me to eat. He worked as an assistant to Lady Eri, and Jayne worked in the kitchen. Lord Vayon now went by Yon and Jayne, by name Joy. I heard a commotion outside as I was about to relax in my bed.

"Don't; Lady Eri will take care of it," Lord Vayon stopped me before I could do anything.

"I am here to search for a wanted man, woman," The voice of the Hound was heard behind the door. "Let me pass."

"Is that so? And what does that man look like?"

"It is no business of you."

"It is when you walk into my establishment and do as you wish."

"Are you going to try to stop me?" The Hound laughed.

"Look as you wish. But I would be careful next time you sleep with one of my girls. You might not wake up."

"Good thing I don't sleep with whores," The Hound answered.

"Go," Lord Vayon said to me.

It took a lot of restraint for me not to pick my longsword. I would gladly kill someone like the Hound. But Lord Vayon was right, I wasn't in my best shape, and even if I was, I don't think I could defeat the Hound in a fair fight.

Before opening the closet, I got my cloak, clothes, and sword. The closet had two walls. The first one slid open, and I walked inside. I stood between two walls and heard the Hound walk into the room.

"Who are you?"

"Yon, clean the room later," I heard Lady Eri talk. "Or it is my servent you were looking for. Do you perhaps like older men, or is it your lord who likes the company of older men?"

"There is blood on the ground," Hound grunted.

"It is a brothel. Have you not been inside one? Some men like to hit girls. As a brother to the Mountain, I expected you would know it."

I heard the Hound utter an annoyed grunt before walking around the room. He opened the closet, and I held my breath. He didn't stay for long and walked out of the room. I stayed in the closet as he looked at the other rooms.

"Are you satisfied?" Lady Eri asked. "Good, tell Lord Tyrion that he isn't welcomed there any time soon or ever."

The Hound only grunted before leaving. They both knew it wasn't the dwarf who ordered the Hound around. It was that incest bastard and his mother. Still, as long as at least one of the Lannisters suffered, I wouldn't mind.