A Game of Thrones 4-Book Bundle

lordling.”
    â€œOnly a fool humbles himself when the world is so full of men eager to do that
job for him.” He kissed her lightly on the

nape of her neck.
    â€œWhat shall I wear to this great feast?” She reached back and pushed his face
away.
    â€œI’ll ask Helya to garb you. One of my lady mother’s gowns might do. She is
off on Harlaw, and not expected to return.”
    â€œThe cold winds have worn her away, I hear. Will you not go see her? Harlaw is
only a day’s sail, and surely Lady Greyjoy yearns for a last sight of her
son.”
    â€œWould that I could. I am kept too busy here. My father relies on me, now that
I am returned. Come peace, perhaps . . .”
    â€œYour coming might bring
her
peace.”
    â€œNow you sound a woman,” Theon complained.
    â€œI confess, I am . . . and new with child.”
    Somehow that thought excited him. “So you say, but your body shows no signs of
it. How shall it be proven? Before I believe you, I shall need to see your
breasts grow ripe, and taste your mother’s milk.”
    â€œAnd what will my husband say to this? Your father’s own sworn man and
servant?”
    â€œWe’ll give him so many ships to build, he’ll never know you’ve left
him.”
    She laughed. “It’s a cruel lordling who’s seized me. If I promise you that one
day you may watch my babe get suck, will you tell me more of your war, Theon of
House Greyjoy? There are miles and mountains still ahead of us, and I would
hear of this wolf king you served, and the golden lions he fights.”
    Ever anxious to please her, Theon obliged. The rest of the long ride
passed swiftly as he filled her pretty head with tales of Winterfell and war.
Some of the things he said astonished him.
She is easy to talk to, gods
praise her,
he reflected.
I feel as though I’ve known her for years.
If the wench’s pillow play is half the equal of her wit, I’ll need to keep
her . . .
He thought of Sigrin the Shipwright, a
thick-bodied, thick-witted man, flaxen hair already receding from a pimpled
brow, and shook his head.
A waste. A most tragic waste.
    It seemed scarcely any time at all before the great curtain wall of Pyke loomed
up before them.
    The gates were open. Theon put his heels into Smiler and rode through at a
brisk trot. The hounds were barking wildly as he helped Esgred dismount.
Several came bounding up, tails wagging. They shot straight past him and almost
bowled the woman over, leaping all around her, yapping and licking.
“Off,”
Theon shouted, aiming an ineffectual kick at one big brown
bitch, but Esgred was laughing and wrestling with them.
    A stableman came pounding up after the dogs. “Take the horse,” Theon
commanded him, “and get these damn dogs away—”
    The lout paid him no mind. His face broke into a huge gap-toothed smile and he
said, “Lady Asha. You’re back.”
    â€œLast night,” she said. “I sailed from Great Wyk with Lord Goodbrother, and
spent the night at the inn. My little brother was kind enough to let me ride
with him from Lordsport.” She kissed one of the dogs on the nose and grinned
at Theon.
    All he could do was stand and gape at her.
Asha. No. She cannot be
Asha.
He realized suddenly that there were two Ashas in his head. One was
the little girl he had known. The other, more vaguely imagined, looked
something like her mother. Neither looked a bit like
this . . . this . . . this . . .
    â€œThe pimples went when the breasts came,” she explained while she tussled
with a dog, “but I kept the vulture’s beak.”
    Theon found his voice.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
    Asha let go of the hound and straightened. “I wanted to see who you were
first. And I did.” She gave him a mocking half bow. “And now, little brother,
pray
excuse me. I need to bathe and dress for the feast. I wonder if I still
have that chainmail gown I like to wear over my boiled leather smallclothes?”
She gave him that evil grin, and crossed the bridge with that walk he’d liked
so well, half saunter and half sway.
    When Theon turned away, Wex was smirking at him. He gave the boy a clout on the
ear. “That’s for enjoying this so much.” And another, harder. “And that’s
for not warning me. Next time, grow a