All of the Iron fleet had docked. They were definitely getting closer to Meereen, but they had some days of sailing left to go. Theon and Tara followed Yara off the ship. It was a new city for them. All of the men around them were stocking the ship, and so many people were working and walking around everywhere. The buildings were stories tall and they were all crammed together. So many people were everywhere.

Tara grabbed Theon's hand. She wasn't against admitting that she was nervous. Cities like this reminded her of her broken past.

All of the men from their ships were heading in flocks to a whore house. Yara looked behind at Theon and Tara.

"Are you going to be coming with?" Yara asked.

Tara didn't want to go in there. It would probably be too much. She bet it was exactly how it used to be for her. Theon didn't answer the question but looked down at Tara. She was looking off somewhere.

"It's not just a whore house." Yara tried to convince them, "Just get a drink, nothing else."

Despite that neither of them wanted to, they followed Yara into the whore house. The second they walked in, Tara's grip became even tighter on Theon's hand. She couldn't help but have memories flush back to her in full force.

Theon held her tight and was the one leading her. They sat at a table with Yara. Yara immediately found a woman to entertain herself with and Theon and Tara were stuck there with full cups of ale in front of them.

Tara was trying so hard to not bring them back. She tried to focus on other things, but it definitely was difficult as naked whores were everywhere she looked.

"Are you okay?" Theon asked only just her. It was loud enough that no one would hear them.

Tara didn't know what to say. She stared into the crowd, but then she saw something that was too much. She saw a young girl. The girl was probably only 13 years old, and Tara couldn't take it. Tara suddenly picked up the ale and drank the whole thing in one try. It caught the attention of Yara as she turned her head slightly from the whore who was on top of her.

"Tara?" Theon said. Tara stood up and looked at Theon as she started to leave.

"I need to be alone." Tara said to him as she walked away. Theon stood up after her and was going to follow her, but he didn't know if he should respect her wishes.

"Let her go." Yara said. The whore on top of her was still kissing her.

Theon turned angrily towards Yara, "Why did we come here?"

Yara sighed and turned to her whore. She kissed her and then said, "Don't go far love. I'll be looking for you soon." The woman walked away.

Yara turned back to Theon. He was still standing. "Sit. Have a drink." Yara said.

"I don't want one." Theon said.

"Then sit." Yara commanded. Theon listened but not before he turned to see if he could see Tara anymore. He couldn't. Yara noticed him look for her.

"Don't worry, she will be back." Yara said as she took a drink, "It must be nice to have a free whore, the rest of us have to pay." Yara chuckled.

Anger rose inside of him. He couldn't believe Yara would say something like that. Tara was not a whore.

"I'm sorry." Yara turned more towards him, "I was trying to cheer you up."

The apology seemed genuine, but Theon was still angry.

"I would never hurt you little brother." She said as she poured herself a drink, "Don't you know that?"

Theon tried to think about something other than Tara, "Do you think Uncle Euron is hunting for us?"

"Of course he is. As long as we are alive, we're a threat." She replied.

"He'll find us."

"It's a great big world and we have fast ships. Drink." She nodded towards the full cup of ale in front of him.

"I don't want any."

"I don't care what you want. Drink."

Theon shook his head, but he picked up the cup and took a sip. "Drink it all."

Theon listened and gulped some more down.

"You're Ironborn Theon. I know you've had some bad years."

Theon cut her off, "Some bad years?"

She ignored him, "But I'm tired of watching you cower like a beat dog. Drink the goddamn ale!"

Theon chugged down some more as she continued to speak, "Now listen to me. I need you. The real Theon Greyjoy not this rat shit pretender. Can you find him for me?" She asked. Theon said nothing. She commanded him to drink more and he followed.

"You escaped. You hear me? You got away and you're never going back. We will get justice for you."

Theon put down the cup now empty, "If I got justice my burned body would hang over the gates of Winterfell."

"Fuck justice then. We'll get revenge." She said. Then she scooted closer to him, "Listen to me. If you're so broken that there's no coming back, take a knife and cut your wrists." Her voice had so much ferocity behind it, "End it."

"But if you're staying Theon. I need you. If it's not for me, then atleast do it for Tara. But we're gonna sail to Meereen. We're gonna make a pact with this dragon queen. And we're going to take back the Iron Islands." She put her hand on the back of his neck, "Are you with me? Are you really with me?"

Theon looked up directly into her eyes. He nodded his head. Yara smiled some and kissed him on the forehead.

"Now, since it's my last night ashore for a long while, I'm gonna go fuck the tits off this one." She patted him on the back and then left him.

Theon left the table too. He had to go find Tara. He walked out in the direction she left. There were so many people on the street that he started to worry he would never find her. He looked desperately through all the crowd on the street. The only thing he saw was a man throw up over the stone wall into the ocean.

Theon started to walk back to the ships. Hopefully, that's where he would find her. He made his way to the dock. Only a few men were still left working on loading and readying the ship. It was later and almost all of them were in the whore house. Only a sliver of light was left on the horizon, but against it he saw a silhouette. It looked like Tara sitting on the end of the dock, swinging her legs.

He ran down the dock to the end, "Tara?"

She turned and looked back at Theon, but only for a moment.  Then she faced the sea again. Theon went over and sat down on the edge of the dock next to her. They were quite a few feet above the ocean water below. Tara swung her legs as she stared down at the gray water.

"I lost my virginity at 12." Tara said suddenly. Theon turned towards her. "The second I got my red rose, they sold me. Apparently men will pay a lot to be able to deflower young girls."

Tara kept her gaze fixed on the water below. Theon kept his gaze fixed on her.

"They split up me and my sister and sold me to a whore house like that one. I have never been so scared in my life. They pushed me into a room with a much older man." Tara looked up at Theon for the first time, tears were in her eyes. The glimmer of light on the horizon was gone, but Theon could see tears roll down her cheeks.

"The same day I lost my sister." Tara barely got out, "Everyday after that, I was forced to be sold to men who liked young girls. Everyday after that, I wasn't myself anymore."

Theon pulled her close to him. He wrapped himself around her. She nuzzled her head into his chest, and some sobs escaped her. Theon pulled her closer every time she sobbed. Theon now understood what Yara meant. If he wasn't going to be strong for Yara, he had to at least be strong for Tara. She needed him to be Theon Greyjoy, not Reek, and he promised to her silently that he would always be strong for her.

She seemed to calm down after some time. She pulled her face out of his chest a little bit, but kept her cheek pressed against him. Theon cradled her back and forth slightly.

"I saw a girl who looked not but 13, and I had to run out." Tara said, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry." Theon said, "You had every reason to."

"Thank you for being here." Tara said instead.

"I will always be here."