Ramsay saw Jon approaching from the direction of his father's study and paused, his eyes narrowing slightly as an unreadable look flickered through them.
But he quickly recovered, handed his shortsword and bow to Reek, the servant who had grown up with him, and stepped forward to meet Jon. He spread his thick, wormlike lips in a grin, revealing two rows of slightly yellowed teeth.
This "Reek" was not Theon Greyjoy from the original story, but a man who truly reeked.
He was a servant Roose Bolton had given Ramsay when they first met. Some unknown congenital ailment made his skin stink, and although he bathed often, he still smelled terrible. Everyone at the Dreadfort therefore called him "Reek."
Giving him to Ramsay had, in fact, been Roose Bolton's idea of a cruel joke.
After all, Ramsay's mother had only just brought him to Roose Bolton, publicly pleading with Roose to provide for and raise her son, who had become impossible to discipline.
At the time, Roose Bolton's heir, Domeric Bolton, was still healthy and met every expectation he had for the heir to his house.
Domeric had received a proper noble's education since childhood. Steady and cold by temperament, he had fully inherited House Bolton's long-standing legacy of restrained ruthlessness, yet yearned for glory in his heart. In Roose Bolton's mind, he was unquestionably the future head of House Bolton.
Roose Bolton of the Dreadfort was much like Tywin Lannister of the Westerlands: both placed tremendous importance on their houses' honor. Even if Roose was dissatisfied with Robb, he would never act without preparation and risk tarnishing his family's reputation.
In the original story, he had joined the Lannisters and House Frey in rebelling against Robb because Robb had broken his marriage pact with House Frey, thoroughly enraging Walder