"Shall we go?", she asked, walking down the steps with her new look. Black hair, black feathered dress. Gone was the auburn hair that made everyone know she is related to the Tullys of Rivverrun. She assumed a new identity; an identity that would set her plans into motion.

Lord Baelish was looking at her as she walked down those steps with a look that would scare most girls. But Alayne Stone wasn't easily scared. Not since Sansa Stark witnessed her father's beheading, heard about the death of the younger brothers, the older one, mother's and the uncertainty surrounding her little sister. Fear was no longer a part of her mind. Her mind was set on one thing. Well, maybe two, but one was much more important than the other. Next to Lord Baelish, young Lord of the Vale, Robyn Arryn, was looking at Alayne in awe. She smiled to him without saying anything and accepted Lord Baelish's hand with a grace only an untroubled lady could impose. She had learned to hide her troubles very well.

Petyr and Alayne were to take Robyn on a tour around the Vale, to introduce the young lord to his subjects. Afterwards, they had a more pressing matter on their hands. Though it was hard for Alayne to converse with Petyr in privacy. Robyn was always right next to them, no matter what either of them told him. Alayne has given up after a few tries. Later she would have more time to talk with Petyr, she said to herself. Robyn always went to bed very early, undoubtedly that was the work of his lady mother, one of the few things she did right about his raising. After seeing she doesn't mind, Petyr stopped trying to get rid of Robyn as well.

As they stepped out of the impregnable Eyrie, there was snow everywhere. It brought a smile on Alayne's face. As always, it reminded her of Sansa Stark's beloved Winterfell. She couldn't help but smile due to all her fond memories of the place, for a moment forgetting it was in the hands of the treacherous Boltons. When she reminded herself about that, she shed a small tear. Luckily neither Petyr nor Robyn noticed that. You are not Sansa Stark anymore, she told herself. You are Alayne Stone until further notice. Never forget that. She would have to remind herself of that every day. But it will be worth it in the end, she'd say to herself every time she did that. In the end, all pain will go away and she would be able to become Sansa Stark once more.

Passing through the Bloody Gate, a guard looked at them with weary eyes. How they must suffer here in all this cold, she was thinking. But she knew they cannot leave their posts before the lords. They have their homes further down in the Vale. They go there every winter, like us, she said to herself.

In truth, the winter was coming and there are little options of sustaining the Eyrie when it comes. They hadn't told that to Robyn yet, he was still afraid of the simple fact that he will be on the road for a few days straight. For someone that has never left his home before it was sure a tough thing to swallow. But, as Petyr said, it was ''time for Robyn to leave the nest'' and he was right, like so often before.

"Alayne, will you hold me close when we are in the carriage? I'm afraid."

"Of course, Sweetrobin. There is no need to be afraid, though. Carriages are a very comfortable way of travelling and you cannot fall out of them unless you actively try."

She tried to calm him down. It was all she could do. She still felt bad for slapping him. But he ruined Winterfell, she said to herself. He mocked it, belittling it. She knew she was right to hit him, but she still felt bad. Her lady mother raised her up to be a good lady and ladies were not meant to hit other people. That was reserved for warriors. Like Ser Meryn Trant, a little voice inside her head asked? At the thought of that, she battled back her tears again. She was so close to dying that day until Tyrion saved her. And the thanks she gave him was to let him rot in the dungeons of King's Landing. But she couldn't yell at him to come with her or she wouldn't have escaped at all. He's probably dead now, another voice said, so why bother thinking about him? The voice was right. Good people rarely live long enough to see something become of them. He was also a Lannister, a family that caused her enough grief she shouldn't think about saving any of them, even if that one Lannister was always nice to her. But all that didn't matter now. She must stop thinking about King's Landing and start thinking about the task at hand. The North remembers, they all say. And the North is at its strongest in winter, which is about to come and it's promising to be a harsh and long one. It's been too long since there was a Stark in Winterfell and there must always be one, Sansa's father always used to say. The gods must be angry that there isn't one to send such a harsh winter. They must be calmed and sooner rather than later.

Finally they reached the carriages. Petyr entered first, followed by Robyn and lastly Alayne got in as well. As soon as she sat herself down, Robyn sat in her lap and Alayne pressed him to herself. Robyn always liked that. Petyr sat across them and smiled wordlessly. No doubt he was still checking the dress. The handiwork was truly amazing. All those feathers sewed on one by one made her look like she was really an Arryn. She would surely be thought of as one if the dress wasn't black like coal. A trained eye like his would also surely notice that the feathers are sewn on in a pattern resembling a mockingbird. Alayne was sure Petyr took notice of that immediately. He hasn't spoken since his last try to send Robyn away for a moment and even before that, he only said a few words since she got down the stairs.

The ride was short, the visit even shorter. It was just a small lord of the Vale, commanding perhaps 500 men at his best day, but Robyn had to present himself to all the lords, small and powerful alike. The lord was very kind, though, and Robyn seemed to have genuinely enjoyed himself. He didn't speak much, Petyr did most of the talking, but for the first time since leaving the Eyrie, Alayne saw Robyn smile at the fool the lord had in his castle. The fool really was something; even Petyr was laughing at his japes. Petyr wouldn't have laughed quite like that if he wasn't, Alayne knew. She spent enough time with him lately to know when his laugh was sincere. It brought her relief. The lord even offered them to stay for the night, but they had to insist that they had to go onwards. It took them another five hours to get to Redfort where Lord Horton greeted them warmly. He provided them with drink and threw a small feast in honour of the new Lord Paramount. After the feast the servants escorted them all to their chambers. Each of them had his own chamber while the escorts that arrived with them were shown to the servants' chambers. Alayne entered her chamber and found in it an already lit brazier that emanated warmth and filling the room with it. The bedclothes were red, which didn't surprise her much: the Redfort colour is red, after all. Not like she cared about the colour. She thanked the young maid that showed her to her room and bid her good night.

Not five minutes later, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

The door opened with a barely audible creak and Petyr entered.

"How is my dear daughter faring?"

"Very well, Father. The chamber is much to my liking."

Smiling, he sat down on the bed next to her.

"We are finally alone. I thought you wanted to tell me something way back at the Eyrie?"

"I did. Well, not so much tell, but ask."

"Say it, my dear daughter."

"I… It might be a hard thing to ask," she started, but Petyr cut her off.

"Nothing is too hard for me if you are the person asking for it."

Alayne smiled shortly at him.

"I know that. But maybe this request is more like for someone who hears a lot of whispers."

"Well, I hear some whispers. What is it you would like to know that you don't already?"

"You see, I have a suspicion about something, but I cannot confirm it."

"I think you know what you want to ask. And I must tell you that unfortunately, that's one of the things I haven't really heard yet. Though I have a suspicion about it as well. Who are you suspecting, my dear Alayne?"

"I think it might have been Lord Bolton."

Petyr smiled knowingly and put both his hands on her shoulders.

"We were thinking about the same thing, then. I suppose you want to know one more thing then. And I think I have an answer to that question."

"Then tell me. Please. I have to know."

"Bear Isle, though Lady Mormont is much too unpredictable to rely on her. But more importantly, White Harbour."

"Would these two…?"

"I'm afraid I don't know, Alayne. But it's worth an enquiry. Especially the latter."

"Can you help me with this?"

"Of course. Anything for you."

He leaned in just a little closer, but Alayne reacted quickly and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Thank you, Father."

Petyr stood up, unabashed by her resistance with a wicked grin on his face.

"We can go there after we finish the tour of the Vale. Which will be in a month at the very least. Good night, Alayne."

"Good night, Father."

Petyr bowed slightly, turned around on his heels and left the chamber. After he shut the door Alayne undressed and slipped under the sheets. But she didn't fall asleep. Instead she was thinking of everything Petyr told her. Manderlys and Mormonts. She remembered that the Manderly family was one of the strongest bannermen in the North, and also the only family in the North that held the Seven. This could prove pivotal in her quest. Though with Petyr on her side, nothing should really be too hard. He may be strange and even creepy at times, but he is more capable than most, she told herself. She also reminded herself how Petyr has changed. When she arrived at King's Landing, she saw in him a man that wanted everything. Lately, it seemed to her, he didn't want all that anymore. She knew he wanted her above all at the moment. But there was something about him that she found weird. Was it his confession that he really only loved her lady mother? That now that she is gone, she is the closest he can get to her?

What about Robyn? She suddenly remembered they would have to explain everything to him, from moving to a winter residence to prolonging the journey for a few visits in the North. Telling him all this will take some very careful planning. I'll have to talk to Petyr about this, she said to herself just before sleep overtook her involuntarily.

Hi there! Comments are welcome, as are constructive criticisms.

So we're taking off where the episode ended. Hopefully you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.