The Little Cat
Amarys rode to Eastwatch as fast as she could. There was a black ship waiting for her. The crew didn't know what to make of the strange girl with the golden hair and black clothes, and eyes colder than the ice that surrounded them.
But that wasn't her problem. Her problem was finding Arya Stark in Bravoos.
She stood on deck and looked over the sea as they travelled. The cold, salty air felt nice against her skin. She closed her eyes and breathed it in.
She gasped for air and fell to her knees clutching her chest. She fell forward, holding herself up with one hand while clawing at the place where her heart would be on her chest. The ship's crew started to gather around her.
"Someone do something!" one of them shouted. "There'll be hell to pay if Lord Snow finds out she died on our ship!"
Amarys fell forward and started convulsing.
"She's been touched by the devils!" one shouted.
"Don't be stupid! It happens to people!" another one said.
"Bad omen! It's a bad omen!" another one shouted.
"Fools!" Amarys managed to spit out.
The girl flounced her skirts around as she twirled. A man stood in front of her watching as she spun around. He smiled and pulled her towards him and kissed her again and again. When he pulled away he looked her straight in the eyes.
"The most beautiful woman in the Eyrie. You are becoming more beautiful than your dear mother," he said. The girl blushed.
The man was familiar.
The man turned the girl towards the mirror and smiled. "You see?" he said. The girl blushed and gave him a shy nod.
Amarys stopped convulsing. She was face down on the deck.
"Sansa," she whispered to herself.
The crew had gone silent. She pushed herself up and thought.
"Sansa," she whispered to herself again.
"What was that, dear?" a man asked. Amarys turned and faced him. He was an old man with a worried expression on his face.
"Nothing. Leave it," she walked to her cabin and shut the door until the ship docked in Bravoos.
When she left the ship, she looked around as she wiped the sweat from her brow. It was far hotter and more crowded than the Silent Kingdom. She suddenly missed home. But to return home, she had to complete her quest. She would be being watched right there and then.
She walked around for a bit. She caught little children trying to pick her pocket. She had whores trying to have her pay for services she definitely did not want. She had merchants trying to sell her dirt. She decided she liked this place. It finally reminded her of the Silent Kingdom.
There were a group of guards running around in pursuit of someone. Amarys climbed a wall to get a better look of the streets bellow, thankful of her fingerless leather gloves against the rough stone.
She saw who the guards were chasing. She followed, running carefully along the walls and rooftops. She dived from a roof into a tiny alley and rolled onto her feet. She pushed open a door to a cellar and waited in the doorway.
When Arya Stark ran past, Amarys grabbed her by the arm, clasped her hand over her mouth and shut the door behind them. She watched as the pursuers ran past.
"Who are you?" Arya asked, whispering. She obviously knew that whoever saved her from the pursuers wanted something from her.
"I'll give you a clue," Amarys asked. She ran her fingers through Arya's mucky brown hair and dividing it up. "Summer, Shaggydog, Lady, Grey Wind, Nymeria, Ghost," Amarys said, plaiting Arya's hair as well as she could in the dark light of the cellar entrance. She could hear the last of the pursuers run past. She turned Arya around and examined the work she had done on Arya's hair. She started to look more like a girl. Amarys wiped her face and ripped off her tunic.
"How do you know those names?" Arya asked. She was weary, especially since whoever this woman was ripping her tunic off, plaiting her hair and saving her life, she wasn't normal.
"I saw them. All of them," Amarys said. She pulled her cloak and jacket off, unlaced her corset and pulled her shirt off. She pulled her shirt over Arya's head.
"How can you see them? And what are you doing?" Arya asked, pulling the shirt over her head reluctantly, but it was better than the ripped tunic.
"I suppose you never heard of the Silent Kingdom?" Amarys asked, putting her corset back on and lacing it up and fastening the buckles on the straps. It was less than she was used to, but it covered what needed covered.
"No. Tell me how you know the direwolves," Arya demanded.
"The Silent Kingdom is a realm in the Lands of Always Winter. We see things. People, actions, everything. I saw you. I saw Sansa, and Bran and Rickon. I've seen your mother and Robb and your father. I've seen Cersei and Jaime Lannister. I've seen the Imp and the Mother of Dragons. I've seen Sam Tarly and Brienne of Tarth. I've seen Jon Snow, Renly Baratheon and Stannis Baratheon and Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen," Amarys said. She sighed. "I've seen it all since I was two," she said.
"How can I trust you?" Arya said.
"Ask me something only you would know?" Amarys said.
"Needle?" she asked.
"Your sword. A gift from Jon. Someone nicked it and now you have it back. Hidden behind a stone," Amarys said. She ripped up a long strip of Arya's tunic and used it to tighten the shirt to the waist.
"I think I trust you. What's your name? Why are you here?" she asked.
"My name is Princess Amarys Iceranger. I'm on a quest to prove myself to the Silent Kingdom that I'm a worthy heir. I'm taking you to Jon as well. But you have to help me find Sansa and kill a few people first," she said.
Arya's face lit up. "I'll help."
"Good. Now when we leave here, you will pretend to be my little sister Cataya. Little Cat. Here, put this on," Amarys helped Arya into her coat and draped her cloak around Arya's shoulders. "You will do everything I say and you will let me do the talking. Understood?" Amarys asked. Arya nodded.
Amarys pulled her dagger from her belt and cut her hand. She handed the dagger to Arya. Arya cut her hand too, then Amarys pressed their palms together.
"You have my blood and I have your now, Little Cat. I do not betray my blood. I take care of my blood. Understand?" she asked. Their grey eyes met. Arya nodded once and handed the dagger back. "Now let's go and fetch needle. You're coming back to Westeros with me. We're going to get your sister," Amarys said.
"She's a pain to travel with," Arya warned.
"She's even more of a pain to see visions of, believe me. I can live with her for a while. Until I get you back to Jon," Amarys opened the door.
She led Arya to the place where Needle was hidden and kept watch while Arya climbed up to find it. When she climbed back down, she led Arya to the ship.
As they made their way through the crowds, they were stopped by the guards that had previously been chasing Arya.
"Excuse me, we're looking for a skinny child with dark hair and grey eyes. A murderer," one said. He looked at Arya.
"I see. Any more information?" Amarys asked.
"She looked like this one, but wearing a tunic from the House of Black and White," the man didn't remove his eyes from Arya. Amarys looked from the man to Arya and back again.
"Stop looking at my sister, cradle snatcher," she said, pulling Arya behind her.
"She's the spitting image of the child," the guard said.
"Bullshit! You just want an easy find so you don't get in trouble with your superiors! How dare you insult my sister like that? Come, Cataya, we don't have to take this," Amarys took Arya by the hand and dragged her away and towards the ship. Once they were aboard and in the safety of Amarys' cabin, they burst out laughing.
"How do you do it? You seem to be able to make people do whatever you want them too," Arya said, sitting on the bed.
"Of course I can, Little Cat. It is something the people of the Silent Kingdom can do. But it doesn't work on us. I'll teach you, if you like. But it will be a long process," Amarys said.
"Long, but useful," Arya smiled. "Now tell me, what news of Jon?" she asked.
"What? Lord Commander Snow? Not much, really," Amarys smirked. Arya beamed.
"And if you know so much of me, my prayers?" Arya asked.
"Hound is down. So is Joffrey. Your Sansa had a hand in his death. So did Baelish and the Imp," Amarys said. "Don't judge the Imp, but be weary of Littlefinger," Amarys said. "Now rest. I'll see how long it will be until we leave," Amarys stood up and left the cabin.
The ship's captain and First mate were talking to the two guards Amarys had previously encountered. She walked over.
"You again?" she asked.
"We demand to see the girl you call your sister," one said.
"Pervert. May I ask why?" Amarys asked. "Cataya needs to sleep. It's been a long day," Amarys folded her arms.
"She is the spitting image of the child we are looking for. We must take her for questioning," the guard said.
"On my ship? No chance! Cataya and Amarys are my guests upon my ship, so to get to them you have to go through me!" the captain boomed. He was a big man: over seven feet tall, stocky like a barrel and all muscle. He had scars all over his face and tattoos all over his arms. The guards stepped back.
"It is a matter of Bravosi Law! We must-" Amarys interrupted the guard by placing the blade of her dagger at his groin and the blade of her serrated longsword under his throat.
"Must what?" she asked.
"We must get off this ship now," he said. He may have been taller that Amarys by a clear foot, but she was faster and obviously more skilled with a sword. He and his fellow guard left the ship.
"You know there may be a place for you in the crew if you ever decide to give up the Silent Kingdom, Your Majesty," the captain smiled.
"I'll consider it," she smiled back. "Thank you," she added.
"No problem. Just doing my job. Sometimes I wonder if I hadn't joined the Night's Watch if I'd have become a captain for one of the king's ships. But I saw the war coming and the most honourable place was sailing for the Wall," he smiled.
"I've seen every side of this war, and I can safely say you made the right choice," Amarys returned to the cabin.