GAME OF THRONES
VALAR MORGHULIS
Chapters
1. ARYA
2. KING'S LANDING
3. THE LIST
4. THREE NAMES
5. TRAINING
PART 1. LIES, FACES, AND BLOOD
PART 2. LESSONS LEARNED
6. MAKING PLANS
7. SANSA
8. THE KING IN THE NORTH
9. STANNIS
PART 1. BEND THE KNEE
PART 2. FALLEN KING
10. JUSTICE
11. PETYR
12. THE BLACKFISH
13. THE HOUND
14. THE NORTH REMEMBERS
15. HOUSE TULLY
16. JON
PART 1. HOME AGAIN
PART 2. FAMILY
17. QUEEN CERSEI
18. DRAGONSTONE
19. EURON
20. THE LONE WOLF
PART 1. CHAOS
PART 2. THE DRAGON QUEEN
21. THE HAND OF DEATH
22. THE DRAGON AND THE WOLF
23. ALLIANCE
24. THE LONG NIGHT
PART 1. THE HORN OF WINTER
PART 2. THE NIGHT KING
25. CRACKEN'S BLOOD
26. FINAL BATTLE
27. VALAR MORGHULIS
PART 1. THE WAIF
PART 2. VALAR DOERHERIS
CHAPTER 1. ARYA
Arya Stark was born during a long summer; one of the longest summers in recorded history. She is the fourth of five children and the second girl born to Lord Eddard and Lady Catelyn Stark. Arya is often compared to her Aunt Lyanna, because she prefers riding horses, shooting arrows, and learning to fight rather than the things a young noble lady should learn. When no one is looking Arya teaches herself to shot the bow. As often as she can Arya sneaks away from her lessons on sowing, religion, and ladyship of a great house. Arya Underfoot is one of the nicknames she is called, because she is always in the Kitchens, the smithy, and the stables asking questions about one thing or another.
Arya is eleven years of age sitting with Sansa learning the duties of a high born noble woman. The moment Septa Modane isn't looking Arya sneaks away. "Okay now we shall…" Sansa is holding her lips together trying not to laugh. Modane stairs at Sansa and they both burst into laughter. "You could have said something you know."
"And risk her wrath!"
"Seven hells take me I will not chase the little monster."
Arya hides until she believes Septa Modane isn't hunting her; Arya is very good at hiding. She leaves her hiding place and makes her way to the main courtyard where her brothers are practicing the bow. When her brother Bran misses the shot Robb, Jon, and Theon laugh. "Which one of you was marksman at his age…" Eddard Stark asks.
Arya takes her bow and nocks an arrow, she aims and fires hitting the bull's eye. Everyone turns to look at her. Arya mockingly curtsies to her brother with a smile. Her smile gets bigger as Bran starts chasing her. Arya is fast and outruns her brother dodging under carts, running across tables and up the steps. Eventually he gives up and Arya skips through the castle in victory.
"Arya!"
She stops upon hearing the voice of her mother. She slowly turns around, "Yes mother."
Catelyn Stark shakes her head, "Yes mother…Why aren't you at your lessons?"
"I hate them…When I grow up I am going to be the first female Knight in the history of Westeros."
Cat as she is often called huffs, "Little girl you will be the end of me."
Arya was not in the mood for another lecture, her mind is racing on how to get out of the coming storm, she smiles on the inside, "Where is father?"
Cat narrows her eyes with a hint of a smile on her lips, "Your father had to leave…There was a…He had to leave."
"But why?"
"You never mind why? Go to your room and stay there until he returns."
"Yes ma'am…" Arya slowly walks away in a sad manner, but she has a smile on her face. When she gets to her room Arya passes the time by reading The Prince of Pirates. Then she stands on her hands leaning against the wall. She takes a short nap and is awakened by one of the servants.
"Young Mistress…Your Lord Father is returning…"
Arya bolts out of bed and runs all the way to the courtyard. Just as she arrives her father rides through the gates with Robb, Jon, Theon, Bran, and Rodrik Cassel. Theon walks up Arya and hands her a pup. "Here ya go."
"Oh my goodness…What's her name?"
"You have to name her."
Arya sees Robb, Jon, and Bran with one as well; as she walks up to Jon Theon hands one to Sansa and Rickon. "What did you name yours?"
"Ghost!"
She nods, "I like it…I am going to name her Nymeria…"
The children love their new pets and form a bond with them that goes beyond any master pet relationship anyone has ever seen. Everywhere Arya goes Nymeria is there right beside her. When she played hide and seek with her brothers the Dire pups played as well. The wolves seem to mimic the temperaments of their masters. Robb's Dire wolf Grey Wind lived up to his name, fast as the wind and was a force to be reckoned with if angered; just like Robb. Ghost was a ghost always quiet and never made a sound when he was around. Like Jon he kept to himself and like Jon favored Arya, Ghost favored Nymeria.
Lady as Sansa named her was just as prim and proper like her owner. The wolf never got dirty or caused trouble like the other wolves. She didn't even howl when they did and only ate what Sansa fed her. Summer was just like Bran, adventurous always exploring and looking for mischief. Shaggy Dog is the meanest of the Wolves, but the black devil as many in the castle called him always obeyed Rickon.
Arya had sat through an entire lesson with Septa Modane and when it is over she goes looking for Jon. She finds him practicing on the wooden dummy with his sword. "I was wondering if you would teach me how to use a sword…"
"Strange request from a high born lady…"
"I am not a high born lady!" She yells tackling him at the waist.
"Alright you little monster…"
"Arya!" They stop to look at Sansa, "Father and mother wishes to speak with us…" She is about to walk off and stops to look back at Jon, "You too Snow."
Jon scoops up Arya and places her over his shoulder. She sits in his lap when they reach the main hall. Maester Luwin is present. "We called you all here because the King is coming to Winterfell…With his entire family."
"Why?" Robb asks.
"Jon Arryn the Hand of the King is dead. I believe he is coming here to ask me to be his new Hand."
"We want all of you to be on your best behavior…"
Arya was both excited and dreading the King's arrival; on the one hand she would see all the Knights and the King's Guard. The Kingslayer Jaime Lannister, the youngest Knight to ever join the King's Guard. He served both the mad King and King Robert the Usurper. Then there is Ser Barristan Selmy the Bold a legend throughout all of Westeros, "They say Ser Barristan is the greatest swordsman to ever live…" Arya says to Nymeria in her room; the Direwolf turns her head to the side. She would also see the Hound Sandor Clegane and Arya hoped to see the Imp Tyrion Lannister.
So the next few weeks are spent preparing the castle for the King's arrival. The day finally came and to her horror Arya is forced to wear a dress. She has a helmet on and runs past her father who grabs her and removes the helm. "Best behavior…" He whispers to her, "Now get in line." He commands with a tap on the behind. She squeezes in between Sansa and Bran forcing him to push over.
The King follows two members of the King's Guard into the courtyard. Arya frowns and is greatly disappointed. She had heard tales of the Usurper Robert Baratheon, a warrior, a commander of men, and great battle tactician. This is not the Great Usurper, this is the King that ate the Usurper. Arya bites her lip to keep from laughing. "That is Ser Jaime Lannister…"
"Will you shut up." Sansa says aggravated.
"And that is the Hound…"
"I want to see her." The King says after introductions are made.
"It has been a long trip." The Queen comments.
"Ned…now!"
"Where is the imp?" Arya asks scanning the crowd for him.
"Arya!" Lady Catelyn says. "Please forgive my daughter your grace."
"Nothing to forgive…my brother is a little imp."
Arya grabs Bran and sneaks away from the tour of the castle led by her Lady Mother. Later is she fuming on the inside as she is in a dress, her hair combed, and she must hold hands with Prince Tommen. They enter the main hall and when everyone is seated the King announces the betrothal of Prince Joffrey Baratheon to Lady Sansa Stark of Winterfell.
"I am never getting married." Arya says.
Tommen looks at her, "Never!"
"Ever…I will have my own castles, my own guards and servants and ride my horses as I damn well please…" Tommen's eyes stretch and his mouth opens. When Arya looks at him she laughs. Then she looks at her stupid sister Sansa. The two of them have never gotten along and are as different as night and day. Arya takes a scoop of mashed peas and fling them at Sansa.
"Arya!"
Arya and few of the other children laugh then Robb scoops up Arya and carries her from the hall. "Where are we going?"
"To the dungeons ya little monster…"
"Will there be a trial…"
"Would you like a trial…I think your chances of being found innocent are slim…"
"I can ask for a trial by combat…Jon can be my Champion." Robb laughs kicking her door open with his foot and then he throws her on the bed. As Arya flies through the air she laughs with giddiness. "You are confined to your quarters you little Wildling." Robb says when she stops laughing.
A few days later bad luck befalls the Stark House Hold. Bran Arya's brother falls from the broken tower. Arya kneels beside the bed with a tear soaked face. Ned had convinced Cat to allow her to see him. "Come little one…Its time to pack."
Arya goes to her room with Nymeria following. As she packs she tries to get the Dire Wolf to help. There is a knock at the door, "Come in."
"Hello, still packing."
She turns and smiles, "Jon!" she runs up to him, but he stops her.
"I have a surprise for you…"
She unwraps it and pulls out a Braavosi style sword, "Wow is this real?"
"It sure is…Don't hurt yourself and be very careful…"
She pauses and looks at Jon, "Are you really going to the Night's Watch…"
He smiles as a tear slides down her face, "I am…"
"Why? You can come with us to King's Landing."
"I wish I could, but there is no place for Bas…"
She punches his arm, "Don't you dare say it!" They stare at each other again and hug. Arya sits in the back of a wagon with Sansa, Septa Mordane and their Dire Wolves. The journey is slow because of the Queen's Wheel House. By sunset they have only gone two miles from Winterfell, so the King orders them to travel through the night. By sunset the next day the entourage has gone seven miles. They stop to make camp by a river.
Arya stands on a hill watching her father have tea with the King. "Arya!" She ignores her sister. "Arya!"
She growls, "What!" She asks looking back.
"Don't you raise your voice at me…The Queen wants to have lunch with us."
"You go…" Before she can walk off Septa Mordane grabs her. "Let me go!"
"A young lady should be a young lady…Now act like the daughter of Lord Eddard and Lady Catelyn Stark."
Arya curtsies to the Queen and sits beside Sansa, "Thank you your grace…" She hits Arya with her elbow.
"Thanks…"
"You remind me of myself at your age my dear…"
Arya looks at the Queen, "I do?"
"I never wanted to do the things they say High Born young ladies should, I wanted to ride horses with my brother, and learn the things he was learning."
"Its so stupid!" Arya says.
"Yes it is…but one day you will become a woman…"
"And I will run away and do what I want…They can't make me marry anyone."
"I wish you all the luck in the world my dear…"
The next day they are off again and at the cross roads Benjen's group heads North while the King's company heads south. Arya watches as her father and Jon exchange words. She waves just before Jon rides off and he waves back. Within two weeks they reach the Riverlands and stop at another inn. All the rooms are given to the King and his household.
"What's your name?" The boy turns and gasps because a wolf is with Arya, "Don't be scared her name is Nymeria…Nymeria shake hands…" The wolf raises her paw and the boy reluctantly shakes it.
"My name is Mycah…"
"Nice to meet you…Do you want to play?"
"I can't I have chores to do…"
"I can help you…" Mycah gives Arya an apron then he helps her dump the barrels of blood. Mycah is the son of a butcher. They hang new meat to be salted and then cut up meat to be served to the King. When their chores are done, Arya and Mycah run alongside the river playing. She picks up two sticks and looks at Mycah, "Want to play Knights?"
"Sure…"
Arya and Mycah swing their wooden swords at each other. "I am Rhaenys and this is my sword Dark sister…Have at thee…"
Mycah raises his sword and pauses, "What is my name again?"
Arya sighs, "Ser Myllon the Rose Knight." They are reenacting a duel between Rhaenys and the Rose Knight of House Gardner. Mycah uses the distraction to attack Arya.
"Ha you are dead…"
The game forgotten she swings her wooden sword and hits him on the shoulder, "Now you are dead…" They whack their sticks back and forth laughing at the silliness of it all as neither were good swordsmen. They slowly fight back and forth and then they are interrupted.
"Arya!"
"Ouch!" Distracted by her sister's arrival Mycah hits her on the arm. "What are you doing here go away!"
"Your sister? Prince Joffrey asks.
Arya watches him as he stalks towards Mycah, "And who are you supposed to be?"
"Mycah my lord."
"The butcher's son…"
"He's my friend…" When he draws his sword, Arya sneers and stands in front of Mycah, "What do you think you are doing?"
"Arya stay out of it!" Sansa commands.
Joffrey shoves Arya to the ground and points his sword in Mycah's face. "Pick up your sword…"
"Its not a sword my lord…" Mycah replies in fear.
"And you are not a Knight."
Arya grabs the stick and stands up, "Arya no!"
"Leave him alone!" She whacks him across the back, "Run Mycah!"
"You little bitch!" Joffrey screams swinging his sword at Arya. She dodges and swings her stick at Joffrey's head. His eyes stretch and he blocks the attack, then he parries cutting the stick in two. He swings again and Arya leaps back.
"Stop it! Stop it both of you…You're ruining everything." Sansa screams as they fight.
Arya trips and hits the ground, "You little cunt, I'm gonna gut you like a fish!"
Arya looks up at him and that is when her Direwolf Nymeria attacks Joffrey biting his arm. "Arya!" Sansa screams.
"Nymeria!" Arya gets up and pulls her off him. Then she picks up his sword and points it at him. Joffrey starts crying and pleading for his life. Arya looks at him in disgust, "You're a coward…I mean look at you…Your pathetic…" She takes the sword and throws it in the river, then she runs off with Nymeria.