Prologue

"Mother is going to kill me.", thought Arya.

Arya Stark, a lady from one of the Great Houses, didn't fit in King's Landing. A lots of young ladies from minor houses dreamt of living in the King's court, but Arya hated the place. She once enjoyed the castle; she had "dancing" lessons with Syrio Forel and she explored the city, but when Arya turned twelve something changed. Arya was diferent, she looked unlike her. Her father, the Hand of the King, Lord Eddard Stark forbade her the sword fighting lessons and Septa Mordane was more demanding, especially when her older sister Sansa finally married with the crown prince, Joffrey Baratheon.

Arya was bored in the court. She had to do girl things. The other ladies were boring and hypocrite. And then Septa Mordane started to talk about the "pretty knights" who were present on court. What pretty knights? Knights to marry?

Arya begged her father to send her back to Winterfell. To home. She missed Winterfell so much. Lord Eddard hesitated, particularly when there were some interessing wedding proposals from great and rich houses, but Ned decided to send her to WInterfell. She was young and, where she gets older (and wiser), she would return to King's Landing and marry with honorable young lord.

Ned took advantage of the situation and asked to the King and childhood friend Robert Baratheon the King's permission to accompany his daughter in the journey's party to Winterfell and also get back in touch with his wife Catelyn. King Robert got a little upset, but he let the friend do the trip.

x-x

When Lord Eddard and Arya arrived, Lady Catelyn was waiting with her heart in her hands and she run to see her husband and her youngest daughter again.

"Oh Ned!", she gave a big kiss to Ned and Arya started happily greeting and hugging her brothers. She hunged Robb who grow up to a great man and a lord. Some time from now he'll probably choose a wife and marry. Bran and Rickon also grow up. Before they were little boys; now Bran was ten and he was as tall as Arya.

Nymeria, the direwolf, met this brothers in four years of absence. Grey Wind, Summer and Shaggy recognized their sister and they stared to play, very happy. The pack was together.

Arya was quite happy, even if she was a little sad by the absence of Jon Snow. She missed the brother that ruffled her hair and smiled to her.

There were a great feast in honor of their arrivel, with lots of warm and flavorful food. The smallfolk in Winter Town also ate, feasting, singing and dancing. The Great Hall of Winterfell was full of people. Some Northern nobleman like Lord Medger Cerwyn and Lord Rickard Karstark were present. The feast lasted till the late hours of the night.

x-x

"I'm sad that you didn't adapt to King's Landing.", said Catelyn, brushing her daughter's tousled hair in the next morning. If Arya brush her hair more often, she would have a very silky hair. But she didn't. Lady Catelyn, a beautiful woman and respectful, concluded that the Red Keep or even the strict Septa Mordane will never teach the savage Arya to be a lady; she needed her mother.

"I didn't like the place.", said Arya. Although it was half a lie.

"Well, in my time, the Red Keep was a horrible place."

"I know the history of King Aerys Targaryen. Ouch...", said Arya, "But Father was always busy - ouch - and I had no friends. Nymeria was - ouch - was always locked. It was awfull. Ouch - And the other girls - ouch - were stupid. Like Sansa. She didn't talk to me, Sansa was too busy with her prince."

Catelyn was worried about her oldest daughter, but she smiled.

"Oh sweet Arya, Sansa was promised to Joffrey Baratheon. Of course, she was always with her prince.", Arya shrugged. Catelyn began to make a braid with Arya's soft dark hair and said, "If you want to, I can find a friend for you."

"You can't just simply find a friend for me, Mother.", said Arya, "Friends aren't like flowers. I just need to meet a person who likes me. In the Red Keep, I didn't find a person who truly liked me."

"But I bet there's a girl in North who wants to be a friend with you.", said Catelyn, "Maybe a daughter of one of your father's bannerman."

"No.", said Arya, "Are we done with the braid?"