Water Dancer

by Lyra Alexandra

This story alters the show's timeline a little. It takes place after Arya has already learned to be fight in Bravos and can change her face at will - therefore she is a little older than she is in in the show. He charachter is my interpretation of a more grown up/ruthless version of Arya. I hope you enjoy it - it is a bit different but I have done my best to keep it as true as poss

1. Chapter 1

In The Beginning

"I want to do this!"

"Your place is here! You are a lady, you will marry a lord, your sons will be knights, your daughters will be ladies, and you will be head of a holdfast next to your husband." Lord Eddard Stark said staring wistfully into the middle distance.

"No, that's not me." Arya jumped up. "That's Sansa." She mumbled storming out of the room and down the hall.

How can I convince them that the life they want for me is not the one I want? I want to be a knight; I want to be like the Water Dancers the Bravosi traveller told me about.

Arya burst through the large wooden doors that lead to her room, thrusting her right arm to prevent the door slamming back in her face.

"So no luck then?" Sansa asked innocently sitting on the end of Arya's bed.

"No! No matter what I say, he just won't let me go."

Sansa sighed. "Bravos is a long way from Winterfell, why can't you be happy here?"

"And do what? Embroider stupid little designs with the Septa hanging over me, telling me I'm doing it all wrong?" Arya stood and started pacing around the room.

"Well I'm sure if you just paid more attention to the Septa, you'll get better..."

"But I don't want to get better! I hate embroidery, I'm never going to use it so what's the point in learning it? I want to learn to fight, I'm already better than Bran at Archery and he's been practicing a lot longer than me."

"That's unfair Arya, Bran's only 10!"

"I know! That's not what I meant. I meant that I'm much better at archery than I ever will be at embroidery no matter how much I practice. Would you really have father force me to do something I hate for the rest of my life?"

Sansa's jaw dropped in shock. "Arya, you're being silly! I'm sure mother can find you something else to do that you'll enjoy better!"

"No she won't! C'mon Sansa, you're my sister. Can't you just this once, help me with this?"

"But you're a lady, you're to wear pretty dresses and marry a handsome lord and give him children to rule over his kingdom" Sansa said in the same wistful way their father had. She locked eyes with her sister. "That's our duty, to father, to mother and to our house. Not to dress like a boy and run around in the mud, look at you, you're filthy!"

Arya groaned and threw herself down on the bed again. Sansa stood and went to the door. "Thanks." Arya mumbled.

Sansa turned. "For what?"

"For being my sister."

Sansa huffed and slammed the door on her way out.