Still don't own it...

CHAPTER 2

ARYA POV:

"Again, Arya child!"

I swung the staff again, my gi sticking to my body. My bare feet moved swiftly across the mat. I twirled the staff again, striking the heavy bag. I was on hour two of practice, with another hour and a half to go. I have been practicing Karate and Bo Staff fighting, especially Yin Shou Gun for about a year and a half now. I now competed at a national level and have won several class titles. I was a red belt; I only had brown to go before black. I practice for three and a half hours everyday. The only day I didn't practice was Saturday, the Sabbath, and my family spent the day in Temple.

"Arya, child!" Syrio came over and put his hands on my shoulders. "You must not see the bag as a bag, it is the face of the people who have done you wrong. It is your frustration."

It may be weird hearing a sansei preaching violence. Yes, we tried the peace thing, but that wasn't working for me. Sure I meditated, like any student of martial arts must. I learned my values and my disciplines, but nothing drove me like hatred.

I picked up my Bo staff, and suddenly the bag was no longer a bag. It was the pig Joffrey Baratheon. He was sneering, making fun of my illegitimate brother Jon, and my wheelchair bound brother Bran. He was looking at Sansa's ass and making fun of my older brother Robb's Kippah, that he wore no matter the day.

I spun the staff, and nailed that son of a bitch in the head.

Syrio looked at me, his eyes narrowing. "Arya child had a tough day at school, no?"

I leaned on the staff, suddenly tired. I looked at my bare, sweating feet, breathing heavily.

Syrio cupped his hand under my chin and forced me too look at him. "Arya child. When you're in a match, and your down and feel like you can't get up, your opponent is standing over you, fist raised, ready to finish the fight, to walk away victorious and you defeated, what do we say?"

"Not today."

"Not today." He gave me an austere look, holding my gaze, to see if I would break.

That was the one test I never failed. I never brake.

"Put staff away now Arya child." Syria commanded.

I placed the staff in my bag and stood at attention in the center of the room. He stood in front of me and bowed. I bowed to him and got in position.

He struck first, but I blocked it. He hit me and punched me, but I took it, striking back at him. I ducked and parried and defended myself. Syrio and I never used padding. Padding protected you, made you weak. In a real fight, you would not be wearing a nice foam helmet. Anyway, every bruise was a lesson, and every lesson made you better.

GAMEOFTHRONES

I smelt dinner cooking as I walked through the door. Chicken and potatoes most likely.

"Arya! You smell like you were grappling pigs. You have ten minutes to shower!" Osha yelled from the kitchen, never taking her eyes off the potatoes. Osha was my brother Brans helper. She helps him change and go up the stairs.

"Yes ma'am." I yelled back as I attempted to walk up my stairs, however, after a work out like that, someone will most likely have to carry me.

As if hearing my prayers, my husky, Nymeria padded up besides me. I gave her a scratch behind the ears. "You going to help me climb these?"

"Nine minutes Arya!"

"Alright," I said to the dog. "Lets go." With lots of pain and muscle, I was able to walk up the stairs and into a cold shower. I always took my showers cold.

After getting ready, I walked down the stairs to join my family for dinner. My father and mother were at the head of the large table, my father looking professional in his suit and, like all my brothers, his Kaippah, with Tzitzit showing from underneath his shirt. My eldest brother Robb sat besides him and across from him Sansa. Next to Robb was Bran, sitting in his wheelchair, and next to him, Rickon and next to him was Jon. After Jon was Theon Greyjoy, my fathers foster child. His dad was arrested for selling drugs. My father took Theon. I don't know what happened to the girl. I took my place in between Sansa and Osha.

I bowed my head as my father lead us in prayer. He thanked God for his family and food, and spoke of guiding us through the next few months, what could be happing that we would need guiding for, I had no clue.

"So, Arya, how was your lessons today?" My father asked between bites of potatoes

"Good. Really got into the bo staff today." I answered.

He gave me his little smile of approval. It was his idea that I start practicing to begin with.

"Well, I would hope. The only thing she does Ned is swing that stick and pushups." My mother Catlyen said.

"No its not." I spoke up. "I have friends, and I go to youth group!"

"Yes, that." Mother said quickly, as if trying to forget I was in the temples youth group. She does that. She was raised a Catholic and will die a catholic. Sure, she stands by my father at Temple, but the only one of her children that followed her was Sansa. When Robb started growing a beard and wearing more conservative clothing, she walked around looking like she was going to cry.

My father sensed her discomfort, he always did when we talked about those things.

"So, Jon, I have wonderful news."

Jon looked up from the end of the table at father, a look of curiosity on his face. He rarely spoke during dinner. "Yes father?"

"That school you applied for, BlackWall academy? The one where your uncle Benjen works? You got in!" He said, a wide smile across his face.

Jon didn't know whether to be excited, shocked, sad, or all three. Robb stood up and kissed his brother on the cheek. "Thats wonderful Jon! You should be so proud of yourself!" Robb pulled Jon out of his seat and embraced him. Theon was standing respectively behind, muttering his congratulations.

BlackWall was a boarding school about five hours by car away. It was three huge stone buildings and over looked out over what seemed like a never ending forest. It was nicknamed "The Wall" because it rested on the state boarder, and a giant wall was built so kids who went to the school wouldn't hop the state boarder.

"But its a boarding school. When will we see Jon?" I asked, fear creeping into my voice. Jon was my favorite brother.

"Don't worry, we'll see him. He will be home for the holidays." Father clarified. "Jon, I'll take you to get your uniform and supplies tomorrow. You leave after New years."

Father didn't mean the New Years in December, he meant the one in two days.

"Thank you father. I can't believe I got in." Jon said, trying his best to not seem nervous at the prospect of going to a fancy boarding school, away from his family.

The rest of dinner passed in a confusing blur or congrats and good lucks. I kept my mouth shut, trying to not seem upset.

After dinner I went to my room and sat on my bed, trying to imagine life without Jon. It made me feel empty, like a part of me was going away.

I sat like that for a long while, trying to make sense of things.

CHAPTER TWO! So what do you think about me making the Starks Jewish? Religion plays a huge part in the books, and I wanted to add it to my story. They're not supposed to be Orthodox, that would have just made the story to confusing. They are most likely leaning towards the Conservative side. They are supposed to be extremely devoted to their religion, just like the books. (I'm sorry, I'm not Jewish, but I have Jewish friends so I hope how I described them wasn't laughable, or worse, offensive. I also want to study anthropology in collage so, I hope I wont end up sucking at my Job.) So yeah, R+R!

(Also, if you know anything about Judaism or are Jewish yourself, leave me a message in the comments section. I want to write the Starks as accurately as possible.)

-The Professor