Chapter Two
"Laughter is poison to fear."
Catelyn Stark
Lady Arya Stark liked to proclaim that she was anything but a lady, and especially not a little one. Usually, these words were followed by a sneer and her lips pulling back in a feral growl which was also cemented on her wolf-friend's own maw. In those brief moments where she was forced to curtsey before her Crowned Prince, her Lord father was sure there would be a fiasco; however, when Ser Jaime Lannister and his Imp brother strode up as if they owned the whole of Winterfell, his youngest daughter's eyes brightened in excitement and any words she might have snarled at the ever so pretentious Joffrey Baratheon died on her tongue as she took in the Knight and Dwarf. And perhaps, were Nedd more intune with the going ons of his daughter's thoughts, he might have forbade the girl to see either Lannister son - however, Nedd was not and as such, he did not forbid her of doing anything.
That night, when the feast was in full swing, Arya was not at her sister's side, entertaining the two young Princes and the Princess. She was not clinging to Robb's arm, sneering at their guests, or by Brann's chair, making jokes with him. No, Arya was sitting beside Lord Tyrion, the dwarf guffawing at her unnatural mannerisms and directness. It was refreshing, he told her while handing her a cup of Red Dornish, watching as she drained the cup without flinching. It took all of three seconds before she wrinkled her nose up and took up a cup of water. It hadn't been her first time trying the wretched stuff, but she had still yet to acquire a taste for it. "Lord Tyrion," she had inquired, tearing her eyes from Jon Snow's form in the back of the giant hall. The dwarf just hummed in response, pouring himself another cup of wine. "Do you ever wish you weren't part of your family?" She had turned her eyes to the table, stabbing the finely polished wood with a knife, carving new lines into it. Tyrion gave a start, Wine nearly spilling as he stared at the girl with wide eyes. What was he to say to that? How could he tell a trueborn Stark that yes, he had because he was a Dwarf cursed by his own sister and half scorned by his own brother. "Nevermind," she said just as quickly and leapt from her seat, fingers instantly snaking into the fur upon her wolf's head. "Thank you for your time," and with those fleeting words, she was off and her place was taken by Tyrion's own brother.
"She's a strange girl," his brother chirped, though not unkindly, as he drained his own cup. Tyrion could do little else but agree as the girl and her wolf sped out of the Feast and into the chilling night.
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Arya very rarely got frightened, by anything, especially when she had Nymeria by her side. Right then, however, she was utterly terrified. The youngest Stark girl had known the dangers of traveling out in the night on her own, even with the Wolf pup by her side, but she hadn't meant to get lost and before Nymeria could lead them home again, the monstrous thing had tromped into her path. And so, there she was, back to the biting bark of a giant Oak with Nymeria pressed against her side, the wolf snarling and growling at the large bear. In that moment, Arya very much believed she was going to die, alone and away from her family - away from her pack.
She wondered if her family knew she was gone yet, wondered if they had recognized her absence from the feast, wondered when they would send a party out to find her - she wondered, bitterly, if they would even find her body or just crimson stained snow. She slid to the cold Earth and curled her knees to her chest, trying to come off as smaller than she was while Nymeria shielded her body against the Bear. Grey eyes fell shut as Arya prepared herself for the darkness. That darkness never came, and instead of the biting chill of the Northern Nights, a warmth seeped into her. Warmth curled around her, drawing her up and up until she was firmly tucked into a strong chest. An arm was curled around her, and upon opening her eyes she was met with a strong jaw line and beautiful tanned skin. Looking back forward she watched as Nymeria and Ghost and Greywind ripped into the bear, her wolf with renewed vigour. It was neither of her brothers that held her close though, instead it was the Golden Haired Lannister Heir, sword drawn and eyes narrowed after the wolves. Arya had never felt better protected or more safe than in the arms of the Noble Knight. "You are safe now, Child of the Wolf," the Lannister spoke softly, lowering his weapon just slightly as the wolves drove off the bear; Arya had known that very thing the minute he'd taken her into his arms. The Lannister heir did not relinquish his hold on her, however, and instead carried her back to the Gray castle.
They arrived just as Robb and Jon exited the great doors, confusion clear on their faces as the searched for their own great beasts, pausing in shock at the sight of the Golden Lion carrying the young Wolf. Ghost, Greywind, and Nymeria trotted close to the duo, each with a maw stained with crimson, looking proud and sated. "Arya," it was their mother's gasp that startled them from their confusion, forcing them into action as they rushed forward to gather their sister away from the knight. "What happened, speak now or I'll have your tongue!" Arya had never heard her mother sound so much like a Wolfblood.
"He saved me," Arya whimpered, suddenly cold without the warmth of the Lion surrounding her. "A bear had me cornered, and Nymeria couldn't take it all on her own. Ghost and Greywind showed up, and Ser Lannister too…" A frown over took her pale lips as she turned her head in the Lannister's direction. "How did you come to find me?" Had it not been for the low lighting in the corridor, Arya might have said the knight's cheeks were flushed, but concluded that was merely a trick of the light and nothing more.
"Your Wolves," no one said anything about the man claiming all the wolves to be Arya's, "left in a great hurry. I was outside when they sped off with great purpose. I decided to see why." Arya did not question him them, just nodded and clung tighter to Robb, searching for a fraction of the warmth the golden haired man had offered.
"I must thank you then," Lady Stark uttered in astonishment before curtseying before the knight, "for saving my daughter's life. And I must apologize for speaking to you in such a manner."
"I've been told," Jaime smiled kindly, his lips twisting up in a pretty smile that had Arya staring at them, "that a mother's love for her child defies all. A Wolf protecting her cubs is no force I wish to recon with. I believe your pup is chilled, so I will take my leave with acceptance of your gratitude, though most certainly unneeded, and understanding of your apology. Tend to your child." And with that, the knight bowed low and stepped away from the clustered family. He rejoined the party with partial enthusiasm, accepting wine from a servant and downing it in one swig; he ignored the inquisitive gaze of his sister's prying eyes and took a seat adjacent to his brother, though he spoke nought of where he'd been or why his clothes were slightly rumpled in the shapes of two tiny fists that had once been enclosed around the red fabrics.
Hey guys, so here's a new chapter for Dance With Me! I hope you enjoyed it! Please read and review and let me know what you think of this new chapter! This story most likely will not follow everything from the books, but some things will be similar!