CHAPTER 2
"My Lady Stark, Lady Sansa has asked for your presence in her room, and sent me to enquire of the whereabouts of Young Lady Arya." Arielle's voice rolled off her tongue like Honey. Since arriving at the Stark's 7 years ago she had become a young woman. A lot has changed in that time. She never saw her father again, although Lord Stark did send search parties out for him. She knew he was probably dead. Lady Catelyn and Lord Eddard had been kind enough to take her on as their ward, provided she acted as handmaiden to Lady Stark and her daughters. She had grown with them, and come to be loved as a part of the family. Well, all except for that rotten Theon Greyjoy, who seemed to despise her for some reason. "Elle, how many times do I have to tell you before I start smacking sense into that pretty little head of yours to call me Cat? For the last time you're part of the family." Lady Catelyn groaned exasperated with the propriety of the beautiful young girl. "I may be a part of the family my Lady, but I'm still your handmaiden and intend to act as such." Arielle replied with a cheeky smile. She loved Cat, and the teasing she dished out was often returned by the older woman. She had a great deal of respect and love for the Starks, Catelyn especially. Catelyn sighed, she gestured to the courtyard below where the family were standing, watching young Bran learn to shoot. "Arya's never far away from the boys. She's down there. It's time she were ready and in a dress anyway. If you could be a dear…" Arielle curtseyed and winked at Lady Stark, causing Lord Eddard standing next to her to chuckle and shake his head.
She turned and with a flourish of her skirts brushed down the stairs and into the muddy courtyard to stand with the rest of her family, quietly observing young Bran. He had grown so fast, and she had watched him grow. Lady Stark had barely given birth to Him when she had arrived. He was a child of 3 and she had seen his transformation into a young man of 10. He was growing so fast. She moved herself to stand between Jon and Robb, and far away from Theon tapping both men on the shoulder, causing them to turn and smile brightly at her. She had always hated Theon, he was a spiteful little boy who had turned into a Spiteful little man. The Starks had kept him as Robbs ward, looked after him, cared for him, loved him, clothed him, sheltered him and yet he was still and ungrateful little bastard. Anywhere in the keep you could go and hear him moaning on and on about how awful his life was as a prisoner of the Starks. When Arielle came along, it would appear that Theon grew jealous. He was always horrid to her, but recently it had become spiteful and aggressive rather than simple childhood fun and games like pulling her hair. Recently it was more… sinister. Sly insults and him going out of his way to make her suffer.
She returned the smile the boys had given equally as bright while casting a glare in Theon Greyjoy's direction, then craned her neck to whisper into Robb's ear; a challenge in itself. Despite her age, she had barely grown much to her annoyance and stood a mere five-foot four off the ground. "Any idea where Arya is? Your mother has asked me to get her ready, lord bloody help me." Robb chuckled and leaned down to whisper out of the side of his mouth to the girl "She's hiding… She knows you're looking for her. If you want to find her, it'll cost you." Robb chuckled. He had come to love the girl dearly like one of his own sisters, and had taken her under his wing. The two had become the best of friends, Arielle acting as both the angel and devil on his shoulder.
Arielle elbowed Robb, and he flinched in mock pain, whimpering. She did it again for good measure and tried her luck with Jon. She had always liked Jon Snow, he was her dear friend, and in both of their feelings of not belonging to the family, the two had formed a bond. "Arya?" She simply whispered in his ear hopefully, her hand resting on his shoulder to maintain balance, eyes wide with hope. The doe-eyed look always worked on Jon. At 18, Arielle was no fool. With long Chestnut hair and a clear complexion, she knew she was luckier than most girls her age. She knew she only had to bat her eyelashes and shed a small tear and she was in for what she wanted with the ever noble white knight Jon Snow... He begrudgingly knew it too. To an extent, it worked on Lord Eddard too. He smirked and turned towards her, whispering in her ear, his lips grazing her ear, "She's about 3 feet behind you, behind a pillar. Make no sudden movements, do it sneakily." He smirked down at her. She grinned widely at Snow and mouthed 'Thank you' up at him dropping her hand to his and giving it a gentle squeeze. He grinned cheekily back which made her heart skip a beat slightly. Jon Snow was good looking… she sometimes forgot that. She knew if she ever needed to cause trouble, despite his good nature, she could count on him to help. "Bran, bow arm loose, bowstring tight." She called to the young lordling. His glossy eyes turned to look at her, wide and confused, his arms loosening off the bowstring for a moment. "She's right Bran," echoed Robb, "Your bow arm is too tight." Her friend called to his brother.
The little lord nodded, his upper lip set in determination, a furrowed brow of concentration settling upon his features. He took a deep breath, chest heaving and aimed his bow, glaring down the arrow shaft. The arrow was let loose. It flew quickly, sailing over the target and over the wall behind it, causing the older Starks to laugh. Arielle simply smiled encouragingly at Bran, mouthing a quick 'Try next time' to the young boy. "I don't recall any of you being a master marksman aged 7!" Boomed a heavy voice from above the group, one belonging to Eddard Stark, causing all the Starklings to turn in fear to heed their fathers voice. "Try again Bran," continued Lord Eddard in a much softer voice, a smile in his kind eyes not quite reaching his mouth. Arielle liked Lord Eddard, he had rescued her. He had been the one to save her that day in the forest, taking her in and feeding her. He had seen that the best healer in Winterfell treated her wound too. That however did not stop it scarring, and the infection that plagued her raging for days. She was left with the mottled skin as a permanent reminder of her stupidity that day. She had vowed never to be so clumsy ever again, and had taken her training to be a lady very seriously from Lady Catelyn.
Arya Stark jumped out from behind a post, and shot an arrow dead centre of the target, surprising all of her brothers and breaking the Handmaiden from her thoughts. A smirk played across the young girl's features as she triumphed over her younger brother. Arielle had to act fast in order to catch the slippery little wolf. She snuck behind Jon, fading into the background as the children bickered, and snuck up behind the fair headed child quietly, balancing on the balls of her feet. With the stealth of a cat, Arielle had pinched Arya by the ear and gripped her tightly on the arm. "Bath time missy! Now!" Arielle shouted in triumph, dragging the young girl towards the house, ignoring her struggles and cries for help for her brothers. "Sorry Arya, you're on your own!" Cried Robb. "Serves you right!" Shouted Bran, as the poor young girl was dragged through the heavy door which closed behind her with a slam.
Arielle battled against the youngling. For someone so small she was so very heavy and strong. "Let me go you witch!" Screamed Arya. "I don't need a bath! I'm clean!" Arielle laughed in response. "Don't be stupid Arya, you're flipping filthy and you need a bath! I'm only following orders. If you make it easy for me, I'll make it worth your while!" Arielle sung. Arya's struggling subsided somewhat, so Arielle let go of the girl's ear, only holding her by the arm. Arya looked at her from the side of her eyes, brow raised in suspicion. The two had stopped walking now and were facing off in the middle of the corridor. Arielle was anxious to follow Lady Stark's orders and Arya was NOT making it easy. She pitied the girl though, because Arielle knew that someday she would be expected to be the perfect daughter like Sansa. Arielle loved Arya because her spirit was not like that. She was a wild girl, who hated propriety and anything of the sort. Arielle admired her hardiness. "… How?" asked Arya with a sly glance at her handmaiden. She would do anything to get out of a bath, but she loved the older girl to pieces, and she always kept her promises. "Oh gosh I don't know Arya?! I'll owe you okay? A favour! Now please, in the name of the 7, will you come and take a bath?" Arielle got down on both knees in front of the pale little girl, hands gripping her shoulders tightly. Arielle was stressed and not in the mood for playing games with the sneaky child. "Fine." She relented. Arielle nearly cried with relief. "But only if you do my hair in those tight little braids afterwards."
"Done." Agreed Arielle, and the two headed off to Arya's chambers. Walking into the cosy room, she noticed a fire was already going. 'Good' She thought, 'That means the water will take less time to boil'. Before heading over to the pot, she locked the door behind her and kept the key for good measure, to prevent the little demon from escaping. She smiled to herself as she heard Arya humming from across the room. She was a good child really. Her mind wandered to absent places as she filled the heavy pot and waited for the water to boil, picking up the odd trinket lying around in Arya's room and making the place tidy for the child. It wouldn't stay that way for long however. Once the water was boiled, she poured it into the large tub for the girl. It was already half full with lukewarm water as was requested by Lady Stark for quick washing purposes, and the Large pot of water simply topped it up while adding a comforting heat to the bath. She lit the hearth beside the bath designed to keep it warm. "Arya, it's ready." Arielle called the smaller girl from round the corner. "Coming!" Shouted Arya back.
As was custom with Arya, Arielle started to turn to leave, as the smaller Stark girl preferred bathing alone as opposed to Sansa, who preferred company and a little help. "Wait…" Spoke Arya, as Arielle was stepping out of the room. "Will you stay this time?" 'This is odd… is she alright?' thought Arielle, as she nodded and helped the girl undress. Arya climbed into the water and submerged herself, totally underwater before emerging again and resting her back against the tub. Arya was shy with her body, which Arielle respected and completely understood, so she tried to maintain the child's modesty by turning away. She was uncertain in this situation, as she had not bathed Arya in a long time but merely supervised should she required aid… The last time Arielle bathed Arya was… She couldn't even remember? Now, she was a young lady of 9, so Arielle was left confused.
"Will… will you wash my hair Elle? Will you make it look nice and shiny like yours?" Arielle smiled kindly at the girl whose nerves were clearly getting the better of her. "Of course I will, little dove." Arielle kept her eyes away from Arya's modesty, focusing solely on the floor as she massaged the scented paste into the young girl's hair. "The trick I always use, to get my hair how I want it, is that I always do the roots first, then run my fingers through it, almost like using a brush, to make sure the paste gets all over my hair." Arielle explained to the younger girl, rubbing her scalp in repetitive motions attempting to soothe her worries, whatever they may be. Arielle loved Arya as though she were her own sister, so it concerned her that she was troubled. A frown creased her own brow, that went unseen by the little girl. "Thank you Elle." Arya replied timidly, a hint of sadness in her voice. It broke Arielle's rhythm, but she continued on regardless, soon regaining it. "What's the matter my little dove?" She asked the young girl quietly. "You seem out of sorts ever since we came in, I hope I haven't upset you my dear?" Arielle was careful to approach the subject carefully. Arya was known for shutting off until it became too late, and lashing out later on. The girl was clever but isolated herself a lot of the time. She always tried to be strong.
The young girl turned to face Arielle whilst in the bath, using her arms to prop herself up, resting her chin on the side of the bath, keeping the rest of her body hidden behind the bath's walls. "I think mother is ashamed of me because I'm not like Sansa." Arya mumbled quietly, eyes downcast. Arielle's heart ached for the younger girl and she felt it pinch at her words. Her eyes seemed so sad and suddenly the boisterous tomboy seemed so small. She saw something of herself in the little lady that reminded her of when she was small. She knew how Arya felt, and she yearned to help her understand that she was perfect the way she was.
"Lady Arya Stark you listen to me right now," Arielle started in a commanding tone, which shocked Arya immensely, enough for her gaze to flick up to Arielle's face. "You are perfect just the way you are. You don't need to be like Sansa to earn your mother's love and respect! Your mother loves you and adores you, so does your father, so do your siblings and so do I. Being a 'proper lady' is not all it's cracked up to be. I was like you once… young, a little bit wild, and a little bit cheeky," Arielle tweaked the young girls nose at this, "But it gives you character. You're not like Sansa no, but you're strong, brave, and anything your brothers can do you can do twice as well! Arya Stark you are nothing like your sister. You are your own person, and your mother- and I- could not be more proud." Arya beamed up at the older girl, making Arielle kiss her on the top of the head. "Now come on, let's put Sansa's hair to shame!" Arielle grinned, causing Arya to cheer and splash the older girl. This started a splash war that left the whole room drenched, much to Arielle's disdain. No matter, it was worth it to see Arya smile.