I do not own Game of Thrones.
Arya looked around as they passed through the gates and into the Red Keep. It was so hot compared to the last time she had been inside of it. Then again, Winter had already been around for almost a year by then, and they were now still in Summer.
She looked over as an attendant approached Lord Stark. She got off of her horse, walking closer to them. "Welcome to King's Landing, Lord Stark. Maester Pycell has called a meeting of the small council." The attendant looked around their group. "If you wish to change into something more appropriate..." Arya smirked as her father simply stared the man down. "Right."
Ned looked over at his youngest, then towards the cart with Septa Mordane and Sansa. "Get the girls settled in. I'll be back by supper. Jory, stay with them." He looked back at Arya one last time. "Stay with your sister for today." With that said, he walked off with the attendant towards the meeting he was apparently needed at.
Arya watched as her father walked off towards his first meeting as Hand of The King. Scanning the courtyard, she found it looked even more bleak than she remembered. She handed her horse off to a stable boy before walking over to the cart.
She offered a hand to Septa Mordane, giving the woman a smile as the Septa frowned at her. "A lady should be helped out of a cart, not helping one out of a cart." She waited until the driver walked around and offered her his hand. He had already helped Sansa down on the other side. "Now up you go. The servants will bring up the trunks. Perhaps now you will put on a dress? We are not on the road so you have no reason to continue on in trousers."
"I believe I have already told you that I am not a lady, Septa Mordane." Arya let out a sigh, her Septa was a stubborn one. "But if you insist, I'm sure I can find something to wear."
Mordane narrowed her eyes at the girl, she never agreed to things so easily. "Allow me to help you with that." If she left the girl to do her own plans, she would have probably cut her own hair off.
Arya simply smiled as she climbed the stairs of the Tower of The Hand. She walked down a hall to a bedroom with a large window. "I think I will take this room."
"But I want the window." Sansa complained. "Why do you always get everything?"
"Now now my dear." Mordane placed a hand on Sansa's shoulder. "I'm sure there is another room with a window. We simply have to find it." With a nod from the girl, they headed out of the room, seeking another with a window.
Arya waited on the bed for her trunks to be delivered. Once they had arrived, she quickly changed into a lighter outfit, her leathers were very hot. She fastened her belt onto her waist and headed down the tower steps. "And where are you off to little lady?" Arya looked behind her as Jory gave her a look. "Your Lord Father told you to stay with your sister."
"I'm not going far." Arya placed a hand on her sword. "And I have Needle with me. I'm as safe as I can be in this place."
"You would be safer in the tower." Jory argued.
"And if the tower caught on fire?" Arya countered easily before spining on her heels and took her leave. "No where is 'safer' here Jory." She kept walking away. Upon not hearing footsteps, she assumed he was letting her go. "I'll be back before my Father." She promised before rounding a corner. She quickly followed the last path she had travelled in the Red Keep the first time she had visited. She slid down into the dragon skull room, then climbed atop the largest skull to wait. She was positive someone would be keeping an eye on the Northerners, and walking out the front of the tower would ensure she would draw a bit of attention.
It wasn't long before a small pitter patter of feet was heard. A small child looked around the room. She froze when she saw Arya sitting on the skull. "Are you lost child?" Arya asked as she slid down from the skull. The child shook her head as she stood still, shivering a bit. "Are you scared?" The child held her arm out, a roll of paper held in her hand. Arya took the scroll with a slight frown. "Thank you. Tell the Spider I wish to meet with him personally."
Once the child had run off, Arya broke the seal on the scroll and opened it. She knew the spider had birds in the North, but how could he have known she would come looking for him? 'Arya Stark, you are in danger.' Arya laughed at the note, danger was a given in King's Landing. 'Trust No One. Guard your family.' Arya tucked the little note into a pocket before she moved a skull over to the window, using it as a stepping stone to climb out of the room. She certainly would not complain about having Varys on her side.
It had been a few days since they had arrived in the Capital. Arya greatly wished it wasn't so boring. Most of her days were spent wandering around and practicing by herself. Jamie was always guarding the King and the Hound was guarding Joffrey. And since Tyrian had not yet returned form the north, she was stuck by herself. Sansa was not an option, all she wanted to do was talk about Joffrey and being Queen one day. She severely wished to have the Sansa she had known when she had returned North, but she would settle for just avoiding her sister for now.
Today she was wondering around the main Keep. The Throne room was empty most of the time, since the King rarely held any court meetings or events. She was happy to see her father was done with a meeting. "Hello Father."
Ned looked up in surprise. "Arya. Out and about again? Haven't you already seen the entire Castle by now?"
"Doesn't hurt to look around." Arya looked past her father and noticed the Maester approaching. "Maester Pycell. Good day."
Pycell gave the young lady a small nod. "Good day to you as well." He held out a rolled up message for Lord Stark. "I meant to give this to you earlier. My mind is leaving me these days." He gave as an excuse.
Ned slowly unrolled the message. "Has Bran woken up?" He looked over as Arya watched the Maester carefully, but her eyes also seemed to look beyond the old man. "Will he ever walk again?"
"You think your brother will be a cripple?" Pycell wondered if they had already received a raven from Winterfell. He highly doubted she could predict the future.
Ned read through the message, finding Arya to be correct. "The Gods spared him. For that I am grateful. Your Mother seems to be in good health as well."
"I'm glad." Arya rubbed her hands, remembering the scarring her mother had gotten on her hands from trying to protect Bran. Bran had told them about it when he explained to them where the knife had come from and what had led to everything going wrong. "I hope nothing more happens."
"All we can do is pray, child." Pycell turned and departed with those words. The Stark girl watched him all the while. It felt like she was hunting him, but choosing to keep him alive for now. He did not like the feeling.
"I heard good news." Arya and Ned looked over as Petyr Baelish walked into the throne room. "Your son lives. How wonderful."
Arya placed a hand on her Father's arm before he replied to the man. "Mother has mentioned you. She said you were her most treasured friend, and that she would trust you with her very life."
"It's nice to know she still thinks of me." Petyr replied as he watched the young girl. She was very much her father's child. She had his dark hair and eyes, but she was also very much not like her father. He could see in her eyes that her mind was turning as she spoke and watched his reaction. "If ever you need help, feel free to ask, but I warn you, don't trust anyone in the Capital."
Arya gave a chuckle. "Funny, someone else already told me the same thing." She looked over at her father. "We should go, Sansa is expecting us for the afternoon meal." She turned back around and faced Lord Baelish. "It was nice to meet you, Lord Baelish. I hope our next meeting goes just as well."
"As do I, Lady Arya. Lord Stark." He gave the two a bow before leaving the room. He did not know what to make of the girl, but she was a danger to his plan.
Ned watched as Petyr left and Arya stayed still, watching him carefully. "Why did you stop me?" Ned had been prepared to confront the man about trying to kill his son.
"Because, you never show an animal the knife before you kill it. It makes the meat taste bad." Arya replied to her father before turning towards the door to the Throne room. "And we still need to speak about the poison Lord Baelish used on Jon Arryn. I say Tears of Lys, but don't take my word for it."
"I would." Ned answered honestly. With what his daughter had told him, and what he knew she should know, he believed her tale. "But why would Petyr murder Jon Arryn?"
"He didn't. Lysa Arryn did, so that she could be a widow and Petyr could marry her. Petyr just gave her the idea." Arya explained cautiously. There was probably a bird listening, but then again, it would entice Varys to speak with her more. "Petyr wants Mother, he always has. He knows of the bad blood between the Starks and the Lannisters. He hopes that a war will spark between our houses, and when the blood stops, Mother will be widowed and the North in need of a Warden."
Ned looked at his daughter in shock. "You mean he plans on killing all of my children?"
"No, not all of us." Arya looked up at her father. "Sansa looks like mother when she was younger, doesn't she?"
Ned's hand closed into a tight fist. "If he ever goes near any of you, I will kill him."
"He doesn't plan on doing anything himself." Arya pulled her father along, they were almost at the tower. "Petyr is excellent at making men do things for him. We just have to do it better." They arrived at the tower and found Sansa sitting and picking at her food. "What happened to you?"
Sansa only frowned at Arya before looking back at her food. "Joffrey didn't want to speak with me."
"It's alright love." Ned comforted his daughter. "You'll try again tomorrow." He half hoped that wouldn't happen. Robert was still insistent on joining their houses, but wasn't too sure about it now. They were mostly going off of Sansa's desie, and she still wanted to marry the Prince.
"I see you are still in trousers." Arya simply sat at her seat and ignored Septa Mordane's comment. "A young lady should be in a dress. Not trousers like a little boy." Arya simply shrugged as she began eating her meal. Septa Mordane looked over at Lord Stark. "Can you not speak with her about this?"
Ned looked over at Arya. She raised an eyebrow at him as she continued eating her food. "She gets her stubbornness from me, so I know she won't listen even if I tell her to."
"You should." Sansa spoke up. "All the other girls laugh at me because of her. Why do I have to have Arya as a sister?"
Arya simply let out a sigh as her sister complained like a brat. She had to remember that this wasn't the Sansa she knew recently. This was her stupid air-head sister that only dreamed of marrying a prince or knight in shining armor. "The feeling is mutual dear sister, but that will someday change." There were plenty of ways to get Sansa to where she should be when Winter came, and Arya hoped she didn't send her sister down to dark of a path.
"No it won't." Sansa spoke up before getting up and storming out of the room.
"Sansa?!" Septa Mordane was shocked. She never would have thought Sansa would do something so rude. She had hardly even touched her food either.
"Let her go." Ned sighed as he rubbed his temples. Septa Mordane got up and followed after Sansa. Ned looked over at his youngest daughter. "Does it get any easier?"
"You mean managing us?" Arya asked her father as she munched on some fruit. "No. I believe you once said that war was easier than daughters." They both shared a laugh.
Ned paused as a thought came to his mind. "Where did you learn to fight? It's not how we fight here?"
"No." Arya looked around the tower, it hadn't changed much. "I learned a lot while I was staying at the House of Black and White in Bravos. But it started here. You got me a water dancing teacher, Syrio Forel."
Ned nodded at the knowledge. "Perhaps I should get him again. It will be suspicious if you just suddenly know how to fight."
"People already know I can fight, but having a sparring partner that uses a similar style might be useful." Arya smiled a bit, looking forward to seeing her former dance teacher. "I don't want everyone seeing how I fight just yet."
"You expecting to fight someone?" Ned joked with his daughter, but she did not laugh with him. "How soon did war break out?"
Arya took a drink from her cup, water again. "Mum was here in King's Landing when Bran woke up. She had traveled with the dagger to find out whose it was." She held out her hand for the dagger. Her father obliged and passed it to her. She drew it out of it's sheath. "Petyr claimed that Tyrion Lannister won it off of him by betting against Sir Jaime. That it was Tyrion who ordered Bran murdered, but that was a lie. Tyrion may be smart when it comes to betting, but he never bets against family." She replaced the dagger in it's sheath. "May I hold onto this?"
"Sure. You got it off the assassin, it's yours." Ned had a feeling it would be put to better use in her hands. He was hesitant to let her involve herself, but she seemed to have a better head for this than himself. "Go change into something a bit more lady-like."
Arya rolled her eyes, as she got up form the table. "Yes Father." She could almost pretend she wasn't a child, but then she had her father there to remind her.
Arya wandered the halls of the Red Keep as she searched for her father. He had asked her to meet him at mid-day. She walked into an all too familiar room, surprised to see someone there. "You are late boy." Her eyes widened as she listened to the man speak in his foreign accent. "Tomorrow you will be here at the start of mid-day."
"I wasn't aware I was expected." Arya gave the man a smile as she gripped her hands behind her back. Her father had asked her to leave Needle in her room, but she still had the dagger on her. "And who are you that expects me?"
"Your dancing teacher." Syrio spoke as he tossed a blade at the child. To his surprise she caught it and tested out it's weight. "You have come prepared. An open skirt makes it easy to move, but the flow distracts." He indicated to Arya's outfit. She wore trousers that hugged her legs and a shirt that did the same. She then had a black silk skirt that fell just a bit past her knees. She had had to sew it herself, but luckily no one who got close enough would notice her terrible stitching.
Arya was surprised how light the wooden sword felt in her hand. She was expecting it to be as heavy as she found it the first time she held it. She guessed all of the practicing she had been doing this time around was helping. "So, shall we dance?" Arya held her sword behind her back, ready to begin. This was her style of dancing.
Syrio watched the girl carefully. Her stance was not one would expect from a water dancer, but he was not one people expected to be one either. He stepped down into his own stance, preparing. Without saying another word, he lunged forward. To his surprise the girl merely stepped aside and twisted, bringing the handle of her blade against his hand. His blade was knocked from his hand by the unexpected move. "Good."
Arya stepped aside as Syrio picked up his sword. She waited till he was prepared, then attacked herself. Syrio blocked her blade, sliding it away from himself. Arya stopped herself before she got any closer and spun out of the way of his next attack.
Ned watched as his daughter danced across the room with a wooden practice sword in her hand. Every now and then one of them would call the other 'dead'. They seemed to have made a game out of it almost, claiming one to be more 'dead' than the other. He could see that she was meant for this, she was not a lady like her sister. She was a fighter, like his sister.
The more he watched her, the more he realized just unlike him she was. He still had half a mind to tell Robert about everything. The Lannisters trying to kill his son. Cersei's deception about her children and ploting Robert's death. Petyr's involvement in Jon's murder. He wanted to tell his friend, his brother, everything, but what price would he pay? The lives of three children that had no choice of who thier parents were, and who knows what else. Arya seemed to know the cost, and was trying to avoid paying it. As much as honor told him to tell the truth, his daughter told him to live so that the truth lived on with him.
Arya smiled as she followed one of Varys' little birds through the castle gardens. She knew she was not actually being sneaky, the child was leading her. She barely admired the flowers as she past them, she had already seen them all before. It was the route she was focused on. The child was leading her along a trail, faint and neglected, but a trail nonetheless.
When they arrived at the end of the trail, Arya found herself at a old worn out gazebo. She wondered if anyone had used it recently, or ever. "This was where Rhaegar Targaryen told Elia Martel he was leaving her." Arya watched as Varys walked into the gazebo. "During the tourney at Harrenhal, Rhaegar decided this needed to be done. Elia warned him what would happen, but he did it all the same."
"So this is where the war started." Arya placed a hand on the wooden railing. She then looked back over at Varys. "It took longer than I thought to draw a spider out of it's nest."
"You certainly tugged on the right strings." Varys watched the young Stark. "How did you know the man was an assassin?"
Arya put a smile on her face, it was time to act. "I know everyone at Winterfell. I did not know him, and he was acting to skittish to be with the Lannister or Baratheon men. He wasn't suppose to be there." She stepped away from the railing and started walking around the edge of the small building. "How goes your plan to put a Targaryen back on the Iron Throne."
Varys watched as the wolf began to circle him. "As fine as it can go. One dragon is a bit less controlable than the other. But I have a feeling he won't last long with the Dothraki." Arya nodded. "What was in the letter you sent to Jorah Mormont? My little birds can't seem to find out."
Arya smirked. "I imagine they never will unless Jorah tells them." Varys raised a hairless eye brown questioningly. "You could be surprised how well people listen when you tell them the right words."
"You seem to be very good at words." Varys had to admit, he did not think she would be well versed in politics. Especially not with how her father was trying to run things. He was using northern ways. That just did not work in the south. "Perhaps your father should bring you along to the small council meetings."
"Are you saying a little girl could run this kingdom better than old men?" Arya chuckled.
"Some little girls are meant to rule kingdoms." Arya nodded, picking up on Varys' hint. "It seems I have kept you too long. I'm sure you father is worried about you." Arya said nothing in response. She only gave the man a bow of her head before heading out. She wasn't sure if she would count Varys as an ally, but at least he wasn't in favor of Joffrey being on the throne. They at least had that in common.
A bit shorter of a chapter this time. Let me know what you thought of it. I apologize for the sparring scene, I'm not that great at writing combat scenes. And i wanted to add a bit of insight into Ned's thinking. it was brought up in a comment that Ned would want to seek justice for what was done against his son, so i wanted to add a bit of explaining to how that is playing out. I hope that came across alright.