It was one of those late summer evenings, stifling in its humidity and suffocating in the heat it sent radiating off the misty fields and dewy hills of Lorence. The sun broke gently through the evening, coming in off the ocean and shining on the roots of the tall fir tree. A gentle wind whispered through the hills, lightly, easily, scattering the purple fronds of the sweet plum tree and the fading lilac blooms of the fragrant wisteria.

Arianha was sitting outside on the balcony just out of the heavy wooden doors leading to her bedroom. She had been watching the sunset now everyday for two weeks, never knowing which might be her last one in Lorence.

She sighed, drawing her 7 year old knobby, scabby knees to her bony chest. She could feel the silky touch of her bare legs against the gentle tickle of the soft cotton ivory nightgown she wore. A gentle breeze swept across, lifting her dark ebony curls off of her shoulders and rippling them down her frail back. Her pallid complexion became rosy and smiling, a brief yet welcome change from the straight painful grimace she wore following the start of the rebellion.

"What? She has no part in this!" Her father screams hysterically.

"You knew the price Milish. Your daughter will be returning to Winterfell with Eddard. It is final." King Robert replies with a roll of his eyes.

Arianhas mother, Laural, covers her face with her hands, and from her position, she can hear sobs bubbling out from between her mothers tired fingers. She turns to Arihanas father, and leans on his chest, trying to find assurance. But nothing could stop the northern men from declaring they would take her baby.

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Boredom was the predominant factor of Arianhas days. She had rations which would last her the duration of the 7 day sea voyage. She had taken stock of all that was in her possession and it amassed to 12 clothing trunk, 6 loaves of bread, 6 apples, 2 cheese blocks which had been salted, and 12 containers of water. It was plenty for a 7 year old girl to live on for only a week. She took stock, and wrote in her diary with the limited light that she got from between the slats in the hull of the ship towards where the dusty ceiling met the walls covered in a grime that looked similar to uncoagulated butter. There were many crates containing fabric sheets, and some containing metal rods, some barrels were full of alcohol, and then just miscellaneous boxes containing little things like nails, or horse shoes. It took her all of two days to rummage through the things take from her home. It was, however, on the third day at sea that the ship docked in Pyke. Arianha was rudely awakened by an abrupt bump. She scrambled out of the bunk, nearly tripping, as she wondered what was going on. She heard footsteps and a Stark bannerman rushed into her room. "We've only hit a sandbar. Just a short stop to take on the Greyjoy boy," he said. She knew this meant they were near land. She ran up the steps four at a time to get to the deck. It was still the middle of the night and everyone was running to the bow of the boat to pull the landing boards down.

"Come now, Lady Milish," Eddard said taking her hand as she stared gaping at the edge of the ship, "You must want to stretch your legs." She nodded and followed him on land. It was when she touched the ground that she saw Theon standing on the docks with his things. She smiled a wide toothy grin as she ran down the wooden dock with her white dress whipping behind her. She ran feeling the wind enfolding her into its mists. The sun shined on her glowing skin and her rippling dress moved with a quick elegant movement. Her hair whipped around her back and her arms flowing with the breezy, calm air. Then as she reached the end of the dock she jumped into his arms. He had the same long brown wavy hair that she remembered from the time she and her parents had visited 2 months ago. She held him not letting him go. "Theon! I'm so glad you're coming. I didn't want to go alone." She said as tears fell from her eyes. "Stop being a baby Ari." He said rolling his eyes, though he felt for her, because he too didn't want to be alone. "We're Ironborn. Act like it for the gods sake" She nodded and stood up away from him.

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When they reached the forest outside of Winterfell, Arianha grabbed Theons hand. A vacant, bleak road stretched on before them in a serpent-like coil, twisting and turning throughout the wide landscape that surrounded them. The setting sun flushed the sky with an opaque orange glow, floating beside the party with its fading warmth. As the last rays of daylight died away behind the hills a sudden rush of cold darkness swept over the land, plunging it swiftly into the calm night. The air gradually filled with the symphony of nature's sounds as the crickets chirped and the owls hooted, the tranquil sounds echoing clearly through the brisk night air. As they neared the fortified checkpoint Arianha saw dimly glowing security lanterns that hung by the gate of the fort, to her they were faint beacons of salvation from the gloomy night, their pale flickering radiance a sign of hospitable beckoning. A long stone wall that attached to a large corroded iron gate stretched far out into the distance ending at the foot of a small mountain. The other end rolled over countless hills and valleys, eventually fading into the thick shade of a large forest. Ari took in her new home. It was much smaller than her home, and definitely less colorful. She felt tears beginning to prick her eys, but she tried hard to hold them in as not to make Theon upset with her. Theon looked at the girl who was only a few months younger than himself and sighed, squeezing her hand reassuringly. They were in this together, he would make sure of that.