"You drank from all of them?" Robb asked with incredulity.
Arya defended herself, her eyes filled with emotion
"You know that I have not tasted human blood for 3 years, but I just needed to know what Happened to Jon"
She looked at each member of her family and asked "Aren't you curious to know?"
They all looked at each other and by their looks Arya knew that they didn't approve the method she used but still were willing to listen.
For 2 hours, she told them the most important memories, not Just Jon's but also his three companions' so they could understand their motives.
At one moment she stared at Sansa and asked her
"Do you remember what Lord Baelish told us about Sandor? The reality was much worse than what he told us. It's really a miracle that poor man survived all the abuse and constant beating he had to endure at the hands of his brother".
The Starks were not particularly fond Tywin Lannister, and the story of Tyrion's first and only love only made his father look like a monster.
Arya narrated
"When Tyrion Lannister was very young, he met a wheelwright's daughter on the road, apparently the victim of an attempted rape. Whilst his brother Jaime ran off the attackers, Tyrion helped the girl recover from the ordeal, and they became lovers.
They found a wandering septon wiling to marry them and briefly, they lived as husband and wife, until Lord Tywin learned what had happened. Jaime told Tyrion that he organized the incident to make him experience his first woman, and the girl was actually a prostitute.
Tywin had his guards rape her whilst he made Tyrion watch. She was then sent on her way. Tyrion lost his innocence and his faith on love that day"
A shocked Sansa asked "Is that why he joined the watch?"
Arya denied with her head.
"Ten years ago, Jaime finally confessed to him that their father had made him lie about Tysha being a prostitute, and that she was just a peasant girl who had genuinely loved Tyrion"
Arya continued with the story of Jon's closest friend Samwell
"His story is similar to Tyrion. He grew up unloved by his father. The days before he joined the watch his father told him that he was not worthy of their house's ancestral sword, and that he must join the Night's Watch and renounce his family name so that he would not stand in the way of his younger brother's inheritance. His father promised that he would suffer an unfortunate hunting accident on the morrow if he didn't obey"
Arya knew the vows of the Night watch was a secret that was jealously guarded by the order, so she asked their family if they wanted to hear it. That was one of the memories that touched her more, and she recited the oath with a solemn voice
"Night gathers, and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death. I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. I shall wear no crowns and win no glory. I shall live and die at my post. I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, the horn that wakes the sleepers, the shield that guards the realms of men. I pledge my life and honor to the Night's Watch, for this night and all nights to come".
The rest of her narrative, as she spoke of the events beyond the wall, were filled with death, battles, imprisonment, torture, rescue missions, horror, starvation, darkness and cold.
She finished with the last battle that was fought all night long above a frozen lake as icy rain fell over the combatants.
Silence followed Arya's tale, as her family was too shaken to say anything.
It was Katelyn who spoke first, remorse in her voice
"I despised him for the wrong reasons"
All her children stared at her, surprised to hear those words. A tear escaped her eye and she continued.
"When your father died a year ago, he confessed me something…I think it's time you all learn the truth about Jon"
They all remained silent, waiting for their mother to continue.
"You have heard the story of your aunt Lyanna"
She looked at Arya and added "You remind me of her. The same looks and spirit; She was just 16 when she "died""
She took another moment to organize her thoughts, her eyes lost in the distance, as if recalling ancient memories
"Lyanna's beauty was famous in all the seven kingdoms, and she had many suitors from all the noble houses, yet she didn't want that life of an obedient wife of a lord, she enjoyed riding with her brothers in the open fields…However that changed when she met Rhaegar Targaryen"
Robb asked "He was the oldest brother of the queen, was he not?"
Sansa added "Didn't they both die in the same accident?"
Catelyn answered "That was what King Aerys, Richard Stark and your father told, but that was not the truth"
With their complete attention, Katelyn continued
"Lyanna loved the prince at first sight, and both the king and Richard Stark were already discussing the possibility of a marriage…unfortunately Lyanna's love was unrequited, as he loved a common girl who was pregnant from another man. The king was furious for the scandal it would cause if it was made public, and Lyanna became desperate. I suppose the fire that burned in her impulsive nature was what drove her to do anything in her power to get the prince"
Catelyn lowered her voice; as if afraid an intruder would hear the rest of the story.
"In her desperation, she recurred to black magic from the shadow lands in Essos…but there is always a price to pay if you use that kind of magic. She wanted to spend eternity with her dear prince, and the dark powers that she turned to, played a cruel joke at her"
Tears filled her eyes once again as she stared at her youngest daughter and said
"You must know, Arya, that you were not the first of your kind in Westeros; The magic might have come from Essos, but the curse originated in Westeros"
Arya's lips trembled "Lyanna" she whispered
Her mother nodded with her head
"She panicked when she realized what the spell had done to her and the prince. The king was as responsible as her, as he encouraged her to do so. At first, both the king and Richard tried to control the situation. Lyanna was able to control her new urges with easy. She drank human blood but only a few drops were enough to satisfy the hunger. Unfortunately that was not the case with the prince"
"One night, he escaped from the palace and Lyanna fallowed. Richard and your father tried to locate them with little luck, until they went to the house of the prince's lover"
Catelyn once again paused as her expression saddened. It obviously pained her to tell what came next.
"What they found there filled them with horror. The prince went to see the woman he truly loved, on the intent to escape with her, but the thirst was just too strong…Lyanna arrived too late to stop him. They saw the prince crying like a mad man over the pale body of the woman, while Lyanna, her face filled with remorse, was holding a newborn baby in her arms…that baby was Jon"
The faces of all those present drained of all colour by this revelation.
"When the king found out, he resolved to send his son and Lyanna to the shadow lands, in hopes to find a cure to their condition…I often wondered how do you cure someone who is already dead… that was not a natural decease but a supernatural condition… I think your father knew it was really an exile"
"Driven by Guilt, Lyanna gave the baby to Eddard. She knew she was responsible for the death of his mother, and made him promise that he would look after him"
Tears began to flow from her face as she stared at Arya
"Why did you disobey your father and I four years ago?"
She broke down and cried.
Arya was deeply touched to see her mother crying like that. She rose from her chair and approached her mother.
"Mother, I"
Not knowing what to say, she simply took her mother in her arms
"I should have tried harder to stop you…If I had known you were going to take a ship in king's landing…I think our family is still paying the prize for using that black magic"
"I am sorry for everything" an unknown voice was heard coming from the entrance of the hall, it sounded like a young woman.
"Who is there?" Robb asked alarmed.
When the figure approached, Catelyn gasped in fright
"No, it can't be you"
Arya's eyes widened for the woman standing there resembled her in almost every way, although this woman was more beautiful and taller, and seemed one or two years older.
Robb and Bran unsheathed their sword, but their faces were filled with fear. Lyanna's beautiful face was filled with sadness
"I am not going to hurt you" she said
"Mother?" Robb turned to look at his mother.
Catelyn said "Let her come"
The young woman came closer and stared at them all
"You have a beautiful family, Catelyn. I am sure Eddard was really proud of all of you"
Catelyn said nothing and waited for her sister in law to continue.
Arya tried to remain calm as her "aunt" turned to her and said
"I am really sorry this happened to you…I..I have been watching over you since the day you were…t..turned" She lowered her head in shame.
Arya's hot temper gained the best of her. "DID YOU DO THIS TO ME?" she screamed.
Her aunt stared at her pleadingly "I have never given the dark gift to another…I would never condemn anyone to this unnatural life in death"
Arya calmed down a little and decided to let her aunt continue
"I was surprised to a see a ship of Westeros in that corner of the world. M y surprise grew when I saw you. Unfortunately your presence also caught the attention of another"
Arya whispered "Targaryan"
Lyanna smiled sadly and continued "He never forgave me for what I did to him, and when he saw you, he took the opportunity to have his vengeance, by hurting my kin"
Catelyn asked
"Why didn't you stop him? You were his maker and also the first of your kind"
Lyanna replied to Katelyn but her eyes were focused on Arya
"Believe me, I tried, I really tried, but when I found him he has already drained her to the point of death"
She stared at them all, a look of sadness and remorse in her eyes
"What choice did I have? It was "true" death for her or the dark gift" Arya's expression softened and she asked more calmly
"What happened to him?"
Lyanna replied "He died by his own free will…that is the only way we perish… you already know the sun weaken us but is not mortal…For a long time I had desired for death, but I know I must first pay for my sins and seek redemption"
She stared once again and Arya and said
"I just hope one day you will forgive me"
She said no more and lowered her head in shame, but then Arya surprised her as she felt her arms embracing her.
"You did nothing to me and even saved me from death" Arya said with a soft voice.
Her aunt replied "I.. I started all of this"
Arya smiled at her and said "People have often told me how much I am like you…we are both very impulsive, and…"
She took a moment and stared at her mother.
"And I am also partly responsible for disobeying my parents… I went looking for adventures around the world without considering how my parents felt".
She kissed her aunt's check and said "There is nothing to forgive"
The face of Lyanna was radiant from a moment, as if a big burnden had been taken off her
"And besides" Arya added "What we have experienced is nothing compared to what other people have endured in their lives"
Lyanna said "I listened to you when you told those terrible stories"
At her Niece's surprised expression, Lyanna added with a smile "I told you before…I felt responsible for you, and I have been watching over you ever since, even if you haven't felt my presence"