A/N: I don't know the exact timeline for Arya's stay with Tywin, so I'm making it up as I go along. Also, as per request I have started an outline for Arya being Tywin's kid… I'm not sure if she's adopted or blood related yet though. THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER OF THIS STORY! NO MORE! Also, I apologize, I can't seem to stay in a single tense... I tried and failed. And I can't seem to fix it.

Disclaimer: I do not own GoT.

Retrospect

(Arya's POV)

You didn't expect much when Lord Lannister rode in on his horse. It's really hard to expect anything impressive when you think of anyone related to Joffery. But really, it shouldn't have surprised you because this was the former hand to the Mad King, Tywin Lannister.

At first you were stunned, that at a glance he saw that you were a girl when you had fooled so many others. Sansa would have been terrified, Rob and Jon might have fought, Rickon would crower but never beg, Bran resigned himself to his fate, and Theron… Theron would have messed his pants and cried for mercy. But you were Arya, brave enough to look death in the face and resign yourself to the idea that you may die in the next twenty minutes, clever enough to think on your feet, and you have enough self-preservation to wait for the right time to be a Stark. And you can wait because Winter is Coming and it is cold and patient and it will be long. So, right now, you are a girl without a house, without a banner, without a name. Just a girl. That's how they see you, and that's how you'll survive. But you're smart enough to wonder exactly what he saw at his second look.

Tywin Lannister is anything but stupid. You've been to his strategy meetings, serving their drinks. He's brilliant, you no longer wonder of how he managed to keep the Mad King in power for so long. But no matter how good he is at commanding, it's the people he talks to that make you pause and question what he's doing. Surely he can do better than this idiotic pig-faced you are currently pouring wine for. Looking at the map they currently have placed on the table, it's almost fun to find the flaws in their plans. There's a weakness in the left that Tywin has been trying to convince the pig-faced man to reinforce. Instead he just waves off the order and proposes something stupid. So stupid, anyone that knows even a rumor about Robb would never suggest that. You cough to hide your laughter that is trying to come out.

You're almost successful as no one pays attention to you because you're just a serving girl. Well, no one except Tywin, who is looking you in the eye with a thoughtful look on his face. He calls you over, for a second you're afraid you've been found out. Before you reach him, you've identified at least four potential weapons. If you are discovered, you'd rather fight and die than be held captive. Wolves are not made for captivity. Instead, he asks you what is making you laugh. You say nothing.

"Look at me, girl." He says, it's an order. "Now, ignore these fools sitting at the table and tell me what you find so amusing."

"Nothing, m'lord," you say.

"Don't lie to me. I refuse to ask you again." A warning. You tell him. Bluntly for good measure, there's no use avoiding the question. He turns to his fellow lords.

"If this peasant with no schooling can point out this foolishness, and a girl no less. Perhaps I should give her a seat at this table to replace one of you yapping lords. Girl," he says without turning around. "You are dismissed for the night."

You bow, and leave the room, thankful to escape the stares that follow you out. You're both proud and terrified. You were just complimented by one of the smartest man in Westeros but you had just made enemies with all the rest of those who sat in that room. Arya, you tell yourself rolling your eyes because you're being stupid. You are a Stark, the entire room would like nothing more than to see you dead. So you couldn't care less about what they think of you.

It's been two weeks since Tywin had you humiliate his council. You're beginning to make sense of him, when he wants wine, when he want's water, when to be quiet, when to be visible. Just when you think you've started to figure him out, he has you sit down and eat. And you're all too aware that he's all but given you a weapon and he's looking out the window, now would be a perfect time to kill the head of the Lannister family. But then he's lips twitch upward and you pause. It's not even a full second but it's long enough to let the opportunity pass by.

You never try again. The following three days before he rides off and you escape, if there was an opportunity you don't take it. Later when you're ready to admit the truth, you admit that you may have deliberately passed up every chance because against all odds, you like him and part of you realizes that he can't be blamed for his children's actions. Not completely anyway, it would be like crediting Cersei with Tommen's love for animals and Myrcella kindness. Which would be stupid because Cersei is anything but either of those.

Now you're on a ship headed towards Bravvos, the wind in your hair, fearful whispers of the crew in your ears, you take this time to think. It is said that the Lannisters always pay their debts and you know all too well that the North never forgets. But despite this you hope that you never meet the old man on the field because you have a feeling that you owe him. You don't want to, you hate the sensation. But it's impossible to forget it because you will never forgive nor forget what his family has inflicted upon yours. But if you should meet again, you want to ask him one question, one question only, because he knew.

"Why did you let me go?"