A/N: Updated 30/01/2019
xx-Kitten
Winter Heat
By Kittenshift17
Chapter Four
Arya groaned as she heard Nymeria scratching at the door to get out and she almost cried out in protest when she opened her eyes to the bright sunlight streaming into her room. Even as she tried to bury her head under the covers she felt the heavy weight of Nymeria who had jumped up onto her bed and padded over to her.
"What time is it, Nym?" Arya groaned. "So much for riding out at dawn."
Arya opened her eyes slowly and peered into the yellow orbs of her pet dire wolf who was standing over her looking down into her face. Reaching up, Arya wrapped her arms around her large pet, pulling the heavy dire wolf down on top of her and nuzzling her face into Nymeria's fur.
The wolf did not protest since Arya liked to cuddle her every morning and Arya grinned when she received a wet-tongue lick of good morning, swiped up the side of her face.
She couldn't stay like it for long though. The sunlight streaming into her room bathed her bed in heat and Arya felt the warmth of the morning prickle sweat from her skin. Arya staggered out of bed and unbolted her door, but left it closed, padding around the room naked. Her head pounded uncomfortably but Arya ignored it. She raided through her chest of clothes, searching for something she could wear swimming. Normally she would sneak off and swim naked, but with her father showing off the lands of the North, Arya would not risk letting anyone catch her doing so. Realising the best she could hope for was going to be something she fashioned herself Arya found one of her most hated gowns and pulled out her dagger.
First, she cut the sleeves off before removing the section that would cover her stomach, she looked at her reflection as she pulled on the midriff and arm revealing garment, showing off her tanned skin since she wore something similar when she wore her Dothraki outfit to train in. She grimaced at the idea of swimming in breeches. Eyeing the remnants of her butchered dress Arya picked it up again. She could swim comfortably in a skirt if it was light enough and short enough she supposed. Hacking away the midsection of the dress altogether Arya sliced one of the sleeves into a thin strip and cut holes in the skirt before threading the strip through them and pulling the skirt tight around her hips. It fell to mid-thigh revealing even more skin than her training outfit, but it was light weight and allowed her the freedom to move her legs without getting them tangled in material when it would get wet.
Nodding to herself in spite of the way her hair hung down her back in a wild tangle, Arya knew there was no way she could traipse through the castle like this. Mother would murder her. Fixing her belt so it rested on her hips where her skirt sat, Arya replaced her dagger in its sheath and whistled for Nymeria, hopping out the window and creeping along in the shadows on the roof, trying to avoid being seen for as long as possible. There seemed to be very few people in the yard and so when she jumped down from the roof no one noticed her.
Arya crept into the stables again, breathing in the scent of hay and horses as she went to Storm. Deciding it was too hot for a saddle, and knowing Storm would swim with her if she wasn't saddled, Arya leapt aboard the mare bareback without so much as a saddle blanket or a bridle; Using only her legs and body movements to guide the mare. She urged Storm into a lope straight away, knowing that anyone who saw her would probably try to stop her from running around dressed this way.
They blew through the gate with Nymeria on their heels and Arya whooped for joy in spite of the way it made her head throb, kicking Storm into a gallop. The dire wolf galloped along beside them and Arya clung to Storm's mane, squinting into the wind as they raced for the river. Arya had never felt freer than when she rode bareback. And being dressed in so little felt strange but oddly freeing.
The wind whipped her hair and Storm's mane into Arya's eyes but she didn't care, the rolling hills were green and purple with weeds and wildflowers and they danced in the breeze as Arya raced past them. She had no idea where the lords were, but Arya felt glad she'd not risen with them to ride out, feeling much freer riding like this as she headed for the river.
Storm didn't even stop when they arrived, slowing to a lope before she bounded into the river and Arya hissed at the bite of the icy water in spite of the warm sunshine. After all, the days may have grown hot but this river was fed by the snow melt of the high north and the Wall. Both horse and rider adjusted to the temperature quickly and Arya paddled easily in the current while Storm retreated to the bank to roll in the grass enjoying the freedom of having no saddle on.
"Come on, Nym!" Arya urged, seeing the dire wolf standing in the water, wet to her knees. She managed to coax the wolf in but Arya regretted it when Nymeria decided Arya would make a wonderful island and dug her claws into Arya's exposed shoulders, stomach and thighs, trying to climb her mistress in an attempt to keep her head out of the water, dunking Arya in the process.
"Ouch, Nymeria!" Arya gasped when one claw dug in hard over her stomach. She shoved the wolf away from her, paddling for the shore, already knowing she would be bleeding.
Arya barely noticed that the icy water had turned her skin a bluish colour, staring at the gash on her stomach. Blood trickled from the wound but it didn't look too deep. Sighing and wiping at the blood Arya looked up to see both her wolf and her horse rolling in the grass trying to dry themselves. Storm grunted happily as she did it, as though it felt good and Nymeria kept rubbing her muzzle against it, seemingly frenzied. Shrugging her shoulders Arya Stark threw herself down and rolled over in the grass a few times but didn't get any drier.
Then she narrowed her eyes on the hill across the meadow from where she'd been swimming. Arya felt a foolish, child-like grin blossom across her face and she jumped up, racing towards the hill excitedly. The wolf and horse ran along with her and Arya laughed when Storm bounded ahead, kicking up her heels and pigrooting, enjoying the feel of running without a rider. Nymeria's tongue lolled out of her mouth as if she was saying to Arya, can't you go any faster?
Arya ran all the way to the top before lying down on her side and staring down the hill. She was so focused on what she was about to do that she didn't see the party of lords on horseback across the way, but they had caught sight of her. Taking a deep breath Arya flung herself forwards, setting her body in motion. She rolled over and over herself down the hill, laughing and squealing with glee, barely feeling the knocks of each hit as she rolled again. Nymeria was confused by the fun, bounding along beside her and even on top of her at one stage though the wolf seemed to quickly decide that hill rolling was not for her. Arya hit the bottom with a crash, still laughing when Nymeria leapt on top of her, clearly excited and ready for a wrestle.
She kept her claws retracted and though she growled ferociously she did not bite her laughing and snarling mistress. Arya climbed to her knees, wrapping her arms around the wolf and hanging on, trying to pull her to the ground while Nymeria tried to shake her off. Still laughing and playing neither the girl nor wolf noticed their audience and so they did not see the gobsmacked expressions at the view they made.
Gendry Baratehon held his breath in awe, wonder and a little fear as he listened to the fierce snarls and laughter combining as he watched the lean young woman wrestle with a fully grown dire wolf. She did it with practised ease, trusting Nymeria not to turn on her or hurt her even when she hung her body weight around the wolf and pulled her to the ground.
Arya had her hands buried in Nymeria's thick ruff, shaking her from side to side and managing to lever herself from beneath where the wolf had pinned her and she cried out triumphantly when she managed to get her arms around the wolf's middle, hoisting the giant creature up into her arms, lifting Nymeria completely off her feet and cradling the heavy wolf in her arms on her back like she had done when Nymeria was just a puppy. In spite of her size and ferociousness, Arya knew the wolf loved the position. Recognising it as a position of affection from her mistress, she whined happily, wrapping her front legs over Arya's shoulders and bathing Arya's face with her tongue to return the affection.
The girl laughed as she lowered Nymeria's back legs to the ground, supporting the full weight of the wolf by her front paws which rested on Arya's shoulders. Wrapping her arms around the wolf in a cuddle Arya buried her face in the thick grey fur which was still damp from their swim.
Gendry stared as he saw how tall the wolf was when it stood on its back legs, easily clearing Arya's six foot height and possibly reaching ten feet tall. He gained a new respect for Arya to realise that moments ago she had cradled the massive wolf like a babe.
Arya was oblivious to her audience as she wrestled the wolf again, twisting them both sideways and crashing to the ground again. She had just pinned Nymeria when she was set upon by three more of the wolves. Grey Wind and Summer both leapt into the fray wrestling with Arya and Nymeria. Shaggy-Dog hung back a little. He was the roughest and wildest of the Stark wolves and had the least control not to snap and bite when he got pinned. Arya laughed as she wrestled with them all, holding one arm out to Shaggy to beckon him in, telling him he was invited. He immediately pounced on Grey Wind who had managed to pin Nymeria down.
Arya played with Summer rolling amid the heavy wolf bodies as she was drawn into a wrestling pile with Summer, Grey Wind, Shaggy-Dog and Nymeria. The growling and snapping grew more intense and it took a nip from Shaggy before Arya rolled away from the wrestling wolves. She nearly screamed when she stood up and caught sight of the many lords astride their steeds watching her from about ten meters away. She was still waving her nipped and bleeding hand, trying to relieve the sting when it occurred to her that of course the wolves of her brothers would not just show up randomly where she was.
"Shaggy bit you, didn't he?" Rickon asked her from his horse, clearly unsurprised to find his sister clad in a midriff revealing butchered dress. Arya was surprised when none of the lords said anything though some of them looked disapproving. Others, she noticed, were looking on with an appreciation at the sight of a young woman's supple body.
"Not too hard, and I deserved it. I nipped his ear first," Arya admitted before she realised that it was not just her brothers and her father but also all four of the Princes, along with Ser Jaime and the Hound and the King and many of her Father's banner men who sat there watching her.
"Why were you rolling down the hill, Lady Arya?" Tommen asked her innocently. Even though he was ten years he seemed incredibly naïve. "Did you fall?"
Arya smiled at him.
"Of course not, Your Highness, I merely noticed that after swimming both my horse and my wolf seemed to enjoy rolling in the grass as a means of getting dry. I tried it on the flat grass but it didn't help to dry my skin and I thought perhaps if it were to roll faster it might work…. Would you care to try it for yourself? It's quite fun."
"Could I, Father?" Tommen appealed to the King. King Robert was too busy ogling the curves of the girl who looked so much like Lyanna Stark to be paying proper attention and waved his hand dismissively. Tommen grinned, handing the reins to Steffon and dismounting. He approached Arya cautiously, eyeing the way the wolves were still wrestling and fighting.
Arya offered the young prince her hand as they climbed the hill again. He began to look more and more terrified as they neared the top.
"Would you like me to hold your hands and roll with you, Your Highness?" Arya offered kindly.
"Holding hands is for children," Tommen said stubbornly.
"That is not true, my Prince, lovers hold hands too and I feel you will love this adventure. If you don't want to hold my hands you don't have to, but I fear you may be too slight to retain full speed rolling down the hill."
Tommen laid down on his side, staring down the hill and Arya laid across from him, staring into his face.
"If you want to stop, turn your legs towards the bottom of the hill, okay?"
Tommen nodded, looking terrified now.
"Tommen?" Arya asked gently, stretching both hands above her head towards him. Slowly, and a little sheepishly, he reached up too. Arya clasped his wrists and told him to do the same to her.
"Are you ready, my prince? On three, I want you to throw your weight forwards and try to keep your body tense so you don't hurt yourself when we roll. Let go of me before stopping if you're going to, okay?" the prince nodded and Arya grinned at him. "On three your highness…. One…. Two…. Three!"
Arya and Tommen both threw their weight forwards, rolling much faster because they were joined together. Tommen screamed when they were only halfway down and to make him feel better Arya did too before bursting into giggles. After a moment she heard the prince copy her, laughing and giggling as he stopped being afraid and instead enjoyed himself. They knocked heads only once, and hit the bottom with a crash. Many of the lords were chuckling, especially when the four wolves leapt on the pair again, licking them and whining for attention.
Arya got to her feet, signalling the wolves away and offered Tommen a hand up. He staggered dizzily and Arya had to catch him and hold him still for a moment, peering into his face as she held him by the shoulders. When his head began to clear the youngest prince smiled at her happily.
"Can we do it again?" he asked her excitedly.
"My prince, I could do that all day if you'd like, mayhaps some of your brothers or mine might like to join us?" Arya grinned at the lords and she could see Rickon itching to roll down the hills with them as he had done when they were all younger. He looked as though he didn't want to appear childish, but wanted to do it anyway.
Lifting her eyes to meet those of her father Arya smiled at him coyly.
"When was the last time you rolled down a hill, Father?" she asked him, seeing his smile. Many of the lords smiled and Arya had no doubt that the men from the North had all rolled down hills in their youth.
"Your Grace, Father used to tell me stories of the afternoon you and he spent rolling down hills together as boys, mayhaps you'd like to revisit such a childish pleasure and grant some of these men the permission to throw off their responsibilities for just a moment or two?" Arya appealed to the King of the Seven Kingdoms sweetly.
"Don't go lookin' at me with those puppy eyes, girl" The King laughed and Arya knew he saw not just her but also her aunt as she turned on the full effect of her charming pleading expression.
"I'll swear to the old gods and new that I will never tell a soul of the time a King rolled the hills of the North if you will, Your Grace," Arya coaxed him gently, watching the lords, many of whom looked as though they could not resist Arya's pleading.
"I'm going to do it, Father," Gendry said, swinging down off his horse.
"I think I will too," Steffon chimed in. "What of you, Rickon? Joffery? Bran? Robb? Care to join us?"
Arya didn't take her eyes off the King and she could see his resolve weakening.
"Ned, my old friend, I see now why you've raised yourself such a wild daughter. No one can say no to that face. Not even the King of the Seven Kingdoms. Will you join an old friend in foolishness?"
"It has been a long time since you and I rolled hills, my friend," Ned laughed but he too dismounted his horse and Arya grinned, bounding off up the hill with more energy than any of the men. She watched from the top as the entire riding party ground tied their horses and climbed the steep hill.
"Those of you in armour may wish to remove it unless you wish for a painful experience, my Lords," Arya called to them, noticing some of the Southern men clad in chain mail.
"You have a way about you, Arya Stark," the king told her when they all reached the top of the hill.
"Your Grace, I believe as King it is your duty to lead the attack," Arya grinned at him with a wave of her hand to the hill.
"Oh no, Girl. This is a big hill and I do believe that racing is a speciality of yours. Spread out, men. We're all going at once." The King ordered.
"Put a fair distance between yourselves, my lords, for if you roll sideways you may find yourself colliding with someone else." Arya called out to them all as she watched the proud and stern lords of Winterfell, the North, the South and even King Robert himself all lie down on their sides facing the bottom of the hill.
"Will you hold my hands to roll down the hill Lady Arya?" Gendry teased her.
"If you are fearful, my prince" Arya smirked at him.
"Seven Hells, Ned! What are we doing? Me -the King of the realm, and you -the Warden of the North, and yet we might as well still be children!" Robert complained good-naturedly. "Arya Stark, word about this better not get back to the rest of the realm or I'll have your head, girl."
"I will personally silence them should that happen, Your Grace," Arya called from the other end of the line of people, grinning into Gendry's face as she prepared to roll.
"Alright, lads," the king cried with a battle yell. "Forward!"
Arya was almost sad as she threw herself forwards wishing she could stop at the top and watch all these proud men rolling down a hill like little children and she shrieked happily as she shut her eyes and let the feeling of the motion take over her. When she opened them it was with a shout of surprise as her body rolled onto something that did not feel like the ground.
"Wasn't it you who told us to spread out so we wouldn't hit each other?" Ned Stark asked his daughter as she rolled to a stop on his chest.
"Hello, Father," Arya beamed at him happily, feeling like she was four years old again. Ned laughed when Arya kissed both of his cheeks and got to her feet, offering him a hand up. He took it gratefully.
"Your Grace?" Arya grinned, standing over the King who was lying on his back at the bottom of the hill roaring with laughter.
He was too busy laughing to take the hand she offered and Arya smirked to see Gendry looking very dizzy, sitting up with his legs stretched out in front of him. Some of the men were groaning as their aged bodies adjusted to the shock and Arya watched as many among them tried to climb to their feet, realising suddenly just how much some of these men had sacrificed of their reputations to have rolled like children. She saw Ser Jaime Lannister stand and smirk. Saw the Hound who looked surprised at himself for having done that.
"Need a hand, your Highness?" Arya smirked down at Gendry who was shaking his head, trying to clear it.
"Much obliged, Lady Arya," Gendry said, reaching for her hand. Arya shrieked when he jerked her down on top of him instead of letting her pull him to his feet.
"You're a bad influence," Gendry told her moments before Nymeria leapt upon the pair.
Father was watching her with a strange look in his eyes when Arya ordered the wolf away and Arya blushed suddenly when she realised that clad in next to nothing she was sitting on the ground between Gendry Baratheon's spread legs, laughing.
"You're the bad influence, Gendry," Arya muttered to him. "As if I need you getting me in any more trouble than I get myself into."
She pushed herself to her feet as she laughed, not offering to help him a second time.
"Does your Mother know you're out here alone, Arya?" Ned asked her. Arya glanced at her bare feet and then back at her father.
"No, Father," she murmured.
"And I'd wager she hasn't seen your lack of attire either?" He asked her. Blushing a little, Arya shook her head.
"Gods be good, girl you get me in as much trouble as yourself!" Ned admonished her "You were supposed to meet with you mother and sister to accompany them to lunch with the Queen and the Princess."
"No one told me, Father" Arya told him, lifting her head knowing that even if they had she would have snuck off to swim anyway.
"Is there any particular reason you've destroyed one of your gowns?" he asked her, eyeing the scratch on her stomach which was still oozing blood. Arya tried not to grin.
"Well I was aware the lords would be about the country side today father, and so deemed in to be inappropriate for me to swim naked" She drawled at them.
"You've been swimming?" Gendry asked her, shocked. "Isn't it freezing?"
Arya laughed and looked at him to find him standing next to her.
"Maybe for your southern-born blood it would be," she teased him.
"Hold it, girl, not another word or the next thing, you'll have forty naked lords leaping into the river," The King stopped her with a laugh as he slowly got to his feet, having finally stopped laughing.
"Well it was incredibly refreshing in this heat, Your Grace," Arya grinned at him, eyes laughing.
"Oh no. Those puppy eyes won't work again. Not for all the food, wine or whores in the world will this King be jumping in a river of snow melt from the Wall" He sounded amused and Arya noticed the Princes and the King's men looking at him as though they were unsure it was really him.
"I understand Your Grace…. For now. I'm going back in if anyone would like to join me?" Arya offered, eyeing her brothers who had always loved to swim.
"Oh, no you're not! You were due for lunch with the Queen. I suggest you make your way back there and try to think of an excuse as to why you were not in your chambers and so were unable to meet with your mother and sister and the Queen." Ned told her sternly.
"Yes Father" Arya grinned before opening her mouth and issuing a high pitched whistle to call Storm to her. The mare trotted over to her, bearing no saddle, blanket or bridle and her father eyed her suspiciously.
"Where is your riding gear?" he asked her.
"I didn't use it, Father," Arya told him before she turned and tangled her fingers into Storm's mane, swinging aboard with practiced ease even though she was bareback.
"Would you like me to warn the cooks that you'll all be returning for lunch?" she asked Ned Stark.
"Do that," he nodded, frowning at his wild daughter "Oh and Arya, don't let your mother see you in those things or she'll wring all our necks."
"Don't worry, Father, she never sees me," Arya grinned wickedly before she looked at Gendry who was once again astride his large black horse. "Race you back?"
Gendry laughed at her.
"I would not want to put you at an unfair disadvantage, my Lady," Gendry grinned.
"It's you who has the disadvantage, my Prince, weighed down with all that equipment." Arya teased him.
"Then we shall race another time when we are evenly matched," he shrugged his wide shoulders.
"Afraid you'll lose?" Arya challenged him with a grin. Gendry's blue eyes held hers for a moment.
"Yes" he admitted boldly. Arya smirked before she shrugged at him and turned her eyes to the King.
"With your leave, Your Grace," Arya appealed, attempting some form of manners before a King. He laughed again and waved her off with his hand.
Ned Stark watched the way the mare his daughter rode bareback leapt into a rear, pawing at the sky, and the way his wild daughter clung to her as though horse and girl were one being. When Storm's hooves touched the earth she bolted for Winterfell at a gallop and they heard Arya's sharp whistle call Nymeria to her heels. He shook his head as he watched her go, wondering if anyone could ever tame her and fearing for the life of anyone who ever tried.
"Your daughter would make a fine Queen, Ned," Robert told him, watching her go and no doubt thinking of Lyanna. Before Ned could disagree Gendry Baratheon beat him to it.
"No, she wouldn't, Father. A woman like Arya would be too much of a distraction. You think you could divide your attentions between the Realm and a woman like her?"
Ned had no doubt that every man there was thinking the same thing. Steffon voiced his opinion as well.
"I know I couldn't and it would be the Realm that would go wanting, even if only for the fear of what trouble Lady Arya would stir up when I wasn't looking."
Even Ned laughed at the Prince's words.
"Making a girl like Arya a Queen of the Seven Kingdoms would be the worst thing to ever happen to the realm," Gendry said before adding cheekily "Unless of course you tried to marry her off to Joffery first."
"Perhaps she would not make such a good Queen, after all," Robert mused.
"No, but she'll make a fine wife," Gendry stated boldly and Ned glanced at the young man. There could be no doubt that he meant Arya would make a fine wife for himself and Ned realised that he had as good as stated to his father and to Ned himself that he would seek to make a match with her if they were all agreeable. Ned wondered if the lad knew what he was getting himself into.
NOTE: I wrote a novel! A real one. And I published it on Amazon. Check out my profile page, or google "PARANORMAL DIVISION: AWAKENING BY ELLIE J DUCK" for details and the link to purchase. xx