Chapter 4

The battle lasted less than a bell. The survivors were rounded up and put into chains. The dead were being burnt. A new order was establishing as lady Stoneheart walked inside the courtyard followed closely by a young woman cloaked in blue. They were followed by a knight Arya had seen fighting and who seemed to be expertly skilled.

Arya had made Nimeria withdraw with her pack. It was not good to draw attention to herself, the wolves had rampaged and then cleared out…she had no idea how…after all the other gate was open of its own accord…the bravosi had nothing to do with it. At least that was her tale. Damn she was beginning to feel the cold again…she needed to get her things and change into something less wet.

But it would have to wait, the mystery lady wanted to see the one who had opened the gate, and since Great Jon said it was the skilled bravosi…well…here she was shivering and waiting for some stupid lady to come by and thank her for the timely intervention.

'I was told I have you to thank for the opened gates…' the lady said lowering her hood. Arya almost choked, almost, that was her sister, the sister she thought was lost to her. Sansa's hair was black, but Arya would have recognized her older sibling even with more alterations to her look.

'My name is Alayne Arryn…the wife of Lord Harry Arryn, the new lord of the Vale.'

So Sansa married a lord, good for her 'I just did what was needed…after all; I have a charge to take to the Wall, and Maester Sam doesn't look like a swimmer…yes'

'What is your name bravosi?' the knight behind the two women asked. To Arya's surprise it was a woman's voice.

'Call me Bravosi…it will suffice…' Arya said

'Bravosi! If I hadn't been sprung out of jail today by a cat of all creatures I would have said you are the most peculiar thing I've ever seen…' barked Great Jon joining the conversation.

'Peculiar? How so?' asked Sansa

'I've never seen anyone move without flinching between so many wolves…except maybe Rob…but that wolf was bigger than Gray wind…'

'Wolf…I heard there were wolves in the courtyard…but where are they?' asked Sansa

'Gone…as soon as you lot appeared they took flight from whence they came…up north…' said Great Jon

'And you say there was a big wolf with them?' asked Sansa

'Aie My Lady…as big as a horse…a she wolf…' said Great Jon

'Nymeria…' said Harwin coming to join them with the Black Fish, Gendry and Sam

'Achu…' Arya couldn't believe she had just sneezed. Everyone eyed her confused.

'You're soaking wet…' said Sam

'And we made you wait out here in the cold…' said Sansa 'Forgive us…please go change yourself…we will hold council in the great hall tonight…'

Arya nodded and went to get her sack from her mare. She went inside the castle, found the kitchens fast enough, set a woman to setting a bath for her and proceeded to it. The warm water inside the locked room she found for herself was perfect; her cold skin finally began to relax. She asked for warm tea and she savored that as she soaked away the grime accumulated for days on end. She had the house of Black and white to thank for her found pleasure in bathing; she shivered remembering how unclean she used to be when she was younger.

'Bravosi…' a knock on the door and then someone trying to come in.

'Go away…I'll be done soon…' said Arya, it had to be Sam, no other idiot would disturb her bath time.

'Why did you lock the door…'

'I like my privacy…yes'

Sam said nothing more and left her in peace for the reminder of her bath. She set back her bandages around her chest, and put on all the dry clothes she had. She realized she was still trembling slightly. It was not the time to catch a cold. She made a mental note to ask Sam for some remedy against the shivers.

Her wet clothes settled near the fire inside so they could dry up she made her way to the great hall. She set her hood so that her face was not visible, her face mask covering her lower face all the same. Everyone was inside the great hall. Arya sat down next to Sam. At the high table Sansa sat next to a young handsome man, her husband probably, her mother Cat was up there too, as well as the Black Fish and Great Jon, and to Arya's surprise the cat she had used was curled up in Jon's lap. She laughed inwardly, had he kissed it?

The she knight was standing behind the lady of the vale.

'Sam…'

Sam turned to her 'Got anything for a cold?'

'Oh…yes…wait just a bit…I'll come back…' Sam rushed out of the hall.

Harry Arryn got up.

'We have won a great victory here today…the breakers of the sacred oath are now punished. But our task is not yet done…the dragon king, the true king of Westeros commanded us to bring the North to heal…we are but his van guard but we will strive to be enough…to take back the north for his majesty King Aegon.'

Arya frowned, Aegon? She had heard there was a boy who claimed to be the babe prince that should have died by the Mountain's hands. Could he have rallied such a force? Could he have made the Vale his own? Arya had stale information on this and she did not like it. Harry went on.

'Mot Cailin is next…and then on to Winterfell to uproot the bastard of Bolton…'

'My lord…' Sam said as he returned 'Forgive me…I know your objective is to free the north from the tyranny of the Dreadford but…winter has come, and the Night's Watch needs help…the dead are rising north of the wall…it may already be too late…but I believe our fight is not with the living…but with the dead…'

The room exploded in laughter.

'The Maester must have his brain frozen to believe such fairy tales…' barked a knight

'No tales…the truth…the only thing that can defeat them is fire…fire and dragon glass…so please…listen to me…do not put more dead in the ground for they will rise to kill us…burn every dead man…and leave the living to do battle in spring…'

Arya frowned; if the fool continued like this they were likely to tie him up as an insane person.

'I am sure that what is beyond the wall is frightening enough without tales of such fantasy.' Said Harry 'If the wildlings pose such a threat then of course…my men will help the Nights Watch…they are there to serve us all…after all…'

Arya pulled Sam down.

'Stop acting the fool or I won't be able to get you to the damn wall…' she hissed.

'But it's the truth bravosi…death is beyond the wall…the dead are everywhere…'

Arya sighed 'We'll see to that when we get to it…'

...

I am sorry it is a short chapter, but rough week at work, friends coming over and lack of sleep will do that to ones writing. Will post next chapter hopefully on Friday. Until then, have a nice week with lots of rainbows and unicorns.