Hello again, here is the next chapter, chapter 7, enjoy :)
Sansa found her sister surrounded by wolves, seemingly sleeping.
'Milady, maybe we should wait until she is rested…' said Brianne as the wolves eyed the two showing their teeth.
'Stay here…they won't hurt me…' but as much as she tried to be brave and nonchalant, she didn't know if the wolves would turn on her or not. As she stepped deeper into their midst she began to feel more confident. Nymeria was eyeing her approach as Arya slept in her fur.
'You are much more reasonable then my sister, aren't you…I miss Lady…I bet you miss her too…like I missed my sister…like I still miss her…' Sansa sat down on Nymeria's other side and buried her cold cheeks in the soft fur. 'You can make Arya understand right…she needs to become lady of Winterfell…I want to know her safe…and the safest place I know…for us Starks is Winterfell…'
Nymeria grunted and shook her head before setting it down on her front paws.
'Just keep her safe…for me…I lost three brothers…as did you…I want my sister to be safe…can you do that for me Nymeria…I won't let politics reach her…I can do that now…I learnt the game…and I'll play…for her …'
Sansa had made up her mind a while ago, playing the game would earn her the revenge she so wanted, but…against who? Cersei was queen, but all her 3 children were dead…Sansa knew, no other revenge was needed, the queen was as good as dead, better even, she had to live while her children were dead and buried. Some part of Sansa pitied her…but the rest of her felt numb…it was Tomen's death and what it meant for the Lannister queen that made Sansa realize…revenge was ash in the wind…it didn't bring her father back…it didn't bring her mother back to her, it didn't bring her brothers and Winterfell back…they were gone, lost, and vengeance was not the way…at least not for her. It was then that she decided she would not play…but Baylish had other plans…and she had to play her role…so she did…she made Harry fall in love with her…it was easier than she expected. Her so called father told her she had what it took. But when she realized it another part of her died. She didn't like it…well she did, but she was frightened of what she could become. The manipulating came so easy she felt she didn't see herself but rather Cersei in the looking glass. Since then, she refused to play more than it was necessary. It seemed it was time to play in earnest. To keep her sister safe, she would play in earnest. With those thoughts in mind, she fell asleep.
A day had passed since the encounter with the whites and they were getting closer to their first destination, Winterfell.
It was almost night, and they had decided to set up camp when Nymeria perked her ears and started running through the forest away from them. Arya knew something had gotten the wolf excited and for some reason she felt that excitement too as she spurred her already tired mare in pursuit of the dire wolf.
The dire wolf had found one of its kind, another dire wolf, this one, a bit smaller but not by much, seemed to be a wild beast. Arya stopped dead in her tracks. Of course there had to be more of them south of the wall now, they were also running from the Others. Still from the way her wolf was snipping and clawing at the other wolf it seemed more like playing than fighting. Did her wolf want a mate? Honestly she had been so excited for that? Arya rolled her eyes and was about to call after Nymeria when another voice boomed from somewhere behind a pack of trees opposite her.
'Shaggy…where did you go?'
Arya froze, Shaggy? Shaggy dog? But it couldn't be, her brothers were all dead…Rickon and Bran had been killed by Theon…there was no way…no… but she stopped her train of thoughts as a boy looking like a smaller version of Bran came into view.
Her brother was alive…one of them was alive, it was plain as day…it was… Rickon stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Nymeria.
'Shaggy Dog…come here!' the dog obeyed although begrudgingly.
'Rickon…' Arya choked as she showed herself in the clearing.
The boy and the wolf both turned to her. But the boy took out a knife and prepared to defend himself.
'Rickon, it's me…Arya…your sister…' she was almost at the point of asking herself who was Arya…but no, her mind was clear, this was her family…family she had forgotten she had…family she thought dead…
'I have no sister…I have no family…go away…'
Arya was taken aback by this. Could it be possible that the boy she was seeing was not Rickon. But the wolf…and the Wolf seemed to remember. Shaggy Dog wanted to go to Nymeria.
'I cannot…I must go to Winterfell…to our home…would you like to come with me…I can take you there…'
'No! I won't…I'm not going anywhere with you!'
She was about to say something else to persuade him but at the moment two corpses came out of the gloom. Arya rushed at the boy's side and shielded him. Shit, she thought, she had no way of winning, she had no fire, and she had no Valerian steel, she had no dragon glass.
'Rickon…run…take Shaggy Dog and run…' Arya said as she stopped one of the Whites with her sword.
'But they won't die…'
'No…but they can be slowed down…' she sliced the head off of one but the body continued to move. Problematic, but not so much as with a head, apparently they lacked coordination. Nymeria was tearing at the other white, but this one had a knife and was trying to stab her wolf. She cursed as she threw a dagger straight at the wrist of the second white. The Corpse dropped the dagger that was about to go into her wolf.
But that instant she had not paid mind to the corpse she had decapitated. It had found her and now she was having her life choked out of her. She couldn't die like this…not after she found Rickon…not after she found Sansa…not so close to her goal… with strength she didn't know she still had she managed to pry herself loose before Shaggy dog lunged himself at her attacker.
Nymeria had successfully rendered her corpse useless…two hands and two feet pulled away, a body with no means to work itself. As Shaggy Dog did the same Arya led Rickon away from the remaining moving limbs.
'Are you ok?' she asked scanning him for any injuries
'You saved me…'
'What do you think I would let my little brother be killed by those things…not a chance…' she smiled at him and his face lit up.
'You are my sister aren't you…' he embraced her with such strength she didn't think a boy his age could have.
'Yes…yes I am…and we are going home…'
'Can we go get Bran too?'
'Bran? He's alive as well…' she asked shocked at the news
'He went north…over the wall to talk to the three eyed raven…'
'North…over the wall…' this filled her with dread. If what Sam said was true, over the wall was much worse than what was happening down here where they were…and it was becoming a daily struggle to stay on the side of the living. Still, Arya knew, as Nymeria knew, that Summer was alive…and if Summer was alive, then so was Bran, she had to go save him…she had to find him and bring him home.
'Yes Rickon…we'll get Bran too…and Sansa…'
'Get away from the boy!' the voice was harsh.
'Rickon…don't tell them who I am, ok…' Arya said in a whisper. The boy looked confused but nodded.
'Is this the way you Westerosi thank the person who saved your charge…' she said with a heavy bravosi accent.
'Rickon come here…' a woman with a spear pointed at her commanded as the man who spoke had a crossbow aimed at her.
Arya nodded only for him to see and Rickon left her side, but he instinctively told Shaggy Dog to stand guard.
'The wolf did that…' said the man.
'The wolf did that after I had chopped of its head yes…now…do you want another blue eyed corpse to haunt you or are you going to lower your weapons. She sheathed her own sword. The man lowered the crossbow slightly.
'She is telling the truth…she saved my life…' said Rickon. Arya cursed, she was supposed to be a he…stupid of her to think her brother would understand that.
'She?' Osha asked 'Take off your hood and mask bravosi.' Said the man
Arya complied.
'A woman…' Davos looked incredulous.
'Leave her be!' Rickon shouted angrily. At this moment Arya heard movement from where she had come and pulled her hood back up just in time as Gendry, Harwin and Brianne came charging in crossbows at ready.
'No one here is an enemy, yes…' she spoke loud before things escalated.
'The Whites…two escaped this way…we went after you and met with a group of 10…' said Brianne
'They are torn to pieces now…you should use your torches to kill them for good though…' she pointed at the squirming limbs.
Harwin and Gendry put the advice into action.
'You sir, wear the colors of Stannis Baratheon…' Brianne said drawing her sword.
'I am Sir Davos, the Onion Knight, his grace's hand…' Davos stiffened.
Brianne made a move to go to him but Arya's hand stopped the woman.
'We have bigger problems than revenge against slights from long ago…' Arya hissed.
'Stannis murdered his own brother…'
'And is ser Davos responsible for his king's crimes?' asked Arya
Brianne hesitated before backing down.
'I was the one that carried the priestess Melisandre to land…I saw what she gave birth to…the shadow…I won't say any more, but if there is blame to be had, I have my share, the king has his and the priestess the bulk of it…' Davos spit out resentfully. He felt ashamed to have done what he did.
'It matters not now…we're in the north…here and now…the only enemies we have are the corpses and the Others…' said Arya
'The girl speaks true.' Said Osha 'To continue to murder each other is stupid…the enemy is gathering behind the wall…it will soon have the strength to make it crumble to snow powder…'
'If that is so, and you know it…what are you doing here…why not go to Dorne…' asked Gendry
'Why are you here then?' asked Osha
'We are here to assist the Night's watch.' Said Brianne
'To each their own…I am here to escort a Maester to the Castle Black.' Said Arya
'Our business is our won…' said Osha
Harwin began to protest as he was eyeing both Nymeria and Shaggy Dog as if he was having a hallucination when Arya intervened.
'You can keep your secrets…but I think it safer for you, if you plan to go in the direction of Winterfell, to travel with a larger group…'
Davos exchanged looks with Osha.
'Perhaps you are right…but a smaller group attracts much less attention…' said Davos
'Ser Davos…let's go with them…' Rickon said 'I don't think they mean us harm…'
'But…'
'If you think any of us here hasn't realized that that boy is Rickon Stark you are sorely mistaken.' Said Harwin 'I was with lord Eddard Stark when he went to King's Landing…I have been training and serving the house Stark at Winterfell since I can remember and that there is one of the Dire wolves only the Stark children have…that being said…I would die before letting anything befall the rightful lord of Winterfell…'
'I am not from Winterfell, but I owe my life to Arya Stark, and so, any relative of hers, I will strive to protect no matter the costs…' Gendry said giving a fleeting look at the bravosi.
'I am Brianne of Tarth and I swore a sacred vow to lady Catlin Stark to protect and bring her daughters to her…she would have asked the same thing of her sons had she known they were alive…that being said, nothing would make me harm the boy.'
'Too many solemn vows for a night, let's head back to camp… before you three make me puke…' Arya found herself blurting out the last part but thankfully no one was near enough to hear.
They found the army ready to retire for the night. Sansa almost burst in tears at the sight of Rickon but she held her emotions in check after the initial shock. Harry, her husband however seemed not impressed. Arya made a note to keep her brother away from her brother in law. The assassin thought it might have something to do with the right to rule the North through Sansa. The fool didn't realize that even if her brothers were gone, Sansa's claim to the north would have diminished in the eyes of the lords after she had been thrown from one husband to the other. Well, even Arya was 'married' except it was the wrong Arya, and the right Arya had no intention to rule anything except her own person.
Arya found herself drifting to sleep along her trusting mare when she felt someone creep towards her. She opened an eye lazily since the person could have been stomping that was how subtle he was. It was her brother, Rickon.
'You need to learn to move without making so much noise.' She told the boy parting her fur coat and letting the child settled next to her.
'I can sleep with you right…'
'They will probably wander why you find the need to spend time with me…but it won't be long now anyway…once we reach Winterfell they will have to know…'
'Why do you hide?'
'It's safer this way…no one wants anything to do with a bravosi…a lot of these lords would like a lot to do with Arya Stark…'
'You mean marriage…' said Rickon
'Yes…and I won't marry…ever…now go to sleep…tomorrow we have a long march in front of us…'
'I won't let anyone marry you…' said Rickon and Arya smiled.
Rickon curled up against her and they both fell asleep, Arya keeping her senses alert as Nymeria and Shaggy Dog hunted in the proximity. It was earlier than she expected when she woke sensing someone was coming closer to them. Arya's eyes flew open to find Sansa unaccompanied.
'What are you doing here?'
'I came to see how you two were…don't worry, no one saw me…'
'Sansa…why did you come up north? It's not safe…especially with the whites and the others but even without them…the North for you…'
'I am Petyr Baylish's bastard daughter, the only ones who know the truth are my husband and Brianne…I represent no threat to anyone…and besides…now that we found him…oh…I can't believe it…think what mother will say…'
'She won't say anything…she won't know…and chances are we all die here in the north in the next weeks…' Arya said bitterly
'Why did you come back? You had made a life for yourself away…it's clear to see that…you fight differently from the knights but it's more efficient…'
'I came back to honor a promise to a friend and a teacher…after that…I won't stay in Westeros…'
'But Rickon…will you just leave him alone…he's barely 8…'
'Sansa…Bran's alive too…'
Sansa's eyes widened. 'How do you know?'
'Rickon told me…he's up north…'
'You mean at the wall…but then we would have heard…'
Arya shook her head and Sansa fell silent her face going livid
'He's on the other side of the wall…' Arya left it at that.
'No…but…he's…he's a cripple…how did he get there…why would he go there?'
'Rickon said something about the three eyed raven, you know, like in Old Nan's tales. Apparently Bran has more power than just that of going into the minds of animals like I or Rickon do…'
'Wait…you can…'
'I use it mainly on Nymeria and my mare…but I used it on the cat that sprung the north men from the Twins…just don't go telling Great Jon about it, he might try to kiss me…as he did the cat.'
'But Arya…that's…wow…so Bran went up north to see a raven…'
'I don't think it's a raven in truth…but it is tied to the God's wood somehow…at least that's what Rickon said…' added Arya
Sansa nodded 'So Bran is alive…'
'I…I don't know, but Nymeria seems to think so…Summer is alive…and she knows this…but for how long…' The two fell silent, dread hanging in the air.
That's it for today, reunion number 2 is done. Thank you for the reviews, and for the correction, it is appreciated. My English is fading away as I learn German and this is one of the ways I try to keep the languages up to decent levels. Sorry this chapter wasn't as action packed as the last one but the next one is going to be a roller-coaster, so wait for it. Until then, enjoy your week. Iris out.
