Part 8: Harrenhal – The Wolf of Winterfell (Arya)

I sleep late, waking around midday. I don't dare stay here; it's been too long already. The Careers will still be hunting me. They'll find this place sooner or later. Besides, I need to hunt.

As I creep out of the pile of rubble and look around I see Margaery on the edge of the ruins. She can't see me here. The Highgarden girl doesn't look good. She's pale, her face drawn, her hair limp with sweat. When she turns I see that her left arm is swollen and red. The cut I gave her must be infected. That set in fast. She looks like she's considering going into the woods, maybe looking for medicinal herbs. I could offer her an alliance, offer to find herbs for her in exchange for someone to watch my back, but I still think she'd be more likely to put a knife in it. She doesn't see me as I creep away.

The day passes quietly, or rather, what's left of it does. I find some more food and water, and when dusk begins to fall I climb a tree and settle on a large branch, nestled against the trunk. I doubt I'll fall; in Winterfell I often climb up in search of nests to rob. I'm a better climber than Gendry - though not so good as Bran - and I'm lighter, better able to get up to the thin, high branches. There's no-one in the sky tonight.

Morning dawns with rain. I huddle in my tree, barely sheltered. By the time it eases I'm damp, miserable and edgy. It makes me desperately miss my warm bed and my family. I know I'm lucky to be alive still, and I wonder how long my luck will last. The thought that it can't hold out much longer makes me tense. As I climb down from my tree I wonder if I'll survive today.

The woods seem quiet, but I take no chances. It's early afternoon when I hear the sound of sobbing.

I have a rabbit and a quail strapped to my belt, I should take them and go and count my blessings. But I can't. The cries sound so helpless, so young. I've given the last three years of my life to helping people. I can't ignore the sound of someone in trouble, even here, not a second time. I don't know what I plan to do, but I creep towards the sound. I come to a clearing, similar to the one where my allies fell.

The first thing I see is Theon Greyjoy drawing a sword. His back's to me, and beyond him I see little Rue Forel huddled against a tree. Her leg is bleeding and she's curled into a ball, crying. To her credit, she doesn't plead. She sobs and she waits, and no more. I edge slowly around to see Theon's face. He has cuts and bruises and a gash halfway across his forehead. I guess the Careers didn't let him join them. He's lucky he got away. He raises the sword and then he hesitates.

I know he's doomed before he does. That one moment of hesitation is the hint of dissention that Aerys needs. It doesn't matter that Theon's gaze clears and he makes the decision to kill Rue. He's shown that brief moment of rebellion.

As much as I hate him, he's from my District. The cry of warning escapes from me almost unconsciously. "Theon!"

He half turns, but his face never gets right around to me. There's a shimmer of heat, a flash of flame and he's gone, just a pile of ash on the ground. I stare in shock, even though I've seen this before. That's all it takes. One second of fire and that's that.

I glance around, see no-one but Rue still crying and slowly move into the open. The ash that was once Theon Greyjoy stirs in the breeze. Rue looks at me with huge, tear-filled eyes and then goes back to crying. I'm in no danger from her. I sense something, though, someone. I turn to see Asha in the trees, axe in hand, poised to throw. I have no time to go for a knife. I'm a goner.

Asha's eyes flick to what's left of Theon and back, and she lowers her axe and points accusingly at me. "Just this once, Wolf Girl. For Theon. For my brother. Then we're even. Next time I see you, I'll kill you. You understand?"

I nod shakily. I do understand. He was her brother. She hadn't seen him in years, but he was still her brother, and I tried to warn him. She turns and vanishes. She lets me live. There are three reasons she gets away with this. One, she's a Career. Two, she had a reason other than pity - even Aerys understands family ties. Three, two in a row would bore the audience.

I'm alive, and shaking all over as I look at Theon again. Trying to warn him was an automatic courtesy to a District partner. Honour tells me I shouldn't take from him, but this is no place for honour. His sword fell beside the pile of ash. I take it and look at Rue.

"You should kill me quickly." she says hoarsely. "Or they'll kill you too."

"Not if we're allies." I find myself saying. "That's allowed."

She watches me suspiciously. "You want me for an ally? Why?"

Good question. After what happened to Hot Pie and Lommy, what's wrong with me? But I say "'Cause you're still alive. You're smart. And it's pretty much just us and the Careers. I can't beat them alone."

She regards me for a moment, then stands up shakily, tentatively putting weight on her bleeding leg. She's even smaller than me. "You had allies before."

"How do you know?"

"I was watching you. I saw. And I'm sorry."

"The Careers will pay for it." I tell her. "Come on, let's go."

After I've cooked dinner, we find a tree for the night and curl up on a branch. She climbs almost as well as Bran. It's so much warmer with her tucked against me. Theon appears in the sky and then he's gone forever. He's the only one. Margaery must still be hanging on. Rue and I eat in silence, then,

"I'm not a fighter." she admits. "I'm alive 'cause I hid."

"That's ok. If you don't kill me in my sleep, I'll give you a knife and show you how to use it."

She looks scared. "I don't even know where to start!"

"It's easy. Stick 'em with the pointy end!"

She laughs.

Morning comes, and the red barrier is visible just beyond the trees. The arena's shrinking. They're trying to drive us all together, wrap this up. Ok, then.

"Today, we hunt Careers." I tell Rue as we return to the ground. She looks terrified. "It's ok. I was born to hunt. My sigil's the direwolf, see?"

"It's really beautiful." she whispers, her eyes on the pin. "Who gave it to you?"

"A friend." I reply firmly, my tone allowing for no questions. I cannot think of home now, only the coming fight.

In truth, we stand no chance. But I'll let no-one say I didn't try. If I can just take Joffrey down, I'll be happy. I quickly teach Rue to use a knife, she teaches me a short, four-note whistle and then we separate, each searching for the Careers.

I follow the barrier, but it isn't long before I hear the whistle drifting through the woods. I guess they weren't hard to find. I follow the sound and find Rue hiding behind a bush, watching the Careers. They're bragging about how close they are to winning, loudly. There are only three left, no two from the same District. As always, Meera is quieter than Asha and Joffrey. The two girls keep glaring at each other, but at Joffrey more. When everyone else is gone they'll turn on him, then fight it out. Or they would, if we gave them a chance.

I don't have a shot at Joffrey, so I kill Asha first, giving her a quick death in thanks for sparing me. My knife in the back of her neck and she's gone. The other two wheel, looking for us and we have to duck away as Meera throws a trident. We roll out into view as soon as she's unarmed and Rue darts away, drawing Joffrey's gaze, taunting him. I engage Meera, quickly realising my mistake with her trident when she reels it back to herself on a length of rope.

We circle each other, and I can see in her eyes that she knows our fathers' history together, too. Neither of us speaks - clearly, she isn't the type to taunt. She jabs the trident at me and I dodge and slash at her with a knife. As she slips aside from my strike I throw a knife with my left hand, taking her by surprise. The blade buries itself in her leg, slowing her. I manage to slip around behind her, dodging her trident again, and plunge another knife into her heart from the back. It's the quickest, most merciful death I can give her. She falls, and I briefly wonder if we could have been friends in another time and place. The truth is, I need to stop wondering about times and places that will never be.

I turn just in time to dodge a blow from Joffrey. Rue has vanished, and all his focus is on me. I draw Theon's sword and we slash and parry, alone in a deadly dance. We're matched, but he has the slight edge in strength, while I have a small advantage in speed. I can't beat him alone, and his psychotic anger gives him something I don't have. He drives me back - with my blade - and my back hits a tree. I'm cornered, barely fending off his blows. My wrists ache. Then Rue comes out of the bushes while Joffrey isn't looking and lunges at his leg. She sticks him with the pointy end.

Joffrey falls with a cry and nearly loses my sword. Rue slashes at his fingers and he lets go. I snatch the sword back, throwing Theon's to Rue. She catches it slightly clumsily. I keep my gaze on Joffrey as I taunt him.

"This is a fine little blade." He cringes away from me. "Maybe I'll pick my teeth with it."

For the sake of his family at home I kill him quickly, putting my blade straight through his heart.

I turn to Rue. "Just us and Tyrell. She's a sly one, you'd better keep that sword."

She doesn't look happy but she puts the sword through her belt carefully. I can't see the ruins or the sun from here, so we strike out in a random direction. By nightfall we haven't seen Margaery, so we make what will probably be our last camp in a tall tree. The Careers appear in the sky and are gone.

The next day we carry on the way we were going. In truth, I don't want to find Margaery. I know she'll be weak, and we'll kill her easily, and then I'll have to fight Rue. We both know I'll win, and though I long for home, killing her isn't something I can face.

It's about two hours after sunrise when there's a flash. We look up and Margaery's picture appears in the sky. The infection must have got her, and rather than wait another few hours to let us know, they've made sure we know now. We meet each other's gaze for a moment, then turn and keep going. I can't face this, not yet. If Rue wants to put a knife in my back, so be it, but I know she won't.

Finally, we come to the barrier on the south-east side. There are guards beyond, waiting to take the victor back to King's Landing, and with them is her, the Red Woman, Melisandre of Asshai. I can see one of her viewers plain as day beside her, projecting our image out to all of Westeros. So much power, and she uses it for this. I hate her more than I can say, even to myself.

Slowly, I turn to Rue. No hesitation will matter now. We're the last two, the drama is too intense to ruin. Who will kill who? Will we try to both survive?

"Finish it, Wolf of Winterfell." Rue tells me calmly.

"At least fight back!" I plead.

She draws her sword, but I can see that she won't use it. Suddenly I remember Tyrion Lannister, his words: 'Make sure they remember you… I never knew how to use it. Maybe you will.'. I see again Hot Pie's rock sailing through the barrier. And I understand what Tyrion meant, what I can give the Districts. 'A symbol…' Yes, I can be a symbol. I've been saving a few lives for years. Now, with a single blow and my own life, I can save thousands, or at least give them a chance to save themselves.

I draw a knife.

"I'm sorry." I tell Rue. Not because I'll kill her, as she thinks, but because I'm sacrificing her life too. There'll be no escape from this.

Rue closes her eyes. As I raise the knife, I do the same. I think of home. I see Winterfell, the Refuge and the great keep. I see the wolves playing, hear Nymeria's yip. I see my parents' smiling faces, Sansa's red hair, Robb's grin. I hear Rickon laugh, see Bran climbing, feel Jon muss my hair. My family. My mind drifts out to the Wolfswood, to Gendry, my hunting partner, my confidant, my dearest friend. I hope Jon and Bran hunt with him now. I owe him so much. Without him, I never would have made it so far or had the strength to do what I have to now. I wish I could tell him again, make sure he knew.

All this passes in a second. I open my eyes, draw back my hand to throw… and spin, throwing the knife at Melisandre. She has no time to react. The dagger sails through the barrier and takes the Red Woman in the heart. She stumbles and the viewer and the barrier flicker. The guards are stunned, immobile.

I look straight down the viewer that will vanish when the Red Woman dies and I'm praying that Robb or Jon or Gendry will understand, will see and take the chance I'm giving them. Even if just Winterfell gets free, it will be a chance. Melisandre falls. The barrier vanishes and the viewer falters again. In the last instant that I have left I think of Gendry and pour all my gratitude into my eyes. I touch the direwolf pin he gave me. This last look and a chance of freedom: that's the only thanks I can give him now for the last three years.

The viewer disappears. Rue starts to run for the nearest way out but there are guards there, and they're starting to regain their senses. If there's any hope, it lies in the opposite direction. I grab her hand and we run into the woods as arrows fly behind us, seeking our flesh.