Chapter 10

Ned's Fury

"She's a little girl, Cat, she is too young!"

"You can't tell me that you agree with our eldest getting married at fifteen, but Arya is too young to be betrothed to someone she really, really likes, honestly, Ned, how many times have you told me that Arya is independent and feisty."

"And this Jaqen H'gar was a faceless man, a killer, not to mention his leaders whom may well decide that he is too good-a-killer to let go of, then Arya will be in danger."

"Was a killer, he would protect Arya very well and don't give me that stubborn look, if we fight her on this love match, we may well lose her!" Cat shouted fiercely. Ned turned and faced his wife "That's what I don't want, she's my little girl, and she's the spitting image of Lyanna." Ned turned away as tears came to his eyes. They heard a knock at the bedchamber door. "Father, Mother" Arya called out hesitantly.

"Yes, dear girl?" Cat opened the door and Arya dove into her father's arms. "You could never lose me, father, I am not ready to be married to him, we only want to court one another. Please, Father, give him a chance, he has sacrificed his whole way of life for me and that is no easy task."

Ned smiled at his wise young daughter. "When did you get so mature, my little misfit?"

"When Sansa and I decided to bond properly as sisters and not argue?" Arya's eyebrow lifted in amusement when both her parents chuckled.

"I'm serious, Sandor and Sansa have taught me some life lessons about family and the importance of being honest, and I realised that I was so badly behaved back in Winterfell, it wasn't until we reached Braavos that I realised I only had Sansa and Sandor for now? Can you ever forgive me?"

"I will have to write a contract of the terms of betrothal that Jaqen must sign and agree to. You have done nothing to be forgiven for. Arya, you are our daughter, our child." Catelyn murmured joining the family embrace

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"Settle down, man, for the gods, your pacing is annoying" Sandor growled at Jaqen

"A man cannot help his pacing, a man is nervous, a man truly loves a girl"

"Aye, and I love my little bird and I would love to marry her tomorrow. But wishes for fishes won't make that day come faster"

Ned came into the room with a parchment followed by Arya and Catelyn. Sandor was heavy handed with Jaqen as he forced him to sit and listen to the Lord Warden of the North.

"We have agreed on the terms of your betrothal to Arya, but you must abide by them Ser H'gar. If you agree to sign it, you must stand by it."

Jaqen held out his hand for the parchment and proceeded to read the betrothal agreement. He looked up and smiled "A man agrees, does a lovely girl's father have a quill and ink?"

Arya's mouth fell open "You called me 'a lovely girl'" Cat smiled as Arya practically glowed

"Yes, a man calls you his lovely girl, even if a lovely girl doubts herself?" Jaqen went to Sansa's writing desk and signed the betrothal agreement immediately.

"Does a man who is warden of the north have a place in his keep and by his hearth for a former assassin who wants to marry his lovely girl?" Ned Stark shook the hand of his future son in law.

"I will also give you the position of Master at arms. Our current master at arms Rodrik wants to retire soon and spend time with family in Torrhen Square. This way you can support Arya when you marry."

"I owe you debt, Lord Stark"

"You owe me nothing, except to treat my daughter well"

"A Lord does not understand how his lovely daughter could save a man and love this one from the faceless men." Jaqen was an astute and intuitive being.

Ned shook his head. "No, but my youngest daughter has the wolf's blood in her. Her aunt, my sister was the same, feisty, independent, spirited."

"A man will make sure to take care of his lovely girl and truly love her and teach her the ways to defend herself"

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Peter Baelish was locked in a tower cell with Lord Varys looking in with a smug smile.

"You know, I always knew you would screw up. The King is not dead yet. Your fantasy and your schemes are completely dead in the Blackwater. It seems Lady Catelyn Stark heeded my warning very well." Peter rattled his cell door and screamed at the Master of Whisperer's.

"She was mine, I had both sister's you know….Lysa Arryn and Catelyn Tully" Peter Baelish grinned seeing a reaction in the stoic unshakeable "Spider"

"Leave him to me, Lord Varys!" The Lord Commander of the Kings-guard was walking towards the tower cell

"Ser Barristan" Lord Varys bowed his head respectfully "He will meet the King's Justice soon for his attempted assassination of a nine-year old boy and our beloved King." Peter Baelish stood back from his cell door lest he get a sword through his head.

Lord Varys walked away from the cell door and made his way back to his quarters.

"You will never repeat your disgusting lies about the widow of Jon Arryn and Lord Stark's good lady wife again."

"Tomorrow you will face your trial in the throne room where you will face the King and answer for your attempted murder of a young boy who has not harmed a fly apart from being the son of the woman that you want to constantly obsess over and defile. From what I understand of the past, you always boasted that you would marry Catelyn after you challenged Brandon Stark to a duel and he gave you a parting gift, from your navel to collarbone."

"Cersei was always planning to have you retired, you, old miserable fuck!" Ser Barristan smiled "Your words are nothing but wind, the king has rescinded his order to kill the Targaryen girl and made her his heir. The Beggar prince is dead. You will never sit on the iron throne as you had planned"

"The whore queen is dead, and her three bastard children have been exiled to Dorne in disgrace. Tell me who will fight for the mockingbird. Peter Baelish" Ser Barristan walked away from the tower cell grinning.

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Return to Winterfell

"It's his Lordship!" The Northmen Guard of Winterfell shouted to Jon "Is that the sigil of Braavos?" Jory asked in amusement. "Aye, and that is the sigil of House Clegane!" Jon shouted out to Jory as he and Rodrik opened the gates and cheered as Ned rode in followed by Lady Catelyn Stark, the girls and the boys were in the carriage and Sandor and Jaqen followed flanked by the north-men.

"Jon!" Ned hugged his nephew as soon as he jumped down from the horse. "Where are the girls and Bran and Robb?"

"Hello Jon." Catelyn said softly "Milady" Jon bowed his head in respect. Arya watched in tears as Catelyn lifted his chin and threw her arms around her nephew in sorrow and joy.

"I am so sorry for the way I have treated you Jon, it was unforgivable, but I beg your forgiveness and your mercy!"

Jon reciprocated the hug with tears of his own as he replied that there was, nothing to forgive and Sansa clapped her hands in joy as Arya huddled next to Robb and smiled widely. Jaqen smiled at his betrothed' excitement and happiness.

"Everyone here in Winterfell, we have joyous news and a betrothal to announce!"

"My daughter Arya from three days ago has agreed to be betrothed to our new friend from Braavos, this is Jaqen H'gar who is to marry my youngest daughter when she turns five and ten years. Also, we have a wedding to prepare for in the Gods-wood. Sansa my eldest daughter has agreed to marry Lord Clegane who has been granted a Lordship by our good King Robert Baratheon, from that day forth, Lord Clegane will be known as my son by law."

Sansa strolled up to Jon who was in shock. "I am most aggrieved by the horrid way I treated you, Jon, please will you give me away on my wedding day along with my lord father?"

"Thank you, Sansa I would be honoured, you will always be a true lady, Sansa" The cousins embraced one-another, and Arya was even more overjoyed to see it.

"I say we should have a feast to celebrate, Father?" Ned Stark smiled, his family were united and stronger together.

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The Trial

"I, Robert Baratheon, first of his name, king of the Andals, do hereby recuse myself from the trial of Peter Baelish of the 'fingers' so that a fair verdict and sentencing may be just. I ask that Tyrion Lannister and Renly Baratheon and Lady Olenna Tyrell do hereby take my place as Judges."

"My King, we would be honoured" Tyrion knelt before Robert and Robert stormed from the hall followed by Ser Balon Swann and Ser Boros Blount

The three judges took their seats on the mounted steps and Olenna Tyrell spoke first

"Peter Baelish, you are here to answer to the crime of treason, slander and the attempted assassination of nine-year old boy Brandon Stark by a poisoned Valyrian steel dagger. How do you plead?"

"Well, not guilty, milady" Peter smirked

"How so, Littlefinger?"

"I hired someone else to kill the boy who is crippled, the killing of Brandon Stark was arranged as a mercy killing?"

There was an outraged roar from the public in the royal court gallery.

"You are guilty of this" Tyrion made a note on the parchment. "Ser Barristan, please call our first witness?"

Roslin, a prostitute whom Peter had enslaved walked into the royal court and took her seat in the stand.

"Your name dear girl?" Tyrion asked "Roslin Grey, milord"

"Do you know the accused?"

"I do so swear, milord"

"When you came south to King's Landing from the northern climate, had you ever met Peter Baelish before this?"

"No, milord"

"Did you ever bear witness to his slander of Lady Catelyn Stark?"

"Yes, milord, he talked of the Lord Warden's Wife all the time, he claimed to be in love with her and that he would do anything to get her including killing the good friend of King Robert, I saw a message to Lady Catelyn Stark on his writing desk, it was from Lysa Arryn, The Lady of the Vale claimed that she had done as Peter asked and poisoned her husband who was hand of the king. I believe I saw in the letter that there was a plot to get Lord Eddard Stark to Kings Landing to be the Hand of the King and then to supplant him as Lady Catelyn's Lord husband after he was executed for treason."

"You will pay for this! Whore!" Peter shouted, "I still have influence and power!"

"Silence!" Tyrion shouted "Ser Barristan, if Littlefinger ever makes another threat like that towards our witness, you will cut off his ears, no, you will cut off his fingers since he has his fingers in many pies!" Tyrion smirked as Littlefinger shuddered.

Olenna Tyrell ordered the court to silence their laughter.

"