"Are you ready to go Lya?"
"Yes, I just need to go say goodbye to Catelyn and Bran."
"Do it quick and then come back, I need to have a word with you."
"Yes, Ned," I say. I make my way up to Bran's room, Jon shoves past me on his way out. I shrug it off and enter the room. Catelyn is making another dream catcher for Bran. "Hey there," I say softly. "I know you're going to wake up soon, I should be back soon as well, but I want you to be awake for me," I kiss his forehead.
"You're going?" Catelyn asks.
"Yes. Just to the inn, and then I'll be back."
"I can't believe it."
"What?"
"You just got here, and you're leaving again, to go back to that place."
"Just to look. I need to find some things out."
"I knew you wouldn't like it here."
"Catelyn, of course I like it here."
"You were gone for too long."
"Mom," I say I make my way around to her. Using her proper title for what she is to me, feels odd at first but I shrug it off. She looks up at me from her spot on her chair, I gently caress her cheek as a tear starts down it. "You need to be here for Bran now. I will be back, I promise you that," I lean in and kiss her before turning to leave.
I return to my room where Ned is sitting waiting, something long is wrapped in a cloth next to him. "Catelyn seems off," I say. "She was angry that I was leaving."
"She's just worried that she's going to lose you forever. She will be fine, don't worry about it right now. I will go and see her shortly. I have something for you."
"What is it?"
"You did such an excellent job protecting yourself and Bran from the assassin, and I've seen you sparring with Jaime. I realize that people won't always be around to protect you, and you should be able to protect yourself should the need arise. I hope that won't happen, but it's best if you would be able to," he picks up the parcel. "I had it forged for you," he holds it out. I unwrap it, and gasp seeing a sword.
"It's real?"
"Of course it is. Tourney swords won't last long against live steel. Go on, take it out," I unsheathe it and examine it. "It's not Valyrian steel, but it is sharp," I touch the end and gasp, sucking on my finger, tasting the iron of my blood. It has a wolf on the hilt, and an intricate pattern on the blade. Looking closer it says a word, that I struggle to make out.
"Winter is Coming?" I finally say angling it in just the right way.
"Do you like it?"
"Yes, thank you so much," I put it back in it's sheath and put it down before hugging him.
"Feel free to carry it around with you," he says pulling away. He wraps a belt around my waist and puts the sheath on it. "Go on, pull it out again," he says. I unsheath it and eye it again. "I should go see Catelyn, and no showing off."
"Thank you!" I call after him. I make my way out to the hall and practically run into Jon again.
"Hey there, Big Sister."
"Hi. I seem to be running into you all over the place."
"Yes, you do."
"Sorry about earlier."
"it's fine, really. I understand this is all exciting and sad saying good bye to everyone. I hear your going to take the Black?"
"Yes, I am."
"I'm sure you'll do well there."
"Thank you," we lapse into awkward silence. "I see you have a sword."
"Yes," my hand goes to the hilt. I smile at him giddily. "It was a present from Ned."
"Excellent."
Arya's door opens and she comes running out, right into me, "sorry!" she says hurrying past me carrying one of her trunks. She turns around taking in my sword. "How come you've got a sword?"
"Ned gave it to me, so that I could protect myself if needed."
"I can help!"
"Aye, yes you can," Jon says looking amused.
She nods, and runs off, "we should probably join her," I say, to fill the silence she left behind.
Once outside I find myself looking for Jaime, before remembering that I still hadn't spoken to him since the day before in the Godswood. His sister had put a stop to it, and not seeing him anywhere in the courtyard, I find myself next to Sansa who is again speaking of her betrothal to Joffrey. I listen to her for as long as I can bear, avoiding her dirty looks at my sword, and finally walk away to mount Silver.
We leave not long after, the wheelhouse with the Queen and her children plus Sansa stays closer to the front behind the Kingsguard and the King who is riding. Ned takes a place next to him, leaving Arya who managed to convince someone she was allowed to ride and me to wander amongst everyone else.
As the day goes on I have to reprimand myself everytime my eyes go searching the crowd for Jaime's hair. I spot him amongst his Kingsguard and I allow myself to fall farther behind. I mostly listen to stories told by the sellswords, and songs from the singers.
I reach up my back and start to unlace my dress with difficulty. I still wasn't comfortable allowing servants to help me. "Hey," I start hearing Jaime's voice. "Here let me help you."
"You can't just come in here," I say I sit up straighter as his cool hands touch my bare back. "I don't need your help. Jaime this is improper."
"I want to talk to you."
"Well, I don't. I'm tired and I'm trying to get ready for bed," I gasp as his fingers brush my skin as he continues to undo my laces. "Jaime stop."
"Then talk to me."
"Not now, I'm not dressed!"
"Then meet me outside," he turns and ducks out of my tent. I sigh and lace my dress up again, getting up and going out to the outside.
"Don't you have someone important to be guarding?"
"He's out fucking some whore," he says as we walk a ways from the encampment.
"Then why aren't you fucking Her?"
He grabs my arm tightly. "Don't," he warns. "You can't help who you fall in love with," he lets me go, and I rub my arm. "Why have you been avoiding me?"
"I haven't."
"Oh really? What's bothering you?" I look up and I can tell he knows what it is.
"You're really going to make me say it?"
"Was it your first?" he asks.
"Oh, no it wasn't. I've kissed lots of people," I fold my arms across my chest. "I go around kissing everybody. I even give them a flash of my tits."
He sighs looking down. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I- I don't know what I was thinking. I know I shouldn't have. I mean it was nice, not that I thought it would be bad. I wasn't expecting that, I don't know what I was expecting but-."
"Stop talking about it."
"Sorry," he says and I see a hint of a blush on his cheeks. "Can we forget it ever happened? And go back to being friends?"
"Do you want to see my sword?"
"That better not be an innuendo for something completely different," he says eyeing my crotch.
An innu- what? I don't even know what that is."
"Where's your sword."
"You'll just have to be good, and not come in my tent again, promise to spar with me everyday for the rest of my stay with the group, and then I'll show it to you."
He rolls his eyes, "alright, I'll spar with you." I look at him. "And won't go into your tent without your permission and I'll be good. I'm not a child you know?"
"Yes, but we need rules. What if I had been even more undressed? Or someone walked in?"
"We are half-betrothed," he says. I slap him and turn walking away. "I'll fetch you tomorrow when we can spar!" he calls after me.