10) A wedding (Arya)
She was tired of walking and marching, as if she hadn't done enough in the past few weeks. Why did they have to go to the Twins? Why did his brother had to marry a girl they had never seen? She hoped she never had to marry. Being surrounded by men on her way from King's Landing to Riverrun she saw how awful they could be. They talked of girls as if they were objects, they pulled out their cocks - yes "cocks" Sansa, I'm using the word "cock" and there's nothing you can say about it – and pissed wherever they wanted, they burped, farted and were just gross in general. She wanted a man like her father. If she ever married she wanted to have the same relationship her parents had had.
When they finally reached the Twins she had been relieved, until they stepped inside and she saw how horrid it was. The castle itself was grey and gloomy, and it smelled damp. The people seemed disgusting and had a weird look in their eyes. Old Lord Walder looked like a creature from Old Nan tales, decrepit, bent, wrinkled, and with a horrible smell. He smelled of old and she hated old. The only old man she liked was Maester Luwin, and he wasn't nearly as old as this Walder Frey. Her mother didn't look very comfortable either. She had asked for bread and salt and Old Walder had begrudgingly accepted. Why do we need bread and salt? Their bread tastes horrible and besides, they are our allies and Robb is marrying their girl. Why do we need guest rights? Robb on the other hand, was ecstatic. The minute he had laid eyes on Roslin his expression had changed. He had been morose and moody the whole way to the Twins, but as soon as he saw her, his eyes lit up. Arya had to admit, the girl was somewhat good looking, but then again, at the Twins the standard was very low. This girl had nothing on Sansa. Wow, am I really complimenting my sister? What's wrong with me?
They were taken to the chambers reserved for them, where they could bathe and rest. Her mother had insisted she washed and made herself presentable. She had even insisted she braided her hair. She complained, but only out of habit. Deep inside she was enjoying having her mother pamper her and doing her hair. It had been so long …
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The wedding celebration was long and boring. She tried to sneak out into the hallway but was stopped by a Frey. So she sat next to her uncle and tried to take a sip from his glass.
"Stop there you little thief!" he slapped her hand gently. "Does you mother know you're trying to steal my drink?"
She could see her sister talking to several boys. She's so good at this. I suck, she thought. Suddenly she saw a man getting too close to her sister. But not a second later The Hound appeared and scared him away. Gods, I hate him! He killed Mycah! But he saved Sansa. And he has been protecting her. I like the way he chased that stupid Frey away from her, she grinned to herself.
The food was horrible, the drinks were all watered down and the music was terrible. Cheap Freys, couldn't even pay decent musicians! She saw her mother dancing with the GreatJon. She looked happy for a change. When her mother sat down she sat next to her.
"You dance really well mother, you should teach me"
"I will. When we get home I will."
"Robb seems happy. Look at him on the dais with his new little wife. He seems to have forgotten about us."
"I hope they have a happy marriage"
"Like yours and father's?"
"Yes" she replied with a sad smile.
"Was your wedding as boring as this one?"
"I don't know. I did not enjoy it much. I was far too nervous."
"For the wedding or the bedding?"
"Arya! You don't … what do you know about bedding anyway?" her mother asked horrified.
"Enough. I saw things in King's Landing. And I used to spy on Theon."
"We'll talk later about this. As for my wedding, it was alright. Now the bedding" her mother paused and grimaced "… I hated the ceremony, having my dress torn in front of all the guests"
"I am sure you endured it with grace" a male voice said behind them.
"Oh, Lord Bolton" her mother said surprised, her cheeks flushed. "I didn't know you were there"
"May I sit down?"
"Of course. Drink?" Catelyn offered pouring herself a glass.
"No thank you my Lady, I don't drink."
"Not often do I meet a man who does not drink at a party. Although, now that you mention it, I have noticed men are not drinking as much as I had expected. You would think by now half the men would be drunk."
"It lulls the senses" Bolton replied flatly.
"And do you really need your senses at a wedding?" Catelyn asked.
"It depends on the company" he replied placing his hand on her mother's arm. Catelyn's expression changed and she carefully lifted his sleeve. Chainmail! Why would he wear chainmail to a party? Arya wondered and then saw her mother's face stiffen.
"Excuse me" Catelyn said. "Arya come with me. I need to show you something" her mother suddenly got up and grabbed her by the arm. "Sit next to Sansa and do not move. Make sure Brienne or The Hound or Theon are next to you."
"Mother, what's going on?"
"I don't know. I'll be right back" she said and went to talk to Robb.
Catelyn whispered into Robb's ear and Arya saw her brother frown as he went to talk to the GreatJon and Lord Umber. Before Arya could reach Sansa, she heard Lord Walder get up.
"What do you say my friends? Is it time for the bedding?"
"Bedding! Bedding! Bedding!" the guests started yelling, and that's when the first arrow was shot.
Arya hid behind a table and crawled her way to Sansa as the arrows kept raining down. Damned musicians! They are freaking archers. No wonder their music sucked.
From behind the table she could see Robb and his men engrossed in battle with the Frey men. Needle! She suddenly thought. Her mother had forbidden her to bring it to the party. "It is not proper" she had said. Well, this is not proper either! she thought.
She hid and saw the melee of men fighting, some with swords and knives, some with their bare hands. She yelled her brother's name when Robb was about to be killed but Theon stepped out from behind and killed the man. So much blood, so many people yelling. She could see The Hound and her mother's uncle fighting side by side. Edmure was fending off two men and was not doing so well when the SmallJon stepped in to give a hand. Suddenly she was lifted off the ground. She tried to fight until she saw it was Dacey Mormont. "Come on, your brother asked me to take you out of here." She was about to complain when she saw Brienne taking Sansa, and her mother walking right behind them.
They were leaving the hall when she heard her mother yell in pain and fall to the floor. With a grimace she got up and told them to keep going, but Arya could see an arrow protruding from her mother's back. Before they reached the door she turned around and saw Robb fall to an arrow in his shoulder. Both Dacey and Brienne tried to shove the three Stark women out the door, but her mother slipped away and ran back into the hall.
"Mother!" she called.
"Lady Catelyn" Brienne called.
Her mother just yelled for them to go and ran back to Robb.
Once out in the hallway they made their way out into the gardens. They could see the tents of their soldiers on fire and realized that the same battle that was taking place inside was also taking place outside. The Freys had betrayed them.
They hid behind the bushes and she suddenly felt very hungry. She was panting. She had been running for too long. The lone wolf dies but the pack survives. She had been alone for a long time. She needed her pack. Her pack was here. She could feel her brother kept behind bars. She could not feel her sister, but she hadn't felt her in a long time. She had a vague recollection of hearing her howl in pain one last time and then silence. Her other brothers were too far away. Back home. But one of her brothers was here, she could feel him, she could smell him. She had to free him. If only she could get close to the girl.
"Nymeria!" Arya suddenly yelled.
.
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Note: So Nymeria is back! Next we get to see what happened inside the Twins ... The Lannisters send their regards.
