As Arya Stark's carriage made its way through Winterfell, she stole a peak from the curtains. Her home was still beautiful and nothing has changed, but as they passed by Gendry's old blacksmith shop her heart sank. She looked away from the view and slumped back into her seat.

Arya ignored the looks that her father gave her from beside her, and she refused to talk to him. "Your mother will be happy to see you." He said to her, and in return, she said nothing. As the carriage jolted to a clumsy stop, her breath got caught in her throat. The door to her left swung open, and when she about to step outside her father reached over and closed it.

"Tell them we'll be out momentarily." Her father told one of the guards. Her father paused for a moment before taking a deep breath and faced her. "As you are aware, you're fiancé will be outside expecting you. Please be on your best behavior." Arya nodded reluctantly. "Are you done?" She asked without facing him, she did not recognize the man as her father anymore.

And it hurt Eddard Stark to see her that way, but he understood her reasons and let her be. Arya took his silence as an affirmative and took her first footsteps out of the carriage. She was immediately greeted with her family's warm smiles. She saw the faces of Jon Snow, Robb Stark, her sister Sansa and her younger brother Bran. And her mother…she immediately forgot the warning of her father as a smile painted on her face. She ran up to them and jumped into her mother's arms.

"Arya! My darling…" She cooed as she held her daughter tightly. Catelyn could feel tears swimming her eyes as she she held her baby. She never thought that she'd see her again. Arya's eyes filled with her own tears as well as her brothers greeted her sister. As she let go of her mother, she turned to Sansa, "I never thought i'd see the day that you'd wear a dress." Arya laughed as the two embraced. "There are so many things that I can do now that your hair is longer. " Arya playfully pushed her sister's prying hands away from her hair.

"Don't!" She laughed as Sansa playfully tried to braid her sister's hair. The Starks laughed around the two, as they continued to watch them. Lord Stark smiled with pride at his family, but it was soon wiped away when he saw Lord Cedric and his father Igor approach him.

"Eddard! I hope you had a safe journey home my good friend. I see you brought your daughter with you, would you care to introduce me to my daughter in law?" He sang.

Eddard Stark nodded, though he hated having to interrupt his family's good time together. "Arya…come here child." Arya looked at her father hesitantly and began to walk towards him. "I'd like you to meet Igor Krum and his son Cedric Krum, we will be joining houses with them." Arya glanced at Cedric and she almost hated herself when her cheeks warmed when he kissed her hand. "Pleasure to finally meet your acquaintance Arya Stark." Cedric was definitely handsome; the man was tall with a head of golden loose curls and eyes that had the color of the ocean. But he was not Gendry. "Likewise." She murmured shyly, and did a lame attempt at a curtsy. Cedric smiled at that, and she heard a few laughs behind her. She had to force herself to not go back and hit her brothers, this was embarrassing enough as it is. She suddenly regrets skipping her daily lessons with her septa when she was younger.

Igor clapped his hands triumphantly and she was momentarily startled when he grabbed into his arms. "Be sure to call me father from now on, I would accept nothing else." Cedric coughed beside him, "come on papa, lets not send my fiancé into an early grave with your bear hugs." Everyone laughed at his joke, including Arya as the man released her. "Of course my boy! Of course! Now off you go too, I'm certain that you both have a lot to discuss. Come Eddard, let us discuss our future!" As everyone parted ways she suddenly felt awkward being with Cedric and her siblings. "Come Arya, there's much that we need to discuss. " Sansa gushed as she grabbed her sister's arm and pulled her away from the boys. They walked arm in arm, and Arya couldn't help but look back in yearning as the men discussed their archery play.

"Actually Sansa, I think I'm just…" Sansa pulled her sister into a stop and stood in front of her sternly. "Seriously Arya? You never grow out of it do you?" Arya smirked playfully at her as she began to jog back to the boys. "Mind if I join you?" She said playfully. Cedric arched a brow at her in surprise; he's never known a woman who could do archery. "Aren't you worried about ruining your dress my lady?" He teased, making her brothers chuckle along with them. Arya smiled in response and grabbed a bow and arrow nearby and ran towards the target zone near the barn. She hasn't been there since they were kids.

Curious, Cedric and her brothers ran after her...the girl was starting to warm her way into his heart. She was not like all the others, and he liked that. He watched her with an owl's eye as she stood in the proper stance without any help from her brothers. Arya took a slow and deep breath and let the bow whip through the air and watched in satisfaction as it landed in the middle. It was a perfect aim. Cedric stood impressed and dumbfounded as her brothers laughed. He has never seen a woman through an arrow like that in his all his days. When they were finally alone Cedric couldn't help but smile when he noticed that Arya wasn't wearing any shoes while she was in the barn, and tending to the horses.

He was definitely intrigued by Arya, and he wanted to know more about her. "You were great out there today." He said, approaching her from behind. Arya turned around in surprise, and when she did she almost fell over. Cedric thought fast and caught her by her waist, making Arya flush under his heated gaze… "be careful." He gently scolded her as he straightened her out. "Thank you." She mumbled, though it sounded forced. As if he picked up on that Cedric scoffed… "Arya Stark, you are definitely not like the other girls."

Arya laughed at that. "Don't remind me." She started petting one of her favorite horses…Nylah. "Would my lady care for a ride?" She looked up at him with annoyed expression on her face. "No? Then how about a race? First one to the cherry tree up on that hill and back wins." Arya considered it for a moment…"what does the winner get?" She was testing him, and he could sense that and he didn't mind it at all. It was amusing; Cedric has never smiled so much before in his life. "You name it." He grinned, Arya thought about it. "And if you win?" He didn't say anything, and it was enough for Arya to know that he had his own choice as well.

"Deal." She said without hesitation as she quickly swooped up onto her horse and dashed out of the barn. Cedric laughed, and quickly tried to catch up to her. Little did they know that their fathers were watching the two from one of the towers in the castle. "Seems as though our children are getting along, don't you think so Eddard?" Igor smiled triumphantly, and though Lord Stark was happy that his daughter was complying with his wishes. He sincerely hoped that she would learn to love him, just as he did with his wife.

Cedric couldn't help but be impressed by Arya. And though she nearly beat him at horse racing, he had to admit that there was something about her that he really liked. But he couldn't put his finger on it, he couldn't tell if it was her beauty, or her charm but he didn't care. He was used to seeing girls like Sansa, and Arya was a breath of fresh air to him. As they settled the horses back into the barn he smirked at the pout that Arya had on her face.

He could tell that she was used to getting her own way. "You won. So get on with it already." She said as she sat on the hay without crossing her legs. The more he watched her the more he felt intrigued by her. "Do you consent to this marriage Arya?" He asked her seriously. Arya turned her head in surprise at the question. She wasn't expecting that from him at all. She remembered what her father said and she turned away from him. "Only if you do my lord." Her breath made fluffy clouds as she told him. Cedric hated how she closed off on him already. He walked up to her and kneeled down so that he could see her face. Arya looked up to him when he held her hands in his.

"As your husband, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make you happy. I know you haven't consented to this marriage, I can see it in your eyes. But can we at least make the effort to try to make this work between us?" In a daze by his kindness, Arya agreed, but only because of her promise to Gendry. "As my lady wife, I could only hope for friendship." Arya smiled as she cursed herself when unwanted tears threatened to fall. Her heart leaped, when he leaned into her and pecked her on her cheek. He left her at the stables alone in her thoughts and she appreciated that.

She shook her long locks that hung down her back then straightened her shoulders and spine. As only one thought ran through her mind.

Gendry.