Prince Joffrey and Arya are arguing. Arya hits him, and he tries to hit her with his sword. She trips over her feet and he holds his sword to her chest, plunging it in, just as Nymeria jumps out to attack him.

I sit up breathing hard. "Are you OK?" Ned asks standing by the flap. I nod drawing my knees up to my chest.

"Just a- just a bad dream."

"We're getting ready to move out. You want to talk about it?" I shake my head no. "Alright, you can talk to me though you know that?" I nod. "Get dressed, and then come out and eat something," he says moving out of the tent. I relax slightly leaning my head back. Why would the Prince kill Arya? They're just children the both of them.

"M'Lady," a girl comes in curtsying. "I'm here to help you dress."

"I don't need any help," I say throwing the blankets off. I scoot out of bed and stand. She helps anyway pulling my dress over my head and she laces up the back of it.

Someone clears their throat. It's Jaime. "May I come in?" I roll my eyes.

"Yes."

"Leave us," he says to the girl.

"Yes Ser Jaime," she says blushing and curtsying. She hurries out.

"What do you want?" I ask reaching up behind my back to finish lacing my dress. He swats my hands away. "You can't keep doing this," I say as he starts to lace my dress.

"You don't look like you slept well."

"I had the dreams again."

"Any new ones?"

"Yes."

"And?" I straighten as his finger grazes my back.

I pull away slightly. "Joffrey kills Arya."

"Well, I really don't see that happening. Really," he tugs the laces a little pulling me back against him. I look up at him, "he can be mean, but he wouldn't kill someone. Especially his future sister-in-law."

I pull away yet again, and stand up. "What do you want?" I ask facing him. I reach up and start braiding my hair to the side.

"I thought we could spar at the inn later. Of course after you explore and stuff, but I'm sure we can find a nice spot."

"OK," I say smiling slightly.

"That's better. How about you go in the wheelhouse? You could catch a nap."

"And be locked in with your sister? No thank you," he laughs.

"Suit yourself. I'll come get you this afternoon?"

"Sure," I say. He leaves and I let my breath out sitting down. My skin tingles where he had touched it. I get up and walk out right into Jaime's back. "Ughh, sorry," I say.

"Not a problem, see you around," he smiles slightly and walks away.

"It's fine Ned," I say seeing him next to me. "We were just talking."

"I just don't want him to hurt you."

"He wouldn't do that."

"Are you rethinking the marriage proposal?"

"No, Ned of course not. I'm going to go home tomorrow, and then I'll hopefully never see him again."

"I don't think you like that idea," I roll my eyes. "Go on and get some breakfast. We'll be at the inn by noon."

"Thank you," I say walking over towards the cooks fire.

We arrived at the inn shortly after noon, to find it had been taken over by a man and his wife. There was nothing left from my childhood there, and they couldn't tell me anything. I sit on my bed that I would be sharing with Arya and Sansa both that night, closing my eyes. Sansa comes in briefly and grabs Lady's leash. She smiles at me briefly.

"Where you going?"

"For a walk," she says.

"Hoping to see Prince Joffrey?"

She blushes, "maybe."

"Well, just leave Arya alone. She's sick of hearing it, OK?"

She nods, and then leaves. "Excuse me, Ser," she says, as Jaime sticks his head in the room.

"Hi," he says. "Did you find anything?"

"No," I mutter. "You ready to spar?"

"Yes."

"Does your sister know?"

"I don't care. She can't actually hurt you for hanging out with your half-betrothed."

"You like that too much." I get up and follow him out the door. We walk through our encampment outside the inn and come to a river.

"So, who gave you your new sword?"

"Ned," we stop where he had already brought tourney swords.

"Let me see," I pull it out and hand it to him. "Nice," he says examining it. "It's kind of light," I roll my eyes. "Of course you are a girl."

"Asshole. I like it."

"Me two," he says handing it back. I unbuckle my sword belt and put it to the side. He puts the leathers on me, and then we pick up our blunted swords that will hurt like hell, but won't actually cut us. We trade hits, more like he lazily blocks all of mine, and whacks me occasionally until I'm bruised and sweaty.

We pause for a break when noises come our way. "Someone else is sparring," I say.

"Let's go see," he says holding out his arm. I look away as I take it so he can't see me blush. As we get nearer voices shouting start to float over.

"Stop it!" I hear Arya.

"Arya, stay out of this," comes Sansa's voice. I pull away from Jaime and run towards them. There's more shouting and then a cry of pain. Just as I come over a hill to see them Joffrey knocks Arya over.

"Joffrey!" I yell getting his attention. Nymeria jumps out of nowhere and latches onto his arm. I run down to them, tripping slightly, but by then Nymeria has let go. Arya has thrown his sword into the river, and ran off.

"Sansa, go get someone," I hear Jaime, as I run after Arya.

I catch up to her as she hides behind a tree. She lets out a yell swinging a branch. I duck and then pull it out of her hands. "It's OK," I say pulling her in for a hug. She holds on tightly. "It's OK, we'll figure this out." I hear footsteps behind us. I push her back and turn drawing my sword to see Jaime.

Nymeria growls at him, as he draws his sword two. "You can't beat me," he says.

"As long as they get away."

"I'm not here to hurt you. Either of you," he adds. "Joffrey's a prick, and he deserved it. But you can't just run away."

"He was going to kill her. You know that."

"Yes, but they won't. They're going to want to kill Nymeria, and punish Arya. She did hit him."

"Because he was hurting my friend!" she says indignantly.

"You can't let them kill Nymeria," I say.

"There's nothing I can do about it, but if they can't find her…"

"No!" Arya says. "I can't just let her go."

"Put your sword away," he sheaths it and I do the same. I turn to Arya kneeling. "Do you want her to live?" she nods, tears in her eyes. I wipe them away. "You did a great job defending your friend, you know that?" she nods again. "Nymeria will be punished for it and that isn't fair to either of you. You have to let her go. Just think about how she'll live. She'll always remember you though, you know that?" she nods and pulls Nymeria in for a hug. She pushes her away.

"Go! Go now!" Nymeria bounds away but stops looking at us. "Get out of here!" Arya yells at her. She throws a rock at her and Nymeria disappears into the trees. "She's gone," Arya says sobbing. I pull her into a hug rubbing her back.

"I know, I know," I say softly.

"We should get back," Jaime says.

I stand in the middle of the room, holding Arya's hand glaring at the royal family. Jaime was standing outside on guard, having been ordered there by Robert. "Where is Ned?" I demand again.

"Looking for you two."

"He needs to know where we are. He is our Father," I say feeling the odd words in my mouth. Someone pushes through the crowd and I turn to see him. Arya hugs him tightly.

"Why weren't they brought to me? I am their father!"

"I never meant to scare the girls, either of them. But we need to get this done quickly," King Robert says.

"Your girl and that butcher's boy attacked my son. That animal of hers nearly tore his arm off," Cersei says.

"That's not true!" Arya yells. "She just bit him.. a little. He was hurting Micah."

"Joff told us what happened. You and that boy beat him with clubs while you set your wolf on him."

"That's not what happened!" Arya yells again.

"Yes it is!" Joffrey says. "They attacked me and she threw my sword in the river."

"Aye, she did that," I say. "But there were no clubs, no one attacked the Prince," I say. "He-."

"She wasn't there!" Joffrey yells.

"Enough!" King Robert says. "What did you see?"

"I saw Joffrey knock Arya over and hold his sword to her chest. I got his attention, and Nymeria protected Arya from him. She threw his sword into the river and ran off."

"She's lying!" Joffrey yells again.

"Shut up!" King Robert says to him. "They all tell me different stories, seven hells what am I to make of this? Where's your other daughter Ned?" I look to him, not having thought about Sansa at all.

"In bed asleep."

"She's not," Cersei says. "Sansa, come here darling," she looks to the crowd. Sansa comes forward looking scared.

"Now child," the king says pointing in front of him. She approaches him even more. "Tell me what happened?" she looks down seeming to think for a moment.

"I don't know, I don't remember, everything happened so fast. I didn't see."

"Liar!" Arya yells, launching herself at Sansa. She yanks on her hair. "Liar! Liar! Liar!" she yells as Ned pulls her off and pushes her into my arms.

"She's as wild as that animal," Cersei says. "I want her punished."

"What would you have me do? Whip her through the streets? Damn it children fight. It's over." King Robert says.

"Joffrey will bear these scars for the rest of his life."

"You let that little girl disarm you?" Robert says getting up. "Ned see that your daughter is disciplined and I'll do the same."

"What of the direwolf? What of the beast that savaged your son?"

"She's not here," I say tightening my hold on Arya. "We tried to get her but she ran off."

"There's another," Cersei says.

"Ser Ilyn," he nods. "Get your daughter a dog, she'll be happier for it."

"He can't mean Lady? No. She didn't do anything! I hate you!" Sansa says grabbing for Arya. I push them apart.

"Stop it!"

"Lady wasn't there!" Arya yells. "She didn't do anything!"

"Where's your wolf! Give them your wolf!" Sansa yells clawing at Arya. I let go of Arya and grab Sansa pushing her away. I walk her backwards out of the room as Ned asks Jory to escort us to our room, and says he'll do it himself. "No!" Sansa screams. "No!" We're outside now and I pull her into a hug. Jory stands by us, holding onto Arya.

"C'mon," I say.

"Lya," Jaime says from behind me. "Come with me," I look at Jory who nods.

"I'll take care of them."

"It'll be OK," I say looking at both of them. "There's nothing we can do now. Go on to bed, I'll be there soon," they walk away Jory hugging both of them.

"Hurry," Jaime says taking my hand and pulling me away. He leads me past a few tents, and then stops. The Hound walks past.

"That's Micah. You killed him!" I say.

"He ran, I got him," he says continuing on by.

"C'mon," Jaime says pressing a rope into my hands. I look down and see Lady. He drags me to the woods quickly as we pass no one. "If they ask, I was comforting you. It's been a long day," he says.

"Go Lady," I hiss pushing her away. "Go!" she listens better than Nymeria did, but she looks back. I hold back tears as I throw a rock at her, mimicking Arya. "They'll blame someone," I say standing looking at him. He pulls me into a hug and I melt hugging him back tightly. He rubs my back gently and I relax burying my face in his uncomfortable armor.

"I left a rope with tooth marks, it'll look like she ran off herself. I was on guard and I didn't see anyone."

"Thank you," I say standing and looking at him. He wipes the tears from my eyes. "And, I'm sorry for earlier."

"I wouldn't hurt you, ever," he whispers. "I wanted to make sure you were all OK."

"What if we hadn't been there? What if he had killed her?"

"Let's not dwell on that," he says hugging me again. He kisses the top of my head. "Are you still going home tomorrow?"

"I don't know, probably."

"I'll escort you back to your room," he says a hand around my waist holding me to his side as we walk back towards the inn.