"It's the middle of the night, you haven't spoken to me in a month, and now you want to spar all of a sudden?" Jaime asked her with disbelief.
"I can find someone else if you'd rather be sleeping." She said, irritated.
He sighed. "I'll do it if you'll agree to my terms."
"What terms would that be?" She asked warily.
"Best out of five. If I win three then you have to stop ignoring me from now on." Jaime offered.
"Do I have to be nice?" She said.
"No, I don't expect false courtesy. If I win, I only want you answer me when I speak to you, to say something, and stop pretending I'm not there."
She nodded. "Fine. I'll agree to those terms. You should wear armor though. I might hurt you."
Jaime took his sword and leather armor and went with Arya down to the practice yard. Some of the household staff heard their blades clashing in the middle of the night and came out to see what the commotion was. They were pleased to see that Jaime and Arya were sparring. That was far better than the silence between them that everyone had observed for the past month.
Arya was angry, too angry to have any advantage in the first round. Jaime lacked her fury and as such he still had his wits about him. He won the first round. She seemed to realize her error and forced herself to calm down for the second round. It wasn't enough. He beat her a second time. The third round lasted far longer. If he won this one then it meant he had won his prize. She seemed quite determined not to let that happen. He was just as determined not to let her win. Her anger, or perhaps even her distraction at his proximity got the better of her in the end. Jaime knocked her sword to the ground and she immediately picked it back up again.
"Best out of ten?" She asked.
"Only if we up the terms." Jaime said.
"To what?"
"You have to speak to me from now on and sleep next to me at night." He said.
Her eyes flashed with anger at that. "No."
"Only sleeping, I'll still not touch you. Are you afraid you can't win?"
"Of course I can win. Let's do it."
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Kalla helped Arya move her things into Jaime's room. Arya didn't own much. She hadn't accumulated very many items since she arrived but the handmaiden helped her nonetheless.
"I can't believe he won six rounds." Arya said as she carefully placed her mother's jewels into the larger box of things.
"I can. Lord Jaime was the best swordsman in the seven kingdoms. It was only a matter of time before his left hand figured that out." Kalla said.
"I'm going to miss you." Arya told her sadly.
"You will still see me every day. I'll come in the morning and brush your hair."
"You know I can brush my own hair." Arya teased. "But come anyway."
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When Arya arrived at Jaime's bedchamber after dinner that night she was sullen and silent. She stripped of her sword and climbed into bed wearing her clothes without a word.
"I thought you had agreed to speak to me now." Jaime said. "You aren't going to say good night or anything?"
"No, I agreed that I would speak to you if you spoke to me. You didn't until just now so now I have reason to say good night."
Jaime sighed and moved to blow out the candles. "Good night Arya."
Arya dreamed of being on the ship again that night. Everything about the dream was so vivid. The smell of the cabin floor where they'd held her down. The roughness of the floorboards against her face. The sounds they made while she was powerless to stop what they were doing to her...She sat bolt upright in the bed gasping for breath.
"Arya?" Jaime said and she felt his hand reach over and hold on to hers. His touch and his presence were comforting and Arya found herself losing all her composure and reaching for a hug. He took her into his arms without a word and held her close, letting her weep as much as she needed to.
"Does this mean you forgive me?" Jaime asked once she was relaxed again.
"It means I had a nightmare and I needed you." Arya told him there was none of the anger she'd had towards him before in her voice. "Thank you."