A/N: All proceeds go to George R.R. Martin.

And yeah this is the longest chapter I've ever written.

Chapter 26 Arya IV

Arya

"Aegon has retreated, Y'Grace." Arya heard the Stark men-at-arms tell Daenerys as she sat upon her seat on the elevated dais in her ballroom. Sam had come with the soldier, dressed in his maester's robes, and he had brought a knapsack of belongings with him. Medical supplies, Arya thought. When Dany asked him why he was here he told her that the king commanded it, and he was just awaiting his orders. Dawn had just broke over the horizon and with it a new day. All the women in the ballroom had either fallen asleep, or could not do so during the night. Arya, for one, could not sleep at all this night. The fighting was too loud and her thoughts were constantly on Gendry.

Daenerys smiled at him. "That is good to hear. How did we manage to defeat him?"

"Stannis Baratheon came in the night with his ships. Aegon began to retreat once he saw his remaining fleet being destroyed."

"Stannis?!" She exclaimed.

"Yes, Y'Grace," he replied. "It is because of Stannis that we are speaking right now."

"And how is the King fairing? Tyrion? Gendry?"

The man cleared his throat. "The King has suffered some minor injuries."

The queen cocked a silver eyebrow. "Such as?"

"His Grace suffered a cut above his right eye and a nick on his cheek, but nothing more. Tyrion," the man laughed, "is doing alright as well. The half-man has proved himself in battle, Y'Grace. More than I can say for any whole man who fought tonight."

Daenerys laughed. "A nick and a cut. Two new scars to compliment the already six he has," she looked him in the eye now, "and I'm glad to hear Tyrion proved himself in combat."

"Aye, Y'Grace," he said, "the Lord Lannister has proved himself more than any southerner I've seen in combat. All should be well for now. His Grace is overseeing the wounded and dead, and his squire is waiting on the shore for Stannis himself."

"Good," Dany told him. "How is the Lord of Storm's End?"

The man grunted. "The Lord has just awoken from a-"

"Awoken?" Arya blurted, "What do you mean he has, 'awoken?'"

The Stark man turned to her. "The Lord Baratheon suffered a blow to the head, but nothing more. He has just awoken now. All is well, Lady Stark, do not fear."

Arya nodded and her nerves receded. She took a look around the room and noticed the women of court and their children were still asleep, and her children were too, including her niece and nephew. They'd fortunately slept through the night, and the handmaidens had taken care of them. She looked around once more and noticed Jon in the corner of the ballroom with a sleeping Sansa. He was looking out the window while he stroked Sansa's head on his lap. Arya saw him meet her gaze and he gave her a rueful smile before looking back out the window. She sat up from her seat, slowly, a small bump had already began to form on her lower stomach and she cradled it with care.

Arya walked over to Jon and took a seat, flattening down her woolen dress so she could sit across from him. She would have preferred to wear a ridic tunic and breeches, but she didn't have time to get a spare of clothes. The bells had tolled without caution. Jon was still staring out the window as Arya sat there and stared at him. His long black hair was spilling over the side of his face, and it was reflecting the sun light. Jon was only wearing a white tunic and black breeches with his sword belt. He'd discarded his armor a long time ago. He was brooding in his thoughts and his northern stoicism, his hand gently caressing the top of Sansa's head. Arya looked down at her sister and noticed she looked almost angelic as she slept, breathing lightly with each second. Only Sansa could make sleeping look so perfect.

"I wish I could sleep as sound as her," Arya said.

Jon looked at Arya once and back down at Sansa with a smile on his face before looking back out the window. Jon would still not talk, and Arya knew that was just the way he was. Growing up in Winterfell she was closer to Jon than anyone, and knew that he sometimes grew melancholic. She knew that he'd talk eventually, and just gave him the space he needed.

And finally he spoke, "Am I a coward, Arya? Am I craven?"

Arya couldn't believe what he just said, Jon a coward? He was far from it. Being a bastard in his youth made him grow up faster than anyone at Winterfell. What he went through at the Wall would make any man weak, but not Jon. The man had spent time with wildlings. He had fought the Others. Arya couldn't believe his words.

"No," she said firmly, "you're a good man, Jon."

He shook his head. "I'm a coward, Arya. James, Tyrion, and Gendry fought out there for their lives while I just stayed in here like some helpless child."

Arya was about to speak but he continued, "Tyrion is half a man," he said with a laugh, "and fought like twenty, according to that soldier. While…I just stayed here and risked nothing."

"You're not a craven, Jon," Arya told him. "Don't be stupid. We've gone through enough things in our life to not be cravens, you especially. Just because you didn't fight doesn't make you half a man or a whole man. You did as James commanded in case everything went bad, in case James died or Gendry too. You did as you were told and that doesn't make you craven."

Jon sighed and turned his attention back out the window. Arya decided to look too and all she could see was the city before them. On the left hand side, down and down the wall you could barely see where the Mud Gate would be. Right now at this very moment, Arya Stark…Arya Baratheon knew that her husband, brother, and friend were victorious on the battlefield. My friend, Arya mused, never in a lifetime did I think to call Tyrion Lannister my friend. But her friend he was and he gave her great sport in the small council meetings, and she hoped their would be more to come.

"I wish I could also sleep as Sansa does," said Jon as he brought Arya out of her thoughts. "It has been a long time since I could sleep through the night."

Arya laughed. "I haven't been able to either. I don't know how she has slept through all of this."

"I don't know how she has either."

"Maybe it is because you're her with her."

Jon smirked. "I don't think I had anything to do with it."

"Oh, you don't know that," Arya replied. "The funny thing is now that we defeated Aegon you two can now get married."

Jon smiled now. "Indeed we can, at Winterfell, of course. With the whole Stark family present."

"I would like that."

She looked around the room and saw that the women had began to awake now, all of them rubbing sleep from their eyes. Daenerys was still seated upon the dais and was shifting uncomfortably in her seat. Dany had played her part as a queen, being strong and firm as an example to behold. Arya knew she was a strong woman, and had shown her worth tonight. James was lucky to have her, always had been, and Arya understood that he knew that. As she is lucky to have him. He knew that he was blessed to have her, so much so that he felt he didn't even deserve her. James had told her that much one night when she found him in his solar, drunk on wine. It was the night he had executed Ros, and he kept to himself the whole day, locked in his solar. Arya found him there when she was walking to her chambers, she could hear him cursing.

James had finished a flagon of wine and he was so drunk he was slurring his words. Arya had seen him drunk as a child, when their was a feast in Winterfell or when he'd drink with Theon, but he was always happy then. Now he was drunk and grieving; the worst combination. Arya walked into the solar with apprehension, and saw him on the floor. He laughed when he saw her and got up. "ARYA!" he had yelled. "My sister!" She gave him a slight smile and helped him into his chair, as she sat across from him. James only kept to himself and drank some more, and Arya couldn't stand to see him this way. She attempted to snatch the flagon from him and succeeded at doing so, smashing it against the floor. "Are you crazy?!" he screamed at her. "Why did you do that? Tell Dany I went to the brothel. I hate you, you bitch."

Arya punched him across the face as hard as she could, and he sat back in his chair in shock that she'd do that. She walked towards the door with her anger fuming, but he begged her to come back, telling her he was drunk and angry and didn't mean it. Arya relented and sat back down next to him and he began to cry in front of her. James began to cry and she didn't know what to do, so all she did was hold him as he cried and he explained to her what happened that day. "I had to kill my first love," he admitted with whimpers. "I had to kill the woman who took my virtue…who made me what I was. Who taught me how to love, Arya. She cursed me to the gods before I took her head. She looked at me and said, 'Gods help you, James Stark. For after this you are truly lost.' And now I can't even talk to my wife. I don't deserve, Daenerys; I don't deserve her.."

And she doesn't deserve you. It was Dany's jealousy that killed, Ros, not you. "Hush now," she told him, "you mustn't blame yourself." James shook his head at that and told her it was his fault, that it was all his fault. If he hadn't left her in the market place to go see Ros's brothel than maybe she could still be alive. He then proceeded to apologize for his treatment of Arya for these past thirty years of his life. "I forgive you because you're my brother," she had said. "And it is like father always said, 'the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives,' and the pack must look out for one another, James." Her and James were so much alike, they had the same grey eyes, dark hair, and slender face that came from their father, they even had the same personality somewhat, but they weren't to close as children. James always took Sansa's side and Arya resented him for it. But at that moment he was as vulnerable as he had ever been in front of her, and that she could forgive. Arya sometimes wondered if he remembered that moment to this day, but she figured he was too drunk to.

"She has done good tonight," Jon said, bringing Arya out of her memory of the only true moment she shared with her brother.

"Who has?"

"Dany," he answered. "She has been the anchor tonight, and deserves a reward of some kind."

Seeing her husband returned safely to her arms should be reward enough. Arya looked over at Daenerys once more and saw that she was now walking around the ballroom, making sure the women were alright. All the noble ladies were blessing her with kind words and prayers, saying that she was the best thing to happen to Westeros. Daenerys was all smiles and courtesy as she accepted the kind words. But before she could come over and say hello to Jon and Arya, she ran over to an empty flagon of wine and vomited inside it, there was no chamber pot around. All of her handmaidens began to swarm her, but she insisted she was alright. Weird, Arya thought, Dany didn't drink enough wine to make herself throw up. Maybe it was something she ate or…

That was when she heard and felt an explosion that rocked the Red Keep to its core. It was loud and booming and shocked all the women. Everyone was frightened by now, and everyone who was still asleep immediately awoke. Sansa shot up from Jon's lap, frightened as can be. Jon stood up from his spot and looked out the window. Arya heard all the children in the room begin to cry from the explosion, and the Red Keep shook once more when the second explosion came. The women began to scream now, but Dany was quick to calm them down.

"It's the wildfire!" Jon yelled. "The wildfire has exploded!"

"What!?" Arya and Dany exclaimed at him.

Now they looked out the window with Jon and noticed huge plumes of green fire were shooting out from where the Mud Gate would be. The fire had begun to spread to the Fishmonger's Square and was setting the houses afire. On the streets Arya could see smallfolk running around, and running away from the fires. Even Gold Cloaks were running for their lives. What is going on? Arya tried to squint to see any sign of Gendry, Tyrion, or James along the walls, but she saw nothing. All the noble women were looking out the window too and some were crying for their husbands, and cursing, and praying. Arya and Dany's children were awoken from the blast and their crying could be heard also. The handmaidens were tending to them so she knew they'd be alright.

"I told you, Tyrion!" Arya bellowed to nobody. "I told you that the wildfire was a bad idea you, you idiot!"

Arya felt a hand on her shoulder and saw Jon there, she saw pain in his eyes. Something in Arya's gut told her that this wasn't good, that it stemmed beyond wildfire burning down the Mud Gate. Something must have gone horribly wrong.

"Something doesn't feel right," Jon whispered into her ear. "Why are the Gold Cloaks retreating?"

"I know," Arya whispered back. "If Aegon has lost than why would they not be at the Mud Gate trying to quench the flames…I just fear for…for."

"They'll be alright," Jon assured. "They're doing fine, Arya."

"The city is on fire!" One woman yelled.

"We must run for our lives!"

"Everything is alright," Dany assured. "The King and his men have won the day and our working on quenching the flames. All will be well."

"His Grace has ordered the drawbridge to the Red Keep raised and this is the safest place we could be," Sansa said. "The Gold Cloaks are making sure that the wildfire does not spread any further."

The frightened hens, as Arya called them, grumbled and took their seats again in the ballroom. Now hymns and prayers were being sung again, but Arya knew something was wrong. It was a feeling she had in her bones, her stomach, in her chest, she just knew that something was not right. She stood with Jon and both watched out the window at the capital below. More smallfolk were running around the streets and the wildfire was spreading to Flea Bottom, even the Gold Cloaks were running. That is when Jon pointed out to her some men-at-arms that were running at the streets, and Arya noticed them kill a Gold Cloak. Those aren't are men…

Arya felt Jon clench her arm, and she looked at his eyes, wide as saucers, he had seen it too. Suddenly, Arya felt a hand on her lower back and turned around to find Daenerys standing there with a smile. She seemed like she was glowing and looked happy, little did she know what was looming outside. Quietly, Arya, nudged Jon in the side and dipped her head to point at Sansa, who was now with the kids. Jon nodded and went over to her, he whispered into Sansa's ear and her sister nodded as she walked over to Arya and Dany. It was then that they took a seat with all the children around them, the women were still singing their hymns.

"Something has gone horribly wrong," Jon began.

Arya noticed an exchanged look of shock between Dany and Sansa. "What ever do you mean?" Dany asked.

"Aegon may have retreated, but something doesn't feel right."

"We saw Gold Cloaks mindlessly retreating from the Mud Gate," Arya cut-in, "and we saw a few men-at-arms kill a Gold Cloak. Why would our own men kill a Gold Cloak?"

"Maybe the Gold Cloak was being insubordinate," Sansa proposed.

Arya shook her head as she bounced her daughter off her knee. "No, no. This soldier was wearing Baratheon colors, I could tell, but his stag was encompassed by a different sigil."

"By a fiery heart," Jon added, he was holding Rhaella on his lap. Arya could remember a time when the princess was in love with her uncle Jon. She'd always fight for his affection and he'd give it willingly, never liking to let her down. "It was one of Stannis's men."

Sansa gasped, as she began to comprehend what Arya was telling her with Ned balancing upon her knee. Dany grew stern and looked around to make sure that nobody was listening. She turned back to them.

"This does not leave our circle, understand? I don't want to cause panic."

Everyone nodded.

"We must keep control," Arya said, "and we can't let them start to say things. James, Tyrion, and Gendry will be here soon."

All nodded in agreement again and Arya resumed staring out the window. She noticed that more and more of the men with the fiery hearts were within the city, and saw Gold Cloaks surrendering to them. Now she knew that something wasn't right, and it was confirmed when the drawbridge to the Red Keep and Maegor's Holdfast were drawn. Some women began to see it too, and now the high born ladies were becoming uncivil. Many of them began to ask to go to the Sept of Baelor, but Dany wouldn't have it, saying that the wildfire needed to be controlled first. Others demanded to go back to their chambers, and Dany couldn't deny their wishes than. Most of the highborn ladies left with their children to go to their houses or chambers, or the Sept in the Red Keep to pray. By the end the only who saw reason decided to stay behind and Dany was at her wits end with it.

That was when the door burst open.

The women screamed when the doors to the Queens Ballroom flew violently open with the sounds of footsteps and clanking armor. Arya shot up from her seat at once walking over to the door to see who had entered. Her eyes widen when she saw who it was: Gendry and James. Both of them were in states of shock, sweating and pale and had the three remaining Kingsguard behind them. At once they were bent over, heaving and out of breath, only wearing their leg armor. Gendry's hammer was strapped on his back and James still had his sword belt. Arya and her family ran over at them with haste. Arya hugged her husband and gave him a kiss, looking down at his breastplate to notice the blood, sweat, and dents that covered it. Daenerys was in James's arms and kissing him as well, whispering to each other. She did not seem to care that her favorite dress now had a smear of blood across it. Sansa and Jon also embraced their brother, and Gendry as well. Arya than approached James and he gave her a smile, before pulling her into an embrace and breaking off. She noticed he had cast the breastplate aside and had bandages above his right eye and a nick on his cheek. James told the women that everything was alright, the wildfire was being kept under control. Gendry and James quickly pulled off their remaining armor, but Gendry kept the strap that kept his hammer on his back, and James his sword belt. Now they just stood in tunics, breeches, and boots. Dany handed James his crown, but he put it in a knapsack she saw them holding. They had a lot of them actually, Arya didn't know what they contained. But nobody seemed to notice that Tyrion was missing.

They quickly sat down with Gendry and James while the kids were with them, they wasted no time in asking what happened. "What is going on out there?" Jon asked, "Was Aegon defeated?"

James wasted no time either. "Yes. Aegon was defeated by the help of Stannis."

"Is he alive?" Dany asked. "Or was he killed? What happened?"

"We don't know," James answered. "He could be alive or he could be died. We don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? He is either dead or-"

"We have no time for this!" said James. "Aegon was defeated but...but."

"…Stannis betrayed us," Gendry finished for him in a whisper, "he is sacking the city and is now king. We must leave at once!"

"How?" Jon asked in despair. "How did he betray us?"

James cleared his throat. "He attacked the Mud Gate when we were off guard. Aegon was knocked onto the sand, Stannis had captured him, but we don't know if he is dead or alive. Stannis is the king now and we must go."

Everyone was in shock. Arya, noticed them pull out the knapsacks and throw it over at Jon, who rummaged through it and found riding clothes. "What are we to do with this?"

"Change," James answered. "Go in the corner over there and change. We brought riding clothes for all and even the kids, before we came here."

"Not without finding out what happened to Aegon," Dany urged.

James sighed. "There is no time, Daenerys! We must leave the city…now! The Stark men are waiting for us at the Old Gate, and the Kingsguard will escort us there."

"How are we to get there?" Sansa asked.

"We have a friend who will lead us to the Old Gate using the tunnels within the Red Keep," said Gendry. "We have to go, now!"

"What friend?" Arya threw out.

"Will you just listen!" James yelled, but he calmed down. "We must leave now, there is no time for this. I will explain on my way there…"

"Alright," Sansa said, "Let's get out of here."

"One at a time," Gendry urged. "We don't want to cause panic."

"What about the Martells?" asked Jon, "What about Arianne and her snakes? We can't leave them to Stannis."

"We can," said James. "Stannis won't hurt them, they have done him no wrong. I'll send a guard to the dungeons to escort them to the Great Hall to await Stannis."

And with that, James, called over a men-at-arms and ordered him to go and release Arianne Martell and her snakes. He said to give her a message that he'll write her at Sunspear once he can, and that she has been a good friend to him, even as far as to say he forgives her for her transgressions. Arya, didn't not forgive, nor forget. The North remembers, her father had always said and so it was true. She would remember what the Martells had planned to do to her family at Jon's own wedding. The North remembers.

Jon nodded. "But, what about Sam?"

Everyone looked at Sam who grew nervous at all the attention being brought to him, but even Arya knew the answer to that question. Sam had to stay behind, he is the Grand Maester and is tied to the king. He had to stay for Stannis.

"I must stay," Sam answered. "My order and vows say I am loyal to the king and realm. And that king is now, Stannis Baratheon."

Everyone grew sad, but James spoke, "We must leave. We must go."

Everyone nodded and slowly began to rise from their chairs before Sam threw out the question that was on Arya's mind. "Where is Tyrion?"

Arya noticed James and Gendry grow silent.

"Tyrion…" James began, "the explosion…he was leaning over the battlements…the force…"

"He fell," Gendry finally said. "Tyrion is dead."

Arya felt the pang in her chest and the sadness at the words she had feared…Tyrion was dead. It hit her like a punch to the gut, and now she looked around to see the look of shock on everyones faces. It was much worse than when James was almost killed, or when Rhaella almost died. Now someone they were all close to had died, Tyrion Lannister. Arya's friend.

"He fell?" Jon repeated. "Are you sure? Are you..."

"I saw him fall over, Jon," James told him. "I saw him fall over the walls at the force of the blast…it's a hundred foot drop and with the armor and all…their is no way he could have survived."

"We must maintain our composure," Gendry whispered. "The city is in a panic. The people are fleeing. The gates will soon be opened by them and Stannis' army will pour through. The city will fall. We must protect the children and get out of here."

"But are you sure he is dead?" Dany asked with teared eyes. "Are you sure?"

Nobody was crying but Daenerys, and Arya noticed she had been more emotional as of late. But, maybe she actually cared for Tyrion more than the others.

James held her hands as he looked her in the eyes. "Yes. Their was no way he could have survived that fall, Dany. I'm sorry…I've failed him and all of you."

It's not your fault, James, Arya thought, please don't blame yourself. Please…don't.

"You all must go," Sam urged. "I will stay here with the women and keep it under control, giving you the time to get out without panic. Stannis won't spare you if you stay, but he might if you bend the knee later. Go, Sansa first."

All stood from the seat and Arya saw Jon hand the knapsacks to each person, before they all said an emotional goodbye to Sam. Jon's best friend, Arya knew, and both the boys had a hard time saying farewell. Daenerys had kissed him on the cheek and thanked him for birthing her children, and saving James and Rhaella from their deaths. Arya thanked him for delivering her children also, and for being a great friend to their family. James gave him an embrace and told him he would never forget him, that he would tell his children about him, and finally thanked him for his life. Gendry and Sansa gave him an emotional goodbye also, and finally it was time for them to leave. Sam handed them a sack filled with medical provisions, should they need it. Bandages, milk of the poppy, wine for boiling, needles, stitches, and the like. He also handed them another sack filled with food: cheese, sausage, bread, and a skin of water. Arya saw him standing there one last time when they closed the door.

Sansa left, and then the kids with Dany, Jon, the Kingsguard, and Irri soon after. Daenerys had managed to convince James that Irri was needed to take care of the children, but Arya knew that Dany couldn't leave her friend, James agreed. After a moment James decided it was time for the rest to go. As James, Gendry, and Arya were about to leave some ladies came over to ask for news and Sam told them all was well. The King wanted to thank Stannis Baratheon in person, and to go help with the quenching of the wildfire. A lie, of course, but they did not need a mass of panicky women following them through the tunnels. They had a better chance of surviving in here anyway. The Red Keep was surrounded by a moat as was the holdfast. It was solid stone. They might be raped later, but at least they wouldn't burn.

Once outside, James, ordered the guards outside the ballroom to stay and defend the women with their lives. But will they do so if it comes down to it? Will they? They wouldn't, Arya figured, they were only paid guards and if it came to saving their lives or defending these helpless women…Arya didn't want to think about it.

James marched ahead of them with one of the Kingsguard, while the remaining two were at the back of the column. All the kids were in their arms, so they couldn't run away. The drawbridges have been raised, Arya remembered, They at least did that much. Still the sounds of battle could be heard outside, and Gendry had told Arya a little bit about fighting. He was visibly shaken by Tyrion's death and described little of what he could. Arya listened with intent, listening to him describe the wildfire as it exploded, green and beautiful were the words he used. He explained how he and Tyrion took the King's Gate and they cheered their names, he told her how Tyrion fought with the strength of twenty men. He couldn't tell her about the men he killed. "Some were no older than, Edric," he had said. That was when she heard James sigh out of sadness, he then told them that Edric was dead. Stannis had shot him with an arrow on the beach, the boy lead a calvary charge himself. Another death James will blame himself for. "No!" Jon had yelled. "He did not deserve to die." Arya agreed. Edric was such an innocent boy, so young and full of life. He was to be a knight, she knew, he was James's squire and a good boy, he would look after her children at times. Ned and Robert had taken a liking to him, and even Lyanna did too...so might've called it infatuation. That was the death that seemed to hurt the most, Edric's. He didn't deserve to die, neither did Tyrion.

They walked the halls of the Red Keep for twenty long minutes until they were standing outside Varys's chambers. James ordered the Kingsguard to stand at the door, and he stepped inside the chambers with his family. Arya stepped in and saw the eunuch strapped to his chair with a cloth over his mouth. He began to struggle when he saw them enter, and probably feared for his life. Arya felt he deserved to die, but saw why he was kept alive. Varys knew the tunnels of the Red Keep better than anyone, and Arya understood that he was going to escort them out of here. "It was Tyrion's idea," James said when he knelt down next to the eunuch and removed the cloth out of his mouth. Arya went to the corner of his chambers and stripped out of her dress with the rest of the women and children, putting on their riding clothes. The men and Varys faced the other way out of respect and waited until they were done. It felt good to be wearing just a riding tunic and breeches again, with a sword on her side. Arya put her hair into a ponytail and helped the children into their riding clothes. Sansa and Dany looked ridiculous in their riding clothes, and Arya couldn't help but laugh. Those two ladies should just keep to dresses.

Arya was helping Lyanna's hair into a ponytail when James began to explain to Varys the plan, "You are to escort my family out of the Red Keep, through the tunnels, and will lead us to the Old Gate. Understood?"

Varys nodded. "I understand, Lord Stark. And I give you my sincerest condolences about Lord Tyrion, he was a good man."

"Certainly better then you," Gendry spat.

Varys ignored him. "What is to become of me if I succeed in getting you out?"

"You will keep your life," James answered, "and that will be your reward."

James cut the ropes with his dagger and Varys stood up and stretched his fat arms and legs out. Arya stared him down with all her pent up anger, and he only gave her the sly smile he was known for. I'll have your head by the end of this, Varys. I'd cut your manhood off, but someone already beat me to it. By now everybody was ready to escape and James made sure Dany put her crown in the knapsack with James's. "I won't have Stannis keep Robb's crown," James had said when he shoved Dany's into the knapsack too, "nor will I have his wife Selyse wear yours."

They followed Varys outside of his chambers and towards the lower levels of the Red Keep. The kids continued to ask where they were going, in what little broken sentences they could form for almost being three and Arya told them it was a trip to see grandmother, uncle Rickon and Bran, and aunt Myrcella. They were content about that much. Arya was hoping to see her mother again, and it was the fuel that kept her going. It had been too long she since had seen Catelyn, Bran, Rickon, and Myrcella. It was the day James was almost assassinated, she remembered. She could still smell the crisp northern air and the feeling of Rhaegal's scales against her legs. Arya vowed to punch those dragons if she ever saw them again, for they wouldn't be in this mess if they answered Dany's calls.

By now they arrived at the lower levels and Varys pressed on a stone by a torch bracket and a door swung in next to it. Varys took the torch in the bracket and went inside first. It was a narrow fit and Varys and the Kingsguards men barely squeeze through. Once inside, Varys closed the door behind them. He then handed torches to James and Jon and lit them.

"Jon, go behind Varys," James instructed. "The women and children will stay in the middle and Gendry will be in the back with the Kingsguard. I'll stay at front with Jon. Irri, guard the children."

The handmaiden nodded, and James bid Arya to come over. She walked over to him and he looked at her sword.

"Do you still remember how to use that thing?"

Arya smiled. "Better than you think."

"Good," he replied. "If any of us men are killed or wounded, I want you to lead the family out. You're the strongest out of all of us here, Arya. Dany is strong too, but she doesn't know how to use a sword like you," James clasped her shoulders. "I'm depending on you if things go wrong, Arya. I don't give you enough credit and that is my fault. I'm sorry for not listening to you on the small council, I'm sorry-"

"-Save your sorries for later, James. I'll make sure to do what you say, and fight off any men who try to bring us harm. I'll pretend that it's like needlework."

He smiled. "That is good to hear, little sister. I know you'll do good needlework," he laughed a little. "I believe we are having another one of those moments, like the time you found me drunk in my solar."

Arya was taken aback. "You…you remember that? I thought you were too drunk."

"Of course, I remember. How could I forget the only time we've ever shared a moment?"

Arya felt sad when he said that.

"Lord Stark!" Varys yelled. "We must really be going!"

James turned back to him. "Of course, let's go." He turned to Arya once more and nodded before they went to their family.

All of them stepped into the tunnel and formed up like James commanded. Arya was behind James and Jon who led the way with Varys in front of them, torches lighting the way. Lyanna clung to Arya's riding tunic and the women were behind them, each holding a child. Gendry was in the back with the two Kingsguard while another was in front with James and Jon.

"Come," Varys said. "It is far to walk but it is safe under here."

"The Iron Gate is not an option now," James reminded Varys as they walked. "We must go by the Old Gate, that is where the Stark men and horses are waiting."

"Then we shall go there," Varys answered.

"Where are we headed?" Arya asked her brother. "Where do we go from here?"

"To Riverrun."

"Riverrun?" Sansa said in indignation. "Why there?"

"Bran and mother must be there by now, and have hopefully relieved it."

"How are we so sure of that?" Arya threw out. "Have you had any word from them?"

"None," James admitted, "but it is our best chance. We can't take a boat to White Harbor and we can't go to Winterfell. Riverrun is our best chance."

"But, James, we don't even know if-"

"We are going to Riverrun!" Jon barked back. "Please, just let it be, Arya."

"Where are we?" Irri asked as they kept walking.

"Under the city," Dany replied. "We are going to find the Stark men and go home."

"Where is half-man?" She asked in her thick Dothraki accent.

"He's…he's still fighting," Dany lied to her.

No one spoke after that for a while, except for Varys to tell them to turn here or wait here. They went up stairs, and down stairs, through archways and old and rusted doors that squealed in protest when opened. Then Arya sniffed and smelled smoke.

"Fire is somewhere down here," she said in worry. Soon they all smelled it and they could see the smoke coming from a tunnel ahead.

"That leads toward the Iron Gate," Varys told James. "We must get by here quickly or we will suffocate."

They picked up the pace and were almost running. The smoke was getting thicker and was soon causing them to cough and set their eyes streaming with tears. At last they made it past the spot and the air began to get clearer. Arya began to feel they would escape when suddenly there was a shout behind them and he heard the clash of steel on steel.

"Run!" Gendry told the women and they needed no encouragement, as they ran forward. James turned back to Arya. "Stay with the children, protect them!"

Arya turned back and saw the two Kingsguard and Gendry fighting some men at the end of the tunnel. Two men lay dead at their feet in seconds. Jon ran back to them and looked at the dead men in his torch light. They both had the fiery heart on their armor.

"Stannis' men," Jon said.

"How did they get here?" Dany asked in worry.

"Never mind that," James told her. "Let us get away before more come."

They moved back to where Varys had waited for them. They were in a small circular room and five doors led off it. Varys pointed to them one by one. "Old Gate, Gate of the Gods, Lion Gate, Kings Gate, and Mud Gate. Each leads to a tunnel that comes to the walls. Then you walk inside the walls a bit and there is a hidden door to the outside."

"Old Gate," James said at once. Then they could hear footsteps running from where they had come. Varys opened the door and went in and was quickly followed by everyone.

Almost as soon as they were inside, six men burst into the circular room, all with the fiery heart on their armor. Arya stood back with the women, Varys, and the children in a corner as she watched the men draw their weapons and fight with the Kingsguard. Arya made sure to cover Lyanna's eyes. Gendry immediately hit one of them in the chest with his hammer and the man fell over. James had sliced open a man's throat with a swing of his sword, and the women watched in horror as the man clung to his throat with the blood spraying out like a fountain. Jon was in the corner of the room and had been knocked down by one of the men. Nobody seemed to notice him and were taking care of the other three men. Arya handed over Lyanna and drew her sword, running over to the soldier pinned atop Jon and she thrusted the sword into his neck. Arya saw blood splay onto Jon's face and he looked up at her in shock as the man fell over to the side. Now their was blood on Arya's tunic too. She helped Jon up after that.

As Arya looked up, Gendry finished his man with an upswing of his hammer which took the man under the chin and near crushed his face completely off. The rest were dead. Just as they were congratulating themselves four arrows came into the room from the tunnel and one found a Kingsguard right in the middle of his helm. He yelled in pain and collapsed and they dragged him to the side as more arrows came in. Then it was quiet for a moment, but down the tunnel they could here men whisper and planning. Arya looked down at the man and noticed he was dead before he hit the ground, and now their were only two of them left.

"Get your family out of here," one of them told James. "We will hold them here."

"Yes," James said at once, he thanked them for their service and he picked up his torch again. The Kingsguard drew their swords and went back into the tunnel as more arrows came and swords clashed. They heard someone shout. "They're the Kingsguard! The wolf king is down here! Get more men!"

Arya did not hear the rest. Arya and her family slipped into the Old Gate door with Varys, Jon and James at the helm and Gendry slammed it closed behind him. Arya had a strong feeling those two Kingsguard would die back there but that is what they asked for when they agreed to join the Kingsguard.

"Arya saved my life," Jon announced to everyone while they moved through the tunnels. "I'd be dead if it wasn't for her."

"Needlework," James muttered out loud.

"It isn't the first time I've saved one of your lives," she replied. "Just ask the scar upon James's chest."

"And my knife that seared it shut," Gendry added.

"Is that how you got that scar?" Dany asked in the darkness.

"Now is not the time for trading stories," James urged. "I'll tell you when this is all said and done."

Arya felt proud of herself while they continued to walk through the narrow tunnels. The kids began to let out little coughs with each passing step and Arya made sure that Lyanna's mouth was covered with a piece of her tunic that wasn't covered in blood. She turned around and noticed that Ned's head was perched upon Sansa's shoulder, his face was buried into it. Robert was in Dany's arms and Rhaella was in Irri's. Both of them looked equally as scared. Arya really wished she could hear a joke coming from Tyrion right about now, he always made people laugh in such dark times. She could almost hear him say something clever in the darkness, as if it was teasing her or being cruel. "Lady Baratheon…" She could hear him saying, the only one who ever called her that.

"The tunnels ends up here," Varys said to everyone.

"And where does it lead?" James asked him.

"It leads to a certain one of Littlefinger's old establishments, it was the one that Ros used to own."

James grew quiet at the mentioning of her name, but didn't let it affect him. "And where is it located?"

"It is between the Lion Gate and the Gate of the Gods. We have to go the rest of the way through the streets."

"The streets!" Arya exclaimed. "James, we can't go on the streets. The children…"

"We have no choice," Jon answered for him.

"It is only for a short while," Varys assured. "The Old Gate is not too far from there."

In a few minutes they were climbing a short set of stairs and then came into a small room and then a larger one. The house was empty. Out on the streets they could see the flicking of the fires and smoke was in the air. Varys led them outside and Arya now saw the full extent of the damage. Fires raged everywhere and down the street people were fleeing. Smoke was in the air and they all starting having trouble breathing.

"This way," Varys said as he gasped for breathe. He led them towards the wall that Arya could now see ahead. They hurried directly to the wall and then they walked along it to the right. Varys was looking for something and then he found a spot on the wall and down at it's base he reached and he dug into the dirt. Jon held his torch close and Varys found a metal handle that was buried in the ground there.

"There is a small door here. We must dig around here," Varys said. James and Gendry got on their knees and dug with their swords. All the while the others waited anxiously, coughing from the smoke and looking back towards the city with worried eyes.

"I told, Tyrion," Arya muttered to Sansa who was right next to her, watching with the children as the men digged with furry . "I told him that the wildfire was a bad idea, I told him it would burn down the city. I remember what I told him in that small council meeting."

"And what did you tell him?"

Arya laughed. "I remember him telling me that the dragons were a bad idea, and I told him the wildfire was. 'We'll revisit those words when half of Flea Bottom is ablaze,' he told me. And I responded with, 'And we shall revisit these words when you and I are standing on top of the ashes of King's Landing,' now look at it."

"It looks like you were right," Sansa answered.

"He is not dead," Dany retorted. "He is still alive until we find a body."

"He is dead, Dany," Arya replied. "And we just have to accept it."

"How do you know?" Daenerys spat. "Did you see him fall off the wall? Did you? Were you there?"

Arya turned to her and noticed the tears in her eyes. "How far along are you?"

"Wha..What?" Dany asked. "What are you…"

"Pregnant women shouldn't be drinking wine," Arya scolded, she continued to watch as the fire loomed around them. The men were almost done digging by now.

"How…how did you."

"You're incredibly moody, you're glowing, and I saw you vomiting into an empty flagon of wine this morning. You also complained to me about headaches this past morning," now Arya turned to Dany again. "I can tell when a woman is pregnant, Daenerys. I'm going through it a third time, and I have twice before, where you had twins the first time."

Daenerys remained quiet.

"When are you going to tell him?"

"At Riverrun," Dany answered. "I'll tell James at Riverrun, but please don't say anything, Arya. And don't tell Sansa, of all people. Woman can't keep a secret."

"I won't," Arya promised, "as long as you promise not to drink anymore wine. I won't have my brothers child come out sickly."

"I promise."

"It's enough," Varys said suddenly. He jumped down into the narrow pit they had dug, pushed on the door handle, then pushed in and it opened. The way was small, but soon they were all inside the thick walls. Varys again led the way with a lit torch and soon they came to another door, and he pulled on its handle and it pulled in and fresh air came to them from outside. Varys squeezed through and then James, Jon, and Dany went, followed by the kids and then the men helped Arya and Sansa out. Gendry was last.

They staggered away from the walls, all of them tired from their ordeal. Now they saw the stables by the Old Gate before them, and James bid them forward one last time. He turned back to Varys and let him go, telling him to go across the Narrow Sea before Stannis has his head on a spike. "Go to Illyrio," Dany yelled at him. "Go to him before I change my mind about letting you live." And with that Varys was gone, running out of the Old Gate. At the stables, Arya, saw no Stark men but the horses were neighing and rearing from the fires. Only three horses remained, and they wasted no time in mounting up and getting ready, placing a knapsack on each horse. "Where are the men?" James asked in despair upon arrival. "They were supposed to be here and their were to be five horses! Now there are only three." Jon had told him that the men deserted, or were killed; James accepted it. Gendry lifted Arya onto her horse and she took it by the reigns, after her husband handed their daughter to her. Arya nestled Lyanna in front of her and held on tight. Dany mounted another horse and held Rhaella, while Sansa mounted the last one with Ned in front of her.

"But what about you?" Arya asked the men.

"We will follow you on foot," James told them. "And I'll make sure that Irri doesn't leave my sight."

Arya noticed the Dothraki girl leaning close to James, and Arya nodded at him. Gendry stepped forward and released the horses from their posts, while they walked through the Old Gate. It was open and seemed abandoned, as Stannis' men came from the sea and not on land. They walked through calm as can be on the Kingsroad and got far enough from the capital. They were close enough to just peer up at the archway that was above the Old Gate.

Arya reeled her horse around and looked back at what had been her home for almost three years now one last time. Everyone one was silent, and were probably saying silent goodbyes to what they had used to call home. Smoke was peering out of the city now and the Stark family stood in awe as plumes of wildfire shot into the air. Stannis is king now, Arya told herself, still in disbelief. Only two days ago her brother had been king, and now it was Stannis Baratheon. Everyone gasped when they saw another plume shoot up into the air, and another explosion had happened. Over at the Dragons Gate and the Gate of the Gods, Arya could see smallfolk coming out of the city, but fortunately enough the Old Gate was untouched.

Suddenly she saw a party of soldiers running out of the Old Gate with fiery hearts on their chest. It took an arrow that hit the ground in front of James to get their attention. Arya counted six men, including one archer, and the men drew their weapons.

"Run!" James yelled. "Run to the brush over there and we'll meet you when we're done here."

"NO!" Sansa admonished.

But before they could respond James slapped Arya's horse in the behind with his blade and the mare spurred forward. Arya held onto the reigns with one hand and her daughter with the other, as the women galloped forward. In the distant she heard James yelling for Irri to run, and finally the clanging of swords. The sound grew distant, but the smoke and wildfire did not when the women slowed their horses down to a walk at the brush James instructed them to go to. They dismounted their horses, tying them to a tree, and took the kids into a little clearing off the road, behind some trees.

Arya drew her sword and sat in the clearing with the women, all of them attending to the children. It had been twenty long minutes and the men hadn't returned yet, Arya feared something had happened. Fortunately the knapsacks were not harmed and Arya made sure to cling the medical supplies Sam gave them close. Dany and Sansa looked tired, strands of hair had begun to part from their ponytails. The kids were drowsy eyed and lulling themselves in and out of sleep. Ned had fallen asleep on Sansa's shoulder, but the rest remained awake.

Suddenly she heard rustling brush and the shouts of men, but one of them was Jon, she knew. The women began to whimper a bit, but Arya clutched her sword, waiting for whoever was about to walk into their clearing.

"Daenerys!" James called out in the brush. "Get the medical supplies!"

Arya scrambled into action and dumped all of the contents onto the ground. Bandages, stitching, needles, a wineskin, and milk of the poppy fell onto the floor. Dany had sorted it all out when they heard the men's footsteps grow closer. Fearing the worst, Arya and the women were forced to look who was injured.

"Oh, no…" Sansa had muttered.

Arya turned around to look at who was injured: it was Irri.

The handmaiden was pale and bleeding at the stomach when Arya noticed the arrow sticking out of it. James was holding her in his arms and Gendry and Jon stepped out beside him.

"Irri!" Dany screamed when James walked by them and placed the Dothraki girl onto the ground.

Dany held her by the head and lifted it onto her lap, while James ripped off the part of Irri's servant gown that exposed her stomach. Arya kneeled down next to the girl. The arrow had pierced through her abdomen and now it was seeping out blood. Irri was moaning and blood was pouring out of her mouth, she was close to death, Arya realized.

"What can I do to help?" She asked James.

James remained silent.

"What can I do to help?" Arya asked again.

Arya felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up to see Jon shaking his head. Irri is going to die, Arya told herself. She knew that taking out the arrow would have made her bleed out faster, but Irri needed a maester to heal her wound. And Sam was in Maegor's Holdfast.

"Am I...to die, Khaleesi?" Irri asked her friend in despair.

Dany pushed back her tears and smiled at her. "No, no, my sweet. You will live."

"No," she answered in her Dothraki accent, "I'm going to die. I go to the night lands…it is…known."

Irri began to fade, but Dany would not let it happen.

James knelt down beside his wife and took Irri's hand. "Thank you for taking care of my children. I'm sorry for all of this…I'm..."

"Love your family," she muttered. "Take care of Khaleesi. Love her...love her."

He nodded. "Of course."

Irri looked back up at Dany and muttered some words in what sounded like Dothraki. Now Irri began to cough up a little bit of blood each time she spoke.

"I will make sure to," Dany told her. "And tell him I say hello. I have no words, Irri, not enough to thank you for all you've done for me."

"It has been honor to serve, Khaleesi." Irri said once more before she began to fade, but now she was crying out in pain.

"Give me the milk of the poppy," James asked of Arya.

Arya took the skin and handed it over to James, who unscrewed it and brought it up to Irri's mouth. The woman drank some of it in a few gulps and laid her head back down onto Dany's lap. Arya watched with everyone but Sansa who was with the children in the back, as Irri closed her eyes one last time and died. Dany cradled her head and clutched her hand the whole way. Everyone was silent for a few moments after her death, even Arya. Irri's eyes were closed by Dany and the Dothraki handmaiden looked almost angelic in her death. James poured some water he had from a skin and wiped the blood off her mouth and stomach. Dany had stopped crying by this point.

"We must burn the body," Dany said after James pulled her off Irri's body. "It is the Dothraki custom to burn the dead, James."

"Can we afford to do so?" Jon asked. "The smoke will alert any parties that Stannis has sent after us to our position."

James remained silent while he held his wife, and looked down at Irri's dead body. They had no cloth to lay over her, nothing at all. Nobody had a cape about them or anything. Sansa had made sure that the kids didn't see any of it, and Arya was grateful for at least that much.

"You know that Jon makes sense, James," Gendry pointed out. "We managed to kill four of them, but two got away. They knew who we were…they knew. Stannis will have gotten word by now, and he will send a massive party against us. We can't afford to let them know our trail."

James nodded. "You're right. The smoke would be too much, we can't-"

"James…" Dany began, "please burn the body. It is what Irri would have wanted."

He looked down at her. "I'm sorry, Daenerys, but we can't. Gendry and Jon are right…you know they are. I'm so sorry that she-"

"NO!" Daenerys screamed, startling everyone. "We will have her burned!"

"Dany!" James yelled in despair while he held her. "Will you not listen to reason? We cannot bur-"

"This is all your fault!" She bellowed, while ripping free of his grasp, "Irri would not be dead if you had just held the city!" she began to sob now, "Tyrion and Edric wouldn't be too, and we wouldn't be in this forest either!"

And with that she ran away into the forest behind her, leaving James behind in a state of shock and sadness. James sunk to the ground and ran his hands through his hair as he kneeled by Irri's body and stared at her. Arya was in shock at the cruel words that Daenerys had spoken to him, never had she sounded so cruel to James…she loved him. Arya looked around and noticed that Sansa was too busy to come to their brothers aide, now Arya realized it was up to her to play the role that Sansa would have. Jon began to step forward but Arya shot him a look, before she walked over to James and knelt beside him, putting a hand on his shoulder. He looked back at her and then back to Irri again.

"It isn't your fault," she whispered to him. "Irri died because one of Stannis' men shot an arrow through her."

"Then why does it feel like the arrow came from my bow?"

Arya sighed. "You did all you could, James. War is cruel…and sometimes this happens. We cannot choose who lives and who dies. The innocents always die with the rest..."

"No," James told her, looking back at Arya now, "it is my fault, Arya. Daenerys is right…it is my fault. I vowed to protect them…I…I vowed to never let the city fall, and now I have ran away from it all. Leaving them to their deaths…I'm no better than Joffrey."

"You're not him!" Arya bellowed. "I don't want you to ever compare yourself to him!"

"Yes, Mother," James jested with a solemn smile.

Arya sighed. "Look. You saved us, James. You're wife and children, my husband and children, our family is alive because you got us out. You escaped to save your family and you cannot condemn yourself for that. Listen, what has father always told us?"

"The lone wolf dies, but the pack survives."

"The lone wolf dies, but the pack survives," Arya echoed, "and the pack has survived, James. We have all survived, because of you, because of Gendry, Edric too and because of Tyrion. Him most of all."

"Edric…" James muttered. "He didn't deserve to die. So young…only a boy…he deserved to live." Now he turned to Arya again. "I would trade my life for his…I'd take his place in the ground."

And with that Arya slapped him. "Don't ever say that again, James! Who will take care of your children if you pass? Who will tell them why their father is gone? Could you leave Dany all alone? Could you? Don't ever say that again."

James didn't say anything but to sigh. Arya could see the imprint of her hand on his cheek.

"She doesn't deserve you," Arya whispered. "After that, she doesn't."

James laughed. "You're the first person to tell me that."

"It is the truth, though. You always do everything to make her happy, whether it be walking in the gardens or when you stopped talking to Arianne because Dany was jealous. She doesn't deserve you, at least not right now."

James shook his head. "Why would she say that to me, though? I've never seen Dany so…so angry like that. As if it was me who killed Irri, and not the arrow."

Because she is carrying your child, James. Arya wanted to tell him, nothing would please her more. Every being in Arya's body itched to tell him the truth, itched to mutter, "because she is pregnant," just releasing it like a bad curse. But…she doesn't. Arya stays her hand and doesn't tell him…she made a promise to Dany, even though at the moment Arya felt like slapping her good sister instead of keeping a secret for her. James didn't deserve that cruelty, no matter how many transgressions he has committed.

"She is just in grief over Irri is all," Arya assured. "She has probably realized how much of an idiot she sounded like. I'll go speak to her."

James nodded. "Thank you."

Arya clenched his shoulder once more and rose up from ground, wiping the mud off her breeches.

"Let's begin digging her grave," Jon said to Gendry and James.

Arya could hear them digging with their swords and hammer, while she walked to the forest where Daenerys had gone. She looked over at Sansa who was sitting on the ground in her tunic and breeches with her now disheveled pony tail. Sansa nodded at her and Arya smiled back, as she walked through the brush. She could remember seeing Sansa in a tunic in breeches when her father had been murdered by Joffrey and James took them upon the Kingsroad with Yoren. It felt like a lifetime ago, but it had only been twelve years since then. Arya pushed a branch aside and found her sister by law sitting on the ground with her back against the tree, her silver hair was now in a big braid that rested against her shoulder. Dany had her knees up to her chest and she was whimpering to herself, Arya could tell, and she knew that Daenerys did not cry so easily. The only other time she could remember seeing Dany cry was when James did not speak to her, and even then it was a rare occurrence.

Daenerys shot up to look at her and then back down to her hands again, without so much as muttering a single word. Arya walked over to her in a few strides and sat down cross-legged across from her, staring at the ground. She began to rip strands of grass out from the ground and began to tear them into tiny pieces. Dany would speak in time, and Arya just had to wait for the moment. She did things on her own time.

"They're burying her, aren't they?" Dany asked. "I can hear the digging."

Arya nodded.

"They're right," she admitted. "The smoke would be too much and whatever parties Stannis sends after us would see it in a matter of time."

Arya remained quiet, not saying anything. She didn't know if it was because she had nothing to say, or because she was angry at Dany. Arya didn't mean to be cruel, but she never knew how to hide her emotions well. Daenerys picked up on that, however, and knew why Arya wasn't speaking.

"You're mad at me, aren't you?" She finally said. "I know that you're mad at me."

Arya nodded again. You take my brother for granted. Daenerys was five years older than Arya, but at this moment she felt like the elder.

She sighed. "I know I hurt him, Arya. I…I didn't mean to, but I was just…I don't know…with Tyrion and Irri and Edric. I was just too consumed in grief…and with me being pregnant too…I didn't mean to sound so harsh, but I know I was…I'm not stupid."

Arya remained silent still. Daenerys deserved this punishment, she deserved this much. She had this sense of entitlement about her, that she deserved all James had to give, and that for some reason irked Arya. She loved her sister by law just the same, but this bothered her. Arya admired Daenerys, admired the stories she had heard about the Mother of Dragons before they had met, she sounded like Visenya Targaryen reborn. Arya thought it bizarre that she would choose a husband, like a knight would a horse. James put her on a pedestal, he worshipped her. The only time he really stood his ground against her was when Ros died, and he always did as Dany asked. Arya knew that he was talking to Arianne Martell, after the men had spoken to her, and Dany grew jealous of that. "He should not be speaking to her!" She seethed when the women were in private. "The bitch had tried to kill us! James should not be giving her the light of day." Sometimes Arya wondered whether Dany realized her jealousy is what caused the strife between her and James in the first place. Her brother never cheated on her, she knew, yet Dany had the whore killed anyway. Arya only laughed when Dany expressed her anger about it. "Do you remember when James was jealous when he found out about Daario?" Arya asked her. "Now who is the jealous one?" Daenerys was quiet after that, but James stopped talking to her because he knew it upset his wife.

"You really shouldn't have said that," Arya scolded. "You know James takes those things to heart, Daenerys. You of all people should know that he is hard on himself, and…and he took it pretty bad."

"How bad?"

"Bad enough to wish it was he who was killed and not Edric."

Dany remained silent after that. Arya continued to rip the grass out of the ground, but she looked at Daenerys now to see her head down in what looked like shame.

"Is he angry?"

Arya shrugged. "I'm not sure, but I wouldn't blame him if he is. You're words hurt, Dany. James seemed more melancholic than anything else, but he might be upset."

Daenerys sighed, changing the subject. "How are the kids?"

"Sansa is with them, they're fine. She made sure that none of them saw, Irri. Ned is asleep, I believe."

"Ned…" Dany muttered. "My own son loves Sansa more than he does me. I remember when he'd cling to me like he does to Sansa," now she laughed. "I recall one time when James tried to hug me while I held him, and the boy lashed out trying to defend me. Now he can't fall asleep unless Sansa is there with him. What did I do to deserve that?"

"Nothing," Arya lied. Daenerys had grown apart with her son, little-by-little. It began with Ros, continued with James assassination attempt, and ended when Rhaella was poisoned. "Ned just grew close with his aunt, but he will always know who his mother is. Why don't you just try and spend time with him? Tell Sansa how you feel."

Dany scoffed. "Sansa herself is too attached to my child. The only time she leaves his side is when she is spending time with Jon."

Arya stood from the ground and wiped the mud off her breeches again, before extending a hand out to Daenerys. "Well now that James is no longer king you can spend more time with him. Now, let's go."

She looked up at her. "Go where?"

"To apologize."

"Apologize…to who?"

"James."

Dany sighed. "I should, shouldn't I? I feel so bad…I'll go now."

And with that Dany took her hand, sitting up from the ground. She moved her braid to the side and shook the grass clippings, mud and leaves off her riding clothes before walking side by side with Arya out into the clearing. When they finally got into the clearing she saw that the men had just finished the grave, and a mound of fresh dirt covered the ground where Irri's body had been. Jon put a stone at the head of the grave, and now all the men were kneeling in front of it with their sweat-stained tunics and mattered hair. Arya looked over at her children and noticed Sansa was laying down on the grass with them next to her, and the horses were tied to a tree in the corner. She suddenly felt nails digging into her arm, as she saw the reason why: James had noticed them, and his gaze was unnerving. My eyes.

Arya walked over to Gendry, who was kneeling beside James at the side of the grave. She placed both of her hands upon his shoulders and he placed a hand on one of hers. Now Arya looked over at Dany, who was meekly standing behind her husband, not knowing how to broach the topic. She finally found the courage to step forward and place a small hand on his shoulder, but James shrugged it off. He's angry, Arya realized.

"I'm sorry," Dany said, now kneeling next to him. "I shouldn't have said that…I'm sorry, James."

He remained quiet.

"I know I hurt you, but you could at least say something."

He did not still.

"Are you so cold?" asked Daenerys. "Are you so cold as to not even giving me a reply?"

"Says the crow to the raven," James finally said. Arya had to try and hold back a laugh.

"You think me cold?" She asked him in disbelief. "Do you think of me that way?"

"I think you spoiled and selfish," he answered, looking at her now. "I think you spoiled and selfish to place the blame upon me. I understand your grieving…but the things you said…I don't know, Daenerys."

Dany pouted. "I am not spoiled and selfish!"

"You are!" James barked back. "You take me for granted! I did not deserve any of that. You of all people should know how I take that to heart. How I am blaming myself for all of this."

"I know," Dany finally relented. "I know and for that I am sorry. It isn't your fault, and you tried your best, my love."

James sighed and stood up, taking a look at Irri's grave one more stare before extending a hand out to Dany.

"Come," he said, "we have a lot to talk about and I rather do it in private."

Arya heard Gendry clear his throat. "Do not take to long, James. We must get going and find a place to camp before the night comes upon us."

He nodded before walking with Daenerys towards the forrest that she was at earlier. Thirty long minutes past, as Arya took the rock that was Irri's headstone and graved her name into it with her sword. She then walked over to the children and saw them napping together in a big huddled group with Sansa asleep right next to them. She saw that she had also braided her own hair and her daughters and Rhaella's. That was when Arya braided her own hair and it slumped down her back.

She heard the rustling of leaves and turned around to find James and Dany walking out of the clearing. All seems in order, she thought when he looked somewhat happy. They were clenching each other's hands, and she knew they had talked it out, but James would still blame himself at the end of the day. He had always been so hard on himself, even as children. James blamed himself for Jon joining the Night's Watch, and for their father dying. Even though there was nothing he could have done.

A few hours passed and the kids woke up, James decided it was time to move. The men stood in front of the horses, holding them by the reigns, while they walked down a road that stemmed away from the Kingsroad. The men said it was too dangerous to stay alone on there without some men-at-arms, and Arya agreed. Their were other ways to get to Riverrun besides taking the Kingsroad, and it eventually lead to the River Road. That was where they needed to head. The road was narrow and they kept the horses at a walk. The kids would grow restless in the saddles and sometimes they'd have to stop to let them walk for a while. It was a repeating cycle and it grew tiresome. James and Dany did not speak for awhile and Arya figured that she still hadn't told him about her pregnancy. She had hoped that Daenerys would tell him when they spoke in private, but apparently she hadn't. For if she had, James would've told the whole world by now. Arya just hoped that they wouldn't stay mad for too long, the Starks needed to be one.

That night they made camp in another clearing they found on the side of the road. When they arrived at the clearing, the horses were tied up to a tree so they could idly eat grass, while the men set out to find some wood for a fire. The women stayed with the kids and let them play. They constantly asked where they were going and why they had to leave home, but all Arya could tell them was that they were going to see grandma for a little while. Lyanna was excited to see Catelyn again, and told Arya she had missed her. It made her smile to know she loved her mother. While the men were gone, Arya decided to count the provisions. The medical supplies were still used, but they did not have enough food to last the trip. James spoke of having to stop at inns along the road, proper rest and food would be needed. All had agreed and said it was best for the kids to find somewhere along this narrow road. About thirty minutes past when Arya noticed Daenerys playing with Ned, the woman was wrestling with her son on the ground and tickling him. He laughed until he couldn't breathe and Dany was smiling. He'll have a new brother or sister in a few months. Now Rhaella had begun to notice the attention Ned was receiving, and ran over to them both. Daenerys laughed and hugged her, tickling her and Eddard at the same time. Lyanna was over with Sansa, and the woman was braiding her hair, while Robert was chasing a squirrel. "Robert, stay close!" Arya had yelled at him earlier for straying to far. He'd only nodded and tried his best.

Earlier that day, Arya, overheard her talking to Sansa about how she felt. "I know you love my Ned, and I cannot even begin to fathom about how much he loves you back. But, I want to spend time with him and grow close with him again." Daenerys had admitted to her. "He loves you more than me, Sansa, and I'm not asking you to stop being the aunt he loves. I just ask to let me spend some time with him again...and make up for all the lost time when I was Queen of Westeros." Sansa agreed and told her that she could understood, even began to cry at the idea of being separated from her beloved nephew. At times Sansa even called him, "my child."

Finally the men arrived back carrying logs and twigs, with stones as well. They dumped them onto the ground and walked over to their family. Gendry took a seat beside Arya and wrapped an arm around her, while Jon sat next to Sansa and held her. Dany was laying on the floor with her children, and smiled when James ran over to lay down next to them. He scooped Rhaella up from the ground, nuzzling his face into her neck and began to toss her up into the air and catch her. The former princess laughed until she turned red and now all the children were at James' feet, begging to be tossed as well. One-by-one he tossed each up and they were all laughing, soon Arya found herself to be doing so as well, loving to see her children happy in such dark times. Now Jon scooped up Rhaella and Gendry his children, all tossing them until they were working up a sweat. That night they sat in a circle and traded stories about whatever took their fancy. Nobody asked about the battle, as it was too fresh in their minds. Instead they spoke of the one thing that always made them all happy: Winterfell. They told the kids about their old ancestral home, and about their grandfather and uncle. "You're named after your grandfather, you know." James had told his son. "I hope you grow up to be like him."

When the dusk began to fall, the men built a fire and the kids watched them with curious eyes. Rhaella tried to touch the fire, but Dany held her back. Dragonsblood. Afterwards they ate a little bit of food, whatever they could. Some sausage was cooked over the fire and they toasted some of the bread. The kids did not like anything but the cheese and bread, but Robert had eaten some of the sausage. When finally night fell, everyone slept in one big group around the fire. Dany and James slept next to each other with their kids between them, having fallen asleep holding hands. Sansa nestled in Jon's arms and Gendry had taken the first watch. Everyone knew somebody had to stay awake for a little to watch, and they decided to take turns.

When finally Gendry was finished, James was second, sitting up against a tree as Arya heard him whistle songs to himself. The Bear and the Maiden Fair, she figured out when she awoke to her him whistling. Arya slept for a few more hours with her children beside her and found that Jon was awake now for his shift, even he was singing.

"Someone told me there is a girl out there, with love in her eyes and flowers…in her hair…" He had sung to himself, out loud.

Arya had never heard that song before, but she thought the words were beautiful. Maybe he had learned it on the Wall? Or had heard it from somewhere…Now it was her turn for her shift and Arya walked over to the tree to relieve his position. Jon was half-asleep when she stirred him awake and took a seat against the tree.

"What song was that?" She asked him while he was getting up.

"Which song?"

"The one you were singing."

Jon laughed. "A song I learned while on the Wall. James would sing it all the time, as did all the black brothers. I believe it stemmed from...never mind."

"What?"

"Wildlings," Jon answered. "We learned it from when I let them live on the Wall. James told me that Val taught it to him."

"Val?"

Jon sighed. "They're just a bunch of words about a mysterious beautiful women to keep us celibate men warm at night, Arya. Nothing more."

"But you said a wildling taught it to you."

"Aye, I did."

Jon nodded and quickly walked back to where everyone was asleep. The time passed by quickly and her thoughts were led astray to whatever came to her mind, all Arya could do was have one hand on her sword and another on her bump. She felt herself drift in and out of sleep, pinching herself in the arm to keep awake. All the family were huddled into a big group, and most were sleeping soundly.

Morning came and the sun broke over the horizon. The kids stirred awake and the women managed to feed them whatever food they had taken with them before they left. Some cheese, sausage, and bread was all they could carry. Everyone was rationed out some food and nibbled on it with some water that James managed to swipe from Varys's chambers.

The sun broke over the horizon and they found themselves on the road again. The road was narrow before them and not many smallfolk were upon it. Maybe one or two would pass by them, without so much as a second look. With all the dirt upon his face and his sweat mattered hair, James did not look like himself and Daenerys covered her hair with a shall she managed to swipe. "They will recognize my hair," Dany said. "Not many houses in Westeros have silver haired people."

Arya Baratheon sat on her horse with Lyanna in front of her and Gendry walking her horse, holding a reign. They were finally on their way to Riverrun, to see Catelyn and Bran. And then to Winterfell. With King's Landing behind them, Arya Stark was finally headed home…however far it might be. Home.