Ned Stark Lives! Part 2

by cbstevp

What would have happened in Westeros if Ned Stark had lived? The story continues, taking us to the Wall, Slaver's Bay, and of course the war between Stannis and the Lannisters. But winter has come, the Others are at the Wall, and the feared long night of myth is about to engulf Westeros and maybe even the whole world.

26. Chapter 26 Arya

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay in chapters. Unfortunately, there will be fewer ones in future as I am soon going on vacation but first must finish several important writing projects that actually pay money. Not to worry, the story will continue, but at a slower rate than in the past. Have a nice summer and enjoy this latest offering.

Ned Stark Lives! Part 2 Chapter 26 Arya

"Here you go, my lady," Mikken said as he handed Arya Needle in its sheath. It had been hidden in the coal shed next to the forge on a top shelf ever since Arya had killed the two men who had come looking for Gendry.

"Thanks," Arya said as she took the sword and pulled Needle out of its sheath. It felt good to have it in her hand again, more so now that danger was looming over Winterfell.

"It's a fine blade," Jon said from her side.

"And what's that blade you are carrying?" Mikken asked Jon. "Not the one I made for you many moon's ago."

Jon took out his sword and Arya marveled at the direwolf's head carved into the pommel and how the blade looked grey and smoky. She recognized that metal, had seen it many times before.

"Is it Valyrian steel?" she asked in surprise.

"Aye it is," said Mikken as he lovingly held the sword.

"It was Lord Commander Mormont's son's," Jon explained. "Called Longclaw. But his son is in exile and the commander gave it to me. I should have left it with Robb and the rearguard but he insisted I take it to defend those I was with."

"Why does it make any difference who has it?" Arya asked.

"Because Valyrian steel is the one thing that can kill the wights and the Others," Jon explained. "That and dragonglass."

"A pity both are in short supply," said Mikken as he reached up to a high shelf again. "I suppose you'll be wanting this as well," Mikken said to Arya. He pulled down a canvas sack and took out the wolf's helmet Gendry had made for her name day gift. As Arya took it out she felt the cool steel, strong and hard, and a rush of memories of the one who made it for her came flooding back.

"That's good work, Mikken," Jon said. Arya grinned and handed it to him and Jon looked over the helmet.

"Not my work," said Mikken.

"Gendry made it for my name day," Arya explained. Just saying his name was hard.

"It's a fine present," Jon said as Arya put Needle in its sheath and strapped it around her waist. "She'll need some armor as well."

"Afraid I don't have any armor for a girl," Mikken told him as Jon handed the helmet back to Arya. "But maybe I can fix something up. Wish the lad was here to help me. So much to do now and so little time."

Arya's face had fallen when Mikken had mentioned the "lad". He was still missing, as was her father and brother and many other men. It had been three days since Jon and Lord Umber and a long column of wildlings had come looming out of the snowy mists to bring the terrible news that the Wall had fallen.

Jon sensed her sadness and put a hand on her right shoulder. "They'll be here soon."

"Aye," said Arya in a downcast voice.

"Not to worry, little sister," he said and then he ruffled her hair like he used to do and Arya felt a bit better.

Everyone said they would be there soon but there had been no sign of them. Ser Rodrik had led a party out to look for them but had to turn back after a day because of the snows and cold. Now a terrible cold had come down on Winterfell and everyone who had to venture outside was shivering and staying as close to the many fires they had going as possible. Thankfully Winterfell sat on hot underground springs so it was nice and warm inside. And the forge was always warm. But Gendry was not there, so it seem less warm and friendly as in the past to Arya.

As Arya and Jon walked quickly across the snowy courtyard he was silent, like he was much of the time since he had returned to Winterfell except when he was giving orders. Jon was Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, in charge of the few men of the Night's Watch that had returned with him. But the Wall was breached, Castle Black destroyed, the Watch in tatters. No word had yet come from Eastwatch or the Shadow Tower so the fate of the rest of the Watch was unknown. Jon had sent ravens to both castles but as yet no answer had been received.

Arya had not seen Jon in well over a year, and he was changed. He was taller, and stronger looking, and he was forceful in his opinions and commanding in his tone of voice. He was only sixteen but his men seemed to respect him, none more so than the fat one called Sam, who seemed to worship Jon and was the constant companion of blind old Maester Aemon. When Sam told Arya how old the maester was she could scarcely believe it. And when Jon told her Sam had killed two Others she scarcely believed that as well. While Jon was forceful and commanding, Sam was shy and furtive, and seemed ready to shrink into his furs whenever anyone spoke to him.

"How did he become a man of the Night's Watch?" she asked Jon soon after meeting Sam that first day.

"Because his family did not want him," Jon told her and Arya asked no more about it, knowing Jon had left for much the same reason. After Jon had gone to the Wall, Arya had felt an ache inside her, missing him a great deal. But then she had her own adventures, going to King's Landing and all that had followed. Only now she realized that Jon had volunteered for the Watch because he had no place in Winterfell. Even stranger now that he was back he took a commanding role in the defense of the castle.

Bran was the Lord of Winterfell but he was too young, was a cripple, and was no war leader. Ser Rodrik was in charge of the warriors in the castle but they were few in number and if they had any chance of surviving the expected onslaught of the Others and their wights they needed the men of the Watch plus the wildlings to man the defenses as well. After Ser Rodrik and Jon had a short talk they agreed to share the command. Arya had overheard part of this talk and when Jon said he knew the wildlings' leader Mance Rayder and could work with him Ser Rodrik agreed to share command, at least until Lord Stark returned. Jon and Ser Rodrik set to preparing the castle for the expected attack by the Others and their wights.

The first thing Ser Rodrik did was send riders to all the nearby villages. Soon men, women, and children were pouring into Winterfell carrying few of their belongings and some of the food they had stored for winter. But the food they brought was not much and Ser Rodrik suspected the villagers had hidden away a lot of their food, expecting to be back in their homes soon. They did not yet appreciate the dangers, no matter how much Ser Rodrik berated them and told them they might have to spend the whole winter in the castle. Arya's mother and the steward Samson fretted over so many more mouths to feed but Jon explained that if they not take them in soon they would be dead and then rise again as wights for the Others' army.

The men of Winterfell listened closely to Jon and the wildlings describe what had happened at the Wall and prepared accordingly. Barrels of oil were dragged up from the storage vaults below the castle, piles of wooden torches were placed in strategic locations, and fire arrows were prepared as well. All the people in the winter town outside the East Gate were brought inside the castle as well and put to work helping prepare the defenses with the villagers. Once all the local people were inside the castle all the gates were triple barred, and barrels of oil were placed above them to rain down fire on any enemies.

The trouble was they had so few defenders. Less than three hundred warriors, counting all the men left behind at Winterfell, the few Night's Watch men, plus a small group of healthy wildling men and spear women. Most of the villagers were untrained in war and there were few young healthy men among them. The wildlings as well were mainly the old, sick, wounded, and children. There were hundreds of them, maybe more than a thousand, but Arya wasn't sure as there were so many of them. They were nothing but more mouths to feed for the most part, another drain on Winterfell's resources her mother complained, despite the food the wildlings had brought and that Jon had managed to rescue from Castle Black. Jon said they had lost many people on the road to Winterfell as well, the cold and sickness ravaging their ranks. Mance Rayder was still among the living, as was a very beautiful warrior woman named Val, and they were both wounded. They lay in a barracks set aside for the many wounded that had come to the castle. More sick and weak filled the Great Keep and any other places where they could find shelter.

Lord Umber was in bed as well, running a high fever, and they almost had to tie him to the bed to keep him there as he kept screaming he had to man the defenses with his men. But most of his men had been lost at the Wall or were with Lord Stark's rearguard. Maester William and the ancient Master Aemon were taking care of all of the wounded and sick, as were Arya's mother, sister Sansa, Roslin, Old Nan, Beth Cassel, Jeyne Poole, and many other women of the castle plus the wildling women, including one called Gilly who was wet nurse to two babes, one of which was Mance Rayder's according to the many rumors floating about.

That just left Arya. As they started to get everyone settled in that first day Jon and the rest had come to the castle she approached her mother in the barracks they were turning into a makeshift infirmary.

"I want Needle," she said without any preamble.

Her mother looked at her for a long moment. "No. Jon and Ser Rodrik and the other men will defend us. There is much else that needs doing. We need more blankets for the wounded."

Arya had bristled at this but said nothing and ran off and got the blankets and helped her mother with whatever else she wanted. Later that day Maester William and her mother wrote many letters to the great lords of the realm. A break in the snow came the next morning and they sent all the ravens they had left aloft. But the snow and cold soon returned. That afternoon Ser Rodrik had returned without finding Lord Stark and his missing men. When Arya heard this news she once more went to her mother. "I want Needle."

Catelyn Stark pursed her lips and again shook her head. "No. There is much else you need to do. Go to the kitchens and help Gage."

Arya said nothing and went to the kitchens and helped Hot Pie and Gage for the rest of the day and brought food to the wounded. During one of these trips she chanced on Mance Rayder, lying in a bed recovering from an arrow wound to his leg.

"Thank you, Lady Stark," he said as she handed him a bowl of soup and some bread.

"My mother is Lady Stark," Arya told the King Beyond the Wall. "I'm just Arya."

Mance nodded. "Arya it is then. Tell me, young Arya, what do the children of the North learn of me and my people?"

Arya told him without hesitation. "That you are all savages who want to invade our lands, steal from us, kill our men, and rape all the women."

The woman Val was in a nearby bed and she almost choked on her soup when she heard Arya. "What a story," she said with an edge of anger. "All lies, as well."

"Not all lies, as you well know Val," said Mance. "Some of our people have done exactly what young Arya said. But not anymore. We want to live in peace."

"There is no peace…anywhere," Arya said with a heavy heart. Then she looked at Mance intently. "At the Wall did you see a blacksmith of the Watch? Tall, with black hair, his name is…"

"Gendry, aye," said Mance. Then he whispered to her. "He has the look of a certain someone who once sat the Iron Throne."

Arya was too surprised to speak for a moment before finding her voice. "When did you ever see any king on the Iron Throne?'

"I saw a king here, in Winterfell, when Robert broke bread with your father."

"Liar."

"She has a mouth," said Val.

Mance ignored the insult. "Aye, I was truly here. I climbed the Wall and made my way to Winterfell and sat in a corner of your great hall with the other bards, playing music for the great King Robert Baratheon. You walked into the hall with the little plump blond boy Tommen on your arm."

Arya knew he was telling the truth now. She glared at him and spoke in a low fierce tone. "He does have his look. That is a secret you had best keep."

Mance laughed. "Of course. As for the lad, he did his duty if that's why you ask. He fought side by side with Lord Stark and your brother and they killed many wights. Your father even killed a few Others with his great sword Ice. But why the interest in this lad?"

"He's just my friend. We came from King's Landing together. Do you think…him, and my father and brother,…are they well?""

Now Mance's face turned grim. "Young Arya, the last I saw of them they were all on horseback and trailing behind us when a great blizzard came up. We lost sight of them and then…they were gone."

"Where?"

"No one knows," said Val from where she was listening. "Jon Snow sent men to find them but some of them disappeared as well."

Arya left them after that but later saw Mance Rayder out of bed, and going about with a stick to help him walk. She saw him talking to Jon and Ser Rodrik in the great hall but could not hear what they said.

Two of the wounded men of the North and one of the wounded of the Night's Watch died the next day as did a small wildling boy would had taken ill during the retreat. His wildling mother wailed and cried in anguish as she held his lifeless body close. They took the four dead outside and built four funeral pyres for them in the courtyard. The wildlings prayed to the old gods, some of the Northman's friends prayed to the Seven, and Jon led the Night's Watch men as they said their solemn words for their fallen brother.

Sam was there as was Maester Aemon and Arya stood near them as Jon said the words. "And now his watch is done," he said and the few remaining black brothers repeated the words. Then Jon lit the funeral pyre and the body was soon burning. As they stood there Codd and Pyke and Royce walked past, lugging more wood for the castle.

"We are short men at arms and these three big men are cutting and hauling wood," Jon said to Arya as the men passed him. "Why?"

"They are prisoners," Arya told him.

"What are their crimes?" Master Aemon asked in his old, quavering voice.

"The two ironmen attacked Moat Cailin," Arya said. "The third one, he's named Royce, he was with two men who tried to attack my mother. He did not attack but he was their friend."

Arya quickly told them the story of the three men of Stannis' army, leaving out the part about the warrant to arrest Gendry.

"No matter what they have done in the past, they are warriors," Jon said when she finished. "We need them on the battlements with weapons in their hands, not hauling and cutting wood."

"Mother said…"

Jon interrupted her. "It's time we had a talk with your mother, little sister. About you as well."

Jon walked off without waiting for a reply and Arya scurried after him. Ghost and Nymeria were nearby and tried to follow but Arya told them to stay and they did. Jon and Arya found Lady Stark where they expected to find her, in the barracks turned infirmary caring for the wounded. She was talking to Sansa about something when Jon approached.

"Lady Stark, I need a word," Jon said in a strong voice.

Catelyn Stark turned from her eldest daughter and looked at Jon Snow in the way Arya had often seen her look at him in the past, as if he was something disgusting she had found under her shoe.

"As you can see,…Lord Commander…I am quite busy." She started to turn back to Sansa but Jon persisted.

"We need to talk about those three men, the prisoners. I want them armed and on the battlements."

Catelyn Stark turned back to him. "They are prisoners."

"They are trained fighting men and we are woefully short of such, my lady," Jon replied, staring right back at her.

"I see," said Catelyn sharply. "You want me to arm prisoners who could possibly do harm to us if they try to escape?"

Jon snorted. "Lady Stark, these three men will not try to escape. Where would they go? We are surrounded by hundreds of leagues of snow and ice. And they know the Others and wights are out there. Already you arm them with axes to cut wood. I want to give them swords and spears as well. When the Others get here, three good men on a battlement or at a gate can make all the different whether the castle stands or falls."

"Four would be better," Arya said, speaking up for the first time.

Jon grinned at her. "Aye, four would be better."

Catelyn Stark bristled. "Fine. You can have the three men. But Arya is not going to stand on a wall!"

Jon took a step closer to Lady Stark and spoke in a low voice. "You still don't understand what we are dealing with. They will kill us all, men, women, and children and they do not care one bit. And once we are dead and there is no one left to burn our bodies we will rise as wights and join the horde of living dead in attacking the rest of the realm. If she is going to die let her at least have a sword in her hand and let her take some enemies with her."

Catelyn glared at him and also spoke in a low voice but Arya still heard her. "I know why the Wall fell. Lord Umber told me. If my children die I'll know who to blame."

Jon grunted and his face seemed shamed for a moment and then he spoke in his strong tone again. "Aye, it is my fault and I will take all the blame…if we live through this. And if we don't…what does it matter? Let her and anyone else who wants to fight."

Catelyn Stark hesitated and then sighed and turned to Arya. "Mikken has Needle."

Arya had barely said thank you and had dashed off to the forge, with Jon soon following her. Later as they crossed the courtyard with Nymeria and Ghost on their heels she remembered what her mother had said.

"How did you cause the Wall to fall?"

Jon stopped walking and hesitated before speaking. "It's…complicated. I blew a horn and it's…magic properties…I'm not sure if that's the right way to say it…but it caused the ice to crack and the whole thing fell. Part of it, I mean, the part next to Castle Black."

"A magic horn did it?" Arya could not even imagine such a thing as magic.

"It's a very old horn." Jon told her the story in a few swift words.

"How can you be to blame?" she asked in wonder when he finished.

"I blew the horn."

"It's stupid. Anyone could have blown that horn and the Wall would have fallen."

"No, not anyone I think. Maester Aemon said only…only someone special could have done it."

"Special? You? How are you special?"

"I'm….I don't know. It just happened."

"But…"

He grabbed her shoulders and looked at her intently. "Let it go, Arya. There are things you don't understand, things I don't understand. It happened and it is done." He must have seen the look of hurt on her face, for he let go of her and tried to apologize. "I am sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"Jon, what happened? What can't you tell me?"

He seemed about to speak on it but then shook his head. "Some day maybe I will tell you." He sighed deeply. "The real truth is, Arya, I failed in my duty."

"No!" she replied fiercely.

"It's true. I am the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. The Wall fell, Castle Black was destroyed, and I am to blame."

He said it all in heavy voice and then he turned and walked away and Ghost followed him. Arya just stood there, staring at him and wondered what she could say to make it better but there was nothing to say. He was so different now, and seemed old beyond his years.

She was about to go inside where it was warmer when a voice at her side startled her.

"He blames himself still?" Sam asked.

"Aye."

"I was with him when he blew the horn. We were trying to warn of an attack by the Others. He didn't try to bring the Wall down. It just…happened." He pulled a small horn off his belt. "To think such a thing could bring down the Wall."

Arya looked at the horn in surprise. "Is that it? The magic horn?"

"Yes," Sam told her. "Maester Aemon says it is the Horn of Winter."

"The Horn of…Winter?"

"It's an old legend, about a horn that could wake up the giants. Maester Aemon said it so I believe it. I overheard them talking on the road here one night when we stopped for rest. He said no one but Jon could have blown that horn."

"It sounds like rubbish to me," Arya shot back. "Maester Aemon is old but he doesn't know everything."

"He knows you and Jon and your other brothers and sister are wargs."

That shocked Arya. "How do you know all that?"

"Jon is my friend. He told me all about it, about Ghost, and what happens sometimes when he is sleeping. And sometime when he is not. He told me about when you're brother Robb died and how you and Thoros saved him."

"It's all true. I heard Thoros saved Mance Rayder as well."

"Yes. But he couldn't save Beric Dondarrion again. And he couldn't save so many more. No one could."

Arya had overheard many people talking on the battles at the Wall the last few days. It sounds like it had been a horrible experience.

"Thoros was with my father?"

"The last I saw."

Arya shivered. "Sam, it's very cold out here. Let's go to the kitchens."

"I was just on my way there to fetch Maester Aemon's supper."

It was near the supper hour, and the sky was getting gloomy as night approached. They made their way to the kitchens and it was busy as the workers prepared the evening meal. With so many people in the castle many of the village women and girls had been put to work here, preparing food. Gage was in charge and stood like a general with his army shouting commands and giving orders. Hot Pie was taking out some loaves of bread from the ovens.

"He's here for Maester Aemon's supper," Arya told Hot Pie.

"Why can't he eat in the great hall?" Hot Pie asked Sam as he put the piping hot loaves of bread on a table.

"He's a very old man," Sam explained. "And it tires him to walk far and often."

Hot Pie shrugged. "Okay. There's the trays. Take a half loaf of bread. There's some mutton just off the spit. Slice some of that. And put some of that steamed barley over there in a bowl. There's wine and ale over there as well."

"Thanks," Sam said and he set to work and was soon gone with a tray of food. Arya stayed and helped Hot Pie with the bread after she put her wolf's head helmet on a shelf and placed Needle there as well. She helped the women in the great hall laying out dishes, bowls and plates and cutlery for the coming supper meal. Sansa came along and helped her as well and told her their mother and Roslin were still in the infirmary. As they worked Sansa sidled up to Arya and whispered to her.

"Mother is quite mad at Jon."

"She's always mad at Jon."

"Is it true he caused the Wall to fall?"

Arya glared at her sister. "Where did you hear that?"

"Everyone is whispering about it."

"Gods."

"Well, is it true?"

Arya shook her head. "No. It's all a pack of lies."

Sansa laughed. "Now you're lying."

"Why do you hate Jon? He's our brother!"

Sansa was taken aback by this accusation. "I don't hate him. He…he's not our brother though, not like Robb and Bran and Rickon. Not really."

"He is! Can't you see he's trying to help us? To save us?"

"I know he is!"

"You sure don't sound like it."

Now it was Sansa's turn to glare. "Arya, I'm not a stupid girl like you think I am. I know people are going to die here. I know Jon is doing everything he can to help us."

"Then stop talking rot about him and tell Mother that!"

"I have!" Sansa shot back. "She's just…she still hates him, because of who he is. She can't forget."

Arya put down some cutlery she was carrying on a table. "She'll never forgive him but it's not his fault he is what he is."

"No, it's not," Sansa agreed. Then she grinned. "He looks better, taller. Jeyne can't stop staring at him and talking about him."

Arya rolled her eyes. "Gods. First Robb and now Jon? She needs to get married."

Sansa laughed and then she quickly sat on a bench and dragged Arya down with her. Sansa leaned in close and whispered. "I was taking care of the wounded and I heard that wildling women Val and some other women talking about Jon. They say he fell in love with a wildling woman!"

"What? No, that's impossible!" Arya said a bit too loudly.

"Why not?"

"Because men of the Watch can't have a woman. Ever."

"Not ever?"

"No. Hot Pie said those men he came with complained the whole time about it when they were on the road. So did those men I came with from King's Landing."

Sansa shrugged. "Maybe Jon did fall in love anyway."

"I don't believe it."

"I'm just telling you what I heard. They said her name was…was…"

"Ygritte," said a voice behind them and it was Jon, standing there with a large basket of bread in his hands.

Sansa gasped and Arya did as well. Suddenly her face was hot and red. "Jon!…We're just talking…sorry."

Sansa was blushing as well. "Sorry," she mumbled too.

"So now you know my secret," Jon said with a grim cast to his face. "Yes, sisters. It is true. I loved a woman."

Sansa was suddenly all eager for more gossip. "Where is she? Are you going to marry her?"

Jon's face blanched. "I guess you did not hear all the gossip. She's…she's dead, Sansa. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to bring this bread to the men on duty."

Sansa gasped and Arya could only stared at him in shock at hearing this news. But just as Jon finished speaking these words a horn blew, from outside. Everyone in the great hall stopped and listened.

"One call for friends returning," Jon said.

"It's Father and Robb!" Sansa gasped in excitement, getting over her embarrassment and shock at being overheard gossiping about Jon in a mere moment.

"And Gendry!" said Arya as her heart skipped a beat. She stood, ready to run to the gates, but Jon put a hand on her shoulder.

"Wait," he said, his eyes intent, his head cocked as if he was listening for something.

Then came a second blast of the horn. "Two for wildlings," Jon said and his face grew grim and he put the basket of bread on the table.

"But…the wildlings are on our side now, aren't they?" Arya asked.

"Aye," said Jon and then he closed his eyes just as a third blast came. Jon opened his eyes and spoke. "Others."

"Gods, no," Sansa said in an anguished cry.

But Jon was calm and had nerves of steel. "Girls, you know your duty. Now, stay calm and off you go. Sansa, take this bread to the North Gate guards and go help your mother in the infirmary. Can you do that?"

Sansa stood and nodded and picked up the basket and was soon gone.

"Arya, come with me," Jon said and instead of going to the battlements to Arya's surprise he went into the kitchens and found Gage.

"There is no time for a proper sit down supper," he said to the cook "Have workers bring food to the men on the walls and at the gates."

"Aye," Gage said swiftly and he began shouting more orders.

"Arya, have a quick bite to eat and then run to each gate and make sure all is prepared. Then I want you to join me on the battlements on the north wall over the North Gate."

"There's no time to eat," she answered in a rush.

"There is," Jon said. "Eat now, little sister. There may not be time later." He ruffled her hair and she felt good. Arya said 'aye' and then Jon was gone.

Hot Pie looked at her with fear in his eyes. "Are we under attack?"

"Yes," she told him. "I need to eat something quick. Get me something, please." Hot Pie quickly sliced some bread and grabbed some mutton and cheese and put it on the bread and gave it to Arya. She quickly wolfed it down, drank some water, and then grabbed Needle and her helmet and strapped on her sword. She had no place to hook her helmet to her belt and did not want to wear it yet so she carried it under her right arm.

Arya ran outside as fast as she could and the whole courtyard by the great hall was in chaos, with people running everywhere, men at arms moving to the walls, kitchen workers carrying baskets of food, and many people heading indoors, to get out of the cold and out of harms way. Some old women led a large group of children into the Great Keep, to keep safe during an attack.

Nymeria, who had been waiting outside the great hall for her, was at her side as always. At each gate she talked to the men in charge and all was well, so far. At the Hunter's Gate near the godswood's entrance she saw Royce and the two ironmen Codd and Pyke with some other men. They were now wearing chain mail and holding shields and spears, with short swords at their sides. When Royce saw her, his face blanched for a moment.

"I mean you no harm," Arya said to him.

"This little one do harm to him?" said Codd with a hearty laugh.

But Pyke wasn't laughing. "She's killed men, the way I hear it," he said. "She's a wild one, she is." He gave a knowing look to Nymeria growling at Arya's side. "Best keep on her good side, Royce."

"I'm afraid it's too late for that," Royce said in his solemn way.

Arya had no time for this. "Listen. My brother said to make sure all is well here. Is it? Is the gate barred? Is the drawbridge up? Is the oil boiling? Are the archers ready with fire arrows?"

"Aye," said Pyke. "Few as we are we are ready. No need to school us in the art of war, little one. We welcome any of these walking myths to try to break down this gate."

"You can bloody well welcome them," said Codd as he adjusted his sword belt. "I'd sooner never lay eyes on them."

"Now who's the craven?" Pyke shot back and Arya left them as they argued back and forth. As she was walking away Royce ran up to her and called her name.

"Lady Stark…if I am to die tonight I must know why you killed those two I was with," he said.

Arya turned on him and the anger was on her all of a sudden and she fought to push it down. "You wanted to bring my friend to the King. And his red witch," she growled. "They would have harmed him in some way. That's why."

"It was not my choice. Stannis is our rightful King."

Arya bristled and Nymeria growled. "Go back to your post before I tell my brother and Ser Rodrik to lock you in a cell."

"As you command, my lady," Royce said with a dip of his head and he returned to the group of men at the Hunters Gate.

As Arya and Nymeria crossed the courtyard and walked under the wooden walkway between the armory and the Great Keep she saw Rickon and the two Frey boys arguing with someone by the armory door.

"We can fight, too!" said Big Walder.

"Give us swords!" Little Walder shouted.

"Bugger off!" yelled the man, and Arya recognized him as Karl, the married apprentice armorer.

"I am a lord of Winterfell!" Rickon shouted next. "I demand a sword."

Arya smacked her little brother on the back of the head and gave the two Walders a smack as well.

"Owww!" they all said and Rickon turned on her. "What you do that for?"

"Cause you three little idiots are getting in Karl's way. He's got work to do and you lot are supposed to be in the great hall helping with the food and keeping an eye on Bran. That's where Mother said for you to go during an attack!"

"That's woman's work," Big Walder retorted. "We want to fight!"

"Yeah!" said Rickon and Arya smacked him again and he said 'Owww' again.

"Off to the great hall!" she shouted once more.

"You've got a sword and you're a girl!" Little Walder shouted at her. "Why can't we have a sword?"

"Cause you'll shit your britches the first sight of blood," boomed a loud voice and it was Mikken with Tim at his side. "Now you three piss off to the great hall like Arya says or I'll be kicking you all the way there with my boot next!"

They cowed in the face of his anger and went off grumbling to the great hall.

"Thanks," Arya said to him.

"Aye, no need," Mikken answered. "Come now, Tim, help me on with my armor."

"Are you going to fight?" Arya asked.

"Aye, we are, Karl and me," said Mikken. "Our post is at the East Gate with big Hodor and a bunch of them wildling women. Tough lot they are. There will be time for mending swords and such when the fight is done. Oh, that reminds me. I think I might have some armor for you as well."

He stepped inside the armory door and she followed him and Karl and Tim. Arya always liked the armory. It was usually filled with spears and pikes, swords and daggers, maces and spiked morning stars. There were helmets and suits of chain mail and studded leather. Much of it was gone now, with the men sent North or now manning the walls. The armor all looked too big for Arya and she said so.

"Not this," said Mikken as he reached into a wooden crate and took out a small suit of chain mail. It was old looking and had spots of rust on it but it looked like it would fit her well. "I made this for Robb when he was your age for his name day. Come Karl, let's get it on her."

Arya took off Needle and let them pull the chain mail shirt over her head. It felt heavy and was a bit long but it fit well and reached down to just above her knees. They helped her strap on Needle again and then Arya put on her wolf helmet. "How do I look?"

"I'd run away if I saw you," jested Tim.

"Aye," said Mikken. "Can you see out that helmet?"

"Well enough," Arya said as she took it off again.

"Right, that's sorted," said Mikken. "You best get where you belong, my lady."

"Stay safe," Arya said, a bit of a nervous tremble to her voice.

Mikken put a meaty hand on her small shoulder. "Just remember what you're fighting for. Home and family. That'll see you through."

"Aye," Arya said and she felt much better. She thanked them and ran off and headed for the stairs leading up to the walls on the north side, Nymeria following her wherever she went. After a long climb she emerged from shadows on the outer north walls highest point, stepping into the last of the setting sun's light as it fought to get through the gloomy clouds.

She found Sam up there and soon saw Jon and Mance Rayder and Ser Rodrik as well.

"They are here," Sam said in fear as Arya stood by his side and she didn't need to ask who.

Three days they had to prepare and it was well they did. By the time Arya got to the top of the highest outer wall, eighty feet above the North Gate, the Others and their wight army had emerged forth from the mist and snowy whiteness to come face to face with Winterfell. Arya trembled as she took in the sight of so many enemies coming to her home. There had to be thousands of them, in ragged ranks, spread across the open space between the stands of forest on either side of the Kingsroad. There was no semblance of order to their ranks at all. From this distance it was easy to mistake the wights as normal men, carrying weapons of war in their hands as they walked through the snow toward Winterfell in the late afternoon's dying light. But there was no mistaking the Others. They were taller and thinner, a pale ghostly color, and they all rode horses which seemed more dead than alive.

"Is that…an Other?" Arya asked as she pointed. She asked more to control her fear by talking. She knew what they were from the stories she had heard.

"Yes," Sam said and she noticed he gripped a dragonglass dagger tight in his right hand. Arya had heard the story of how Sam had used the dagger to kill two Others.

"There's too many," said one of the men nearby in fear.

"They'll never get over these walls," said another.

"They got past the Wall, didn't they?" said the first. "And it's seven hundred feet high!"

"Shut that talk!" growled Ser Rodrik as he walked past. "Notch your bows and get ready to set these demons afire!"

Many of the men had bows and arrows and began to dip the arrows in nearby fires where they caught flame. In moments two dozen men had flaming arrows notched and Ser Rodrik gave the command to fire.

The flight of arrows went in a high arc and landed among the enemy. But only a few were hit and only two really caught fire and writhed and let out inhuman screams as they twisted and turned in the snow. Even from this distance Arya's ears hurt to hear them die…again.

"Let them get closer next time," Jon said as he stood near Arya. "We can't let them get to the base and climb the wall.

Then Arya noticed something odd. "How will they climb the wall?" she asked aloud.

Jon had heard her and he stopped and stared out at the horde and then he smiled. "They have no ladders, no ropes or grappling hooks, no siege engines."

"Aye, not a one," Ser Rodrik said with a hearty grin.

"They are heading for the town," said Mance Rayder from Jon's side. He was right. A large body of wights and Others was moving to the east toward the winter town.

"Not the town," Jon said. "The East Gate. The fight will be for the gates. They can't get over the walls. They must go through them. Reinforce the gates." Men ran off to carry out his orders.

Mance spotted Arya standing there. "Little girl, best go join your mother and the other ladies caring for the wounded."

That made Arya mad. "I'm not going anywhere."

Mance grunted. "As you wish. You are too small to fire a bow any distance. You'd best serve down by the gates guarding one of them."

"No," Jon said from where he had overheard them. "I have an even better task for Arya. I need a runner, someone who knows the castle better than anyone. You will have to carry messages for the commanders."

Arya grinned. "I can do that."

"Good," her big brother said. "Then…wait…what's that?"

Everyone looked down and Arya saw what Jon was looking at. A cloud of mist was rising from the ground all around the part of the outer castle wall that they could see. It moved slowly towards the walls and began to rise up until it was almost near where they were. Through this murky haze they could not see anything at all.

"They could be anywhere," Ser Rodrik said in frustration.

"What can we do?" Sam asked.

Mance Rayder had the answer. "Drop some oil over the wall and set it on fire."

Ser Rodrik gave the orders and two men lifted a small keg of oil and threw it over the wall. After a moment they heard it cracking open. Two men took lit torches and threw them down. They soon saw a flare of light and then a larger pool of light reflecting through the mist.

"I can't see anything," Jon said.

Arya was leaning over the wall, looking down near the North Gate were the pool of oil was burning. She couldn't see anything either…and then she saw a shadow and heard a sound she often heard at the forge, the sound of metal being bent and shaped, but this was different, a screeching sound as if the metal was being torn in two.

Suddenly they heard a shout from below. "The portcullis is gone!" Then came the sound of steel on steel, shouts, cries, curses, and screams. "They've breached the gate!" came another shout.

Then came a flash and flare of more flame from the North Gate and Arya knew that was oil being poured into murder holes above the archway on the attackers. Suddenly several forms came tumbling through the gate and fell into the moat and landed on the ice below. These were men, three living men, trying to escape the onslaught. Behind them fell two figures on fire, wights by their screams. Three more burning wights came tumbling in after them, all five landing on the ice covered moat below.

"The moat! It's all ice!" Arya shouted to Jon.

"I know!" he replied in a hurry. "There is naught we can do about it. Fire arrows!" he shouted to the men nearby. The archers leaned over the wall looking down at the moat but no more wights came through. The living men on the ice were stabbing and hacking at the five burning wights but they did not move and soon the men stopped. They looked up and shouted to those high above.

"THE GATE IS SMASHED!" one man shouted.

"GET OUT OF THERE!" Jon yelled back. Already men on the inner wall gate house were lowering ropes to the men so they could climb up.

"I heard metal tearing," Arya said to Jon and Ser Rodrik.

"It's the cold," Mance Rayder said. "The Others must have shattered the metal portcullis."

"If that is so, we cannot hold the outer wall gates," Ser Rodrik said. "And the moat is all ice."

"Fire will melt the ice," Arya said to them.

"Not for long in this cold," Mance Rayder told her. "The Others bring their own special cold with them, young Arya."

"We must warn the other gates," Jon said. "Arya run to the East Gate. Go!"

Arya pulled on her wolf helmet and dashed off as fast as she could with Nymeria at her heels. She ran past the tower on the northeast corner and as she ran the Broken Tower where Bran had fallen so long ago loomed to her right. She ran on and as she ran she realized there were no men here defending this part of the wall. She looked down and the mist seemed to be clearing. Below she could make out the stones that marked the graves of those buried in the lichyard of Winterfell. The graves of hundreds of common people of Winterfell who had died over the many long years were here. As she looked she saw movement and stopped running.

Through the mist she could make out forms, moving about the lichyard. They were digging.

"Gods, no!" Arya wailed as she suddenly knew what they were doing. Even as this thought entered her head she saw something crawl out of a grave, something hideous and malformed, more skeleton than flesh, with ragged wisps of clothing clinging to the bones. It rose up out of the grave and a wight thrust a spiked club into its bony hand. The newly arisen dead walked out of the lichyard towards the East Gate, as if it already knew its orders.

Arya stifled a scream that was building in her throat and ran again, her legs feeling weak as she tried to control her fears. Soon she was at the East Gate outer wall but there were no men here either. She ran into a small turret and found the stairs that went down inside the outer wall and down she and Nymeria went until they reached the fighting room that was above the East Gate. Here she found Mikken and Karl and Hodor and three wildling women. They were all at the arrow slits and were firing flaming arrows outside and shouting and cursing. In the center of the room was a fire with a large kettle of boiling oil on it ready to be tipped over the murder holes above the gate tunnel.

"MIKKEN!" Arya shouted and the big blacksmith turned from the window.

"Lady Arya! Gods, what are you doing here?"

"They've breached the outer North Gate," she quickly explained.

"How?" Karl asked as he notched another flaming arrow.

"They destroyed the metal portcullis," Arya told them and then Hodor shouted.

"HODOR! HODOR! HODOR!" he yelled and he pointed out the arrow slit. Arya ran up as all the men and women looked as well and there she saw up close her first Other.

A horde of wights was in the winter town and now at the gate, some on fire from the arrows, but many more unharmed. A tall, pale Other on horse back came through their ragged ranks and dismounted. With icy calm the Other walked up to the gate below them. Mikken and Karl fired flaming arrows at it but they clattered off its icy skin and fell to the snowy ground. Then the Other reached the portcullis and touched it with its hand. Arya craned her neck to see and what she saw shattered all hopes of defending the castle's outer wall. The steel began to turn blue and then pale white and then it shattered with a terrible rending, screeching sound.

"The portcullis is gone!" Arya said in despair. Then came a pounding sound below and in a few moments the big oaken doors cracked and swung in. Arya and the rest dashed over to the murders holes and looked down to see many wights enter the tunnel and jam up against the inner portcullis and doors.

"NOW!" Mikken shouted and Hodor with his massive strength tipped the large iron kettle of boiling oil into the murder holes. The oil poured down and then Mikken grabbed a nearby torch.

"Stand back!" he shouted and Arya did so as Mikken dropped the torch into one of the holes. A whoosh of flame came up through the holes and then came the most inhuman noise Arya had ever heard, a screeching, screaming sound unlike anything in the world. Nymeria howled and Arya clutched her to keep her still.

"That'll fix that lot," said Mikken with satisfaction.

"Not for long," said a wildling woman in despair.

They waited and the oil burned and the screams died out. Arya looked outside the arrow slits and in the growing darkness she could make out hundreds more wights and at least a dozen Others just standing there waiting. And then she saw something that made her gasp.

Standing in the ranks of the wights she was sure she saw two men she knew, two men who were mostly flesh, two men who had died recently. Maron and Jason, the two men of Stannis' army she had killed, now standing in the ragged wight ranks, Maron with a sword in hand and Jason with a mace. They had blue eyes and a lifeless look but they were there nevertheless. For a mad moment Arya wondered if they would remember who had killed them. Now she or someone else would have to kill them again.

"Mikken, we have to leave here," Arya said to him.

"She's right," said one of the women. "We'll get trapped in here."

"It's our post," Karl said. "Ser Rodrik and Lord Snow said…"

"Lord Snow is not here," Arya told him. "When that oil burns more will come. They will get in the stairs and come up here and we have no way to kill those Others or the wights. Is there more oil?"

Hodor shook his head. "Hodor."

"She's right, we must go," said Mikken. "To the inner wall. Up and across the Battlements Gate bridge."

They climbed up the stairs and came out on the upper part of the outer wall. It was now truly night and all was dark. They moved south along the wall and told what men they saw that the North and East Gates were breached on the outer wall. Mikken told the men to follow him and soon they reached the Battlements Gate near the Great Keep. It was a gate only in the inner wall, with a wooden bridge to connect it to the outer wall. They all passed through and then Mikken and Hodor grabbed a nearby barrel of oil, cracked it open and poured it over the wooden bridge. In the cold the oil moved slowly but soon a sizable part was soaked in oil. As they worked Arya saw wights coming along the outer wall from the direction of the East Gate. Mikken was about to light the bridge on fire but Arya grabbed his arm.

"Wait!"

"For what?"

"Them!" she said and she pointed with Needle towards the coming wights. Soon they were on the bridge and coming across and when the reached the midway point Arya knew it was time.

"NOW!" and Mikken lit the bridge on fire. The oil went up with a whoosh and wights caught fire and screamed and fell of the bridge in flaming streams of fire to the icy moat below. Then bridge soon collapsed in flames down to the ice below as well.

Hodor peered over the edge and looked down. "Hodor?"

"All gone," Arya said to him.

"Not all," Karl told her and Arya looked up and across at the wights now swarming over the outer wall.

"We need to get down to the inner East Gate," Mikken told them and they started to move, down stairs, along passageways, until finally they were at the lowest level. Mikken and his men and women ran back to the East Gate while Arya and Nymeria headed out through the courtyard towards the Hunter's Gate. She now knew Jon was right. The only way any wights and Others would get into Winterfell was by the gates. They had no ladders, no ropes and hooks like the ironmen had, no siege engines. All they had were numbers and the cold to help them. It might just be enough.

As she ran she heard someone scream her name. "Arya!"

It was Sansa coming from the barracks turned into the infirmary. "What's happening?" she asked in fear.

Arya did not want to panic her but knew she had to tell it true. "We are losing the outer wall," she said and even in the dim light she could see the fear on Sansa's face. Arya made a quick decision.

"Come with me," she said and she dragged Sansa with her to the nearby armory. Inside Arya soon found what she was looking for. She grabbed a couple of short swords, and handed them to Sansa. Then she found some spears and clutched two in her hands. They soon made their way to the infirmary. Inside the two Walder boys and Rickon were there, with Bran, sitting beside him on a bed. Summer and Shaggy Dog sat on the floor by Bran's bed.

"What are they doing here?" she asked Sansa.

"Mother wanted Bran and Rickon close to her."

Arya saw her mother was helping bandage a soldier's arm. Maester Aemon was nearby as well and so were many other women of the castle.

"Put on the sword," she told Sansa and as Sansa strapped the sword belt around her waist Arya saw Jeyne Poole and ran to her and thrust the other sword at her. "Put it on," she said and Jeyne looked at the sword with fear in her eyes. "I've taught you how to use it!" Arya almost screamed at her. "Now put it on!"

With trembling hands Jeyne took it. Arya realized she must have looked frightful with the wolf's head helmet on and her screaming did not help but she did not care. She saw the woman Val getting out of bed. "Little one, what is the news?"

"Bad. They've breached the outer East and North Gates," Arya said. She heard a gasp behind her and it was her mother.

"How bad is it?" Catelyn Stark asked her.

"You need to be ready to defend yourselves in here," Arya said and now she took off the helmet to talk to her mother. Val grabbed her own sword from the bed post and then she took one of the spears Arya had and steadied herself with it and hobbled to the doorway.

"I'll take that other spear," said a booming voice and the Greatjon staggered to her and almost crashed into Arya but steadied himself. His right arm was still in a sling and his eyes were feverish but he held out a strong left arm and Arya thrust the second spread into his hand.

"Lord Umber," her mother said. "Go back to bed."

"I will die on my feet, thank you very much Lady Catelyn," he said and he walked to where Val was by the door.

By now everyone saw what was going on and the two Walders and Rickon came up to her.

"We want to fight, too!" Rickon shouted.

"You'll do no such thing!" said Lady Stark in anger and fear.

"I'm not giving you any weapons," Arya told them. "But you can get torches and some oil. If the wights get in here you have to set them on fire. It's the only way to kill them."

The three little boys yelled in excitement and ran off to fetch the things they needed before Catelyn Stark could protest.

Now Arya's mother was looking at her intently. "Arya," she whispered as she bent close. "Will the castle fall?"

"No, Mother," she said quickly. "They cannot climb the walls. But the gates must be protected. I have to go."

Her mother almost had tears in her eyes as she kissed Arya on the forehead and hugged her for a brief second and then Arya put on her helmet and walked to the door.

Sansa was standing there with Val and Lord Umber, looking very scared. "You cannot kill them with those swords," Val was telling Sansa and Jeyne. "But cut off their arms and legs and they will be less of a danger. It will give others time to set them on fire."

Sansa nodded and sniffed. "Yes. I…will do my best." Jeyne was too scared to talk at all.

"For Winterfell," Arya told her sister. "For us."

Sansa smiled in a wan way. "For Winterfell. For us," she repeated and then Arya was out the door.

Nymeria was looking towards the kennels near the Hunter's Gate and Arya saw Ghost there and figured Jon must be nearby. She ran with Nymeria beside her and soon saw Jon and the ironmen and Royce and Ser Rodrik and Mance Rayder and Sam and many more men of the defense.

"What's happening?" she asked Jon.

"They have taken all the outer gates except this one. The East and North and South inner gates are holding for now. But the men here saw a large party of wights and Others coming through the Wolfswood to the Hunter's Gate."

As if to emphasize this Arya heard a booming sound on the other side of the heavy oak doors. "That would be the outer gate coming down," said Mance Rayder.

"They can't get in the inner gates can they?" Arya asked.

"Not yet," Ser Rodrik told her.

Jon looked to Arya. "Go to the other gates and make sure all is well then report back to me here."

Arya did not even reply. She and Nymeria ran past the kennels and past the infirmary under the walkway over the courtyard, past the armory and then down the narrow tunnel way towards the North Gate, and then past the godswood gate to the North Gate. She was out of breath as she talked to the men here and all seemed well. They said that the wights were not even in the moat and the broken outer gate seemed unoccupied

After a brief rest Arya and Nymeria started back the way they had come. As she was going past the godswood's gate she heard a creaking sound, as if the gate was opening. Arya shivered in the cold despite an open fire in a nearby iron brazier and she pulled Needle from its sheath. By her side Nymeria growled as a shadowy figure came out of the godswood gate.

"Who are you?" Arya asked but the figure did not speak, only came closer. Arya heard a tinkling sound, a familiar sound, one she had heard almost every day of her life. The figure moved closer and now she could see others behind it.

Arya felt her skin crawl and she shivered and it was not from the cold. The first figure came into the light from the nearby fire. Arya now knew what the tinkling sound was and she screamed.

"NO! You can't be one of them!" she shouted at Maester Luwin's animated corpse. "Go back! Go back to your grave! Please!"

But the wight that was Maester Luwin walked toward her, the maester's chain they had buried him with tinkling as the links rubbed against each other. He had a dagger in his right hand and as he reached Arya she screamed again, and Nymeria leaped at the wight maester and knocked it to the ground.

Arya's screams had brought men with torches from the North Gate. They fell on the wights behind Maester Luwin but there were too many of them. Men died and wights burned but more came from the godswood and they were overwhelmed. Nymeria had ripped the right arm off the corpse of Maester Luwin and had him by the other arm but now Arya willed her to let go and they ran back with only two men who had survived from the North Gate party. They ran back into the courtyard in front of the infirmary and Arya yelled as loud as she could.

"THEY'RE COMING THROUGH THE GODSWOOD!"

More people heard her and came running, people with torches and weapons in their hands and she saw Hot Pie and Gage and the other kitchen workers with cleavers and knives and torches in hand. The fight was bloody and people fell under the onslaught of wights as wights burned and screamed and died. Arya stabbed and stabbed but it was like sinking her sword Needle into a bag of sand for it did no good. She picked up a short sword from a fallen wight and that was better. She slashed at them, slicing an arm off of one. And then something hit her on the helmet from behind and it sounded as if all the world was filled with ringing bells and she fell to the ground. A wight screamed a hideous battle cry and stood over her with a raised spiked club and she looked up and knew that face, knew that blond hair and scraggly mustache. It was Maron and he was getting his revenge.

Then a spear thrust through his wight body and he was flung back. A pair of strong hands picked her up and there was Royce, helping her.

"Up you go, my lady," he said. "Come on now. More killing to do yet."

The men of the Hunter's Gate were there, and Codd and Pyke were yelling their ironman battle cries and Ser Rodrik was slugging it out with a big wight as well. Mance Rayder was there now too and so were Val and Lord Umber coming from the nearby infirmary. Jon most of all was in the thick of the fight, and Longclaw slew foes left and right, their bodies sizzling with fire as he struck home with his special sword. Sam fought as well and seemed to find courage somewhere as he slashed at the enemy with his sword. Nymeria and Ghost and Shaggy Dog and Summer were there and knew who their enemies were as they ripped off legs and arms and wights fell to be burned by those with torches.

The battle raged across the central courtyard, and people died, and wights died and then there was Maester Luwin's wight corpse in front of Arya again, coming at her with his one good arm holding a dagger.

"Please, no," Arya pleaded as she backed up to the infirmary door and then as she wept she slashed at the wight that was once her beloved teacher and took off its other arm.

"It can't be," said a voice full of fear beside her. Sansa stood there with a torch in one hand and her sword in the other with Jeyne beside her.

"Burn him!" Arya shouted and Sansa hesitated and then with tears in her eyes she thrust the torch into the wight maester and it screamed and burned and flopped to the ground and rolled in the snow as it burned.

And then Jeyne screamed and it was not from fear.

A wight had thrown a spear and Jeyne Poole was skewered thought her upper body with it. As blood spurted out her chest her eyes rolled back in her head and she fell to the snow without another sound as Sansa cried out her name.

But they had no time to mourn as more wights were coming from everywhere it seemed. And then came an Other on its horse and Jon yelled what Arya now knew.

"They've breached a gate somewhere!"

With that he slashed his way through the wights toward the Other with Lord Umber and Ser Rodrik at his side and that was the last Arya saw of them, for she and Sansa were pushed back to the door by the press of wights and they stood in the door of the infirmary as wights crowded towards them. And there were Maron and Jason in the front ranks and their blue eyes gleamed in the light of the nearby fires as they walked toward her. Arya slammed the door shut and pressed her body against it as Sansa flung a long piece of wood down into the iron notches on either side and barred the door.

Arya looked at the infirmary as the sounds of battle continued outside. Many wounded and dying were still in bed, oblivious of what was going on around them. The room was long and stoutly built and had heavily barred shutters for windows, now all closed tight. Everyone was staring at her and Sansa. Then came a pounding on the door and Arya and Sansa stepped back from it.

"Prepare yourselves," Arya said to the people in the room. Rickon and the Walder boys were already by the big hearth fire at the far end of the room, lighting torches. They carried them to Arya and her mother and Rickon gave one to Bran as well even though he was sitting on the bed.

Maester Aemon stood up from a bed he was sitting on. "I will die on my feet," he said. "Please give me a weapon."

"A torch would be better," Arya said and Rickon gave the aged maester a torch.

"Careful, it's hot," Rickon told him and for some reason that made Arya smile inside her wolf helmet.

"A little heat will warm these old bones," said the maester. "Young Arya, what is our plan?"

"Kill all our enemies," she said and she saw her mother smile, a smile mixed with fear.

"Yes, my daughter. Kill our enemies." She looked to Bran. "My lord, I must go and fight."

"Aye, mother," was all Bran said and Arya could hear the fear in his voice and then Catelyn Stark bent and kissed his brow and stood and walked to a place behind her girls. Roslin stifled a cry and stood as well, one hand on her belly as if defending her unborn baby, and she was given a torch and she stood by the beds of the wounded ready to defend them. Rickon and the Walder boys stood with torches nearby her. Little Walder had gotten a short sword from somewhere, no doubt from one of the wounded.

The pounding on the door grew and Arya and Sansa stood by it with torches and swords in hand. Syrio's words came flooding back to Arya in that moment. Fear cuts deeper than swords. Not today. Arya took a deep breath, calmed herself, and looked to her sister. "I love you."

Sansa gasped. "I love you, too."

And then the door broke and at the same moment Arya thought she heard a horn blowing. Then there was no time to think as Maron's blue eyed wight was the first through the door and Arya screamed her battle cry "WINTERFELL!" and her sister and brothers and mother and the rest joined her in her cry and they seemed to find strength in it. She slashed at his arm and cut off the rotting flesh in one swipe and his weapon fell to the floor. Jason was beside him and Sansa thrust her torch in his face and the wight screamed and fell to the floor on fire. The wight Maron grasped Arya's left leg with his good arm, but Catelyn Stark yelled at him and thrust her torch into his face and the wight screamed and let go of Arya.

Two more tried to enter and got more of the same and the bodies began to stench and smoke filled the air. As this was going on Arya was dimly aware of battle happening outside the door, and she saw a fleeting glimpse of Jon as he was fighting towards them. And then the wights were all down or run away and he was there, with Longclaw in hand and his face was full of battle madness and a joy that Arya could not understand.

"They're back!" he yelled and then he turned to rejoin the fight without explaining what he meant. Arya and Sansa leaped over the burning bodies and ran outside after him, oblivious to the shouts of their mother.

She saw many horses, men on horses, not Others, pounding their way up from the Hunter's Gate. She saw Stark banners, and Bolton banners, and Umber banners, and banners of many other northern families. She saw many wildling men on their shaggy ponies, fighting with the battle madness on them. And here she saw a madman in red with a flaming sword cutting down wights left and right. And there she saw a small man she had never seen before in her life on the back of a big snow bear, with wolves and a big shadow cat running at his side and an eagle flying overhead, and the beasts were tearing and clawing at the wights. Before Arya could get over the shock of this sight she saw a thin pale man with the flayed Bolton man on his surcoat and she knew he was Roose Bolton of the Dreadfort, her father's enemy, but now he was on their side and somehow he was here with many of his men.

And her heart leaped as she saw her father with his big sword Ice fighting with an Other, both on horseback, and Lord Eddard Stark somehow found the strength to hold the great sword one-handed and he parried a blow and sliced the head off the Other and it melted into nothing. And there was her big brother Robb with Grey Wind and Roslin's brother Olyvar beside him fighting and cutting and hacking their way through wights.

Now Arya's eyes looked and looked but she could not see him and then he was there, on the ground, swinging a big war hammer and crushing the skull of a tall wight before him. The wight fell and Arya ran up with her torch and stuck it in its body. And then she felt a sharp blow to her side and felt something scrape along her chain mail on the left side.

"ARYA!" Gendry screamed in fear as she fell to the ground and then he swung his war hammer and knocked down the wight that had tried to kill her. He leaped on its body and smashed its head into nothing with his hammer. Arya thrust her torch into this one's twitching body too and it caught fire.

And then the wights were running. The Others were all dead or gone already and somehow the wights knew to run and soon those not already defeated were gone. The defenders ran down as many as they could but many got away, mostly through the Hunter's Gate.

As the battle ended Lord Stark leaped off his horse and shouted orders. "Bar the gates! See to the wounded! Burn the dead!" And men moved to carry out his orders.

With tears in her eyes Arya watched as her mother came out of the infirmary and her father approached her. He dipped his head. "Sorry I am late, my lady," he said and Catelyn Stark burst into tears and hugged her husband tight. Roslin cried out when she saw her brother and Robb. She ran to them and hugged and kissed them and her husband kissed her again and held her close.

"Are you hurt?" Gendry asked Arya and he examined her side where the wight's sword had thrust into her.

"No," she said. "The chain mail saved me. As did your name day gift." And then she took off her helmet and leaped at him and he picked her up and they hugged and Arya cried and did not care who saw them. As he gently put her down her eyes cleared and she looked up at her tall strong blacksmith. His beard was black and thick and crusted with snow and his eyes were blue and clear and full of adoration for her. She smiled and he smiled back and Arya felt warm all over despite the freezing cold.

"Knew you'd come back," said a voice and there was Hot Pie, looking exhausted but unharmed. He and Gendry clapped each other on the shoulder and Gendry was really surprised to see him.

"What in blazes are you doing here?" Gendry asked.

"Long story," Hot Pie said with a knowing look to Arya. "But what about you lot? What happened?"

"It's a long story as well," Gendry said and in a few brief words he explained how they had gotten lost in the blizzard and how they spent a miserable night in tents that kept getting blown down. The next morning when they woke up the few giants that had been with them had disappeared, no doubt trying to go back to their homelands Sixskins had said. He was a warg who had the snow bear, Gendry explained to them when they asked. Then they came on a party of men led by Lord Bolton, who had gotten word of the fall of Castle Black and was making his way to the Kingsroad with almost one hundred men on horseback. After Lord Bolton and Lord Stark had words they joined together. But the way south was blocked by a large horde of wights and Others, so Arya's father had ordered them to circle to the west and come in through the forest to the Hunter's Gate. When they arrived the gate was down somehow so they just fought their way though the enemy and into the castle.

"There will be time enough for more stories later," Jon said from nearby as Gendry was talking. He looked at Arya. "Arya, how did they get in?"

"It…it was Maester Luwin," she said.

"What?" Jon said in disbelief. "He's dead."

"They turned his body into a wight," Arya explained and told him all that had happened. "He must have led them into the tunnel into the godswood."

"But they're wights," Gendry said. "How could a wight know where the tunnel was?"

"The first ones I killed at Castle Black remembered who Lord Commander Mormont was and where he slept," Jon told them. "We must bar the tunnel. Where is it?"

"I don't know," Arya said and neither did Hot Pie or Gendry.

"I do," said a voice and they turned and the big wildling woman Osha was there. "Come with me, Jon Snow. Blacksmith, get your tools and meet us in the godswood."

As Gendry made his way to the forge Jon shouted for some men to follow him and Osha and they were soon gone.

Then Arya's father was before her. "Little wolf," he said and as if in a dream Arya went to her father and he hugged her close. Soon they all went into the barracks infirmary where Bran was still in his bed.

"My lord," said Ned to his son Bran. "Well, done."

"I didn't do anything, Father," Bran said in his solemn way. "Jon and Ser Rodrik did it all."

"Arya and Sansa did their part as well," said Catelyn Stark with pride.

"And me, too!" Rickon yelled and his father ruffled his hair and grinned at him and at Arya and Sansa as well.

"You all did as I expected from those whose name is Stark." Then her father turned his usual grim way. "We cannot stay here," he said and that shattered all their joy at the attack being over.

Catelyn looked at her husband in surprise. "Ned? But…Winterfell is our home. And our food supplies, and…everything, everything for the winter is here."

"True, my love," he said. "But they are still out there. We have won a victory but they will come back in numbers. We must go south."

Robb shook his head. "Father, if we go south they can attack us in the open. Many will die in the cold and snow as well."

"And what about the food?" Catelyn asked.

Ned Stark nodded his head. "Aye. All you say is true. I must…I must think on this more. Come, we have much work to do. The dead and wounded must be seen to. And then we must prepare. Soon they will be back."

And so they went about gathering the dead and helping the wounded. Jeyne Poole was not the only familiar face they laid on funeral pyres of wood. Gage had died with an Other's sword through his fat belly, Karl the married apprentice smith had been killed as well, Codd the ironman had his head almost chopped off by a wight's axe blow, and many other men and women of the Winterfell guard and kitchens and other parts of the castle had died, as did many wildlings. Among the wounded was Mikken, wounded in the shoulder, Sam, who had taken a dagger thrust through his lower right arm, Val, who had another wound in her upper left arm, and Lord Umber, who was barely on his feet with two more wounds in his left arm and left leg.

But worst of all was Ser Rodrik. He had several wounds on his body and legs and as they carried him into the infirmary he gasped in pain. Maester William and Maester Aemon examined him and did all they could but the wounds were deep and Maester Aemon said he would not last the night. They gave him milk of the poppy and many people gathered near his bed. His daughter Beth sat by the bed weeping as Catelyn Stark sat with her with an arm wrapped around her shoulder. Lord Stark sat on the other side of the bed and held his old friend's hand.

"A victory?" Ser Rodrik gasped.

"Aye," said Ned Stark in a heavy voice. "You saved my family, old friend. I can never thank you enough."

"My…my duty," gasped the old knight.

Then one by one people came to say goodbye and when Robb saw him he almost burst into tears. "Thank you for teaching me to be a warrior," he said and Ser Rodrik only nodded, too weak to speak and as Robb turned away Arya saw tears in his eyes as Roslin led him from the infirmary.

Then Jon was there and Arya saw her mother stiffen and then Jon looked at her and she nodded once. Jon approached the bed and sat in a chair. "Ser Rodrik, the castle is secure, the enemy is fled and we are all safe," he said to him.

Ser Rodrik opened his eyes and looked at Jon. "You…you…are…a Stark," he said in a bare whisper and Arya saw the tears flow down Jon's cheeks and he stood and walked away rubbing his eyes furiously.

Arya followed him outside into the cold night air. "He's right. You are a Stark."

"Half Stark," Jon said in a heavy voice. "And half…half…I don't know."

That comment puzzled Arya. She had never really thought on who Jon's mother was. "Father never told you who your mother was?"

Jon looked at her for a long moment and a strange softness came over his features. "He said she looked like you," was all Jon said and then as Arya tried to figure this out he walked away from her to where the funeral pyres for those already dead were being lit. Jeyne had no family left and only Sansa stood nearby Jeyne's pyre as the flames were lit. As Sansa cried out in anguish, Arya and Jon came up to her and held her tight and she sobbed into Jon's strong shoulder.

Then Lord Stark was beside them. "He is gone," he said quietly and they knew who he meant. As Arya watched the flames of Jeyne's funeral pyre burn she wondered how many more such fires they would have to light before it was all over.