~Tyrion~

When they all set out the next morning, the air around them hangs with tension, at least between the three men. Sansa and Arya ignore their discomfort and fill the silence with stories and banter, catching each other up.

Arya tells all about her escape from the city and heading to the wall to find Jon. She explains how they were captured by Lannister men and taken to Harrenhal, where Arya was made Lord Tywin's cupbearer.

"He knew I was lying about being low born, but he never found out who I really was," Arya explains, and Tyrion has to fight back laughter.

He wishes he could see his father's face if he knew that Arya Stark had been right under his nose for months. Tyrion almost wants to shake the girl's hand, but decides to stay out of the conversation, not wanting to interrupt the sisters.

Continuing her tale, Arya tells them about the faceless man who helped her escape, and again Tyrion has to resist joining the conversation. He's read a great deal about faceless men and has a lot of questions.

Perhaps it will be even better having her live with us than I thought. She has had some extraordinary adventures. I wonder if she would tell them to me again, so I can record them? It would be an excellent book.

When Arya gets to the part about the Hound stealing her from the Brotherhood the little girl shoots him a glare, but there is no real heat behind it.

"Other then being a complete arse and a knobhead, travelling with him hasn't been so bad. At least he," Arya nods towards the Hound, "let's me keep my sword. The Brotherhood took all my weapons."

"Have you actually needed to use that thing?" Sansa asks.

"Yes."

"And it was useful? That little thing?" Bronn pipes up, shooting a look over his shoulder at Arya, checking her sword appraisingly.

"Well, since my father was murdered I've killed three men, and two of them with this little thing."

Sansa gasps.

"Who did you—" the question dies off, and Sansa holds tighter to Tyrion's waist.

"There was a boy in King's Landing who tried to stop me from escaping, a man who helped kill mother and Robb, and then back at that inn was the man who murdered my friend and stole my sword," Arya says, voice becoming cold. "I did what I had to."

The resentment in her voice is far stronger than it should be for any little girl, and Tyrion feels a pang of guilt in his chest, as he always does when he sees first hand the pain his family has caused.

Their trip goes silent, neither girl seeming to know what to say next.

Bronn keeps glancing at Arya and Tyrion can swear he sees respect in the man's eyes.

After a few more miles of silence, Sansa finally speaks up.

"I'm glad you did it. Whatever it took to get you to me, I'm just glad you're here."

~Arya~

When they first left the inn, Arya pointed out the extra horses explaining there was no one left alive to miss them, and Sansa could have her own. Instead, though, Sansa insisted on continuing to ride with the dwarf. She claimed she wasn't a very good rider, but Arya has seen her on a horse and knows Sansa is more than capable enough for the type of journey they are making.

She didn't say anything though.

Arya watches her Sansa closely, still wary of the Lannister despite her sisters claims that he is different from the rest.

Sansa doesn't seem like she is being coerced. She seems genuinely affectionate towards her new husband, clinging to him more than necessary, smiling and watching him when she thinks he isn't looking, and just the softness in her eyes when she looks at him.

I think she really does love him.

After figuring out Sansa was telling the truth about her feelings, Arya switches to watching Lord Tyrion. She needs to be sure he isn't mistreating Sansa. After all, Sansa did once fancy herself in love with Joffrey.

He seems rather reserved when they first set out. He doesn't say much, and he doesn't return Sansa's little caresses or glances when Arya is clearly watching.

Over the first few days, though, he gradually starts to relax. He starts to talk more, mainly about current politics, or news from King's Landing. Arya is particularly interested when he mentions the Targaryen girl across the narrow sea.

"She has real live dragons?" Arya asks one night as they sit around their campfire.

"Three of them," Tyrion answers. "They call her Mother of Dragons, among other things. Her title is getting ridiculously out of hand if you ask me."

"Where did she get them?"

Arya leans forward on the log she's sitting on, completely unable to fight her curiosity.

"She hatched them. When her husband the great Khal Drogo died Daenerys placed three dragon eggs on his funeral pyre and once it went up in flames she strode into it herself. The fire burned all night, and everyone feared she had killed herself in her grief, but that wasn't so. When dawn came Daenerys strode from the smoky ashes, three dragon hatchlings clinging to her. Their mother."

Arya's eyes are wide as saucers and she stares into the flames of the campfire, imagining seeing the mother of dragons stepping out towards her.

"That's amazing," she whispers. What is she doing now?"

"Building quite an army, I suppose. The general rumor is that she plans to one day retake the iron throne for the Targaryen name. For now she is contenting herself with ending slavery in Essos."

"She sounds wonderful. I hope she does come and take the throne," Arya sighs and then pauses, blushing and looks at Tyrion.

"As of now I am in agreement," he says with a smirk. "Anyone would be better than Joffrey. Just don't tell anyone I said that," he winks.

Arya catches herself smiling back and then quickly looks away.

Tyrion doesn't act as if anything is amiss, instead turning his attention back to Sansa.

Bronn and the Hound are busy gathering wood for the fire, glaring at each other as they come and go, each bringing back a pile bigger than the last the other collected. When Bronn comes back with a particularly big armful and trips, sending logs flying all over the place, the Hound snorts at him.

"I think that's enough fetching for tonight," Bronn sniffs.

The Hound grumbles something inaudible. Bronn rolls his eyes and pauses for a moment before pulling his flask out.

"Care for some wine?" he asks, and then tosses the flask to the Hound.

The hulking man catches it nimbly in one hand and nods a gruff thanks before downing the entire contents of the flask.

Arya rolls her eyes and shakes her head.

Men.

She pulls her sword from her belt and starts wiping it down, cleaning it with a piece of fabric ripped from her shirt. Every once in a while when she's sure they don't see her, Arya looks up to watch Tyrion and Sansa.

They keep touching each other. Just small little grazes here and there, but their eyes meeting and shining like they are sharing a silent conversation no one else is part of. Tyrion reaches up to tuck a red lock of hair behind Sansa's ear, his fingers trailing softly down her cheek as he pulls away.

Arya frowns.

When Sansa gets up to go spread out furs for her and Tyrion's camp bed, Tyrion stares after her. The look on his face and the softness in his eyes makes Arya feel guilty when Tyrion turns back and sees her watching. Like she was intruding on a private moment.

She looks down quickly.

He does love her, she realizes.

"Just… take care of her," Arya says after a moment, looking back up at him. "Treat her like she deserves."

"She deserves the best," he says.

"Yes, she does," Arya replies sternly. "Remember that, or I'll—"

"No need to finish that. I already know you've killed men twice my size."

Arya stares at him and after a moment he shoots her a smile. She tries to stay stern, but his grin is infectious and she finds herself returning it.

Sansa returns to find them both grinning and looks back and forth between the pair.

"What's so funny?" She asks.

"Nothing. Just coming to an understanding with your sister here," Tyrion says, grabbing Sansa's hand and pulling her to sit beside him.

"Is everything all right?" Sansa questions, worry in her voice.

"I think so," Arya says, and then nods. "Yes, I think everything is just fine."


Author's Note: Hope you are all hanging in there without getting a new episode this week! Hopefully this helps a little :) as always, reviews are always appreciated, and I just have to say thank you so much for all your kind words and support. Tuesday will be the one year anniversary of me starting this fic and I want to give a shout out to those who have toughed it out from the beginning, and to those who have joined us now because you are all awesome.

On a side note, we have some more beautiful artwork from the lovely essentialasair, based off of a scene in chapter 26. You can find it here, by removing the spaces and parenthesis, or find a link from my profile:

essentialasair. tumblr (.com) post/86468905186 /a-little-manip-i-made-at-the-weekend-which-was