Catelyn
She glared daggers at the guard as he dragged her into the dining room. They could give her as many nice clothes and fancy dinners as they pleased, it wouldn't make her not their prisoner. But after three days under lock and key in the bedchamber, she was glad she was getting out, because she might get a chance to see Arya.
Alas, when she sat at the table, it was only Lord Tywin. His neck was still bandaged where Arya's blade had cut into it. She only wished it had gone deeper. Arya had been right, this man would be a plague upon their family as long as he continued to draw breath. But he didn't know what she knew. What the future had held for him, what it may yet. That he was to die by the hand of his own son.
"Where is my daughter?" she said immediately.
He did not reply, instead saying only, "Would you like some fresh baked bread?"
"I would like to see my daughter."
"And I would like that as well. In fact, I would like nothing more than for your family to be reunited."
She let out a bitter laugh. "Do you think me so stupid?"
"On the contrary. I think you're quite a clever woman. Which is why I cannot, for the life of me, understand why you would allow your eleven-year-old daughter to go through with an assassination attempt."
She didn't have an argument; she should never have let her go through with it at all, had let the weight of Arya's knowledge of the future blind her to logic. Of course it would never have worked, no matter how many skills Arya had gained during the years she had lived. She had wanted so desperately to make her daughter happy that she had forgotten her better judgement. But she would never make that mistake again. She looked coolly into Lord Tywin's eyes, saying nothing.
"Very well. You don't want to tell me. Well, you need not fear, all my troops have been withdrawn from the North and your precious castle is safe."
"You were never going to take it. You always wanted to lure me here. So what is it you're after?"
"I want the same thing as you, Lady Stark. Peace and happiness for my family."
"It's not my fault your children lost you that chance, nor is it my husband's."
"No, maybe not. But you can give that chance back to my grandchildren."
"King Robert will never pardon your children, nor will he legitimize your grandchildren. Not even for Ned." She knew she spoke the truth; the king was a proud man, and an arrogant one. He wouldn't give that up on her or Arya's behalf.
"I know," said Lord Tywin. "Joffrey and Tommen will be bastards forever, thanks to your husband's actions. But Myrcella? She may be a bastard, but she can still gain a family name."
Catelyn took his meaning, and nodded slightly. "Through marriage. You want to marry her to someone powerful."
"Or someone who will one day be."
She understood now, understood the game he was playing. "You wish me to promise you my son."
"And if you do, no harm will come to your daughter."
The threat struck fear through her, but she kept her voice measured and cool. "So, if I agree to this, to having Robb marry Myrcella, you will leave my family alone? No harm will come to me, my husband or my children?"
"You have my word."
"And I'm to trust the word of Tywin Lannister?"
"Tell me, Lady Stark, do you really have a choice?"
She glared at him, but he was right. This was the only course of action she could take that would save Arya from his wrath. "Fine. Then you have my word. Robb will marry Myrcella."
He smiled, and the sight was horrifying. "Wonderful. I'll tell her the good news."
Arya
When the guards came down to her cell again, they had no food. She frowned. What did they want with her this time? To her great surprise, they entered the cell and unlocked the chains around her wrists. She stood hesitantly and followed them down a long hallway and up some stairs, and felt tears spring to her eyes when she saw her mother waiting for her. "Mother!" She ran into her arms, the fear of the last few days fading into relief. She had thought her actions might have gotten her mother killed.
"Arya. Are you alright?"
She nodded. "What happened?"
"What happened is, we're leaving."
How were they being allowed to leave? Something about that didn't sit right with Arya. What deal had her mother come to with Lord Tywin? She didn't say anything as they walked out of the castle and mounted their horses. She didn't properly breathe until they were riding off. Finally she said, "Where's Nymeria?"
Her mother shook her head. "We don't know. She ran off. The guards tried to take her down, but she took three of them down on the way out."
Arya was glad her wolf had lived, but she wished she hadn't had to go. "What happened, Mother?"
"I gave Lord Tywin what he wanted."
"Which was?"
"An advantageous marriage for his granddaughter."
Fear struck through Arya like nothing quite had before. "You promised him Robb would marry her."
"Yes."
"Mother, you have to make sure he goes through with it."
"I'm sure he will. Your brother is as honorable as your father."
"I wouldn't be quite so sure."
"Arya!"
"Mother-" She stopped herself. She couldn't. She didn't dare.
"What is it?" Her mother stopped her horse when she saw the look on Arya's face.
"It's just... you made a marriage deal for Robb the last time. And he broke it." She tried to keep her expression neutral, but even she could tell she was failing.
"That doesn't sound like him."
"He fell in love with somebody else, and he married her. And... and it didn't end well."
"What happened, Arya?"
She shook her head, memories of the night flooding into it.
"Arya, tell me!"
"I can't, I can't, it's-"
"It's what?" Her voice was harsh, perhaps as full of fear as Arya was.
"Horrible," Arya said softly. "Just... just horrible."
"There's nothing you can't tell me."
"Well, the deal was with Walder Frey," Arya said, resigned. "And when Robb broke it, he said he would forgive all if Uncle Edmure married his daughter instead."
Her mother looked disgusted. "I'm sure Edmure was thrilled."
"You had to convince him to go along with it. But he did. And you all went to the Twins for the wedding." She took a shaky breath. "And then during the wedding reception they slaughtered everyone present. Including Robb. And you."
The look on her mother's face was almost as bad as the actual event. She wished she hadn't said anything.
"You didn't say Robb was dead in your time."
"I didn't want to. It was awful, Mother. They called it the Red Wedding, they killed most of the Northern army. And Uncle Edmure spent the next few years in a dungeon and Walder Frey became Lord of Riverrun. And Roose Bolton got named Warden of the North. He was the one who-who killed Robb. They killed his wife, too. And their-and their unborn child."
There was silence. Her mother seemed at a loss for words.
"And I was there," Arya said. "I heard it happening. But I couldn't do anything to help."
"You were there?" Her voice was quiet, and full of regret. "Oh Arya..."
"I got my revenge," she said. "I killed House Frey. All of them."
"I can't believe even Walder Frey would do such a thing."
"It wasn't his idea," said Arya. "Tywin Lannister arranged it."
Her mother looked back at Casterly Rock with a fury in her eyes Arya had never seen before. "He really is an evil man."
"Yes. So Robb had better go through with that marriage."
Her mother nodded.
Sansa
She watched all the preparations for the wedding with feigned interest. Once upon a time she would have been awed by the splendor of such pretty things, but now she couldn't think of anything that mattered less. She could think only of her mother and sister, and the danger they were surely in.
"Are you excited for the wedding?" asked Littlefinger's voice behind her, and she shuddered.
"Yes. It promises to be such an exciting event." She tried her best to appear the innocent young girl; she wasn't going to fall into his trap again, and the more ridiculous and frivolous he saw her as, the more likely he was to leave her alone. But she also needed him to underestimate her, in case he did try to use her in some way. She needed to be able to turn it around on him.
"Indeed. Will the rest of your family be attending?"
"Probably just myself and my father," she replied, knowing that wasn't the answer he was looking for. "Robb is needed at Winterfell, and Rickon's too young to travel so far, and Bran and Arya will probably stay with my mother at Riverrun." And Jon was at the Wall, of course, but he wouldn't be welcome at court anyway. If they only knew who he really was... of course, King Robert would have him executed if he had any idea.
"Of course," said Littlefinger. "Well, give my regards to your mother, will you?"
She felt sick to her stomach, but smiled politely and said, "I will."
She stared at him as he walked away. He was plotting something, now that she had foiled his original plan. She knew he was. And she had to make sure he didn't succeed at it. He was the most dangerous piece on the board, always had been. Well, the most dangerous piece on the board except for her.