Deanarys stormborn of house Targaryen woke up with the sun. She was glad to sit on her throne after all the fighting even if the peace cost her the North.

Arya Stark left the room and all eyes were on the queen. "Well that was quite the show, I don't think I ever saw you like this Varys" Tyrion broke the silence with an awkward laugh.

"My sister means no disrespect, your grace, she simply defends her home in her own way" Lord Snow's apology was hasted. So he didn't plan this with her.

"Your sister claims you no longer hold the power in the North, is that correct?" Jon visibly twitched at her statement. His hands fumbling around nervously, this man is not cut out to lead anything outside of an army.

"She also stated her willingness to end my life, and declared the North free which is an act of open rebellion"

"Your grace, perhaps it is best to leave the North to itself" Tyrion voiced his thoughts. "The Northmen are different they follow the old ways, am I right lord Snow?" Jon nodded. "They are grateful for your help, you have the chance to be the first southern ruler to have the North aid without forcing them to submit".

The room looked to the Lannister "if I may, your grace, from what I have seen and heard of the North, they will support you even more fiercely given their independence" Ser Davos stepped towards the desk hand on the hilt of his sword.

Tyrion took his wine goblet and smiled "the Starks are very much like the direwolf on their sigil. Fierce, proud and strong to gain their loyalty is no easy feat even for Robert Baratheon. You have already gained it by fighting for them in the Night battle, to insist on submission now might spark the northern rebellion again". Looking around the room Deanarys saw everyone raised in Westeros agreed with him.

"Very well, send a raven to Winterfell, I shall discuss this matter with lady Sansa" Jon Snow released a breath. "We are done for today" Deanarys ended the meeting and walked away to visit her children, replaying the Stark woman's words in her head.

Arya Stark, the Lone wolf, the Nightslayer. she is a dangerous enemy to have. She knows what happened at the Red wedding and the retaliation that followed Tyrion told her all about before her first journey North. She will be a powerful ally, I must try harder to gain her trust.

That took place three weeks ago. The negotiations with the North were going well so far, Sansa was reasonable and fair, it was refreshing after dealing with the southern lords. Yet despite her efforts she was no closer to gaining Arya as an ally, since the meeting and practically since the battle Arya Stark hasn't left her balcony. She wouldn't eat or drink without someone there to remind her Deanarys didn't now if she even slept after the battle.

Deanarys walked out to the main courtyard her personal guard following her closely. A few feet away from the gate she noticed the silver gray direwolf, Nymeria. the wolf has not left the woman so seeing her out in the courtyard was strange Arya must be near the Stark woman emerged from the shadows of the keep walking to the wolf leading a gray mare.

As she prepared to mount Jon Snow came to her. From this distance Deanarys couldn't hear their exchange, she did see Jon hugging her.

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"Be safe okay?" She didn't reply. Jon still lived in her old world the one that died with her father instead forced a smile. Jon couldn't tell and he never will. Over his shoulder Arya noticed the queen and her guards approaching, great.

She hoped to avoid unnecessary theatricals about her departure. Luckily it was just the queen. She ignored her and checked her saddle bags again.

"I was not aware that you were leaving lady Stark" Arya glanced back at the queen. Leaving the saddle alone she turned around to face her. "Should you not inform the queen of such decisions?"

"I hoped to avoid the theatrics" her reply was short and to the point yet the queen still looked at her strangely. "Wolves don't belong in the south and neither do I".

The sky brightened and more people started their day. In an effort to avoid the bulk of people Arya mounted her horse and Nymeria rose to her paws. "Farewell Jon, your grace" with that she pushed the mare forward not letting them react as she moved away.

Making her way through the city she was glad to have Nymeria with her, men as fearless as they may be cleared the way for her. Unfortunately thanks to the wolf she was recognized as Arya, the news of Cersei's death by her hand spread like wildfire in the city.

Trying her best to ignore the loud noise she kept her gaze forward. Taking some level of comfort in knowing she would be in the wilderness soon away from people and the noise they make.

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It happened the first week after she left King' Landing. Arya was sitting in her temporary camp when Nymeria dropped a wounded rabbit in her lap.

The creature was dying and in pain. She looked to the wolf eat "I'm not hungry" she frowned at the wolf. Eat Nymeria used her muzzle to move her hand to the dagger on her belt.

"Fine, if it will please you" she shot back at her then took the dagger and sliced the rabbit's throat killing it quickly.

At that moment, the moment of the kill, a wave of warmth washed over her. She hadn't felt this warm since the night before she killed the Night king. The ice and frost that blocked her emotions from her melted, she felt a hundred different things at once. The joy of the kill, remorse for a life taken, sorrow for all she has lost, hope in the face of a free North, disgust of all the things she has done, hate of her enemies despite their deaths, satisfaction of completing her list, but almost drowning out everything she felt the love she had for her family.

The one that drove her to survive all those years, the one that stopped her from embracing No One completely.

Then the rabbit died and the ice took hold once more colder then before. She felt a slight pressure in her eyes and it was gone. She cleaned the blade silently as Nymeria watched over her clearly concerned and sensing the change in her.

She ate the rabbit without making a sound, after she finished she went to the nearby stream to fill her water skin and glanced at her reflection in the lazy stream.

In the center of her gray eyes around her pupils was a ring of ice blue. She noticed the rings after the battle, back then they nearly invisible you could only see them if you looked for them.

After the battle in King' Landing she checked again and saw they were visible even at a quick glance. Now the thin rings of cold blue were bigger covering about a fifth of her eyes, a stark contrast to the stormy gray.

What was that? That wave, it came when I killed that rabbit. Why is it colder now?

She slept that night, her dreams a mixture of snow and ice, a warm fire taunting her at a distance and the howling of wolves on the hunt.

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