Scene 1: A Frosted Porch
Arya
A sharp breeze blew across the tall spires of Winterfell, winding and twisting down to a low bustle in the still early dawn under a cloudy morning. Arya stepped through the main courtyard, hearing little as her path led her through the outer keeps, and soon the click and clank of swords came from around the corner towards the inner porch. She turned left then, moving the other way as she made her way past the narrow walled embrasure and the gate where a turn showed her the inner clearing, frozen scenery mired in a misty blue fog. She was observing the two combatants, the taller, more menacing woman with her long bastard sword swinging in measured lungs and swipes around the youth.
Arya saw the man flung himself at her with abandon, a fourth swing after which he had gotten too close, unfortunately, the hilt finding his gut as the fair-haired woman looked exasperated, more confounded with her Paige than actually tired or angry, "And don't-"
"don't fight someone like her in the first place," she spoke, cutting the tall woman's words as she turned around and stood at the mouth of the raised gates, the boy rose and was surprised to find someone watching them train.
Arya stepped a few paces before the pair, Brienne's eyes locked on her armaments strapped to her belt. The Needle first for her consideration, "Nice sword" she said, frowning and then her eyes resting on the valyrian dagger she had gotten from the Frey, "Very nice dagger."
Arya smiled slowly, coming close as she released the shorter of the two blades, flipping it around her palm a few times and then handing it over to her hilt side first. Above the wooden tracts that ran along the stone walls, she heard Sansa step along, the trickster surely behind her, like a clingy shadow that didn't fear the light.
Once she had taken back the dagger and sheathed it back she folded her arms behind her back, having to look up a bit to speak to the armed woman even though they stood a few feet apart, "It's been a while since I've trained."
"I can call the master of arms for you, my lady." She started, Arya only watching closely with a smile as she went on after.
"He didn't beat the hound," she smiled, a knowing look in those pale, blue eyes confirmed to her that she truly had, a smile and a downward flush from her, revealing more of her gentler side, "you did, I want to train with you." Arya looked on, remembering things then as she spoke on, "You swore to serve both my mother's daughters, didn't you?"
The tall woman looked aside, considering for a second as she nodded, at last, turning to her apprentice, "Move aside, Podrick." The boy nodding hurriedly and turned, walking over to take a seat by the stumps.
She saw Brienne twist the long sword in her arm with ease, getting ready as Arya revealed Needle out her narrow scabbard. The woman before her frowned, "You can't use that my lady, it's too small." She said, meeting her dark eyes.
She smiled mysteriously, "I won't cut you, don't worry." Flaring the blade around her hand like a ribbon fused to her left hand, the blade now to her back, poking from behind her.
"I'll try not to." Arya did not respond, getting ready and becoming stone. A second of stillness and then they both rushed.
The first clanks were handled deftly, two points of contact and strafe rightwards and she instantly found her wide open. Grinning up at the combatant's face as Arya stalked to her left, her other hand behind her back, circling the tall woman like prey. Once the blade was down Brienne paused, then rose. Twisting the long blade coming around her as Arya ducked, actions coming quickly now as she regained ground and turned to look.
The blade moved with tall women's movement, twisting and falling from above as well. Dodging and turning, Arya found her opening, a clear section to her left that was left exposed for a second, a second step and tap, a second-round won. The woman breathed evenly still, coming a few steps closer and attacking at once. She lunged, coming fast ahead with her raised blade, turning and ducking as Arya swiped but her blade found no purchase over the great range the bastard sword possessed. Moving fast and right she closed ground quickly, pathing close as she approached, eyes set on that gray armor as something jerked her back at once. The blond woman had turned with her leg, a boot-full straight to her chest that threw her off half a dozen feet.
She felt dazed; somehow the woman had been fast enough. Seeing the mild clouds meld and pull apart before her eyes. Recovering she straightened, twisting and jumping up, the blade coming behind her like a hunched fang. Arya smiled, it seemed she didn't have to hold back against Brienne anymore. The blows came faster and more ruthless now. The woman came in full swings now, Needle couldn't parry through most of her blows, so her body had to shift and sway around the fast-moving steel. But the she-Knight was better with her sword than Arya was with her Needle just then, the blade falling off her hands off the long hilt slapping her arm. The blade dropping and the battle pausing for a moment.
Arya felt a rush through her, smiling softly as she reached for the dagger to her left, the woman was already lunging her blade by then, dodging she drew it out. The woman's long arm reaching for her narrow one at once, the dagger bouncing from her right hand that had been grabbed to her left. The woman looked up, she did as well, the long sword coming up before her eyes and the blue-eyed woman with the dagger to her neck behind it.
They both receded a moment later, regaining composure as her sworn protector went on, "Who taught you how to do that?" She asked inquisitively.
Arya smiled mysteriously again, arms behind her as she softly spoke, "No one." She saw the woman smile back, walking past her as she saw movement above her out the corner of her eye. Reaching for Needle as she saw the trickster look down on her, the dark robes and cloak coming around his graying hair cut short. A light smile and bow for the Lady as he walked away, towards where Sansa went, her clingy shadow desperate to find its host.