Disclaimer: I do not own A Song of Ice and Fire or Game of Thrones. Everything here belongs to George R.R Martin.

Chapter XXX - Escape from Harrenhal

Alyssa POV

Alyssa Stark was eating the bread which Hot Pie baked. She had to admit that Hot Pie has more skills in cooking than any of the cooks in King's Landing and Winterfell. She sat on the fence with her father as they watched Gendry making weapons and Hot Pie talking about the ingredients of the bread and what the secrets are. Her father didn't look happy at the thought of Gendry making weapons for Lannisters.

Alyssa spotted Arya who was talking with the Lannister guards, what they're saying was inaudible, but suddenly Arya came to them, looking panicking and said, "Where is Jaqen?"

"Who?" Ned asked, and Alyssa remembered her father doesn't know Jaqen.

"Arya, you're still talking with him?" Alyssa asked horrified.

"Who's Jaqen?" Ned asked confused.

"The man in the cage." Alyssa told her father who's eyes widened.

"Arya..." Ned said horrified.

"I need him." Arya said panicking.

"You need him?" Gendry asked bewildered.

"Lord Tywin is marching tonight." Arya said looking down. Alyssa's eyes widened at that, knowing that Tywin would probably be marching against Robb, their brother. "He's helping me."

"Arya, I don't want you to talk with that man-" Ned began.

"I need him, he's helping me." Arya said worriedly.

"I saw him." Hot Pie said munching his bread.

"Where?" Arya demanded and Hot Pie shrugged. Annoyed, Arya advanced towards Hot Pie and grabbed Hot Pie by his ears.

"Ow." Hot Pie winced.

"Where?" Arya asked panicking. "Where?"

"They are going out of the gates few hours ago." Hot Pie answered fearfully. "On patrol, just let go of my ears."

Alyssa watched as Arya looked panicking and Ned who sighed in relief seeing Tywin Lannister mounting on his horse and going out, which means his identity is safe now. However, Arya looked worried and began to walk away and Ned yelled, "Arya come back."

"What do you need him anyway?" Alyssa asked, but Arya ignored them. Alyssa ran to chase after Arya, only to be knocked down by one of the Lannister guards.

oOoOo

Arya POV

Arya was carrying a bucket of water, she knew that she had to find Jaqen H'ghar immediately after his patrol. She was too depressed, thinking Jaqen had already left, and was so depressed that she accidentally knocked onto a Lannister guard. Based on his armour, he must be a very high ranking officer at the Lannister Army.

"Mind where you're going." The Lannister guard spat, smacking Arya's head. Arya gasped as she dropped the bucket of water and knelt down to pick it up. She noticed a Lannister guard suddenly walking towards her.

"I'm sorry." Arya said looking up. "I'll-" She paused, recognizing Jaqen H'ghar who was smiling at her. She stood up furiously and demanded, "Where were you?"

"A man has to patrol duty." Jaqen said as if it was the most obvious thing to say.

"Tywin Lannister was right here and now he is gone." Arya argued.

"A girl owes one more name." Jaqen said. "The Red God demands it. Give the man a name."

Arya thought deeply and then asked curiously, "How long after I give you the name does it take to kill someone?"

Jaqen shrugged and smirked, "A minute. An hour. A month." Jaqen walked towards the wall and placed his helmet down. "They have a certain." He sat down. "The time is not."

"He's taking his army to attack my brother." Arya said worried. "I need him dead right now."

"This is a thing a man cannot do." Jaqen said calmly drinking from his cup.

"You promise you'll help me." Arya said furiously.

"That wasn't a promise lovely girl. Only death." Jaqen smirked. "There must be others. Give a name. Any name."

"And you'll kill them?" Arya asked, thinking deeply. She looked into Jaqen's eyes and asked, "Anybody."

"I swear it." Jaqen promised.

Arya smirked and said, "Alright." She walked forwards and leant down and whispered, "Jaqen H'ghar."

Jaqen looked up solemnly and said, "A girl gives a man his own name."

"That's right." Arya shrugged.

"Gods are not mocked." Jaqen rebuked sternly. "This is no joking thing."

"I'm not joking." Arya argued. "A man can go kill himself."

"Unname me." Jaqen growled.

"No."

"Please?" Jaqen growled again.

Arya thought deeply and crossed her arms and said, "I'll unname you."

"Thank you."

"If you help me and my family and my friends to escape." Arya said.

Jaqen gave a smirk and said, "This isn't part of our bargain."

"Fine." Arya said quickly. "Jaqen H'ghar."

"A girl likes honor." Jaqen noted. Arya just looked at him without saying anything. Jaqen sighed and stood up and said, "If I do this thing, a girl must obey."

"A girl will obey." Arya said furiously.

Jaqen nodded and said, "A girl and her friends will walk through the gates at midnight." Jaqen gave her a look and Arya smirked.

oOoOo

The news came to a surprise to them, as Arya has found a way to help them to escape, with the assistance of Jaqen H'ghar. Their father was worried but both Arya and Alyssa managed to persuade him. Whatever doubts Alyssa had of Jaqen H'ghar had immediately vanished when Arya said that he could help them escape. It was midnight and their fahter was holding a torch.

"Sour cherries are all crushed up and ready." Hot Pie said nervously.

"Shut up." Gendry said.

"Probably in the pie crust by now, in the oven, a nice arm oven." Hot Pie said.

"Shut up." Arya argued rolling her eyes..

"What did you bring?" Alyssa asked.

"Cheese could be better, it gives them nice sausages." Hot Pie said.

"What are we supposed to do about those guards?" Ned whispered.

"He didn't say." Arya said. "He just say walk through the gates."

"What about the guards?" Gendry asked.

"Arya said he didn't say anything." Alyssa said.

"Did you left them out?" Ned asked.

"We have to trust him." Arya argued.

"Trust him?" Ned whispered. "You trusted him to fight with us and you set him free and he ran."

"I want to go back to the kitchens-" Hot Pie complained.

"Shut up." Alyssa said to him. "Stay here if you're afraid, but the rest of us are leaving."

Alyssa stood up and began to move, Ned yelled, "Alyssa, don't."

Alyssa ignored him and Arya quickly followed her and Ned stood up walking and then Gendry and Hot Pie, they managed to walk pass the gates of Harrenhal, without anyone seeing them. After they got out of Harrenhal, they all sighed in relief and Ned said, "We will take shelter and Arya, Alyssa, don't ever do that again. You could've scared me."

"I know father, but it was necessary." Alyssa said.

oOoOo

The next day, they continued to walk in the Riverlands. Hot Pie and Ned were carrying supplies for them. Suddenly, they looked up seeing Jaqen H'ghar wearing Lannister armour, standing on a small cliff. Ned said, "Arya don't."

"It's alright father." Arya said as she went up the small hill and asked Jaqen H'ghar, "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you." Jaqen H'ghar said.

"How do you know we come this way?" Arya asked.

"After all the things you seen, this is your question?" Jaqen asked.

"How did you kill those guards?" Arya wondered out loud. "Was it hard?"

"No harder than taking your name." Jaqen said and lowered his voice into a whisper. "If you know the name."

"Show me how." Arya pleaded. "I want to be able to do it too. I want to protect my family."

"If you will learn, you must come with me." Jaqen said. Arya looked at her father and sister, Gendry and Hot Pie who were waiting for her and then asked, "Where?"

"Far away, across the Narrow Sea, to the city of Braavos." Jaqen said.

"My dancing master is in Braavos." Arya said awed remembering Syrio.

Jaqen smiled and said, "Your dancing master is a special thing, but to be a Faceless man. That is something else entirely. A girl has many names on her lips. Joffrey, Cersei, Tywin, Illyn Payne, the Hound, the Mountain, names offered to the Red God."

Arya gave a step back shocked but Jaqen continued and said, "She could offer them all."

The offer was tempting but Arya said, "I want too, but I can't. I have to help my family first. Alyssa, my father and I have to find my mother and brother and then we have to rescue Sansa."

"Then we must part." Jaqen sighed but he went to his belt and took out a silver coin. "A man has duties as well. Here." Jaqen said holding out the silver coin.

"What is it?" Arya asked.

"A coin of great value."

Arya took the coin and looked at it closely and said, "Could it buy a horse?"

"It is not meant for buying of horses."

"Then what good is it?"

"If the day comes, when you must find me again. Just give this coin from any man from Braavos and say this words to them. Valar Morghulis." Jaqen said.

"Valar Morghulis." Arya repeated. Jaqen began to leave but Arya said, "Please don't go Jaqen."

Jaqen turned around and said, "Jaqen is dead. Say it again. Valar Morghulis."

"Valar Morghulis." Arya repeated.

"Good." Jaqen praised. He turned around and turned back, his face changed. Arya watched eyes widened in shock and the man said in the same voice, "Farewell, Arya Stark."

Arya watched as the man left and went to Alyssa, her father, Gendry and Hot Pie, asking her questions, but she avoided them.