Arya smells the snow, it is the different light, the frost on the trees, the sounds of Wolves, the cracking of thin Ice on the surfaces of brooks and pounds.
Jaime hates the cold, twice his life crossed the northern border and he left without honour first and a hand second.
When Arya sees the ruined inn near the old forge, meaning Winterfell is a day far, her impulse is to spur her filly until she's inside the walls like into her mother's embrace. Her past attempts in following Jaqen's and the Masters instructions are fading away the more she is closer home, she feels all her memories returning in slow wades.
Jaime forbids her to reach the outer walls, carefulness is needed, from the free folks they gathered voices Winterfell was in the wrong hands, then a harsh battle with uncertain results, plus Jaime adds to those info bits and pieces of another history, Boltons' possession, Sansa escaping from them, from Baelish, from the Lannisters too, when Jaime explained Arya her sister's marriage to his brother.
"We need to be sure your family or your lords rule there now."
Arya bents on her saddle toward home, he's right she hates to admit it, but Jamie is older, this time wiser,
His face shows deep lines, his beard has traces of white, but last night he has pleasured her thrice, using all his experience to lead her to new discoveries.
In bed and military strategy, she follows him.
"So what do you suggest?"
"We'll keep ourselves at close distance, observing Winterfell with attention from a safe spot."
There's a slope above the hot springs, it's a good point of wiew. The trees are thick and they froze in the night."
A group of soldiers are heard across a field, they dismount and hide inside, Arya cannot spot their banners; she's glad some people are alive ion the North and sad for the uncertain fate of her family.
Jaime tries to cheer her up telling stories about him and Tyrion when they were young, she listens half hearted, thinking about her own siblings; she would prefer silence but Jaime Lannister loves his own voice a lot, it's a way not to think he has developed durnign the years, when sad memories become too many.
"Did your brother love you unconditionally? Always?"
" I think so and I did awful things in my life, of which he was aware."
"I am afraid of their reactions if they knew..."
"Know what?"
Arya bites her lip, lifts her head to the sky and tells Jaime about her time as an acolyte into the house of black and white; the harsh training, Jaqen, the waif, her refusal to forget her true identity, the decision to leave.
"That's where I learned to kill."
He is surprised, open mouthed, an expression of incredulity but after her revelation Arya's skills, her ruthlessness, her killing ability become clear, logical.
He has laid with a trained assassin, someone who could slice his throat silently, stick a dagger into his heart without remorse.
All pieces melt, Arya's Vengeance, her courage, the strong disallowance of social rules; he should be repulsed by a female killer, a woman so opposite from Cersei, instead he is all the more attracted to her.
And the knot inside his stomach hurts, his guilt is getting bigger, she talked about her family and his role in the war between Starks and Lannsters forces Jaime to admit he cant continue with Arya if he isn't hones about what happened to bran stark.
His choice to follow Arya in her journey didn't foresee to get involved with her on a very personal level.
She can slap, hit, wound him and he will accept it as a right punishment, though he does hope she won't kill him. He starts, before changing his mind.
"I've got a confession to make."
"It's not necessary anymore."
Says a voice behind them.
Arya lifts her head, the voice is Familiar and foreign at the same time.
Bran appears on his wheelchair; a ghost, a vision, he holds a torch, he seems real.
The forest stills around them, Jaime lets out a strangled cry when he recognizes Lord Stark.
Bran lifts a pale bare hand, , Arya's joy is consuming, he's alive, one of her pack has survived.
"Don't come close, sister, tomorrow we'll meet properly."
His voice comes from another world, she is kept on her spot by a strong force emanating from her brother, she wants him to tell about the family, to explain the risks for Winterfell. .
"There is a plague, Bran. Robb and Mother, you called me. I saw deserted towns and... I was afraid for you."
"I know, Winterfell and the Starks are safe. We got our home back. We are closing borders, waiting only for you to return with Ser Jaime."
Bran looks gazes with Jaime; they are back in time, up on a tower, revisiting what had to happen no matter how much now Jaime Lannister is ashamed and regretful of his actions.
Bran's appearance so soon will mean to loose Arya, something Jaime cannot bear now, he fears to be found guilty and sent away, back to the disease, to his old and vain life, to his sister whose misfits he now acknowledges.
"I'm sorry, Lord Bran, I have to tell her. I've waited too long."
"I know and deep down she knows."
"What am I supposed to know?"
Arya turns and sees Jamie's expression; it's strange, they are safe now and he is tormented
Bran as the first person to meet in Winterfell is not what Jaime would have hoped or wished; the young man faces is calm and suave, there is no hate.
Jaime lowers his head, he don't want to meet her eyes, fearing repulsion, he takes a deep breath and exposes the truth.
"Bran's fall was not an accident, but my fault. He saw me and Cersei. Another of my sins."
She's speechless, hands on Needle as immediate reaction, she understands so many things just with his few words, but it's Bran who asks for her attention,
"It had to be like that, Arya, he suffered for long and hard. Obstacles and death on his path for a superior purpose. Welcome to our home, Ser Jamie, your penance was long enough. Winterfell needs to be protected."
Her rage slowly fades, Bran's soothing voice is a balm, but when her brother leaves with the promise of a new meeting in the morning, Arya needs to be away from Jaime, too, waking along old hunting paths her family used for decades.
An evening of confessions for both and the Arya who Jaime was sure would kill the responsible for Bran's fall is now unsure of what to do regarding the man who has saved her life and travelled for weeks with her. She returns when it is full dark and sits beside him against a tree, without a word; for Jaime, it is enough.
Bran has instructed Arya to enter the godswood with Jaime at sunrise.
It's her faith, her Gods, she wants to touch again the trunks with reverence, how different from the septs of his home land, wood against stone.
Arya tells him to touch with his good hand the tree, skin and bark are alive and warm after so many tragedies and deaths they have witnessed in recent times. It's a gesture of forgiveness, Jaime's heart beats freely again.
A figure appears from the bushes, a huge animal with grey fur and white menacing teeth; Jaime jumps back in fear.
The beast snarls then sniffs the air, suddenly lowering on its front paws and nuzzles the head on Arya's legs, who observes the wolf carefully.
"Nymeria, it's me! I'm back!" Arya kneels and hugs her beloved an
"She was waiting for you."
the thick fog around the hot springs opens and Bran is there, a girl with black hair pushes his wheelchair.
"Enter the water, me and Meera wil collect your clothes. Clean yourselves. Our house must remain safe, we'll be back with clean clothes when you are done."
It's another imperative request, Bran Stark won't be denied, he's a ruler now.
The vapours close behind Bran and Meera, Nymeria lies on her belly, Jamie waits for Area how to proceed, glad to be forgiven and forgotten.
"Did you hear him? Undress yourself. The springs have healing powers, we'll be purified."
She is soon naked and jumps into the hot water, Jaime follows with some hesitation, is really Bran gone or staring at them from somewhere into the woods? Nymeria walk to the other side.
Area reads his uneasiness.
"I don't think he is interested in your nakedness."
"He knows.. so many things."
"His wisdom is good for my family. Come here, unbraid my hair."
Jamie approaches Arya from behind and starts working on her scalp, pushing her head under the water, washing away mud and dirt.
She is relaxed, leaning against him, floating, while Jaime massages her shoulders, looking at her body barely under the water surface.
After a while she stands.
"My turn."
She works fast, she wants him to be at his best to meet her family, she's not leading a traitor or an enemy inside her house, but a man whose role in her life will be defined soon.
"Bran needs you for a reason."
"I will do what I promised your mother, keep you safe. Least it is a wow I've been able to kepp."
"There is your life in the South."
And your sister, she thinks, but she cannot be the first to raise that topic.
"My worry is Tommen, if I could help him…"
Jaime feels a detachment from his life in the capital, he doesn't know if he can settle somewhere else, but he's eager to try.
Arya get closer, he's kneeled to be even, her hands slide along his shoulders and upper Arms, disappearing under the water.
"What are you doing?"
"Helping you."
She has noticed he is reacting to her presence; shifting closer, he's hard.
They are nearby the castle, Jamie's first impulse is to stand up and leave the springs, it's her home, he's a stranger, but her eyes are staring into his and her touch is gentle and firm at the same, so his lips find hers and the hot water simply fuel their passion.
It is fast and frantic, the feeling to be safe, home, Arya's legs around his waist and her back against the edge of the pool.
A lone wolf howls to the sky when Arya comes and Jamie peaks inside her, then he leans his forehead on hers and closes his eyes while Arya's hand draws patters on his back, a gesture of endearment she never did before.
Back from their high, they return aware of the surrounding, of the contrast between hot water and chilly air, their connection slips and Jaime curses; area has a questioning look but before she can ask Bran is back, Meera holds a steaming cup she offers Arya, visibly naked into the water.
"Drink it now." Bran suggests. "It is not time yet for a child together, you two have a long way to go."
Area's cheeks redden, not for the hot water.
"I'm sorry, I was so caught up, I forgot…."
Jaime tries to explain and Bran waves a hand, dismissing his words.
"You did good laying together. It's just too early. Wear your new clothes and follow me, the family is ready." Meera offers clean tunics and breeches - soft and warm after a long time on the road – and comfortably boots.
Area touches Jamie's elbow to hurry him up, his face is confused when he stares at Arya' s calm one. To be discovered by Bran Stark making love to a woman for the second time is not something Jaime is proud of; this time he swears not to harm the young Stark again.
"He knows about us!"
"He's not a greenseer for nothing!"
"What did you drink?"
"Moon tea. He knows your seed is strong."
Jaime blushes and Arya makes a face; silly men, silly egos.
They make a strange procession, Bran and Meerra first, Nymeria beside Arya, Jaime last, confused and unsure of being entitled to follow; Bran explains he is sure Gendry is alive and the Lannisters in King Landign too; Arya believes his brother, Jaime wants to believe him.
There's an excitement in Arya she can't control when she enters the main yard and spots Sansa on the stairs, coming down, Rickon behind her, threatening to fall for the rush.
"You are alive!"
Sansa cries, they hug Arya together, Sansa's pale and thin, Rickon is grown up, both a head taller then her.
Arya scans around, everything is like she left, but she feels different now in a way she cannot explain.
Sans'a face changes, her lips are tied, she's noticed Jaime and the way Nymeria is quiet beside him.
"You brought him here!"
"He is needed Sansa." Bran explains. The lady of Winterfell isn't happy, but her respect for Bran's wisdom quiets Sansa for the time being.
Bran leads immediately Arya and Jamie to maester Tumon, the young nephew of the old trusted Tully's maester; his dedication is strong, like his huge chain, the room is full of jars, small lamps and ampoules, many open books on tables and shelves.
"I have prepared remedies, exchanged ravens with the citadel and I believe the cold can kill the disease. So we are lucky here."
Arya's curious, she wants to learn more.
"Where I trained there was a woman who prepared poisons. She said the concentration of a substance can change a medicine into a poison."
The maester nods, asking Arya if she had learned well how to prepare them.
"I learned both to prepare and to use."
Jaime's surprised face is not lost on the maester.
"I asked Lord Bran for your help, lady Arya, to make a remedy. He says that you are clever and skilled and i need also yours, Ser Jaime, in a different way."
Jaime nods, whatever to stop the disease killing innocent people, to help Arya and her family.
"Some of your blood, Ser, you are a strong man and the loss will be lesser on you."
Jamie bows his head, Arya looks at him with satisfaction for having bring him there.