Sansa

"Tell me, my lady," Jory said as they made camp for the night. "Where did you learn your political prowess from? Your lord father hates all the games of the capital, but you seem to do well there."

She felt a sense of pride rush through her. "I've learned from watching." It wasn't really a lie. She'd seen much more than she let on, but the base of it was true. "I see how people lie and manipulate each other. I've seen how the truth can be used as a weapon." She nodded at the blade in his hand. "Secrets have killed more people than blades."

"True enough," he agreed. "I recall you always used to study the histories at Winterfell. Does that have any bearing?"

"Well, knowing the history of the realm is a good way to see where things are going. I can see parallels. Patterns. For example, when the Boltons decided to turn and march on Winterfell, I knew it had precedent."

"Hmm. Robb had Roose Bolton executed, didn't he?"

"Had him executed? You mean, he did it himself. The way it should be done." And, Sansa thought, a keen poetic justice. Unfortunately, Ramsay was still out there somewhere, but he still had only a bastard's name and no titles. Maybe she would kill him again at some point later.

"Right," said Jory. "As your father always says, the man who passes the sentence should swing the sword."

"Or woman," said Sansa. "Don't you believe a woman can rule?"

Jory raised his eyebrows. "Wars have been fought over such things, my lady."

"I know. Like the Dance of the Dragons." And Daenerys's own war, her burning of King's Landing when she found out about Jon.

"Why? Would you want to be a ruling queen?"

The question sat with her. She was a ruling queen, and she had liked being one. But she would never get to be one again, would she? If the North still gained its independence, which wasn't something Father seemed to want, he would be king. And Robb was next in line, as he should be. Then Bran and Rickon still came before her. Even if she could convince Father to change the rules, to put men and women on equal standing-something only Dorne had done, and something most of the North would never go for-she still wouldn't be his heir, which meant she would never be queen. Obviously her family meant more to her than any title, but she had been a good queen. And now she had lost that. What was she going to be, then? The idea of being second to some husband did not appeal to her anymore. "Yes," she finally said. "But I suppose it's irrelevant."

Arya

She glanced over at Father as they rode into Greywater Watch. He didn't look as happy as one might expect him to be seeing one of his closest friends for the first time in nearly two decades. He stared ahead with a stern expression. Beside him, Mother was looking over as if worried. Rickon sat in front of her, having switched over from Father's horse today. He was still pouting about not being allowed to know everything. Next to them, Bran was grinning widely on his horse, clearly excited to see Meera again. He seemed convinced he could win her over.

When they reached the courtyard, Howland Reed stood with his wife and children. Once he actually saw him, Father broke into a smile. "Lord Howland," he said warmly, dismounting his horse. "It's good to see you."

"And you, Lord Eddard." They embraced. He looked happy as well, but also a bit nervous. "And it's lovely to meet you, Lady Stark."

She dismounted the horse and helped Rickon off. "You as well. I have heard only good things."

Bran practically jumped off his horse to stand in front of them. "Lord Reed," he said, as a courtesy, before quickly turning to Meera. "Lady Meera."

"Hi," she said. "You must be Brandon?"

"Just Bran is fine," he said, blushing a little. "But yes, that's me. It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Meera." He turned to Jojen. "And you as well, Jojen." A hint of melancholy crept into his voice.

Howland Reed smiled down at Bran, but his brow was furrowed in confusion. "Glad you children seem to be getting along, then."

Lady Reed smiled and turned to Rickon. "And you're Rickon, yes?"

"That's me!" he agreed eagerly.

"And you must be Lady Arya," she said. "Lord Stark has written much about all of you over the years."

"If he's written about me, you must know better than to call me 'lady,'" Arya replied with a smirk. Then she saw that Lord Howland was looking at her, his gaze lingering a bit longer than normal. "Something wrong?"

"Not wrong," he said. "Just... you look like your aunt Lyanna."

"Yes, she does," Father agreed, exchanging a look with him.

Lord Howland had said the same thing to her the first time she had met him, at the Great Council where Bran had been named king. Father had said it to her only once, but she wondered how early he had seen it, if he thought it every time he looked at her.

"Well, then," said Father. "Should we head inside?"

Bran insisted on sitting next to Meera at dinner. Jojen sat on her other side, shooting Bran suspicious glances every few minutes. Arya could only roll her eyes. She listened to the conversation the adults were having, which included filling Father in on a bit of Northern politics he had missed while in King's Landing before turning to reminiscing.

"You met at the tourney, right? Lord Whent's tourney at Harrenhal?" Lady Reed asked.

"Yes," said Father. "Lyanna introduced us."

"She saved me," Lord Howland said. "These three squires were kicking me, and Lyanna came at them with a sword and told them to leave me alone as I was her father's man. Then she took me back to her family's tent to dress my wounds and introduced me to her brothers."

"She sounds amazing," Arya said.

"She was," said Father. "And more than a bit like you. She dressed up as a knight and beat the masters of those three squires in the joust."

"So that was her?" Lord Howland asked. "I had thought perhaps, but..."

"It was her," Father agreed. "She told me later."

"If she was so amazing, why do you never talk about her?" Rickon asked.

Father sighed. "I hope you never have to understand."

Mother took his hand under the table.

The rest of dinner went fairly quietly, until Bran and Meera had both finished their food and Bran said, "Lady Meera, would you like to go for a walk with me?"

"Why?" she asked.

"Why not?"

"You know, that sounds like a great idea," Jojen said. "I'll come too."

The three of them exited the room, and Lord Howland raised his eyebrows. "Well, that's interesting."

Father shook his head. "Children. What can you do about them?" His expression grew more serious. "Lord Howland, if you would, Lady Stark and I need to talk to you in private."

"And me," Arya said. She wasn't entirely sure what the conversation was about, but she could roughly guess and she didn't want to be left out.

"Yes, alright," Father agreed.

"What about me?" Rickon complained.

"I suppose that leaves you and me," said Lady Reed. "Why don't you introduce me to your wolf?"

"Okay," said Rickon.

Arya followed her mother, her father, and Howland Reed down a hallway and into a small room with a desk and three chairs. She sighed as she took a seat on the floor.

"So what's this about?" Lord Reed asked.

"There's something I ought to tell you," said Father.

"Hang on," said Arya, realizing what he was about to say.

"Arya," Father said, "This man can be trusted with a secret."

She had to admit that much. "Well, alright."

Howland Reed frowned. "And what secret would you be referring to?"

"It's alright, Howland. They both know."

"Really?"

"It's complicated," Mother said.

"Seems it. I thought you didn't want anyone to know."

"Things have changed. Arya and her sister brought the knowledge back from the future," said Father. "A lot of knowledge. They travelled through time. Into their younger selves. They have memories of an alternate timeline."

"Oh," said Howland, frowning slightly. "I see."

"You don't sound surprised," Mother noted.

"It explains a lot. Jojen's been having... odd dreams."

"Bran too," Arya said. "Dreams of the other timeline."

"Yes. Ned, he said you had died at one point."

"I did. But Sansa saved me. They're altering the future."

He looked down at the floor. "Jojen said that he died."

"He did," Arya said. "Getting Bran to the Three-Eyed Raven, so he could become the next one. But it never has to happen now."

He shook his head. "Quite some future."

"But we're going to stop it," Arya said. "We've already started."

"Yes," Father agreed. "And I could use your help."

"Of course. You know I am always loyal to you."

"Trust me, I know it. You've kept Jon's secret all these years..."

"I owe both you and Lyanna a debt of eternal gratitude. Protecting her son is the very least I could do."

"And you never said anything," Arya said. "Even after Jon's secret was out, you never admitted to knowing."

"How did it get revealed?" he asked.

"Bran. And his magic visions. Samwell Tarly helped. But mostly Bran."

He nodded. "And how did the realm react?"

"Well, Daenerys burnt down a city because he stopped being her lover once he found out she was his aunt and she decided the people would never love her so she just... you know, killed all of them. Leveled King's Landing. Varys had turned against her for Jon at this point, and Tyrion Lannister was headed that way, so I guess she just... gave up on love and went for fear. It was... truly horrifying."

He gaped at her. "Daenerys Targaryen?"

"Apparently she has three dragons and eventually comes this way," Father said. "And apparently she also has some of her father's tendencies."

"Very much so. Her father put wildfire under the whole city," Arya said. "Every street corner, every building. When he realized Lord Tywin had won, had taken the city, he gave his pyromancer the order to light it up. That's why Ser Jaime killed him. He killed the pyromancer first, so the order could never go out."

Father turned and stared at her for what might have been a full minute. "What?"

"Brienne of Tarth told me. She was Mother's sworn sword, and later Sansa's, but she also was with Jaime for a bit, and he told her."

"Why-why would he not have said anything?" Father shook his head. "I-I asked him what he had done, he never..."

"Because he was proud and arrogant," Arya said. "But he did a good thing. That day. That was sort of his problem, he would do a good thing one day and a horrible thing the next and you could never be sure what you would get."

"Not a very trustworthy man, then," said Lord Howland.

"No," said Arya. "He saved Sansa's life because he swore an oath to Mother, but he also threatened to catapult Uncle Edmure's baby over the walls of Riverrun."

"What?" Mother asked.

"Long story. I'll explain later."

"So how can I help you?" Lord Howland asked. "I've already gotten a dozen men for the Night's Watch for you."

Father nodded. "That's good. Preparing as many people as you can to fight the whitewalkers and the Army of the Dead is also very important."

"The whitewalkers," he said. "They're what killed Jojen in this other timeline, right?"

"Yes," said Arya.

"Trust me, I'll get people prepared to fight them."

"I trust you more than nearly anyone," Father said. "I know you'll do what's right."

"I try."

"Talk to Jojen about these visions, will you? See if there's any more information you can get, anything that's important."

"I will. But I don't like to put such a burden on him."

"I know," Father said. "But sometimes we must trust our children." He looked at Arya, and she felt a rush of pride.

Lord Reed nodded. "Is that all?"

"Yes, for now at least," Father said. "Thank you. Goodnight."

He nodded and left the room, and they sat in silence for a long minute.

"I should've visited him sooner," Father mused. "He says he owes me, but in truth I owe him more than I can ever repay."

"He's very honorable to keep the secret for you," Mother said.

"He is. But it goes beyond that. When he found me in that tower, at Lyanna's side... I don't even remember leaving that tower. If he hadn't been there I don't know what I would have done." He turned to Arya. "It just makes me think... everything that happened to you... did you have any friends with you?"

"Well," she said. "At times yes. At other times no. But I was better off than Sansa. She was completely alone."

"And we've sent her back there alone again," Mother said.

"She'll be alright," said Arya. "Everything will be alright." And for the first time in a long time, she thought she might actually believe it.