They happened upon a small port which was little more than a fishing village, but still there were a single ship docked there and even if they were merely going downriver, there would be other ports with larger boats along the way. Rhaena guided the horse over the descending valley and slopes before they entered the village, ignoring the shocked whispers and fearful looks of the villagers as they stared at Lady. They seemed to be salt traders, shovelling large piles of salt into boxes and putting them aboard the ship. "Wait here Sansa, I will go and speak to the captain. Stay with her Lady. Do not let anyone approach." Lowering her hood, Rhaena touched her head to ensure that the scarf she had wrapped around her hair to hide it was still in place before going towards the boat where she found a man charting maps and looking over inventory lists. He seemed a captain-like man, but what made Rhaena feel most hopeful was the fact that he was not from Westeros. His features and skin were that of Essos. "Pardon the intrusion, but are you perhaps the captain of this vessel?" Rhaena spoke softly but firmly, drawing the captain's eye towards her.
"Indeed I am, fair lady. How might I help you?"
"My companion and I wish to travel east across the Narrow Sea. Are you perhaps sailing in that direction?" Confirming that he was, Rhaena smiled for the first time in days as she began to brighten with anticipation. "I should like to travel with you, myself and my companion as well as our guardian. I can pay you in silver." Reaching for the only coin they had left in their possession, Rhaena felt its weight against her palm as the captain looked her over steadily.
"My ship is a trading ship, fair lady. We do not make a habit of taking travellers along with us…the journey would be long. Have you ever sailed in a ship before?" Smile fading, Rhaena shook her head. "May I ask why you wish to sail to Essos?"
"I am looking for my sister." This was not necessarily untrue, but Rhaena did not want to reveal everything to the stranger, as polite as he was. The fewer people knew their identities, the better for their safety. Humming thoughtfully, Rhaena could see in his face that the captain was going to decline her so she opened her mouth, intending to plead once more for his compassion but before she could utter a single word, a voice all but cried out her name with such a shriek the gulls screeched and took flight. Rhaena's face fell into utter shock and disbelief. There, standing on the deck of the ship, was Arya Stark. She looked dirty from travelling and her hair was roughly cut short, but Rhaena knew it was her. Arya. Alive and right in front of her eyes. No, perhaps the gods were playing a cruel trick on her. That was all. But still, Rhaena could not help but hope that it was true. Scrambling to get down from the ship, Arya all but leaped upon Rhaena who remained utterly still, staring at her dumbly as Arya embraced her before lifting her head to look at her.
"Rhae it's me. It's Arya. Don't you remember me?" Barely able to think, Rhaena slowly lifted her hands and framed the girl's face, holding her cheeks and looking deeply into her bright yet aged eyes. She had endured a great deal. Just as she had. "Rhae?" Arya's face began to tremble with uncertainty and worry, grasping onto Rhaena tightly as gradually, her mind began to awaken from its stupor.
"Arya…Arya…Arya!" Releasing a sob, Rhaena gathered Arya up so tightly into her arms the girl could not breathe as she was lifted clean off the ground. "You're alive…thank the gods you're alive…oh Arya…where have you been?!" But it did not matter, not really. All that mattered was that Arya was alive and by some miracle their paths had crossed. Both girls cried quietly as they held one another and the captain looking in with bewildered endearment.
"Is this perhaps the sister you were looking for, fair lady?" He enquired gently as Rhaena set Arya back down on her feet and wrapped a firm arm around her, refusing to let her leave her side now that she had found her once again.
"No captain, but I have been looking for this little one for some time. Today is one of fortune, it would seem." Laughing through her smiles Rhaena wiped at her face to dry her cheeks. "But please, we still need passage to Essos. Where do you sail to? I will pay you in silver and offer my hands to work if that is what it will take. We are not safe here. We cannot stay." Now knowing that this stranger was connected in some way to the little girl who had already secured her own passage with her Braavosian iron coin, the captain was feeling a little more lenient. The younger girl began to beg him, telling him that she would share her cabin and also work to pay for their passage. Seeing them together clutching one another so tightly, the ship's captain did not have the heart to separate the two girls who had clearly very interesting stories to tell. Smiling, he accepted the deal but refused their silver as he placed his hand over his heart.
"It appears the world has exacted a heavy toll upon you already, fair lady. Allow me to pay you this kindness, for who am I to take more from you when you have already given plenty?" Spreading his hand, the captain welcomed them aboard his ship. Rhaena was so gratified she flew at the captain and kissed his cheeks, making him laugh heartily before patting her shoulder and walking away to complete his inventory check. Turning, Arya leaped upon Rhaena once again.
"I cannot believe you are here, Arya. You must tell me everything that happened to you from the night you escaped King's Landing, but first come with me. There is someone else you must see." Taking her by the hand, Rhaena all but ran back to where Sansa and Lady were waiting for her, dragging Arya along behind her. Upon seeing her sister Arya had given a shout and for the first time, Rhaena saw Sansa move of her own volition. She jumped. Startled by the sudden shout, Sansa slowly moved her head in order to see Rhaena returning with a scrawny little child beside her. Sansa knew instantly too. She would recognise Arya anywhere even with her hair all cut off. Running to her sister, Arya put her arms about Sansa and embraced her, but although Sansa stared, she did not move further though her eyes seemed a little brighter than before. Not as clouded and empty.
"Sansa? Sansa it's me, it's Arya. Sansa?"
"Your sister is not well, Arya." Touching her shoulder softly, Rhaena fixed Sansa's hood so that her face was protected by the breeze. "She has slipped into this dreamlike state ever since…since the wedding. Arya do you know…?"
"I know what happened. I was there." Blinking in astonishment, Rhaena stared at Arya as she backed away from Sansa and turned instead to Lady. "How did you find her? Was Nymeria with her? Is she alright?" Stumbling over her words, Rhaena promised to tell Arya everything but first, they needed to board the ship. Taking the saddlebags from the horse and slinging them over her shoulder, Rhaena took the horse and sold it for more silver as they would not be able to take the mare with them across the sea. She embraced the mare heartfully and stroked her velvet nose, whispering to her words of thanks and praise, wishing her a peaceful and contented life before turning away. Arya clung to Sansa's arm in order to help pull her along whilst Rhaena pressed a hand to her back, taking her to the ship where the captain waved them on board once more though he had to look again when he saw the giant wolf. Muttering something in a foreign tongue, Lady sent him a look but other than that, paid him no mind. She simply boarded the ship with the three girls and followed them below to the cabin Arya had been given. It was small, enough for one or two but a little crowded with all three of them as well as Lady but they made do, pushing things out of the way to make more space so that Rhaena could put down the furs and the blankets so that they would all at least have space to sleep on, even if it was the floor.
Once Sansa was settled down, Rhaena then turned to Arya and opened her arms where Arya dove into them, taking comfort in the older girl as she hushed and stroked her hair. Of all the people she had met, Arya was grateful to know that she could trust Rheana without question. Not like the others. They had all had their own agenda or wanted to use her for their own purposes, to sell her for ransom or take her back to King's Landing. Not Rhaena. Rhaena was her friend and had helped her in the past. Now that she was here, Arya felt completely at ease, though her sister's condition worried her a great deal. They spoke for hours even after the ship had set sail, telling one another everything that had happened and exchanging what they knew so that they could better understand the situation they were leaving behind. Arya's tale was somewhat bizarre in places as she swore that she had seen a man raised from the dead after being killed by the Hound in single combat and had met another man who was able to change his face. What struck Rhaena most, however, was how the Hound had taken Arya hostage in order to ransom her, taking her to the Twins but then escaped with her before she could be found by the traitors. It would have still been easy enough to ransom Arya to Lord Walder and Lord Bolton, but the Hound had instead taken her to safety and chosen to ride for the Eyrie instead where Arya's aunt lived. She was dead by the time they arrived, however. According to reports, the deranged woman had committed suicide after marrying Lord Baelish. When she heard this, Rhaena thought blithely that she did not blame the woman for tossing herself into oblivion rather than stay married to that deceitful pretender.
What gave Rhaena the greatest satisfaction was learning that Joffrey was dead. Killed at his own wedding by poison. The only drawback to this news was that the blame had been placed upon Tyrion who was to stand trial for regicide. Rhaena flinched each time she thought of him and was half tempted to sail back at once to save him, but what could she do? The moment she entered King's Landing she would be caught and put to the sword alongside him. No. She had to have faith that at the very least, his brother Ser Jaime loved his brother enough to save him because Rhaena knew firmly that Tyrion would never kill Joffrey. At least, not so stupidly. She prayed to the Seven to deliver Tyrion to safety, because as of this moment it was the only useful thing she could do for him. Having finished recounting everything that she could remember happening and all the people she had met, it was then Rhaena's turn to begin her woeful tale. Her story took even longer for there was so much to recount and even some of the smaller details were important to express, so Rhaena took her time with her story. Since she and Sansa had experienced everything together it was easy to convey her side of the tale also. Rhaena was able to tell Arya about his brother Robb and how they had found one another, how he had fallen in love with a woman from Volantis and married her, that they were expecting a child together when Walder Frey had ordered her killed at the wedding feast. The most difficult part to tell was that of Lady Catelyn's death, Arya's eyes soon swimming with tears before she buried herself against Rhaena and hid there, angrily trying to keep them from falling but failing miserably. "I'll kill them all. They'll all die for what they did." She vowed sharply with a hiss as Rhaena continued to stroke her hair.
"Yes. Yes they will, little wolf. But first we need to become stronger." Wrapping her up in her arms, Rhaena all but cradled Arya against her as she too felt the fire rise within her. "We need to learn how to protect ourselves and go back with an army of our own. I swear we shall have our vengeance, Arya Stark. The Lannisters. The Freys. The Boltons. Everyone who ever wronged us and your family…they will drown in their own blood and weep as we take everything precious and beloved from them piece by piece before ending them." Sharing in her resolve, Arya nodded her head before finding herself too tired to talk anymore. She slept and Rhaena put her down upon the bed and drew the covers over her before then laying down herself, stretching her legs which had become heavy with cramp as Lady moved herself to make more room. She was grateful for her presence and warmth, breathing deeply in order to clear her head as the rocking motion of the ship made her a little queasy. Still, a slight gnawing of anticipation ate away at her. She was finally on her way to find Daenerys, her only living relative. Her twin sister. Soon they would meet for the first time. What would she say? How would they feel? Would they love one another instantly? Rhaena had no answers to any of the questions which thundered around in her head, so could only promise herself that they would be answered the moment they come face to face for the first time since the day of their birth. She longed for time to pass quickly because her patience would soon wear thin. Tomorrow could not come soon enough, nor the day after that, or the day after that. Still Rhaena waited, looking each morning for the horizon which promised as many challenges as the one they had left behind, but Rhaena was not afraid. She was a dragon. Dragons are not afraid of the unknown.