As Rhaena had promised she helped each and every day aboard the ship in whatever manner was useful. She swabbed the deck and learned from the sailors how to manage the ship, copying them as best she could until they laughed and took pity on her futile attempts at tying knots so showed her the proper way to do it. Despite everything, Rhaena rather enjoyed the work. By keeping her hands busy her mind remained empty and she could let go of her troubles whilst they were at sea. She had already grown used to the swell and sway of the ship though she had vomited several times in the initial days of the voyage, much to the captain's sympathetic amusement. He was a kind man and never once did he attempt to lay his hands upon any of the girls, which at first had been a concern for Rhaena but the man had honour and integrity. A rare thing in Westeros, but it appeared in Braavos at least, it was not the custom to force girls against their will. A sense of tranquillity washed over Rhaena who took pleasure in watching the sun rise and set each day as they approached the eastern lands. When finally the Braavosian coast came into view, Rhaena had flown to the side of the ship and stared at it in awe.
Arya stood beside the captain as the giant figure began to loom over them, a statue easily taller than the Red Keep of King's landing by Rhaena's reckoning. It was impressive and powerful looking, enough to make a person fall silent in order to simply stare at it. "In the old times, whenever Braavos stood in danger, the titan would step with fire in his eyes. He'd wade into the sea and smash the enemies." The captain informed the girls as both continued to gaze in amazement though Arya hid hers better.
"He's just a statue." As if to challenge her, a horn suddenly blared forcefully which caused Arya's hand to jump to the fine sword at her side, Needle. This made the captain chuckle richly as Rhaena looked over her shoulder to them and gave Arya a reassuring nod.
"Don't be afraid. He's announcing our arrival." Settling once she knew that the horn did not signify danger, Arya stood herself as tall as she could make herself, looking calmly ahead of her and speaking clearly.
"I'm not afraid." And Rhaena believed her. She had noticed how different Arya appeared compared to when she had known her at Winterfell and King's Landing. There was very little laughter left in her and her spirit had hardened. This came as no surprise, all three of the girls had gone through so many changes since those happy days playing the snow at Winterfell. If they had not evolved and adapted they would have died long ago, it just saddened Rhaena to look at Arya and no longer see the grinning little wolf who had once followed her around pestering for stories about great battles, knights and dragons. No doubt that they would never be able to go back to such a time. That sort of life was long since lost to them. With a gentle sigh, Rhaena averted her gaze and looked instead to the harbour they were approaching as they passed underneath the guarding sentry. Rhaena was still unhappy about Arya's decision to find her friend, this Jaqen H'ghar who had helped her escape Harrenhal. Arya intended to find him and learn from him, wanting to know how to change her face and become as efficient at killing as he was. An assassin. That was what she wanted to become. Rhaena had tried to persuade her to join her in finding Daenerys instead, promising her that she could train with weapons once they had reached her sister but Arya had already made up her mind. She did not wish to become a fighter like a regular sellsword or knight. She wanted to become a blade in the darkness, quick and deadly, as she knew she would never have the strength or size to match against other men. She was determined, so Rhaena decided that at the very least she would see her safely into the care of her friend and judge him herself before releasing Arya completely.
Once they were in the harbour, the captain had a rowboat lowered into the water and climbed into it first before indicating for the girls to follow. Sansa moved a little more these days. Now all it took was a light touch from Rhaena's hand to prompt her forwards and Sansa would start to walk. It was progress and it thrilled Rhaena to no end to see Sansa improving little by little. There were times when she had even spoken, saying Rhaena and Arya's names quietly before going quiet again. Once she had even reached out her hand to touch Arya's face which had almost made the poor girl cry. No matter their past they remained sisters, and it was clear they loved one another dearly. The three girls settled in the boat however when Lady jumped down with them it had caused the boat to dip and rock violently. After the initial outcry of alarm, Lady had sat down on her haunches and panted happily at Rhaena who had giggled and scratched at her jaw. Lady was still growing. Arya could quite easily sit on her back and ride her like a pony if she wanted. Rhaena hoped the boat would hold until they reached land.
The captain rowed them through the water channels where Rhaena took her first look at Braavos. It seemed like any other ordinary harbour with markets and people chattering away, but still it was a wonderful view. She took in every sight and sound as they rowed away from Ragman Harbour and towards a quieter part of the city where a lone building stood at the edge of the harbour, quiet and still. "The House of Black and White." The captain announced to them as they looked at the building and Rhaena noted that the doors were half white and half black, assuming that this was where it had received its name from. "This is where you'll find the man you seek." Arya looked tense with anticipation. Still Rhaena did not like the idea of leaving her in such a strange place, but she knew that Arya would never be forced to do anything against her will. Even if Rhaena were to tie her up and throw her over Lady's back she would find a way to escape and come back here. At least if Rhaena left her here, she would know where to find her again. Drawing the rowboat closer to the dock Lady was the first to leap onto solid land, causing the boat to lurch a second time but thankfully it did not capsize. "Here, I leave you." Offering his hand to each of the girls in turn he helped them to disembark, Sansa going last where Rhaena helped her before drawing her close to her side. Arya was distracted for a moment by the grand looking building, however when she turned back to the captain she gave him a sincere smile.
"Thank you for bringing me."
"Any man of Braavos would have done the same. Valar morghulis."
"Valar dohaeris." Making the sign with the words, Arya turned away but Rhaena lingered a moment longer.
"Thank you captain. I shall remember you in my prayers." She promised him and he chuckled richly, already beginning to push away from the dock and row the boat back out onto the water.
"And I shall keep you in mine, fair lady." Dropping her neck to say farewell, Rhaena then turned and drew Sansa with her as they followed after Arya who had already approached the doors of the great house. There was an eerie feeling surrounding the place, even Lady was set on edge. She whined and growled quietly, fur standing on end so Rhaena placed a comforting hand upon her back and stood with her as they watched Arya knock on the door. Still nothing stirred. She knocked again. Considering how long Arya had eagerly awaited this moment, she could not help but feel slightly dispirited at not to have a warm welcome by Jaqen. Lifting her hand to knock for the third time, the door suddenly gave a deep clunking sound before it was pulled open and an aged man came into view, looking out to see the young girl on the doorstep and two more standing behind her with a giant wolf at their heels. Quickly recovering from her surprise, Arya gave the same greeting she had been taught by Jaqen H'ghar, only this time the old man did not respond. Her spirits continued to wilt.
"Jaqen H'ghar gave me this." Fumbling for the iron coin Arya revealed it to the old man who stared at it blankly before withdrawing himself back inside, claiming that no one by that name was there. The door began to close but Arya jumped to stop him, growing desperate as Rhaena observed the exchange anxiously. "Please. I crossed the Narrow Sea. I have nowhere else to go."
"You have everywhere else to go." Despite Arya's pleas the door was shut upon her and not answered again. A part of Rhaena felt relieved. Watching as Arya turned and stormed down the steps, the younger girl flung herself upon them and sat down, beginning to turn the coin over and over in her grasp.
"Arya…perhaps we should go."
"I am not leaving just yet. I'll wait here." Stubborn to the core, Arya did not even look up from her coin so with a sigh, Rhaena had Sansa sit down next to Arya then joined her, taking to simply looking out across the water as Lady took respite in the shade of the tall building. The quiet was helpful as it gave Rhaena an opportunity to sit and think about what to do next. She had not made any plans or decisions other than simply getting here and now she had to face the fact that she needed to find a way to get to Slaver's Bay and find her sister. Information should be easy enough to find, that sort of news travelled quickly and was greatly talked about even by the common folk so Rhaena theorised that it should not be too difficult to locate her. Getting there, however, was an issue. She doubted that her silver would be enough to book passage even for one person as Slaver's Bay was far to the southeast, past Lys, past Volantis, past even the islands of Valyria. It would take weeks, perhaps even months to get there, and what if when Rhaena arrived her sister had already moved on? She had to get there as quickly as possible, but with so little coin and with no guarantee that every man or merchant would be as honourable as the captain who had brought them here, Rhaena began to think that the only way she might be able to pay their way is by selling her body. Such a notion disgusted her. If her sister was a queen then she was by rights, a princess. She had always been a princess, in truth. Just because her father and brother were overthrown did not change her birth right. For a princess to have to sell her virtue just to pay for travel…Rhaena's pride stung more than anything but still she could not yet think of any other way. Unless she could find work with a travelling merchant, or perhaps even there were other kind people out there who would be willing to help. By that same token, however, there may be people out there wanting to kill her because of who she was, or even mistake her for Daenerys herself. It was wise to keep her hair covered, at least until she knew better the opinion of Essos towards the Targaryen Queen taking over Slaver's Bay and freeing the slaves there.
Beside her, Rhaena began to realise that Arya was muttering a list of names over and over again. She had done this every night before going to sleep. Listing them one by one. Her kill list. Each person who found their name upon Arya's list were people she wanted to kill. Cersei, Walder Frey, The Mountain, Meryn Trant. Rhaena had several names of her own she would like to add to the list. Unable to do anything more, Rhaena merely rested herself back against the stone steps and basked in the warm sunlight, feeling like summer had returned to her body as Arya continued to mutter her list. She never stopped and Rhaena knew better than to interrupt her for she would not listen even if she asked. The only reason Rhaena left was to fetch food and water for them all as well as Lady, making sure that she had plenty to drink to stay cool in the heat. The food was simple, grilled fish and dried fruits, but they tasted good and even Sansa ate a little with her own hand. When it rained they took shelter closer to the doors, wrapped in blankets to keep away the chill as Rhaena had brought their belongings with them all packed concisely into one sack. It was all they had to their name.
They slept on the stone steps and the next day, Arya continued to remain seated until finally, she suddenly stopped her rhythmic chant. Lifting her head at the sudden silence, Rhaena watched as Arya got up and went to the water's edge, looking down before tossing something into the saltwater. The coin. When she returned she looked angry and dismayed, biting down on her lips until they vanished. "Come." Rhaena murmured softly as she brought Sansa to her feet and packed away their blankets. "Shall we at least explore? This is Braavos. Further than any of us have ever been before. I expect there are plenty of things to see here." With gentle encouragement, Rhaena brought Sansa and Arya with her, Lady faithfully walking beside them as they returned to the harbour in order to take a look at their surroundings and wander aimlessly. With every city there were the streets of the rich and the streets of the poor. Having next to nothing, they settled in the poor sector and made themselves a place where they could rest for the night. Any who attempted to approach them were warded off by Lady who would snarl and bare her teeth, rousing Rhaena each time but she merely lifted her head, sent a warning look at the intended thief or rapist who would then deem his life too valuable to try to get through Lady to reach them. They would flee, and Rhaena would go back to sleep.
Each day she would go in search of a means to travel down the coast. They did not have enough for passage on a ship, or even for a horse. At this rate, it seemed as if they would be forced to walk. Sansa could do nothing still, having to stay behind where they squatted with Lady to protect her and either Arya or Rhaena nearby as they did not trust that Lady would not draw attention. Many had already approached them with offers of payment for the direwolf, coin enough to guarantee their passage and safety all the way to Meereen, but each time they refused. They would not give up Lady, not for all the gold in the world. The offers continued to come and were followed by threats, meaning that they had to constantly move in order to avoid being found by these men who would rather take Lady by force than go without. Every day was a struggle for survival, to find food without spending too much of their precious silver. Here was where Arya proved herself reliable, catching pigeons and either selling or exchanging them for food, even if it was for bread. They lived in this manner for days until one evening, Arya still had not returned. When the sky grew dark Rhaena became increasingly worried until finally she brought Sansa and Lady with her to go looking. There was no sign of her on the streets which were now emptying for the night, leaving only the poorest of the poor, the drinkers and the whores wandering the streets with them. With her weapons at her side no one dared trouble the girls, especially with the giant wolf constantly at their side. The first few thieves who had tempted their luck lost their fingers. One was unfortunate enough to lose his entire hand. After that, no one else dared tried.
Unable to locate Arya, there was only one other place Rhaena could think to look where she could be, constantly reassuring herself that Arya would not allow herself to be captured or harmed. She was too quick and had clearly remembered her lessons well as she was nimble with the sword. Rhaena prayed her assumptions were correct and, grasping hold of Sansa's hand, pulled her along to the House of Black and White. Once arrived she hammered her fist against the door and did not relent until it was opened. She expected to see the same aged man from before but instead, she came face to face with a man with reddish hair streaked with silver and clear, curious eyes which stared back at her. A light of recognition flashed before her as she recalled how Arya had described her friend. "Jaqen H'ghar?"
"A man does not have that name any longer." The style of his speech confused Rhaena for a few moments, blinking and frowning before shaking her head in dismissal.
"I am looking for a girl named Arya Stark. She did not come back tonight. Is she here? Is she safe?" The man before her studied her quietly, glancing briefly to Sansa and the growling direwolf whom Rhaena hushed quietly, opening her hand so that Lady could sniff and lick at her palm for comfort. Her eyes never left his face, however, and the calm resoluteness was admirable.
"A girl is indeed here. She has chosen to serve the Many Faced God." Letting out a long breath, Rhaena nodded her head before asking if she might see her. To this the man, Jaqen H'ghar, contemplated before inclining his head and stepping back in order to allow the guests inside. Immediately Rhaena began to scan the large atrium and noted several different effigies. She recognised the Stranger, as well as the Weeping Woman who was a goddess from Lys, as well as the weirwood face from the faith of the old gods. Everywhere she looked there were representations of death from different faiths, as if the temple could not decide itself which to dedicate itself too. Making a note of this, Rhaena questioned why there were so many different statues. A hint of a smile touched his face. "Death has many faces, and it is death we serve on behalf of the Many Faced God." Not entirely understanding, Rhaena nodded once in order to ponder it in silence. "Come. A girl is this way." Keeping a secure grasp upon Sansa, Rhaena followed after the stranger in the deep loom of shadows and darkness. Ahead she heard the sound of someone sweeping the floors, the darkness making it difficult to see until gradually the figure of Arya Stark appeared.
"Arya." Her head snapped up, eyes widening in surprise before then calming. Arya looked first to Jaqen then to her sister and Rhaena, holding the broom tightly in her hands. "You could have at least come to say goodbye."
"I thought that if I did not follow they would not let me back in." She offered simply so Rhaena sighed. Letting go of Sansa she approached Arya, taking hold of her face and lifting her chin in order to search her eyes carefully.
"You are certain this is what you want, Arya?" Once more Arya looked to Jaqen who watched them in silent observation. He said nothing and gave no indication of his thoughts. Still, Arya looked back to Rhaena and nodded her head firmly. A resounding sadness grasped hold of Rhaena then, knowing that she would have to let Arya go despite having only recently found her. Her breath shuddered when she exhaled and Arya could feel her fingers tense upon her before then relenting their grasp. "Very well. Since this is what you desire." Offering what she hoped to be an encouraging smile, Rhaena took Arya into her arms in order to embrace her. "Learn well and be sure to listen, Arya. It is not a great talent of yours, but you must try." Teasing her gently, Rhaena kissed the crown of her head as Arya smiled against her. "When the time comes that my sister is ready to sail for Westeros, I will come back here to look for you. If you are already gone then leave word so that I will know where to find you."
"I will." Promising quietly, Rhaena tightened her grip upon Arya one last time before finally releasing her all at once and stepped away. "Thank you, Rhae. Please look after my sister for me."
"You know that I shall." Nodding her head as she continued to step backwards, Rhaena stopped beside Sansa in order to take her hand once more. Giving Arya one last smile, she then looked at Jaqen with a sharp and cold expression. "When I come back for her, I expect to find her in the same condition I leave her in. If anything happens to her, then I shall hold you personally responsible." Although she knew full well that such a threat was meaningless to an assassin, Rhaena conveyed it regardless. The man could kill her right here and now if that was what he wanted, but instead he bowed lightly in acknowledgement of her warning before then spreading his hand to indicate the way to leave. Rhaena turned, intending to follow however when she met resistance from Sansa she halted, looking back with a start to find Sansa staring at Arya rather intently. Then slowly, little by little, Sansa raised her hand towards Arya. Approaching her sister, Arya placed her hand in Sansa's and the sisters held one another silently, looking at one another with a silent exchange. A tear rolled down Sansa's cheek but her lips quirked upwards in a smile for the briefest moment before she too let Arya go, turning to follow Rhaena. Neither could bear to say goodbye so they simply walked away from Arya who could not speak the word either. All that followed was the soft echo of her voice telling Lady to look after them both before the sound of bristles sweeping against the floor began once again.
Escorting them back to the door, Jaqen H'ghar opened it in order to allow them outside once again. The girl who hid her hair turned and fixed her gaze upon him once more. "Thank you. Please. Teach her well and look after her." Jaqen inclined his head towards her.
"A man will do what he can." This still was not enough to satisfy Rhaena entirely though she reasoned that nothing would be enough to allow her to feel at ease leaving Arya alone in such a place. She hoped that she would not come to regret the decision, praying that everything would turn out well in the end. "Where does a girl go now?"
"To Meereen. My sister is there and I want to find her."
"A girl has no means." Briefly wondering how he could know that they had practically nothing, Rhaena blinked when the man before her stretched out his hand to trace his fingertips at the border of her headscarf, following it all the way down to her cheek. "If a girl wishes to go she must first find a friend." A friend? Now Rhaena's brow pulled together in bewilderment. "A girl is good at making friends." With this vague and bizarre piece of advice the door was then closed upon her and Rhaena was left to wonder at his words, frowning still as she tugged on Sansa's hand to disappear into the night.