Arya
"I always found it odd how high born prisoners are treated."
Arya looked at her cousin Tony and let out a sigh. "You aren't a prisoner."
He continued on as if she hadn't said a word, much to her annoyance. "You have two different families who can hate each other completely and utterly. They will do every horrible, dastardly, vile thing they can imagine in the name of defeating them. Use catapults to fling diseased cattle over their walls. Display the heads of their fallen soldiers for all to see. Poison wells and burn crops even if it means that when the fighting is done you too will suffer a long and agonizing death from hunger and thirst. You will teach your children how this family or that is the most horrid in all the Seven Kingdoms. 'Oh, beware Lord Fatfud he eats babies while they are still alive because the squeals make them taste better' 'Did you know that Lady Stinkypuss likes to hang men by their toes while dripping ants into their open ass?' 'Little Needledick once raped a cow'" He paused. "They aren't all original."
Tony adjusted the cuffs of his shirt before he rested his hands on the stone that made up the balcony he was standing on, looking down at Braavos as it lay stretched out before him.
"But then when a high born lord or lady are captured you are expected to treat them with utter respect. You don't harm them, you don't threaten them, and gods help you if you throw them into an actual dungeon. It is noble of you to put them in a tower where they can sleep on a bed of feathers and eat good meals and their guards will merely ignore them rather than beat them. Only the truly vile monsters actually lock one of noble birth in a dungeon and let the rats nibble on their fingers." Tony waved his hand about lazily. "Yes yes, you need them in good shape for ransoms but still… it is so very odd."
"Tony," Arya tried again. "You aren't a prisoner. Magneto just-"
"You know that's what they did with the Kingslayer?" Tony said, causing Arya to blink in surprise. "Your father and mother… they managed to capture the Kingslayer. No… wait." He scratched his chin. "I'm sorry, it was your brother who captured Jaime Lannister. I hadn't rescued your father from King's Landing yet. I rescued him, you know? You heard about that, right?"
"I did," Arya said fondly, moving to stand next to Tony. Night was beginning to fall on Braavos and the cool air was making her skin prickle with goosebumps but she liked that. It reminded her of home. She'd been in the warmth and the sun for too long. They called her Shadowcat but she was still a direwolf and they did not d well in the heat at all. "I'll never be able to repay you for saving my father."
Tony nodded at that. "And hopefully Jon can save your sister." Arya twisted stare at Tony, eyes wide in utter shock. The last she'd heard Joffrey had caved her skull in when he'd shoved her off the Steps of Baelor and she had sworn in that moment the Lannisters would pay for costing her the chance to reconnect with her sister and make right all their fights and wasted time. It had been her second price from Magneto: her family was spared and she was the one that would kill Joffrey. But… if she was alive- "Even though your father was thrown in the Black Cells for weeks on end and was so weak when I got to him I honestly think a feather could have hacked his head off he still decided to treat Jaime Lannister with some respect. Not the comfortable feather beds but his cage was kept clean and I'm sure when Robb took him to Winterfell he wasn't thrown into the worst Winterfell has to offer."
"Sansa is alive?" Arya asked.
Tony glanced at her. "Did I not tell you that?" Arya merely shook her head no. "Ah. Well, she's alive and Jon is working out how to free her soul from the Night's Queen." The Lord of Iron Pointe looked out at Braavos once more. "But funny that, how high born prisoners-"
Arya grabbed him by the scarlet vest he was wearing and forced him to look her in the eye. "Sansa. Night's Queen. Explain."
"Your sister's body was taken over by the Queen of the Others in order to help them prepare for an invasion of Westeros. I'm sure I mentioned this to you."
"You. Did. Not."
"Ah… well, now I did." Tony slowly pried her fingers off his vest.
"And you didn't think to tell me sooner?!" Arya exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air in frustration. "This is important information!"
"I figured you had other things to focus on," Tony said lazily, sitting down on the stonework that fenced in the balcony, not minding in the slightest the height. They were four stories up and if he were to tumble back the next person he'd be making a glib comment to would be the Stranger. "After all, you have a new family here that you are much more dedicated too…"
Arya winced at that then hated the fact that he'd made her wince because there was nothing she needed to feel ashamed about. "I am helping my family by being here. Magneto has agreed to spare my father and mother and Robb and everyone else. He will allow them to take the title of Prince, just like the Martells."
"And you think your father will bend the knee?" Tony said.
"He will. He'll do it to protect his family. He was willing to lie to save Sansa."
"But you just said that you had protected them. Which is it?"
Arya glared at him. "You know what I meant!"
"I really don't. Tell me, is Jon protected as well? Or is it only your brothers and sisters?"
"Jon IS my brother," she snarled and Tony quietly nodded at that, for a brief moment showing there was a heart and a brain under his bravado. Both of them knew that for Jon's own safety he had to be her brother, bastard or not. Because if any of the Blackfyres realized that Jon was really Jaehaerys Targaryen III, the true King of Westeros, then no promise Arya had made would stop them from demanding his head. "He is protected."
"And how can you be sure that Magneto will live up to his promise?" Tony asked. "People lie all the time. I do it so often I often forget what is the truth. Did you know I have a pet goat that loves to drink alcohol. See? That is a lie… he's a sheep. I named his Baaaelor."
"Because-"
"It's baaa, like what a sheep says."
"-Magneto knows-"
"And Baelor because he was a stupid sheep who followed the Seven Pointed Star."
"-that it would be unwise to go against me."
That… made Tony snicker.
Arya shot him a dark look.
"Listen kiddo, I know you are feeling all tough and powerful being an adult but you are going to clue people in that you are still and itty bitty baby if you keep making comments like that." He reached over and patted her on the head and Arya REALLY hated at that moment that despite being ten and seven she was still shorter than most people; if Sabertooth put her on a high shelf one more time just to see how she managed to get down… "Magneto is a tough bastard. I can tell that just by looking at him. A Blackfyre doesn't get to be his age by being weak. He might play all kind and nice but if you mess with him he'll-"
Arya stuck her hand into Tony's chest.
He looked down, eyes comically wide as he stared at her wrist that was currently buried right through his shirt and flesh. Slowly his head raised up to stare at Arya who smirked, thrusting her hand in and out of him several times.
"…would this be a bad moment to mention you aren't the first woman who's penetrated me?"
Arya didn't lose her smile even with that crass joke. "See, I have a lot of free time on my hands when I'm not training with the rest of the Brotherhood. And I think about a lot of things… namely my family. I have this entire list… I go through it to remind myself of everyone I love. Everyone I am going to protect so they grow old and die wizen little mushrooms in their beds with smiles on their faces. My father and mother. Robb and Jon and Bran and Rickon. Even you and Pepper are on the list."
"Flattered?" Tony said weakly.
Arya locked eyes with him. "But in order to make sure the people I love are safe I have to know how to kill those that might threaten them." She raised her hand up so now it was penetrating Tony's throat and he shuddered even though he couldn't feel a thing. "I might be a child still in my head… and that's a good thing. Children have active imaginations. Bran and I used to talk about how we would defend Winterfell… and how we would assault it. What gates we would break down, what buildings we'd take first, who we'd have to kill if we decided to rebel and make one of us the new Warden of the North. Children do that. Its innocent fun. But… it's helpful.
"You think for one moment I never considered how to kill each and every member of the Brotherhood in order to protect my family? I have it down to an art form. Magneto is the most dangerous… but his magnetism doesn't work if I'm intangible. He could hurl the Iron Throne at me and I'd still walk right up to him. Just need to thrust my hand into his chest, solidify it… and squeeze." She pulled her hand out and made a fist, Tony swallowing and rubbing his throat.
"You… are a scary bitch."
"Hey!" Arya scolded. "You can't curse like that I'm just an itty bitty baby."
"…okay, now I am really glad that I took Jon with me instead of you."
She blinked at that. "Huh?"
Tony rolled his eyes, motioning for her to move along and keep up. "When I was at Winterfell I considered taking either you or Jon with me. I could tell neither of you was doing well there and needed a change of scenery. I ended up taking Jon because if I didn't he was going to the Night's Watch and honestly between the two places you King's Landing is better than Jon in the Night's Watch." He paused, considering what he'd just said. "Though now that I think about who is on the throne perhaps it would have been better to let Jon go to the Night's Watch."
"At least the criminals and monsters are open about being criminals and monsters on the Wall," Arya opined.
"Point," Tony agreed. The two of them stared down at Braavos below. "So… this is where we find ourselves now. We met in Winterfell as the two Starks that didn't seem to fit."
Arya nodded at that. "I would never be Southern enough for my mother and you were too Southern for your father."
"I could have been the Greatjon and my father still would have found a reason to loathe me," Tony said simply before leaning against the stone railing. "And now we stand an ocean away from home in the company of the Blackfyres trying to figure out how to save the people we love."
"We'll find Pepper and Rhodey," Arya assured him. "Tonight is the best way to do that. Or at least start."
Down below there was a great boom but they only flinched slightly, having grown used to the citizens of Braavos letting off the fire rockets that were imported from Yi Ti. A great explosion of red and greens appeared in the sky followed by a shriek that set Arya's teeth on edge before the sky was illuminated by blue and gold. Smoke scented the air and when the booms quieted Arya could hear the distant sound of cheers as the Braavosi applauded and called for more. But that was the end of the performance for now, merely a heralding of what was to come later.
"I don't suppose I could claim that I don't need to wear a mask because I do it every other day of the year?" Tony asked and Arya merely shook her head no. "Fuck. Magneto really wants to play this out in full, doesn't he?"
"You could always stay here," Arya pointed out.
"Pass. I have no need to spend any more time just with your new family."
Arya decided not to argue with him there, getting that he was moody because he was frustrated with his current situation.
'And why shouldn't he?' she thought to herself. 'He isn't wrong. He is a prisoner here. An honored one, yes, but a prisoner all the same.' Tony could move about the House of Black and White but that was only because none of them truly feared him. Some would have called that foolish, for Tony was still brilliant, but when you could rip steel in half or tear holes in the very earth with a twitch of your toe a brilliant lord who had no more magic armor wasn't that much of a concern. 'And if he wishes to leave he must be accompanied by a member of the Brotherhood.' A week ago Mystique had gone with Tony to the Iron Bank to discuss the Iron Throne's debts; Magneto had flat out refused to let Tony attend alone for, "Soon they will be my debts". They had gotten a plan for repayment settled though it wasn't to Tony's liking and he'd mentioned to them that he had a bad feeling someone else had beaten him to the bank to talk terms. And after that Arya and Gambit had been tasked with taking Tony to the docks and the market, so he might stretch his legs and try and catch any rumor that might offer him information about where Pepper was being held or if anyone had found Rhodey.
So far they'd had little lucky.
Oh, there were rumors floating around, to be sure, but nothing about Tony's best friend or his wife. Tongues were wagging about far many other things. Qarth had been captured by a steel giant who had renamed it Latvaria and was preparing to march on its neighbors, so that they too might become a part of it. A Magister Illyrio was offering a reward for news on his wayward son and daughter, who had run off with a genius and, of all things, a stone man. The blind commander of the Company of the Rose had fought a duel with a man who claimed to have fought the true Last Dragon near Asshai By The Shadow to retain control of the group and now the warrior known as the 'Iron Fist' stood with the 'Scarlet Devil' as a brother in arms. One merchant had sworn up and down he'd seen a ruby and sapphire wagon turn into a giant warrior who had fought another who could become a crossbow. A green giant had been spotted near Bhorash, proclaiming himself "Strongest There Is". Daenerys Firestar had taken Astapor and Yunkai and now marched on Meereen. There was a new 'Vulture King' in Westeros who preyed on the trade routes; Tony had been most interested in that one, commenting that Jon would settle that if true. A silver warrior had begun appearing in villages, declaring he hunted 'Dire Wraiths'.
On and on and on it went. Rumors and tall tales.
And nothing about Pepper or Rhodey.
'But tonight will be different,' Arya thought to herself as Tony at long last pulled himself away from the window and moved back into his chambers to finish preparing for the party they were attending.
Tonight was the eve of The Feast of the Uncloaking and Magneto, being a friend to the Sealord Charlus, had been invited along with the rest of the Brotherhood to attend the first night's party. They would don simple half masks that only covered part of their faces and wear merely fine clothing for this; once the Feast begun the next morning it would require them all to dress in elaborate costumes. Arya was glad she wasn't required to make her own, as she simply didn't have the talent with a thread and needle for that. Though if she had maybe the costume wouldn't be so outlandish; she'd been shown what the servants had made for her first costume, which was designed to make her look like her namesake: the shadow cat from Beyond the Wall.
'As if there aren't enough people that want to fuck me… now I'll get the freakish ones staring at me,' she thought. At least she'd managed to overrule the false butthole under the tail…
No, tonight she merely had to wear a dress designed to look like the night sky, with little bits of glimmering thread used to create star points on its shimmering darkness. The fabric changed colors as light struck it, going from deep blue to dark purple to ebony as she shifted and moved about the sunstone-lit room, just like the night sky itself would change colors with the falling and rising of the sun. And the stars were in actual constellations… not that Arya could name them. Mystique had, of course, pointed them all out to her. The blue eye of the ice dragon running up her side. The Ghost near the hem chasing after the Moonmaid. The King's Crown with one of its gems lying over her left breast. And upon the back in the most detail the Shadowcat… because if the Brotherhood understood one thing it was how to go with a theme.
Case in point Tony had been given a jerkin done with golden thread in the design of different tiny metalworking tools and an overcoat trimmed with wolf fur. He was a prisoner but Magneto wanted to impress all and what better way to do that then to show off that even your 'guests' were given the finest of clothing?
"You know, I feel like I should be walking around the Street of Silk with a cane demanding money from whores in this outfit," Tony complained, tugging on the sleeves of the long coat before sighing. "No way I can abandon this by tossing it in a puddle, I guess?"
"You don't think we'd make you wear it even muddy?" Arya challenged.
"Ah, just like Lyanna… being a bitch to me." Tony finally grabbed the red and gold mask that had been made for him and put it on. It looked like a wolf's head in profile, with the snout covering his nose while the wolf's eye was open for his right eye, the left one remaining uncovered. "Ugh, and I hate this sticky shit," Tony grumbled. "Do you have any idea what it does to your pours? There is a reason why I'm glad I'm not a woman. Having to cake my face with makeup would leave me with red pus-filled bumps all over my face and no one wants that. Far better to be my handsome self, you know?"
"Mmmhmmm," Arya said as she donned her own mask. It had taken some convincing but in the end the servants had helped her find the syrup-like gels needed to make her hair stand up on end, which with her short cut created a wild look. Around her face she donned a black fabric mask like the kind a bandit might wear, though with hers the left eye had a brilliant blue star embroidered upon it. It was daring and colorful and just so perfect to make her stand out while not feeling like some dainty flower.
"These are our simple masks?" Tony asked.
"For the Feast? Yes."
"Ah. Well… shall we go?" Tony said, offering her his arm. She took it only for him to add, "not like I have a fucking choice."
"Think about Pepper," Arya told him.
"I am… but I'm also thinking about Westeros."
Unlike the last time Arya had gone to a party at the Sealord's manse it wasn't expected of her and the Brotherhood to all go together and thus Tony and Arya found themselves part of a group made up of Duke and Toad; honestly Arya didn't mind as she liked both members of the Brotherhood and they were the ones least likely to lead to her cousin unleashing his acid-dipped tongue. She'd warned him early on who her friends were and made very clear that Tony shouldn't mock Duke and his weight and to her surprise Tony had agreed.
"Not his fault he's heavy and so long as he doesn't sit on me I can look the other way as he hits up the meats and cheeses."
"So what do you think the Sealord has planned for tonight to kick off the festival?" Toad asked. He was wearing scaled leathers, having decided to honor the Lizard Lions of the Neck.
"Hopefully there is some good grub," Duke said as he shifted to avoid a merchant pushing his cart the opposite way. Due to his size the servants had gotten a larger canvas to work with and thus he wore long flowing robes that showed off the entire history of the founding of Braavos in grand detail.
"Its Charlus and he knows you are coming," Toad said, adjusting the bag he had slung across his back. "He'll have plenty of food."
"Good food?"
"No, horrible food," Tony quipped.
"…that was rather weak, Lord Stark."
Tony blinked before shrugging his shoulders. "Didn't have time to come up with a good one. They all can't be gems." He nodded to his right. "What is with the creepy wooden statue dolls?"
"The Sentinels?" Duke asked. "Part of the Festival. All the different merchants and lords and different players in Braavos try to introduce something interesting and different this time of year to show off their wealth. The Sentinels are just the latest addition."
"Well I hope whoever called for their creation was going for 'creepy as can be'." He walked up to the Sentinel and began to inspect it. "And the joints are horrible."
"What's wrong with them?" Toad asked, ambling over to Tony and joining him in the inspection.
"A ball joint? That is just asking for wear and tear. And if you didn't measure it properly the whole thing will just go limp unlike my erection. Which is always mighty like an ironwood." He shook his head. "And look at this waist!"
Toad leaned down and frowned. "You're right. One good strike and that will separate the body from the legs." He huffed. "And yeah, you're right about the ball joint. Should have gone with a double hinged U joint."
Tony looked at the Brotherhood member, clearly impressed. Which was good because Arya had no idea what they were talking about. "Those are complex but do offer for more natural bends. Though I admit a balljoint allows for rotation-"
"Unless you go with a mushroom peg right above the U Joint," Toad interjected.
"And only keep the ball joint for minor pieces!" Tony finished, delighted. "You are a crafter?"
"I like to carve figurines in my down time… some I'll sell to the artists who like to have models for their paintings that won't complain about being in the same pose for hours on end. Other ones I hand out to children. I've made a few larger ones for the smiths to test their armor-"
"Okay, you and I?" Tony gestured between the two of them. "We are going to talk before I leave for Westeros because the dummy makers I have don't know half the things you do and I am in desperate need for someone that can make a fully articulated model. My dummies are good but I'm just not into wood and the like… I prefer metal myself."
"I'm thinking of getting into other materials, honestly," Toad said. "There is this material that I've been thinking about trying to create using purified oil… if I can figure out how to get the parts I want I could pour it like metal into a mold and make a hard yet also flexible material that would last far longer than wood."
"Tell me where you are so far…" Tony saind, intrigued.
Duke snorted in amusement as Toad and Tony lost themselves in their conversation, still looking at the Sentinel but not actually discussing it any longer. "Well, we lost'em. Want to stick around or continue on?"
"Let's go. Toad can keep an eye on Tony."
"Right." Duke called out, "Arya and I am heading to the manse!"
"Remember what Mystique said!" Toad said, taking off the bag he'd been carrying and tossing it to Duke.
"I remember, I remember. If I see Sabertooth or Gambit I'll get them to take over!"
Arya frowned as the two of them continued on towards the Sealord's manse. "What was that about? What did Mystique say?" Duke blushed and looked away, causing Arya to scowl. "Duke…"
"She wants one of us with you at all times," Duke blurted out before holding out his hands. "Don't get mad at me, okay! Or her! Because to be honest I would have suggested it myself if she didn't."
"Why?" Arya said, an edge to her words. "I can take care of myself. I'm not a baby."
"It's not that," Duke assured her. "We trust you… it's Charlus and his students we don't trust." Duke looked down at her and Arya was struck by the tenderness in his gaze. "They already attacked you once… hurt you. Rogue could have KILLED you if she'd held on for too long. None of us want that…"
Arya felt a fluttering of guilt at being angry at him and joy that the Brotherhood thought so much of her; the two emotions were at war within her heart. She managed a watery smile and reached out; she couldn't really hold his hand because Duke was just huge all over but she could grip one of his fingers.
"So we hit the food first?"
Duke let out a sigh of relief that she wasn't going to fight him on protection detail. "Absolutely! Besides… sometimes the best way to enjoy a feast is to sit in a corner and watch the other idiots dance and shout and fuck things up."
Arya snorted at that and they made the rest of the journey to the manse in silence.
Or at least… until Duke's bag wiggled and squawked.
"What was that?" Arya asked.
"Uh… gas."
The bag squawked again.
"Really bad gas."
Dreading what she was going to find Arya motioned for Duke to kneel and moved towards the bag, undoing the string tie only for a purple head to burst out and look at her before squealing and licking her cheek with a scratchy tongue.
"Lockheed," she said, exasperated, giving the baby dragon a scratch under the chin before looking at Duke. "Well?"
"I can explain," he said.
Arya motioned for him to do so.
"Oh, I actually need to explain? I've only seen that in plays and usually they don't actually end up explaining anything."
"You've been hanging out with Tony," Arya said with a groan, Lockheed nuzzling her hand. "Why did you bring him? You know Magneto doesn't want people to know about Lockheed until he is big enough to defend himself."
"He gets lonely though!" Duke protested. "When you leave he fusses and stares at the door for hours waiting for you to come back. Gets all sad and sullen and nothing we do can calm him down. And this is different! Usually one or two of us remain at the House but everyone is going to the party tonight. And the parties for the next ten days after! That isn't fair to him at all!"
"It isn't safe," Arya argued.
"He'll be fine… Toad and I have practiced taking him out in the bag and he likes to hide. We slip him scraps and he listens to all the interesting conversations."
Arya though just looked at the baby dragon who was trying to look as innocent and sweet as possible. "And if you get distracted by the food, which you know you will, and set him down and he decides to escape?"
"Uh…" Duke said, scratching his chin.
Lockheed chirped at her and licked her fingers, causing Arya to sign and tug at the bag, forcing Duke to take it off. She had to adjust the cords that went around her shoulders but soon she was able to get it so she was wearing it comfortably. "I'll carry him. It's too late for us to head back to the House and drop him off… he'll probably follow us because you got it in his head that he should come to the party." She looked over her shoulder before a thought came to her that might work. Mystique and Magneto would be pissed but if she just avoided them long enough they might never know. "Lockheed?"
The dragon perked up.
"You will stay in the bag… BUT…" The baby dragon began to wiggle in excitement; he sensed she had a way he could actually enjoy himself! "…when I tell you to you can poke just your head out. And it needs to be a slow as possible. Like this." She lifted her hand, fingers pressed together to mimic the dragon's head, and slowly raised it before twisting it back and forth in smooth deliberate motions. "Okay?"
The dragon chirped and curled back up in the sack.
Looking at Duke she shrugged. "Everyone is going to be showing off and I have brought the latest toy that my uncle and Toad worked on: a dragon puppet."
"Clever," Duke said as they continued on. "Uh… but what if someone wants a dragon puppet of their own?"
"Then Toad and Tony will have to make one and you have to help because you helped Toad come up with this nonsense," Arya told him as they finally reached the gate and were let into the manse. Servants motioned for them to follow a long deep blue carpet that had different aquatic animals stitched upon it, the runner leading them to the back of the manse and the large balcony that overlooked the bay. She could spot the wall she'd tumbled out of a while ago during her mad rush to get away from Rogue and much preferred the massive balcony.
It was the size of Winterfell's Main Hall and had plenty of small tables lined up with food though no one was truly sitting at them. Instead people mingled about, looking over the stone railing at the sea where Charlus would be firing off more Yi Ti Rockets later on or pointing out interesting stars to their bored companions who just wanted to drink. The balcony was actually several balconies, rising up three stories in total, with large gently sloping stairs allowing one to move up and down amongst the levels. Painted paper lanterns were strung about all over to provide light and tapestries of a hundred different colors covered nearly every flat surface; it gave off the sensation that she'd stepped into a rainbow.
"Alright, you promised," Duke told her and Arya chuckled, motioning for Duke to lead the way to the largest of the tables on the lowest balcony, each of them overlaiden with food. That was the wisest way to get through the crowd for all parted when they saw Duke thundering towards them.
Charlus had outdone himself to prepare a feast for his guests. There were grilled and fried meats cut into perfect bite-size chunks so one didn't have to worry about carrying a knife and fork with them. Beef perfectly seared on both sides and encrusted with a mix of spices and onions. Chicken that had been flame bathed with Dornish peppers to ensure the fire remained with it. Exotic fish the names of which Arya couldn't say even if she knew them with crusted bread topping them. Rare and wild beasts from far off lands prepared for the guests to sample. And then there were the cheeses and fruits and skewers with vegetables. Pastries and puffs and tarts. Small finger cakes and a bowl constantly refilled by servants with ice that held some sort of white cream with strawberries blended into it. A glance at the second table showed even more delights for the tongue were waiting to be sampled.
Arya stood back and let Duke go first.
"Not hungry?" a man with his pointed beard dyed red and wearing a feathered mask asked with a smile as he moved to stand next to her.
"Letting my friend decide what to get first," she said, deciding to be polite and actually engage the stranger in conversation. Mystique was getting on her to be more forthcoming and open with strangers. "Duke has a very good palette."
"Hmm, I suppose so if he's with you."
'Awwwww fuck,' Arya mentally moaned as the man shifted to stand closer to her. "Yes and he is the jealous type so maybe don't get to near me."
The man laughed at that and reached around her, his hand creeping along her side and making Arya shudder. "Oh, I'm sure we can reach an arrangement. Besides… my friends seem to have his attention." She looked over her shoulder and saw that two other guests were now talking with Duke, keeping him distracted so he didn't realize the danger Arya was in. "Now, let us slip away-"
"The lady doesn't want to be near you, sir," a new voice said and Arya turned, hoping that the just arrived man would be one of Charlus' people; she wasn't fans of them but the Brotherhood had assured her that worst come to worst she could at least trust them to help her if someone began to get too intimate with her. But the man was a stranger, wearing dark leathers with a mask that looked like a kraken, its tentacles made of cloth to form a mustache that covered his mouth and made her wonder in a corner of her mind how he ate. He was young, maybe Arya's age, lean without appearing to be a twig, and he regarded the two of them with a mixture of amusement and noble determination.
"I think she just doesn't know me well enough to decide. Plenty women have told me no only-"
"For you to rape them and then force them to deny it?" the young man asked Red Beard with utter coldness.
That caused Arya's admirer to stiffen before he pulled her tighter to his body, causing her to almost activate her powers before deciding to wait just a few moments more; once that was revealed the element of surprise would be gone and she might need to make a quick escape.
"Why don't you fuck off and leave her to me?" Red Beard snarled.
"Because I don't like men like you," the Kraken said. "You remind me too much of who I once was. Though I can at least be thankful that even at my worst I was Baelor the Blessed when compared to you and your filth."
"What is your fucking problem, foreigner?" Red Beard asked and Arya blinked as she realized that yes, the man that was trying to be her savior didn't speak with the normal Braavosi accent. She couldn't play it but it was… familiar. "It's a party! I'm here to have fun! And if this little morsel didn't want to have fun she wouldn't have come here." The Kraken merely smirked. "What's so funny? Finally realized how stupid you are to stick those tentacles of yours in someone else's business?"
"More that I realized I could use your 'laws' concerning a party. Do what I find to be fun."
"…heh," Red Beard said and Arya crinkled her nose at the scent of sour ale on his lips. "You threatening me?"
"Not at all." He glanced to Red Beard and Arya's left. "She is though."
Red Beard was suddenly yanked away from Arya, the young woman stumbling forward and into the arms of the Kraken who, to his credit, quickly let her go once she was steady. Arya turned and saw the man had been lifted up into the air by a truly GIGANTIC woman. Her short black hair peaked out from the rather plain mask she was wearing but honestly even the most elaborate disguise would have failed to hide her deep green skin and muscular form. She was wearing the armor of a knight and while Arya was sure more than one Braavosi woman would attempt such a costume during the celebration (though with far more skin showing) the Green Woman wore it like a true knight.
"When I was a girl I longed for someone to protect me from the vile men in the world," the Green Woman hissed. "I prayed every night for a savior. And then one day I realized why I never had one:" she jerked Red Beard close to her face, their noses touching, "I was the savior for every other girl in the world who needed saving."
And with that she threw the man into the sky.
It wasn't a toss across the balcony. It wasn't hurling him over the railing. She simply sent him flying straight up, guests all around them staring skyward with slacked jaws as the man screamed, his voice growing softer with the height he gained… and then it grew louder and louder and his body grew bigger in their sight as he hurtled down-
The Green Woman lashed out her arm and caught him with a violent jerk, making Arya's bones ache just from seeing it. His boots were so close to the ground a piece of parchment couldn't have been slid between his toes and the stone balcony floor.
"THAT is what I like to do at parties," the Green Woman said before letting go of the man whose outfit now sported several dark and rather smelly stains. He fled like mad, his friends quickly joining him, Duke lumbering over only to scowl when the Green Woman moved to intercept him. "Want trouble as well?"
"She's with me," Duke said.
"He's right," she assured her saviors. "Duke's my friend." She walked over to him. "Though his stomach nearly got us in trouble…" Duke ducked his head and Arya felt Lockheed squirm in the bag, clearly wanting out to deal with those that had threatened her… or to try some of the pork stuffed pastries. Perhaps both.
"Hmmm," the Green Woman said, crossing her arms over her chest. "You need to keep a closer eye on her. That bastard wasn't the only one eyeing her up."
"We spotted the trouble and decided to help," the Kraken said, removing his mask and running his fingers through his hair. "Brienne and I-"
"Theon?" Arya whispered in shock.
Her father's ward blinked in surprise. "Do… do I know you?"
"You…no. I mean yes. But you don't-" Arya didn't know how to explain. How did one go about telling someone they grew up with that they had aged nearly a decade in the span of hours thanks to an ancient Valyrian spell?
"Arya!"
Theon wiped around as Tony hurried over. "Lord Antony?"
"…Theon Greyjoy?" He turned to Arya and glowered at her. "Arya Stark! You left me and Toad behind!"
"Arya?" Theon exclaimed, now sure he'd heard right. "Arya Stark?"
"Theon," Arya said weakly.
"Tony?"
ALL of the them turned to see two new men walk over. One a dark skinned man with short curly black hair and a neatly trimmed beard wearing a simple domino mask. The other-
"Tyrion?!" Tony exclaimed.
"Tyrion Lannister?" The Green Woman exclaimed.
"Tony!" Tyrion said with a grin before looking at Theon. "Greyjoy." He stared up… and up… and up… at the Green Woman, lips puckered before he finally said, "…Brienne of Tarth?"
"Toad," Duke said, nodding to his friend who had come with Tony.
"Duke. Arya."
Theon wiped around to look at her once more and she squirmed. "Arya?"
"…Theon."
"T'Challa."
Arya looked at the dark skinned man who had spoken.
"No one was saying my name." he smiled, gesturing at his chest. "T'Challa."
~MC~MC~MC~
Dedicated In Memory of Chadwick Boseman
Wakanda Forever
