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She had only meant to stay a few weeks, until she'd recovered from Eddard's birth. Then it was a few months, until Eddard was more settled and able to travel such a distance.

Now, out of nowhere they were about to celebrate Eddard's tenth name day.

Whilst making preparations for the small gathering, Lady Ireena took Arya aside. "I think it is time my dear."

"Time for what?" Arya replied, though she had a very good idea of what she was talking about.

"I think, no, I know, that it's time for you to go home. You've heard the stories coming from Westeros. They say that the Dragon Queen has finally arrived to take the Iron Throne and that your brother Jon Snow has been made King of the North."

Lady Ireena paused. "They are also saying that 'Winter Has Come'. You know what that means."

Arya sighed. "I know. 'When the snows fall, and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives'."

"Your grandfather used to say that." Ireena said.

"I've become the lone wolf, haven't I?"

"As much as I would love to say no, I believe you have. You need to return home, to your family. To your pack. And as much as I would love you to stay here, you need to leave soon."

Arya felt defeated. "I shall start making plans after Eddard's name day. We should be gone by the half moon."

"I would ask something from you, Arya." Ireena said.

"Name it."

"I, Lady Ireena of House Crane, formally ask you Lady Arya, of House Stark, heiress of Winterfell to take my son, Lord Jeor Crane as your ward," Ireena said with a tear in her eye.

"He's a bit old to be a ward," Arya replied with a small smile.

"I mean will you take him with you?"

"I know what you meant, but why? You'll be all alone, surely."

"I don't have that many name days left in me. I can feel it. I can't bear the thought of Jeor being on his own once I'm gone. To know he is with you will allow me to go to the God of Death in peace."

"Not today," Arya said automatically.

"No, not today," Ireena replied with a smile.

"After everything you have done for me and my son, how could I say no? I Lady Arya, of House Stark, promise to take Lord Jeor Crane, not as my ward but as my travelling companion. I promise to take him home to Bear Island where he can meet his family and set his life accordingly."

The next ten days were a flurry of activity.

Knowing that once they'd arrived in Westeros they would be travelling by foot or by horse, they only packed what could be carried on their backs or in saddle bags.

Anything they had but didn't need, or couldn't be used by Lady Ireena, was sold to the local merchants. Thus making sure they had enough gold to make it north through Westeros. Arya remembered what it had been like to sleep outside with not enough food in her belly as a child, she certainly wasn't going to allow Eddard to go through that.

On their last night in Bravos, Eddard found Arya sharpening needle. It hadn't been needed in so long that the blade had gone dull.

"Are you all ready, sweetheart?" Arya asked him.

"I think so. Mother, do we really need to go?" he asked.

"I'm afraid we do. We should have gone many years ago, I actually tried to go back before you were born. I wanted you to be born in Winterfell. My birthplace and the birthplace of every Stark going back thousands of years to the time of the First Men."

"Will you be taking your faces?" he asked.

"My what?"

"Your faces. I found them a few years ago and knew what they were straight away. I remembered your stories of how you trained with the faceless men before I was born. Will you be taking them?"

Arya looked at her son with a mix of fear and admiration.

"And did they scare you?" she asked him.

"No. Why would they? They're only faces."

Arya smiled. "You are so smart and so brave. We have an early start tomorrow, go get yourself to bed."

"Just one more question?"

"Go on then."

"Actually it's two, will I meet my father and do you think he'll like me?"

Arya was suddenly reminded that her son was only a little boy and reached for him, pulling him on to her lap. "I think that our situation is not a normal one. But should he still be living and should you one day meet, I think he could do nothing but love you."

She kissed her son on the forehead. "Now get to bed."

"I love you, Mother."

"I love you, too," she said as he left the room.

The following morning came all too fast for Arya. She wished she could just hide away forever, here on the island of Bravos, with her son and her friends. But she knew that it wasn't possible. She needed to get back to Westeros. She needed to get back to her pack.