Arya liked to think she was pretty good at reading people. After so many years of being out on her own with only Gendry at her side, and how he would refuse to talk when they were first together, she had to learn quickly the things people were saying without words. That was how she knew something was wrong when she went down to break her fast in the morning with Gendry, and the hall was completely empty. There were a few servants around, but they were nervous, and they wouldn't make eye contact with her. Arya glanced at Gendry, who shrugged; they had gone to bed early, so something must have happened the night before. Sansa and Theon were nowhere to be seen, and Arya wondered if they were okay. She was about to go check when Yara walked in the door.

Yara usually looked fairly serious, but right now, she looked damned near murderous, which was pretty frightening. She wore the crown that Gendry made her, and she was walking around like she was about to declare war on someone. Arya very much hoped that the someone in question was not the North.

"Arya, Gendry, lovely to see you two this morning," Yara said, and Arya could see that there was some dried blood underneath her fingernails. "I want you to know that the ship is ready, and I have asked my cousin Asha and her crew to carry you back to the North."

"Why a different crew?" Arya asked.

"I want people I can trust," Yara said with the implication that there were people that she didn't trust.

"What happened?" Gendry asked, and Arya loved her husband. The high born thing to do would be to spend the next half hour dancing around what happened and getting to the point where no one asks, but someone tells anyway. Gendry didn't care about that sort of thing and decided it was best just to ask, and Arya loved that he didn't really care. Yara blinked, and she lost some of her composure.

"Some of my men were exceptionally rude to Theon last night, and your sister reminded everyone why she has the nickname the Red Wolf," Yara replied. "They claimed that Theon was not of the Iron Isles anymore, so Sansa said that the North would gladly take him if the Iron Isles were so quick to throw away their prince." Yara sighed and looked at her hands; it wasn't just blood under her nails, but now Arya could see some cuts and bruises. "I had to remind them that they will not talk about my brother like that. I have some dissenters amongst the ranks, and I didn't want to risk any of your lives. Asha is a woman I trust above all else, and she had a loyal crew. They will make sure you're all safe."

"And Sansa? And Theon? Are they safe?" Arya asked, and Yara smiled sadly.

"I fear I may have set my brother back some steps in his recovery, and, for that, I don't think Sansa will ever forgive me. I just hope that when the two of them get married, I'll get a raven with a date so I can see my brother get married."

"Sansa holds grudges, but not inviting you would be seen as a political slight and, if nothing else, that will be the reason you'll get an invite," Arya replied.

"If that's what it takes," Yara said. The three of them had just sat down to eat when Sansa and Theon entered the room. Sansa looked angry, and Arya could see why everyone was whispering about the Red Wolf. Her big sister looked like she was ready to tear throats out with her teeth. Yara explained what ship they were going to be on and offered to escort them back down to town so they could leave immediately. Theon didn't make eye contact with anyone, and he was leaning heavily on his cane as they made their way to the horses. Arya wanted to ask Sansa if she was okay, but Sansa didn't look like she wanted to talk to anyone.

The ride back down to the ship was a quiet one with no one saying a word to each other. Arya glanced at Gendry, who shrugged a little. Arya wanted to see that her sister and good brother were okay, but now wasn't the time to do that. Yara and her Queensguard personally escorted them to a ship where a woman who was clearly of the Greyjoy blood was waiting for them. Asha had curly red hair like Theon, but it was a little lighter and blonder, no doubt from all of the time she spent on ships. She smiled, and while it wasn't as cutthroat as Yara, it was clear that there was a reason she was a woman leading a ship.

"Yara, I was wondering if you could come down and see me yourself," Asha said, and the two women embraced.

"I don't trust anyone else with such precious cargo," Yara replied, which was probably the sweetest thing that Arya had ever heard Yara say. Sansa and Theon climbed out of the carriage, and Yara introduced all three of them. Theon blinked and looked a little confused, and Arya had a feeling this was a cousin he hadn't met before. "Asha was exploring the west when the war was going on. She only just got back a month or two ago. She's our cousin and a great woman. You can trust her."

"It's nice to meet you," Sansa said, and Theon nodded silently. He stayed behind a little, and Arya walked away so the two siblings could have a moment alone. Sansa went below deck, and Gendry went to look around a new ship, but Arya stuck close to Asha.

"You went west?" Arya asked.

"Fairly far west too," Asha said. "Didn't fall off the world or anything like that. We just kept going and going. It was an endless horizon, but the waters were treacherous, and I think there are some things in the ocean we don't want to ever meet."

"You think the ocean just goes forever?" Arya asked.

"No," Asha replied definitively. "I came back, and we went very far. There is something out there, but I'm not sure we know what it is yet." Asha crossed her arms as she looked west out to the sea. "I have a feeling. I have a feeling that we're missing something about that horizon, and we're so close to figuring it out. Once we do, my girl, the possibilities will be endless. Once I get Yara's permission, I'm going back out there, and I'm not turning around until I'm dead, or I find what's out there."

"That sounds like quite the adventure," Arya said, and she tried to keep her voice even. It sounded like the trip of a lifetime, and she was jealous that Asha could go out there and explore.

"Yara speaks highly of you and Gendry; we could use people like you on my ship when I go; maybe you should consider it," Asha suggested, and every bone in Arya's body wanted to say yes, but it wasn't possible; it just wasn't.

"I'm afraid we have duties," Arya said, and Asha hummed like she understood. Arya looked over and watched Yara help her brother onto the ship. She smiled and stayed on the dock until the Iron Isles faded from sight.

The trip back to the North was good, and Arya got along with Asha exceptionally well. The more she talked about her adventures, the more she wanted to take her up on the offer to go west. She didn't tell anyone about the proposal, though, because she knew how it would go over. Gendry would get this sad look like he was somehow holding her back from the things she wanted to do by being married to him. Apparently, Arya wanting Gendry with her on these adventures didn't count. Sansa would get the same look that her mother would get whenever she caught Arya practicing with weapons or getting dirty; it wasn't that Sansa didn't support her. It was more like that Sansa understood better than anyone the duty they all needed to do. Theon would probably turn pale and then tell her about all of the terrible things that could happen at sea as a way to dissuade her. So Arya listened to Asha's stories and kept the offer to herself.

They arrived back at the North and thanked Asha and her crew for treating them so well. The moment Sansa set foot on land, she looked a little less tense, and Arya could hear her talking with Theon in the carriage as they started back to Winterfell. Arya just hoped that they could get home without having to worry about bandits this time. A nice, relaxing trip back to Winterfell after all of the drama on the Iron Isles was what she wanted.

That night, Theon went to bed early, but Sansa stayed up and stared at the fire. Arya glanced at Gendry, who read her easily. He got up and whispered to the guards who gave them a little space to talk privately.

"Yara told me what happened," Arya said.

"I couldn't believe what they said," Sansa snapped. "I tried to tell them that we could spend more time on the Iron Isles later in our marriage after I'm no longer Hand to the King, but they ignored me. They acted like Theon wasn't even one of them, and it broke his heart, I know it did, and I hate them all for doing that to him."

"Judging by the blood under Yara's fingernails, she absolutely taught them a lesson or two," Arya said, and Sansa chuckled softly.

"I can't forgive those people for what they said to him," Sansa whispered. "All Theon has ever wanted was a place to belong, and those people tried to take it away from him again. I hate them for it; I hate them for it so much."

"You're giving him a place to belong," Arya replied. "Gendry was the same way. We found out lost men, and we made them pack. Now we have to protect them like the wolves we are." Sansa nodded, and the two of them sat in silence for a long time. Eventually, Sansa stood up and walked into the tent she was sharing with Theon. Arya joined Gendry and held onto him as he slept peacefully.

Arya was ready to be home when the guards announced that someone was coming from over the ridge. She both hoped it was and wasn't the bandits again because she wanted revenge, but she didn't want her sister or Theon to see her getting it. That was something that only Gendry could see and still accept her for. However, the group coming toward them didn't rush, and Arya narrowed her eyes. There was some familiar red hair shining in the afternoon sun, and the person was waving like they were excited to them.

"Lower your weapons," Sansa said as she climbed out of the carriage. "That's Tormund and a group of the Free Folk. There isn't a soul there that would ever hurt us." The guards lowered their weapons as the group began to approach. Tormund grinned when he saw them, and despite how regal she looked in her Northern furs and grey dress Tormund still wrapped Sansa into a bone-crushing hug and lifted her clear off of her feet. Arya wasn't surprised when Tormund turned and did the same to her. He laughed as he smacked Gendry on the back hard enough that he stumbled and shook Theon's hand so tightly that Arya saw Theon shaking it out when it was over.

"I thought I saw some wolves and where there are wandering wolves there are Stark's," Tormunf said as he looked them all over. "What are the group of you doing out here?"

"We were on a trip to the Iron Isles, and now we're going home," Sansa replied, and Tormund grinned.

"Aye, lovely to hear, we're on our way there too. I got something I need to talk to the crow about," Tormund said, and Arya frowned. There was something about that statement she didn't like.

"What is it?" Arya asked.

"Oh, a large clan of the Free Folk has crossed over the remains of the Wall, and they are looking for a place to settle down. I wanted to tell your brother about it, so he knew that more of us were going to be in the North than we initially thought," Tormund explained, which made Sansa stand up a little taller.

"A new clan?" she asked. "Does this clan have a leader?"

"Aye and she is looking to unite all of the clans Red Wolf," Tormund replied. "It'll be good to be a large group again, and we are looking forward to it." Something was going through Sansa's head, but Arya had no idea what it was.

"Why don't you travel with us, Tormund," Gendry said. "We'll get back to Winterfell by the end of the day."

"Sounds like a plan blacksmith," Tormund said as they all began to climb onto their horses and make for Winterfell. Arya could hear Tormund asking Gendry about any new weapons that he was working on, but she wasn't listening. Something about this exchange was really bothering Sansa, and they needed to get back to Winterfell as soon as possible.

They arrived back in Winterfell, and Jon looked surprised to see Tormund and a group of the Free Folk with them. He hugged all of them until Tormund practically tackled Jon into a hug and held on tight. Meera and Bran were there, and Meera's stomach didn't look quite as flat anymore. Nymeria was stuck to Meera's side and would not leave, but Arya wasn't surprised. Nymeria was protecting the new Stark pup, and that was all that mattered.

They were all tired from traveling, and Jon said something about waiting until the next morning to talk, but Sansa insisted that they do this now. Tormund got the rest of his group settled for the night and followed everyone up to Jon's solar, where they could talk in private. Sansa ordered drinks for everyone while Tormund and Jon caught up with each other. By the time the drinks arrived, Arya was done with small talk and wanted to know why Sansa insisted that this meeting happen tonight.

"So Sansa says we need to talk about what brought you here," Jon said.

"Oh, yes, I wanted to tell you that another clan of the Free Folk is coming south of what used to be the Wall to settle here. Their leader, a woman named Val, is looking to unite us so that we can all work together. You told me to tell you if there are any changes with the Free Folk, so I'm telling you," Tormund said with a shrug and a grin. So whatever Sansa thought about this, it was clear that Tormund didn't think it was a big deal either. Jon smiled and nodded, but Arya could see something was unsettling her brother a little.

"You just let me know if any of the castles give you any trouble," Jon said.

"Tormund, I need to speak with my brothers, can you excuse us? We can break our fast together in the morning," Sansa said. Tormund's smile faded a little, and he could tell, the same way that Arya could, that Sansa was telling him to leave and not asking. He nodded and walked out of the room.

"Sansa, that was rude, what's going on?" Jon asked.

"She is worried about the Free Folk," Bran said.

"They aren't going to start raiding anyone. It's just a bigger group," Gendry said.

"A bigger group under one leader," Sansa said. "Jon, between the various wars, entire House's were lost, and we don't have much to protect us if the worst should happen. We need allies, and to do that, we need warriors."

"The Free Folk aren't part of the North, though," Meera said.

"And they won't want to be," Arya said.

"We need allies," Sansa explained. "The Free Folk need to become official allies of the North, and to do that, we need to meet with this Val. If we don't, the other House's might start to see them as foreign invaders and start attacking."

"If the Free Folk retaliate, the House's will call for open war," Theon said as he seemed to understand where Sansa was going with this. Arya realized that her sister was right; that many Free Folk operating under one singular leader would likely have one of the biggest armies in the North.

"Tormund wouldn't allow war," Jon said, but he hesitated. "I've lived among these people, Sansa, and they won't want to align themselves with us."

"Not even for their own protection?" Arya said. "That is a big motivator. It's warmer here, and it's easier to hunt. The people with Tormund are doing well judging by the last raven he sent. More of them are going to want to move south. There are going to be people unhappy about that."

"Those that remember the raids," Jon whispered. "And those that remember what happened with the battles at Castle Black." Jon rubbed his temples and leaned back in his chair. He suddenly looked much older and so much like their father that Arya briefly lost her words. The concept of safety was the thing that they could use to appeal to this Val for a formal alliance, but they all knew there was really only one way for an alliance like this to be cemented. There was really only one way to bring the Free Folk formally into the North in a way that couldn't be disputed by the other houses. It was a traditional way of forming an alliance and one that anyone who was raised in a noble house knew it far too well.

"Will you ask Tormund to bring her to a meeting?" Sansa asked, but they all knew the question that she was really asking.

"Yes," Jon said, and he sighed. "I suppose it was only a matter of time before this happened, but this is a thing that is going to make the lesser House's very unhappy with me. I'm a King, and I promised all of you that I would let you all marry for love. It's time for me to do what any King has to do; it's time to talk about a political marriage to help cement an alliance.