Games of Thrones

Arya Stark The Hand of Death

Chapters

Teach Me to Fight

Bloodied

Reunited

The Sad End of Sansa Stark

Love on The Seas

The City of Braavos

Secrets of The Faceless Men

Orders for Arya

The Black Mountain

The Cruel Tutelage of Pei Long

The Mother of Dragons

Giving the Martells a Reason to Rebel

Framing Cersci Tyrell

The Alliance of House Martell and Tyrell

Jamie Calls His Banners

Hunted

A Spy Among Us

The Lord of Whispers

Showdown At the Red Keep

The Last Lannister

Lord of the Vale

Arya's Cousin

Bryden Swears to Arya

Fall of the Twins

Drowning With the Drowned God

Reclaiming the North

Tears of Winterfel

The Fall of Casterly Rock

Lord Commander Jon Snow

Queen of the North

Stannis Baratheon Must Die!

Queen Daenarys

Arya's House

Chapter 1. Teach Me to Fight

The pains, trials, hardships, and tragedies of life care little for title or position and Arya Stark had learned that lesson early. Her friend Mycah the Butcher's son is killed on the orders of Queen Cersi. Later her sword Master Syrio Forel is killed by the King's guard along with her father's men. For a short time Arya lives on the streets of King's Landing avoiding the City guard. Then She witnesses the public execution of her father on Joffrey's orders. Her sister Sansa just stands there and for a short time she blames Sansa. Yorun takes Arya, cuts her hair in an attempt to pass her off as a boy to get her home to Winterfel. During the journey the King's guard attacks the group headed to the wall and Yorun is killed. It is during this time that Arya befriends the bastard of King Robert Baratheon and a fat boy nicknamed Hott Pie. She also saves the lives of three men-one of them is named Jaqen. When they are captured Sir Amory takes them to Haranhal. It is at Haranhal that Arya witnesses prisoners tortured at the hands of a man referred to as the tickler.

Since Arya saved his life Jaqen tells her to name three people and he will kill them in the name of the god of death. She names the tickler, then she names Sir Amory who catches her reading an important letter, and she names Jaqen himself as the third but withdraws the name if he can help her and her friends escape. After escaping Jaqen offers her training among the Faceless men as an assassin, but she refuses stating that she must find her family first. He gives her a coin and tells her to show the coin to any man from Braavos and say, "Valar Marghulis!". Jaqen instructs her to say his name one last time when he turns to face her he has another face and leaves.

Not long after Arya and her friends are captured by the Brotherhood without Banners. They are taken to a local inn where they are fed. Just as they are about to leave Sandor Clegane is brought in as a captive. He then reveals Arya's true identity. Hot Pie stays behind at the inn while Gendry and Arya are taken to the Commander of the Brotherhood at their hideout in the Riverlands. There Anguy trains Arya with a bow. Arya spots someone behind her target, which is revealed to be Melisandre and a small group of Stannis Baratheon's men. Melisandre says the Brotherhood has someone the Lord of Light needs, and soon after has her men take Gendry into her custody. Arya protests, particularly when she sees that Melisandre has given the Brotherhood two heavy sacks of gold in exchange. She confronts the red priestess, calling her a witch. Melisandre ignores the barb and looks into Arya's eyes. She sees the eyes of many others, eyes that Arya will shut forever.

Later at the camp, disillusioned with the Brotherhood for selling Gendry, Arya takes an opportunity to escape and runs off into the night. Before she gets too far, however, she is kidnapped by Sandor Clegane, who was lying in wait for her.

During her captivity, Arya picks up a rock and stands over the Hound planning to strike. She thinks he is sound asleep and is completely vulnerable. Not so and he opens his eyes and tells her she has one chance to hit him, and kill him, if she fails he will break her hands. Later she sits on the horse with him sullen and refusing food he offers her. Sandor points out that for all she hates him, Arya could have been taken captive by far worse. He tells her the story of Sansa and how he rescued her from the mob, men who were going to rape her in every way then slit her throat and leaving her to die. Arya says he's lying but Sandor says "Ask your sister if you ever see her again." They continue onward across the meadows and arrive at a river which Arya initially thinks to be the Blackwater. Rather confused with her lack of understanding he points out that the river is the Red Fork of the Trident. Arya had believed the Hound was taking her back to King's Landing, but he reveals that he is in fact taking her to The Twins, intending to get a reward by ransoming her back to her family. The marriage of her uncle is imminent and both her brother and her mother will be there at the Twins. He tells her ruefully that if she wasn't so busy trying to bash his skull in they might make it in time for the wedding. Arya has a small and hidden smile as the Hound spurs the horse to a gallop.

Tragedy strikes again when they reach the gates of the Twins. Arya realises that something has gone terribly wrong. Her Brother Rob and their Mother Catelyn have been betrayed and killed by Walder Frey and his men. As Clegane rides away through the Stark Camp. Frey's men are killing and burning. To ensure their safety Clegane snatches up a Frey Banner and rides off.

All these things are running through Arya's mind-building up a mountain of rage and hatred. She wanted to fight back and avenge her family. Arya had already killed a Frey soldier on the road who was boasting about the deaths of her Brother and his men.

"I will kill them all!" She whispered to herself with tears streaming down her face.

"Get up! I know ya not sleeping!" The rugged hoarse voice belonged to Sandor Clegane or the Hound as many called him. He is a brute of a man-who looked more monster than man with his puffed skin on his face. Remnants of the burns he suffered as a child.

Arya wipes her eyes because she didn't want him to see that she had been crying. She took a shuddering breath and jumped up. "Teach me to fight!" She blurted, "I want to learn how to fight." He looked at her and started laughing as he started packing the saddle. Arya sneered and stood in front of him. "Teach me!"

He continued packing the horse then he grabbed her and set her on the horse. "Why would I teach someone who has sworn to kill me?"

"You killed my friend! What did you expect?" She looked down then looked back up at him, "I take it back! Teach me and I will spare you!"

He laughed and climbed up onto the horse behind her, "Your a girl!"

"So-haven't you ever heard of the Amazons of Summer Isle or the Valkyrie maidens of mount Valstoar?" He didn't reply and Arya started racking her brain, she finally beamed. "Teach me and I will help you overcome your fear of fire."

He stopped the horse and she turned to look at him. He smiled, "How are you going to help me?"

She stared him down, "My brother Bran fell from his horse-After that he hated horses-Feared them-My father helped him overcome his fear."

He sneered and kicked the horse to move again, "Horses and fire are two different things."

"Fear is fear no matter what form it comes in and I can help, but my price is that you teach me the sword!"

"If you can cure me of my fear-I will teach you-You have until we reach Riverun Castle."

She hunched her shoulders and showed him the coin, "If you take me to Riverrun-I will run away! I am going to Braavos!"

"What in the hell is in Braavos?"

She rolled her eyes, "I will tell you after you train me?"

They traveled into the mountains of the Vale-Mount Talos, a mountain that many in the Vale feared. It would be the perfect place for Arya to help the Hound overcome his fear of fire and learn the sword from the monster of a man.

"What's the blindfold for?" He asked in his rough voice.

"Don't ask questions just go with it!" He sat on the ground on a horse blanket while she blind folded him. Then Arya took a torch and made him hold it. "Okay listen to my voice-Breath in through your nose and breath out through your mouth-Now think of everything you hate about fire and why. Tell me when you are done."

"I'm done!" He said in a nervous tone of voice.

"Now think of every good thing you know about fire-tell me when you are done."

Ten mintues later he spoke, "I'm done!"

"Keep breathing!" She ordered as she lit the torch. She could tell he was getting nervous, Arya placed her hands on his shoulders and whispered into his ear, "The fire can't hurt you-It will only hurt if you let it. There is no fear!" They did the same excercise for the next week, then Arya removed the blind fold as he held the torch. She made him stare at it and he smiled.

"I think this trick of yours is working!"

"Good!" She took the torch and started placing hay in a circle around him

"What are you doing?"

She lit the fire, "Now face your fear and own it."

Anxiety tried to grip his heart and he was about to flee, "Own it don't run from it-Close your eyes and breath!" He did and calmed down, then Sandor opened his eyes, the fear was gone. He stood in front of Arya after she had put out the fire. "A deal is a deal! I will teach you-We shall begin tomorrow."

When the sun came up they ate a breakfast of porage. "See that rock?" It was half the size of a water pale, "Pick it up-Now bend your elbows and raise the rack to eye level, then raise it above your head, lower it back to eye level, and down again by bending your elbows."

Arya had done it twice before she asked, 'What does this have to do with sword fighting?"

He grunted, "Everything! A weak arm makes a weak swordsman."

'How long do I have to do this?" She asked in aggravation.

"Until I tell you to stop!" He replied grabbing his bow, "I'm going hunting!" He set two water skins beside her. "When you get tired drink some water and rest for five minutes-No more! If you take longer than that I will know-If you don't keep up your pace I will know."

Arya took a break twenty minutes after he left. Then she got back on it after ten minutes. She kept lifting the rcok over and over again. After three hours Sandor returned with a deer, he dropped the deer and placed his hand on Arya's chest-her heart was pounding-then he checked her pulse. "Keep going!"

As he cleaned and gutted the Deer Arya continued, "Can I stop now!"

He was placing the deer on a spit, "Sure go ahead-if you don't want to avenge your father, mother, and brothers." She sneered and continued until the sun had set. "Alright you can stop now!" Arya was sore and tired as she crawled over to the fire. "Eat and regain your strength, then tomorrow we begin again." They ate roasted deer potatoes and carrots. "Get up!" Sandor demanded kicking her the next day. It was an hour before sunrise.

"You didn't have to kick me!" Arya said angrily.

"You don't want to get kicked-then get up before me and you won't!"

Instead of lifting the rock he had Arya lie down on her stomach propped up by her hands. Then he had her push up off the ground and lower herself without touching the ground. She took five breaks as she did pushups on a blanket in the snow she asked. "Are you trying to kill me?"

Without looking at her he answered shoving stew into his mouth, "If I were-you would be dead by now-You wanted to learn the sword-As your teacher this is the path I have set you on-You don't like it-I can always take you to your uncle in Riverrun."

"No!"

"Then stop complaining-Someone who has seen the things you have should not complain." Arya groaned as he kicked her the next morning and brought her to a tree, "I have marked a path for you-You will run the path I have made and run back until sunset-You can take as many breaks as you like-They can't last longer than ten minutes."

The next day he had Arya jump up and down down in place. When she jumped she spread her legs and brought her hands together above her head. When she jumped the second time she would bring her legs together and her hands would go down the sides of her body. Everyday was a different exercise-Monday she would lift the rock, Tuesday Arya would do pushups, Wenseday she would do run, Thursday Arya would do jumping jacks, Friday she would raise up on her toes and back down without touching the ground. Saturday Arya would bend her legs across a tree branch and pull herself up to her knees and back down again. On Sundays she was allowed to rest and do what she wanted.

"Get up!" When Sandor kicked the blanket there was a soft thump and he was hit in the head with a small rock.

"I'm already up!"

"Do that again and I will break your arm!"

Every week the same excercises were done on the same day. The days became weeks, the weeks became months. Arya lost all baby fat and body went through some significant changes as she started growing breasts. When her hair grew out to the middle of her back she cut it down to neck level. She screamed one morning when she found blood on her bed role.

"How old are you?" Sandor asked.

"Um-14-I just turned 14! What happened-Why am I bleeding?"

He sighed, "Did your mother ever talk to you about what it means to be a woman?"

She looked at him confused, "No!"

"Well your not dying and you don't have a disease-The bleeding means you are ready to have children." He looked at her and narrowed his eyes, "You do know where babies come from don't you?"

"Of course I do?"

"Tell me!"

"A man lies in bed with a woman and they make a baby."

"That is the basic idea. From now on you will bath in a seperate tub."

After six months he presented her with two wooden swords, "Give me the name of a dangerous, but small animal."

"A spider!"

"What else?"

"A snake!"

She looked up as he towered above her, "Both of these animals are small, but they are dangerous-They have fangs to bite and poison their enemies. You are a girl-growing into a woman-Women are smaller and weaker than men-Most men! You will have to rely on speed to best your enemies. The key to victory is never underestimating an enemy as most of your enemies will underestimate you-There are some who will size you by looking at you-These are the really dangerous swordsmen-These types of people you will have to outsmart! I am teaching the fang technique because it will allow you to use both hands in defence and offence. You will use a defensive style of fighting-use your leg as an anchor like this..."

He had Arya extend her foot behind her and to the side and then he had her place the flat of the wooden sword against her forearm. When he struck the force of the blow did not knock her off her feet. "See-Your enemy will try to back you down, but when you back step always use one foot as an anchor." The sound of wood on wood echoes through their camp. With every backstep Arya would block from left to right switching sword arms and feet. Eventually she grewed bored with being backed down and used what she learned from Syrio Forel to flick her sword and stab Sandor in the gut, but he redirected his blade, knocked her sword from her hand and swept her feet from under her. When she looked up his wooden sword was pointed in her face.

"Nice try!" He said helping her up, "You've been taught basic moves-where did you learn to do that?"

She was sneering at him as she rubbed her butt, "My first sword master-His name was Syrio Forel-He taught me that there is only one god-the god of death."

"Well you are learning from me now-Try that again and you will end up on your ass again."

Everyday their camp would echo with sound of wooden swords as they practiced fighting each other. Eventually Sandor built Arya a wooden soldier to practice on, it had a sword and shield. He also built a pole with a sword at head level and another at feet level. She had to duck, then jump as the wooden swords spun around and around. Arya would often practice sword fighting without Sandor. Within six months she could hold her own against him-but in order to beat him she had to use dirty tricks like throwing dirt in his eyes or kicking him in the groin which sometimes got her knocked up side the head. Another year had passed and she was now 16 years old. It was the second month of the year and Arya was in an intense duel that she was determined to win without underhanded tricks. She would use feints and withdraws in an attempt to defeat the monstrous man. The longest she had ever lasted was 11 moves and she was on the 22nd move-He disarmed her left sword and she switched to a two handed grip. Then it dawned on her-how to win the duel she left herself open for a thrust, but she stepped inside his attack sacrificing her body to take his head off.

Sandor's sword was at her ribs and Arya's sword was at his neck. He smiled, "Very good-The match is a draw."

"We have to finish!" She said as he snapped the wooden broad sword, "From now on we practice with steel." He replied pulling out two fang blades. "We will use these so we don't cut each other to pieces, but be careful the guards can still break bones."

Arya's moves were slow as she was accustomed to fighting with wooden blades, but she still held her own. He also changed the wooden swords on the pole to steel ones-if Arya missed a duck or jump she could loose a leg or her head.