Nymeria and Ghost both take off the moment they step foot outside of Winterfell. Arya wasn't entirely surprised to see them run off since she expected that the wolf pack would be joining them later tonight. They were an odd group of people but she couldn't have been more thankful to have others there with her as she went out to get justice for her family. The North needed food and she was part of the North. She was going to make sure that they made it through the long winter if it was the last thing she was going to do.

Meera was going to guide them through the Neck in places where anyone from the Twins patrolling wouldn't see them. Beric and Thoros said that there were a few Brotherhood members that might come and help them out. The idea of fighting with someone other than Gendry made her a little nervous but that didn't mean she wasn't ready for all of this. Arya knew that they could do this because they didn't really have a choice. It had to happen.

"What the fuck is that," Sandor said. Arya blinked and looked out to see the wolf pack lingering on the edges of the forest, watching them, and keeping them surrounded on all sides.

"Backup," Arya replied.

"Of course the wolf bitch has a wolf pack," he grumbled.

"You shouldn't call the Lady Arya that," Podrick chastised.

"Fuck off you little Lannister cunt," Sandor said which made Podrick frown deeply. Thoros let out a drunken laugh.

"We're not even a day away from Winterfell and this is already so much more amusing than anything that could happen in that castle," he said.

"This is going to be interesting," Gendry said softly as they continued on. They walked until the sun was nearly down and that was when Nymeria and Ghost decided to join them again. Sandor, Beric, and Thoros were arguing about who was going to go out and do the hunting to find food when the two wolves dragged in a deer big enough for all of them to eat. Everyone stared at the wolves as they casually settled down near the fire as if they didn't have a care in the world.

"You lot aren't going to just stare at that, are you?" Meera said as she pulled out a knife and began to skin the deer. The men seemed to come back to themselves and before long they had plenty of meat over the fire. Nymeria seemed to get restless as they all finished food and began to pull on Gendry's sleeve as if she wanted him to follow her. He smiled fondly at the wolf and got up to follow her to the edge of camp where they began to play. Sandor scowled as Gendry played with a wolf the size of a pony but everyone else seemed amused and bewildered. Nymeria eventually knocked Gendry down and pinned him by simply lying down on his chest so he couldn't move.

"He seems lighter out here," Meera said.

"He isn't cut out for noble life. I don't think either of us is. Not really anyway," Arya replied as she watched Gendry scratch Nymeria behind the ears and look up through the trees at the sky. He was lying in the snow without shivering which meant that he was finally starting to adjust to the harsh Northern weather. Nymeria eventually let Gendry back up as they began to set up the bedrolls and the tents. That was when the issue of sleeping arrangements came up.

"There is no way the Lady Meera can stay in a tent with any of us," Podrick said.

"This lady can still throttle you," Meera snapped. "I'm here as a warrior just like Arya. I don't need any of you to protect my virtue. I'm perfectly capable of protecting it myself."

"Meera, you're welcome in my tent with Gendry. I promise he'll keep his hands to himself," Arya said. "It's just going to be a little tight."

"That's fine by me," Meera said with a shrug. They had another tent but Thoros, Beric, Tormund, and Sandor all insisted that they didn't want to sleep in a tent. Podrick seemed reluctant to set up a tent just for himself and Meera rolled her eyes. "If you try to touch me I'll remove your hands, Podrick."

"I would never-"

"I traveled with men for many years. I can handle sharing a tent without someone trying to protect me," Meera said. It seemed that Ghost knew something was going on and bullied his way into the tent that Meera and Podrick were going to share. Nymeria still thought that Gendry was a pup that needed to be protected and settled at his back as he wrapped his arms around Arya so they could get some sleep. She could hear the other men still talking and making jokes at Podrick's expense. Arya tried not to feel just how much more relaxed Gendry seemed to be now that they were away from the castle and everything that came with it. She wondered if it was the best place for them once all of the wars were over and they were safe again.

For a trip that had such a wide variety of people, it turned out that they all traveled well together. Aside from the occasional bad comment from Sandor or Thoros insulting someone after he got drunk until he ran out of liquor anyway, they all got along okay. All of them had traveled long distances on foot and on horses over the years in less than ideal situations so a simple trip South wasn't that big of a deal to anyone. Meera guided them through the Neck and during those days Arya lost sight of the wolves. She didn't feel as safe at night knowing that the wolves weren't looking out for them but so far they hadn't had any problems. It was beginning to make her nervous.

Two weeks later they were far enough south of the Twins that no one could think that they were coming from the North. It was time to try and find some other Brotherhood members as Thoros and Beric set out on their own with promises to come back within the week. While Arya did love the North there was something about being in the Riverlands that made her feel like she was coming home in a way that she wasn't expecting.

"So this is the South," Tormund said as he looked around their small campsite that they would be staying for the next week. He had shed most of his fur layers as they got further South and now was looking around the Riverlands like he wasn't quite sure what to do with them.

"This isn't that far south," Gendry said. "It gets much warmer in the winter where I'm from. This is nice weather in my opinion."

"It's a bit too dry. I like the weather to be a little wetter," Meera said despite the fact that it had rained on them today and they were all still a little damp from it.

"Your lands were very interesting little frog catcher," Tormund said. Meera had shown them how to spear a frog at one point which impressed everyone. Arya didn't know how she managed to see the frog in the dirty water from so far away but Meera caught enough frogs to feed all of them the nights they needed to spend in the Neck. Podrick and Meera had become better friends since they began to share a tent and Arya thought that he might be a little bit enamored with her. Arya knew she needed to tell him that Meera was all but spoken for by Bran but didn't want to ruin the dynamic all of them had going.

"I'm going to see if I can find some dry firewood," Gendry said as he stood up and went out into the woods. Arya couldn't ignore how much lighter he seemed anymore and called out her intentions to join him. They hadn't had a moment alone in days and she needed to talk to him or this was going to eat at her for days.

"Gendry?" she asked. "Are you happy at Winterfell?" Gendry frowned as he turned and look at her with an odd expression on his face.

"Why would you ask me that?" he asked.

"You seem so much more relaxed out here on the road than you do back at the castle," Arya said as she looked down and kicked a rock. This wasn't a conversation she wanted to have but it was one they needed to have. "Would you be happier if we weren't at Winterfell?"

"Arya," he said as he placed his hands on her arms. "Yes, I'm less tense out here because I don't have to worry about which Northern lord is going to call be an upstart bastard or see if they figure out who my father is. That doesn't mean I don't want to be there. It's your home which means it's my home now. That's all."

"Would you be happier if we left after the wars are over? When it's safe?" she asked.

"I think we've done this dance enough to know that it's never safe for us. Not completely anyway. I know I'd feel better knowing that the King of the North would keep me safe than anywhere else in the realm," Gendry replied as he squeezed her arms. "I'm good and I promise I'll get used to the castle and everything that goes on it. I just need more time." Arya nodded and they continued to look for firewood. They found enough dry wood to make a fire and went back to the campsite. Arya watched as Gendry spoke with Podrick and Meera, as he even fired back a few insults at Sandor, and tried to imagine seeing him this relaxed within the walls of Winterfell. She hoped that, someday, they could just live without any worries.

A week later Thoros and Beric road back into camp with half a dozen or so men including a few familiar faces. Anguy grinned when he saw the two of them and Arya was glad to see him. She wanted him hidden somewhere where he could put an arrow through someone's eyes if it was needed. As everyone introduced themselves Meera was looking up at the trees. Arya followed her line of sight and saw a raven standing in the branches as it silently watched then. She felt Bran's presence and knew that he was nearby and watching out for them. Meera looked down from the raven and smiled. Now that they were all together it was time to get this plan off of the ground.

"Gendry and I will approach the castle and tell them that I will only meet them under the condition that it is outside the castle in the forest," Arya explained. "To start we will break off several of the guards by making it sound like someone else is coming. That is how Gendry and I would take care of large groups; break them apart from the main group and use the terrain. Use the places around you to your advantage. After we thin the guards I will give the signal and we will attack. If there is a family member that is willing to concede then we will no longer have a problem. If there isn't then we'll have to lure the next group of Frey men out."

"Won't the next Lord Frey just call an army out and attack us?" Podrick asked.

"That's why we won't be killing Walder Frey and one of his sons," Gendry said. "At least not yet. Walder Frey will die for what he did but he will do after we negotiate a truce between our houses. There has to be a sensible son among that group somewhere."

"And if we make it through all of his sons he does have daughters," Arya said.

"And if they call the banners?" Beric asked.

"Fall back into the woods and make for the Neck. We will regroup there and go back to the North without succeeding," Arya said. "The North needs this food to live so we don't have much of a choice when it comes to succeeding. We need this or we aren't going to make it. There's no getting around this."

"The wolves are nearby and they will help the best they can," Gendry said. "Ghost is staying behind but Nymeria is coming with us because there isn't any faster way for Arya to prove she's a Stark than to show up at the front door with a direwolf."

"Everyone stay safe," Arya said as she climbed onto her horse. "If we don't come back before dark assume the worst has happened and head back North immediately. There isn't anything you can do for us if they decide to take us prisoner." Gendry also climbed onto his horse and with Nymeria by their side they began to make their way north toward the Twins. They were roughly five miles south of the castle and Arya tried to keep her breathing even. There was a chance that this was about to go very poorly and her and Gendry were going to end up in yet another cell until the Frey's decided to turn them over to Cersei.

"Let me do most of the talking," Arya said. "I don't want them to know who you are unless they bring up the marriage contract."

"Considering the type of person this Walder Frey seems to be I wouldn't be surprised if he brought his son and a septon to do the ceremony to the meeting," Gendry replied as he looked straight ahead. "I'm not letting them take you."

"I'm not letting them take me either," Arya replied. She reached out and they clasped hands as they made their way to the castle. As they got to the Arya glanced at Gendry one more time and he nodded to her. They kept their heads high as they approached the castle and Nymeria stayed close. When they got close enough Arya jumped off of her horse and let Gendry take the reigns for both animals. It was best if they thought he was a knight or a sworn shield and not her husband at the moment.

"Who goes there?" a guard at the entrance to the castle said.

"I am Arya of House Stark and I come to seek negotiation for the release of my family. I wish to speak to Lord Walder Frey at once," Arya said as she once channeled her mother to the best of her abilities.

"And who are we to leave you're a Stark? I heard they were all dead," one of the guards sneered and Nymera used that opportunity to emerge from where she was hiding behind Gendry. She growled at the men who took a large step back in fear.

"Is the direwolf proof enough?" Arya asked. "I'm returning North to be with my family and you hold my uncle, my aunt, and my nephew here. I'm here to petition their release. Go tell him at once." The guards glanced at each other and one of them ran off while the other stood guard. The guard eyed Nymeria like he didn't trust that the wolf wasn't about to eat him alive and Nymeria did a good job of acting like a wild animal as she lowly growled at the man the entire time. Arya made sure that she looked impatient as they waited. The guard came running back and there was an older man behind him.

"Lady Arya Stark I presume?" the man said.

"Yes, and you are?" Arya replied.

"Ser Stevron Frey, heir to House Frey, my lady," Stevron said and he looked a little pale. "My father had agreed to meet with you if you'll just-"

"If you think a Stark will be setting foot in the Twins after the Red Wedding you must be mad," Arya snapped.

"The guards said you wanted to meet with my father-"

"And I will," Arya interrupted. "I have a camp set up five miles south of the castle. I will only meet there since House Frey does not seem to abide by guest right anymore. That is the only I will meet with the Lord of the Crossing." Stevron clearly wasn't expecting Arya to say that and looked very uncomfortable with how this conversation is happening.

"And if we refuse your terms?" he asked.

"Then I will be traveling back to the North to inform my brother, Jon Snow the King in the North, that House Frey is holding a member of our family hostage and must be punished for it," Arya said as she narrowed her gaze. "Does House Frey wish to go to war with the North?" Stevron once again looked uncomfortable and gave Arya a small smile.

"Forgive me, my lady, I must speak with my father." Stevron hurried back into the castle and the two guards continued to eye Nymeria like they weren't sure what to do with her. So far no one had acknowledged Gendry who was standing behind her and glaring at everyone like he wanted to take them apart with his bare hands. Stevron returned sometime later and he looked like he just ate something terrible.

"My father will meet you at your camp," Stevron said. "Though he says that this is an insult to him as the Lord of the Crossing that he must leave his own castle to conduct business."

"And House Stark considers it an insult that my mother, brother, good sister, and unborn nephew or niece were slaughtered within these very walls," Arya said with a deadly smile. "So I'll be sure to take note of Lord Frey's insult along with my own. I will see you at high noon tomorrow." Arya didn't wait to see if Stevron agreed to that time. Instead, she took the reigns from Gendry and climbed on her horse. She could feel Stevron watching her as she rode away from the castle.

"The wolves are nearby," Gendry whispered. "He's going to send someone to follow us."

"I'm sure he will," Arya said as she glanced over her shoulder. "But I can't control what a pack of wolves do, of course," Gendry smirked as they began to ride south toward their camp. Nymeria stayed close for the first time or so but she turned around and raced back behind them after a moment. Arya glanced over her shoulder and then looked at Gendry. He also climbed off of his horse and tied both of the animals to a tree. They both pulled out their weapons and began to follow Nymeria's tracks. It didn't take long for the sounds of a man begging for his life filter through the trees.

There was a man surrounded by Nymeria and a handful of her wolves as he held a sword out in front of him as he tried to figure out which wolf he would attack first. The man had a dark beard and wore a back headpiece on his head as he frantically looked around. He had multiple weapons on him and his clothing was in all black like he didn't want to get spotted.

"What did you find for me, Nymeria?" Arya asked and the man looked up at her. "It seems odd that the place I came from recently was the Twins who agreed to meet with me. Who are you and why are you following us?"

"My name is Ryger Rivers," Ryger said. "I was under orders from my father Lord Frey to follow you."

"And were you supposed to do anything else but follow me?" Arya asked. "Because you appear to be wearing a lot of weapons for someone who was just following someone else. Did your father send you out here to kill me?"

"No my lady!" Ryger said and Nymeria snapped her jaws at the man.

"My wolf seems to think you are lying," Arya said as Gendry began to slowly circle the man with his war hammer in hand.

"It would be wise not to lie again," Gendry said lowly.

"He told me to come out and kill the man you were with and bring you back to the castle for my brother," Ryger said quickly. "You were betrothed to him many years ago and my father intends to hold you to that contract."

"I won't be marrying any of Walder Frey's sons," Arya said. "It seems the wolves are hungry. It would be wrong to get between them and nature. Shall we?"

"We shall," Gendry said as he joined her again. Ryger began to beg but the sounds his voice cut out with one loud snarl as they walked away. Nymeria wasn't going to leave any evidence of this man so she wasn't worried. It seemed that Walder Frey did not intend to play fair with their meeting. Arya smirked; she wasn't planning on playing fair either.