The creature in the water, that had made contact with Aulix, seemed to keep tabs on their progress across the sea. Occasionally it spoke to Aulix, if you could call the mind connect it made, talking. When they had thanked it for the storm warning, it just laughed. Even when Aulix helped Arya catch a massive fish for it, the creature declined and told them to eat it. Arya tried to reach out to it too, one day.

She came back into her mind quickly, "it was laughing hysterically and I don't know why."

"Yeah I get that a few times too. Like it has some epic inside joke," Aulix agreed.

"But it was creepy, like just feeling it could turn me insane."

He shrugged, "did it say anything to you?"

"Um, sort of, I think it said, 'your time will come.' Or maybe not."

Aulix laughed, "that could mean anything."

"So now that things have gone back to normal on the ship, tonight we're playin' cards right?" Arya asked, changing the subject.

"Yup. You're up first. Remember win one hand and loose two. First night we set the plan in motion."

"Ground work, got it."

The rest of the day was uneventful and rather boring. They both dozed on and off, taking turns at it. Being able to sleep in short spurts, was something that Arya had developed over the years. She'd only feel the need to chant her death list, if she was sleeping for a long period of time. Her body had adjusted to the short naps and she was always full of energy afterwards. Still, evening couldn't arrive fast enough and it seemed like forever before the night darkened the sky. They ate with the ship's crew and other passengers, then waited impatiently for the latter to go to sleep. Finally the Boatswain motioned them over, as the card game was set up. The man who'd gone overboard during the storm, explained the rules of the game. He then dealt the cards to each player.

Two hands in and Arya stopped the game suddenly. "As much as I appreciate the two wins you guys just gave me, I came to play. If you ain't gonna play fair, then I'll just go." She began to stand up.

The Boatswain waved her to sit down. "Sorry… alright, let's play for real."

She smiled and returned to her seat. Aulix stood leaning against the boat's mast, watching the game. As the game progressed, Arya's stake grew and diminished, but in a controlled way. He was happy with how she played and that their previous research on the men, was working well. Monitoring the game, to see if she had any tells, was what he mostly focused on. By the end of the game, their plan was well underway.

"Well, that's it for me guys. Tomorrow night, weather pending?" Arya asked about the next session.

"Yeah, sounds good."

She stretched and then rotated her shoulders. Rejoining Aulix, they walked down the bow of the ship. He wanted to make sure they were far enough away, so that the wind wouldn't carry their words. To anyone watching them, it looked like she was just stretching her legs, while he kept her company.

"Good of you to call them out early, for screwing around. After that, everything seemed to go smoothly."

"Mr. Tall Skinny is definitely a pro. He drink's as part of his con," Arya observed.

"I had a suspicion of that. Notice any other patterns?"

"Nothing new. I'll play again tomorrow night and then you can sit in a few days…. I can't remember, but did Mr. Tall Skinny sit in on all the games we were watching?"

Aulix scratched his chin, head tilted to the side. "Yes, but he doesn't win every time at the end of the night."

Her eyes narrowed, "the nights he won, did he drink a lot?"

"When he won big, he started out drinking and sharing his ale with the other players…. I get what you're thinking. Tonight he didn't drink much, if he does next time, I'll see how it plays out."

He watched her trying to ease her stiff muscles. "Just sit down, I'll massage it out. The way you're flailing around, I almost expect you to take flight."

"Shut up." Arya sat down in front of him. "There, it's a knot right?"

"You want me to get it to release or just make it feel better for now?"

"Release." She clenched her jaw, as he put pressure on the knot of muscle. It was painful enough to make her breath deeply.

When he was done, Aulix pulled her back to lean against his chest. He was propped against some cargo that was strapped down to the deck. This was where they normally lay down for the night, but having been so lazy all day, both were wide awake.

"It's so clear tonight. The light breeze is nice though."

He pointed at a cluster of stars and told her a legend he'd heard once. Her mind wandered. Could Gendry see these stars tonight? She wanted to see him again so badly, to make sure he was okay. Would he even remember her? Would he want to when he found out she was a killer? Could she let go if he'd moved on and had forgotten about them?

"Aulix, other than Taron, have you ever loved someone. And I don't mean bed warmers."

"That's an out of the blue question… I have, a long time ago. I was a kid back then, before I even knew Taron. Why?"

"Did that person love you back?" She felt him sigh and added, "if I'm getting too personal, I'll shut up."

He smiled, even though she couldn't see it. "Babe, with you and Taron, nothing is too personal."

Before he could answer her question, Arya turned around and looked him in the eye. "Why am I different than the rest?"

"Because you're a lot like Taron. I trust you and I know that what I tell you in confidence remains that way. And…," he paused.

She touched his chest, finishing for him, "…and you know that I would give me life to save yours."

He laughed, "I wouldn't let you. Like our mysterious water companion said in a way, your life is meant for grander things."

Arya grinned, "alright then, save your own ass."

When she had once again turned around, so she couldn't see his face or eyes, Aulix answered her other question. "The girl did love me back, things were a lot more simple back then. My gift hadn't really manifested. She was older, by two years." He took a swallow of cider.

"Did she take your virginity?"

"Yes…. but our love was deeper than just the physical, at first…. Things were amazing, until I began using my gift."

"Was she scared of you or think of you as a monster?"

"No… it was jealousy. The need to have the power over me; seduction was her game. I was so in love, I was blind to the truth. But knowing I could take over the minds of animals, made her hate me for being superior. I never treated her differently… it was all in her mind. Nothing I did, fixed things. My heart broke. I ran away…. I met Taron a year later."

"Do you think about her still… like would you ever go back and find her?" Arya asked cautiously.

He calked his head to the side, thinking about it. "Maybe I will."

"You know where she is even now?" She asked in surprise.

"Just like you, I know enough to start the search. Not being in Westeros, I couldn't keep accurate tabs on her."

"So Taron knew about her too?"

"He met her." Aulix admitted. "It was after a few years, kickin' it with Taron. We bumped into her, pulling a scam. She tried to seduce him, he laughed in her face."

"Taron never told me this story! I bet she was pissed."

"Not at first, she took it as a challenge. Lilit could tell I loved Taron… even more so than I had her."

"So it was a game to her?"

"It was how she protected herself from the pain of our past love. I understood, but knowing that Taron turned her down flat, felt good."

"Byt said that you seduced Taron, but if Lilit taught you, why didn't it work on him? I'm confused."

"It's not just about sex skills with him… you know that."

"His loyalty… trumps skills."

Aulix chuckled, "that's part of it." He redirected the conversation. "Are you worried about how Gendry will think of you when you're re-united?"

Her shoulders slumped, he was too perceptive for her own good. "Yes…. I'm not anything like I was before."

"I wouldn't say that. In some ways you're the same, just have the skills to back up your will now. Smart as you ever were, a cocky little shit and courageous as ever…. not to mention a hot, sexy woman."

"Thanks Aulix, but you know that's not what I meant. I kill with ease now, it's not just what I do, but who I am…."

"If he's any of the man that you told us about, I think he'll welcome you back…."

"What if he is married or something?"

He asked his own question, "are you returning just because of him?"

"No… I need to finish my kill list and find my living family. Not until then, even if we re-unite, can I relax."

"Then don't worry about it until you see him. Guessing what will happen, will only drive you nuts."

She smiled, "wise words."

"I sometimes have a smart moment."

Arya wanted to ask Aulix more about his past, but didn't want to push too much. When in the guild, Taron would be evasive about his relationship with Aulix.

"When you meet up with Gendry, don't close off your heart to love, if he's moved on…. I had, until Taron."

"I won't… I will always love Taron and you… the guild."

"When you're heart grows dark, hold on to us."

She looked up at him, his eyes she couldn't read. His voice wasn't just issuing a warning. The mood had changed so suddenly. "Aulix?"

He smirked and winked, then stood up and walked off. Arya didn't follow, knowing when he got like this, to give him space. She saw Aulix climb up the rigging and go up to the crows nest. That ended any further conversation until the next day.