While filling their water bags and letting the horses drink too, Arya had a vision. She blurted as soon as it ended, "I'm a horse! It's the same type of sight line."
Aulix didn't agree, but said nothing. It took Gendry a moment to understand what she was talking about. It still left one thing unknown, "so who're you chasing?"
She looked at Gendry, "umm, I still don't know that. But I'm definitely hungry to kill the person."
"Are you saying there's a rabid horse on the loose?" Gendry asked, looking around behind them.
"Nothing like that is here, remember I've had an eye in the sky," Arya reassured and looked pointedly at Aulix.
"Right. So does that mean you think it's still the Red Witch?"
With a shrug, was how she replied. Then added, "at least I'm not having the shakes anymore."
"I've seen her dark magic, do you really think you can kill her? Remember she follows the God of Light, just like Thoros. So what happens if you kill her and she comes back from the dead?"
"Thoros said that no one can be brought back if you're head is removed completely. That's how I'll kill her… using your gift or the sword from Taron, or both." She turned her attention on Aulix. "Now will you teach me to use both swords at the same time?"
"Using two swords looks cool, but using one sword well, is better. You already use two blades at the same time… your daggers are shorter versions of a sword." He pointed out.
Gendry offered, "I can help you be better at handling just one sword."
"Thanks Gendry, I need practice." She gave him the sword from Taron and then began her attack.
Aulix watched them, with a half amused expression. Then chuckled, when Gendry easily dodged the blows and pushed her into the dirt. He could see Arya was irritated. Because she wasn't fighting a real target, her emotions were not shut down.
"You're pretty good at using a sword," Aulix complimented Gendry.
He snorted, "what kind of blade smith would I be, if I didn't know how to use the weapons I made?"
"Good point. Well I'll leave you two, since we'll stay here for the day. The horses can use the extra time to graze." Even though that's what he said, Aulix still took one horse, but without saddle or bridle again.
"That is one strange man. I still can't get use to him coming and going like that," Gendry admitted.
"It took me months to not fear him, back in Braavos. But don't even try to figure him out, cause to this day he still is mysterious and dangerous."
Gendry nodded, "have you ever attacked him?"
"No. On the ship back to Westeros, I was picking fights with the passengers, because I was bored. He got a knife on me, that could've been instant death and I didn't know until he spoke. Put it this way, Taron's dad was a professional great assassin. Taron had been trained by his father at an early age. Even Taron admitted he wasn't as good as Aulix."
"Okay got it; don't piss him off. Let's get on with it."
While they trained, Aulix watched from the sky, lying on the horse's back as it grazed. The crow blinked and Aulix was flooded by the third eye images. He couldn't tell if what he saw was past, present or the future. It needed to be investigated, but first to keep his promise to Taron, he'd unite Arya with a loyal friend and protector. Then he could leave for a while and not worry about her, if she met up with Melissandre. His hope was that what he saw was from the past, otherwise he'd have to send for Taron and Byt to join him. For now he jumped from crow to a hawk and confirmed the location of Arya's friend. Then it was time to go back. He'd have to teach her how to connect to the crows, so if she needed help, he'd know how to find her.
"He's back," Gendry advised. "You should tell him you had another vision."
Arya nodded and waited. "I saw one of the people I chased down and killed. He was a supporter of House Tully and enemy to us Starks."
Aulix wasn't surprised, the closer they got to The Kings Road, the more vivid her visions would be. Telling her that, had no benefit. "How'd her training go Gendry?"
"She's better. But you're right, she should stick to using arrows or throwing blades. If I had my forge, I could make her a sword like Needle, then she could use two in combat."
"That's a good idea… for the future." He acknowledged thoughtfully. Then Aulix asked, "how are you feeling otherwise Arya?"
"Hungry. We're going to finish off the cheese and bread, do you want some?"
Together they ate. Gendry gave Arya a back and shoulder massage. Aulix had her go through breathing exercises.
"I want you to connect to the horse you've been using. Do it like you already know how, but then after a few minutes try to only connect partially. So the horse has control of it's own movements, but you are still there."
Arya's body slumped against Gendry. The horse looked over to them and whinnied. Aulix asked, "do you want to go ride her Gendry?" He laughed at the expression on the smith's face. Then to the girl in question he added, "now partially return to your body and open your eyes."
Her first attempt and every one after, all failed. Gendry went to get water, thinking his presence may be why she couldn't concentrate on what was needed. He checked the horses, while he was at it.
"Again, remember your breathing and the feeling of connection with your body and the horse." Aulix instructed patiently. "Hold yourself in that bridge, once you're comfortable with that feeling, try moving your own body."
He smiled and winked at her, when she finally opened her eyes and sat up.
"I did it! I finally understand… all that horse thinks about is eating… and it wants to have Gendry scratch behind the right ear!"
Eyes full of wonder and amazement made contact with Aulix. He instructed, "I want you to constantly practice that connection; before you sleep, when eating, riding the horse, walking and fighting Gendry."
She hugged Aulix and he returned the embrace. Then Arya went to scratch the horse's ear. The more practice she got, the easier making and keeping the connection would be. His plan was to have her connect to the crow tomorrow. Which was one of the important steps to complete, before he could go off on his own for a while. Using his mind, Aulix called the crow to him and fed it a piece of apple. Then together they went hunting.
That night they ate another rabbit roasted on the fire. Aulix had some questions for Gendry about fire. "Do you think a dragon's fire can be used to forge a sword?"
Gendry thought about it seriously. "It's possible, but we don't know if a dragon can control the temperature of it's flame for the length of time needed to make a sword. If the flame is too hot, the metal melts. If it's not hot enough, you can't work the metal. Probably easier to ride the dragon to a volcano and use molten rock to make the sword."
"Older dragons maybe had more control over their flame," Arya suggested.
"Do you think Valyrian steel swords were forged by flame made by man or by dragon?"
"It's possible. How to make that steel has been long lost. Only the master-blacksmiths of Qohor can even reforge the steel from existing Valyrian weapons and make swords," Gendry explained. Then asked, "why the interest in Valyrian steel?"
Aulix didn't answer. "If given a chance, would you want to apprentice under a Qohor Blacksmith?"
"If there came a time, when Arya didn't want me by her side, then yes I would."
Arya frowned, "don't put that on me. You know I always would want you around. But if you could you should, because I will always encourage you to seek knowledge about what interests you."
"He's worried about loosing you and never reconnecting again." Aulix explained the obvious. "There's a way to use the crows, to find a person. It's going to be hard, exhausting even for Arya to do it, but possible."
"Using the bridge thing you taught me today?" She questioned with child-like curiosity.
"Something like that. Crows are not only a link to the third eye, or used for carrying messages, but they are so smart that they remember faces. Few people know or can use the skill of creating a bridge, it can be dangerous in itself too. If you can do a bridge with a crow, it might let you plant an idea of another person's face in it's mind."
Gendry whistled low, "damn that sounds hard. What's the side affect of trying to do that without the crow letting you?"
"It'll gouge your eyes out."
"Um, so I have to say 'hi crow, can I put an idea in your head?' That's stupid," Arya argued.
"You're thinking it's a person. You'll understand once you connect with the crow tomorrow," Aulix explained.
She wasn't convinced, but then before Aulix came in her life, she'd never even been able to connect with animals or understand her non-physical abilities. If he thought she could do it, then that's what she'd will herself to achieve.