The weather was colder in Braavos than London. There was more snow, about three feet tall of snow and Arya loved it.
She dug her hands into the snow and lifted them up, not caring that it was freezing cold without mittens or gloves. The snow crumbled in her hands as she ran her fingers through it, creating water droplets.
Arya was home.
"Hey."
She turned around and smiled at Gendry has he trudged through the snow over to her with some fish and chips.
"I managed to swing us a couple of nights at a B&B and get dinner."
Arya reached for a chip but Gendry got there first and fed it to her. Once she had finished chewing, she smiled up at him through her lashes.
"I would have liked ketchup with it. And a bit of vinegar. You've got a lot to learn," she told him before picking up their backpacks and putting hers on.
After getting settled in their B&B room, they went about thinking of ways to make money to start their new life.
"I've got some money saved up and I could probably ask around local garages for a job so we might be living in this room for a while to come."
"Any chance that money saved up can spare for my fencing coach?"
Gendry sighed, taking a strand of her hair and slipping it behind her ear. She had cut her hair shorter so that it could easily slip under wigs if need be. She also wore a little bit of makeup which was very rare for her. But she still looked like herself and she was beautiful to him.
"I'm sorry, no. Most of the money I make goes back into the family business. In a way, I'm working for free. But I did some gigs on the side so that's how I got the money saved up. I can't actually access my trust fund until I'm twenty-five."
Arya sighed. "Lucky for some. We can't access ours until we're over thirty for bloody's sake. I saw an undertaker's as we entered Braavos. Maybe they're looking for apprentices."
"Why an undertaker's?" Gendry asked her.
"Well, I've always said that if I can't do fencing or horse riding professionally, I'll work with dead people instead. They aren't as annoying and irritating as the living."
Gendry frowned. "You think I'm annoying and irritating?"
Arya became flustered as Gendry's gaze didn't waver, his frown deepening. But then he burst out in laughter, making Arya hit him on the shoulder.
"Of course, not. Hey, I better go and try for that apprenticeship now before it closes so I'll be back, yeah?"
"I guess I'll do the same."
Arya slipped her blonde wig on and fitted it in front of the mirror before retouching her eyeliner and lipgloss. From the corner of her eye, she could see Gendry grabbing his key before kissing her cheek and leaving.
She took this time to check her phone to see the hundreds of missed calls and text messages. She'd need to get rid of the sim card soon.
She listened to the last voicemail she had got which was from Sansa.
["Hey, Arry. Jon and I know that there is a reason as to why you left and for now, we will call off the police and the searching but know this... Take your happiest moment and cherish that because if you keep going back to that moment, your saddest moment will become happier. I hope you are happy. I hope you do come home in your own time. Don't hate us, please. Me especially because I know that I've been such a bitch to you lately and I do it out of love. I'm not Mum and I will never be, I've realised that now but thank you for putting up with me and sharing a room as well. I have to go because this voicemail's about to-"]
She replayed the voicemail again before taking her sim card out and putting it in her locket around her neck. She and Sansa had matching heart-shaped lockets but Arya hadn't worn hers in a long time and now seemed appropriate to do so.
Smiling, Arya grabbed her purse and the room's other key before letting herself out and heading outside back into the cold and frosty night.
It took her ten minutes to get to the undertaker's and she was surprised to see that it was still opened at... She checked her watch. 8:34 PM.
Going inside, she frowned at the sudden heat and she heard a chuckle.
"Exactly like me. I love the snow but hate the warmth. I'm Jaqen H'ghar, manager of this place. How can I be of assistance? Are you in a period of bereavement?"
He seemed scary but his long blonde hair and blue eyes seemed welcoming enough.
"I was wondering if I could become an apprentice here."
Jaqen raised his eyebrows, shutting the book he was holding to gesture for her to take a seat. He sat in front of her, offering water which she denied the offer.
"I don't normally take anyone on. It's rare that people die here in Braavos so I guess you can say that business is slow. What is your name?"
"Mercedene Stone."
The man smiled, a twinkle playing in his eyes. "You're lying."
"Sorry?"
"I've seen you before. Different hair but you're definitely familiar. I'm very observant, you see. I know everyone and anyone. I especially know you, Arya Stark and I also knew that you would turn up here at this exact moment because you are a lost soul just like me. You wish to use the dead to help you understand how to cope with your grief. You want to understand why you aren't reacting normally. That's why you ran away. You wish to seek for answers."
Arya was stunned. She had grieved for her family's loss, hadn't she?
"Come back tomorrow if you are definite about this. There's a café across from here if you wish to seek other options. I must shut up shop."
And soon, she found herself outside the darkened undertaker's as the snow fell on her.
Her feet moved though away from the undertaker's and she settled back into the warmth but of the café across. Maybe this would be her and Gendry's new usual place.
"Are you going to order?"
Arya looked up. How long had she been thinking for? Everything seemed to be on autopilot.
"Uh..."
"I'm Loras. I can see that you're new here. My grandmother Olenna owns this place and me and my sister, Margaery run it." He decided to sit down in front of her, forgetting his duties of cleaning up the store.
"I'm Mercedene."
Loras smiled brightly as he shook her hand. "So, did Mr H'ghar reject you too?"
"Hmm?"
"I applied when my sister and I first moved here. Told me to try for this place and that he knew my grandmother owned it. Said he knew a lot about the comings and goings of Braavos."
"Loras! Stop your rambling and leave the poor girl alone."
Loras rolled his eyes but got back up and collected his cleaning supplies. "Just making her feel welcome, Geri."
Arya turned to 'Geri' to see that she had ginger hair exactly like Sansa's. But hers was wavier. She missed Sansa's pencil straight hair.
The woman came over with a slice of red velvet cake and Arya could see her nametag clearer. Margaery.
"I'm Margaery but people call me Geri. I hate my full name and you can wonder why." She placed the cake in front of Arya. "On the house, since you're new in town."
"Thanks."
"Did you come here alone? You look young. Where are your parents?"
Arya blushed. "I'm twenty-two. I came here with my fiancé, Clovis."
Margaery blushed furiously herself before returning behind the till. "Sorry, I see girls who are fourteen but look like they're nineteen come through these doors on a daily basis. You look great for your age. Awesome hair."
"Thank you."
The café became silent as Margaery continued to clean behind the till and her brother cleaned the tables.
Arya was the only customer that was currently in the café as it was quite late. She looked across the room decorated with yellow flowers and branches intricately made into the shapes of light stands or chandeliers. The running theme was gold and green and it felt like home. Well, if you counted the woods as home.
"Margaery, Loras! Shut up shop. It's past nine!"
Margaery turned to Arya with an apologetic smile as she started to lock up the till.
"That's was our grandmother. Time to shut up shop for the day."
"I'll go. My fiancé's probably worrying about where I am."
Loras slipped his coat on as he joined Arya by the door. "I'll walk you home. Can't have a young woman out all alone this late."
"No, thank you."
"It's the rules of Braavos. Women can't be unaccompanied after 9 PM due to safety reasons. It came last year when more than ten women were physically assaulted on nights out. I just want to make sure that you're safe, the same I'd do for Geri."
Geri smiled at Arya when the young girl turned to her. She gave her a little wave before disappearing upstairs.
"Fine. I wouldn't want to get hurt on my first day here."
"Great! I'll even show you some great places to hang out with your guy. Where are you staying?"
"B&B."
They got quiet after that, moments came and went when Loras would point out places to her now and then. When they finally arrived at her current place of abode, he shook her hand again and bid her farewell.
"How was it?" Gendry asked her once she stepped into their room.
"I'll try again tomorrow. Ended up getting free cake."
He chuckled, wrapping her up in a hug to warm her up.
"I got the job. Now, we can start our happily ever after."
...
"Did you just leave her a really long voicemail?"
Sansa nodded, blushing. "I more or less rambled shit about being happy and all and now I feel like I'm betraying her."
She slipped her phone into her pocket and packed her duffel bag before handing Jon their phone chargers.
"Did you call Osha?"
"Yeah. I've also offered her a medical assistant if she needs her."
"Daenerys." Sansa simply said with a raised eyebrow.
Jon sighed, refusing to answer her as he zipped up his duffel bag and headed back into the living room to drop it off. He went into the kitchen and retrieved two water bottles from the cupboards before washing them and filling them with water.
"She is a doctor by the way!" He called out not really sure why he did in the first place.
He didn't need to explain his actions. He was the older one here. But something told him that Sansa was willing to question his authority and choices and he wasn't looking forward to that.
It was nearly six in the morning when they finally arrived at Braavos with their overnight coach.
"I told you to wear layers," Jon softly chastised Sansa as she shivered.
He gave her his spare jacket and she slipped it on and zipped it straight past her chin to her nose which had become redder by the minute.
"I thought it would be like London..." She muttered bitterly but muffled. "Don't laugh at me!"
Jon chuckled and helped her with her dropped duffel bag and walked ahead to the café.
It was named Tyrell's and Jon's stomach rumbled at the smell of freshly baked treats and bread.
Sansa joined him not too long after and they both entered, Sansa going first as she found a table by the heater.
"Welcome to Tyrell's. I'm Loras, your waiter. What can I serve you both today?"
Sansa met Loras' eyes as she blushed furiously, unable to talk. Due to one, Jon's coat covering her mouth and nose and two, he looked gorgeous.
Loras had blonde curly hair, grey eyes and a wide smile which was most certainly kind and not creepy. He wore a tight-fitting sleeveless shirt which defined his small muscle build and a green apron wrapped around his waist with the café's name written in gold.
"Can we have two teas and well, we'll get back to you with what we want to eat."
"Of course."
Sansa watched as Loras walked away, taking the time to smile approvingly at his behind. She blushed but realised that she was smiling underneath the zipped coat.
"You're smitten."
"Shut up," came her muffled reply. "I'm paying. As I'm technically loaded right now."
"Ah, I guess I can pay another time," Jon said grinning.
"You and I both know it's me who will be paying from now on."
"Exactly." He glanced through the menu. "I'll take the full breakfast and you?"
"Same. But you can have my black pudding. Always hated the black pudding."
Jon smirked, nudging his head in the direction of Loras who was busy making their teas.
"Why don't you ask Mr Lover to not put it in. I'm sure he will easily comply with your batting eyelashes."
Sansa growled lowly but stopped when Loras returned with two black teas, a glass pitcher of milk and a sugar shaker with two small spoons.
"Are you ready to order?"
"Two full English breakfasts please."
Loras nodded, writing their order down on his little notepad as he asked, "Anything else?"
Sansa took the time to unzip the top of Jon's jacket. "No black pudding for mine and I'll also have extra toast and that will be the poppy seed bread."
Loras nodded, winking at her as he wrote it down and slipped his notepad back into the pocket of his apron.
He went out back as the female waitress got about setting up the rest of the café and making their products look presentable inside the stands.
"Your eyes look familiar," the woman finally said as she walked past Jon and Sansa.
"Sorry?" Sansa asked.
The woman laughed, shaking her head. "Not you. Him. Your boyfriend."
The siblings both blushed as they shook their heads in denial.
"He's my brother. Half-brother but brother nonetheless." Sansa finally explained, making the woman blush furiously.
The woman smacked her head lightly. "I've stuck my foot in it so many times! No wonder my grandmother made it clear that I wouldn't fit in here. I'm Margaery but people call me Geri. As I was saying, your eyes look familiar. I've seen them recently on a really pretty young woman. Mercedene. She moved here yesterday with her fiancé. Haven't met him yet but she's really nice."
Loras returned with their meals. "Oh, are you talking about Mercedene? Yeah, she's really nice. She was nervous but who wouldn't be after you've moved to a new place? But we got along. I walked her home last night."
"You say she moved in yesterday right?" Jon asked.
"Yeah! Maybe you guys can meet her so you'll know more people around these parts."
"This is a flying visit. We're looking for our sister. She left without any word and we think she's here," Sansa told him before turning to Jon. "This could be her. Can you show us where she's staying?"
Loras hesitated but nodded. "Sure. I can take you after you've eaten. It's quite early and barely anyone comes unless it's the fishermen after their early morning catches. So, Geri will be all right to take over for a short while. It's only a ten-minute walk."
"We'll do it in five," Sansa told him before beginning to eat. "I'm not taking any chances when it comes to my sister."
...
"It's 5 AM."
"And so? What do you need me to do?"
Jaqen chuckled lightly as he closed his book and gestured for her to follow him. He introduced her to many places in what looked like a small undertaker's building but to her, it seemed like a Tardis. Small on the outside, bigger on the inside.
"Finally, this is where we prepare the bodies for burial. This is Mr Walder Frey. He was a fisherman who died of old age although, after more tests, pathologists found that he was poisoned."
Arya frowned. "By who?"
"His wife. His son. His daughter. Nobody cares as he was an old hated man."
"So, what do I do?"
"You clean up his body. I'll be watching as you interact with him. The dead demand respect as well as the living."
Arya cleared her throat and tied her wig up in a ponytail before pulling her sleeves up over her elbows. She watched as Jaqen wheeled a small cart over to her with a sponge, water and soap. She then realised that as quick as he gave her the items she needed, he was at the end of the room. Watching her like a hawk as he stood in the shadows.
Once she was done, she stepped back for him to admire her work.
"You aim to please."
"I... I've had practice on the living. Sometimes I helped my sister bathe our younger brother.
Jaqen raised his eyebrow. "You've got the job. But something tells me you won't be here for long so there is no point in giving you a job which will be taken for a short while."
"What do you mean?" Arya asked with a frown.
"I know everything about this place, including the people. Call it a sixth sense. Either way, you can't accept the job but you do have it."
"But I need-"
"Seeking for answers to help you in your grief will be difficult. You need to understand that the dead cannot help you but the living can. Go home."
Arya clenched her fists but remained quiet as she walked away. She didn't stop walking until she got to the port and sat at the end of the dock.
"I could really do with advice now, Mum. Or even you, Dad."
When she was met with nothing, she nodded.
"I guess not. Thanks anyway."
She stood up and turned around to come face to face with her brother and sister.