~*The Blonde Girl*~
Arya woke at dawn the following morning as the orange rays of early morning sunlight crept through the wooden shutters that covered the small window in her chamber. She lay for a while and thought about her sister Sansa, picturing her pretty face and her long red hair. When Arya had fled Westeros with The Hound she thought that Sansa must have been dead along with her mother, her father and her brothers. She thought that she was all alone, the last of the Stark's.
Since then she had thrown herself fully into her training to try and forget her old life and to leave all of the terrible things that she had seen and been through behind her, but now it was all coming back to her. "Queen Cersei, Ser Ilyn, Walder Frey" She whispered to herself, saying her death prayer for the first time since promising Jaqen that she would forget her list.
After a short while she decided to get out of bed and changed into her usual grey training outfit before heading to the kitchen to break her fast. She felt quite hungry and prepared some porridge, some toasted bread and some hot lemon tea. She then headed to the main hall which, for once, was empty. Even though it was early there were usually a few of the others up and about by now.
'Where is everyone?' She thought to herself as she sat and ate her porridge, her toasted bread and drank her tea. After she had eaten and cleared up after herself she walked to the laboratory where she had her lessons with Master Garavel. She knew that he wouldn't be there yet, but that was alright, she only wanted to read and research about poisons anyway.
She carefully looked over the dusty shelves and picked out a few of the books before sitting at her usual desk. She flicked through the yellowed pages of one of the old books, making little notes on various poisons, what their effects were and how long they took to kill. She was looking for something which would kill slowly so that it looked like a natural death and if possible, undetectable.
Arya was concentrating so hard that she hadn't noticed Master Garavel enter and sit at his desk. He didn't disturb her and left her to study, reading a book of his own. When she did eventually notice him she showed him the list of poisons that she had made notes on. "I need a poison that makes it look like a natural death over time, which one would you recommend Master Garavel?" She asked him, seeking his advice.
He picked up her neatly written list and studied it for a moment. "Fine work, you have chosen many fine poisons." He looked up at her and paused for a moment as he thought. "But, I have another. Not a poison, but if used correctly over time it will kill a man. It will slowly twist his mind and send him into madness."
Arya looked at him clearly a little confused, but she wanted to hear more. "I don't understand, how will making him insane kill him?" She asked.
Master Garavel handed her list back to her. "Insane men do insane things, some of which can be fatal...especially high in the mountains, yes?" He raised his grey eyebrows, giving her a knowing nod.
Arya thought it over in her head. "Yes, of course! If it looks like suicide or an accident nobody will suspect anything."
"Indeed." Master Garavel stood and led Arya over to some shelves which held many glass bottles of various sizes. He climbed up a small wooden ladder to pick out a small glass bottle containing a white liquid. "Milk of the Mother, very similar to Milk of ohe Poppy only not as potent." He handed the bottle to her before carefully climbing back down the ladder. "It used to be given to teething babies in very small doses or to cure a severe headache or toothache in adults before Milk of ohe Poppy was discovered."
Arya held the bottle in front of her to look at it closely before taking the top off to sniff it. It was almost odourless which would be perfect. "Milk of ohe Mother." She said quietly.
Arya replaced the top back on the bottle and placed the bottle on to her desk, she was starting to form a plan in her head. "Is it easy to make?" She asked him, hoping that it would be.
"With a little practice you should be able to make enough for your needs. You should find most of the ingredients you require here, but you may have to buy the others from the market or shops in Braavos." He told her as he returned to his chair and picked up his book again.
Arya frowned a little, feeling frustrated. "But I don't have any gold or coins. How am I supposed to buy them?"
"Use your iron coin in the black and white door opposite the basement, but take only what you need." Master Garavel smiled at her and then started to read his book again.
Arya nodded and sat at her desk again to read about Milk of the Mother and how to make it. After writing down a list she went to the garden area and the dark room to collect various ingredients that she would need. She was starting to remember what some of the plants and flowers were called but still struggled a little with the mushrooms and the toadstools as some of them looked quite similar. She crossed out each ingredient as she found it and was left with a few which she couldn't find.
Arya walked over and showed Master Garavel the ingredients that she was missing from her neatly written list. "Will I really be able to buy these in Braavos?" She asked him as she pointed to her list, doubting a little as some of the ingredients sounded quite bizarre.
He closed his eyes and nodded. "Yes you will find them in Braavos. Perhaps you should not be Arya of House Stark, a young lady would have no need to buy such things."
Arya looked at him. "Do you mean to change my face? I'm not supposed to do that here in case the others see." She replied.
Master Garavel shook his head. "The others have all left, you will be the last of us! Now, show me your new face." He sat back in his chair, resting his wrinkled hands on the worn arms of his chair as he looked up at her.
"Alright." Arya closed her eyes and pictured the blonde girl in her mind, her blue eyes and her dimpled chin before slowly pulling her left hand down over her face. She opened her eyes and looked back at Master Garavel. She didn't feel any different and wasn't sure if it had worked or not and waited for his reaction.
"Very good, and who are you? A girl needs a name." He looked up at her as he studied her new appearance.
Arya was relieved that it had worked and thought for a moment. "My name is Jayne...Jayne Snow, a bastard of the north!" She smiled thinking of Sansa's friend back in Winterfell, she was called Jeyne. 'That should get Sansa's attention when I see her at The Eyrie' Arya thought, feeling pleased with herself.
"Just so, but a bastard of the north would not wear such clothes!" He continued as he looked at her grey training clothes.
Arya smiled back at him, she knew that he was right to make her work on her new identity. Changing her face alone would not be enough. She would need to act and look the part as well as making up a little history for herself and sticking to it. "I will get some new clothes and practice being Jayne Snow."
Master Garavel nodded slowly in approval. "Return to me Jayne Snow when you have all of the ingredients that you require." He bowed his head slightly and she bowed hers in return before heading over to the black and white door opposite the basement. She didn't see anybody on the way, the House of Black and White looked like it was deserted, everyone must have left just as Master Garavel had said they had.
Arya placed her iron coin into the circular slot in the center of the black and white door and whispered. "Valar dohaeris." The door clicked several times as if many locks were being opened before slowly creaking open. Arya stepped inside to see wooden chests and black and white clay pots filled with various coins and gems. 'This must be the treasury' She thought to herself as she picked up some of the coins and studied them. She saw golden dragons, silver stags and copper stars from Westeros and some oddly shaped Braavosi coins as well as some coins that she didn't recognize. She took a handful of Braavosi coins and slipped them into her leather pouch before leaving and closing the black and white door behind her. She heard it click several times as it locked.
Arya then walked a few doors along and used her iron coin to enter the room that she had found on one of her rest days when exploring the House of Black and White. It was the one filled with all of the clothes and costumes. She took some time searching through the various dresses trying to find any that would fit, most were too big, but she managed to find a few that would fit. It took her a while before deciding on her main outfit for Jayne Snow as well as a few others to take with her to The Eyrie.
Arya then headed back to her chamber and changed into a plain, dark blue dress. It was a typical northern girl's dress, roughly made with thick wool and would definitely help to keep her warm in the mountains. She then pulled on her worn fur lined leather boots and sat in front of her silver looking glass to style her blonde hair like a typical northern girl would wear her hair. Just like how Sansa used to wear her hair back in Winterfell.
Happy that she looked like a true northern girl she stood and made her way to the entrance of the House of Black and White. Syrio was waiting for her by the black and white door in the temple. "Who are you girl?" He asked her, raising one of his eyebrows.
'He's testing me, he knows it's me really' She told herself as she walked up to him and smiled. "I'm Jayne Snow, nice to meet you ser."
Syrio nodded his head slightly and opened the black and white door for her. "Just so."
Arya smiled back and stepped out into Braavos. She breathed deeply taking in the cool morning air and set off down the cobbled steps towards the Purple Harbor and the market.
Arya wanted to see Captain Forel first to test her disguise and to make sure that he wouldn't set sail without her in a week's time. The streets were fairly quiet so it didn't take her long to get there. She spotted Sweet Lily and started to walk up the loading plank to get on board when First Mate Darion stopped her.
Darion was almost as tall as The Hound was and had skin the color of jet. He had the biggest muscles Arya had ever seen but he was as soft and gentle a man as she had ever met. Except for Hodor, but in her mind Hodor was a giant, not a man! It brought a smile to her face as she thought of Hodor and when she used to stomp around the castle yard hodoring. 'Hodooor'
"Nothing here for a young lady like you, off with you now." He told her as he saw her approach, trying to wave her away.
'He doesn't know who I am!' Arya looked up at him and handed him her iron coin, pleased that her disguise had worked so well. "Valar morghulis." She whispered to him.
First Mate Darion inspected the coin before handing it back to her. "My little Arya, truly you are a wonder."
She smiled up proudly at him. "Thanks Darion, is Captain Forel here?" She asked as she looked around, hoping to see him. There was no sign of him, only some of the crew scrubbing the decks or tending to the rigging and sails.
First mate Darion shook his head. "I'm afraid not, Captain Forel is off with his family. Maybe I can help you?"
Arya continued to look up at him as she listened. "I just want to make sure that he doesn't sail without me."
First Mate Darion laughed and patted her slender shoulder. "Have no fear girl, we won't leave without you. I swear it by the old gods and the new."
Arya giggled softly. "Thanks Darion, I'll see you soon." She walked back down the loading plank and waved to him before making her way through the narrow twisting streets toward the market, heading past the Iron Bank which looked so imposing.
Arya slowly walked around the busy market looking over the various stalls, the smell of spices and wine was thick in the air. There were all kinds of spices and silks and wines and clothes and furs for sale, as well as fruits and vegetables and fish and meats. She eventually came to a stall which sold potions and tonics as well as a few bottled ingredients. The trader was a wrinkled old men with a crooked nose and an equally crooked back. He didn't sell the ingredients that she was looking for, but he did point her to a small nearby shop that might. Arya thanked the stall holder and walked over to the shop hoping for better luck.
Inside there were dusty shelves stuffed with little glass bottles of tonics and medicines as well as larger bottles that looked like they were filled with various ingredients. Arya hoped that some of them were the ones that she was looking for.
"How may I help you?" The elderly shopkeeper said from behind the counter. "What ails a young girl such as yourself?"
Arya approached the counter and presented her small neatly written list of ingredients to the elderly shopkeeper. "Hello, I'm looking for these ingredients for a tonic, can you help me?" Arya smiled and placed her list on the counter.
The small elderly woman, who must have been at least five-and-seventy held the list close to her face to read Arya's neatly written list through her thick eyeglasses. "So you wish to make Milk of the Mother, not many use that these days." The elderly shopkeeper looked up at Arya before looking back at the list and scratching her wrinkled head.
Arya thought for a moment, trying to think of a good reason. "My grandpa dislikes Milk of the Poppy, I promised I would make him some Milk of the Mother for his toothache to ease his suffering."
The elderly shopkeeper nodded and placed the list down. "I have what you need, it'll just take a moment."
Arya waited and watched patiently as the elderly shopkeeper collected the ingredients she required from various jars scattered throughout the shop. She then paid with some of the Braavosi coins that she had taken from the treasury before walking back to the House of Black and White.
Master Garavel was waiting for her in the laboratory when she returned. "So, you have returned to us Jayne Snow, did you find what you were looking for?" He asked her, looking at the glass jar that she carried.
Arya emptied the glass jar and placed her new ingredients next to the ones that she had collected from the garden and the dark room earlier that morning. "I have everything that I need, but I have my Water Dancing lesson with Master Syrio soon." She replied, thinking that she was going to be late.
Master Garavel shook his head. "I wasn't aware of Master Syrio teaching you Water Dancing Jayne Snow...he teaches a girl by the name of Arya from House Stark."
Arya closed her eyes and sighed, knowing that he had caught her out. "Of course." She knew that she had to do better, she had to stay in character while she had this face. She had to be Jayne Snow.
"Just so, a girl must be Jayne Snow at all times, a girl must become her." Syrio added.
Arya turned to face him and nodded, she didn't see or hear him enter "Yes, I understand."
Syrio walked up to Arya and gently lifted her chin with his thumb as he studied her new face. "Ah, but never forget your true self or your own pretty face, Syrio would miss that." He winked at her and smiled.
She giggled softly before smiling back at her dancing master and friend. "I won't I promise."
That afternoon Arya carefully prepared her Milk of the Mother under the watchful eye of Master Garavel. She wanted to make sure that it was perfect and asked him for help if she wasn't entirely sure, help he gladly gave her. After a little while her tonic was finally ready and Master Garavel instructed her to leave it overnight to cool.
The next morning she inspected her Milk of the Mother and after Master Garavel gave his approval, she poured it into several small thin glass bottles which she would easily be able to conceal. She was determined to get everything right and not leave anything to chance.
Over the next week Arya spent her time planning out Jayne Snow's back story. It would have to be something simple so that if she was asked a question, she would know the answer immediately. It would also have to be something that Sansa would notice so that she could get close to her and Littlefinger.
During the day she would walk around Braavos and the House of Black and White as Jayne Snow. Syrio and Master Garavel would each test her each time they saw her to make sure that she didn't slip up and she never did. But at night she would pull her hand down over her face and revert back to being Arya of House Stark again, saying her death prayer before falling asleep. "Queen Cersei, Walder Frey, Ser Ilyn."
On the day of her departure Arya packed up her clothes into a sack along with her Milk of the Mother and dressed in Jayne Snow's dark blue wool dress. She styled her blonde hair like Sansa used to wear hers back in Winterfell and pulled a thick cape around her, concealing two sharp finger knives into her dress.
Arya decided to leave Needle behind in the wooden chest at the foot of her bed. 'Sansa might recognize it' She thought, not wanting to risk it. She then made her way to the treasury, putting back her oddly shaped Braavosi coins and taking some Westerosi silver stags and copper stars. A bastard girl probably wouldn't have many golden dragons and she wanted to avoid any unwanted attention, so she decided to take only a few of those, just enough to buy a horse and maybe a few lemoncakes.
When she was all packed she placed the sack containing her spare dresses and a few other items over her slender shoulder and made her way out of the House of Black and White. She took a deep breath as the black and white door closed behind her, taking in the fresh morning air. She made her way to the Purple Harbor to meet with Captain Forel aboard Sweet Lily and presented her iron coin to him as he didn't recognise her with her new face and blonde hair. "Valar dohaeris." She whispered to him.
"Just so." Captain Forel nodded and led her on board to her usual cabin, closing the door behind him. He explained that he was sailing to Maidenpool, from there she would have to make her own way to The Eyrie. "I also have a surprise for you, some more training if you will permit me?" He said as he looked out to sea from the small window of her cabin.
Arya smiled and nodded at him. "What kind of training?" She asked, curious to learn more.
"I have a new deckhand for our journey to Maidenpool, you may know him?" Arya looked a little confused. "His name is Robert, a friend of yours I believe?" He continued, raising a bushy eyebrow as he turned his head to look at her and see her reaction.
Arya smiled up at him, she would be pleased to see Robert again even if he wouldn't recognize her. "I don't know him." She lied, shaking her head as she stayed in character. 'I must be Jayne Snow at all times!' She reminded herself.
"Just so." He replied before taking his leave.
Arya knew that this would be perfect practice for when she met Sansa and would have to pretend not to know her too. It would be hard pretending not to know Robert, but even harder pretending to not know her sister. Arya knew that she had to succeed if she was to become a faceless lady.
They set sail later that evening but Arya remained in her cabin, sleeping until morning. By the time she woke Braavos was out of sight and they were well under way across the Narrow Sea. She spotted Robert scrubbing the deck and walked over to him. She really wanted to give him a little hug but stayed in character. "Careful miss" He said as she approached where he had scrubbed. "I'd hate for you to slip."
Arya smiled back at him. "Oh thank you. Are you the new deckhand Captain Forel told me about?" She asked him, trying her best to sound convincing.
Robert nodded, he didn't suspect a thing, but why would he? "Yes I am, I wasn't a very good archer so I'm hoping to be a better sailor, maybe even a captain one day. My parents live in Maidenpool, it's where I was born so I'm looking forward to sailing home."
Arya smiled as she listened to him, it was nice to see him again. She was glad that he was going home to be with his mother and father again, only it made her start thinking of what things would have been like had King Robert not visited Winterfell. She could have been at Winterfell her mother and father and herer brothers would still be alive. Things were so much simpler back then.
"It's hard work but Captain Forel is nice, he treats me kindly so I can't complain...I'm Robert." He held out his grubby hand to her and smiled, interrupting her thoughts.
Arya looked at his hand for a few moments before shaking it and smiling back. "I'm Jayne, it's nice to meet you Robert."
She left Robert to his chores and went to break her fast with First Mate Darion. She asked him if he had heard any interesting news from Westeros, but he had heard nothing of any real importance to her, mostly gossip and rumour. She was hoping to hear that Cersei had been poisoned or that old Walder Frey had died, but no such luck. 'There time will come' She thought to herself.
Arya spent the evening talking with Robert, who by that time had finished his chores for the day. He told her all about his archery training and the his stay at the 'big grey house with black and white doors' in Braavos. And even though she already knew everything that he was telling her, she pretended not to know. "I made a friend there too, she was called Arry, I miss her." He added.
Arya smiled sweetly at him. "I'm sure she misses you as well."
It took nearly two weeks for them to reach Maidenpool. The sea and the weather remained calm most of the time, but the winds didn't favor them, Arya hoped that this wasn't a sign. She spent a lot of the journey in her cabin, going over her plan and Jayne Snows story or resting. She would always stop and talk to Robert whenever she saw him, making sure to stay in character at all times. At night she always double checked that her door was locked before changing her face back to her own, pulling her hand down over her face.
Maidenpool was a small fishing town so Sweet Lily was easily the largest ship in the docks. Arya said her farewells to Captain Forel and First Mate Darion and they wished her luck and a safe journey. She left Sweet Lily with Robert who was waiting for her, but he was clearly keen to get back home to see his parents. He told Arya where the stables were before they said their goodbyes with a simple handshake this time, not a kiss. She was glad to see that he was home safe and hoped that she would see him again some day as Arya, not as Jayne Snow or Arry.
Arya made her way over to the stables which had three horses for sale. Two grey's and a white. After inspecting them a little closer she decided on the white as it looked a little stronger and tougher than the two grey's. She knew that the journey to The Eyrie would be tough at times so stamina over speed was more important. She paid the stable owner with a few of the gold dragons that she had taken from the treasury and saddled up.
With the days becoming shorter she decided to set off immediately, keen to cover as many miles as she could while the light remained. She wanted to reach The Eyrie as quickly as possible and spend as few nights under the stars as possible. The nights were getting longer and colder and even though the war was over the road was not a safe place for a lone female rider, especially one so young.
Her route was simple enough though. Follow the road out of Maidenpool west along The Trident until it joined with the King's Road. Then head north and then east high into the Mountains of the Moon and eventually to The Bloody Gate. The road out of Maidenpool was deserted so Arya made really good progress. When she had reached the King's Road she did see a few people heading south, but that too was much quieter than she remembered from the last time that she had travelled it.
Arya camped away from the road each night, setting traps like Jaqen had showed her and collected berries and fruits to help keep hunger at bay. She was heading east now, away from the King's Road towards The Bloody Gate and climbing steadily into the Mountains of the Moon. It was gradually getting colder and she was glad of her thick wool dress and cape which she wrapped around herself, pulling up her hood to help keep herself warm. It didn't stop her nose from turning red though, just as it always did in Winterfell. She could almost hear Sansa poking fun at her and smiled.
Arya could see The Eyrie looming up ahead in the distance now, perched high up on top the Giant's Lance. She knew that she wouldn't reach The Bloody Gate by nightfall so she decided to set up camp in a small cave just off the road. It would be a cold night so she wanted to take a little time preparing her shelter and fire. She secured her horse and went to collect lots of pine branches and green moss to lay on the floor of her cave to act as a mattress.
She then collected some dried moss, twigs and sticks from a nearby fallen tree to start her fire with. She stored a few logs and branches inside her cave so that she wouldn't have to leave it in the night. She didn't bother to set any traps that night as she knew that she would reach The Bloody Gate by lunch time and planned to stop there briefly for proper hot meal to fill her belly if she was hungry. What she wouldn't give for a hot chicken or some rabbit and potato broth, maybe some hard bread to dip into it too.
Arya set her fire close to the entrance of her small cave and lay down, the heat reflected off the stone walls of the cave as she had planned. 'Just like it said it would in that book' She thought, feeling quite content. She pulled her hood up and wrapped her thick cape around herself before pulling some more pine branches over herself until she was almost buried in them. She was quite warm and comfy and soon fell asleep.
She stopped to sniff at the man corpse hanging from the tree, her breath steaming from her mouth as she breathed out into the cold night air. The dead man was rotten like all of the rest. There were three of them this time, all had matching furs with twin man caves on there chests. And there it was again, the familiar scent.
She buried her nose into the dried leaves and sniffed deeply, following the scent trail until she came to a narrow stream. She easily leapt across it and sniffed at the ground and then the air to try and pick up the scent again, but it was gone. Pricking up her ears she turned as she heard something approaching from behind. Baring her teeth she growled fiercely as the sound grew louder.
Suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her shoulder as an arrow bit into her. Without thinking she charged forward, dodging between the trees to pounce on her prey and pin the man down. She snarled viciously at the man before ripping out his throat, his warm blood coating her face.
She felt another sharp pain in her side and started to feel a little strange and weak. Men surrounded her but she no longer had the strength to fight. Her legs buckled under her and she lay down onto her side. Barely able to keep her eyes open she saw a hooded figure kneel down and stroke her fur with cold pale hands...that face!?
Arya woke suddenly and sat up, her mind racing. 'It can't be, that's impossible. It must be a just dream, it must!' She thought to herself, but it seemed so real. She placed some more sticks and logs onto her fire which had almost died out to try and get a little warmer. Judging from the dark indigo sky she figured it would be dawn soon so decided against getting anymore sleep. She wanted to reach The Bloody Gate and start the long climb up to The Eyrie as soon as possible.
After finishing off the last of her berries and warming her hands she kicked out her dying fire and led her horse back to the road before riding on to The Bloody Gate. It wasn't as far she thought it would be and she soon arrived. The guards looked at her closely as she rode past, but they didn't stop her or bother her.
Arya kept riding until she reached a huge fort castle at the base of the Giant's Lance called the Gates of the Moon. The walls were thick and high to keep out unwanted intruders and it looked quite intimidating as she approached. Again she was allowed through to continue her journey, eventually finding her way to the stone stairs which led up to The Eyrie.
She decided to sell her horse, knowing that it could be many moons before she would need one again and started her long climb up to The Eyrie. It would most likely take her the rest of the day to climb, but her training with Syrio had built up her strength and stamina more than she had realised.
On and on the stone steps went and The Bloody Gate and Gates of the Moon grew smaller and smaller each time she stopped to catch her breath and look down. The temperature had now started to seriously drop and the wind was beginning to pick up making her ascent even harder. Arya pulled up her hood and pulled her thick cape around her to help keep the icy wind at bay and stay warm.
She decided to rest briefly at the moon gates of Stone and Snow to catch her breath and drank a little water from her skin as she warmed herself by one of the braziers. She traded a few copper stars with a guard for some hard bread and cheese, knowing that she needed to keep her strength up if she was going to make it to the top by nightfall. Once she felt warm and rested enough she kept climbing, gradually at first before the stone steps grew steeper.
Nearer to the top the stone steps grew very steep and quite narrow and slippery in places and Arya had to resort to climbing on her hands and knees to make sure she that didn't slip. As the sun started to set she came to the final moon gate Sky and then The Eyrie itself. She looked over a nearby wall to take in the view while she caught her breath, the view was stunning. The mountain tops looked as if they were floating in a sea of clouds turned orange by the setting sun.
The Eyrie was smaller than she imagined it being, but it was still a stunning sight nonetheless. Huge stone pillars and arches were everywhere and everything seemed to have a carving or had been decorated by some master craftsman. As Arya approached the main doors one of the guards approached. "State your business." He commanded in a firm tone.
Arya smiled at him "I'm here to work as a maid to Lord Baelish's daughter, Alayne Stone."
The second guard looked her over, he was a little taller and older than the first. "And who might you be?" He questioned her.
Arya smiled at him. "My name is Jayne Snow, I used to serve the Starks in Winterfell before it was burnt."
"Very well, you may enter." The first guarded nodded and escorted her inside to wait in the Crescent Chamber. Arya sat patiently and waited until she was escorted by another, much younger guard to the High Hall. It was her first time in The Eyrie and Arya was amazed by the beauty of it. So many carvings on the walls and stone pillars, totally unlike Winterfell with it's thick, drab grey stone.
Arya stood by the moon door as instructed and looked up to see Lord Peter Baelish, Littlefinger sat on the white weirwood throne. To his right sat Sansa looking as pretty as ever, though her hair seemed darker than she remembered it.
"So you're the girl that claims she's from Winterfell? You certainly look like a northern girl with your hair and your dress, but who are you?" Littlefinger asked her suspiciously.
Sansa looked down at her too, but obviously didn't recognise her, how could she?
"My name is Jayne Snow, I used to work as a maid in Winterfell under the Stark's, a young maid in training that is m'lord." She glanced at Sansa to make it known that she knew her real identity.
Sansa looked back at her, studying the blonde girl for a few moments. "I don't remember you, I'm sorry." She spoke so softly Arya only just heard her.
Arya smiled back at her older sister, so many emotions were running through her that she struggled to keep herself together. "We only met in passing m'lady and I was much younger and smaller back then. I remember when your lady sister Arya sheep shifted your bed one time because you and your friend Jayne Poole had called her horseface. It took a week for the air to clear in your chamber."
Littlefinger whispered something to to Sansa. 'This will be his test' She thought to herself. Sansa smiled down at Arya before asking her another question. "Yes it's true, that did happen. But who used to read to me and my brothers and my sister and tell us stories when we were sick? Only someone from Winterfell would know?"
Arya giggled softly. "That would be Old Nan. There was also Hodor the giant stable boy, old Maester Luwin, Mikken the Blacksmith and Septa Mordane of course. I remember them all." Arya smiled up at her confidently 'That should convince her' She thought as she started to feel more composed and her confidence started to grow.
Sansa smiled sweetly, her face suddenly lighting up. 'She always looks so pretty when she smiles' Arya thought to herself. "Yes, you must be from Winterfell as you say you are. If you truly wish to be my maid, then I gladly accept."
Arya smiled up at her sister and did a curtsey, just like Septa Mordane had taught her in her boring lessons back in Winterfell. "Thank you m'lady. It will be an honor to serve you."
Littlefinger stood and left with his guards as Sansa rose and walked down the curved steps to meet Arya by the moon door. "I knew that you were from Winterfell, you recognized me didn't you?" Sansa asked her as they walked down a beautifully decorated marble floored hallway.
"Yes, I knew it was you m'lady, even with your hair darkened as it is. It used to be red like your mothers, the Lady Catelyn" Arya replied, feeling happy talking to her sister again.
Sansa stopped and looked down at her. "My real identity must remain secret, Lannister spies are everywhere. Only you, Lord Robin and Lord Baelish know the truth. Do you swear?"
Arya paused for a moment as she thought. "By the old gods and the new, I swear to keep your true identity safe m'lady." She bowed her head slightly to show that she meant it. 'And nobody knows my true identity'
Sansa led Arya back to her private chambers and showed her around before taking her leave. She would start her duties as a maid on the morrow.
After her long journey from Braavos and her climb up to The Eyrie, Arya went to bed early that night. She lay on her side feeling so happy to see that Sansa was alive and well, even though Sansa didn't know it was really her. She had grown since she had last seen her sister, but Sansa still towered over her. Arya didn't mind though, she was just so happy to see her sister once again and looked forward to spending some time with her over the coming mooons as she slowly poisoned Littlefinger and drove him insane.