~:No Hope:~
"Hurry up." The tallest of the Frey soldiers said in a sharp tongue as he shoved her in the back roughly.
"I'm going, stop pushing me like that." Arya snapped back as she stumbled a little on the bumpy road. The Frey soldiers were nervous, she could tell from the way they kept looking around and kept telling her to walk faster.
'They're afraid in case Nymeria comes back' she realized. Arya knew that she had to delay them, hoping that Nymeria would return to save her. She suddenly dropped to the ground and lay on her side. "Oww my ankle." She shouted, screwing her face up and pretending to be hurt, hoping to buy some time.
"Get up girl." The tall soldier said as he hooked his arms under hers and lifted her back up to her feet. He saw right through her act, much to her annoyance. "Your little games won't work girl, now MOVE." He shoved her in the back, harder this time.
Arya grumbled, annoyed that her plan had failed and reluctantly walked. After a short while she stopped again, hoping to buy some more time for Nymeria to return to her. "I need to go." She said to the same tall Frey soldier.
"Go where? There's only one place you're going girl." The tall Frey soldier pushed her again and smirked at her.
Arya crossed her legs and squirmed a little, trying her best to convince them that she needed to go and make her water. "I need to go." She said again, screwing up her face a little and squirming on the spot.
"Too bad, move." The tall Frey soldier went to shove her again but she sidestepped him this time and crossed her legs again, squirming a little more.
"Please?" She said, realising that she did actually need to go now.
The tall Frey soldier shook his head. "I said MOVE." He shouted at her, beginning to lose his patience with her.
Arya was about to turn and walk when one of the other soldiers stepped in, the scruffy one. He was shorter with a scruffy little beard and his clothes looked torn in places. "Maybe we should let her, I don't think Lord Walder would like her stinking of piss."
The tall Frey soldier sighed and then nodded in agreement. "Fine, just make sure she doesn't run off or take too long." He then leaned in to whisper to the scruffy Frey soldier, but Arya could just about make out what he was saying. "I don't want to hang around and wait for that beast of hers to come back."
The scruffy Frey soldier nodded and held Arya tightly by the left arm as he led her away into the trees behind some bushes. "Hurry up." He told her sternly as he let go of her arm and took a step back.
"I can't go if you watch me!" She replied, hoping to delay as long as she could. It wasn't a lie though, she wouldn't be able to go if he watched her.
The scruffy Frey soldier rolled his eyes and shook his head as he sighed. "Fine, but make any attempt to escape and I'll put an arrow in one of your skinny legs." He gave her a stern look before turning his back to her.
Arya nodded, she had no intention of risking it and getting an arrow in her leg so squatted down to make her water before standing again. There was still no sign of Nymeria. 'Where are you Nymeria?' She thought as she looked around, feeling a little frustrated.
After rejoining the other two Frey soldiers they continued on their way to Riverrun, reaching it shortly after. Once they were in the relative safety of the town they seemed to relax a little and didn't shove her quite as much or as hard. Arya saw Rivverun castle looming ahead, triangular in shape with high sandstone walls and Frey flags flying from the towers. She knew that Lord Walder awaited her inside.
The three Frey soldiers led her over a huge ditch to enter through Riverrun Castle through the main gate which had a Frey banner draped either side of it, green with a black sigil of the Twins. They shoved her, escorting her into Riverrun's great Hall where Lord Walder Frey sat on the High Seat, waiting. He looked her up and down with his beady little eyes as they approached. Arya took an instant dislike to him, thinking that he looked like a fruit that had dried and wrinkled in the sun.
The tall Frey soldier held her by her binds as Lord Walder stood and stepped closer to inspect his prize. The other two Frey soldiers went off to guard the door, standing either side of it.
"So, you're the little wolf bitch who's been going around killing my men." He sneered at her, spitting a little as he spoke.
She could almost feel his eyes on her skin, making her flesh crawl. Arya didn't care if her true identity was revealed anymore. If she was going to die, she was going to die a Stark like her mother and her father and her brother Robb. The thought of what the Frey's had done to Robb and her mother still made her wolf blood boil.
"My name is Arya Stark of Winterfell." She snapped back at him, trying to step forward so that she could kick at him or perhaps spit in his wrinkled old face. The tall Frey soldier pulled her back much to her annoyance, giving her a clip around the ear for her trouble.
"So, what shall I do with you little wolf?" Lord Walder mumbled quietly to himself as he went to sit back on he High Seat. The tall Frey soldier shoved her forward before kicking the back of her knees to make her kneel in front of him.
'Someday I will kill that man' She thought to herself, getting angrier by the second. Her ear was stinging from where he had clipped it and now her knees hurt too.
"It seems I'm in need a new wife after your bitch mother opened the throat of my last one. Maybe you should be my new one?" He grinned at her showing his crooked yellow teeth, making her feel sick inside. "Then I could be the Lord of Winterfell and my sons will be the lords Riverrun and The Twins?" He pondered as he looked her over.
"Everyone would have to respect my house then wouldn't they?" He continued as Arya looked away, not bearing to look at him. "Hmm, you're a pretty little one alright, but you won't do. Your tits are too small and your hips are too narrow."
Arya glared up at him angrily. She had never really cared that much about her appearance, unlike her sister, but she wasn't about to be insulted by him of all people. "YOU UGLY OLD CU..." The tall guard covered her mouth with his gloved hand and kept it there as she was about to tell Lord Walder exactly what she thought of him.
"Besides, Winterfell is too cold for an old man like me." He paused again to take sip of wine from his silver goblet.
"No, you won't be able to give me more sons and daughters for a few moons yet. Perhaps I should marry you to my youngest son Elmar when he comes of age? As was agreed before your traitor brother broke his oath." He continued, pointing a crooked finger at her.
Arya looked at him confused. 'When was that agreed?' She thought to herself.
"Or maybe I could sell you to that Lannister bitch Cersei? I bet she would pay your weight in gold as a ransom." He sneered at her again as Arya's heart sank. She hated Cersei after what had happened on the King's Road with poor Lady and her friend the butchers boy. "But then, you're only a skinny little thing so it wouldn't be much gold I suppose." He grinned showing his crooked yellow teeth again, he truly was repulsive to her.
"Or maybe I could sell you to the Boltons?" He paused for a few more moments to take another sip of wine. "Bolton thinks that his bastard is marrying you to secure Winterfell, I'm sure he would pay well for the real Arya Stark."
Arya cringed, even though it meant that she could return to Winterfell she didn't want to marry Bolton's bastard. She didn't know him and didn't want to. Arya had never wanted to marry, she had always wanted to adventure and to explore and to perhaps become a knight and fight in tournaments one day. But that seemed like a long time ago now, back when she was just a little girl back in Winterfell.
Walder Frey slowly sipped his wine and looked her over for a few moments while he thought over his options and Arya glared back at him, she hated him so much. "It seems I have a lot to consider." He signaled towards the tall Frey Soldier. "Take her to the dungeons while I decide what to do with her. It may take some time." He sneered at her again, taunting her.
Arya started to move towards him when the tall Frey soldier firmly grabbed her slender shoulder and pulled her sharply back. He then picked her up and placed her on his broad shoulders to carry her off to the dungeons. "Some day I will look down on your cold dead corpse my lord." She said with anger as she was carried out of the main hall.
Lord Walder laughed at her and waved her off.
The dungeon was dark and damp and it felt so cold. Arya had never been in a dungeon before, but this felt like the worst in all of the Seven Kingdoms to her. She sat up against the stone wall feeling miserable and started to think to herself, there was nothing else to do. She knew there was no escape and even if she could get away she had no weapons, it seemed hopeless.
Boredom soon set in. Occasionally she would take a walk around her small stone cell to stop herself from getting too stiff from the cold, hard stone floor. Time seemed to stand still in her dark, damp cell. All she could do was await her fate and sleep, not that sleep came easily. She tried to keep her spirits up by thinking of home, of Winterfell and her family. Her father, her mother, her brothers and even her sister.
It was a cold, but sunny afternoon so Arya decided that she would play outside in the castle yard after being stuck in her chamber for the last few days because of the heavy rain. She felt a little tired after her baby brother Rickon had kept half of Winterfell awake with his constant crying the previous night, but she still had more than enough energy to spare as usual.
First she spent a little time with Hodor in the stables, but soon got bored as he only ever answered 'Hodor' to endless questions. Next, she went to talk to see Mikken the blacksmith, hoping that he would let her play with a sword or an axe, but he was having none of it and chased her away, much to her amusement.
"What are you up to young lady?" Her father asked, taking her a little by surprise.
Arya turned and smiled up at her father. "I was just looking for something to do. My sister is no fun and my brothers have lessons with Maester Luwin." She frowned a little. "What are you doing father?" She asked, noticing that he carried a blue winter rose.
Her father gently placed his hand on her slender shoulder as he bent down a little, to be more at her level. "Today would have been your Aunt Lyanna's nameday. I'm going down to the crypts to pay my respects." He showed her the single rose that he carried. "These blue winter roses were her favorite."
Arya smiled up at her father, she had heard a little of her Aunt Lyanna. Some of the older residents of Winterfell often said that Arya reminded them of Lyanna when she was Arya's age. She had the same adventurous spirit and knack of getting into all kinds of trouble as her aunt, and some even say that they shared the same Stark looks.
"Can I come too father? I've never been into the crypts before." She smiled sweetly at him, hoping that he would allow it. She was a little scared really, but she didn't want her father to think that she was craven. "Please, I'm not scared!"
Her father laughed. "Come on then, let's go together." He kissed her forehead and stood straight before reaching down to hold her hand.
Arya held her father's hand a little tighter as they entered the crypts and he led her down some stone steps and into the darkness. It wasn't totally dark, much to her relief as there were a few candles burning. She felt better when her father lit a torch and led her deeper into the crypts.
He then stopped at one stone statue which had a sword placed at it's feet. "That's your grandsire, Lord Rickard. He was burned alive by the Mad King, Aerys." Her father told her.
Arya looked at the statue of her grandsire as she listened to her father. She loved to hear her fathers stories and learn about her family, even though it was gruesome sometimes.
Her father then led her over to another, smaller stone statue of a woman. "And this is your Aunt Lyanna." He said as he carefully placed the blue winter rose into the statues hand.
He crouched down besides Arya to wrap his arm around her slender shoulders. "She was supposed to marry King Robert but Rhaegar Targaryen kidnapped her."
Arya looked at her father as she listened. "King Robert started a war to win her back. He killed Rhaegar, but your Aunt Lyanna died anyway." He continued. "You remind me of her so much sometimes." He kissed her forehead again and she smiled happily, feeling loved.
"Time to wake up wolf bitch." A gruff voice spoke as a bucket of cold water was thrown over her. Arya curled up and breathed in sharply at the shock of being woken so suddenly. She turned to see a Frey guard and squinted a little as the torch that he was holding seemed so bright to her eyes. Shielding her face with her hand she saw him place a wooden plate of scraps on the floor before leaving, slamming the heavy wooden door behind him and locking it.
Arya sat up and shivered, feeling miserable. She was cold and wet and sore from lying on the cold stone floor. She was having such a nice dream and felt annoyed at being woken up in such a way. "Seven Hells, you could have just left it." She shouted in frustration as she picked up her food and sniffed at it. She had no idea what it was and it smelled horrible. She was hungry but didn't feel like eating any of it, whatever it was.
Arya looked at her cell door as she heard it unlock. The Frey guard entered again and threw another bucket of cold water over her and her food, ruining any chance of it being edible. "Quiet wolf bitch. You'll wake when I say and you'll eat when I say." He then walked over and gave her a sharp kick to the ribs. "And no more talking unless I say." He clenched his fist and leaned over her to threaten her as she curled up in agony from the kick.
'Every hurt is a lesson'. She could hear Syrio say. Her lesson this time was not to talk.
Arya winced as she felt a shooting pain from her ribs and held them tight. They were cracked or broken, she couldn't say which. The heavy wooden door to her cell slammed shut again as she slowly sat up, propping herself up against the wall and holding her sore ribs. Lifting her top slightly she could just about make out a huge red mark that was as equally impressive as the scar across her stomach. 'If I knew his name I would add him to my list' She thought to herself as she lowered her top again feeling annoyed.
After picking at her soggy food she rested her head back and slowly drifted off to sleep again.
The following morning she was woken by another bucket of cold water, but this time she knew better than to complain. She was hungry and sore and tired and simply didn't have the strength to take another kick or worse. "I have some good news for you Lady Stark." He said in a mocking tone. "You're going to wed Lord Elmar, Lord Walder's youngest son."
Arya frowned up him "But I don't want to..." She suddenly stopped speaking after remembering that she wasn't supposed to speak, but it was too late.
The Frey guard looked angrily at her and pulled out what looked like some kind of wooden club and cracked her hard over the head with it, almost knocking her senseless. She looked up at him with blurry vision as he knelt next to her. "Stupid little wolf bitch. I said no talking unless I said so didn't I?"
She saw him draw his club back before being hit again and losing conciousness.
Arya had been stuck in bed for five days now and she was bored. Even Old Nan's stories didn't keep her entertained for long. Having the flux was fun at first as she was allowed to miss her needlework lessons with Septa Mordane and everyone came to see her to see how she was feeling, but even that was getting boring too.
To make things worse she could hear Bran and little Rickon playing together in the castle yard below, even Sansa joined in sometimes. Arya wished that she could have played too, but she had no energy to play even if she was allowed to leave her bedchamber and play with them. Maester Luwin and her mother would never allow it though so she didn't even ask.
She tried to get comfy under the many layers of furs that were covering her bed but it was no use. She also couldn't seem to get warm no matter how many furs they wrapped her in "Maybe this will teach you to stay inside when the weather is bad." Old Nan said to her as she knitted away.
"I didn't think it would rain that much, it only looked like a quick shower or I would have stayed inside." Arya complained weakly before coughing. Her throat and her ribs felt so sore from all of the coughing that she had done over the last few days and her chest felt like it was on fire. And to make it worse she ached and felt so weak. "Am I going to die?" She asked.
Old Nan stopped knitting and looked at her. "No you're not going to die. Maester Luwin says if you rest and stay warm you will be fine in a few more days."
Arya smiled over at her feeling reassured that she would feel better soon. She knew that she wasn't going to die really, even though it felt like it at times.
They both looked over as her door opened and Jon walked in. "How are you feeling today little sister?" He asked her as he sat on the edge of her bed and smiled down at her.
"I'm dying." She responded glumly, feeling no better than when he came to see her yesterday. Old Nan rolled her eyes and shook her head before carrying on with her knitting.
Jon smiled and gently placed his hand on her slightly sweaty forehead. "You can't die little sister, who would annoy Sansa if that happened?" He winked at her playfully and then poured some fresh water from her flagon into a cup and offered it to her.
She giggled softly and took a few sips of water. 'He always knows how to cheer me up' She thought to herself. "Maester Luwin has made some medicine for me but it tastes horrible." She complained, looking towards the bottle of medicine on her bedside table.
"If it tastes horrible, it means it's good for you." Old Nan said as she carried on with her knitting. "When I was a young girl there was worse than that medicine of yours."
Arya looked up at Jon and frowned and he smiled back, trying to keep a straight face. "Maester Luwin's not going to leech me is he?" Arya asked, feeling a little afraid. She was only little and didn't have much blood to spare, especially for some nasty leeches.
"No he's not going to leech you." Jon replied shaking his head as he chuckled slightly. "Rest and try to keep your strength up. You'll be fine little sister, it's only the flux. When your better I'll take you down to the river and we'll look for rubies together." He leaned down to kiss her forehead before standing and smiling down at her.
Arya smiled back up at him. Spending the day with Jon and looking for rubies was something that she could really look forward. "I will, I'll get better soon I promise." She said hopefully, before coughing a few times. She couldn't wait to look for rubies with him.
Another bucket of cold water woke her later that day. At least she thought it was the same day, it was hard to tell in her cell. There was no sunlight, it was gloomy and cold and the guard seemed to take great delight in keeping her soaking wet with cold water. She felt miserable, sore, tired and hungry. To make thing worse she was starting to feel quite ill too, and each time that she coughed or sneezed she felt a shooting pain from her ribs where she had been kicked.
"Lord Elmar will arrive in four days. We'll have to have some fun while we can Lady Stark." He sneered over her, mocking her again.
Arya slowly shuffled backwards until she was backed up against the wall. She really wanted to kill him but simply didn't have the strength, she hadn't eaten or slept properly for what seemed like an age. "Until then you are mine wolf bitch!" He continued before kicking her legs until she curled up into a ball. He kept kicking her and hitting her with his club all over her body until she eventually passed out.
She stood on top of a rocky outcrop, sniffing at the cold night air. Her breath steamed from her nostrils and her jaw. She had finally picked up a scent and jumped down from the rocks to sniff at the dirt, pushing her wet, black nose into the frozen fallen leaves on the forest floor.
Her prey was close and she eagerly set off after it, bounding through the forest, dodging skillfully between the trees. She could feel her empty belly ache, nothing would stop her from feeding this night. She stopped to sniff at the cool night air again, the scent was getting stronger now so she picked up her pace. Darting left and right through the trees and jumping over a small stream before stopping again.
The scent was strong now, she was close. Quietly she crept forward, sticking to the shadows and cover of the trees and thick undergrowth where she could. And then she saw it. A large deer, big, strong with large antlers. She would have to be extra careful.
Quietly she circled around behind, always sticking to the shadows before slowly moving closer. Each time the deer looked around she froze. She could almost taste her prey already!
Carefully she crept closer, staying low until she was in range to strike. She suddenly charged at her pray, knocking it off it's feet before clamping her powerful jaws around it's neck and sinking her teeth deep into it's flesh. She could feel the warm blood gushing out and could taste it's sweet flavor.
Her prey struggled and tried to get back up but it was losing it's strength fast. One final viscious rip at it's throat was enough to finish it. Eagerly she tore at it's flesh, feasting, filling her empty stomach.
Arya continued to be woken by buckets of cold water and kicks to her legs or arms or her body. Occasionally the Frey guard hit her with his club too. One time he hit her so hard that she almost cried, but she never did. She was a wolf and didn't want to look craven in front of him. 'I am a wolf and wolves don't cry!'
On the third morning she was woken by her usual bucket of cold water. It seemed that just as she had started to dry out he would soak her again, making it impossible to get warm or remotely comfortable. She was determined that if she ever got out that she would never spend time in a dungeon again.
"I think Lady Stark needs a bath, stinking up my dungeon with her wolf stink. Filthy little wolf bitch!" He shouted sharply at her as he approached her. She shuffled away from him as best as she could but there was nowhere to go and she didn't have the strength to fight him or make a run for it. Even if she did have the strength, she knew that she wouldn't get far before being caught again and then he would really get angry at her and beat her even more.
He reached down and grabbed her breeches, pulling them off easily despite her resistance. He then sat on her to pin her down as he pulled off her top to look over her small bruised frame and scarred stomach. "Lord Walder was right, your tits are too small and what an ugly scar." He said as he traced a finger along it, making her skin crawl. "An ugly scar for an ugly little girl." He sneered at her gave her a stinging slap hard across the cheek before standing and kicking her in the stomach.
Arya curled up into a ball feeling battered and humiliated in only her small clothes. The guard threw several buckets of cold water on her, soaking her from head to foot before leaving with her patchwork armor and slamming the heavy wooden door shut behind him. Arya sat in her small clothes shivering, she couldn't take much more.
On the fourth morning, the morning of Lord Elmar's arrival a different Frey guard woke her, prodding her gently with his foot.
"I'm awake, stop that." She complained as she squinted up at him. "Who are you?" She asked, wondering where the usual, mean guard was.
The new guard ignored her question and knelt next to her. He offered her a wooden plate of fruit instead of the usual plate of scraps. "A girl will need her strength today." He smiled and placed some dry clothes next to her. "Put these on."
"Who are you? Where is..." She started to question him.
The new guard winked at her as he held his finger to his lips. "A girl needs to return to Braavos, with her wolf." He said to her quietly.
Arya smiled at him, hoping that it was her old friend. "Jaqen? Is it really you? How did you..." She said almost in disbelief as he interrupted her again.
"A man will explain when were are far away from this place. Hurry, there's not much time. We must leave, now!" He stood and waited by her cell door,
She quickly ate some of the fruit, it tasted so good, especially compared to the slop that the horrible guard had fed her. She could almost feel some of her strength returning.
Arya slowly got to her feet and pulled on the servants outfit that Jaqen had given her to wear. Simple brown breeches and matching top with some soft leather shoes. She concentrated and slowly pulled her hand down over her face to change into Jayne Snow and nodded to him. "I'm ready, let's go."
Jaqen nodded back and led her out of her cell, past the Frey guard that had tormented her so much. He lay dead, his throat slit from ear to ear. 'Valar morghulis' She thought to herself with satisfaction before giving him a sharp kick to the ribs.
Jaqen looked at her a little surprised by her action, but she just she shrugged. "He deserved that." She said, raising her eyebrows as if to convince him. She knew that the guard was dead and couldn't feel it, but the kick felt good anyway.
Jaqen shook his head and handed her a dagger which she hid under her top. She stuck close to him as they made their way up and out of the dungeon and into the castle. It was early morning and there were only a few guards about on their patrols. None of them paid them any attention, but why would they? Jaqen looked like one of them and she was just Jayne Snow a servant girl, nothing like Arya Stark.
They walked calmly over to the stables and picked out two suitable horses before saddling them up and mounting them. Arya took a grey and Jaqen took a slightly larger chesnut before they rode out of the castle gate together.
Once they were clear of the castle and Riverrun they stopped away from the road and sat to rest and eat. Arya still felt very weak, though it felt good to be out in the sunlight and fresh air again. "How did you find me?" She asked him with her mouthful of apple.
Jaqen looked at her and smiled. "A man simply followed the trail of her giant wolf and the bodies she left behind."
Arya looked down. "I failed my mission didn't I?" She glanced up at him, feeling that she had let him and Syrio down. Worst of all she felt she had let herself down.
Jaqen looked back at her and slowly shook his head. "A girl is still alive?"
Arya smiled and lay back in the long grass to look up at the cloudless sky, but only for a few moments until she heard something approach from behind the nearby bushes.
Quickly she stood and held her dagger in her hand as Jaqen placed his hand onto the pommel of his sword, looking closely. "Nymeria!" Arya said happily as her direwolf emerged from the cover of the bushes. Nymeria walked over to her and nuzzled against her as Jaqen watched on. Even he was a little taken back by the shear size of the direwolf.
The fur around her jaws and face were still red from her last kill and her belly looked slightly swollen from her feed. Arya wrapped her arms around Nymeria's neck to hug her. "I'm glad that you are alright girl, I missed you." And she meant it, she never wanted Nymeria to leave her side again.
Because Arya felt so weak and was so battered and bruised it took them over a week to reach Maidenpool where Captain Forel and Sweet Lily waited for them at the harbor. Jaqen decided that it would be best for them to sneak Nymeria aboard at night while nobody was about to avoid any unwanted eyes from seeing her and maybe causing a panic or worse, reporting back to the Frey's who would surely be searching for them.
For the first two days at sea Arya rested up and slowly started to regain her appetite. Jaqen, Captain Forel and the rest of the crew let her rest, knowing that she needed it after her ordeal. Her bruises were slowly healing but her ribs were still very painful. Especially when she coughed or sneezed, which she was doing a lot of having caught cold from being wet for so long in the dungeon at Riverrun Castle.
Arya couldn't wait to get back to Braavos and it's warmer weather and to rest up properly in her own bed. It felt so long since she had left Braavos and the House of Black and White, but she could still clearly picture her room. She was also looking forward to seeing Syrio again and hopefully completing her training as both a Water Dancer and a Faceless Lady.