~:Reunited:~

Once they knew that the threat was over Arya checked the bodies of the four men that lay dead. After a quick search she found that they carried little of value save a few copper stars and crude iron weapons. They did wear thick fur capes which would serve to keep them warm that night, Arya was thankful for those at least, even though they did smell a little funny.

"Maybe a hunting party from one of the hill tribes that plague the Vale?" Ser Jorah said as he crouched down next to Arya to see the bodies for himself, trying to figure out who they were as he wiped his sword clean with a rag. "We should be cautious." He added before standing again, patting Arya's slender shoulder.

Arya had heard of the hill tribes of the Vale, though she couldn't name any of them off the top of her head. Maybe she hadn't paid enough attention during that lesson with Maester Luwin back in Winterfell or maybe she had just forgotten.

Both Arya and Syrio nodded in agreement before settling down for the night under their furs. With Nymeria's keen sense of smell and hearing they knew that they would be woken if there was any danger, so they didn't bother to take it in turns to sleep. They knew they would need all of the rest they could get for another tough day on the morrow.

After a cold restless night they broke their fast with some hard bread and cheese before setting off at first light. Arya didn't complain though, she knew that they had to make as much progress as quickly as possible. If their supplies ran out in the mountains before they reached the Bloody Gate they would die. There were no berries or fruits growing in the snow covered trees, no plants or vegetables growing in the frozen earth. They did see the occasional print of a mountain rabbit or hare in the snow, but it would be near impossible to catch one and they didn't have time to set traps.

The snow had fallen heavily through the night to leave a fresh white blanket that covered everything in sight. Even when they rejoined the High Road the snow came up to Arya's knees in the more open places. She was thankful for her fur lined leather boots which kept her lower legs and feet dry and warm.

Luckily the skies had remained clear and blue all day which meant that they didn't have to stop to shelter, but they knew that high up in the mountains that good weather wouldn't last for long. This high up the weather could change in an instant. One moment it could be clear blue skies and sunshine, though the sun had little heat. The next you could be hit by a blizzard of such force that you wouldn't see your own hand in front of your face.

It was bitterly cold and grew colder still the higher they climbed into the mountains. A weak icy wind bit at Arya's cheeks and nose occasionally, turning them red, her breath steamed thick from her nose and mouth as she exhaled. Walking helped to keep her warm, so no matter how tired she felt or how much her legs ached she never complained or asked for a rest.

Even after all of her training back in Braavos Arya found it tough walking through the thick snow and after a few hours her legs had started to ache a lot. Ser Jorah seemed to find it easy, but he was much bigger and stronger than Arya. Syrio also seemed to be fine physically, though he clearly wasn't used to such cold. Not that he ever complained. He even told Arya stories of when he was First Sword to the Sealord of Braavos as they walked.

The view of the snow covered mountains looming above them was a spectacular sight, casting long dark shadows across the Vale. Everywhere was white and it was almost blinding when the sun reflected off the dazzling blanket of snow. Arya only wished there was some heat in the sun to warm her and keep the shivers at bay.

To help pass the time and to keep her spirits up Arya sang songs in her head as she followed the others, walking in their footsteps which made things a little easier for her. She had learnt many songs from Septa Mordane as a little girl back in Winterfell. She had never really paid much attention during her lessons so she was surprised by how many she had actually remembered. Some of the songs were of maidens and knights, others were of dragons and great battles. Arya had always preferred the ones with dragons and battles, Sansa of course preferred the songs of maidens and knights.

Later that day, as the sun was starting to set behind one of the higher mountains Ser Jorah noticed that dark grey clouds were gathering in the distance, and worse, they were coming in their direction and fast. "We should look for somewhere to make camp for the night, we're not going to reach the mine before the storm hits us and we don't want to be caught out in it." Ser Jorah said as he looked over to the gathering clouds.

That night they had planned to camp in a long disused marble mine close to the High Road. It would have provided excellent shelter and should have been safe from the mountain clans as they rarely ventured this high.

"Just so." Syrio replied. Arya thought Syrio looked so funny with snow in his hair and his red nose.

Arya looked over to the dark grey clouds, they looked almost angry and she knew that it wasn't a good sign so she nodded in agreement. "I agree."

As they walked they looked for a suitable place to make camp. Somewhere they could shelter from the approaching storm.

"Over there." Ser Jorah said as he pointed to a small overhang of rock. It was low to the ground, perhaps as high as Arya's waist and faced away from the oncoming storm. If they could close it off somehow there would be plenty of room for all three of them, but not enough for Nymeria who had wandered off to explore and hunt again.

"But what about Nymeria?" Arya asked as she looked around looking for any sign of Nymeria, feeling concerned for her direwolf. She had been gone since mid afternoon, it had been hours since they had seen her.

"I'm sure she'll find shelter somewhere, she's a smart wolf." Ser Jorah replied, trying to reassure Arya as he placed a firm hand on her slender shoulder.

Arya nodded in agreement knowing that he was right. Nymeria was very smart and Arya felt proud of her. "I guess you're right." She replied, still hopng Nymeria would return before the storm hit.

They each set about making camp in the small overhang. Ser Jorah cut down a few small pine trees to cover the entrance of the shelter, before Syrio helped by covering the trees over with snow to keep the wind out and to weigh the brances down to hold them in place. They made sure to keep a small hole at the bottom where they could crawl inside once it had been completed.

Arya laid out some of the thinner branches of the pine trees inside the shelter for a matress so that they wouldn't have to sleep on a cold stone floor. She also piled some up so that they could cover themselves to try and keep the cold off along with the fur capes they had taken from the mountain clan men they had killed the previous night. It wasn't perfect but it would be safe and keep them sheltered for the night.

They finished making their shelter just as the blizzard started to hit. It looked sturdy enough and would serve to shelter them for the night. The icy wind had picked up and was blowing strong making it hard to hear anything with it's loud and eerie whistle. It stung Arya's cheeks and reddened her nose more than ever. Snow was falling thick and fast, seeing anything more than a few feet away was impossible, everything was white.

Arya crawled inside the shelter first, followed by Syrio and finally Ser Jorah who blocked the entrance hole with some of the pine branches and his pack to keep out the blizzard.

A long, cold night loomed ahead as the storm raged outside their makeshift shelter. They could hear the wind howling and the hail hitting against their shelter. Arya only hoped that it would last the night, watching as it bent under the strength of the wind and weight of the snow.

After a short while Arya had managed to spark a flame to some dried moss she had collected and then light a few candles so that they had light. Arya desperately tried to warm her hands against the flickering flame before trying to sleep but it was no use, she was just too cold.

After a while Arya sat up as she remembered the leaves that Master Garavel had given to her as a gift before leaving the House of Black and White. Pulling one out of the ornate wooden box she dropped a leaf into her drinking skin which was half full because of the snow that she had stuffed into it earlier that day had melted. Using the drawstring she hung it above the candle, just far enough away so that it wouldn't burn to let it warm.

After an hour or so it was warm enough to drink like hot tea. She drank some being careful not to swallow the leaf, remembering what Master Garavel had told her about the leaves. After pulling the leaf out she passed her drinking skin over to Syrio. She could feel the heat from the tea spreading through her small chest like fire. It tasted quite bitter, making her face screw up, but the heat was instant and warmed her for which she was thankful.

Arya lay back wrapping the fur cape around herself and buying herself under some pine branches to try to stay warm. Listening to the wind howling outside of their shelter her mind drifted to the White Walkers. Were they really seven feet tall with blue eyes like glowing sapphires as Old Nan had described them in her tales. Did they really carry spears of ice and possess a strength that no man could match?

The next morning Arya woke to hear that the storm had passed. She had gooseflesh on her arms and a cold red nose that felt a little numb, but at least her body and legs felt warm underneath her fur cape and blanket of pine branches.

The orange glow of early morning sunlight crept through the small entrance to the shelter and looking around she saw that Ser Jorah and Syrio were already up and had already left the safety of the shelter.

Arya reluctantly sat up, brushing off the pine branches and the fur cape. It was cold, but even colder as she crawled out of the shelter to see Ser Jorah and Syrio who looked like they were stretching and trying to warm up. Or perhaps they were trying to rid themselves of their aches from sleeping in such a confined space. Arya could not say which, but for once she was glad that she was small. She had no aches at all.

For two cold days and two even colder nights they followed the High Road up into the mountains before they finally looked upon the Bloody Gate. The weather had remained clear, the skies a brilliant blue with barely a whisp of cloud. The Eyrie could be seen high above in the distance. Seven slender white towers reaching into the sky, clouds of powdered snow blowing off the peaks with the icy wind. It was an incredible sight, one which Arya hadn't really appreciated the last time she had been there.

The threat of an attack from one of the mountains clans was also on their minds as they walked and they were extra cautious whenever they came to an overhang or place where a potential ambush could take them by surprise. None came. Maybe the cold was too much even for the mountain clans and they had headed to lower ground to shelter in the Vale far below for the winter. Arya hoped so, she felt too cold to fight or run and just wanted a belly full of hot food instead of hard bread and cheese.

On the way they had passed the entrances to several mines, all abandoned many winters ago and fallen into disrepair. Some entrances had even totally collapsed, but there was still old mining equipment which was rusted beyond use to show that a mine had once existed there.

Arya wondered how deep into the mountains the mines went and wondered if Old Nan's tales of great ferocious beasts living far below ground actually existed. She doubted that they did, but she couldn't help but think it would be exciting to explore one to find out for herself. Maybe she would even find gems or gold and then she could pay for an army of her own to take back Winterfell for the Stark's.

Back in Winterfell as a little girl she would have been the first one inside, but now she had more important things to think about and do, so her thoughts soon turned back to the task at hand.

As they walked Ser Jorah told them that they were probably some of the many marble mines that were worked in these mountains many hundreds of years ago and that maybe some of the marble that decorated the floors and walls of the Eyrie came from those very mines.

The mountains rose high above them all around, the tops covered by a thick grey layer of cloud. The snow remained knee deep as they followed the High Road and waist deep if they ventured off it as Arya discovered when she had to make her water. Luckily Ser Jorah was strong enough to pull her out. For a brief moment she feared that she would be stuck in the snow forever.

Pine trees were growing scarcer the higher they climbed, white and bowed under a thick blanket of snow. Some had fallen or even snapped under the weight of the snow or strength of the icy wind. Arya had never seen so much snow, even on the worst days at Winterfell it had never snowed this much, but then that was during summer, winter had come.

By late afternoon on the third day as the sun was starting to set and turn a pale orange they finally reached the Bloody Gate where they were greeted by several guards who pointed crossbows down at them from on top of the stone gate. Each wore thick blue capes over their armor and had the Arryn sigil of a sky-blue falcon over a white moon on their breast plates. Large blue banners with the same sigil draped down the thirty feet high, thick stone walls either side of the massive iron gate which was closed to prevent anyone from entering.

"Hold. Who are you? What do you want?" The tallest of the guards shouted down at them, aiming his crossbow at Ser Jorah. He had a mean look about him. Icy blue eyes, an old scar ran down the length of his left cheek and a beard that forked under his broad chin. The reception was as cold as the icy wind that bit at Arya's reddened cheeks and nose.

"We seek an audience with the Lady of the Vale." Ser Jorah said in a firm, confident tone. If he was feeling initimidated by the crossbows being pointed at him he did not show it. Stepping forward, he raised his gloved hands away from his sword to show that he wasn't a threat.

"The lady is not expecting any visitors, turn around and leave." Another of the guards said, backing up the first. He was shorter than the first guard but stockier. He looked as though he had seen a battle or two from his worn armor and slightly faded cape. He had seen a few winters too by the patches of grey in his beard.

"I have not travelled all this way and been through so much to turn back now." Arya said in annoyance to Ser Jorah before looking up at the guards on top of the gate. "Tell her I bring news of her sister, Lady Arya." She shouted up at them in defiance, her breath steaming from her mouth as she spoke.

"Are you deaf? Turn around and..." The first guarded started to say in a firmer tone before ssuddenly stopping.

Both of the guards suddenly shifted their gaze and aimed their crossbows behind Arya, ignoring her request. "What in seven hells?" A third guard said with a tremble in his voice, he was clearly frightened by something.

Arya quickly turned around to face the danger only to see Nymeria who had finally caught up with them. Arya couldn't help but smile as her direwolf walked up to stand beside, nuzzling her head against her hand. Nymeria had dried bloodied fur around her mouth so Arya knew that she had hunted and fed. Her slightly swollen stomach confirmed it.

"Nymeria!" Arya said happily as she gently scratched behind her loyal direwolf's ear, knowing that she liked that.

They could hear the guards talking amongst themselves, clearly confused about the whole situation before another joined them. Only it wasn't a guard, it was a tall knight in fine black armor. "Open the gate."

"But..." One of the guards protested, clearly nervous by Nymeria's presence as he pointed down to the direwolf.

"I said open the gate!" The knight replied sternly, looking down at the guard.

A few moments passed before the heavy iron gate creaked on it's worn hinges as it opened just enough for them to get through to the other side, banging shut behind them soon after.

They stood and watched as the tall knight walked over, removing his helmet. Only it wasn't a man. It was a tall woman with messy blonde hair and blue eyes. She was the biggest woman Arya had ever seen! "My name is Brienne of Tarth." She said introducing herself, placing her helmet under her left arm. "It's nice to finally meet you my lady." She continued as she bowed her head slightly towards Arya.

"You know who I am?" Arya replied suspiciously as her left hand moved instinctively to gently grip Needle's soft handle, her thumb rubbing against the smooth pommel.

"You are Lady Arya Stark. Your sister, Lady Sansa told me all about you. It will bring joy to her heart to see you again my lady. Come, we'll talk more inside where it's warm" Brienne smiled warmly at Arya and started to walk over to a small stone building, leading them inside.

"Please." Brienne said offering them wooden seats so that they could warm themselves by the large stone hearth where a log fire burned and crackled, it's flickering flames causing the shadows to dance around the room. Arya could feel the heat spread through her body, the feeling slowly came back to her hands making her fingers tingle and her nose returned to it's normal color.

Brienne's squire was a clumsy young man called Podrick who served them hot tea and some chicken, carrot, potato and pea broth to warm them along with some hard bread to fill their stomachs. The broth was a little salty and the potatoes weren't fully cooked, but Arya didn't complain and she eagerly ate the lot, wiping her bowl clean with the bread. Hot food was something she really appreciated after being out in the freezing cold for several days.

"My Lady, your sister is no longer at the Eyrie. Lady Sansa is sheltering at the Gates of the Moon." Brienne informed them as they ate.

Arya remembered back to the Gates of the Moon, the huge fort castle that stood at the base of the Giant's Lance and guarded the path and stone stairs which led up to the Eyrie. She knew that Sansa would be safe there.

"For now you should eat and rest, I will acompany you to the Gates of the Moon on the morrow." Brienne continued before taking her leave.

After a good sleep in a warm and comfortable bed Arya felt much better, almost like she had regained most of her strength for the final push to the Gates of the Moon. Strength she would no doubt need.

They set off after a warm filling breakfast of hot porridge and lemon tea. The porridge was a little lumpy but Arya didn't mind, she often had lumpy porridge during her time at the House of Black and White and it filled her stomach and warmed her.

Outside it was bitterly cold and the icy wind would have been unbearable had it not been for her thick wool dress and hooded fur cape. The scenery was nothing short of spectacular as the Giant's Lance loomed above and the Vale stretched out far below. The sky was a brilliant blue with a few whisps of white cloud high above them, covering the seven white towers of the Eyrie.

Arya loved the crunching of fresh snow below her feet. It reminded her of so many fun times at Winterfell as a little girl and brought a smile to her face. Her breath steamed from her reddening nose and mouth as they left the Bloody gate behind them and continued on their journey to the Gates of the Moon.

On the way Brienne explained to Arya how she came to be in the service of Sansa and offered the same protection to Arya. Telling her of the oath that she had made to her mother the Lady Catelyn and then made good on it with the help of Jaime Lannister.

Arya declined politely, asking Brienne to stay by Sansa's side and protect her instead. "I have have Syrio and Ser Jorah and Needle" She smiled as her thumb rubbed the smooth pommel of her sword. "Thank you Lady Brienne, but I have enough protection." She smiled as she stroked Nymeria who was walking beside them. "And I have Nymeria too."

Arya then told Brienne of what happened between her and Jaime Lannister. "I thought he was going to take me back to King's Landing, back to Cersei." Arya said looking up at the giant blonde woman who towered over her. "He pushed my brother Bran from the Broken Tower in Winterfell, I was so angry with him." She admitted, chewing her lower lip slightly.

Brienne listened to what Arya had to say before telling Arya of her valyrian sword Oathkeeper and how it used to Ice until Tywin Lannister had it melted it down to create two new swords.

Arya was upset to hear about what had happened to the Stark family sword. She had memories of her father sitting in the Godswood by the Heart Tree as he sharpened it's edge, and telling her how it had been passed down from one lord of Winterfell to the next.

She was pleased that Brienne was using it to defend Sansa with though, but wanted to get the other sword back into Stark hands at the same time. She also knew it could be used against the White Walkers in the war to come.

The Gates of the Moon was as impressive as Arya remembered. A formidable fortress with high thick stone walls and huge square turrets. The Arryn sigil was draped either side of the main entrance as well as Arryn flags flying above each turret. Looking up Arya could make out the waycastles of Stone and Snow nestled high on the side of the Giant's Lance, but Sky and the Eyrie itself was covered by cloud.

As they approached the great fortress the drawbridge was slowly lowered over the frozen moat and the huge iron portcullis was raised just enough for them to walk under.

Brienne led them into the Great Hall where several large stone hearth's had huge log fires burning. Various lords, ladies and knights had gathered and watched on as Arya, Ser Jorah, Syrio, Nymeria and Brienne approached the High Chair where Sansa sat.

Looking around, Arya remembered Lord Nestor Royce and his son Ser Albar Royce from her stay at the Eyrie when she was pretending to be Jayne Snow. But they didn't recognise her, how could they? Lord Nestor was a huge man with a bald head and greying beard. His son Albar could have been a younger version of Lord Nestor himself with a similar broad build and face, save for the black side whiskers and hair on his head.

As Brienne made the introductions Arya's attention turned back to Sansa who couldn't hide the smile on her pale face as she stood. She was even prettier than Arya remembered, wearing a beautiful pale grey dress and matching shoes. And she looked so much like their mother now that her hair was red again.

Arya felt her grey Stark eyes begin to well up and a lump forming in her throat. She just wanted to run up to her big sister and hug her. But for now the formalities had to take place, much to Arya's annoyance!

Bonus Content - ?

On his dead mount he sat, a crown of ice upon his head and an army of thousands beyond counting at his back as they headed deeper into the mountains. The ice wall built by man thousands of years ago left far behind them, for he was not yet at full strength.

Dismounting he approached the frozen mound of earth he had long been searching for and stood for a moment.

Slowly he raised his cold dead hands up by his sides and watched on as the frozen earth cracked, crumbling away as it shattered like broken glass following by a deep, angry snarl of a great beast.

Two black dead wings stretched out in front of him a hundred feet across as the long dead dragon crawled up from it's ancient grave, eyes cold and blue.