Saber

Saber walked through the yard, watching the commotion as everybody packed up to leave. She was headed for Bran's chambers, to bid Lady Stark farewell and offer her sympathies once more. It would be lie to say she was not feeling guilty about withholding the magic healing artifact she had on her, but it was necessary. She reached the keep, only to walk in on an awkward confrontation between Jon and Lady Stark.

"Call them, you can't stop me from seeing him," Jon was saying, he walked over to the bed and apologized to his brother for not visiting.

"I wanted him to stay here with me," Lady Stark said softly. "I prayed for it. He was my special boy. I went to the sept and prayed seven times to the seven faces of god that Ned would change his mind and leave him here with me."

Saber could tell that Jon didn't know what to say, so she chose that moment to make her presence known. "Lady Stark," she said. "I have come to offer my sympathy for your son's condition once more. And to bid you farewell."

"Oh, King Arturia," Catelyn replied. "How nice of you to join us, however, I want to be alone with Bran."

"Of course, I understand," she gestured for Jon to follow her out, and he did. "I am guessing you plan to deliver your sword to Arya now?"

"How did you-?"

"I went to have a sword made for Shirou, should he ever be unable to trace Caliburn, and had to wait for yours to be completed. Judging by the nature of the blade, I could guess who it was for. I would like to come with you. I would teach Arya the way of the sword."

"O-of course!" Jon exclaimed. "I'm sure she'll be thrilled to hear that."

Robb came up to them. "Uncle Benjen is looking for you," he told Jon. "He wanted to be gone an hour ago.

"I know," said Jon. "Soon. Leaving is harder than I thought."

"For me too. Did you see him?"

Jon nodded.

"He's not going to die. I know it."

"You Starks are hard to kill," Jon agreed.

The brothers hugged and bid each other farewell. Then, they broke apart and looked at each other awkwardly.

"Uncle Benjen said to send you to the stables if I saw you," Robb said.

"I have one more farewell to make," Jon replied.

"Then I haven't seen you."

They then went to the armory to retrieve Arya's sword, and took the covered bridge to the Keep. Arya was packing, with her wolf Nymeria helping. When the wolf smelled Ghost, she sat down and yelped at them.

Arya looked and jumped to her feet upon seeing Jon. She hugged him. "I was afraid you were gone," she said. "They wouldn't let me out to say good-bye."

"What did you do now?" Jon asked, clearly amused.

Arya stepped back and made a face.

"Nothing, I was all packed and everything. Apparently my clothes weren't folded properly. What are you doing here with King Arthur?"

Jon shut the door behind him and pulled off the rags he had wrapped the sword in.

"A sword," Arya breathed.

"This is no toy," Jon said. "Be careful you don't cut yourself. I had Mikken make this special. The bravos use swords like this in Pentos and Myr and the other Free Cities. It won't hack a man's head off, but it can poke him full of holes if you're fast enough."

"I will be your teacher," Saber cut in. "My style of sword is rather different, but I can still teach you the basics."

"I'm going to train under a king!"

"I will take responsibility should we be discovered, but it is probably best we keep this secret for the time being."

"And of course, like all great swords, it has a name," Jon added. "It's your very favorite thing."

"Needle!" Arya and Jon said together, then Arya laughed long and hard.

"I had best be going," Jon said.

"I wish you were coming with us."

Saber hummed in thought. "Lord Stark's bastard son cannot travel south, but my new squire Jon Snow may be more fortunate."

"What?" Jon exclaimed. "But I-I said I'd go to the Wall!"

"The men of the Wall are aware of the return of the Others. One more man will not make a difference, even a man of your caliber."

"I can't go, my father…"

"Has no say in who from my party attends. To put it bluntly, Jon, you are a decent person, and I believe you would be wasted on the Wall. I know what the oath entails, and you would be giving up a great many things you scarcely understand. Come with us, and one day you may even be a knight of England."

"You would knight a bastard?"

"I've knighted worse."

"Thank you, King Arturia! I shall not forget this!"

"As your first order as my squire, help your sister finish packing, then meet me in the yard, I will arrange an extra horse for you."

Saber walked away, leaving the two siblings to pack. If she couldn't heal Bran for fear of starting a war, she could at least perform some smaller kindnesses.