Arya
Arya awoke to a throbbing head which was not made easier by the constant movement underneath her. She was tied to someone on horse back. When she opened up her eyes, she gasped as the Mountain looked down on her.
"Awake are ya? Don't think of trying out' stupid, wolf. I have ya tied to me nice and tight... you'll not get away from me." He was the meanest looking man Arya had ever seen. Fear radiated through her body.
"I'll hand you over to the Queen if it's the last thing I do." He spat.
She did not know how long she had been unconscious. A sudden flutter of terror passed over her already tensed body as she thought of all the people of Acorn Hall, Lady Smallwood especially. She knew the Mountain and his men would not leave many alive. Any women who survived probably wished they hadn't.
This is it. she thought as the throbbing in her head persisted relentlessly. The Queen will kill me, I'm sure, as payback for Sansa killing Joffery. She probably wants me alive so she can arrange a very public execution... like fathers.
Jon
They were out of hot oil and arrow supplies were dwindling. Mance had wildlings reaching the top of the Wall miles apart. They did not have near enough men to guard the whole Wall.
"Seven help us." Commander Mormont said in a hushed voice. "All the King's have left us to rot, Snow... it will not be long before Mance comes over."
"There must be more we can do?" Jon pleaded with the aging man.
"Tis' hopeless... we cannot match his amount of men, Jon."
They kept fighting as best they could until morning. Jon looked at Pyp, Sam and the rest of his new brothers. A mixture of fear, dejection and resignation lined their faces. They were all exhausted. The fight had gone on for near two weeks. There was not much else to do but face the reality that they would all soon die.
Jon was not sure when he heard the loud noise of a horn from his perch on top of the Wall. They are going to attack again. He thought with less fear than he had during previous attacks. Tiredness and looming failure had made him almost apathetic to his own death.
"Where is it coming from?" Sam asked in terror.
"Same place as always." Jon said.
"No Jon... It's not. I swear it... that's coming from behind us."
Jon jumped up and listened. "God's... I think your right, Sam."
"Oh... the wildings have us surrounded now... they must have breached the Wall somewhere and now we are surrounded Jon!"
If Sam had any energy left, he would have thrown up the contents of his stomach, but as it was, he just buried his head in his hands and tried not to wretch.
"Stannis... its Lord Stannis!" a man roared from below. "We are saved!"
The relief that flowed through Jon and Sam at that moment was enough to make both weep. Sam stood up and looked into the distance with Jon. In the clearing they could see and army approaching, carrying the new banner of Stannis Baratheon.
"Look, the red flames to show he now follows the Lord of Light." Sam said. "It is true... he has a new God."
"I could care less which God he follows Sam... we will not die today."
Both men looked at each other and let out a loud, nervous laugh, filled with a release they both needed badly. They quickly embraced each other and headed to the ground.
Gendry
"Sacked... sacked... no, we where their a few months past. The castle was secure... it had men!"
"It is true, boy. Pull yourself together now... we have no time to sit her talking." Lem said.
"Do you have any word of Arry, the Lady Smallwood?"
"No... come on, get your horse... we will find out their fate soon enough."
The men rode all day and night until their horses could handle no more. It was only when they arrived at Acorn Hall that Gendry shock dissipated, and the full horror of what happened began to sink in. He had not allowed himself to feel anything whilst they were travelling. He just had to get to the castle and find her. She would be alive and well. She would have figured out a way to escape the terror and would be waiting for him to return to her. Any other thoughts had no place on the road. They would slow him down, make him angry and sad. He had to be quick. He had to get to her.
When they entered the courtyard of the castle, Gendry heard Tom and Harwin's sharp intake of breath. They all seemed to stop breathing for a moment. Bodies were strewn all round, festering. Dogs were eating the rotten flesh. The smell of decay was so overpowering that Gendry nearly wretched. But he had better things to do than empty his stomach. There was no one there. He jumped off his horse and ran into the castle. The fear he was suppressing for days now raged in his stomach. He shouted for Arry and the Lady, at first but got no reply.
"It's the Brotherhood... we have returned... anyone?" he continued, over and over whilst running from room to room trying to find any survivor.
When he entered the kitchen he heard a faint whisper. "Hello... hello?" he called. Harwin came in behind him.
"Be quite boy... I can't hear."
"Please... Ser Gendry." The voice was low.
"Lady Smallwood!"
"Fire." Was all the voice said.
They went over to the fire place and looked around. It was only when the Lady said, 'here', that they pushed back the wooden plank that hid the secret passage. Behind it they found Lady Smallwood, dirty, half starved and cold.
"God's." Harwin said as he picked her up. "Gendry, water."
Gendry waited impatiently as she drank some water. "Arry... where is she?" he demanded.
"Give her some time, boy." Harwin warned.
"Took her." Was the only thing the Lady said before blackness found her.
Lem had found a young boy hiding in one of the chambers. He was terrified but recognised the Brotherhood and soon began to speak.
"They said they wanted the Lady Arry, Ser. They said they would open us all up and leave us to the dogs if we didn't give her to em'." The little boy said.
"So you turned her over!" Gendry screamed. He had lost all restraint now. He did not want to scare the child, but he was furious that someone had betrayed her.
The little boy flinched. "No... no Ser Gendry... we never." He began to say.
"It's okay, boy... Gendry don't mean you any harm." Tom said in a gentle voice.
The boy nodded and continued. "It was the lady... she came out herself."
"Damn stupid... stupid." Gendry muttered, trying to control his temper.
"He was bigger than any man I've ever seen... scariest man I ever seen, Ser. His men made all the women cry. They thought it funny. They killed all the babes and..." his voice was beginning to crack.
"Tis' alright, boy... you have said enough." Tom said.
Gendry gasped and collapsed into a chair. Terror radiated through him. "It's... it's."
"What?" Lem asked impatiently.
"It's the Mountain." Gendry said wide-eyed.
Arya
They were riding for a few weeks before they reached King's Landing. Arya did not want to think of the last time she was here, the day her father had his head taken. The day Sansa had collapsed in fear and she was made into the orphan boy, Arry. The day that had changed everybody's life forever. She had decided on the road that Cersei would surely kill her. That being the case, she had nothing to fear. She would be dead soon, so she would not give the Queen the satisfaction of making her cower. She would never show weakness before her, never.
I will be dead soon, and then what will it matter? she thought. I will be with Father, Mother and my brothers.
She thought everyday of Gendry and their wonderful day in her bed, exploring each other, declaring love for each other in every way. She longed to see him, touch him one last time, but she was happy he was safe with the Brotherhood and Jon, safe at the Wall.
Perhaps Gendry and the Brotherhood will kill some of those on my list. They have heard me recite it often enough. They must know all the names as well as I do by now. She thought.
She was bought straight before the Queen, still tied to the Mountain. I have no fear. she repeated with determination to herself as she was dragged through the castle.
"Ahh... here she is, the little savage has returned..." Cersei said in her usual, snide manner, with a cunning smile . "You had thought that you fooled us all, didn't you?"
"I fooled you long enough... two years?" Arya replied with a smile of her own.
"Think your clever? Well I should concede that you did hide from us for a long time, so I suppose you are cleverer than most, especially your pretty sister... though that is not necessarily an achievement."
"I hear that you have not caught her yet, Queen." Arya tone was smug and satisfied.
Cersei shifted in her chair, rage boiling underneath her steady, regal demeanour.
"Perhaps my sweet sister is not so stupid after all?" Arya was enjoying herself now.
If I am going to die, I will have some fun first. She thought.
Cersei was trying hard to control her expression and remain in charge in front of her men.
"Ohh... it is as much a shock to me as anyone, that Sansa is quick witted. Your grace." Arya continued. "I had always thought her as stupid as one of her painted dolls, thought I have to say, dear Queen, I am gladder than you know that she chose to show us all her true person in this manner."
Cersei's resolve broke suddenly and she threw a wine goblet directly at the young wolf. Arya was easily able to avoid it however, moving to her right, so that it crashed into the chest of the man behind her.
"Keep laughing little savage, for it will be short lived."
Cersei's tone was so menacing, that a shiver of fear ran through Arya, thought she hid it well.
"Your husband, Ramsey Bolton, is waiting for you in Winterfell. I hear he is most obliging to those who disobey and anger him. He will have that mouth of yours sown shut! Rather like your brother's head on that wolf of his."
With those last words she laughed loudly and all her men followed. Her jest of her Brothers murder cut her more deeply than any fear she had about Bolton. She gritted her teeth and said,
"I heard Joffery cried like a little girl as he choked... rather like the time I beat him... he cried like a little girl then too."
The words were out before she had time to compose herself. She had gone too far. Cersei would make her pay for that.
The Queen stopped laughing and looked venomously upon Arya. With a vacant expression she said,
"Not the face, Mountain... we need her to be somewhat presentable for her husband."
With that, the Mountain turned her and punched her in the stomach. Arya felt the wind knocked out of her for a second, and the pain hit. She doubled over onto herself, gasping for breath but finding none. She collapsed on the floor and heaved, over and over. The pain was intense and not subsiding.
"Bring her to her room and keep it well guarded. She is never to be alone. If she escapes... I will put all your heads on spikes, is that understood?"
Arya could hear Cersei mutely through the ringing in her ears. Will this pain ever end? she screamed to herself as she was dragged from the room.