Valyrian Steel

Jon

"Rhollor's flaming balls girl, you've gotten better at this." Thoros of Myr called out as he fought Arya.

"Maybe you've gotten old." Arya said with a playful grin that reminded Jon of the girl who used to sneak out of Septa Mordane's lessons.

Jon watched carefully while his sister moved gracefully out of his way and attacked Thoros from behind. The Northern lords watched and Jon hoped that they were happy with her skill. She was leading the men but there were still those that chafed at being led by a woman.

They said that Rickon was heir in lieu of Bran, but the Queen waved these objections away. Rickon did not seem to care about who ruled Winterfell and often did as Arya told him. Before they left camp it seemed as if Rickon would come with his Skaggossi men. He was adamant that he be there to kill Walder himself, but Arya talked him down. She promised him Walder Frey's head and heart, making Rickon agree that he would not follow. The men saw this, and the conviction in her eyes when she said she would deliver the man's heart for the Old Gods. That won over many of the older families. This display would win over a few more.

"Your sister does your house credit." Willas Tyrell said as he leaned against his cane.

Jon nodded curtly in agreement. He liked Willas, though sometimes the man rambled about the progress of his bestiary and littered conversations with questions about the North and his wolf. His love of books and the study of nature reminded Jon of Sam. Often times Willas and Tyrion would start at length conversations about history or Willas' theories on the development of species', Jon would occasionally nod but was honestly lost during most of the conversation.

"You haven't seen her fight when she's serious. I counted three times when she could have slit his throat. The girl is holding back." Tyrion added while he fiddled with his scarf.

"Water dancing," Gendry said watching Arya "She called it water dancing."

The fight ended when Thoros thrust forward and Arya dodged bringing her blade to his heart.

Tyrion clapped and Willas joined him with a good-natured smile while Arya gave an uncharacteristically graceful curtsy. She winked playfully at Jon and went to join the Umbers and Mallisters' who were calling her over for drinks.

They had made good time, taking a barge from Dyre Den, past the Saltpans and up the Greek Fork. They landed west of Seagaurd where a host from house Mallister welcomed them. Jason Mallister led them and asked to join them on their march in order to recover his son Patrek Mallister. The Mallisters helped them set camp and feasted them.

For the first time in many years Jon felt as if the gods were smiling down at him. Everything was going smoothly, his family was back, the lords of the Riverlands and the North were supportive, and he spied Viserion following them for several miles when they rode off. Arya had told him it was a good sign, Viserion would not have followed him if she did not trust him to some degree. Jon half thought that the dragon was following Arya, but he noticed Viserion watching him, not Arya.

Willas motioned for Jon to join him by his tent where he was drinking some beer with Tyrion and Gendry.

"My daughter has taken a liking to you." Tyrion said when Jon arrived. " She says that she liked to make you blush, much like you are right now." He added with a wicked grin while Jon felt his face heat up.

"Your daughter is very lovely and kind, but I have my vows." Jon stiffly replied remembering Lanna's golden curls and easy laughs.

"No matter, I do not wish to marry her off. Any husband of hers would have to reside in Casterly Rock and obey her. She is my heir."

"Then I would be ill suited." Jon said curtly while Willas hid his grin behind his mug.

"Mya has mentioned you too, should I worry?" Gendry added with the barest hint of a smile.

Jon groaned and buried his face in his hands. "Gods save me from beautiful women with wicked hearts."

His friends laughed in good nature and Jon felt his own shoulders shake.

The four of them ate some crab cakes and potatoes and onions, Willas dared Jon and Gendry to eat their potatoes with Dornish red pepper oil. Both men ended up shoving snow into their burning maws while Willas and Tyrion laughed. Arya joined them and ate some of the potatoes with pepper oil. She loved it and asked for more. She had gotten used to spiced foods in Essos and enjoyed the food Dornish traders would bring.

"I'm leaving tonight." She said drawing a map of the Twins from her satchel.

"I'll sneak and release the prisoners by the time you arrive, in case I run into complications there will be a green light in one of the windows of the Eastern tower. Keep scouts watching the shoreline, the hostages may have to swim."

"The waters are freezing, they may not survive the swim." Willas added.

"Then they better swim fast." Arya said with a shrug. Jon placed a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him. There was a time when he could understand his sisters' feelings and thoughts with a glance. Now she was almost a stranger to him.

"Stay safe, and try to remember what father would have wanted." He said, half pleading.

"Father is dead, the dead don't want anything." She tried to shrug him off but Jon clutched her chin and made her face him.

"You don't know that. You don't know what comes after. Honor father, not your rage."

Arya bit her lip and nodded before standing and disappearing into the shadows.