Arya climbed the stairs to the covered bridge that connected the Great Keep to the armory, where there was a window that overlooked the entire courtyard. She sat on the window sill, her chin resting on her knee.
He was disappointed to see that the Kingslayer was not training. He was not interested in seeing how the soldiers of the Lannister army fought. Nor did she want to see the maneuvers of the Unsullied or the Dothraki. She wanted to see the most famous knight of her time.
Arya was the best sword in the castle. The fastest, the most accurate and the one with the most instinct. Now she wanted to see if she was as good as Jaime Lannister. Everyone said he was the most dangerous man in the Seven Kingdoms and she couldn't wait to face him.
Otherwise, confusion and din had dominated the castle. Men were climbing into wagons to load barrels of wine, sacks of flour, and freshly feathered bundles of arrows. Blacksmiths coated steels with vidriagon, mended the dents in breastplates, and shod both battle horses and draught mules. Lannister, Stark, Targaryen... Men of high and low birth, men who may have crossed swords on the battlefield, had united under one banner. That of the living.
She almost fell over when she was startled by the sound of trumpets. The guards then crowded the ramparts to see who would reach the castle.
Jon! - Arya said to herself.
She hadn't seen her brother since they said goodbye at Winterfell when she went to join the Night's Watch. Her beloved brother, the one who always understood her, the one who gave her her needle, the one who ruffled her hair...
She hopped down the stairs and pushed her way through the guards to get to the entrance rake. But she was wrong. It wasn't Jon.
Instead, a picturesque group of men on horseback crossed the drawbridge and entered the castle courtyard. And Arya knew everyone. The first to see her was a huge man Arya thought was dead.
- So it was true you were here? - snarled Sandor Clegane - You robbed me and left me to die -
- But you're still alive -
- You should have finished the job - He dismounted and moved closer until he was glued to her face - You're a stupid little cruel fool -
Arya had left The Hound dying a long time ago, when he got an infected wound near his neck that prevented him from riding.
- There are many worse than me - she replied looking at him with icy eyes.
- You're still not afraid to look me in the face. No small merit. What, do you like it? -
- No. It's still ugly and it's all burnt -
That made him let out a laugh, a bitter sound halfway between a growl and a bark.
- I hope you're glad to see me, little she-wolf - when he smiled the burnt side of her face tightened and his mouth twisted into an unpleasant grimace - I'm here to defend your castle as long as someone is willing to offer me some wine -
There was a time when Arya would never forget Sandor Clegane's name on her list of men she would kill someday. But she had erased it. She did not know when, but before she parted from him it had been several moons since he had been between them.
Behind the Dog entered an idiot who looked at her with an even more idiotic grin.
- And what are you doing here? - she asked.
- Lady Stark - Gendry greeted - You look well -
- Don't call me that," Arya snorted.
- My master taught me that I should sink a knee to the ground when I see a noble girl and always call her my lady - he answered as stubborn as I remembered him.
''Is he mocking me or is he still this foolish? ''
- I don't want you to kneel or call me my lady -''
- As my lady commands.
Arya poked him in the chest with both hands. Gendry staggered and fell into a sitting position.
- But what kind of noblewoman's daughter are you? - he laughed.
- This kind - she kicked him in the side, but that only made him laugh more - If you keep mocking me I'll have you locked up -
But she couldn't help smiling at the way he looked at her. She held out a gloved hand and helped him up.
Gendry had grown at least half an inch since she last saw him. He still had jet black hair and very blue eyes. She realized how much she had missed him. He was the only friend she'd ever had in the world. Well, maybe Hot Pie too, but he was far away from Winterfell, at the Crossroads Inn.
Later that evening they dined with the queen and her court in the great hall. Daenerys Targaryen was as beautiful as she had seemed to her the night before. She had pulled her long silver hair back in several braids that hung down over her black and red velvet gown. It made her a little angry. As pretty as she was lovely. But she wasn't going to be fooled. Beneath that delicate complexion and those violet eyes hid dragon's blood. And she was dangerous.
Then she noticed the couple behind her. The Lannister brothers of Casterly Rock. The Lion and the Imp. There was no mistaking them. Ser Jaime was tall, blond, with dazzling green eyes and a smile that cut like a knife. He was dressed in scarlet silk robes, tall black boots and black satin cloak. On the breast of the robe was the roaring lion of his House, embroidered in gold thread.
The other brother, was by far the ugliest. All the graces they showered upon The Kingslayer he had been denied. But Sansa had told him that he had a far nobler heart than her sister Cersei and that he was one of the few people who had been good to her in King's Landing.
The last guests to enter were Ser Barristan the Brave and a dark-skinned girl who did not look like she was from Westeros.
Arya had washed, combed her hair and dressed as befitted a lady of House Stark. She had even put on one of those stupid fancy dresses with acorn motifs. The food was simple, but plentiful. Lamb with mushrooms, brown bread, pea pudding and baked apples with aged cheese. Once the table was cleared, when there were no servants left in the room, it was time to talk among themselves.
Tyrion Lannister asked if they had any news of the King in the North.
- The last news we have is from a fortnight ago - answered Sansa - They sailed from Dragon Rock in the direction of Puerto Blanco -
- I hope your brother has found what he needed - Daenerys said.
- What we need - Sansa corrected him - It is our only hope -
- Jon Snow said that the vidriagon could kill... The dead - added the Imp - Not that I doubt his word, but... What does that mean? -
- It works like this - answered Sansa again - Jon says that they can only be stopped with fire, with Valyrian steel and with vidriagon -.
- We have fire - sighed Tyrion - And also vidriagon, it seems -
- But few men -
- Few? - Daenerys was surprised - We have an army of more than fifty thousand men -
- It's not half as big as theirs - replied Arya - And it grows bigger every day -
Silence suddenly fell in the Great Hall. She could hear the crackling of the fires in the fireplaces and the creaking of the beams supporting the ceiling. Even Tyrion Lannister had been speechless.
- Does it get bigger? - Jaime asked, shifting uneasily in the seat.
- Every time someone dies they join their army," Sansa replied, "If we don't stop them here, that will be our fate.
- Then we will stop them - sentenced Daenerys - Our walls are high. We have three dragons, knights, Dothrakiis, Unsullied... And I have ordered all the great lords to gather their forces and march to the Wall. If the greatest army ever seen in the Seven Kingdoms isn't enough, nothing will be -
- Six -
Her sister's voice sounded colder than winter nights.
- Meaning? -
- Six kingdoms, your highness - said Sansa - The North is no longer part of the iron throne -
- I will tell you the same thing I told your brother - the fire danced in the queen's eyes - to consider the North as an independent kingdom is an act of betrayal -
- Do not be mistaken - Sansa warned - The North will fight with you this time. Only this time -
It can't be true'' thought Arya - ''They can't be debating about this''.
- I know we don't get along very well - Tyrion then intoned - We have all suffered at the hands of the others. If we only wanted more of the same, we wouldn't be sitting at this table.
- It's up to you whether there will be more suffering - Sansa looked at Daenerys.
- Who cares about that now! - Arya jumped to her feet.
She stormed out of the hall. She would have slammed the door if it weren't so heavy. Darkness covered the Great Keep like a cloak. A few torches burned in the courtyard, but nothing else. The castle gates were locked tight, as if the dead might strike at any moment.
- Arya? - Gendry had followed her - You once told me I could make swords here for the Starks. Will you show me the smithy? -
- If you feel like it... I had nothing better to do.
- What you said..." Gendry commented as they passed the kennels. "Is it true? There are more than a hundred thousand of them? -
- Yes," Arya nodded, "That's what Jon said.
- When I joined the brotherhood I thought I'd be hanged by some lord, or have my head cut off and nailed to some castle gate - Winterfell's forge was still burning, and the tools hung neatly on the wall. Gendry stoked the fire and picked up a pair of tongs - This is not so bad -
He made as well to go to pinch Arya's face with the tongs, but she slapped them away.
- Where have you been all this time? -
- Working as a blacksmith at the Crossroads Inn - Gendry put the tongs back in place and unhooked a heavy hammer - I made weapons for the Brotherhood without Banners -.
- If you want, you can still forge swords," Arya said, "For my brother Jon, here in Winterfell.
- Do you think so? - Gendry put down the hammer and looked at her - You look... Different. You look like a real lady -
- I look like an oak tree, with so many acorns -
- But pretty. A nice oak - He took a step closer and sniffed her - You even smell nice, for a change - You don't smell like an oak, you smell like a real lady.
- Not you, you smell like a pigsty.
Arya gave him a shove against the anvil and started to run, but Gendry grabbed her by the arm. She tripped him and made him fall, but he dragged her in the fall, and they rolled on the floor of the smithy. Gendry was strong, but Arya was faster. Every time he tried to grab her, she broke free and punched him. The blows only made the boy laugh, which made her even angrier. He finally managed to grab both of her wrists, but Arya kneed him between the legs and got free of him. They were both covered in dust, and one sleeve of her stupid acorn dress had torn.
- You don't think it's so funny anymore? - she shouted at him.
Gendry looked her up and down and laughed again.
- What's so funny? - he shouted again.
He stopped laughing suddenly. Arya noticed a shadow at her back.
- If you want to fight someone, fight me - it was Sandor Clegane's voice - She's a girl, and much smaller than you!
- Leave him alone. I started it - said Arya - He was only teasing me -
The Hound pushed her aside and continued towards Gendry.
- Don't you ever lay a finger on him again," he threatened, "Do you understand? -
Arya turned around in a rage.
- I told you to leave him alone! - She hit him in the chest with both fists - And I don't need anyone to protect me! Just so you know, I could kill both of you if I wanted to.
The Hound let out a laugh.
- The little wolf has grown up - he smiled when he saw her expression - Fine by me. I have already promised the little bird that I would defend her in battle - she took a wineskin she had tied to her belt and offered it to him while he took a long drink from another wineskin in his hand - Drink with me. I'm sick of seeing the Kingslayer smiling in there.
- I'm not thirsty," Gendry replied as he dusted himself off.
- What's that got to do with it? - he said wiping his mouth with a gloved hand - I'm offering you wine, not water.
Gendry got up unceremoniously, walked away from the table and went out into the night.
- What's wrong with that boy? - asked the Hound, taking a sip of wine -Doesn't he like wine? -
- What's wrong with him is that he's an idiot - answered Arya, shrugging her shoulders - He likes polishing helmets and hitting swords with the hammer -
- Ah - he handed the boot to Arya - Another idiot boy. There are too many idiots in this castle -
Arya listened to the Hound complain about the Kingslayer, his brother the Imp, the dragon queen, Barristan ''the old man'' and his sister the ''little bird'' as she sipped the wine he had given her. Across the courtyard they would surely still be discussing the future of the North. But she found it much better to sit in the warmth of the forge.
- And I have to die with the Kingslayer," he growled, "with him and his fucking brother. And after he's dead we'll go all three of us together to King's Landing - she let out a guttural laugh - At least I'll be able to kill my brother if they resurrect him -
Before finishing the boot Arya was already yawning. Gendry had not returned. No one else had left the great hall and the Hound was still cursing.
Suddenly she was overcome with an immense need to go to sleep. She went up to her chambers in the Great Keep. She took off her stupid acorn dress, put on her robe, climbed into bed and snuggled under the covers.
Sleep came to him as soon as she closed his eyes. That night she dreamed of wolves, wolves stalking on a moonless night, wolves fighting alongside lions and dragons. Arya knew she had nothing to fear. She was strong, swift and fierce, and she was surrounded by her pack, her brothers and her sisters. When the moon finally peeked through the trees, she threw her head back and howled.