I just realized this is the second last chapter to this story! Thank you guys for reading, you are the best and leave behind the greatest reviews.

Chapter 28

Arya

It was Merida who awakened her one morrow several weeks later, a frightened expression on her face.

"Lady Arya," she whispered, crouching down by her bed. Arya sat up and looked at her.

"Merida, what's the matter?" she asked. Merida clutched her hands together and glanced nervously around.

"I'm afraid, Arya, so very afraid."

Arya seized Merida's hand and squeezed it. "Tell me what frightens you," she said. Merida brushed her hair out of her face and wiped her cheek quickly.

"It's the king and his mistress. They will come for us, I am sure of it. We betrayed them – they will have our heads for it."

Arya pulled Merida to her feet and gave the maid a warm hug. "Not to worry, my friend. You are safe here." But the thought of the king coming to seek revenge had crossed Arya's mind as well.

Merida shook her head meekly. "We need to leave. Jarin and I. We need to get as far away from the witch as possible."

Arya looked at her before she brought a letter out from her night table. "You can come with us," she said. "Gendry and I are leaving for Dorne in a week. Come with us, Merida. Dorne is as far south of Westeros one can come. You will be safe there- at least for a while."

Merida stared down at the letter in her hand. "Dorne? Why is my lady traveling to Dorne?"

"We will live with my sister Sansa, Lady of Starfall. She has given us her consent. Gendry will work as a smith for the lord."

Merida's eyes widened in delight. "And we can come with you? Both Jarin and I? I will be your maid, my lady, and Jarin will protect you with his life. You shall not regret bringing us."

"Merida, you are my friend. I do not wish you as a maid. As soon as we are in Dorne, Jarin and you will marry and you shall have his babes. You are not to work as a maid any longer."

Merida choked back a sob and gave Arya another hug. "My lady is too kind," she whispered. "I will tell Jarin at once. He will be so thrilled. Thank you, Arya."

Arya's smile faded as soon as she was alone. She had not yet told Gendry about her plan, but in order to keep him safe from King Stannis, she found it necessary to leave Winterfell. However, she doubted he would be displeased with this new development; finally they would be free from Catelyn's overprotective stares and her disapproving looks.

Arya would tell Gendry eventually, but first she had to talk to Robb. It all depended on whether he was willing to send guards to escort them to Dorne. She would not risk another folly adventure where they would be attacked by savages every other day. Her trip to the Wall had taught her that it was always safer to travel as a group.

After she put on her usual breeches and tunic, she ran to the great hall to meet Robb, but all she found was Talla and Catelyn, bent over Atheena, giggling by everything the babe did.

"Where's Robb?" Arya asked.

"In the lord's tower," Talla replied without taking her eyes off of her daughter. Arya sprinted up the stairs, two at a time.

"Yes?" Robb's dark voice said as she knocked on the large wooden door. She entered and found him seated by the desk, a pile of letters in front of him.

"Is this a bad time?" she asked.

"Not at all, little sister. Come in."

She sat down in the chair across from him and folded her hands on the desk. "I have a favor to ask," she started. Robb pursed his lips and looked at her with a sly smile.

"I wondered when you would say that," he smirked. Arya startled. Had Sansa written to Robb and revealed Arya's plan?

"You know what I am asking for?" she asked.

Robb leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms behind his head. "You want guards."

Arya gaped at him, but regain her confident stature immediately. "Indeed I do," she said, smiling slightly.

"You are leaving again," he stated, his voice slightly hurt. "But I understand why you must do so. It is not safe for you so close to King Stannis. I am glad you are smart enough to ask for guards this time and not run off by yourself again. However, I am curious as to where you are going."

Arya bit her lip. "We are going to Dorne."

Robb's smile grew. "I was hoping you'd say that. As long as you're not fleeing to the free cities, I am relieved. And of course I will spare some men for you – you are my sister and I will do anything to keep you safe."

Arya gave him a grateful look. She had been afraid he'd force her to stay. "They need only escort us to White Harbor, of course. From there we will take a ship all the way to the west coast of Dorne, not far from Starfall. Sansa promised Lord Edric would send some men to greet us.

"I presume the blacksmith is going with you."

Arya nodded. "And Merida and Jarin. They are also fleeing the king."

"I see. Will fifty men please the lady?"

Arya snorted. "Ten would be more than enough, Robb."

"Fifty it is," he scribbled something down on a piece of paper. "When will you be leaving?"

"A week from tomorrow."

Robb looked up at her, nodding. "I am sorry to see you go, Arya. I'll miss you. We all will. Have you told mother yet?"

Arya grimaced and shook her head. "I am saving her to last. That's the conversation I am dreading the most."

"I do not blame you," Robb chuckled, and then his face grew serious. "Arya, are you sure about this?"

"I have never been so sure of anything my entire life."

Gendry

When Arya told him of her plans, he had been slightly hurt that she had come up with it without his knowledge. But then again, Arya did always act first and ask questions later. Although it would be difficult to leave Mikken and Myra, Winterfell had never been his home. Not really.

He offered to come with her when she said she was going to tell her mother, but she declined his offer. "It is best if I go alone," she said. Gendry knew she was right. Besides, he had to tell Mikken and his wife about his sudden departure.

They were seated by the table eating supper when he brought it up. Myra gasped in surprise.

"You're leaving?"

Gendry felt his heart ache when he saw her hurtful eyes looked at him. "Yes," he said.

"To where?" Mikken asked in his husky voice. Gendry hesitated. Arya had told him not to tell anyone else of where they were going. Not even Mikken and Myra. It's for their own good, he reminded himself.

"I'm afraid I cannot tell you," he said with a heavy heart.

"I understand," Myra squeezed his hand and gave him a weak smile. "If anything goes wrong, dear, just remember: You will always have a home with us."

Gendry felt his throat thicken and forced a smile. It would be harder to say goodbye than he had anticipated.

"Look, lad," Mikken said and brought a pouch out of his pocket. "for your help."

Gendry stared in amazement as Mikken placed three silver moons in his palm. "It is not much, but it is something."

"I cannot accept this," Gendry started, but Mikken gave him a stern look.

"You have deserved it, sweetheart," Myra smiled and stroked his cheek. "I wish you the best of luck on your journey, dear. May the gods be kind to you."

Arya

As she packed her life into a large wooden chest, Arya felt her throat thicken. She decided only to bring what was absolutely necessary, like clothes and shoes. She even brought a couple of books Bran had given her once. But the most important things were her arms. She refused to leave her beloved swords and daggers behind, and who knew – perhaps Lord Edric would let her be a part of his guard.

When she had told her mother about her departure, Catelyn had tried to talk her out of it. But when she understood Arya was unyielding, Catelyn had seeked more desperate measures. At some point she had even tried to force Robb to withdraw his offer to have men escort them safely to White Harbor. But Robb was on Arya's side, and did everything he could to make Catelyn understand why they had to leave. It was a matter of life and death should the king come to look for them.

Arya pulled one of her gowns out of her closet. It was a woman's gown, the first her mother had given her when she flowered, but Arya had never felt comfortable wearing such low-cut dresses. However, it was a dress Sansa would approve of, and Arya thought it best not to shame her sister looking like a boy. She had, after all, done her a huge favor. Arya gathered the rest of the gowns and put them in the chest. She could give them to Merida as soon as they arrived in Dorne. As far as she knew, Merida had only a few simple ones, and the gods knew Arya did not have use for them.

They left Winterfell in the middle of the night; Arya, Gendry, Jarin, Merida and fifty guards. Robb had found it best if they departed in the night so they wouldn't earn unwanted attention from the inhabitants of Winterfell. The whole Stark family stood in the yard to say farewell. Everyone except Catelyn; ever since she learned about Arya's plan, she had done everything in her power to prevent her from going, but Arya had made up her mind. Dorne was to be her and Gendry's new home – they would start a new life there. Together.

"I will miss you. Promise you'll write," Bran said as she bent down to hug him.

"I promise," she said, kissing his cheek.

Rickon wrapped his arms around her. He was a head taller than her now, and he wasn't even thirteen yet. "You can come visit me in Dorne any time you want," she told him.

Talla cried as she embraced her, sniffing loudly into her ear. "We'll miss you, Atheena and me both."

Robb was last. He lifted her up into the air with strong arms, spinning her around. "I love you little sister," he told her. "Stay out of trouble."

"Tell mother I love her," Arya said in a thick voice. Robb nodded and placed her back on the ground, cupping her cheek.

"She loves you too, you know that."

Arya nodded and wiped a tear from her cheek. "I know."

She turned and saw Gendry receiving a tearful kiss on his cheek from Myra, while Mikken reached his hand out and shook Gendry's.

"Take care, kid," the man said, patting his shoulder.

Arya helped Gendry onto his horse and gave him an affectionate smile. "You ready?" she asked. Gendry nodded determinedly.

"Let's go," he grinned.

When Robb had asked whether she wanted to ride or sit in a wagon, Arya had looked exasperated at him, making him laugh. Merida however, was not used to ride, and was therefore placed in the food wagon. Arya had suggested that Gendry kept her company, but then he had given her an offended look. "I am not a cripple, Arya. I can ride."

As the walls of Winterfell disappeared behind them, Arya felt a pinch of regret jolt through her. Winterfell was her home, how could she leave it? But when she turned back forward she saw Gendry riding side by side with Jarin, and she knew why. It was for him and she knew it would be worth it.

They rode all night and all day, frequently stopping to eat and rest. When the night came, they put up tents in a snowy meadow. As the only females on the trip, Arya and Merida was placed together in the smallest tent. The biggest difference between traveling alone with Gendry and traveling with a large group of guards was that she was not as alert as she had been without them; she felt safe, even when asleep. Although it made her feel strangely weak to be watched over like a proper lady, she knew that if she offered to keep watch, the guards would only laugh at her.

However, Merida seemed grateful to have her by her side at all times. The girl was not as fond of traveling as Arya, and did not mind sitting in the wagon by herself as long as she needed not ride.

"How long will the journey take?" Merida asked as they crawled under their furs for the night.

"It will take us a week to reach White Harbor. From there we will sail to Dorne. I'm afraid I do not know how long it will take, nor how soon we will have a ship ready."

Merida nodded and snuggled closer to her. Despite the many layers of fur atop of them, the night was cold and Arya found herself relieved to have a warm body next to hers. She suddenly understood why Sansa had kept Jeyne Poole for her bedmaid for so many years.