Jon blinked his attention on the silent man standing in front of him taking in his rigid stance, his blank face and the sword by his side.

The Unsullied. His little sister had appeared from out of nowhere with a member of the Unsullied by her side and claiming fealty to – Daenerys Targaryen?

What in seven hells?

"So let me get this straight." He said, never taking his eyes off the warrior in front of him. Jon couldn't help but feel a little intimidated by the man. He stood rigid before him, clothed in a light weight fur to protect him from the cold, although Jon didn't know how he – or his sister – could not feel cold considering the lightness of their robes. Arya's one was barely thick enough to ward off the cold indoors, let alone for her to wear it outdoors. And the Unsullied's robe was even thinner.

But the man, Grey Worm, his sister called him, continued to draw his attention. No facial hair, cold blank gaze. Scowling demeanor.

"He is a member of the Unsullied" Jon continued. "Bought and freed by Daenerys Targaryen whom you have sworn fealty to but you came back to Westeros – from Bravos across the narrow sea - on the word of another Red-Woman who spoke to you of my death." He said the words slowly as if to try and formulate his sentence correctly.

"Yes." His sister, his baby sister, confirmed as she stood beside the soldier. She was still short. That much was evident as she stood beside the unmoving man and only came up to his shoulder. Still had the same long dark hair and the same piercing grey eyes of their father. But whereas when she was a child there was a hint of what her beauty could be like, here, standing in front of him was the beauty that had been promised.

Those long, sharp features had filled out and settled into a beautiful display of high cheekbones, full lips and smooth, olive toned skin. Her eyes, those grey eyes that he shared with her, that were the eyes of their father's held secrets that she had yet to reveal.

And his heart ached for what she might have gone through. He hadn't protected her. Like he hadn't protected Bran. And Rickon. And Sansa. What kind of brother did he claim to be if he could not protect his younger siblings?

"But the Unsullied are slaves!" Samwell Tarly, his maester, commented, eyes wide and cheeks flushed red as he looked at the unsmiling soldier and then at Jon. "Slavery is prohibited in the Seven Kingdoms. You could end up in very big trouble Lady Arya! You could –"

Cold grey eyes settled on Sam causing his words to stutter to a stop and Sam to take an instinctive step back.

Jon's lips quirked. It seemed as if his sister had gained the ability to shut a man up with just a look.

"Grey Worm is considered a free man, Maester. He is here because he chooses to be." She told him firmly, face impassive. "And as I have told you a number of times over the past few days, I am no lady."

"Apologies my lad – I mean Arya?" Sam choked on his sister's name. "But – but –"

"It's a little much to take in such a short space of time, my lady." Ser Davos Seaworth rumbled from beside him, looking at her from under heavy brows.

Arya turned those cold grey eyes on the reformed smuggler, those eyes narrowing slightly.

"You saying the words does not change the fact that you were born Arya Stark of House of Stark, my lady. And I am a man with too many years behind him to change what I have been taught to do. What I have been raised to do. You are a lady, and so I will call you my lady." The onion knight stated firmly staring back at his sister and refusing to be intimidated by her glare.

Hells, Jon were honest with himself, he was intimidated by his sister's glare. There was a cold detachment to that look. As if she could and would kill everyone and walk away without looking back.

"And I will continue to say that I am no lady. I have not been a lady in the traditional sense of the word for a very long time, Ser Davos." She told him quietly causing the older man's to frown at her serious tone.

Jon continued to stare at his sister, wondering not for the first time what she had been through these past few years.

Opening his eyes two days ago and seeing his baby sister's face had made him almost weep with joy. He had ignored the fact that there were others in the room, ignored the fact that Ghost and Nymeria stood ready to attack Melisandre should she move an inch. Ignored the fact that he was almost naked save a small blanket that saved his modesty. Instead Jon swept his sister, his baby sister, up into his arms and hugged her. Dragged her fully into his arms and almost squeeze the life out of her.

But as the days passed Jon began to notice that this woman was no longer his little sister. At least not the little sister that he had once played with.

Her childish passion and exuberance was replaced with iron self-control. She barely spoke to anyone who wasn't him or her companion and never went anywhere without Nymeria or Ghost by her side.

And she was always watching. Watching as Ser Davos came and went as he pleased. Watching as Sam came and informed Jon quietly that Edd and the others had captured those brothers that had betrayed him.

Always watching his sister. Watching with those piercing grey eyes that had seen many a thing.

He needed to know what she went through. Needed to know that his little sister was still there behind this cold woman with his father's eyes.

"You have been gone for many years sister. No one had seen you since Kings Landing. What happened to you?" Jon asked.

"Many things brother." She told him cryptically. Jon frowned.

"Why return now, my lady. What made you come home now?" Ser Davos asked her.

"Because it was time. My life, my travels have all prepared me for what is to come. There is a war coming our way. A war that we must be prepared for. "she paused, her gaze encompassing them all before settling on Jon's. "Daenerys arrives on our shores in but a few moons. She arrives with an army of Dothraki warriors, an army of Unsullied soldiers and her three dragons. She arrives to claim her rightful place."

"What makes her think that the seven kingdoms is hers by right?" Ser Davos asked her, his face serious. "For me there is no one more deserving that this man here."
Jon almost grimaced at the man's declaration. He never wanted to be King. All Jon ever wanted was to be a Stark.

"Daenerys has promised the north to the Starks." She told them. "As long as we align ourselves with her the North is ours." She finished her eyes on her brother.
There was something she wasn't telling them.

"In exchange for what, sister?" he asked her after a pause. "What have you promised Daenerys Targaryen in exchange for her releasing the north to the Starks?"
Something flickered over her face as she met his gaze.

"Nothing of great importance." She told him genially.

Jon didn't believe her.

"So you came back to secure the Dragon Queen's claim." He asked her, one brow raised.

"And to take back Winterfell. For our brothers and our sister. We need to claim what is ours." She told him, her gaze unwavering. But there was something more.

Something in those eyes that hinted a little more.

And he knew that she wouldn't say anything in front of people she did not trust.

"Leave us." He commanded to the others, his eyes never leaving his sister.

Davos gave a respectful bow of his head obeying almost immediately. Sam scuffled slowly after the reformed smuggler his eyes drifting between Jon and his sister.

The Unsullied though, he waited.

"Arya." Jon said quietly giving her a pointed look.

Arya sighed turning slightly, softly speaking to the other man in another language that had him shaking his head stubbornly.

Jon watched as her eyes narrowed as she said something again the words sounding so natural on her tongue it was as if she were born to it.
Grey Worm again shook his head to whatever Arya said to him and Jon saw for the first time his little sister from his childhood.

Her narrowed stare turned into a glare as she grabbed the man by the arm and whispered something fiercely in his ear.

It was the first time in two days that Jon had seen her lose some semblance of cool. Where there was an actual emotion of her face. Even if that emotion was irritation.

Grey Worm scowl deepened as he stared down at her before nodding, abruptly leaving without giving Jon another glance.

"Talk to me." Jon demanded pointing to the chair on the other side of the table.

"About what."

"What is it that you have promised to this dragon queen that has her agreeing to give us the North?"

Arya sat her eyes staring into his, contemplating.

"I have agreed to stay on at Kings Landing. To be a part of her Kings Guard and also a part of her council." She told him quietly. "To have a Stark on her council tells the people of Westeros that the past no longer matters. She already has a Lannister in the form of Tyrion Lannister. And now she has me. The Targareyn's, The Starks and the Lannisters. Working together, despite their past."

Jon took a deep breath watching his sister closely.

"Gods, Arya. Do you realize the life you've committed yourself to?" Jon asked, leaning forward his eyes intense. "Do you really know what this means?"

"I know what it means Jon. I haven't gone into this blindly." She leaned forward, those grey eyes intense. "Let's be honest here. I'm not suited to marry some Lord and play lady to his castle. That wasn't me when I was younger and it's not me now." She paused, staring at him. "I know the reason why you came back, Jon. Why the gods allowed you to return to us." She licked her lips glancing away. "The Red Woman that is with Dany is a different type of powerful. It's not only her that can see things into the flames. Her power allows others to do as well." She stared at him. "I saw you. And father and Robb. I saw and heard what they told you." She leaned back in her seat, staring at him. "The Red Woman – Kinvara is her name – has foretold of a bigger war we must face. A bigger war we must fight. Not just between us and Bolton. Not even between Dany and those at Kings Landing. You know which war I'm talking about and you know you can't do that alone. Neither can Dany." She told him.

Jon sighed rubbing his face in weariness.

"People are talking about how I must fight. How I must do this. How I must do that. I have nothing, Arya. Nothing. No men to fight with me, no weapons for those nonexistent men. How am I supposed to fight a war when I have nothing?"

"You have done what no one else has ever done, Jon. You have fought against and fought WITH the wildlings. You have their trust. Their loyalty. You can unite the North –"

"I'm a bastard Arya. They will be more likely to listen to your guard out there than me." He told her indicating his head towards the door where he knew Grey Worm stood.

"You have Stark blood running through your veins. Legitimized or not, no one can take that away from you. You inspire loyalty –"

"What loyalty. My men – my brothers just tried to kill me two days ago."

Arya waved a hand dismissing his argument.

"A few men out of many." She told him. "I can guarantee you that if you were to go out and ask the men of Castle Black to fight - they will. The same as the wildings. First we claim back Winterfell." She paused. "We claim back what's ours. Our sister included."

"So the rumors are true. He has Sansa?" he asked raising his head to stare at her again.

Arya nodded her face softening ever so slightly.

"I've heard tell that our sister was able to escape Kings Landing after Joffrey was poisoned. She was secreted away to the Vale only to be married off to Bolton to secure his claim to Winterfell."

Jon rubbed his forehead feeling a headache coming on.

"I had hoped it was a lie. That the woman claiming to be our sister was an impostor."

"Unfortunately no. It wasn't."

Jon sighed eyeing Arya again.

"So we take back Winterfell and rescue our sister. How? Bolton has too many men to count. Even if I could ask the wildlings and the men of the black to follow me. Bolton's men still outnumber us."

"We seek for those who are still loyal to House Stark. Look to the Reeds, the Mormonts, and House Karstark first. Then to the other Houses. And as for Winterfell. Who knows its secrets better than us? Better than us Starks?"

Jon continued staring at her, tapping his fingers on the desk in front of him.

"Winterfell hold many secrets that no one knows of. No one but us. Tunnels we use to play in as kids. Tunnels that lead in and out of the castle." She returned his gaze her face blank once more. "We go in and take back Sansa. Take back our sister. And then we fight."

"How do you propose we do that? We –"he pointed at himself and then at her. " – we can't go walking around Winterfell. Our faces are too recognizable."
Arya shrugged, a knowing smirk crossing her face.

"Leave that to me. You rally support –"she placed her hands on the desk in front of her, pushing herself to her feet. "- I will go and get our sister."

"Arya – "Jon reached out and caught her hand, squeezing it slightly. "- just – be careful. Please. I just got you back. I can not lose you again."

Arya smiled at him, patting him on the hand.

"Do not worry, brother. I will return. With our sister. That is a promise."