A/N: Thank you for all my reviews! you guys are great, and I'm sorry for keeping you waiting once again for an update - but it's finally here, and we're back with Arya again.
Congrats toJus a Reviewer, Lilyann-Ag, and Druska41,for finding the Linkin Park lyrics in the last chapter - they were 'I've tried so hard and got so far, but in the end it doesn't even matter' from In The End.
This chapter has a Taylor Swift lyric in there (told you I had a rather varied music taste lol)
Chapter 9: Arya
The following day, Arya was granted her request of a meeting with the leaders who had naturally emerged among the Brotherhood. The room in which, the night before, she had reconnected with her mother was now full with faces she recognised and more that she didn't.
Around the table sat those who seemed to be higher ranked than others - including Lady Stoneheart, Harwin, Gendry, and Lem. Thoros had yet to return, and so had Ned Dayne. As well as the Brotherhood, there were also a couple of Aegon's men present, as well as Arya's personal council, and her squire.
Despite knowing that those gathered had all been involved in finding her, Arya was nervous about asking them to take her banners and fight in her name.
Looking around the table, littered with maps of Westeros, the Riverlands and the North, Arya could see a mixture of interest, loyalty, and mistrust among the men of the Brotherhood: some men's swords she was already sure of, others were obviously curious, and the rest would take some persuading.
"You all know why I am here; why I have returned," Arya started with confidence. "I want to take back the North, and to do that I need men-"
"We're sworn to protect the Riverlands from the Lions." One of the more mistrusting men interrupted.
"I know-" Arya agreed, "-but soon, the Riverlands won't need protecting: Aegon Targaryen has declared himself the rightful King and He intends to march on King's Landing-"
"And he's been intending it for some time," another interrupted.
"-when he marches, and takes the city," Arya continued, as if there was no interruption, "the Lannisters and their men will either have to bend the knee, or face Aegon's armies. Aegon's forces will bring them to heal; there will be little for the Brotherhood to do. And that is when I intend to march on the North, preferably with the Brotherhood behind me."
There was a moment of silence, but Lem finally broke it: "The Brotherhood haven't taken banners since we first came together. What makes you think we'll suddenly take up yours?"
Arya smiled, it sounded like Lem hadn't quite forgiven her for breaking his nose all those years ago. "Peace is coming: soon the Riverlands will have little need of your protection and you will have to take banners eventually or face the new King's justice. So why not take mine? The Brotherhood started by continuing the work my father – Lord Eddard Stark – had sent you out to do. Your current enemies are mine also: you fight against Lannisters, and you hang every Frey you come across. You fight for Lady Stoneheart, whose sole objective is revenge for the Red Wedding – I want revenge too. But I also want Winterfell and the North."
"There's already one girl claiming to be Arya Stark," one pessimist said. "How do we know she's not the real one and that you're not an impostor?" He asked, but Arya knew this wasn't his primary concern.
Arya smiled, but it was Lady Stoneheart who answered with a vehement rasp, that clearly displayed displeasure though only a handful understood her.
Harwin dutifully translated for the rest of them, "A mother knows her daughter."
"And what pretender would have control of a direwolf?" Arya pointed out, "You also have the word of your fellow brothers – those who knew me the first time I was with you. But my identity is not your concern, is it? I have many talents – I've learnt a lot of tricks – and knowing a lie when I hear it, is one of them. So why don't you tell me your real concern?"
"All right," he conceded after a moment, ignoring the smirks from some of his comrades, and sitting tall. "You're a girl – barely even a woman. And yet you are asking us to follow you as you start another war; to follow you into battles. What could you possibly know about what you are asking us to face?"
"I know more than you think," Arya told him sincerely, before addressing them all.
"My brother, Robb, commanded the Northern army when he was my age, and he was crowned as King not long after." She reminded them all, "He was given his first steel blade at fifteen – when our Lord Father went south, to King's Landing – and made his first kill about the same age. He fought his first battle as a green boy, and yet men still followed him – some of you in this very room followed him."
Arya paused for a moment, risking a quick glance at Lady Stoneheart – no mother should have to hear, from her daughter, what Arya was about to speak next:
"I was given my first blade, this one right here-" she fingered needle at her side, "-at the age of eight, and I was taught how to use it in King's Landing. I made my first kill the day my father was arrested. Not long after that, I fled King's Landing with some Night's Watch recruits, men who I fought alongside in my first battle against the Gold Cloaks, after a few months on the road. I killed a few men that night, and I have killed many and more since." Arya declared to a now silent room.
Standing tall, she spoke to the men with the authority she had spoken to Lady Stoneheart the previous day, "I intend to continue the war my brother started, and I intend to win it. It is not going to be easy, and it is not going to be quick. And I certainly will not guarantee we will all survive it. But I can guarantee that I will take back Winterfell – I will rule it in my own right, and I will bring the North back under Stark rule," Arya declared.
"But before that can be accomplished, we need to ensure that Aegon can take King's Landing, without Lannister reinforcements getting in the way. Which means I need men watching the Gold Road and the Blackwater Rush-"
"The Blackwater is frozen, milady," Anguy pointed out. "No one's going to be sailing any time soon."
"No," Arya agreed. "But provisions are easier and quicker to move over ice than through snow. And right now, time is of the essence."
"And what will the rest of us be doing?" Lem asked.
"Stopping Freys from descending down the King's Road; protecting the peace of the Riverlands. And preparing to go north." Arya said with conviction.
"And if we get captured, who do we tell them we're taking orders from?" one of the interested-pessimists asked, and Arya allowed herself a small smile.
"Tell them you are fighting for Arya Stark, the Lady of Winterfell and Princess in the North." She declared, finally deciding with conviction what her title should be. "Does this mean I have your swords?"
The men about the room looked at one another, each waiting for the other to move first: if they declared for themselves for Arya, they would be turning from Lady Stoneheart in her very presence, and this scared some of the men – Lady Stoneheart was infamous for her treatment of betrayers.
Arya noticed Gendry and Harwin exchange a loaded look across the room, before Harwin drew his sword and laid it on the ground.
"My men and I swore you our swords at the Blackwater, but I'll do it again," he announced, going to one knee before her. "It was an honour to serve Lord Eddard Stark, and it would be an honour to serve his daughter. I am yours, my princess. I will shield you back and keep your council and give my life for yours, if need be. I swear it by the old gods and the new. My sword is yours."
"And mine." Gendry spoke, echoing Harwin's movements, "If it wasn't for you, I would probably be rotting in Harrenhall. I am yours, my princess, and I will give my life for yours if I have to. I swear it by the old gods - the only gods who listen. My sword is yours – it always has been, and always will be."
After that, the rest of the men followed suit easy enough, each declaring themselves, their men and their swords to Arya.
"I vow to you," Arya declared, once the men had ceased to swear by the old gods and the new, "that you shall always have a place by my hearth, and meat and mead at my table. I pledge to ask no service of you that might bring you into dishonour, nor will ask anything of you that I would not do myself. I swear it by the old gods and the new. Arise."
Arya looked about the men – hermen – and smiled a small smile. The brotherhood was hers.
"Best we start making some banners, boys." Lem declared.
###
The following day, Arya sent Lem out with a healthy entourage, to make towards the Blackwater. Another man – Luthor Brent – would continue on, with a good number of men, past the Blackwater to cover the Gold Road. The remaining members of the Brotherhood, along with the men whom had followed Arya from the south, would take their turns patrolling the surrounding area – leaving for a few days and returning with whatever provisions they could get a hold of. Those who remained at Stony Sept, were occupied in preparing for the impending war: every time Arya passed by the forge, she would see Gendry hard at work with his apprentice boy toiling just as hard. The town square had become a training yard: green boys and seasoned men trained side-by-side in sword fight and archery, and their practice continued back at the camps set up outside the walls. The women of the town had incorporated the sewing of banners into their daily routine, and soon enough the Direwolf sigil of House Stark was beginning to fly above more and more tents, and above the gates of the town.
Arya couldn't help but feel heartened by the sight, but at the same time she was aware of a sense of apprehension lurking deep: she was very much standing on the edge of something, and anytime now she would be taking that leap, and thousands of men would be following her. Arya could not help but wonder how many men would desert her after their first battle.
"The seasoned men have seen their fair share of battles, they will know better than anyone what to expect," Arya said to Maester Mathos, as they sat in her tent the night after the Brotherhood had sworn their oaths. "And even some of the lads, they've grown up in a war-torn land. But I still can't help but think that perhaps when they strike North, their hearts will change. It is not only the Iron Men they have to fear when we cross the Neck."
Mathos nodded wisely, "It is true that perhaps, if we come across the Others and the Wights, a few might balk and run. But if you tell them of what they are to face, tell them how to fight them, they will have no reason to run - the unknown precipitates fear. As long as your men know of the dangers they are to face – all the dangers – there is little cause for them to flee. All we are is skin and bone, trained to get along, forever going with the flow. You're men will stay true, of that I am certain."
Thoros returned a couple of days after Lem departed. Upon his return, he immediately sought out Arya who was practicing her archery skills in competition with Anguy.
"You missed his heart," Anguy grinned, as Arya's arrow lodged into the sack-man's neck.
"So did you." Aray smirked, as Aunguy's arrow hit its mark.
"What are you talking about?" Anguy argued with a frown, "The arrow went right through his chest."
"The men we will be fighting will be wearing plate and mail; you've just wasted an arrow. My arrow has slipped above the gorget and into the jugular. He will have bled out by the time I get to him, allowing me to take back my arrow with no fuss, and use it again on the next man." Arya explained calmly.
A laugh from behind drew their attention from the targets, "She has you there, old friend."
A thinning man with grey hair and ragged red robes, that were so faded they looked pink, was smiling at them.
"Thoros," Arya smiled back at him, "You have found your way back."
"As have you, my lady." Thoros returned with a bow, "Though granted it took me a lot less time than you did. You have learnt many things since you left us the last time." He stated meaningfully, and Arya was almost certain he knew something of her time in Braavos – no doubt his fires had shown him something.
"Everything and nothing." Arya replied. "You saw my return in your fires?"
"Just so," Thoros nodded, "Though now that we are in the grip of winter, I am seeing less and less."
"As winter strengthens its hold, the old gods have more power, other gods have less." Arya said.
"That may be, but I still see some things," Thoros countered. "For example, a saw a girl with no face and a wolf standing in front of a cloaked woman carrying a noose – I knew the cloaked woman to be Lady Stoneheart. The girl with a wolf could only be you. But why she was faceless – well, that is the question, isn't it?"
Anguy was looking between Thoros and Arya with wrapt and wary attention; Arya maintained her blank expression of steely calm, "Ponder it well, Thoros, and perhaps your fires will eventually give you the answer."
"Perhaps they already have." Thoros suggested, but instead of pressing the matter he immediately changed the subject, "Where is Lady Stoneheart and Harwin? We have a visitor on their way, and they need to be prepared."
"Who is this visitor?" Arya asked, her attention caught and defences up, "Friend or foe?"
"I do not believe her to be a foe, my lady. But regardless, I should alert Lady Stoneheart." Thoros pressed.
"Princess Arya holds command now, Thoros," Anguy smirked, "I would have thought your fires might have warned you about that."
"You work quickly," Thoros commended with a smile, "Forgive me, I did not know. This lady we should look for, is coming from the North – in the fires I see a bear searching for a wolf. And then I see a woman wandering through the forests of the Riverlands."
"How far away do you believe her to be?" Arya asked.
"I do not know, Princess," Thoros admitted. "Perhaps another look into the fires will give me more knowledge."
Arya nodded, "Very well. But you are right, Thoros – Lady Stoneheart should be kept informed. Harwin and Gendry too."
Arya caught the look that passed between the two men: she saw Thoros give a questioning look to Anguy, and just as plainly saw Anguy shrug back, but she ignored it all. Arya went to retrieve her arrow from the sack, on top of which her raven was now perched, and returned it to her quiver.
"If anyone has need of me, I will be at the wierwood." Arya announced, before turning and making her way to the back of the square. Her raven dutifully followed – as was its custom – soaring around her once, before settling on her shoulder.
Out in the woods, Arya sat in front of the wierwood and spoke her usual prayer that had become an automatic reaction. "Ser Gregor," she whispered. "Dunsen, Raff the Sweetling. Ser Illyn, Ser Meryn, Queen Cersei. Lord Walder and Theon Greyjoy. Valar Morghulis."
After her little ritual, the raven flew from her shoulder with a loud squawk and landed in the branches of the wierwood. Arya took this time of rare peace and quiet to practice slipping into the bird. Closing her eyes, she left her body and found herself looking down at herself from the bone-white branches on the tree. With another squawk, she took flight, circled the clearing and took off North flying fast over the trees. After several minutes, movement down amongst the trees caught her eye, and after a moments struggle, Arya bent the raven's will to her own, and dived down among the trees.
Once among the branches she saw that the movements belonged to wolves – only a dozen of them – that were running, sniffing, looking for food. At the head was a female three times the size of the rest.
Fly back to me. Arya commanded the raven, before leaving the bird and effortlessly slipping into Nymeria's skin.
Arya had now become used to wearing the raven's skin, but it still didn't feel as right as Nymeria's – with Nymeria, Arya felt she was simply another version of herself.
She padded through the snow, taking in the scents of the forest: the biting cold of the snow, the wooded smell of the trees, and the slight lingering aroma of the fallen foliage rotting around their bases. A cold wind blew from the north, and her nose whipped up, sniffing the air: another scent was now mingled with the others, the smell of prey.
She tipped her head back and howled before taking off toward the source of the smells, the others following behind her. Within moments they were on top of the prey – a lone human. Nymeria didn't pay attention to the human's pelts, but Arya did – when she tore at the cloak, Arya noticed the sigil sewn onto the man's doublet: twin towers.
Just as Nymeria sunk her teeth into her prey, and warm blood flooded her mouth, Arya was brought back to her own skin by the sudden grasping of her shoulder.
"Arya?"
In an instant, Arya knocked the hand away at the same time as loosing a dagger from her belt. As swift as a dear, she knocked the offender from their feet and sat herself on top of their stomach, pinning them to the ground as she held the blade at their throat.
"I'm sorry!" Gendry sputtered, his eyes wide with shock, and his hands up by his head with the palms wide open in a gesture of surrender. "I was talking to you for a while, but you had your eyes closed. And then you started growling…" he trailed off.
Arya's breathing was heightened; being brought back to her own skin so abruptly, she had not calmed her emotions – she could still taste the blood in her mouth from Nymeria's kill. And she was now painfully aware of the compromising position she had now found herself in.
Quick as a flash, she withdrew her blade from Gendry's neck and returned it to he belt as she sat herself up.
"I'm sorry. You startled me." Arya said.
"So I see," Gendry said with a grin, propping himself up on his elbows. "Where did you learn to move so fast?"
Arya smirked at him, "Nowhere."
Gendry rolled his eyes, "Are you ever going to answer my questions truthfully?"
Arya thought, her emotions calming, and her mask coming back into place. "Perhaps," she said truthfully. "But sometimes the less you know the better."
Gendry had no response to that, so instead he looked at her pointedly, his eyes flicking down to her waist and back up to her eyes, "Can you at least let me up?"
Arya smiled that cold, blank, smile of hers. "Right, sorry," She apologised, moving off Gendry with a graceful alacrity, and returning to her previous position.
"What were you doing?" Gendry asked, after a moment.
Arya took a deep breath, weighing her choice of truth over deceit: On the one hand, it wasn't something people would readily accept – it could cause mistrust, even fear. On the other hand, Arya was vulnerable when she slipped her skin – Gendry had just proven it. Hadn't he been talking to her for a while, and Arya had been none the wiser? It would be useful to have someone who knew her secret, someone who could watch over her body whenever she slipped from it.
Gendry gave a small laugh beside her, and shook his head. "Let me guess? Nothing."
Her decision was made: "The other day, you asked how it was I knew what the night was like the first time you prayed to the old gods, while I was supposed to be across the Narrow Sea. And I told you, it was the same way I knew you were one of those who found my mother."
"I remember." Gendry frowned, "you're changing the subject." He accused.
"No I'm not," Arya assured him, "What do you remember about that day?"
"When we found Lady Stoneheart?" Gendry clarified. "I know we got there just in time, before the wolves got into her."
Arya smiled, "Think carefully – really think – the wolf that was by her side, what was it like?"
"Huge, three times bigger than any other I've seen. Well, except Nymeria." Gendry looked sharply at Arya, with his signature pained expression, "The wolf that I saw then, it was Nymeria?"
Arya nodded, and Gendry tried to make sense of what this information really meant, "But how does that relate to how you know?"
Arya thought for a moment, of how best to explain. "You grew up in King's Landing, you would have never heard the stories of the North. About the things that dwell beyond the wall?"
"I've heard a few," Gendry countered.
"Well, the things that are supposed to dwell beyond the wall, have been coming further south for years: Direwolves had never been seen south of the wall for a thousand years, until my father came back one day with six pups in tow. And then there are the Others and the White Walkers."
"I've heard the stories from Harwin, and the accounts from a man from the Night's Watch I came across a few years back. So you're telling me that everything we've heard stories about, the myths that dwell beyond the wall, are all real – snarks grumpkins and wargs, are all real?" Gendry asked, sounding slightly sceptical.
"I don't know about snarks and grumpkins-" Arya smirked "-but wargs are real enough."
"You mean to tell me there are men beyond the wall who can turn into an animal at will?" Gendry said, truly sceptical this time.
Arya smiled patiently and shook her head, "No. That is not a warg. A warg does not physically change their shape; rather they slip their skin. They can leave their own bodies behind, and their consciousness slips into that of something else. Like a wolf, for example," Arya said significantly, just as her raven flew through the branches and landed on her shoulder. "Or a raven," Arya added quietly.
Arya watched as Gendry digested this piece of information, Gods, don't let him fear me, she prayed, hoping this hadn't been a terrible mistake.
"The stories I was told of wargs – they all said wargs were evil beings, inhuman-"
"Stories told in the south, but the South forgets. The North remembers, and wargs are just human – normal people with a gift from the gods." Arya interrupted him.
"So, you knew those things, because Nymeria saw them?" Gendry asked slowly, "You were in her skin at the time?"
Arya nodded, "Am I going to regret trusting you with this?"
Gendry looked up, shocked for a moment, before his face became determined. "No," he declared honestly. "It's just, not something to understand easily. What made you tell me?" He asked warily.
"You asked what I was doing. And you've just proven I'm vulnerable when I slip my skin. When you arrived I was Nymeria, hunting – if it were an enemy they could have slit my throat before I was even aware of their presence," Arya explained, suppressing a shudder at the danger she had let herself get into without knowing.
"What I can do is useful – I have a high level of control over Nymeria when I am in her. There is a connection to her that is beyond explanation – I can feel her now, I can even taste the meat she is currently eating. I can bend her to my will, I can use her eyes and ears and nose as a better look-out than mine own. The same with the raven – I can soar above the trees and see for miles, though with the raven it's not quite the same. But it takes practice, which is what I come here to do."
Gendry nodded, and Arya could see he was still trying to digest the information she had unloaded. Arya sat quietly and eventually Gendry broke his silence.
"I told you, you could trust me, and you can." He said, "I won't tell anyone what you have just said."
"Thank you. What brings you out here now? When I passed the forge earlier you looked deep in work – it didn't look like you would be stopping any time before dark?"
Gendry smiled, "Right, I almost forgot. Your armour – I didn't mend that cheap steel you came with. I've re-worked some better stuff into a similar size. It wont be perfect yet, but if you stop by the forge, I can adjust it to a better fit."
Arya got her feet, and Gendry followed suit. "Thank you-" Arya said, "-I will stop by this evening. But first, I need to speak to some men."
Gendry frowned, "What's wrong?"
Arya hesitated only a moment, wondering if this would be too much information in one go. She decided it wouldn't be, "Nymeria's prey was a man wearing the Frey's sigil. It was only one man, and I couldn't smell anyone else near, but I don't want to take any chances. I want to send a dozen men north, towards Pinkmaiden and Acorn Hall, just to be sure there aren't others."
Arya was true to her word, and after a brief discussion with Lady Stoneheart and a number of others, Thoros was sent out once more, with five men of his choosing, to look for any more stray Freys, and to gather word on the movements of the Iron born.
Since leaving Storm's End, Arya had a thousand questions running through her mind – despite seeing the letter that the Crow's Eye had sent to Aegon, she had been given little information about their movements, though she knew Aegon had more knowledge than he was sharing. However, Harwin had seemed unable to tell her anything more when she had come upon him, and now her last hope for information rest upon Edric Dayne's return – which should be any day now.
A few days after Thoros's departure, one of his men returned in the company of four others – a woman and three men, presumably her guard. Arya was teaching the basics of the Braavosi Water Dance to some of the smaller, younger men – barely past boyhood – who found it easier to wield a smaller blade.
"Princess Arya!" Lommy, her squire called out.
Arya put up her sword, and she and her partner turned at the arrival. "Has Ned returned?" She called out to her squire – she had placed Lommy on watch, to tell her of his arrival immediately.
"No milady," Lommy said, coming up to her breathless, "Someone else, a woman – don't know who she is, but she's asked to speak with you."
Arya turned back to the men she had been teaching, "Practice amongst yourselves," she told them. "We'll pick back up tomorrow."
Arya followed Lommy back towards the gates and out into the camp. When she entered her tent, it was crowded with people, including the woman who had asked for her.
"Your Grace," she said solemnly, sinking to one knee.
"I am no Queen, My Lady." Arya said, "Simply a princess. You can rise."
The woman stood tall, and Arya caught sight of the sigil sewn onto the dress underneath her cloak. "Lommy, continue to watch for Ned Dayne, if he arrives notify me at once," she dismissed her squire, before giving the newcomer her full attention.
"You are Lady Mormont?" Arya asked, "I see the Bear on your gown."
"Yes, Lady Maege Mormont. I had the honour of serving your brother, King Robb." She said, rising from her knee. "We heard rumours of your return, and I set out to see if they were true."
"We?" Arya asked directly.
"Yes," Lady Maege confirmed. "Before King Robb left for the Twins, he sent a number of us on ahead, taking the long way around the Twins. We were to meet with him again in the neck – at Greywater Watch. It wasn't until the crannogmen found us, and we arrived at Greywater, that we heard about the Red Wedding. Since then, Howland Reed has been good enough to offer us his hospitality – from there we've ventured out to fight the Iron men when we can. But when rumours made it to us of your return, and your travelling North, I had to come see for sure."
"And now that you have found me, what is it you intend?" Arya asked.
"To fight under your banners, as I once fought under your brother's. The North needs a Stark to rule it: You are the rightful heir, Queen in the North -"
"I am not a queen – the Northmen made my brother King, but Robb never left an heir. There are some who would say Sansa is the rightful heir, since she is my senior. But she is not a Stark; she is a Lannister. It is not known if my brother named an heir, so I am simply a princess. If my men see fit to raise me to a Queen, as once they raised Robb to a King, then I shall not refuse." Arya said, as Lommy rushed back into the tent, panting.
Maege was on the verge of saying something, and Arya could tell from her demeanour that it was something important - perhaps the real reason she had come here - but Lommy cut her off.
"Lady Stark! Ned is returning."
"Thank you," she said to Lommy, before turning back to Lady Mormont. "Forgive me, my lady, but I have important questions for Edric Dayne. If you will excuse me, we will continue this conversation in a little while." Arya apologised, "If you, and your men, go with my squire, he will you take you to Lady Stoneheart's manse and see that you get refreshment. I shall join you there in an hour at most, I apologise for cutting our meeting so brief."
Lady Mormont smiled, "Thank you. Refreshment will be welcome."
"Lommy, seek what food and drink you can – if the manse has nothing to offer, run over to the Peach, and get what you can from Tansy. Norrey, Nott, go with them. Seek out Harwin and Gendry – no doubt they will want to be part of this," Arya commanded, adding to Lady Mormont, "Harwin and Gendry have naturally emerged as the leaders of the Brotherhood. Since taking banners, there are some who are still uneasy about a woman ruling them and so they look to Harwin and Gendry, and follow their lead. Have you met Lady Stoneheart?" Arya asked suddenly.
"No, my lady," Maege shook her head. "I know nothing of this woman, except her reputation for revenge."
"You know more than you think. Maester Mathos, go with them: introduce them to Lady Stoneheart, and prepare them the best you can – Harwin will be able to assist you in explanations. Lady Mormont, Lady Stoneheart took her current name after the Red Wedding. Before it, you knew her as Lady Catelyn Stark. The woman you are going to is my mother." Arya declared, before leaving the tent in a hurry, and heading in the direction of the column now wending its way through the camps.
She didn't have to go far before the returning men were upon her. The leader dismounted from his horse with swift grace, landing in front of her.
"My lady, you've certainly grown since last time we met!" He called out with an easy smile. He was a head taller than Arya, thin but not unhealthy looking. His hair was the pale blonde that Arya remembered, and his eyes were still that deep blue which looked almost purple in the right light.
"Ned Dayne," Arya greeted him with a smile devoid of emotion. "We have been awaiting your return. How far into the Reach did you descend before Harwin's messenger caught up with you?"
"We were a few days past Silverhill, so not far. We were delayed in our return – Lions on the Gold Road." Ned explained briefly.
"Yes, we ran across them too – they're making for King's Landing, and we're stopping them. I've already sent out men to cover the Blackwater and the road." Arya said briskly, wanting to move the conversation along.
"Yousent?" Ned began, but Arya cut him off.
"Did you hear anything while you were in the Reach? Any whispers about the movements at Highgarden?" She asked him, as they slowly walked through the camp toward the gates of the town.
"I should probably relay everything to Lady Stoneheart," Ned began uncertainly.
Arya sighed, "Lord Edric, look about you and tell me what you see."
Ned did as he was bid, "I see more tents than I when I left."
Arya tried to maintain her patience, "And what do you see flying above said tents. And above the gates," she pointed out as they slowly approached.
"Banners," Ned said with sudden understanding, "The Brotherhood have finally taken banners."
"More particularly, they have taken my banners. I hold command now, and I'm about to embark on a war, so you will tell me of the whispers you heard in the Reach." Arya told him with authority that made him rethink himself – Arya could see he was suddenly nervous, but he recovered himself well.
"We were barely in the Reach a day before we turned back, so we heard little. But we happened across some small folk, who had heard that the army of Highgarden was wanted at King's Landing," Ned began to explain. "But it seems Highgarden is reluctant – they still fear a threat from the Iron born, and don't want to lose even half their army."
Arya thought of this for a moment, and then continued her questioning, "And what of the Iron born? I've been able to discover little and less about their movements since my return."
"We heard plenty of whispers about those, on our travels," Ned assured her. "Every ship they have is gathering at Pyke. They have left a handful of men to guard each holdfast they hold in the North, but the reavers along the coast have been called back."
"Every single vessel is returning to Pyke?" Arya clarified, this unsettled her but she didn't let it show.
"All but the Iron Fleet." Ned affirmed with a nod as they passed through the gates.
Arya stopped, "The Iron Fleet is comprised of their best ships, where have they gone?"
Ned shrugged, "No one is really sure – though they all agree they've gone in search of Dragons, there are a number of interpretations. Some say they mean to join with Aegon-"
"No." Arya interrupted, "The Crow's Eye bartered with Aegon – offering his assistance as long as he kept two Kingdoms and a crown, which in itself doesn't make sense. Aegon refused. Besides, they say they've gone for dragons– plural."
"Another theory is they've been sent to Old Valyria and beyond. To find eggs to hatch." Ned put in, but Arya shook her head.
"Wrong again. They've gone for Daenerys – why would they try to hatch dragons when she already has three?" Arya said quietly.
Ned laughed, "You believe the sailor's tales?" He asked incredulously.
"I've been in the free cities for four years," Arya said coldly. "Every sailor that made port told tales of dragons in the east – when that many people tell the same story you know it is a truth."
Ned sobered at that, "So, they're waiting for Daenerys?"
"I don't know," Arya told him. "I don't think so – The last I heard, she was still having troubles controlling the slave cities she has conquered. She calls herself 'Mother' and the slaves she freed are her children – she won't leave them in their current state. But what I do know is that if the Iron born are planning something, we need to move quick." Arya began to walk forward once more, Ned barely a step behind her.
"The sooner the fighting begins, the sooner it will be over," Ned smiled down at her as they walked. "You'll be glad of that I'm sure. This must be hard for you – the burden of being the last Stark, and the duty it demands. But I will be at your side for all of it, and when the fight is done, and we marry, you will be able to live the life of the Lady you were meant to be."
Arya stopped dead in her tracks, and Ned took a couple more steps before he realised Arya wasn't following.
"I beg your pardon? When we marry? What makes you presume that will happen?" Arya demanded, as Ned turned to face her.
"Lady Stoneheart…" he began, but faltered at the anger displayed in Arya's eyes. Arya took a moment to control the anger that had flared so suddenly, and took a step toward to Ned.
"Understand me. I do not fight because I have to; I fight because I want to. The woman you see before you is the woman that I am. When this is over, I will rule Winterfell and the North in my own name, in my own right. And if, by some miracle of the gods, I ever do marry, that man will not change who I am, nor will he rule in my name. If you ever make mention of what you have just said to me ever again, I will cut our your tongue." Arya threatened, before turning and marching back towards Lady Stoneheart's manse, her wrath doubling with every step she took.
A/N: We are finally getting somewhere, the next few chapters will see some progress and Arya's war will start. Next chapter is Gendry - I will get as much written as can before next week. I'm taking part in the Quidditch fanfiction comp, and the next round will be starting on Tuesday, and will take up my time for a few days - so the next update will probably be after that.
Thanks for reading and keeping up with the fic - you've all been great and I really appreciate the patience :)
xBx