*This chapter slightly overlaps the previous in time frame.
Arya II
She was drinking water out of a creek when they found her, Thoros and another rider she did not know. The sun was shinning bright on the sky which was weird for a winter day and she felt hot and decided to drink some water before continuing in her path towards Kingslanding. It had been a bad mistake, the two men had thought the same and now she was on the way to the Brothers without Banners camp once again. They would never catch her if she ran, Thoros was an old man and the other one she would kill if he posed a problem. However, the words the priest had spoken back at the creek had caught her attention and her heart. Her mother was alive he had said, it must be a trick she had thought. Disturbed Arya had said: -'My mother is dead.'
However, the priest kept explaining things that sounded so out of reality, but so true. It made her hope that she could look upon her mothers face once more. She remembered when Thoros made Beric Dondarion rise again from death and her heart constricted. When they were riding on the way back to Briarwhite though, the priest said: -'Your mother… She is different now that the lord of light raised her again. I fear she spent too much time dead.' Arya stared at the old man and said: - 'I looked upon her after she was killed. I pulled her body out of the river. Her skin had a grayish tone and there was a long gash upon her neck. The priest looked at her with astonishment: -'How is that possible?' and she responded: -'How is it possible to raise the dead?'
They remained silent the whole way back, the other rider had been sent ahead to warn the brothers of Arya's arrival. She did not care for that, this all could be a trick she thought, but kept it to herself as they rode forth. Her gut feeling told her to keep going, so she kept going. They were received by Tom Sevenstreams, the small mischievous man took their horses and said: -'My, my, my, is it really Arya!? If you want I can sing you a song at the feast today.' The young woman just stared at him, whilst Thoros shook his head and said: -'Mind your tongue Tom or you end up hanging at this feast you mentioned. What are our Lady orders?' The small man responded: -'To receive you and to provide anything melady Arya wanted and show her dressed to Lady Stone Heart chambers.'
Thoros laughed and said: -'I think what Arya wants is to see the behind of your back, go help prepare the feast. Do not mention we arrived yet.' Arya looked at the priest analyzing him, she was glad that Tom was gone, she hated the guy. However, she was not pleased with Thoros comment to hang him, softly she asked: -'I thought the Brotherhood stood for protecting the common people and not hanging their own men'. The old man sighed and looked up to the clear sky as he responded: -'Gone are the days we stood for that, now we hang Freys and anyone in our mothers path, but enough of that. I am sure my lady Stoneheart will tell you everything. Now we need to get you into suitable lady clothes.'
Arya stared at the man in disbelief, did he really think she was not going to put girl clothes just for this mummery, laughing she said: -'My clothes are just fine for seeing dead people sir. I will keep my arrows also and my sword.' The man looked a bit worried with her position and was about to retort when they heard a stern voice shouting: -'Where!?' Arya frowned as Thoros turned around and waved her to follow, soon they were looking at Tom once again, sprawled on the floor. That man's tongue could not keep him out of trouble Arya thought. One boy and one man stood over him, the big man that probably had thrown him to the floor said: -'Tell me where or I will cut your tongue off.' Thoros took the line as a cue to walk faster towards them.
As the big bulked man twirled the axe in his hand, the priest took hold of his arm and said: -'Fighting on her daughter return will not please our lady. Gendry, I think you know Lady Arya Stark'. Her mind span out of control as the man turned around. Gendry. Did he say Gendry? She stared at the man before her; long jet black hair and a dark beard covered his face. She barely noticed that he had approached, not until he was holding her up and twirling her around. He was smiling at her now and saying: -'It is you. Is really you!' In her head she Arya thinks that this must all just be a dream, she stares at the man's big clear blue eyes as Thoros says: -'Of course is her, do you think I want to be hanged.' She frowns a little at the priest comment, but remains silent staring at Gendry.
She is in awe of how much he has grown, he looks like a man made. She barely hears as Thoros continues speaking: - 'Blah blah blah… a proper dress… blah blah blah'. Who cares what the old man says, her friend is standing right in front of her and she can not get past how much he has changed. Suddenly, he speaks: -'Look, Arya we have been searching for you for a long time. I do not know what troubles you faced, but I must tell you… Your mother is different… She died melady.' It warms her heart to hear him say her name again, but it slight angers her for him to call her my lady and in the peasant way also. So she slaps his head smiling and says: -'Don't call me melady, idiot.'
She turns her back to him thinking about the thing she came here for and starts walking way whilst saying: -'I know she is dead. I will meet her now, Thoros. My clothes be damned.' There will be time enough to talk to Gendry later; first she must meet her mother. While men watched, she passed through the holdfast with a determined stride, followed closely by Thoros that soon had caught up and spoke softly to her: -'That building there to the left, please slow down. There is no rush, your mother is not going anywhere.' Arya nodded, but kept her pace. She would look upon her mother again. Would she perceive the darkness that now was rooted deep within Arya's heart? Would she recognize her own daughter or frown upon what she had become.
One step after another, Arya now stood in front of a new yellowy wooden door and she felt as a little girl again. She closed her eyes and remembered how it was to be no-one that made her heart steel itself. She was not a little girl anymore, she certain as hell was neither Arya Stark, nor a faceless god follower either… but who was she now? A killer? An avenger? Did she become what she despise? The door had no knob, so she placed her hand softly upon the fresh looking timber, its edges felt harsh against her calloused fingers. Oh, well she was no lady that at least could be plainly seen and dead or alive her mother would have to deal. In a courageous move Arya pushes the door open harshly and opens her eyes.
The room is barely lit, two guards stand on each side of her entrance and in the shadows seated by a table is a cloaked figure. Probably the one that is supposed to be her mother, Arya can not see under the veil that covers her face. Unwavering she walks towards the person, the guards also move as to prevent her approach. However, Thoros signals them to stop and at the back a strange inhuman voice fills the room, it says: -'Arya!' The raspy sound makes her walk slower as to recognize her situation. She thinks back trying to remember her mothers' voice, it is too difficult and barely a slip of memory but she recollects a night. Arya was sick and the voice that night seemed like cool velvet fresh water that soothed her through her pains. What had become of her mother?
The girl too was not the same. She had become an assassin, yet her mother had recognized her. If the cloak was removed would she recognize the woman that gave birth to her. Should she run to her arms and rejoice in the reunion, while she was not even sure, if she could call herself a Stark. Arya stopped and asked: - 'Is it you mother?' The cloaked figured stood up from her chair and answered: -'Yes, if you are Arya.' Slowly, she walked in Arya's direction whilst saying: -'Let us have a look. Where the hells have you been child? Thoros, look at her, the dirt, the clothes...' The strange woman stopped in front of the young Stark girl and she could gaze a piece of grayish skin as her alleged mother inspected her face. Suddenly, the strange voice screeched through the room: -'A Stark princess presented in such shabby attire. I will have you hanged Thoros!'
Arya felt neither a stark nor a princess, but watching the guards seize the old priest she felt a bit murderous. Her true mother would never order the killing of Thoros, just because of the lack of one dress. It was too much injustice for her, so quickly she moved as an assassin should. In a second, a guard was killed and she had the other at needle point, when her mother screeched: -'ARYA STARK.' She froze to the spot; Lady Catelyn only called her complete name when she went beyond limits. Like when she ran over the table chasing Nymeria, making King Robert spill his wine. With her heart wildly pumping, she looked in the direction of the mysterious figure and said: -'I am no princess, there are no Starks left, but I am Arya and my mother would never order a man killed without a trial. So show your face or be killed together with your guards.'
Silence filled the room with dread as the strange person walked towards her whilst removing the cloak. The first thing she saw was the white brittle hair that framed her curdled milky face, instead of the red beautiful hair that lighted her mother's fine face. The woman's blue eyes pierced through her in unrestricted anger. Arya remembered that look, it meant she was in trouble and would do needle work until her arms were numb. Right then she could finally see, sighing she said: -'It is you.' Yet this woman was a lifeless form full of hatred whereas before her mother was full of life and pride. Her mother responds: -'Yes, as I told you before, child. My appearance is changed, but I am still your mother.'
Death had changed her, but it had changed Arya too. Should she do her duty now? Catelyn always believed duty to come first. The young woman sighed, she had yearned for so long to get a reunion and now this was it. Is this it she thought and said: -'I killed Ilyn Payne for father. I killed Lord Frey for you and Robb. Must you exact vengeance on innocent people?' Arya had lowered her sword and the guard stood by her side holding his bruised neck as Lady Stoneheart responded: -'There are no innocents, child. Our family was betrayed! It is not enough if we kill all Freys, Boltons or Lannisters in the world.' As she listened to her mother speak, Arya could finally hear herself. Was she too overcome by revenge also? Was revenge all the Starks were reduced to.
As in cue, Thoros decided to speak: -'We will bring the Lord of Light justice to the people responsible for the Starks demise.' Arya no longer believed in justice, there was only one certainty in life and that was death. She thought of her father, of Robb, of Jon and even Sansa. She missed them all, but killing all people in the world would not bring them back. Sighing she said: –'Mother, I promise we will have our revenge.' The strange woman snorts at her and says: - 'Those were the same words your brother said to me, before the wedding. Before he was brutally murdered in front of me.' It pained Arya to think of that day, they were so close to being reunited. Taking a chance she steps closer to her dead mother and embraces her.
Lady Stoneheart is stiff as she returns the embrace; she is merely a shadow of what once her proud lady mother was. A lone tear escapes and runs down Arya's face. She feels like a bastard as she sticks needle in the middle of the dead lady's heart. The corpse tighten the holds in her arms and the young woman sustains the hug whilst saying: - 'Rest in peace mother, revenge will be done.' When she lets go, the body falls limp to the floor as the guard screams: -'Traitor, traitor!' Arya is swift to kill him, the she turns to look at Thoros startled face and says: -'There will be no more hangings.' As the old priest nods at her open mouthed, she thinks about Gendry.