AN: I've struggled a little with writer's block. Some chapters almost write themselves (like the Asha and Theon chapters in particular, those were fun to write), others are harder. This one is a bridging chapter of sorts. I've written other stuff on this story but it is out of sequence, some much later stuff has been written and I think it is better. I have some ideas on where I'm going with it but we have to cover some less exciting ground to get there. I'm hoping it will be worth it in the end.

Chapter 20

Arya had retreated not long after the shouting started. Duck found her in the rookery. There was an uproar after Ramsey was found dead. Nobody was really sorry, Arya knew that but questions were asked, fingers were pointed. People wanted answers.

The Lords were arguing amongst themselves. Arya knew it would lead nowhere. She had been careful. The guard had not seen her face. He had slept through the entire episode. The stories coming from the dungeons sounded mad. Arya couldn't help a mirthless smile. One less name on the list she thought. Her prayer ran through her head. Ser Meryn, Queen Cersei, Raff the Sweetling, the Freys.

Duck made a tsk-tsk noise and she looked up to see him shaking his head at her. He looked half disapproving, half impressed but all sad.

"You shouldn't be surprised" Arya said without feeling. "I did say I would kill him".

"You make a lot of trouble for such a little lady" he whispered.

Arya shrugged. Duck was the only one who knew her secret, he was the only one who knew it was her. He was the closest she had to a friend in Winterfell, the only one who knew anything of the real Arya. She squinted out into the distance, even though she knew she would see nothing. She started as Duck awkwardly patted her shoulder.

"I miss him too"

Arya felt her mouth twitch even though she tried to keep her face still. She glanced around her, listened a moment then gave Duck's hand a quick squeeze. She didn't care that it wasn't proper but she didn't want to give anybody cause to try and take him away. The Northerners already misliked the men Aegon had left with her. They didn't understand. She heard whispers of them being spies, not to be trusted and of them being left to keep her bound to the Targaryen. It made Arya want to snort. She trusted the men Aegon had left as much or more than some of the Northerners and with reason.

"I told him before he went to keep doing what I said" she said softly. "I told him to keep doing everything I said. I don't know whether my message will have stopped them from coming for him".

Duck smiled sadly and squeezed her hand back.

There was a time when Arya was the ghost of Harrenhal. It was strange how things repeated themselves. She was now the ghost of Winterfell. It was fitting really. Winterfell should be full of ghosts. She crept around the castle a lot. Quiet as a shadow, quick as a snake. Nobody knew she was there unless she wanted them to know. She saw things and she heard things, things not meant for her. They went quiet when they knew she was there so she hid.

The castle was full of people yet with Aegon gone loneliness gnawed at her. She pushed it away by keeping herself occupied. Being Lady of Winterfell was time consuming. The watching and listening took up some time. She also went riding, visited the godswood and sparred with anybody who would face her. It was usually Duck though sometimes Brienne could be convinced. She made sure to do it well away from the great hall. She didn't want too many eyes on her. They saw her as Eddard Stark's little girl, they were unlikely to take it well if they really knew what she could do. They would find out but not yet.

Stannis marched back to the Wall a couple of days after Aegon had marched. Arya was immensely relieved. She had worked out quickly that Stannis was not loved. He did nothing to change that view yet resented those who held it. He seethed until the moment he left over Arya's role in losing him the Northern support. Arya knew all about holding grudges. Let him be angry she thought. She still had her own anger over what he had tried to do to her over Winterfell. The talk they had in the crypts didn't change that. She wasn't sure that he had given up wanting to be King. She still wasn't sure he had listened to her.

Arya had realised that the Northmen had vowed allegiance because they did not like Stannis rather than because they were loyal to her. It was not that they were not (mostly) loyal to the Starks but it came down to a choice. She was, after all a woman, and she had yet to fully prove her strength. The talks of marriage had begun again (though not in her hearing yet) and Arya knew she needed to start acting fast.

I'm just as strong as any of them she thought bitterly and I'm a better fighter too.

Arya began to send out ravens. She wrote out replies to the Northern houses who had written her in Storm's End, telling them of her return to Winterfell. She wrote to Lord Connington, explaining to him what had happened and telling him that Aegon would say why she had to stay. In the letter she said that some of the Northern lords agreed to an alliance against the Lannisters (they had) but that they were not in a position to march right now (they weren't). She mentioned the doubtful loyalty of some others and avoided saying anything at all about the Manderleys. She finished the letter by urging him to stop Aegon from doing anything reckless.

The last letter she wrote was one to Jon. She still wasn't sure he had received the first one. She agonised over the wording, in the end settling for explaining what had happened and saying she hoped she could see him. She wasn't sure when she could get away though.

She felt frustration as she sealed it. The Wall was so close and yet she still couldn't get to him. She angrily brushed tears from her eyes. She took the letters to the maester, watching him send them off. He was quite offended at her obvious lack of trust but Arya would rather he was offended than be worrying that he had read her letters or even worse, not sent them at all.

Her first opportunity with the men came when she came face to face with Wyman Manderly just after breaking her fast the day Stannis had marched. She had talked with all the lords in the great hall numerous times. They had joined her on the dais, called her to the benches but the conversations had not been private. Focus for now was on recovery, not strategy and the only useful talk had been about repairing Winterfell. There were growing mutterings of the need for vengeance but they were mutterings only. The men needed time before another march.

"Will you pray with me my Lord?" she asked sweetly.

Manderly studied her and she could see a shrewd look in his eye. He nodded and followed her. It wasn't long before he was puffing heavily but he made it to the godswood. Arya knelt before the tree. She looked up to see him looking rather concerned and realised that if he got down, there was a chance he might not get back up.

"You need not kneel my Lord, I'm merely looking the part"

He nodded and she saw him looking around nervously. "There are ears everywhere" he whispered.

"Nobody will hear us here" she assured him. "If anybody comes I will know".

He gave her a questioning look and she whistled. Nymeria loped into view and Arya ran her hands through the wolf's shaggy coat briefly before sending her away again.

"Not all can be trusted" he said.

"I know" Arya replied.

Manderley looked surprised. They stared at each other a short while.

"I am surprised they let you go" he observed.

Arya shot him a look of disdain. "Nobody makes me do anything. I stayed as long as I wanted and left when I needed to".

"You understand many think you at best a pawn and at worst a hostage still"

Arya snorted. "That just shows that they do not know Aegon Targaryen and they most certainly do not know me. They think that because I am a woman I am weak and stupid".

Lord Wyman smiled.

"You did not marry" he observed.

"I did not want to" Arya retorted.

Lord Wyman raised an eyebrow. "They tried?"

Arya allowed a small smile. "I would not give my consent and His Grace refused to force a match on me". She changed subjects abruptly. "I know about Rickon".

Lord Wyman stopped smiling.

"You must not be angry with Wynafryd. She did her best to keep your plans secret but she did not know who she was speaking with".

"Who else knows" he asked sharply.

"Only three people I trust to keep it secret" Arya said firmly. "You will have him brought here. His place is with me. His place is at Winterfell. We will avenge our family together."

Manderly gave her a hard look. "I had to pledge support to Stannis to get Rickon out of Skagos. I will be expected to follow through when the boy is delivered"

"Stannis burns people" Arya protested.

Manderley sighed. "He does"

"Aerys burned people too in case you forgot" Arya's mouth twisted. "This is stupid". She looked down at her hands, wanting to curse. "At least you aren't supporting the Lannisters. I suspect some in the hall might be".

Lord Wyman sighed again. "I heard your letter. Are you sure you have the stomach for this?"

Arya smiled grimly and made a split second decision to trust this man, if only a little. She knew his secrets, she would tell him one of her own. "If you doubt me, ask the Bolton bastard if he thinks I have the stomach for vengeance".

Manderley laughed so hard his chins shook. "The North remembers indeed".

Arya met his gaze and for the first time since being in Winterfell and speaking with the men she saw real respect. It was a start.