Note: Thanks to the guest who pointed out my error. I have edited. Reviews are appreciated
Chapter 39
The Blackfish had taken her by the shoulders and shaken her when he found her before pulling her into a fierce embrace.
"Never do something like that again without telling us first".
Arya stood firm. "You would have tried to stop me" she argued. "You would not have believed I could do it. I had to prove myself".
She had done that. As angry as the men were that she had not told them her plans, they were equally as impressed and she heard their whispers. They were comparing her to Robb. Arya knew they had thought a lot of his battle plans and she could not help feeling a little proud. She was not proud though of the trouble she had made for Duck.
"They are angrier with me than they are with you" he whispered.
She squeezed his hand when nobody was looking. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to get you in trouble".
She said as much to the bannermen next time she saw them. They did not look placated.
"How many men did we lose" she asked, biting her lip.
She had been warned beforehand that no matter the plan, not everybody would survive. Ser Brynden shook his head and smiled reluctantly.
"Very few"
The men had searched through the Dreadfort. At one point some of them returned looking pale and would not speak of what they had found. "Horrors" she heard them muttering. When she crept through the castle herself to check she found that any horrors they had found they must have removed or destroyed.
She wrote to both Rickon and Jon to tell them they had taken the Dreadfort and that Roose Bolton had been found and killed in the battle. She also sent a raven to Lord Connington. She assumed he had received the letter proposing an alliance but then she guessed any reply would be in Winterfell. She hoped Connington would tell Aegon of her success and then felt angry with herself for the thought.
Bolton's wife, the one called Fat Walda had also been in the Dreadfort. She was a Frey and the men had difficulty deciding what to do with her. Arya would not have had difficulty executing her for being part of the Red Wedding, her being a woman was not a problem. The problem was that she was with child. It was agreed she could not remain at the Dreadfort. She was to travel with them as a hostage.
They did not linger long in the castle. It took a few days to go through it and agree on a garrison to leave behind. Arya worked out instructions with her advisors and spoke with the men who would stay before they left to begin the march back to Winterfell. They took prisoners with them, petty lords and sons of lords to ransom. Fat Walda travelled with the baggage train. Everybody else in the castle who had been involved with the Red Wedding was executed just as they had been in Winterfell.
On the first night after they began the march Arya spoke to the Blackfish in her tent about something which was troubling her.
"Somebody spread the story that Roose Bolton died in the battle for Winterfell".
His expression darkened "Yes".
She paused. "Before he died he asked whose idea the diversion was. He said he had no warning".
Duck was sitting in a chair nearby and Arya was aware of him cursing. Ser Brynden wrinkled his forehead and went very quiet. He left her and came back with Robett Glover and the two Umbers.
"Tell them what you told me".
Arya repeated it and the reaction was even stronger. The Whoresbane bellowed and Mors spat. Robett Glover went very pale.
"We have a traitor".
Arya was not shocked. "I knew before we left Winterfell that not all can be trusted. There could be more than one". She began to play with the end of her braid. "I could see people were hiding things but sometimes it is hard to tell who is just secretive and who means harm". She gave Robett Glover a pointed look. "I know you and Lord Wyman have a secret ser".
He gaped at her with a look of abject horror on his face. "I'm not a traitor my lady. I swear it".
Arya waved her hand dismissively. "I know. I wouldn't tell you so much if I thought you were. I trust you as much as the others here. Lord Wyman is very clever but he seems loyal too, otherwise I would not have let it go".
She saw the knight breathe a sigh of relief. They had a brief discussion over what to do about the treachery. It was not going to be possible to question thousands of men. They brought in Fat Walda. She did not know anything. They then brought in a procession of petty lords and knights and pressed them on it over the march but made no progress. Whoever it was remained hidden.
Every so often Arya was aware of Roose Bolton's head being paraded past the column. It had been dipped in tar and mounted on a pike. Arya cursed herself for losing control when she was in that room with him. If she had questioned him she might know the traitor. Duck and the bannermen had tried to reassure her that Roose would not have told her anything but it did not stop her doubts.
There had been some objections raised over the gruesomeness of the head but those protests had not been very loud. Whatever had been found in the Dreadfort had been enough to shock the men who conducted the search. Between that and what had been done to Robb most saw taking Bolton's head as justice. Some wanted it mounted on a spike at Winterfell. More talked of sending it to King's Landing as a gift for the Lannisters. Arya had not cared though that second option was tempting.
The progress was even slower on the way back to Winterfell than it had been on the march to the Dreadfort. They still had some snow and they now had more men on foot with the prisoners. No amount of songs and cheering of success could stop Arya being impatient. When they got within a day's march, she ignored advice and rode ahead with the scouts, Nymeria running with her as she pushed her horse hard.
She saw the castle through Nymeria's eyes first. It was safe, just as she left it. Arya couldn't stand to wait any longer. Her horse was lathered and blowing hard as she arrived at the castle well before the rest of the column. The sentry was so startled he didn't even blow the horn, he simply raised the portcullis and lowered the drawbridge to allow her and Nymeria entry.
The clatter of her horse's hooves brought people running. She could see the happiness on their faces as she dismounted and it touched her. One of the stableboys ran forward to take her horse, babbling over and over about how glad he was to see m'lady. She gave him a smile and asked where Rickon was. She was pointed in the direction of the training yard.
When she arrived she found Brienne drilling him with wooden swords. She was pushing him hard. It didn't surprise Arya, she had known the Lady of Tarth would take her teaching duties very seriously. She was serious about most everything. What did surprise Arya was the other children. There were boys close to Rickon's age and she suddenly realised a girl was in the midst of them.
Brienne spotted her and a grin spread across her homely face.
"Lady Arya!" she exclaimed, looking not to feel the blow of Rickon's wooden sword as he kept slashing at her. He dropped the sword as she spoke and spun around, his Tully blue eyes becoming huge.
The other children gaped at her with the exception of the girl who half stumbled into a curtsey and babbled an almost incoherent "my lady". Arya studied her. She looked to be just a little older than Rickon. She was wearing dirt and snow stained breeches and had a smudge of dirt on her cheek.
"What is your name?" Arya asked curiously.
She lifted her head proudly. "I am Lyanna Mormont my lady".
Before she could dwell on it too much Rickon ran at her, almost knocking her off her feet with the force of his hug.
"You came back".
Arya returned the embrace. "I said I would. Have you been good?"
He looked a little guilty and Arya turned to Brienne.
"He was better after we read your letters but he really does not like being a lord".
I expected this.
Rickon chewed his lip. "The She-Bear said she would turn into a bear and hunt me down if I didn't stop trying her".
"She can't really do that you know" a voice piped up. "She was just trying to scare you and anyway, you're her liege lord".
It was the girl, Lyanna. She saw Arya look at her and dropped her eyes. Rickon swung an irritated look at her. "I don't want to be a liege lord". The girl looked his way and Arya could tell she was trying very hard to be quiet. Arya had to hide a smile.
"Where is Aly?" she asked.
Brienne looked uncomfortable and offered to take Arya to her. Rickon followed and Arya updated Brienne on everything she had not included in her letters. Brienne in turn told her of tidings at Winterfell. The glass gardens were being repaired. It would not be long before food could be grown in them. The children had arrived not long after Arya had left. Shaggydog had only bitten one of them and thankfully it had only been minor. Rickon had kept at his lessons. He wanted to read his own letters and he was getting better but he preferred the arms lessons.
The She-Bear was in her solar in the quarters Arya had given her. She was not alone. A grey-haired woman was with her dressed in patched ringmail. Arya could see a close resemblance. Aly smiled a gap toothed grin and took a knee when Arya entered.
"My lady you are back early. It is good to see you"
Arya smiled in return, asked her quickly to rise and tried to hide her curiosity over the visitor.
"It is good to see you too. I hear you have kept things running despite my brother trying you". Rickon was close by her side and Arya put her arm around him to soften her words.
The She-Bear grinned again. "I've seen worse than him in my time". She gestured to the older woman. "This is my mother, Maege Mormont, the Lady of Bear Island".
Arya greeted the older woman as politely as she could. The Lady of Bear Island greeted her respectfully enough though she looked to be in an ill temper.
"Is something the matter my lady?" she asked, unable to hide her curiosity.
"You could say that" Maege responded. "Your brother is being difficult".
Arya frowned and looked down at Rickon. He looked up at her with a confused expression.
"Not that one" Maege said impatiently. "That one is a mere trifle. I'm talking about the other one, the one at the Wall".
"Jon?" Arya asked, surprised.
Maege pursed her mouth. "Yes Jon. I went to see him. It was a waste of time. You Starks and your honour will be the death of us".
AN: Maege was tricky to write, there isn't a lot on her that I could find in the books. I chose to go mostly with the description Jon was given by the Old Bear. We check in with Jon again next.
The faster update rate this week is due to me having time off. I won't be able to keep it up but hopefully it will mean I can progress the story a bit more