The Twins, Westeros.

Alayne

The grey-haired, older man nodded his head at Alayne before he walked back and called out to the others. Alayne's eyes shifted towards Robb who was nodding his head at something the man said before his eyes shifted towards the girl identified as Arya. The little girl, whose looks combined with her very short hair could very well have passed her off as a boy, was staring at her while her little hands grasped the edge of one of the wooden tables. Alayne then looked away from Arya and turned towards the now dazed bald man, the one she heard was called Lord Bolton, being carried on the shoulder of one of the large men wearing a fur cloak around his shoulders before her eyes went back to Arya. Alayne wondered if she could have been her sister had her mother not miscarried.

'The baby would have been a girl,' Alayne thought to herself as one of the men pulled Arya back towards the group. Alayne sighed, glancing up at Catelyn who was occasionally looking over at her while nodding her head at something that Robb and the other Lords were whispering. Alayne's eyes then turned towards a tall woman in a dress holding a sword in her hand, 'I think she's the one called Dacey, the one whose mother was murdered.'

The people who were killed could not be brought back with them since they would simply weigh them down right now. Alayne then watched the armed men start to surround Catelyn, Robb, and Arya. Alayne saw Catelyn turning back to her and calling out, "Sansa!" Alayne saw Robb and the grey-haired man put their hands on Catelyn's shoulders and whisper in her ears. Alayne then saw Catelyn looking back at Rob, his hand quivering and his face wincing in pain from the arrow sticking out his shoulder, and Alayne saw the older redheaded woman shake her head as he spoke. Catelyn then snapped her head and looked straight at her- Alayne saw tears welling up in her eyes… tears that were visible even from where she was standing.

And Alayne felt the same emptiness in her heart as Catelyn must have been feeling. Her feelings were the same as the day when the weapons fired by the Brotherhood ships in orbit fell onto London. Tearing her eyes away from Catelyn, Alayne took off her cloak since it was restricting her movements. She was now simply in her flight suit and Kevlar weaved vest; her plasma weapon holster on her right thigh and the regulation combat knife in its sheath around her left thigh. She reached down and grabbed her plasma gun, checked that it was completely recharged, and then set the weapon to the 'stun' setting.

Suddenly, she felt that eyes were on her. Turning towards the group, the men were all staring at her before she shrugged her shoulders.

"We've been here for too long," Alayne said, "we need to leave now."

Alayne walked towards the group with her hand holding on tight to the gun's grip as she walked past the group to the front where the old man was standing ready.

"No armour?" he said with a look of disapproval on his face, "I don't know if you are really a fool or…" the man with the fish on the chest plate then shrugged, "or a really bad suicidal fool."

"Uncle Brynden," Robb frowned.

'So, Brynden, that's his name,' Alayne thought as she looked back at Robb and then her eyes shifted towards Arya who was staring back at her with her small hands gripping the handle of the thin bladed sword on her hip. Alayne then saw Arya's eyes shift towards the weapon in her hand, and then back towards her eyes.

And Alayne looked away wordlessly. "Where are we heading?" Alayne asked the older man.

"The stables," the man Alayne knew as Brynden said with a gruff voice before continuing that he knew the way there. He then looked over his shoulder saying that Catelyn's brother and his wife, along with their escorts, should be on the Western side of the bridge before they made their way to Riverrun. It was then that Catelyn spoke up and said that the Northerners were heading for Greywater Watch, and that they were going to take back the North. Alayne saw the conflicted expression on Brynden's face as he stared at the older redhead who, once again, reiterated that Winterfell and the North could not fall completely.

"The North must be secured, Uncle," Catelyn said as she approached him while the cover of armoured men split down the middle to let her through, "Robb is the Lord of Winterfell now, he is still the King in the North, and there must always be a Stark in Winterfell. No matter what… I will not fail Ned, and I will not fail Robb." Alayne looked away, she closed her eyes and remembered the exact place she landed the jet and how she should retrace her steps to return to the forest. It was out of the way, on the Western side of the bridge.

Alayne opened her eyes to Brynden placing a hand on Catelyn's cheek, "are you certain, Cat?"

"I am, Uncle," Catelyn said nodding her head while Alayne looked back at Arya. She could see that the girl's body language wasn't showing any fear, but her eyes were the complete opposite. Alayne then glanced at the man behind Arya with the burnt face, his hand on the pommel of the sword on his hip. Alayne glanced up at his eyes and saw that he was staring at her; she could see that he was trying to connect her with the girl they called Sansa. It was the same with many of the other men, Arya, and even Robb. Alayne glanced at them all before she turned to Catelyn who was looking back at her and saying, "Robb keeps reminding me that you are not Sansa, but…"

"If it makes you feel better," Alayne said, "you look just like my mother." Alayne gave her a small smile before looking away and turning to Brynden, "I'll be heading out with you towards the Western side of this castle. There's…"

"No," Catelyn said with fear in her eyes as she rushed forward and placed a hand in Alayne's shoulder, "you cannot. You…"

"I have to agree," Robb said shaking his head while leaning on a larger man, "I don't know why you look like our sister, but you must come with us. It's a danger to be out here in the South, at least while the war in still ongoing."

"Once we've retaken the North, Uncle," Cat said turning back to Brynden, "we'll send aid back to the Riverlands. I promise."

"Riverrun can hold out for another two years with the stores we have locked away," Brynden said nodding his head. The two of them were speaking while Alayne looked back at Robb who had an expression on his face that was pleading her to go with them. She then looked over at Arya who was hesitating on whether to say anything or not.

'She must really not like her sister,' Alayne thought. But she couldn't discount the look of fear on Arya's face mixed with the hesitation to say something.

"I'm going with you," Alayne told Robb before glancing over at Arya who has a look of relief before looking away from Alayne. The Sansa-look-alike then turned to Cat before saying, "I still have to retrieve something I left in the forest on the Western side of the bridge. Your group must keep on riding to this... Greywater Watch place. And I'll follow you."

"But…"

"I'm not your Sansa," Alayne said bluntly before her expression softened, "but it's my obligation to help since my people can't retrieve me for a few more days at the most."

"Your people?" Brynden asked.

"I have proof that I am… different from your Sansa," Alayne said looking at Catelyn, "all the same, your daughter or not, I'll still help you and your people leave this place." Alayne then glanced at Arya, the sister she could have had, "that's a promise." Alayne then looked back at Robb, and then at Catelyn, "but all of you have to ride hard and fast. Get away from here before these guys have a chance to regroup."

"And they will," Brynden said looking at Alayne and then at Cat, "we know the backways to Riverrun, come with us, Cat… all of you." Brynden looked up at the Northerners behind her, "as a larger group, we can fend off…"

"Take Arya with you, Uncle," Robb said. Alayne saw Arya look back at Robb with a pained expression on her face.

"You are not throwing me away, Robb... I…"

"It is for your safety," Robb said looking at his sister, "Riverrun is near impenetrable, go with Uncle Brynden. We will come for you once the North has been retaken, and…"

"I am not leaving you or mother," Arya growled with tears that Alayne could see were welling up in her eyes. She then looked up at the burned man before looking back at Arya who pointed at the man and yelled, "the Hound will protect me."

"The Hound is the Lannister's dog," a man yelled out.

"We're wasting time!" Alayne yelled out, and everyone shut up as they turned towards her, "we're wasting time. We need to get out of here, now."

"Aye," Robb nodded his head before turning to Brynden, "Uncle, the Northerners will head out to Grey Water Watch and…." Robb turned towards the anger etched onto Arya's face before he sighed, "and Arya will come with us."

Alayne then turned towards Cat standing in front of her and said, "I still need to head West. I really have to retrieve something, but I will join you." Alayne then looked over at Brynden, "how long will they take to regroup?"

"Not long."

Alayne nodded her head before repeating herself, "then we need to leave now." She then turned towards Brynden and said, "I don't know how to ride a horse, but I need someone to give me a ride to the forest in the West." Alayne noticed the frown on Brynden's face before he nodded his head. She then thanked him before turning towards Catelyn who nodded back before she was pulled back into the circle of armed men with Arya by her side.

It was then that Alayne turned, prepared to fire her weapon, before the group moved out into the hallway littered by bodies that were still bleeding. Alayne noticed the chest plating of the amours had two bridged towers and what looked like a man on a 'X' shaped cross.

"Traitorous filth," a male voice behind Alayne hissed before she heard the sound of someone spitting. The boots and shoes they were wearing squelched from the group stepping on still wet blood as they moved on until the end of the hallway. Alayne then pointed her weapon away, and peeked out into the adjacent hallway where it was the same thing. More bodies.

Alayne looked back at Brynden and nodded her head before moving into the hallway, her weapon now pointed towards any oncoming target. Their feet continued to squelched against the blood on the floor as they moved on, and the more they moved on, the sounds of fighting and screaming got closer.

Reaching the end of the hallway, Alayne once again lowered the weapon and peeked out into the adjacent hallway, and then almost immediately stepped back and turned towards Brynden.

"5," was all she said before the group took out their swords. The sound of the swords being pulled out reverberated through the silent walls of the hallway and to the five men who were stabbing those Northern-Riverland soldiers who were still alive.

"Go see what's that," a man said as Alayne turned away from the group and looked over at Brynden.

Alayne shook her head while Brynden stayed his hand; the latter finger's gripped around his swords handle. She then readied her weapon to the stun setting with one finger, before she turned into the hallway and fired multiple bolts of blue energy into the hallway. It was an energy weapon versus five armoured men with swords that were running at her in an enclosed space. The last man fell with blue energy crackling on his body before Alayne turned and smirked at Brynden, "the space here is too small. They'll all be coming at me one at a time."

"So, you are a witch then?" Bryden asked as he walked past Alayne before she turned and walked alongside him. As she turned she caught a glimpse of Arya looking up at her from behind the armoured men that surrounded her, Robb, and Catelyn.

"I…."

"As long as my family is protected, that's all I care about for now," Brynden told Alayne as the group cautiously made their way towards the stairs at the end of the hallway. As they walked, Bryden asked if the men she shot were dead. Alayne shook her head before Brynden turned around and signalled some of the people surrounding the three Starks to kill the ones who were just now rendered unconscious. He then turned to Alayne and asked if she was prepared to kill.

"She killed those traitors in the gallery," Robb said, overhearing what Brynden had asked Alayne, "at least I think so."

"They were a bigger threat at the time," Alayne whispered as she crouched down at the top of the stairs looking down the straight path to the lower level where she could already see dead bodies on the ground, "they were the bigger danger since they had the high ground."

"And the ones who attacked later?" Catelyn asked.

"Stunned," Alayne said standing up and looking at her, "they'll wake up in a few hours."

"I'll go and finished them off," one of the men, the one Alayne heard was called the Great Jon growled before he rushed off with three others to finish off the job. And she could have swore she heard the man growl out, "stupid witches."

Alayne then sighed before looking over at Arya who was staring back at her in confusion, "nothing to be nervous about… Arya, is it?"

"I am not nervous," was the reply as Alayne gave her a small smile while the group waited for the rest. After they returned a minute later, the group cautiously walked down the stairs, the sounds of battle now even louder since the entrance Alayne took to sneak into the castle was close by with several fights still raging. Alayne glanced over at the worried Catelyn and then back at Robb who was now leaning onto the one called Dacey. Alayne then looked back at Arya who was staring back at her; despite what the little girl had said, Alayne could see Arya was scared.

Once the Great Jon, his dagger covered in fresh blood, returned with his men, Brynden ordered the Hound and six others led by him down the stairs to kill off any stragglers from the Freys and Boltons who could come in through the entrance. And then when the immediate coast was clear Brynden and his group would call for the others. As he walked down the stairs, the man glanced over at Alayne and told her to watch out for his niece and family. Alayne didn't see this as the right place to argue, so she nodded her head and stepped back as Brynden and his men went down the stairs.

She then glanced at Arya after the Hound passed her. Alayne sensed the giant man looking at her, so she turned her head and stared back at him. And then she arched an eyebrow.

"You look so much like the little bird," he growled before striding off down the stairs. Alayne then glanced over at Robb and then some of the others who were staring at her; her eyes then shifted towards the young Arya. Alayne put her weapon back into her holster before striding towards the wall of men that were in front of Arya and the Starks.

Alayne glanced at Rob, silently saying that she really meant no harm, and he then ordered to let her through. The Tauri officer then reached out for her topmost pocket on the left side, opened it and then took out a small rectangular box that was connected to a thin wire that led to a earpiece… something that the people around her had just noticed. Alayne knew that the device, a subspace radio, had a locator beacon embedded inside the transceiver; it was something she'd need if she was to protect these people from the air for the next few days before she was rescued.

"Arya," Alayne crouched down in front of her with the wired device in her right hand. She saw that Arya was staring at her hand with a suspicious look, and then she looked up and stared into Alayne's eyes. When Arya's eyes went wide open in surprise, it was then that Alayne knew the girl realized she wasn't Sansa. For now, Alayne pushed that thought to the side, instead, she spoke, "are you nervous?"

"No," she said bravely, "and you are not Sansa, are you?"

"Arya…." Catelyn whispered shaking her head.

"Her eyes are coloured different, mother," Arya said shaking her head, "and... and what she just did… can you see Sansa doing that, or…"

"She is Sansa, Arya.. she…" Catelyn then looked towards Robb for support, and all Arya and Alayne saw him do was hold her hand gently squeezing.

Alayne then turned to Arya and whispered, "it's okay to be nervous. I was nervous the first day I killed an enemy soldier." She saw that Arya was about to say something, but Alayne interrupted her, "I need you to do something for me. Something that would take away from your nervousness." Alayne then slowly reached out and placed the ear piece into Arya's ear, and the transceiver into her hand. Arya looked back at her strangely, and so Alayne explained while she helped wrap Arya's fingers around the device, "this is called a transceiver. It's a bit complicated how it works, but all you need to know is that with this, I can know exactly where you are."

"See, witchcraft," a man whispered while the others mummering among themselves. Alayne, however, continued to lock her eyes with Arya.

"This is highly advanced technology, Arya," Alayne whispered, "it can be found nowhere else on this world. So, I need you to hold on to it, I can track you and your family with this." Alayne then tapped the girl's ear, "that thing in your ear, I don't want you to be scared, but you can hear my voice through it later. I mean, I know you can hear me now but after your Uncle takes me where I need to go, you can hear my voice."

"I…" Arya placed a finger into her ear, and it brushed against the plastic.

"There's nothing to be scared about," Alayne whispered before looking down at the device in Arya's hand. Alayne guided Arya's thumb to a protruding button on its side and gently pushed down, "when you want to reply, or say anything… press down and speak, and when you're done, just release. And then, I'll be able to reply."

Alayne stared at Arya's expression of surprise and wondered, 'she could have been my sister. This girl could have been my sister.' The Tau'ri Defence Force officer reassured Arya once again before standing up and smiling at Robb, who looked back at her in surprise.

It was then that Alayne rushed to the front of the group while taking out her plasma weapon as the sounds of metal hitting the stone flooring could be heard from the lower level. "Cat, we have to move, now!" Brynden called out as the Hound walked over to the lower landing and nodded at Alayne who then signalled at everyone to move down the stairs. In the meantime, she got ready her weapon as she walked down the stairs before she, Brynden, and six others left the relative safety of the castle and walked out into the hellish nightmare around them.

TBC.