Winter Wind

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

oOoOo

Arya Stark choked and struggled to draw breath as the Night King held her aloft, his fingers tightening, crushing her throat.

She refused to give up, not now.

The inhuman gaze of the Night King studied her pitilessly as she dropped her Valyarian steel dagger from her left hand…to catch it with her right and drive it into the Night King even as he snapped her neck.

oOoOo

Then Arya Stark opened her eyes. She was naked and lying on the ground.

oOoOo

Arya looked around, it looked like Winterfell, but something was wrong with it. There was snow on the ground and mist curled around her, obscuring her vision and making the familiar buildings indistinct.

There were no people and there was no indication that there had recently been a bloody battle.

"Hello?"

There was no reply.

For an indeterminate amount of time, she wandered the lifeless empty grounds. There was nothing to indicate anything living had ever been here. And yet there were sheets on her bed and cooking pots in the kitchen. No food though and nothing to drink.

A sound…was that a door?

Arya was on guard, she picked up a kitchen knife and cursed the fact that she hadn't taken a blanket to cover herself.

Moving silently, she made her way to where she had heard movement.

There someone was moving toward the stairs that led up to the higher floors. A figure in a cloak with a rather petite figure was walking slowly, cautiously across the hall. Then it stopped and turned to face her.

"Well, aren't you a surprise!"

Arya blinked as she stared at the young woman in the hooded cloak.

The woman seemed unsurprised by her silence and stepped closer, her eyes narrowing. "How did you avoid the Yokai?"

"What?" Arya had no idea who the woman was or what she was talking about.

"The evil Yokai, the Ice spirit?"

"The Night King?"

The stranger shrugged, "If that is what it calls itself and we are talking about the same thing then yes. I'm talking about the evil death spirit made of ice."

"I killed it, I think…" Arya trailed off. What was happening how had she appeared here? She remembered…she remembered the Night King holding her…breaking her neck as she stabbed him. "I think I'm dead. I stabbed the Night King with a valyrian steel dagger as he broke my neck."

To Arya's surprise, the woman laughed. "What?"

The woman took a few moments to calm herself. "I'm sorry, I am not really laughing at you dying only that you killed his avatar. I have been avoiding him since I travelled wherever here is. Dark Yokai…sorry spirits, can be dangerous. He was quite powerful here in the spirit realm and for you to kill him was no doubt a feat. You should be rewarded in your next life. He just seemed too powerful to die after being stabbed, ha! Now I just wish I knew how I got here, so I can leave."

Arya was astonished that she wasn't panicking. Even with her training, you could only take so much. "What do you mean by spirit world… I'm dead?"

"Yes, you are dead. It's one of the only ways you could be here unless you have special abilities like me. Not that they are helping me all that much," she raised a hand and made a gesture…nothing happened.

"Was that supposed to do something?" Arya tried not to sound too nasty.

"Yes, it was," her voice showed her frustration. "I'm Tamo, by the way."

"Arya."

"Well Arya, since we are alone here for now, would you like to talk? I'll admit that it has been pretty lonely here before you appeared and then this place."

"This was once my family home," Arya admitted.

Tamo laughed softly and sat on a bench. "Well, you certainly surprised me when you and it appeared. Before you arrived, this was a vast forest, a vast icy forest." She gestured at her naked torso. "Let me tell you, that was not fun when I couldn't summon clothes using my magic." She grinned at Arya and winked, "Two sets of chaffed lips."

Arya looked puzzled before Tamo pointed down. She looked down and realised what Tamo meant.

"Oh," she discovered that she could still blush.

"I found this cloak, but there isn't a lot here. Still, we should probably find a place to stay and maybe some more clothes or at least a blanket," suggested Tamo.

"I suppose so."

Tamo stood and Arya couldn't help but notice that Tamo was extraordinarily beautiful. It was a slightly alien beauty and Arya found it difficult not to stare at her.

Arya led the way, she knew Winterfell and despite this place being a pale imitation of her home, the layout was the same. They managed to find one of the linen rooms and to their mutual surprise, they found sheets, blankets and even towels.

"I wonder why there are sheets but hardly any clothes?" Arya asked as she wrapped herself in a blanket.

Tamo tilted her head to the side, and Arya was struck with an image of Nymeria doing the same when the direwolf had been puzzled.

"That is a good question," she finally admitted. "I hadn't spent too much time in this form. I hadn't really needed any."

"This form?"

Tamo grinned, "You won't believe me until I show you."

Tamo pointed at the wall behind her, the light was dim but there was enough for her to cast a shadow. Arya looked and then realised that Tamo's shadow was odd. It was the same size, but the shadow had a tail and long pointed ears.

Tamo was studying her, waiting for a reaction.

Arya raised an eyebrow, "You expected me to what, run away, faint? I've seen dragons, walking corpses, the night king and I trained with an order of assassins that taught me to change my face. That your shadow has a tail and dog ears is a bit…well a bit meh."

Tamo looked shocked and then pleased. "Well then, maybe you are ready for the real thing."

Arya watched as Tamo seemed to shake herself and then she changed. A tail appeared and then her ears shifted becoming pointed and moving on her head. Arya was impressed as she took on dog-like…no, fox-like features. Despite the changes, Tamo remained a beautiful woman, albeit odd.

"What do you think?"

"You are still beautiful," replied Arya before she realised what she had said.

Tamo's grin was somewhat predatory now, "Why thank you, my Lady. I would show you my fox form, but this place barely allows me to do this."

"What are you? Sorry, that sounds rude but…"

"I'm a fox spirit," Tamo replied. "My people live in the mortal lands, and I have always lived among humans. I can appear as a human woman, in this form or that of a fox. But my shadow never lies."

"I've never heard of fox spirits."

Tamo shook her head, "I would be surprised if you had. I was tricked into stepping through a magical gate and ended up here. I've been here a while now and until you got here the only other things were the evil Yokai and some shadows that frankly I avoided like they were plague carriers. I know a little bit about the spirit realm, and I have my magic. For that not to work. Well, I fear I am a long way from my home." Tamo sighed and looked almost like she would cry.

"Well, I can keep you company," offered Arya. She was very skilled at picking lies and so far, Tamo had been truthful.

"Thank you, although I have been lonely, I was thinking about my daughters. I have eight in my homeland. I fear that I will not see them again."

Arya was staring at her in shock, "EIGHT…but…but...you look younger than me!"

That seemed to amuse Tamo, "I'm nearly three hundred years old." Then her expression grew serious. "Arya, you spoke of taking another's face. I have seen magic like that before. Did they explain how it worked?"

"A bit why?"

"Would you tell me what you can? I want no secrets, but I am puzzled as to why you don't smell or feel like a normal human."

"Well, I am dead," Arya reminded her. It felt odd to say it. Odd and liberating. The worst had happened already.

Tamo waved that away, "No, it is not that. There is something else…would you share your story?"

Arya shrugged and they sat next to each other on a pile of blankets. Tamo was warm and Arya was soon leaning against her.

She spoke of her life and her training. Tamo was a good audience and seemed interested and not at all disturbed by her life journey. Several hours later she wound down. "Thank you, Arya."

"Did it help?"

Tamo shook her head, "No, well maybe. I need to think about it."

"Will you tell me about you?"

Tamo shared her story and Arya found herself riveted.

Tamo told her of how her people always keep their promises and they believe in debts and favours. Owing a debt and not repaying it marked one of her people. Even the mischievous among her folk would strive to repay any favour.

Her people often lived among humans and many like Tamo fell in love and bore children for their lovers. Almost always the children were human but occasionally a female child was born with Kitsune abilities. It was, she admitted often very sad for her people. Humans died young and even one that reached a hundred years was but a flickering candle to her folk.

She explained that they saw themselves as guardians. She had helped the monks (a term that she realised after an explanation, was like a southern Septon or Septa) and the poor farmers. Using her abilities for the benefit of her family or the needful (if they were respectful).

After exchanging tales, they slept, huddled together for warmth and company.

Days passed into weeks. It was difficult to tell time in the never-ending sameness. It was also odd not to feel hunger or thirst. Arya thought she felt hungry and thirsty but suffered no ill effects from not eating or drinking. Why did she get tired but never need to eat or drink? It was maddening.

She was grateful to have found Tamo. She might have truly gone mad without her company.

One 'day' she found herself laying next to Tamo who was humming a tune.

"Arya, you never speak of your loves left behind."

Arya turned over to look at Tamo, "Yes I have."

"You spoke of your family but surely you have had lovers?"

"Just the one," she replied after a few moments of silence.

Tamo raised an eyebrow and her ears twitched, "ONE, that is a travesty. A beautiful girl like you."

Arya laughed, "You have been alone too long if you think Arya Horseface is beautiful."

Tamo's anger shocked her.

"Who would say such a thing to you? Blessed Inari to say such a thing is beastly. You are a beautiful woman!"

Arya patted her arm to calm her friend. "It is in the past and done."

"Still though…"

Arya explained about Gendry and their brief liaison.

"You don't sound sure about him," Tamo said when she had finished.

Arya remembered that night well enough and did indeed have her doubts. "He was a good man but something was missing. I thought it was me. Perhaps there was no real passion because I cannot feel it."

Tamo was studying her now her amber eyes searching for something.

"Do you trust me?"

Arya nodded.

Tamo kissed her on the lips.

Startled Arya pulled back, but Tamo kept kissing her and eventually, Arya relaxed. Tamo's warm lips and unique scent were pleasant enough and to her shock, she found she was enjoying the kiss. When it ended, she found herself looking at an amused Tamo.

"I've kissed more than a few men and women and I tell you true that the passion is there. Perhaps you need to…ah, widen your search?"

Arya couldn't decide if she was teasing or being serious. "I feel nothing for women."

Tamo's smile grew wider, "Now that is a lie."

"What, no it isn't!"

"Really, well my mistake. Just one thing my girl, the lips don't lie."

Arya shook her head, "Then you are a poor judge."

"Then let us test that theory."

Tamo kissed her and Arya found herself lost in the sensation.

oOoOo

When she woke, she suddenly remembered last night.

She had made love to a woman.

Fuck.

It had been a revelation. She had seen stars and done things and had things done to her that she had never imagined. How the fuck had she not known about this?

Tamo was wrapped around her and for a moment Arya considered fleeing. Then she looked into a pair of amber eyes.

"Good morning my love."

oOoOo

Those endless days would stay with Arya forever as the most peaceful and memorable of her existence.

Tamo was an undemanding lover, content to let Arya set the pace.

Then it ended.

Tamo had asked if Arya wanted to walk along the misty shore of the river.

Arya was about to reply when a figure materialised in front of her. Before she could respond she was surrounded by darkness.

oOoOo

Well, I wonder how this work will be received?

It has been a project I've worked on (mainly on public transport) while wrestling with my other works.

I have about 20 short chapters but before I post, I'd love to hear what readers think.