Chapter 15 Arya

(Hello everyone! So, this is a fanfic that I've been working on for a while now. I borrowed several elements from Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire. This is my first fanfic on this site, so constructive criticism is welcome. Appreciate!)

The second direwolf dream came four days after Arya's father had left Harrenhal to go to Riverrun. She woke up in the darkness in a cold sweat in her room in the massive castle, shaking and gasping for breath. She almost called for her father who had been sharing the room with her but then Arya suddenly remembered he was gone. Then she thought of Gendry who had been with her the last time she had the dream that she thought wasn't a dream. That time she had been scared, scared because she thought she had killed a man and had eaten his flesh with her pack mates. Gendry had held her tight and she had felt comfort in his strength, and he had listened to her and she thought he had believed her. Then he told her he was King Robert's son and that was so amazingly unbelievable that she had forgotten all about the direwolf dream for a while.

The next day she pestered Gendry about his father, but he knew nothing, had only found out himself a few days ago when her father had told him the truth, and they couldn't talk much about it with the others around anyway. Her father soon knew Gendry had told her and Hot Pie his secret, and didn't say much about it except for her and Hot Pie to not say anything to anyone about it. Two days after that they had arrived at Harrenhal.

Arya had never seen anything so big in all of her life. The tales she had heard enough, but seeing Harren the Black's castle was truly awe inspiring. And shocking. The towers were bent and seemed about to fall down. The stone was drooping in many spots like wax on a candle, and Arya knew it had been melted by the dragon breath of Aegon and his sister's fearsome creatures.

"Here is where it all began," her father said. "The Targaryen rule. It did not end until Robert killed Rhaegar and the Kingslayer killed the Mad King."

"And the children," Arya said. "Someone killed Rhaegar's children."

Her father nodded slightly. "Aye," he answered in a strangely quiet voice.

"The Imp said Rhaegar's brother and sister are still alive," Gendry said next.

"Where are they?" Hot Pie had asked and her father had told them Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen were far away across the Narrow Sea. Later at Harrenhal they heard people say that Viserys Targaryen was dead, killed by some horse lord. She asked her father if it was true and he told her it was, that the Imp had mentioned it to him after they had first gotten to Harrenhal. No one knew where Daenerys Targaryen was now, though.

When they had first arrived the Imp went off to see his father while Arya's father saw the maester, who looked over his leg as Arya hovered nearby. After a short examination the maester said the leg was healing well, and her father should have no pronounced limp.

"Can I ride a horse?" he had asked the maester.

"I wouldn't if I were you, my lord," the maester advised. "Not yet, at least. A man needs his legs to help sit a saddle and guide the horse. But if you must, do it only for a short time."

After that they were led to the baths, her father through one door, and her through another. Arya tried to find Hot Pie and Gendry but couldn't see them anywhere. After her bath the woman in charge thrust some clean small clothes and a dress at her and Arya started to protest that her own clothes were good enough and the woman had laughed and said that they had already taken her filthy rags to get washed and they wouldn't be clean and dry till next day. Arya wanted to hit her but knew she shouldn't. She put on the small clothes the woman had brought her and the dress and everything was too big. She took her belt and tied it tight around her waist and put on her muddy shoes and then stuck needle in her belt. As she was coming out of the bath house she saw Hot Pie and Gendry coming out another door in the bath house, both naked and wet, and holding their dirty clothes in their arms in front of them.

Gendry and Hot Pie took one look at Arya in her dress and she took one look at them and all three started laughing.

"Gods, you look like a proper girl now," said Gendry as he laughed again.

She scowled at him. "I do not!"

"Yes, you do," said Hot Pie. Then her father came out behind the two boys, cleaned and dressed in some new clothes and he smiled when he saw his daughter.

"That's better," he said.

"I hate it," she shot back. "But they took my other clothes and washed them."

"Where?" asked Gendry. "Ours need to get a good scrubbing as well."

Her father stopped a women walking by and she went off to find them something to wear while their clothes were washed. As they stood there waiting and talking, Arya saw all the Lannister men everywhere in the castle. She saw some of the Imp's men and Bronn and the wild men, but there were lots of other men, all soldiers, and a few small folk, rushing off to do as the soldiers asked.

"Lady Whent's people," her father said as they stood there looking. "Forced to serve the Lannisters." His face got a grim look after he said that and she knew when he looked that way he didn't like something. Soon the woman came back and thrust some clean clothes at Hot Pie and Gendry and took theirs and they quickly dressed in their new clothes, not even caring to cover up. It's not like Arya had not seen naked boys before. She had four brothers so seeing a naked boy was nothing new to her. She had seen Bran and Rickon naked enough when they were babies. And on the road north more than one man in their party had pulled his manhood out to have a piss or had dropped his breeches by the side of the road.

Hot Pie was all soft and flabby and almost had teats like a woman. As many pies went in his mouth as went in the ovens, Arya thought with a laugh. And he had said she was lucky she grew up in a castle so she could eat every day! She didn't think Hot Pie had missed too many meals either. Gendry, on the other hand, was all lean and muscle, especially his arms and shoulders and back. That came from being a smith, she knew, and then she thought of Gendry's father who had also been big. He was tall as well, but he was fat, not like Gendry. She had heard stories of King Robert, from her father and others, and they had all said he was the strongest man in the kingdoms when he was younger and fitter. Maybe it was true. He had killed Rhaegar with his war hammer, hadn't he? You had to be strong to do that.

The Imp approached them then to tell them where their quarters were and that they would be eating with his father later on.

"And the boys?" Arya's father asked.

"Ah, yes," the Imp had said. "The kitchens and the armory I think are the best places for them. Those in charge will look after food and a place for them to sleep. The kitchens are…wait... I think…no, I am not sure."

"I've been here before," her father said. "We'll find it." Then the Imp said he was for the baths and they left him.

It took them a few minutes to find the kitchens and then her father had a word with the old woman in charge. She took one look at Hot Pie, narrowed her eyes and started asking him questions about baking and making bread and all that and he answered her well enough and she took him on, saying she needed the help with so many here now. After that they found the armory, and the same thing happened with the man in charge. His name was Lucan and he was old but had the big arms and shoulders of a smith. He took Gendry on and promised him to look after him while he was here and her father gave his thanks. As they were about to leave, Arya handed Needle to Gendry and asked him to fix the nick in the blade's tip and he promised to try. When she got it back later it was as good as new.

That had been many days ago now. Her father had gone to Riverrun, and Arya was alone in their room in the tower below Lady Whent's solar. She sat in her bed for a long time and thought on her dream. She was Nymeria again and this time she knew it was true, that she was inside her pet direwolf. She was padding through a forest, alone, her pack far behind, and she had seen the camp. The people had some fires and she was afraid of fire. They had horses too and Arya could smell them and knew they would be good to eat. She waited for the men to sleep and the fires to die down. Then as she was about to go into the camp, she saw someone come from a tent and walk towards where she was. She lay low on her belly and waited and saw it was a girl, a tall girl, and then…then she knew it was Sansa. Her sister looked straight at her and Arya got a strong shock of recognition and then Arya's mind fled from Nymeria and she awoke, sweating in the darkness.

"Sansa," she said as she caught her breath. "Sansa is coming to Harrenhal."

She wanted to leap from her bed and find Gendry and tell him but it was dark outside the small window in her room and she knew a guard would be outside her door. She was a prisoner, she knew, despite Tywin Lannister's attempts to make her feel comfortable. She had been given her clothes back, cleaner but still a bit ragged and when he saw her dressed in them he ordered someone to find her better clothing, but of the type she wanted to wear, breeches and shirts and jerkins, not dresses. Soon she had two pairs of woolen breeches and a few linen shirts and better shoes and a leather jerkin. They were a bit big, but not too bad. He even let her carry Needle with her around the castle and his men knew not to bother her about anything. Her father said they had to make like they were not important, but within a day it seemed that the whole Lannister army and all of Lady Whent's people knew that Lord Stark and his daughter were in the castle.

The second day as her father visited the maester again, a Lannister man had followed her around when she went to find Hot Pie and Gendry. Later when she and her father and the Imp ate with Lord Tywin she complained about this. She promised Lord Tywin she would not try to escape and he had almost smiled again and said she had no need to escape now that the war was almost over. After that no one followed her. Arya hadn't wandered too much over the massive castle. Mostly she had spent time in her room or at the armory where Gendry worked, or at the kitchens trying to steal a tart when Hot Pie wasn't looking. And of course she had spent time with her father.

They ate a few more times with Tywin Lannister and his son the Imp, but Arya was always sent away and the men stayed to discuss the peace they were trying to bring. She knew her father and Lord Tywin did not like each other and she knew why as well. After three days they finally reached an agreement and her father prepared to leave. The next morning after breakfast he had ridden out the main gates with the Imp and Bronn, and the tall Lannister man on his horse and many other cavalry men.

Before he climbed on his horse her father stood in the courtyard and talked with her. "I'll be seeing your mother soon and Robb. Once Sansa is here we'll all go home."

"That will be good."

He smiled. "If you have any problems with anything or anyone you tell Lord Tywin and he'll make sure it's taken care of. But mind yourself, and stay good and I'll see you in a week or so." She promised to be good and he bent down and hugged her tight and then he was on his horse and gone again.

The Imp had been watching them with a strange, sad look on his face and only when they had gone had Arya thought on the fact that Lord Tywin had not come to say good-bye or good luck or anything to his son.

Arya sat in her bed in the darkness for a while more, thinking on her dream, and then got up and saw that the embers in the small hearth still glowed a bit from the fire she had there the night before. She groped in the darkness and found a candle by her bed and went over and lit it on a hot ember. Then she drank some water from a clay jug, used the chamber pot, took off her the linen shift she had worn to bed, and then got dressed in her boy's clothes. She took out Needle and began to practice in the space between the two beds.

For more than an hour she silently re-did all of the lessons Syrio had taught her, and for a while she was a water dancer, and nothing else mattered in the world except her sword and the enemies she imagined in front of her. They were all gold cloaks and Lannister men. Then the memories of the battle for the holdfast came back, and Gendry was picking her up and jumping and they were falling and a gold cloak was about to kill him but she stabbed him first. They killed others, her and Gendry, and then they were with Hot Pie and Lommy, running into the barn, and her father was gone, Yoren was dead, and then Jaqen H'ghar was leading them along the lake shore.

Arya hadn't trusted him at first. He kept moving them away from the holdfast, and she had wanted to go back and find her father but he said no, not yet, not till his hands were free and he had a careful look at the situation. He talked in his funny way, like Syrio had a bit, and she wondered if all the people of the Free Cities talked in such ways. They walked all night and were soon exhausted. Before dawn they had come across a small stand of trees just above the shoreline and had crawled in there to sleep for a while.

Later that day they found the empty village where Lommy later died and Jaqen left them to go find her father as soon as Gendry had knocked the manacles off his hands and feet. As soon as he was gone Lommy said they should leave there. Maybe he had had a bad feeling about the place, Arya thought later, like he knew he was going to die. But that was silly, she also thought. Nobody knew when they were going to die. Hot Pie was also whining about leaving and finding more food, and Gendry also seemed like he was ready to bolt before the Lannister men and gold cloaks came looking for him again. She had almost agreed, seeing the look on his face and knowing that he was in real danger. But at the last second she knew she had to wait for Jaqen and her father so she had ordered them to stay put. Strangely enough they had listened to her. Or maybe they had stayed just because it started raining outside and no one wanted to get wet. And then her father and Jaqen came back and all was well. But then Lommy had died and she thought they were going to die as well but it all turned out well. Except for Lommy.

Now she was here, a prisoner of the people she had been running from. But this was different, she knew. Her father was here and that made all the difference in the world. He was going to find a way to end this nightmare, to bring her family together and take them all home safe and sound. That's what a father should do.

After a while Arya put Needle away and practiced standing on one leg for a while. She did it on each leg and tried to remain as still as water. After a while she blew out the candle and let her eyes adjust to the dark again. She opened her ears and listened. She heard the guard outside her door shift his weight from one foot to the other. She thought she heard a scurrying sound behind the fireplace. Rats, she knew. On their way to Harrenhal one day she and Hot Pie and Gendry had ridden beside Podrick Payne for a while and he had told them how he and Bronn had opened the gates of Harrenhal. She didn't believe him at first but Bronn was nearby and he told them it was true and that he'd never get the stench out of his nostrils. The sound behind the fireplace reminded her of the size of the rats Pod had said they had seen. Massive, he had said. Harrenhal rats for sure. She sat on the floor in front of the fireplace for a while, with Needle in her hand, ready to stab any rat that tried to invade her room. But none came out.

After a few more minutes she heard a rooster crowing the dawn from the castle hen house. Then the castle began to awake. Voices outside began to shout, horses made noises, and people started working. Someone was chopping wood, and she distinctly heard the sound of someone beating metal somewhere.

She opened her door and startled the guard who was half asleep and leaning on the door.

"Morning," she said to him.

"Morning, my lady," he replied while trying to stifle a yawn. "Bit early. Breakfast still cooking."

"I'll eat later," she said and then she left without another word. She had to be polite, she knew, but she didn't have to like these people or say more than she needed to. Ones just like them had killed Jory and Hullen and Septa Mordane and everyone else in King's Landing. And they had tried to kill her and Hot Pie and Gendry. Vargo Hoat worked for Tywin Lannister and his men had killed Lommy and they wanted to kill her father. No, Arya had no reason to be anything but barely civil to any of them.

She made her way out of the tower and was soon at the armory. The head smith, the old man named Lucan, was there beating on a horse shoe.

"Morning. Is Gendry awake?" she asked and he grinned at her. She had been there every morning since her father had left.

"Just getting up," he replied as he placed the horse shoe back in the hot coals of the forge. "You two can fetch breakfast from the kitchens if you don't mind."

"Sure," she said. She didn't mind. She liked the kitchens. Arya went to the little set of stairs that led to the loft above the armory where the smith and his workers and apprentices slept. She knew Gendry slept on the far left end. She found many people stirring. Gendry was there, already dressed, sitting on the side of his thin mattress putting on his shoes. She noticed he looked different.

"You shaved your beard," Arya said as a way of greeting.

He looked at her and shrugged. "Was itching too much. And it also caught fire yesterday when I bent too close to the forge."

Arya laughed a bit. "Lucan asked us to get the breakfast. Come on."

Gendry collected a small wheel barrow they used to carry their breakfast and other things and they were soon heading to the kitchens. As they walked she decided to tell him. "I had a dream again last night."

"So did I," he said as he yawned while pushing the wheel barrow. "I was beating all the barbs on the Iron Throne flat with my hammer. That's funny cause I never even seen it."

"I have," she told him. "It has lots of barbs. Look, what I…"

But he kept on talking about his stupid dream. "Funny how they never called a smith to just pound them all flat or cut them off, you know? I mean, I heard it's made of hundreds of old swords. Some of them kings cut themselves on that chair. That's just stupid."

She grabbed his arm. "Listen to me!"

"What?" he asked in surprise, seeming to come fully awake as he set down the wheel barrow.

"I had a direwolf dream again."

"Oh? So…what happened this time?"

"I saw my sister, Sansa."

"What? Are you sure?" He sounded like he didn't believe her and that always made Arya mad.

"Yes, I'm sure! It was her, in a camp with many people by the woods by the Kingsroad. I…I was in Nymeria again…and I wanted to eat their horses…but she came to the woods, I saw her. Then it ended. I mean, I left Nymeria. I think. What does it mean?"

He shrugged his huge shoulders. "No idea. But…you saw her, in a camp, by the Kingsroad?"

"Yes."

"Maybe she's on her way here. Maybe your brother and father made a deal for peace at Riverrun."

"Maybe," she replied. "You do believe me, don't you?"

"Sure," he said. "I don't think anyone would make up a thing like that. If I can be the son of the king, I'm ready to believe anything is possible."

After he said that Arya felt good inside. She felt good because maybe Sansa was coming. That was good. Despite their many fights, Arya missed Sansa. And once she was here, it would be time to go home at last. She also felt good that Gendry had believed her. He didn't call her stupid and say she was just a little girl who had a bad dream. Arya hadn't told her father about the first dream. She was afraid he would say it was just a nightmare. But she knew it wasn't.

"Maybe that's why you dreamed about the Iron Throne," she told him as they continued walking. "Your father sat on it for fourteen years."

He snorted. "If he sat there that long he should have taken it to a smith and made it more comfortable."

Soon they were at the kitchens. The kitchens of Harrenhal were massive and were working at full capacity. It was warm inside and people were moving everywhere, getting breakfast ready. Some were frying sausages and bacon and fish, others were boiling eggs and slicing ham and cheese, and there was Hot Pie, pulling loaves of warm bread from the ovens. The old woman in charge shouted orders and everyone bustled about. They left the wheel barrow by the door and made their way to Hot Pie who was now loading loaves of bread into different wicker baskets for different parts of the castle.

"Here for the armory's breakfast," Gendry said to him after they made their good mornings.

"This basket," Hot Pie said as he pointed. He added a small clay jar of butter and one of jam. It looked like strawberry to Arya. That was good. "Take some eggs also," Hot Pie told them and Gendry filled another small basket with about a dozen boiled eggs from a large basket that had many dozens.

"What about bacon?" Gendry asked and Arya's stomach rumbled at the smell of the bacon sizzling in a pan nearby.

Hot Pie shook his head. "For the lords and commanders, you know that. I'll get you a bowl of drippings."

He went off and when he was gone Gendry quickly added one more loaf of bread to their basket from a nearby tray. Arya looked around to see what she could take as well, and soon had a big chunk of cheese in her pocket. They asked a woman for some apples that were in a basket and she said to take as many as they could carry and soon they had a bunch. After that Hot Pie came back with a big bowl full of bacon drippings.

"What's for lunch?" Arya asked.

Hot Pie shrugged. "Don't know. Sorry, got more bread to bake."

They left and on the way out Gendry grabbed some sliced ham off an unguarded tray and they ran out the doors as fast as they could without dropping or spilling anything, giggling a bit as they ran. They loaded the wheel barrow and then headed to the castle's small brewery nearby. The man in charge gave them two large clay jugs full of ale. In a short time they were back at the armory and all of the workers were awake now and they sat around a large wooden workbench and had breakfast. Arya sat next to Gendry. She liked sitting here cause no one cared she was a high born girl. They didn't call her 'my lady' cause Arya had told them all on the first day not to do that. She liked listening to them talk about work, while she ate buttered bread dipped in bacon drippings, and drank a bit of ale to wash it down.

"This lot of Lannisters will soon be gone," Lucan said in a low voice after most of breakfast was done. As Arya took a bite from a green apple that was a bit sour he looked at her. "Your father will make the peace, the gods be good."

"He will," she said. "He promised."

"I seen him here before," Lucan told her after a sip of ale. "Years ago, when he was a young man not yet married. The year of the false spring."

"Aye," said another older man. "The year of the tournament."

"What a shame," said Lucan with a wistful sigh. "Such a lovely tournament. It all went to pieces after that."

"What happened?" Gendry asked.

"King Robert was in love with Lord Stark's sister, so the wind said," Lucan told them. "Small folk always hear such rumors about the lords and ladies. This one turned out to be true."

"Aye," said the other man. "Course Robert wasn't king then, just Lord of Storm's End. Mad Aerys was still king."

"Aye," replied Lucan. He now looked at Arya as he talked. "Then Prince Rhaegar named your aunt the beauty of the tournament, and him married to that woman from Dorne. He did it in front of his wife and Robert and your father and all the rest of the lords and ladies and all the small folk gathered there. What a scandal it caused. That was the start of all the trouble and then sure enough we had war."

Arya had heard her father mention this to Yoren that night on the walls of the hold fast. But she was confused. How could that cause a war? "I thought the war started when Rhaegar kidnapped my aunt and then the Mad King killed my uncle and grandfather?"

"That was the worst part of it," said Lucan. "But what happened here made the hate begin and the rest made it grow into war." Then he said no more about it, drained his ale and stood. "Sooner this war is over, sooner life will be good again. Time to work, lads."

Arya spent the rest of the day hanging about the armory, watching them work, lending a hand when she could, and talking to Gendry and the others about metal and how to work it. She had no more direwolf dreams that night and the next morning after breakfast Arya was summoned to see Lord Tywin in Lady Whent's solar.

She entered after a guard took Needle from her and opened the door. Lord Tywin was sitting at the table with many pieces of parchment in front of him and what looked like a map.

"Good morning, my lord," she said to him.

"Good morning lady…Arya," he said with a slight grin. "Come, sit. We have things to discuss."

She sat in the chair he indicated. "Have you had breakfast?" he asked.

"Yes, my lord."

"At the armory again?"

"Yes, my lord. I…my friend works there."

"Yes, the boy Gendry. You know who he is I take it."

"He told me."

Lord Tywin snorted. "He's not the only one of Robert's bastards, did you know?"

"No, my lord." Neither Gendry or her father had mentioned that, if they even knew.

"I am sure Gendry knows by now. Your father knows for certain. Gendry has several half brothers and sisters throughout the kingdoms. And to think I let my daughter…well, that matters not now. Robert is dead."

"Yes, my lord."

He looked at her for a long moment. "Can you make your letters? Can you read?"

"Of course, my lord. Maester Luwin taught us all how to read and write."

"Good," he answered. "I have had word from Riverrun. Your father arrived safely and he and my son are now in negotiation with your brother Robb and the northern lords. Your father wants you to write to him. Just a short note to say how you are and such."

"My lord, may I ask a question?"

He nodded. "You may."

"Is my sister still in King's Landing or is she on her way here?"

"She left King's Landing several days ago. Perhaps in a few more days she will be here."

Arya smiled. "That is good news."

"Yes. Now here is a piece of parchment, a quill and some ink. Write your note and then I will make sure it gets sent to your father by raven. Write small, so it will fit on the parchment."

"Yes, my lord." Arya took the quill and dipped it in the ink and then thought for a moment on what to write and then began.

Dear Father and Mother and Robb. I am well. Lord Tywin is a good host. Everyone is nice to me. I spend my days in the kitchens with Hot Pie or at the armory with Gendry. Lord Tywin told me Sansa is coming to Harrenhal soon. I hope to see you all soon. I love you. Arya.

She finished and he handed her a small container of sand, which she sprinkled on the parchment to soak up the excess ink. Then she handed him the letter. He read it, nodded, and said, "Good, that will do." Then his face took on a puzzled look. "Hot Pie?"

"A boy who was in the Night's Watch party. He's now in the kitchens here. He's a baker's boy. He calls himself Hot Pie, my lord. I don't know his real name."

"Seems an appropriate name for a baker's boy. You know you were quite resourceful in slipping out of King's Landing."

"I had Yoren's help, my lord."

"Yes, the Night's Watch man. Terrible business at that hold fast. I sent my son south to find your father to prevent such a thing from happening."

"He was too late."

"Yes," Lord Tywin said thoughtfully. "Your father says you fought as well."

She nodded. "I had to my lord. Or me and Hot Pie and Gendry would be dead now."

"Indeed," he replied. "And that would not do at all. So, that is all for now. Off you go and I will tell you when your father is returning."

She stood and dipped her head. "Thank you, my lord."

As she left and got Needle back she went down the stairs where she got a fright. The tall man with the long ropey beard called Vargo Hoat was coming up the stairs. When he saw her he stopped and smiled in a scary way.

"Tho, one of Lord Thtark's little wardth," he said in his slobbery voice.

She stared at him and kept her left hand on Needle. "You stay away from me."

He laughed. "A little boy with a little thword."

He didn't know who she was, didn't know she was a girl and Lord Stark's daughter. "I've killed men," Arya said in a strong voice. Here was the man who swore to kill her father. The stairway was narrow, and she was small and quick. She was a water dancer, and he was just a big oaf with an ugly beard, an ugly horse, and a funny voice. Not today, Syrio told her. Not today, she repeated to herself, tightening her grip on Needle.

"Out of the way brat before I teach you how to kill for real."

Arya was about to pull Needle when she heard a loud yell from behind and above. "Hoat!" shouted Lord Tywin. "Get up here, now!"

She turned and he was standing there, a terrible look on his face, anger like she had never seen on anyone's face before. "Ath my lord commandth," said Hoat calmly and then he walked past her and he and Lord Tywin went back upstairs.

Arya let out a deep breath she had been holding in and ran down the stairs and out in the courtyard. She hung about the nearby stables, looking towards Lady Whent's tower. A long time later Hoat came out of Lady Whent's tower and climbed on his funny zorse. She wanted to follow him, find a way to kill him, but then the gates opened and he rode out and was gone. Arya knew that there was a big army camped outside and knew that Hoat would be surrounded by his men. She put away the idea of killing him for now.

Three days after that she had the third direwolf dream. This time it was so real she knew she had to be inside Nymeria.

Again she saw Sansa make her way into the woods. Was Nymeria following them? Was she tracking them, knowing it was Sansa? After Sansa made water she laced up her breeches and then turned and looked right at Nymeria. And then Arya felt herself fully become Nymeria. Arya felt herself walking towards her sister, felt herself lick her palm, felt her sister's arms around her, heard her talking to her, saying 'Nymeria' and asked if Arya dreamed of Nymeria. What did that mean? Did Sansa dream of Lady? And then Sansa looked into the direwolf's eyes and Sansa's suddenly looked shocked.

"Arya?" she asked and Arya got a shock as well. She knows its me!

Then everything happened fast. Someone grabbed Sansa from behind, a man, who yelled "I got her." Arya didn't know why but she knew this was danger and she let the direwolf instincts take over. She leaped at the man and bit him hard on the crotch. He screamed and screamed an Arya shook her head and felt the warm blood flow through her teeth and mouth and she did not let go. Then another man was attacking Sansa and she bit his arm hard and he dropped his knife. Arya felt a madness come over her and she sank her teeth deeper and felt bones crunch under the warm flesh and she ripped his arm off.

Then he was there, the big man with a sword, killing the other two men, She knew this man, the man who had killed her friend. The Hound. She wanted to kill him and every fiber of the direwolf's body shouted at her to kill him. She leaped and knocked him down and just missed his throat with her powerful jaws.

Then her sister had her around the neck. "ARYA! STOP!" she yelled and Arya tried to fight her but then relaxed a bit. Sansa was pleading for his life, pleading for this man she hated and she wanted to kill him, to rip his ugly scarred head off and feast on his flesh. But Sansa's words calmed her rage and then she leaped off him and was gone through the woods. For a long time Arya stayed with Nymeria and she circled back towards the camp and watched and when she was sure her sister was safe her mind fled from Nymeria once again. Arya awoke bathed in sweat and she was trembling all over. She wished Gendry was here to hold her again and then she wondered why she thought of that and shook her head.

"Bad dreams," she whispered to herself in the dark but she knew they weren't. She knew they were real.

That morning as she and Gendry pushed the wheel barrow to the kitchens again she told him all about the dream.

"Gods," he said when she finished and he just stared at her. "You killed two men?"

"The Hound killed two men."

"But you attacked them."

"To save my sister!" Gods, why was he so bull headed sometimes?

"Right," he said, thinking hard. "But…you also attacked the Hound."

"You know why I did that. He killed my friend."

He nodded. She had told him that whole story one night on the way to Harrenhal.

"The Hound was helping your sister."

Arya chewed her bottom lip like she did when she was thinking. "Maybe."

"No maybes. It sounds like he killed those men. And you said she pleaded for his life."

"All right, so he's helping her. I still want to kill him."

"Don't be stupid," Gendry said and it was like a slap in the face, worse because it came from him. "He's a monster. He'll kill you quick."

She dropped her handle of the wheel barrow, punched him hard in the arm, and then turned without a word and walked back to Lady Whent's tower, ignoring his shouts for her to come back. She went to her room and lay in bed, her stomach grumbling and her mind angry at Gendry, at the Hound, at Lord Tywin, and her father and everyone who had anything to do with why she was here now and not home in her bed in Winterfell.

A long while later a knock came to her door and the guard opened it. "Go away!" she yelled.

"Boy here to see you, my lady. Said he brought you breakfast."

She looked and it was Gendry carrying a basket with food in it. "Can I come in?" he asked in a quiet voice.

She was hungry and so she nodded and sat up in her bed and Gendry came in and sat in a chair across from her and handed her the basket. It had some sliced buttered bread and a bit of cheese and two apples and even some fried bacon.

"How'd you get bacon?" Arya asked to break the silence.

"Said it was for Lady Stark and the cook dished it up real quick."

"Don't call me that!"

"But you are. Can't be helped."

She chewed a bit of bacon and it tasted good. "I know," she said with a sigh. "Some day when I have my own castle no one will call me lady and everyone will be my friend."

His face screwed up and she knew he was thinking hard again. "That won't work," he told her. "Small folk need a lord or lady to look after them. They need to show you respect. You can't be friends with people who work for you."

"I suppose not," she said as she chewed on some bread. She looked at him. "You'll be my friend, won't you? When we get to Winterfell?"

He grinned. "Sure…I know your father likes me." Then his face fell a bit. "But what about your brothers and sister and mother? To them I'm just a common smith. Low born scum."

Her eyes flashed angrily at him. "You are not! You're the king's son."

"Bastard son."

"Don't say that. You're older than Joffrey, you're his first son. His true son." They had heard the stories everyone was talking about, that the Kingslayer was Joffrey's true father. Was it really true, she had asked her father and he just nodded a bit and told her not to speak of it. "You should be on the Iron Throne, not Joffrey and then you could make the kingdom better and I could…I mean I could…I… could be one of your lords, lord of a holdfast somewhere."

He was laughing and she got mad again. She thought he was laughing at her but he wasn't. "Me? On the Iron Throne? If I beat all the barbs off it, maybe. But bastards can't inherit, remember."

"Joffrey is a bastard, too. So is Tommen if the stories are true."

"If it's true," he said. "Then Stannis is the true king."

"You are," she said again as she ate more bacon.

"Don't be saying that. Joffrey already wants me dead. I don't want anyone here to try to get in his favor by shipping me off to King's Landing. Or my head."

"Sorry," she said quietly.

"Me, too," Gendry said after a moment. "But Arya, you can't fight the Hound. He's a monster. He'll kill you, you know that's true. I…I don't want to see you die."

She felt good when he said that. "I don't want you to die either."

They looked at each other for a long quiet moment and then Gendry turned red and looked away.

"What's wrong?" she asked, not understanding.

"Nothing," he said in a strange voice and he stood. "I got work to do."

"Gendry…I can kill him. I know you think I can't because I'm just a little girl."

"That you are," he said without looking at her.

"Look at me," she said as she stood. He was so tall she had to look up at him by craning her neck.

He looked and gulped, his face still red. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Everything," he said suddenly, looking right at her. "I can't help it but it's all wrong. I'm wrong. I'm a man. I'm too old. I'm low born. I can't be…it can never be. I'm crazy for even thinking it."

She was about to say he wasn't crazy and then she understood with a shock. He likes me. He likes me! No one had ever liked her, not in that way. The boys all fawned over her sister and Jeyne and the other pretty girls at Winterfell. No one had ever liked Arya Horseface. Not in that way.

Arya was suddenly afraid and she stepped back from him and sat on the bed. "You should go."

"Arya…"

"I know," she said quietly. "You're right. It can't be. You're a man and I am a girl. You should go."

His head dropped and he sighed. "Sorry. I…won't bother you again. Lady Stark."

That felt like someone had stabbed her, those two words that made the gulf between them so big. He reached the door when Arya suddenly felt terrible and knew this was all wrong and so she spoke again. "Let's pretend this never happened," she said as she stood and went to the door beside him. She didn't want to lose her only real friend, not because of something silly like this, something she or he could not control.

Gendry smiled when she said that and it was a nice smile. "All right. Arya."

That made her smile and then she said something that she instantly regretted, and for a long time wondered why she had said it, but many years later when she looked back on it she knew it had been the right thing to say. She wasn't even looking at him when she said it, just staring off into space as if talking to herself.

"Some day I will be a woman."

After a long pause he spoke. "Yes, you will."

Then she punched his arm and he winced. "Come on. Race you to the forge."

They spent the rest of the day together and all seemed well again, as if nothing strange had happened between them. He was really busy, getting armor ready for the Lannister men and everyone was talking about how her father must have made the peace because the castle was so busy getting ready to move out. All the soldiers were saying they were heading south, that Renly and Stannis would soon be besieging King's Landing and they were going to rescue the King and Queen. Arya nodded when they said that and smiled like she was happy that would happen but secretly she wanted the two of them to burn or have their heads chopped off and put on spikes. Or maybe Joffrey would stab his stupid self to death on one of those barbs on the Iron Throne.

She knew she had been silly. Gendry could never sit there, could never be king. Arya laughed to herself as she thought on what he had said about it. Why hadn't any king ever beaten those barbs off of it? It seems so…what was the word…smart, she thought, as she looked at Gendry as he pounded on a metal breast plate while she poured more water in the large barrel that he quenched the heated metal in.

Suddenly there was a silence throughout the armory and she heard someone say "Lord Tywin". Arya turned and there he was in all his fancy armor and his red cloak with several men following him. He stopped before her and Gendry. They immediately dipped their heads and said "My lord."

"So, you want to be a smith?" Lord Tywin said to Arya. "Not much of a job for a young lady."

"I...I just like being here, my lord. That's all."

"Ah, yes. Your friend. You must be Gendry."

"Yes, my lord," he said, dipping his head again.

Lord Tywin looked at him for a long moment. "Yes, I can see it." Then he turned to Arya. "Your father is coming back from Riverrun. And your sister was spotted on the road to Harrenhal. She should be here soon, today perhaps."

"That's good news, my lord," Arya said as her heart soared. "Thank you."

He nodded and then turned and walked off with his men following him. That evening as she and Gendry were about to leave the forge to find out what was for supper suddenly the main gates were opening. In rode some Lannister men on horse back, and there behind them was a large wheel house and then…she saw him, big and tall on his massive war horse.

"The Hound," she said through gritted teeth.

"Be calm," Gendry said beside her. "Where's your sister?"

Arya looked and then she saw Sansa, looking tiny as she rode beside the Hound. She was on a brown palfrey and was wearing a stained blue riding jacket. And beside her was…it couldn't be… Jeyne Poole!

Suddenly Arya began to believe they would soon be in Winterfell. She let out a yell. "Sansa! Jeyne!" and she bolted towards them, not caring about anything else in the world. Tears fell from her eyes and then she was there and they were off their horses and Sansa was hugging her and Jeyne was hugging her and the three girls were crying and laughing and cared not who was looking at them.

"Where is Father?" Sansa suddenly asked, looking around. Gods, she was getting tall, Arya thought. Will I be that tall later?

"Gone to Riverrun to see Robb and Mother," Arya told her.

"Mother? She's at Riverrun?"

"Yes…and Father will be back soon and then we can all go home to Winterfell," Arya told them and then Jeyne began to cry again and they hugged each other once more.

Behind her Arya heard the Hound growl at someone. "Boy, take care of our horses. And mind mine, he'll bite your hand off if you're not careful."

"I'm a smith, not a stable boy," Gendry said and he started to walk away.

"You'll be dead if you're not careful boy!" the Hound snarled and then Arya was in front of him.

"You leave him alone dog!" she shouted at him and then she realized many eyes were on them.

"Well," said the Hound with a laugh. "If it isn't the little she wolf. Still want to kill me? Where's your direwolf now, warg?"

Warg? What was he talking about?

"What's this all about Clegane?" said a voice and then Tywin Lannister was there.

"Misunderstanding, my lord," the Hound said as he dipped his head.

"Where's my granddaughter?" Lord Tywin asked and by then some stable boys had run up to take their horses and the Hound and another Lannister man led Lord Tywin to the wheel house.

"His granddaughter?" Arya asked Sansa and Jeyne in a low voice.

"Princess Myrcella," Sansa told her. "She's coming to Winterfell with us."

"Why?"

"She's a hostage," Sansa whispered. "I'll explain later. Oh, no. I forgot Ice!" She ran after the boys with the horses and was soon back carrying a large sword in a scabbard.

"Is it really Ice?" Arya asked in wonder.

"Yes, they gave it to me to give back to Father."

Meanwhile Princess Myrcella and two other girls had come out of the wheel house. Lord Tywin hugged his little granddaughter and then she was crying and speaking fast and Lord Tywin was glaring at the Hound and the Lannister man and said nothing but shushed his granddaughter and hugged her again. He had a woman and some of his men escort her and the two other girls away and into Lady Whent's tower, and then he rounded on the Hound and the Lannister man.

"This will not stand!" he shouted and the whole castle must have heard him. "You fools almost got her killed!"

Then suddenly Sansa spoke, in such a strong and confident tone it surprised Arya. Was this her sister? "It was Vargo Hoat's men, my lord," Sansa said. "Ser Robyn and Sandor Clegane and these other men saved our lives. It's not their fault. My lord."

Tywin stared at her and then grunted. "And who are you?"

"Sansa Stark, my lord."

He nodded. "Yes, I should have known. It was Hoat? Are you sure, girl?"

"She's sure, my lord," said the Hound. "One of them was the fat Dothraki that rides with Hoat."

"We saw them late in the day, heading east, to Maidenpoole, they said," the Lannister man told his liege lord. "Four of them came back at night and tried to kidnap Lady Stark and the Princess. We killed them all."

"Hoat," Lord Tywin said through gritted teeth. "Right. I'll deal with him. Ser Robyn, see to your men and move this damn wheel house. It's blocking my gate." The Lannister man left and started shouting orders to his men. Lord Tywin turned to the Hound. "Clegane, get yourself some food and take a bath and then resume your duties. My granddaughter will be in this tower on the fifth floor. And if I catch you drunk I'll have your head off. Can you manage that?"

The Hound grimaced. "Yes, my lord."

"Good," Lord Tywin said. "Oh, and one more thing. Your brother is gone. I sent him away as soon as I knew you were coming. I will not have your blood feud on my doorstep. Is that clear?"

"Yes, my lord," the Hound said again and Arya knew he was not happy at that news but for some strange reason Sansa was smiling broadly.

As the Hound stalked off, Lord Tywin then turned to the girls. "So Arya, this is your sister. And…"

"Jeyne Poole, my lord," Arya said. "She is our friend from Winterfell." Well, Sansa's friend, but he didn't need to know that.

"Very well," said Lord Tywin. "The girls will stay in another of Lady Whent's handmaidens' rooms on your floor. Show them, please."

"Yes, my lord," she said and then Arya waved to them. "Follow me."

They walked behind her and entered the tower and went up the stairs until they came to the right floor and Arya found one of the other rooms that she knew was empty and opened the door. It was stuffy so she opened the shutters on the small window as Sansa and Jeyne collapsed on the two beds.

"Gods, what a journey," Sansa said.

"We almost died," Jeyne said in a rush.

"I know," said Arya.

Jeyne looked at her. "How do you know? You weren't there."

Sansa gave Arya a knowing look and Arya looked back. "I…I had trouble, too. It's war out there. We'll talk about it later. You must be hungry."

"Yes," said Sansa. "Where can we eat?"

"I'll get something for you. I know the cooks in the kitchens."

Jeyne laughed. "Just the same as in Winterfell."

Sansa glared at her friend. "Do you want food or not?"

"I…yes," said Jeyne, taken aback, casting her eyes down.

"It's okay," said Arya. "I just like the kitchens. And the stables and the forge and…"

"That boy," Sansa said suddenly. "The one you yelled at San…the Hound about. Who is he?"

"Boy?" Jeyne said with a laugh, not feeling bad anymore. "Did you see the size of his arms? He's a man, not a boy."

Arya felt her face flush for some reason. Why did that happen? "He's Gendry, works in the armory. He came from King's Landing with me. He's my friend."

"Does he have a girlfriend?" Jayne asked with a giggle and even Sansa laughed a bit this time.

"Yes," Arya said with a growl and they stared at her in an odd way. "Look we have a lot to talk about. First, food." She walked off to the kitchens burning with anger. Why was she mad if they made remarks about him? She didn't care for Gendry. Did she? She knew he liked her the way boys liked girls. Why had she said to him she would be a woman some day? That was so stupid. But…oh, it was too hard to think about.

Twenty minutes later she came back with a basket full of bread and cheese and half a roasted chicken and a small pot of barley and beef soup. They all ate it and then started telling their stories and Arya told them it all, about Syrio dieing and hiding in the city and seeing Sansa on the steps of the Sept of Baelor, and Yoren cutting her hair, and then meeting Gendry and Hot Pie and Lommy, the trip north, all the trouble they had and the battles and everything. Well, almost everything. She didn't tell them Gendry was the bastard the gold cloaks had been looking for or that he was Robert's son. When she was done they just stared at her.

"You…killed people?" Sansa asked in shock.

Arya stared at her sister. "Yes."

Sansa just stared back with wide eyes, but Jeyne scoffed. "Really? How do we know you are telling the truth? I bet you made all that up."

"Oh, shut up," Sansa snapped at her friend. "Of course it's true. You remember what the innkeeper said? At least Arya didn't have to be rescued like you did."

"That…that wasn't my fault," Jeyne stammered. "They killed my father. They killed everyone!"

Now Sansa felt bad. "I know. I'm sorry I yelled."

"What are you talking about?" Arya asked them. "Why did you have to rescue her?"

Jeyne spoke quickly. "No…don't tell her. I'll die from embarrassment!"

"Arya told us everything," Sansa said. "So we should tell her. Everything."

Jeyne stared at Sansa and then looked at Arya. "You can't tell anyone in Winterfell. You must promise!"

"I promise," Arya answered quickly, wanting to know the secret.

Sansa took a deep breath, then spoke. "Lord Baelish kept her prisoner in one of his whore houses. He…he was training her to be one of the…ladies."

Jeyne let out a small wail and began to cry and Sansa sat with her and comforted her friend.

"Gods," Arya said with a shake of her head. "Baelish should die!"

"He was arrested!" Jeyne said quickly, wiping her eyes.

And then they talked about that and everything else that had happened to them and before long it was getting dark and Arya got them some candles. Then Sansa got to the part about the wolf in the woods.

"It was big," she said, looking at Arya.

"It bit those two men, tore one's arm off," Jeyne told her.

"Yes," said Arya. "Wolves will do that. Especially direwolves."

"I need a bath," Sansa suddenly said, as if she didn't want to talk about this anymore.

Soon Arya led them to the baths, after picking out some of Lady Whent's handmaiden's dresses she thought would fit them. Arya showed them where to go and the woman running the baths got them some hot water and soap and Arya went outside to get out of the steamy air. As she stood there Gendry came along, all covered in black dust.

"Seven hells!" Arya exclaimed. "What happened to you?"

"The coal bin," he said sheepishly. "Fell in trying to get my shovel I had dropped."

"You need a bath."

"That's why I'm here. Where's your sister?"

"Inside, taking a bath with Jeyne."

"Who's Jeyne?"

"Sansa's friend from Winterfell," Arya said and then she laughed. "She said you have big arms and asked me if you have a girlfriend."

Even in the growing darkness and under the coal dust she could see he had turned red again. "What did you say?"

"I told them you were married and had seven kids," Arya lied, laughing as she said it.

"Maybe some day, the gods be good," Gendry said and then he walked off to the men's side of the baths.

What the hell did that mean?

Ten minutes later Sansa came out alone and she hugged Arya from behind, surprising her. Sansa smelled of soap and was still a bit damp. "I know it was you," she whispered in Arya's ear. "Thank you."

Arya turned and looked at her in the darkness. "I don't know why. But yes, it was me inside Nymeria. I thought I was dreaming at first but now I think I was really inside her."

"Sandor said we are wargs."

"Wargs? Sandor?"

"The Hound I mean. Look…he's not that bad. He helped me a lot. He's not as terrible as you think."

Arya gritted her teeth. "He killed Mycah."

"I know," she said quietly.

"What's a warg?"

"Us," Sansa answered. "We can go inside the direwolves and be part of them."

"You too?" Arya asked in surprise.

"I did…I think…but not since Lady died." Sansa sniffed as she said this.

Arya sighed. "So much has happened since that day."

"I just want to go home," Sansa replied in a heavy voice.

"So do I."

The day after the next her father arrived from Riverrun with the Imp and the rest and they had a big family reunion and he was happy to get his sword back as well. He spent much of the rest of the day with Lord Tywin and the Imp and the other commanders. After supper, she and her father and Sansa settled down in Arya's room and he told them all that he had done and all that would happen next.

"Robb and your mother will meet us on the Red Fork. There is a stone bridge nearby. The two heralds we've exchanged will bring the two copies of the treaty to the bridge center and Robb and Lord Tywin will meet and sign them. Then we will walk north and the Kingslayer will walk south and that will be the end of it."

"What about Gendry and Hot Pie?" Arya asked.

"What?" Sansa said in surprise. "What about them?" Sansa and Jeyne had met Gendry and Hot Pie the day before. Gendry was polite but Arya didn't like the way Jeyne was looking at him, and Gendry's face turned red again when Jeyne asked him how old he was and how tall, and silly things silly girls always asked boys they liked. Arya had scowled at her and said they needed to go to the kitchens. Hot Pie had stuttered and bowed low and called Sansa and Jeyne 'my lady' and dropped a pan of dough on the floor while Arya laughed at him.

"I promised them places at Winterfell," her father told Sansa.

"Jeyne will like that," said Sansa with a giggle. "She's taken a fancy to the smith."

"Gendry's his name," Arya said with a snarl.

Her father shrugged. "Well, if he likes her too maybe we can make them a match. He's an orphan and she has no family left."

"He won't like her!" said Arya fiercely and then she ran from the room.

She was half way down the stairs before she even realized what she had done and then wondered why and then knew why and stopped and her father caught up to her on the second floor landing. "What's that all about?" her father asked sharply.

"Nothing," she said looking down, chewing her bottom lip.

"Sit," he commanded and they sat on the stairs at the top, side by side. Her father looked at her.

"You like Gendry?" he asked quietly.

"No!" she said and it felt wrong when she said it and she chewed her lip. "Maybe," she admitted in a small voice.

He nodded once. "Arya…you're still a girl but you are also a lady of Winterfell and no matter how many times you deny it is still true. And he's…well, he's a good lad, I don't doubt that. He's strong and brave and true, all the good things a husband should be. And I know you've grown close to him, all that has happened. But…but.."

"He's not good enough for me? Is that it?"

He paused. "If I had all the say in it I would gladly let you do what you want. But…"

"Mother."

"Aye, there's that. And…I wanted this to wait but I guess I must tell you now. You have already been promised to another."

She stared at him in shock. Nothing could have surprised her more. "What? Who?"

"The youngest son of Walder Frey."

"Seven hells!" she said and felt as if her whole world was collapsing. "Why did you do that!" she yelled at him.

He sighed heavily. "Your mother and Robb did it." He quickly explained it all, and about how Robb had to marry one of them as well.

"For a bridge?" Arya said in confusion as tears came from her eyes. "My mother and brother sold me for a bridge?"

"A bridge they needed to defeat the Kingslayer and take Riverrun. We would never be going home if they hadn't done it."

She shook her head. "No, no, and no! I will not marry a Frey! I'll run away. I'll kill him! I'll kill that old man who's his father! I'll…why are you laughing?"

There he was, laughing his fool head off, and then he finally stopped. "I told your mother that's what you would say."

"It's true. You can't make me do it!"

"Aye? Well, then I won't."

"What?" That wasn't what she had expected.

"You come to the Twins, you act like you will marry him and all that. You be nice and so on. Robb will get married, we can't avoid that. But you are not a woman yet. We can wait three or four years. And winter is coming. There will be no wedding till spring comes."

Arya slowly calmed down. "Good. But…what happens later?"

He stared at her. "I'll figure it out, not to worry. I would not have my daughter marry a Frey for all the gold dragons in the Seven Kingdoms."

She hugged him tight. "I love you."

He kissed her forehead. "As I you, sweet child. Now off to bed with you."

She went to stand and then paused. "What about Gendry?"

Her father sighed heavily. "Let's wait and see, all right? You're not old enough to be thinking about boys anyways. And if he lays a hand on you before you are old enough I'll have his hands off."

"You will not! I'll do it first!"

He laughed again. "That's my girl. Now let's get some rest. Long days ahead of us, my sweet child."

That night Arya slept as if she had never slept before and her sleep was deep and peaceful and untroubled for once in a long time.