[sansa grins widely and gratefully. it means a good deal just to be asked about them. she sips her lemonade.]
Arya was a menace! She was learning to fight with her little sword. I'm afraid she--tried to fight someone she shouldn't have. King's Landing was very dangerous. Not like here. You couldn't even walk around, really. Even my father took our guards. It was the people that were dangerous, so you couldn't avoid them, or burn incense, or anything. But that's not where I'm from. I'm from Winterfell, where people are kind, and the only trouble we ever had was snowstorms, and seeing everybody through until spring. I was only a baby then, after Arya was born it was the Long Summer. Bran and Rickon were born in it. Rickon was only little. He should have--he called his wolf Shaggydog. Bran called his Summer. I only knew that because my mother told my father when she came to see him, it took him the longest time to pick a name! He--he fell, climbing around our home, and then he was asleep for a while. The king made us leave before he woke up, and then he had lost the use of his legs. I didn't get to see them, or my mother. The king made my father his hand--a sort of advisor, who can speak for the king sometimes--and Arya and I went to the capital with him. When that king died, his son and the Queen Regent had my father arrested, because he found out the new king was illegitimate. They killed our whole household, and I begged Joffrey to spare my father--he said he would grant him mercy, but then he said he only meant the mercy of a quick death--after my father apologized and told everybody he was wrong, even though he wasn't. And Arya disappeared, so I was the only prisoner, and my mother and brother Robb raised the banners to kill Joffrey and save me, but some of their bannermen turned cloaks and murdered everyone before they could. Robb's friend, he was supposed to help too, but instead he stole Winterfell and murdered our little brothers. And I couldn't say anything--but I do have one brother who still lives. He's called Jon Snow, and he joined the Night's Watch to defend our realm. He's Lord Commander now, and he's sworn to stay at the Wall at our northern border. I don't know if I'll ever see him again. His wolf's name is Ghost, because Ghost is white with red eyes and he never makes a sound.
[her smile had slowly given way to a steely anger, but now she smiles again, albeit more faintly.]
Robb's wolf was named Grey Wind, and Arya's was Nymeria. Nymeria was the famous queen who led her people out of exile and into Dorne, where they live now, at the southern end of the Seven Kingdoms. My brothers found the litter in the Wolfswood; their mother had been gored by a stag. We raised them all from little puppies. Lady--never reached her full growth. Joffrey and his mother had her killed because Nymeria tried to stop him from hurting a boy from our home. Arya was clever enough to send Nymeria away, but I never thought anyone would punish Lady for it.
[her face and voice are steely again. she takes another sip of lemonade.]
You must avoid anyone called Lannister. And--Petyr Baelish. If he tells you anything, don't listen. Everyone thinks they can tell when he's lying, or what he's planning, but they can't. But it doesn't matter, Adaine is working on a spell that will send him back to the sea if he ever comes here.
no subject
Arya was a menace! She was learning to fight with her little sword. I'm afraid she--tried to fight someone she shouldn't have. King's Landing was very dangerous. Not like here. You couldn't even walk around, really. Even my father took our guards. It was the people that were dangerous, so you couldn't avoid them, or burn incense, or anything. But that's not where I'm from. I'm from Winterfell, where people are kind, and the only trouble we ever had was snowstorms, and seeing everybody through until spring. I was only a baby then, after Arya was born it was the Long Summer. Bran and Rickon were born in it. Rickon was only little. He should have--he called his wolf Shaggydog. Bran called his Summer. I only knew that because my mother told my father when she came to see him, it took him the longest time to pick a name! He--he fell, climbing around our home, and then he was asleep for a while. The king made us leave before he woke up, and then he had lost the use of his legs. I didn't get to see them, or my mother. The king made my father his hand--a sort of advisor, who can speak for the king sometimes--and Arya and I went to the capital with him. When that king died, his son and the Queen Regent had my father arrested, because he found out the new king was illegitimate. They killed our whole household, and I begged Joffrey to spare my father--he said he would grant him mercy, but then he said he only meant the mercy of a quick death--after my father apologized and told everybody he was wrong, even though he wasn't. And Arya disappeared, so I was the only prisoner, and my mother and brother Robb raised the banners to kill Joffrey and save me, but some of their bannermen turned cloaks and murdered everyone before they could. Robb's friend, he was supposed to help too, but instead he stole Winterfell and murdered our little brothers. And I couldn't say anything--but I do have one brother who still lives. He's called Jon Snow, and he joined the Night's Watch to defend our realm. He's Lord Commander now, and he's sworn to stay at the Wall at our northern border. I don't know if I'll ever see him again. His wolf's name is Ghost, because Ghost is white with red eyes and he never makes a sound.
[her smile had slowly given way to a steely anger, but now she smiles again, albeit more faintly.]
Robb's wolf was named Grey Wind, and Arya's was Nymeria. Nymeria was the famous queen who led her people out of exile and into Dorne, where they live now, at the southern end of the Seven Kingdoms. My brothers found the litter in the Wolfswood; their mother had been gored by a stag. We raised them all from little puppies. Lady--never reached her full growth. Joffrey and his mother had her killed because Nymeria tried to stop him from hurting a boy from our home. Arya was clever enough to send Nymeria away, but I never thought anyone would punish Lady for it.
[her face and voice are steely again. she takes another sip of lemonade.]
You must avoid anyone called Lannister. And--Petyr Baelish. If he tells you anything, don't listen. Everyone thinks they can tell when he's lying, or what he's planning, but they can't. But it doesn't matter, Adaine is working on a spell that will send him back to the sea if he ever comes here.