[Chapter Size: 3200 Words.]
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Third Person POV
Winterfell, 298 AC.
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The music had returned to playing normally, while Cassandra was still there, standing in front of the main table, ever since she heard that from the king, as her gaze fell on Lord Stark, equally paralyzed.
Her friend laughed at that, while patting him on the back.
"You don't waste any ti either, huh? Now I get it. This ti you got yourself a real northerner." He said, amused by Lord Stark's awkward reaction.
Cassandra hesitated for a second before starting to withdraw. She was already drawing too much attention, ignoring the stares of the people watching her, and that could bring many problems.
And if that woman already hated her before, now she probably wanted to kill her alive.
She ignored everything and began to leave without looking at anyone so as not to bring more trouble and misunderstandings for Lord Stark.
Arya had one eyebrow raised the entire ti since she heard the king's first words and followed Cassandra's path, leaving the main tables to get away from the place, while other eyes were also fixed on her.
"That was... a little unexpected." arin murmured beside her, watching Cassandra practically wanting to hide in the corner near the kitchen entrance.
"Well, she absolutely protected the servant. But it was far too risky. If she had told , I would've solved that problem myself." Arya comnted, seeing Cassandra hide in a shadow.
Her gaze fell on the table near them, as she saw her mother lost in the whole situation. Her eyes began to tear up with anger, frustration, and humiliation. Sansa imdiately went to comfort her, while Rickon was confused by all of it.
Arya knew that this was probably one of the most humiliating things her mother had ever gone through. Hearing openly that the king considered another woman the Lady of Winterfell implied, practically, to the Seven Kingdoms that Lord Stark already had another woman to share his bed with, shad her before everyone.
And for House Tully, that situation... was devastating. Brynden Tully himself at the table looked angry at such humiliation against House Tully.
Arya's gaze returned to the main table again, while the king was still saying a few things, and Lord Stark was trying, right there, giving excuses, saying that it wasn't what he was thinking.
The whole ti, the queen's gaze was divided between sothing Arya suspected was amusent at seeing the king practically being called out as wrong by a re servant and a slight spark of irritation, for soone of such low status daring to tell the king what he should or shouldn't do, even if it was to stop him from publicly humiliating soone.
Still, Cersei seed to think of her son as the future king and would never allow such behavior from anyone toward him. So Cersei narrowed her eyes at Cassandra.
"I don't like this. I want Cassandra watched." Arya said in a serious tone, with her Royal Guards nodding, recording the information.
anwhile, she went back to analyzing the feast.
The noble from Dorne seed to try again to approach her table, even though Baru had already stopped him, saying she wasn't available.
But she ignored him, while the n seed more interested in enjoying themselves, drinking, and listening to the music than in politics — at least on the surface, throughout the hall. They were talking among themselves, probably with many spies among them, just pretending to be drunk to listen better while the n spoke more openly under the influence of alcohol, things they shouldn't even say.
That's why Arya didn't allow the Arcticans to leave her table. Many could see them as easy prey to extract information, especially after many cups of alcoholic drinks.
Near the table, anyone who approached the main table passed by those seats, while her mother, Catelyn, was finally calming down, though completely shattered by the sha she had endured.
So interesting people were at the main table, none other than the Lannister family, as Jai and Tyrion approached.
"Oh, the Kingslayer! The feared killer of kings!" Robert suddenly shouted openly at the two brothers as he saw them approaching, while Jai frowned, as Arya could tell. Jai also seed used to it, as everyone looked at them, though there was a glimr of frustration in his eyes.
Kingslayer, the one who killed the Mad King from behind, sitting on his throne. Arya's father certainly held no fondness for him, and it was clear in his look of disdain the mont he faced Jai Lannister, while Jai himself looked at the king, trying to remain calm.
"Your Majesty." He said, bowing, before looking at Lady Stark, with neither of them showing friendly eyes.
'They hated each other,' Arya thought, though she had never asked her father what really happened, but that went back to the sack of King's Landing and the fall of the Targaryens.
"Oh, the dwarf!" the king exclaid, seeing Tyrion coming right behind Jai, while the older brother greeted the queen.
"Hello, Your Majesty," Tyrion said, raising his cup, while the king did the sa. They seed to have a more positive energy with each other, which wasn't surprising — after all, both seed to love feasts and prostitutes.
"I hope you're enjoying yourself, Your Majesty," Tyrion said.
"Of course, dwarf. I'm glad to relive the old tis." The king smiled, while Tyrion turned back to Lord Stark.
"We haven't greeted each other yet, but it's a pleasure to see you, Lord Stark." Tyrion said, and Lord Stark nodded to him, not with as much hostility as he had toward Jai, but still, Arya noticed that her father didn't like the Lannisters by nature.
"The North certainly doesn't have the best of temperatures, but I found northern folk very welcoming and quite different from the places I co from." He said, while Jai looked at him almost as if to say the only northerners he seed to know were won he was paying gold coins to see their breasts.
Lord Stark nodded and Tyrion moved on to the queen.
"Hello, my dear sister. I hope you're enjoying this evening." Tyrion said, while Cersei had given Jai a rather loving look. That sa look turned into such contempt that Arya even frowned. She clearly hated the dwarf brother.
"It would be better if you weren't standing in front of ." She simply said openly. Though only those paying close attention to her managed to hear it. That intrigued Arya.
"But you don't need to worry. Don't fret. I'm sure that soon your bitterness and venom will improve, and before long, you'll wear a smile just as everyone expects from the Queen of Westeros." He said, and before Cersei could respond, he turned to the children.
Joffrey had the sa look of disdain as his mother toward Tyrion. Tomn and Myrcella, however, were more open, smiling at their uncle.
"Hello, my dear nephews. I hope you enjoy yourselves. If anyone bothers you… well, then you'll have to call your other uncle, since I'm a bit too small to threaten any bullies." He said in an ironic tone, drawing laughter from the two younger ones, while Joffrey scoffed at hearing it.
The brothers had only co to greet the royal family as Lannisters at the main table before beginning to return. That's when Arya thought about taking action.
"Lord Tyrion! Could you co here?" she called openly, as he stopped, looking oddly, even though they had spoken face to face in Lannisport many years ago, when Jon was still negotiating with Westeros. It was still a surprise to see her calling out to him like that. He hadn't expected it.
"How can I help you, milady? I an, princess..." he asked openly.
"Why don't you sit with and we talk for a bit?" Arya said, turning her gaze to Jai Lannister.
"Could I borrow your brother for a while? I'd like to exchange a few words with him." she said, as Jai looked at his brother, who was a bit surprised, before giving a slight nod.
Certainly, this drew the attention of the tables, and even the queen narrowed her eyes upon seeing her brother sitting with the arrogant girl who thinks she's the Queen of Winterfell.
"Well, it's not every day that one of the most beautiful won in Westeros calls to sit with her. I can't pass up this opportunity, don't you think, brother?" Tyrion said in his ironic tone.
"I suppose not... Either way, be careful," Jai murmured as he began to walk away, and Tyrion shrugged.
He pulled up a chair and settled in with so difficulty, sitting across from Arya.
"So... I'm curious. What does the most desired woman at this feast want with a dwarf like ?" he said in a sad tone, as his gaze fell on two pairs of eyes staring at him. Arya's royal guards were watching him with a slightly hostile look, making him shrink a bit and regret not keeping Jai with him.
"Stop it. I apologize for them, my lord. But there are so things I'd like to discuss with you." Arya said.
"Ah, of course. What would you like to know?" he said, sipping from his cup.
Arya remained calm, not drinking much.
"I want to know about Joy Hill, who lives in Casterly Rock."
"Joy? You know my cousin?" he asked, surprised.
"I wouldn't say that. But I wanted to know how she's doing." Arya asked.
"She's doing well..." Tyrion sounded a bit suspicious about the type of question, keeping a touch of caution in his voice. He never thought a princess from Arctic would ask about his bastard cousin, daughter of his late uncle Gerion Lannister and raised in Casterly Rock despite her birth status.
"She's doing very well. She's a young girl, strong, despite her bastardy."
After all, no bastard escapes the prejudice that cos with their birth. But Tyrion had always treated her well — he always had a soft heart for bastards and broken things.
"I could say she's even treated better than I am," he finished, taking another sip from his cup.
"That's good," Arya murmured.
"Why would a princess of Arctic specifically approach a Lannister to talk about a bastard from Casterly Rock?" Tyrion asked.
"We t her father in Yi Ti." Arya replied.
Tyrion, who had been listening with so curiosity, imdiately froze.
"Wait... you t my uncle, Gerion Lannister?" he murmured, shocked.
"Yes. He's living in Yi Ti, in the city of Yin, in service to a Lord Kin'emon, a samurai lord, very respected in the country." Arya replied, while Tyrion was still there, deeply surprised.
"Because he..." Tyrion was about to ask the obvious, but Arya interrupted, already predicting his question.
"Why didn't he co back with us? Well, because he can't. He still has a debt to repay to the lord of the city for saving his life during the journey. He also ended up starting a family in Yi Ti. That's why he can't return. But he still spoke of Joy, his daughter..." Arya said.
Tyrion remained silent for several seconds before simply drinking from his cup again and looking at Arya.
"So he's alive... So he's alive after all this ti." He repeated, letting the words slip from his mouth like the wind.
Then he began to laugh, finding it very pleasant. Gerion had certainly been a beloved uncle, soone Tyrion always had fond mories of — always laughing with him and never treating him like a monster. That was why he had done what he could to ensure Joy had a good life in Casterly Rock.
"This is truly delightful. Could you tell more about my uncle and how he's living?" Tyrion asked, more animated than ever now.
Arya was about to answer, but once again that Dornish lord returned to their table. Since they were engaged in conversation with Tyrion, they hadn't noticed his approach in ti to stop him. Still, he should've known he wasn't invited to that table.
"Princess Arya," he called as he arrived.
Arya's gaze narrowed as she raised an eyebrow at him. Even Tyrion looked over his shoulder.
"How may I help you, my lord?" Arya asked calmly.
"I wished to accompany you for a while, so we might talk?" he said, while Arya's royal guards looked at him as though he had no idea how inconvenient he was being — or perhaps he simply didn't care.
"I'm busy right now, my lord. Could you excuse us?" Arya replied curtly.
"You don't have ti for , who ca here first, but you do for a... dwarf? I'm sure my company would be far better than that of a man with a dwarf's affliction." he said, while a few n who accompanied him behind began to laugh.
Tyrion seed to shrink imdiately, though he already seed accustod to that kind of treatnt.
Arya certainly thought that for soone like him to say that publicly, so bluntly, the Dornish must truly hate the Lannisters.
"I'll say this one more ti, my lord. Leave here imdiately, or you will be expelled from Winterfell." Arya said seriously, without a hint of amusent.
The man stopped laughing at that mont, then looked at Arya a bit surprised.
"What do you an by that, Princess Arya?" he asked, seeing that she was dead serious.
"I an that if you disrespect my guest one more ti — whom I personally invited for a conversation — I promise you this: you will leave Winterfell. And I don't care if you're a noble from Dorne." Arya said in a very serious tone.
The Dornish noble stood there, mouth slightly open and then closed again, on the verge of saying sothing more but unable to continue.
"Hey, you there, Dornishman! Stop bothering the girl and go sniff your own kind's arses sowhere else!" Robert's voice growled at that mont, catching everyone by surprise. He hadn't heard a word of their conversation, but he imdiately knew those Dornish were bothering Arya — with Lord Stark also keeping a fixed gaze on the scene.
The noble looked surprised at the king, then at Arya, and back again at the king.
"Of course, Your Majesty. My apologies, Lady Princess Arya." He bowed his head to the king and to her as well, before leaving, though there was still a look of humiliation on his face.
"That guy asked for it," arin didn't hold back from murmuring beside Arya.
"These Dornish are persistent," Arya muttered. "But now they won't be bothering us anymore," she said, watching the n sit again at the Dornish table in the middle of the hall.
"Well... the Dornish don't care much for the Lannisters," Tyrion murmured.
"Hardly anyone does, my lord," Arya replied dryly.
Tyrion couldn't disagree. His family was hated in many kingdoms.
"But thank you. It's not every day soone defends a dwarf. And I'm sure the company of a young man would be better than mine." He remarked, laughing as he drank.
"I'm not here to look for a husband, Tyrion Lannister. I'm here to talk about things that concern and Arctic." She spoke in a serious tone.
"I suppose you're right. And going back to our conversation... well, it's a sha my uncle can't return to Westeros, then."
"It's true. He refused to co, as I ntioned. But he asked Jon for a favor: to take Joy Hill to Arctic as a request." She said, while Tyrion was surprised by that revelation.
"The King of Arctic agreed?" he asked, curious.
"Yes. That's why I'm asking about the girl. If she were well enough today, I would have already taken her to the kingdom. After all, I'm leaving in a few days." Arya replied.
"Well, that is surprising. But I doubt my father would actually authorize that." He said.
"Your uncle thought of that. That's why he gave sothing to Jon. Sothing your father couldn't refuse." She said, and then Tyrion had a realization.
"The sword... He gave the sword to Jon."
Tyrion knew how badly his father wanted that Valyrian steel sword that had been lost long ago. Gerion had gone after it, and that quest had led him to Yi Ti — and it seed he had succeeded.
Tyrion rembered well that Gerion had done it all for Joy Hill. Bringing the sword, his daughter would be legitimized as a Lannister.
"Yes. He secretly gave it to Jon and asked him to make the trade directly with your father, for the girl." Arya inford.
"You have no idea how my father is going to lose his mind over this. He'll imdiately want to take Joy personally by ship to that icy land." Tyrion said, laughing out loud.
"Well, he'll have to wait a bit. But the girl must be well cared for. If she isn't, you can be sure the King of Arctic won't give up the sword." Arya said.
"You can be sure I'll make sure to tell him that." Tyrion said, still chuckling.
Arya began telling what she knew about Gerion, though it was Jon who had spoken more with him. anwhile, Tyrion also grew interested in the culture of Yi Ti, and Arya had no problem sharing what she knew.
"Anyway, I'd also like to ask about soone, if I may, princess." He said, and Arya nodded for him to proceed.
"I enjoyed hearing about Jon Arctic. I know our eting was brief, but I'd like to hear more about the man who was born a bastard, and simply challenged the entire world to beco one of the most powerful n alive, building a kingdom full of strength, wealth, and fa across the world. That's not a story one hears every day.
Even though most maesters write horrible things about him after he sacked Oldtown, I'd still like to hear the truth. After all, he's much more than that raiding monster who destroyed every enemy and entire fleets." He said — but he wasn't finished.
"Also, if you'll allow to be bold... I'd love to hear more about Arctic. I'd like to know about the dwarves and even the other races, if you'll let this dwarf's curiosity run wild." He said.
"You seem to enjoy collecting information, my lord." Arya replied with a smile.
"It's very likely my father will love hearing this information. Though there's sothing a bit more personal I'd like to ask: I'd like to hear about the magical kingdom beyond the Wall.
I've heard so much about how the nights above the Wall are lit with the lights of the kingdom in the distance, shimring across the sky every night. I've been thinking about going to see it myself after the king leaves Winterfell," he said, looking at her.
She didn't need to give away anything vital, but she could certainly speak a little. Jon and Arctic, and their journeys... Tyrion wasn't the kind of arrogant noble usually found in Westeros.
She fell silent, gazing ahead and pondering a few words, leaving Tyrion quite surprised as he listened to her speak of the kingdom.
At tis, when Arya spoke of Arctic, the small man before her seed to dream of being in Arctic one day.
-------------Nexts Chapters ----------------
Chapter 287 - The dilemmas of Winterfell.
Chapter 292 - Vezofēdrur.
Chapter 302 - The Eagle's Attack.
Chapter 311 - The Direct Conflict of the Artican Kingsguard.
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