The Finding of Lya Stark

Family

When I next wake up I'm alone. My shoulder aches but as I sit up I find I can do so without needing help or to stop because it hurts to much. I try to stretch a little and test the usefulness of my arm but there's little movement. My elbow works perfectly fine, but I can't lift my arm up more than a few inches forwards or out to the side and I can't lift it at all behind me. I try to move my shoulder up and down and stop holding onto it.

I take my alone time to look around the room I've been staying in. It gives no clues as to where we are or how long I've been here. It's obviously been enough time for my arm to heal enough to a little scab on the front and back. Next to my bed is a tray with food on it. I reach over and pick up an apple and a note with it. I glance at the letters not being able to read any of it I put it back down and sigh biting into the apple.

I lean back and close my eyes thinking about what was going on. I had been out for a while and woke up to find my youngest sister working for a man my whole family hated, and though I had only talked to him briefly I understood how people didn't like him but also how they respected him. My thoughts turn to Jaime, and I start to worry for him. He could be dead right now for all I knew. What had the Godswood tree said in my dream before I woke up? Something about thinking about what I wanted to see.

I shift so I'm laying down again and put my apple on the tray. I close my eyes and try to think about Jaime. But it's not working. I get out of bed and slowly walk around thinking about him. I end up sitting against the wall cross legged, the cold wall easing the pain that had gradually worsened in my shoulder. Think of Jaime. I close my eyes and start to imagine him. With his long golden hair, and green eyes. The cheeky smile, and stubble on his face. Just as I can picture him entirely in my mind I'm seeing him. He's sitting with a Maester on a rock. The Maester is attending to his wound and seeing the state of his wound makes me feel sick. He looks miserable and just as I want to inspect him more I'm staring into the eyes of Arya.

I blink confused. "What are you doing?"

"Thinking. What are you doing?"

"I'm here to dress you. Lord Tywin wishes to speak with you. Didn't you read the note?"

"I can't."

"You can't what?" she asks as I stand up.

"I don't know how to read. I can recognize some letters and stuff but I was never taught how to read. It wasn't important and my father didn't know how."

"So you were taught how to fight by people coming and going but no one taught you how to read?"

"No one stayed long enough. Besides it was more entertaining for them to see a little girl beat up their squires or friends," she helps me take my dress off and then we put on a different one with some difficulty. "My stupid arm won't work right."

"The Maester did say to practice moving your arm and stuff so you got the movement back."

I slip my feet into shoes and we walk together her leading the way towards wherever. "Where are we?"

"Harrenhal," she says as we walk into a dining hall. Tywin is already seated looking at papers. He looks up and I see he looks impatient.

"Did you just wake up?" he asks.

"No, I needed time for myself," I say not wanting to let him know I can't read. "Besides I need help to dress."

"The note said to go find Jane."

"I didn't know where to find her, I didn't even know where I was until I just asked her."

"I went and got her sir. She was struggling to get her dress off. Her wounded arm doesn't work properly."