Sunchoke / Arya Stark (2)

16. Liars & Cowards

"Enough of that, young lady. Eat your food." Septa Mordane demanded as Arya stabbed her knight into the table between her fingers.

"I'm practicing." Arya corrected

"Practicing for what?" Sansa countered confused.

"The Prince." Arya declared smugly.

"Arya, stop!" Mordane demanded.

"He's a liar and a coward and he killed my friend." Arya demanded.

" The Hound killed your friend." Sansa corrected.

"The Hound does whatever the Prince tells him to do."

"You're an idiot." Sansa sneered

"You're a liar. And if you told the truth, Mycah would be alive." Arya shouted.

"Enough!" Mordane demanded. "Come on Arya." 

"Hey Arya- What is this woman doing? Take your hands off my lady!" Draco demanded, Kelsea moved past draco and sat beside Sansa. 

"Morning, did you sleep well?" Kelsea questioned. 

"Yes and you?"

"Yes." Kelsea lied, she wished they would have stayed at the rock with her father. After dying Dracos hair they had all retired for an early night it seemed and Kelseas mind spiraled. She ended up sleeping in Dracos bed that night, not wanting to be alone. 

"What's happening here?" Ned questioned approaching them.

"Arya would rather act like a beast than a lady." Mordane remarked.

"Go to your room. We'll speak later." Ned remarked as Arya slumped off. 

"Bye Draco." Arya mumbled. 

"Bye..." Draco whispered watching her leave. 

 "That's for you, love..." Ned placed a wrapped package in front of Sansa on the table. Sansa unwrapped it staring down at the doll. Kelsea smiled down at it but Sansa didnt look happy. Kelsea reached out touching the fabric.  "The same dollmaker makes all of Princess Myrcella's toys. Don't you like it?" Ned questioned and Sansa stared back at him annoyed.

"I haven't played with dolls since I was eight." Sansa sassed. Draco peered over at the doll. 

"Nora would like it." Draco offered between bites of jam filled toast. 

 "May I be excused?" Sansa drawled. 

"You've barely eaten a thing." Mordane corrected.

" It's all right. Go on." Ned assured. She left the doll behind and Ned stared down at it. 

"It was a lovely gift." Kelsea assured as she took a sip of her tea.

"Would you like it lady Kelsea?" Ned pondered. 

"You should give it to sansa, she will come around." Kelsea assured. 

"Thats your nice way of saying you dont play with dolls either." Ned reasoned. 

"Kelsea has a collection of dolls back home." Draco cut in. "She used to have tea parties with them-"

"And now Nora does, they just live in my room." Kelsea interrupted. "We have tea parties... I always loved tea parties." Kelsea remarked softly. 

"Why couldnt I have had you as a daughter Kelsea? My life would have been easier." Ned remarked. 

"You can have her as a daughter in law when I marry Arya." Draco remarked bluntly. 

"Ah, well..." Ned nodded slowly. Ned looked down to the doll he had made for Arya... she would hate it too. "War was easier than daughters." Ned remarked as he got up. 

+

'Go away!' Arya shouted when there was a knock on the door. 

''Arya open the door,' Ned requested, she begrudgingly got up needle in hand, 'may I come in?' he questioned coming into her room closing the door behind him. 'Arya who's sword is that?'

'It's mine' arya told him.

'Give it to me,' Ned requested holding his hands 'I know this makers mark,' he noted 'this is mickers work. Where did you get this?' she didn't answer. 'This is no toy.' Ned reminded her 'a little lady shouldn't play with swords.'

'I wasn't playing and I don't want to be a lady!' arya exclaimed. 'I want to be a knight! Draco doesnt mind that I want to be a knight! He likes my fire!"

''Come here...' Ned said patting the bench at the end of the bed as he took a seat. 'What do you want with this?' Ned question holding her sword up.

''It's called needle,' she corrected softly her feet twisting on the ground. 

''a blade with a name... And who are you hoping to skewer with needle your sister? You know the first thing but sword fighting-'

'Stick them with the pointy end,' she told him

'Yes that's the essence of it.' He laughed. His little Arya was going to be a warrior.

'I was trying to learn...' She told him 'I asked Mycha to practice with me. I asked him it was my fault-'' Arya whimpered. 

''Oh sweet girl no no you did not kill the butchers boy.' Ned reminded her.

''I hate them I hate all of them, the hound, the king and the queen and Joffrey and Sansa. I hate all of them!' arya declared

'Sansa went before the king and queen and was asked to call the prince a liar.' Ned told her.

'So? He is a liar!' Arya told her father. "Draco stood up for me!" 

''shush my sweet girl, sansa will be married to Joffrey someday. She cannot betray him she must take his side even when he was wrong.' Ned informed her.

''But how can you let her marry someone like that?' Arya questioned

''Look at me, you are a stark of Winterfell, you know our words?''

''Winter is coming.' Arya recited.

'You were born in a long summer you have never known anything else but winter is coming.' Ned informed her. 'we must protect ourselves. Look after one other, Sansa is your sister.'

'I don't hate her' she admitted 'not really.'

'I do not want to frighten you but I won't lie to either, we have come to a dangerous place we cannot fight a war amongst ourselves.' he handed her back needle 'go on this is yours.'

'I can keep it? 'She said happily

'Try not to stab your sister with it,' Ned told her 'if you're going to own a sword you're going to need to know how to use it.''