bite my tongue, bide my time

[iknowdeath]

WHO: Arya Stark and Jon; OTA
WHEN: November 1th
WHAT: Arrival, getting filled in
WHERE: Gazin
WARNINGS: Talk of murder very likely
Note: Feel free to catch her walking towards Gazin, in town before the storm or the next day when she can be found wandering around, trying to take the reality in of how she got there. As well as how it had managed to bring in a younger version of her father. And her dead Aunt.

ARRIVAL - INN

Despite the jarring way it all happens, one wouldn't know by looking at Arya Stark's face upon entering Gazin that she's not from the kingdom, nor of the World she has recently arrived in. It makes it easier to walk among the people and glean information that she pretends to already know, leaving those people none the wiser that she is yet another one pulled in by some force unseen.

The only problem is that Arya doesn't know it either.

After hearing a man speak the name of the town in a discussion with another, and seeing signs that confirm it, Arya knows she isn't in Westeros. Not after Septa Mordane drilled every House and where it was in Westeros into her and Sansa's heads, which was the case for every young lady who would be coming to the age of being married in order to unite Houses. Gazin is nowhere she knows of.

And then there was the question of how she got there without remembering the travel.

The answers wouldn't come themselves so Arya made a decision to try and find what she could before nightfall and then head to a tavern where maybe there were merchants or wanderers discussing their travel routes. Unfortunately, the skies open up and chase all the citizens into their homes.

So, Arya stands inside the main door of the inn, looking around before asking the keeper if there was a place she could go until the rain stopped outside. The older man looks her over, then gestures to the tavern door.

Comments

[thebrideoffire]

The rain made it difficult for Dany to do any work, so she was let off early for the day. While she had considered camping again at the outskirts of town, the storm was better to wait out indoors. So it was the tavern then, where at least the food was fresh and satisfying.

New faces were notable, but not strange. The girl is young and looks shockingly similar to Jon Snow. There was something of the North about her as well. With a warm mug of mulled wine in her hand, she beckoned the girl over. "Come, share a meal with me. You look as if you need one."

[iknowdeath]

Giving the room a once over, she can see that whoever is in the tavern right then are likely people staying at the inn. They look at home, enjoying food and wine and the warmth of a fireplace. Westeros has establishments like this, but none as inviting as this one was.

Her eyes scan from left to right and fall on the woman with silver-blonde hair.

"I'm afraid I have nothing to pay for it with," Arya says, approaching the table.

[thebrideoffire]

"I have a bit of extra coin. Consider it a means of helping you settle in for the night after such a shock." How could it be anything else? Being pulled from one world to another? It had been for her and only the kindness and generosity of others had helped ease her mind.

"Sit," she pushed a chair closer to Arya, a bit insistent for the newcomer to relax. "When next you have extra, you can do the same for me."

[iknowdeath]

After such a shock. The words cause Arya to express confusion, but she pulls the chair out a little more and slowly lowers to sit, her gaze fixing on the blonde woman's face as she does. She gives a vague nod.

"What 'shock' do you speak of exactly?" Arya asks, keeping her face neutral and hopefully conveying that it was an odd question to be asking someone from the area.

[thebrideoffire]

She gestured around them, "The coming to a new world and being far from home." Simply the idea of a new world, other realms outside of her own, it was mind boggling and made Daenerys feel so small and lost. Much like the girl she once was rather than Queen and Khaleesi.

"Unless this isn't your first time? There are some who have experience with this."

[iknowdeath]

Arya could deny it, but it was obvious that she wasn't the only one anymore who arrived in the manner that she did. Still, the aforementioned shock was a puzzle that was going to take time to solve.

Her shoulders relax and the young girl leans back in her chair and looks momentarily defeated.

"I wasn't sure if I was the only one this has happened to. Nothing like this has ever happened to anyone I know back in Westeros."

[king_inthenorth]

One thing will be familiar to Arya, at least. Just after the innkeeper directs her to the tavern, the door opens again and the wind blows a man smelling strongly of horses and wet weather inside. He tugs the door shut behind him before he says, in not just a familiar accent but also a familiar voice, "If it's going to fall all day, at least it's not snow," before finally getting a good look at who's standing in front of him.

"Arya?"

[iknowdeath]

Arya stills her hand on the door, looks down when she hears Jon's voice as memories of the final time they had seen each other. She turns to look at him, eyes growing hopeful, praying with everything in her that he is really standing there in front of her and not a figment of her imagination.

Was it really him? Was her brother really there, only a dozen or so steps away?

"Jon?" Her voice barely can be heard, but she needs confirmation and as soon as he gives it, Arya flies towards him and jumps into his arms.

[king_inthenorth]

He catches her easily and lifts off the ground into a bear hug. At least he's taller than one of his sisters.

"Arya. How's my favorite sister?"

He and Sansa have gotten closer, certainly, but their new relationship still doesn' compare to the one he has with Arya.

[iknowdeath]

There would only be a few select people who would see Arya as she was. Jon is one of those people; the brother she felt closest to and the only one who treated her as she wanted to be treated. Not as a girl or even a lady. But whoever Arya Stark had wanted to be.

She embraces him hard, squeezing warmly until she slips down and gets a good look at his face.

"Better now knowing you're here," she smiles. "What happened to you?"

He looks so much older than he did and with that came plenty of experiences.

[king_inthenorth]

He'd felt the closest to her because neither one of them quite fit. Sure, she's the trueborn daughter of the head of one of the great Houses; her place in Westerosi society is assured. But there's no spot for girls like her, just like there's no spot for those of high birth who carry a name denoting their status as a bastard. So Jon had always felt the closest to Arya, who not only didn't care about him being a bastard but also understood how it felt to be an outcast.

What happened to him? Where does he even start? "What do you know about already?"

[iknowdeath]

"Nothing other than the name of this place and what they call this kingdom," she replies, narrowing her gaze at him. He knew more, that was obvious. But how much more?

Arya steps back, Needle on one hip and the dagger Bran gave her on the other, both visible.

"So where are we? Not in Westeros, I know that much."

[king_inthenorth]

"No," he agrees, and if it's strange to see her armed so, he doesn't say so. He knows a little of what had become of her after she disappeared from King's Landing, and he can't blame her for carrying so many weapons when he's done the same. Longclaw is stashed in his quarters but he, too, has a knife at his belt. This place might be safer so far, but he's not going to be completely defenseless.

"No one really knows where we are, except that none of us had heard of it before we arrived here."

[iknowdeath]

"That was my first thought," Arya confessed.

There are so many other things she wants to talk about with him, but it seems that all of her questions will have to come in time. Suddenly her whole mind is drawing a blank.

"How long have you been here?"

[king_inthenorth]

"Many months now." He couldn't say for sure how many, and it hardly seems important right now anyway. It's been long enough to get settled in, and long enough to have figured out that not everyone arrives here from the same time. "What was happening at home before you arrived here?"

[ulfur]

The young knight shouldn't be a very conspicuous sight in the tavern, just one of many in dripping cloaks and seeking warmth. His hair and light beard are a darker brown than usual from the damp, but his eyes are their usual thoughtful grey, and his face is smooth and unlined, if quizzical from the strange events o the day.

From the corner of his eye, Ned glimpses Lyanna and turns to tell her something he has learned...only to stop and blink. For this girl is so much like Lyanna but yet not quite. The details are wrong. The hair, the slight difference in the shape of her face, and certainly the clothes. Yet it is near enough that he wonders if he is seeing things, or if this strange place is playing tricks on him.

"Lyanna?" he asks tentatively, stepping closer. His voice, still a young man's timbre, rings with the cadence of the North. "Do you know me?"

[iknowdeath]

Arya hasn't quite had a chance to wrap her head around the situation she's in. Jon had tried to explain, but that only left her with questions she knew couldn't be answered. Not likely ever. Being forced into accepting the circumstances is not something easily done. Especially for a girl who has had the ability to make her own choices up until that point.

She can see him move closer in her periphery and when she turns to look at him, Arya can't help but stare at the man who only resembles her father. He cannot actually be Ned Stark. And yet, he mentions a name that causes her to wonder if this world has abilities beyond what has been told to her.

Arya's face becomes unreadable and calm as she turns fully to face the man.

"I'm not sure," she lies believably, in a voice that keeps steady. "Who are you?"

[ulfur]

It is not Lyanna, this he knows, but the small alteration is so distinct that it seems clear they must be related. And by the intent way the girl stares back at him too, Ned is sure the same thing is on her mind.

"My name is Eddard Stark," he says, palms spread. His voice, his face, even his demeanor a young man's. The weight of so many cares and years has not yet taken its toll on him, despite the recent losses in his family. "I only just arrived. Who are you? You must be Stark yourself." Whether from his father or mother's side, he is not sure.

[iknowdeath]

Unfortunately, Arya becomes completely transparent at that moment, his name causing her lips to part slightly and grey eyes to open wider in disbelief. How was this even possible? How could a place have the power to reverse time and could she still be dreaming all this?

Lost in the shock of staring at her father in his younger years, she nods. "Arya," she practically breathes out unsteadily. "My name is Arya Stark."

It hit her right then that he would have absolutely no idea who she was and that hurt so much.

[ulfur]

The surprise of it is mirrored in Ned's face for a moment too as he realizes who she must be. It seems no stranger than any of the other things that have happened today. His features are full of wonderment.

"Then - you are my grandmother, for my mother was Lyarra Stark, and her mother Arya was a Flint of the mountains before she wedded my grandfather Rodrik Stark." It was one of the earliest lessons any Stark child was taught, their own family tree. 

He shakes his head, as if trying to clear it. "The last time I saw you, you were an old woman, or at least you seemed so to a little boy." So many of her features seemed to have passed down to her grandchildren. It was truly remarkable. "What kind of magic does this place have, to tamper with time itself, and turn back all those years?

[iknowdeath]

Arya lets him speak, emotion pricking her eyes forcing her to look down. Her reaction was no doubt going to prompt more questions but for now, she held the power over whether or not she wants to answer them.

"No, I am not your grandmother," Arya replies softly, shaking her head. "I don't have any grandchildren, as I'm sure you don't have any either."

The only explanation that could be reasoned is a long lost cousin or someone so far removed that it's a wonder they can call themselves a Stark.

[ulfur]

"No. None that I know of, at least. Though I just found a son I didn't know I had."

She is a shy one, it seems. But not his grandmother. He combs back through his family history but can recall no other Aryas. He'd studied the names in the records thoroughly too. "You must be from another branch or another time," Ned finally says, shrugging. "Well, nonetheless, we are both Stark, which makes us kin. I am glad to make your acquaintance here, Arya."

He holds out his hand for her to clasp his arm and he hers. She reminds him almost of the Mormonts, how the women there dress in warlike garb as the men do, strong and porud. Perhaps she was a Stark among them, he muses.