[Chapter Size: 3700 Words.]
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Third Person POV
Arctic, 298 AC.
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The first ship finally passed under the statue at the entrance of the kingdom after leaving the sea and sailing through the entire northern channel, as it emerged into the farmland area east of the kingdom of Arctic.
The city was already visible in the distance, while the ships continued heading directly toward it. On the main ship, Arya was on deck, near the bow, looking ahead, toward Arctic after being away for more than a year, as she breathed in the kingdom's distinctive air.
"How good it is to be back." The one who spoke was someone beside Arya, Mearin, while the princess nodded. Not only her, but also the two royal guards who had accompanied her in Winterfell, were there with the two of them as well, also admiring the kingdom as the ship continued to sail.
"I can't even believe I'm back... This air, this cold weather with a touch of greenery... more than a year... longer than I'd like... and now here... This only strengthens the idea that Arctic is my true home." Arya said as she kept her eyes closed, feeling the wind against her face in that position on the ship.
Winterfell was the place where she was born, but she couldn't deny that the place was predominantly gray and tedious in its climate, even with the king's company in the last few weeks... Winterfell hadn't changed much... Just the colorful view in front of her was already far more interesting than being in Winterfell. The atmosphere was much more alive here.
"There are so many things I want to do now that I'm here..." She didn't even know where to start, her heart already racing at the thought of seeing again the people she had missed.
Uncle Benjen, Lyanna, Loki, Jaehaerys, Brandon, Jon's other babies, and even the wives who had become her friends. Wind was also there, along with many others — her true friends — and not all those nobles who had filled Winterfell in recent weeks.
Who had been trying to court her with carefully chosen, even forced words. Arya hated that. She preferred to speak with someone in a lower position, but in a freer and more spontaneous way, rather than deal with nobles using strange words and awkward comments most of the time, hoping to impress her.
Here, she had many friends. She could talk for hours and hours without tiring, about important matters or even trivial things.
She turned to the two older people. "And what are your plans?" Arya asked, curious.
"We're going to visit our family, obviously, if the king grants us leave." Jill said.
"And why wouldn't he?" Arya replied. "You've been our guardians for so long in the South and surely there are many others among the 98 royal guards to cover for you. So I'm sure you'll take even a whole moon off." Arya said.
"That's too kind." Bari replied, smiling, as he looked at the other royal guards who had left Winterfell with them, who were also on the ship, but hadn't kept as much contact as Bari and Jill. With the two spending so much time with Arya, not to mention the time together on the other journeys before Winterfell, they ended up creating a certain friendship.
The waters trembled as the ship entered the great port, while Captain Maccar shouted at the sailors to head for the main dock with that ship. They could already see other royal guards in the distance because of their characteristic armor.
"Look, they're waiting for us." Mearin said, and Arya smiled.
The ship moved toward that dock, finally stopping, with the sailors quick enough to fasten the ropes that tied the ship to the dock's platform.
"Well, everyone, we're in Arctic now. Let's start getting off the ship." Said Captain Maccar, while Arya could see the whole group of people who had accompanied her in Winterfell, excited, looking at the city after being away for so long, almost 4 years away from home.
However, Arya's gray eyes were soon caught by someone in the distance among the group of royal guards waiting to receive them: Jon, mounted on his horse, and she could also see Uncle Benjen beside him.
There was a child seated in Jon's lap in front of him on the horse, and the platinum hair certainly made it clear who it was.
Arya quickly got off the ship, not caring about keeping her composure. She lifted her dress, for even though she had worn training clothes throughout the whole journey, she wanted to look presentable upon arriving there and had put on one of her best dresses.
Thus, she ran toward Jon after stepping onto the port, with Mearin shouting after her, but Arya didn't hear as she saw Jon dismounting and taking the child into his arms, while Benjen was already waiting for her in front of the royal guards. Jon joined him, keeping the girl in his arms.
Arya kept rushing ahead, before the others who were still leaving the ship.
The Arcticans present at the port stopped to watch, curious and surprised at the arrival of some ships. To them, the kingdom was already closed and no ships should be coming into the port with it officially sealed, but they didn't know of the princess's presence that day.
Arya ran first directly to Benjen, since she had seen Jon days earlier.
"Uncle Benjen!" She shouted, hugging him, while her uncle quickly returned the embrace.
"My God, Arya, you don't need to run like that. Just look at you..." He said, laughing, as he hugged his niece.
"It's just been so long..." Arya murmured.
It had been years since she last saw him. Even when she had run away with Jon, she had hidden to pass through the Wall. Benjen didn't even know of her presence at that time, because otherwise, he would have stopped Jon from taking her to Arctic with the idea of bringing the 8-nameday girl north of the Wall. Jon even had to intercept all the ravens her father sent to hold Arya back.
In short, it had been more than 8 years since Arya had seen Benjen.
"Look at you, Arya... You've grown so much. You're becoming a young woman. So much like Lyanna... No, you even surpass your aunt's beauty." Benjen said with a touch of admiration.
"Thank you, uncle." She replied, stepping back a little. "And you're looking great too. Uncle, is Jon over there giving out potions as well?" Arya asked in a playful tone, while Benjen smiled.
"Yeah, Jon's been making me take some things... I can't complain too much. I feel much healthier and stronger..." He said.
Arya then looked to the side and saw Benjen's giant wolf, about 1.80m tall.
"So this is the wolf Jon gave you?" Arya commented, while the animal watched her.
Right after, she could feel Nymeria coming out from the middle of the group of people who had come from the ship, bounding toward them with playful steps and tongue out.
After observing the wolf, Arya turned to Jon, who was holding the little girl in his arms. The child had been staring at Arya with curious eyes the whole time. Beside them was also the girl's wolf, according to Arya's memories of when he and the girl were just newborns... He was white, about two meters tall, as big as Nymeria.
Lyanna kept staring, studying Arya, while the Stark girl smiled and approached the little one.
"Lyanna, look at you!" Arya laughed, approaching with open arms. Jon handed the girl to her. Although she was already big for her age, almost four years old, Arya lifted her easily and pulled her close, while the little one still stared at her with purple eyes.
"Are you Aunt Arya?" Lyanna said, with an uncertain tone. The girl only had faint glimpses of memory of Aunt Arya, since she had been just a newborn baby when she met her, before Jon left on his second stage of journeys, to Essos.
"Of course I am. Your father spoke a lot about you in his letters. It's good to see that you're already a grown-up girl and also very beautiful." Arya said with a touch of tenderness.
"You're beautiful too." Said the little girl in an innocent tone, making Arya laugh.
"Thank you, I'm happy to hear that, my little one. And have you been giving your father a lot of trouble?" If Lyanna already found Arya's words amusing, she began to laugh out loud at the question.
"Yes!" She replied enthusiastically.
"You shouldn't be celebrating that, Lyanna." Jon's voice came from just behind, though in a calm tone, while Nymeria placed herself between the two, with Jon touching Arya's giant wolf.
"Hello, Nymeria." He said, letting the she-wolf lick his hand, though they had already seen each other a few days before.
"I can imagine." Arya laughed at little Lyanna's reply. "I also liked to bother your father a lot when I was younger in this kingdom." She said, while the little girl laughed even harder, turning her gaze to Nymeria, watching with curiosity the giant wolf she had never seen up close.
"Anyway, I'm very excited to be back." Arya smiled. "Tell me, have you already seen all the places in the kingdom?" She asked the girl.
"Kepa and Muña sometimes take us to other places, but most of the time we stay in the castle studying..." Lyanna said.
"I see. Then, if you don't mind, how about we start visiting some places together? There are so many things I haven't done here in a long time, and I'd love to have your company." Arya said, winking, while the girl seemed to glow with the excitement of adventuring with her aunt.
Jon merely raised an eyebrow and said nothing, while Arya turned her attention to him with eyes full of expectation.
"Well, my dear cousin, it's good to see you again. I missed you, even if it hasn't been many days since I last saw your handsome face." Arya approached Jon, still holding Lyanna in her arms, and hugged him, resting her forehead against his chest, since he wasn't wearing armor.
"Well, Arya, welcome back. You are home." Jon said, placing his hand on the back of her head and also touching Lyanna's little face, still in Arya's arms. The girl smiled happily, looking at her father.
"And you, my little one, are you having a lot of fun with Aunt Arya, aren't you?" He said, noticing Lyanna's excitement.
"Yes, Kepa!"
"Anyway, welcome back, Arya. Just let me greet the others and then we'll head to the castle. Everyone is waiting for you there." Jon said, who had personally made a point of coming to the port to meet his cousin, along with Uncle Benjen, who hadn't wanted to wait.
Arya finally moved away from his touch and sighed in relief, while Jon went to meet the other royal guards who were approaching. Mearin and Grey Worm also joined them.
The latter was curiously observing the kingdom for the first time, since he had never been there before. He and all the Unsullied had been freed when Jon's fleet attacked Slaver's Bay, and since then, they had gone to the Northern kingdom to care for Arya. Now, they were finally in Arctic.
"Well, I've already thanked you personally, but even so, welcome back, Bari and Jill. You did a good job and will be well rewarded." Jon said to the two royal guards who had stayed with Arya.
"My king, we only did our duty." Jill said, bowing her head along with Bari.
"I know, but see it this way: I'd still rather reward you for having been away from home for so long. In any case, you have permission to go straight to your families. Your mother is here, Bari." Jon added, since an older woman had come to the port when she learned her son was arriving.
"We would at least like to accompany the princess to the castle, to say that we finished our work, before seeing our family." Bari said, and Jon understood.
He turned his attention to the other royal guards. "Well, I will also thank you for having gone to the Northern kingdom to protect our princess." Jon said, while all of them bowed their heads before him.
Jon then turned his attention to Mearin. "And you, Mearin, I thank you for accompanying Arya. It was an important role, chosen by her and by your willingness."
The young girl blushed at the compliment, lowering her head. "Thank you, my king. Arya is a dear friend. It's the least I could do for her..."
Jon nodded and turned his attention to the group of people. "And you as well, who have been with her all this time, will be equally rewarded." He said.
Everyone nodded. Bari went to speak with his mother, while Jon exchanged a few words with Grey Worm. He needed to deal with the Unsullied, since they would not stay in the castle — at least not the three hundred Arya commanded. They would be relocated elsewhere.
In any case, there were carts and carriages available for everyone, as they began to organize themselves. Bari and Jill, as they had said, accompanied Arya. Thus, they advanced through the city, guarded by other royal soldiers who were already there with Jon.
They advanced until reaching the castle, with Arya having stolen Lyanna from Jon and placed her in her lap on the horse. Smiling, she rode alongside the king and her uncle Benjen, who made comments about the kingdom. Arya replied, also talking about things she used to do, while young Lyanna looked at her with eyes shining with a passion for adventures and exploration.
Upon crossing the castle gate, they were met by the line of wives and queens of Arctic, accompanied by the children in most of their arms. Jon watched as each one greeted Arya, while she looked at every child she hadn't met yet, full of expectation. Lyanna soon ran to her mother's legs, with her sister in their mother's arms.
It took some time, but finally they began to move inside the castle after everyone had spoken. Jon had offered a meal, since it was close to lunch, and they brought it forward due to Arya's long journey, so she could rest before the evening.
He also asked his men to take care of the rest of the matters. Mearin, in turn, was invited to stay with Arya and have lunch with the royal family. Bari and Jill said their goodbyes to Arya, promising to meet later, and they left the castle.
"I'll see your family with you in the afternoon." Arya said, in a tone Mearin couldn't argue with.
"All right, Arya, but that's not all, is it?"
"We'll see her family, Mearin..." She began. "I want to see her parents and apologize in person." Arya murmured, remembering her late friend.
At lunch, the queens interacted more with Arya, while questions about her stay in Winterfell were asked. She almost always replied about the castle and her family.
"You've grown so much, Arya." Seryna couldn't help but comment, staring at the girl. Of all those present, she too hadn't seen her since she had left the kingdom, for Seryna had stayed to care for the children while Jon and the others visited Essos.
"Thank you, Seryna. You are also dazzling, as always." Arya said politely. Even though Seryna was about to give birth, there was no denying that Jon's first queen was beautiful.
Arya turned her gaze to Val, the blonde who was eating among them, showing much more skill with fork and knife than when she first started living in the castle, back when she preferred not to use them at all.
The blonde also noticed Arya's gaze and lifted her eyes, staring at her with intensity. Val's blue eyes crossed with Arya's gray ones, who kept her surprise contained.
In Jon's letters, he had spoken about her. Arya couldn't help but feel a twinge of irritation, remembering the episode in which Val had invaded Jon's room only to put a knife to his neck. Val, in turn, stared back with a certain fierceness, creating a tense atmosphere between the two.
But soon Arya turned her attention back to Jon, ignoring Val, while he raised an eyebrow in her direction, silently asking what that had been, since he had noticed the exchanged look between Arya and Val.
"Jon, I wanted to talk to you about some things." Arya said, while continuing to serve herself and eat from the plentiful table the servants had prepared.
"Go on..." Jon simply said.
"I tried to talk to you, but I couldn't, since your birds always stayed away. Do you remember that boy you met and helped at the Reach? Samwell Tarly... We found him in the North while we were going down to White Harbor..." She informed.
"Was he with the Tyrell family in Winterfell?" Jon asked curiously, remembering Sam, the timid boy who was certainly in trouble thanks to his father and that man's pride. He was the firstborn, and Jon remembered Sam as his first opponent in the tournament where he had made a bet with Renly Baratheon for Dark Sister and lands in the Stormlands. Jon had helped Sam control his horse so he wouldn't lose so badly in front of everyone, on that occasion.
"No, Jon. We found him with a group of his house, heading to the Tarly household's patrol, sending him directly to the Wall." The comment made Jon stop his meal, and even Benjen looked curiously.
"To the Wall? He plans to join the Night's Watch?" Jon grimaced upon hearing that.
"I don't think it's that simple." Arya sighed. "The boy was frightened. It wasn't of his own free will that he was going to the Wall. Willian Tyrell said that his father was very strict, and to them, it wouldn't be surprising if Lord Tarly had sent his firstborn directly to the Wall just so the younger one could assume as heir of House Tarly, since he's much more promising... It's not something impossible to happen, given what we know of that man."
"His father sent him to the Wall? Sam told me about his passion for books... Wouldn't it have been easier to make him a maester?" Jon was irritated to hear that.
"I think being a maester is more shameful for Lord Tarly than having his son serve in the Watch." Arya said, returning to her meal, with the table silent due to their conversation.
"I see." Jon said at last. He was irritated at how Sam's father could act that way, but he also knew he couldn't do much more. He would think about it later.
"Muña, did you know that Arya has a child of the forest friend from the sacred grove!?" Despite the slightly heavy atmosphere, Lyanna broke the focus with her cheerful comment.
"Ah yes, Wind, she spoke to you the last time we were there... Don't you remember?" Ygritte said, smiling at Arya.
"You've changed so much, Ygritte." Arya couldn't help but comment, staring at her. "You're more mature, different from the rebellious queen I once knew."
Ygritte gave a small smile. "It's true... Perhaps being a mother has made me mature more."
"Did you keep painting? I'd love to see your new paintings." Arya said.
"Mom paints really well! She even made a picture of you! She paints a lot about us. Every room has some." The one who replied was Brandon, equally cheerful, while Ygritte stroked her son beside her at the table.
"That sounds really nice. I'd love to see them later, but I'd like to do some things outside the castle yet today." Arya said.
"Really? You don't want to rest?" Jon asked, while she shook her head.
"No, Jon. I'd like to see her parents... since I couldn't attend the funeral." She said, in a sad tone.
"I understand... Well, at least we brought her body and managed to bury her. Her parents were very sad, as you can imagine. She had gained a sister, but never lived long enough to see her." Jon said in a heavy tone. Arya, in turn, felt depressed at that.
"It's a pity she's gone... I loved her." Arya's eyes shone with the urge to shed tears, and Mearin seemed to cry upon hearing that as well.
"It wasn't your fault. And you avenged her, remember that." Jon replied, while Arya sighed.
In any case, Arya soon left the place, returning to her old room in the royal family's wing. It had never been occupied by anyone else, always kept clean and organized, with her things preserved, and all the luggage from the journey already there.
"I want to see where you'll put everything you received..." Mearin, who accompanied her, said, looking around with great admiration.
"Thank you... I guess." Arya said, as she prepared some things and began to organize herself together with Mearin. They agreed to visit Mearin's family together and then go to the family of her late friend.
"Before we go to your house, let's head to the Sacred Grove. I just want to exchange a few words with Wind." With that said, Arya began moving forward with Mearin.
Arya would have even taken Lyanna or any of Jon's children, but all the older ones had gone to play with the giant wolves in the courtyard. Arya left the castle accompanied by other royal guards as they advanced through the city.
Wind appeared shortly after as soon as she was called, looking at Arya with wide eyes.
"You're back!? When?" She shouted.
"Just today, only a few hours ago if you want to ask me." Arya laughed, passing by the heart trees while other children of the forest peeked at them, many of them half Wind's size.
Arya's comment made Wind run forward. "You're back!" With that, she hugged her.
"Yes... I'm back." Arya murmured.
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