In the tower room at the heart of Maegor's Holdfast, Sansa gave herself to the darkness. She drew the curtains and hid. Hiding from the questions. Her father was gone and she knew nothing of her sister.
"Arya's smart. She's likely after a Firebending Master. But where. Perhaps Storms End has someone who would teach her,"
"Perhaps I'll die too," she thought.
The serving girls tried to talk to her when they brought her meals, but she never answered them. Her father was dead and every person who mattered in the world would want her sister dead.
When they finally came for her in truth, Sansa never heard their footsteps. It was Joffrey who opened her door to the boy who had been her prince.
"Where is she" she knew he would ask but it still scared her. If she lied she could die. If she told the truth Arya Would die. No, if's or buts as her father had said.
King Joffrey's face hardened. "My mother tells me that it isn't fitting that a king should strike his wife. Ser Meryn."
The knight yanked back her hand as she tried to shield her face and backhanded her across the ear with a gloved fist.
"Take time to think. The more you lie the more I'll hurt you,"
"I don't know were Arya went. Why would I know? She's the Avatar,"
They hit her once more.
It had been three days since Arya leveled King's Landing when the duo and Nymeria made there way to a small town. Gendry sighed as he looked at Arya.
"Don't you think you should," he held his hands on his hair as if it would explain.
"I should what. Hide. I don't think news travels that fast Gendry," she said mockingly as he huffed.
As they entered the town the first thing Gendry realized was that it was very small. As they got closer he saw everyone gathered around in the center of the town speaking loudly.
Arya walked ahead making her way to a middle-aged man in the center. Likely older than her father as she moved her hands over Needle.
"Sir would you mind telling me what's going on here, My friend and I are travelers and need a night's rest and supplies," Arya told the man but was taken back.
"I don't give a fuck little lady my little girl is missing" he shouted spiting on her face as she took a step back.
"What sir I don't," she tried to bite her tongue as she tried to gather information
Gendry grabbed Arya's arm and she turned to see a younger girl with red eyes. Likely from crying.
"My name's Selsa. I'm sorry about my father it's just my sister is the newest victim," she said choking back a sob.
"What victim? Arya asked,
"Wait you said you need a place to stay please let me take you to the Inn and treat you both to something to eat while we talk," Selsa said sadly as the two nodded,
"Thank you Selsa," Gendry said.
Gendry sat at a table with Selsa placing his and Arya's plates down as Arya returned from finding a place for Nymeria.
"So what's going on," Gendry asked as Selsa sighed,
"For the past year or so. Every month a girl under two and seven had been taken and never seen after that. It happens at night," she said sadly as Arya nodded
"And the newest one was your little sister?" Arya asked as Selsa nodded she sighed,
"How old,"
"Five"
Arya sighed,
"I'm sorry Selsa. Can I talk to Gendry alone for a minute," she asked nicely as Selsa frowned
"I guess, I paid for the table but fine," she said as left.
Arya turned and leaned near Gendry. She needed to talk to him,
"Listen. Doesn't the legend say I'm like a wall or something," she asked. Arya now more then ever wished her father was here. He knew the tales like the back of his hands.
"I'm not sure Arya. I think a bridge between humans and the dead is what my master told me," he told her as she sighed.
"I wish I could ask someone!" Arya complained as Gendry raised an eyebrow
"Have you ever tried to talk to your past lives," he asked as she shook her head,
"Didn't even know I could talk to them. I thought they could just send me dreams or some shit," Arya complained.
"Well what were you thinking?" he asked trying to get back on topic
"Well, what if whatever is doing this is like a part of the dead or something. Some Avatar magic. Maybe that's why I walked this way. I just have a feeling," she tried to explain as Gendry nodded,
"You want to help don't you," he asked as she smirked,
"If it is a dead thing then doesn't that make it my job to help," Arya said as he shrugged his shoulders,
" I guess. No harm in looking into. Besides if we solve it maybe we can get money," he said with a smile.
She punched his arm.
"Gendry!,"
As Selsa returned Arya looked at her and smiled,
"Listen Selsa I'd like to try to help. Let me look into this. Can you tell me anything else," Arya asked.
Selsa looked around, "how could you help Arya," she asked. Arya paused as she sighed,
"I'm good at this kind of thing," she lied as Gendry looked at her with his eyes.
"Fine. what kind of thing do you want to know," she asked as Arya sighed,
"Has anything with girls happened here in the past year," she asked as Selsa looked down.
"Well, last year. A nearby Lord with money came and married a girl. A young girl around 10. They were wed outside the town in a field. When it ended him… forced himself on her," Selsa explained.
"How long after was the first kidnapping," Gendry asked
"One week,"
Arya nodded as she stared at Selsa. "That's odd. Too odd,"
"And you say they are just gone in the morning. No one is in the town," Arya asked as the young girl nodded.
"We had full night watches for two months and it still happened,"
Arya nodded "the wedding was where," she asked as Selsa sighed,
"Less than a mile down the road," she said as Gendry nodded.
"Could we have rooms for the night," He asked as Arya nodded,
"I'll do what I can tomorrow," she told the girl who nodded,
"I'll talk to the Innkeeper. One room right?" she asked
"No. No. Two Rooms" Gendry jumped to fix the issue as Arya nodded.
As Selsa walked off Arya looked at Gendry,
"Sorry about that,"
As Arya laid in her bed. Her stomach full for the first time in days she looked up at the ceiling.
"God. Korra I have so much to ask you," she thought before speaking,
"Talk to me Korra. I don't even know why I know you're name. Please help me," she asked.
Nothing
No reply
No sign
Useless To Even Try
"Goddamnit"
Arya Stark looked around the road as she and Gendry wandered off onto the field of green as she saw something. Footmarks in the ground. As she walked and knelt down and felt the marks she spoke,
"Can the dead make others not see them," She asked out loud but her thoughts were cut off when she heard Gendry scream.
"Arya!," his voice laced with terror as he looked down. He was being held at least twenty feet in the air by nothing he was scared.
As Arya looked up horror covered her face. Holding Gendry was a white and red-furred beast. It's head that of a wolf with the body of a bear.
"The dead,"
She stood up and faced the beast readying an earth bending stance,
"Let him go beast of the dead," she ordered as the beast turned and stared,
"You can see me" the beast replied as Arya nodded,
"Yes I can see you now," she said stopped as she pulled a large chunk of earth from the ground and kicked it at the beasts legs knocking it back as she ran full speed. Catching Gendry as he fell. His size caused her to fall as she let him roll onto the ground and whipped up summoning more earth to her hands as she stared at the beast. Sending the chunks of earth forward.
The beast stared back in shock as it knocked her earth aside with its hands as she ran forward and slammed her fist down creating a landslide. As he jumped up avoiding it. He stared at her more.
Arya blasted another rock at him as he blocked it and she glared at him.
"He's strong"
"you are the Avatar," the beast said as Arya slowly nodded,
"Yes and," she said and what happened next shocked her.
The beast bowed.
"There hasn't been an Avatar for so long. Why must you refer to a spirit as 'the dead' " the beast said honor in his voice as Arya lowered her arms.
"Sprits?" Arya asked as the spirit threw its head back and laughed.
"You know nothing do you girl," It said with a smile
"Shut up!" Arya yelled back in anger as the beast smiled,
"Please young Avatar. I don't know much but I know more than you. Let us speak, tell me how I have angered you" the beast told her kindly as she nodded.
"Alright then. Can you make it so Gendry can see you," she requested as the beast nodded and with a flash of light took the form of a blond-haired young man. Handsome.
"I am Sanros the spirit of lust. Young Avatar. It is an honor to meet you," Sanros said kindly.
Arya nodded, "that explains something, But please explain spirits to me," she asked as Gendry walked up to her. Standing behind her. Clearly trying to follow her conversation.
"Ah yes. Well, young lady. As the Avatar you are the bridge between humans and spirits and our worlds. You're world and the spirit world. It is said you will keep peace between us. That is why I wish to know why you are upset with me to the point of fighting," Sanros said, his voice laced with a form of fear and love.
Arya glared, "haven't you been taking young girls!" she accused as Sanros nodded.
"Is that not what human males do. I see all these great looking human males come and take little girls and bed them. I thought I would try it myself" Sanros told her as Arya nodded.
"The bridge huh," she thought
"First of all Sanros. Yes, many lords do that. But it's wrong and something I hope to stop one day. These girls are far too young for this. Some are nothing more than old babes. The lords who do this do not care how it affects the girls. How it will ruin them. Do you understand you could ruin them in the mind for life" Arya tried to reason as Sanros looked at her in shock
"Are you saying I've hurt them. They're nice to me though" he countered as Arya smiled,
"They are scared of you Sanros. You claim they are nice, do you have them kept somewhere," Arya asked kindly as Sanros nodded.
"In a cave in the spirit world. Would you like them returned Young Avatar," he asked as Arya nodded.
"Sanros if you would that would be wonderful. I understand your confusion. The things you saw are normal and as the Avatar I think it falls to me to change that but I don't know my own duties for sure." she told him as he nodded back.
"Avatar would you like me to explain what I know for sure from stories from older spirits," he asked as Arya nodded,
"Yes please," she told him. She knew it would be sometime before she spoke to Korra. A basic understanding of what it meant to be the Avatar would help.
"The Avatar is the bridge between humans and spirits as I said. However, it is also their job to maintain peace and balance in the world. However what is right and just is up to you Young Avatar. Tell me how you not spoken with your past lives," he said as she sighed,
"No, I can't. But I'm traveling west. I think Korra wants me to go there to meet her," she said as Sanros.
"Yes, there are places where you will be able to connect more easily perhaps opening your link like a door to the past," Sanros explained as Arya smiled,
"Thank you. Is that all you know," she asked as Sanros nodded
"Yes besides that you must master Fire, Water and then Air," he told her as she nodded,
"Thank you! I didn't know that," she told him as he laughed,
"You don't seem to know much" Sanros shot back with a tease.
"Give me a break no one's seen an Avatar in forever!," she shot back as he laughed,
"Very well Avatar. I must return to my world. Wait the kids will return shortly. I'm sorry for upsetting you and this town," Sanros told her as Arya smiled,
"Thank you Sanros," and with that, he faded away as Arya turned to stare at Gendry.
"So that just happened," he said as she laughed
"Well I got the girls back right?" she said as he sighed,
"Even if they do return why'd you let him go," Gendry asked as she looked down,
"I wasn't exactly winning that fight Gendry. Plus his words were helpful," she said as he nodded,
"True, Lady bridge," he said as she glared at him,
"Gendry I swear to god,"
They're bickering was stopped as they heard moans of pain. As they turn they saw 12 young girls lying on the ground.
Selsa and her father stared in wonder as the travelers returned with the girls. Her father rushed forward to hug her sister as she stared at them before rushing her sister.
As Arya watch the events unfold you smiled,
"Well for my first job it's not that bad," she said as Gendry nodded,
"He was nice. You may not be so lucky next time," he told her. Of course, she knew that.
Selsa who had finished hugging her sister walked up to them and looked at Arya.
"You're the Avatar. Arya Stark, aren't you?" she asked as they took a step back.
"How," Arya asked. Selsa looked at her listen,
"We got word this morning about Kings Landing. Word is spreading. You used your Avatar powers to save them didn't you," she asked as Arya nodded
"Yes, it was a confused spirit. I dealt with it and it won't be bothering you anymore," Arya said as Selsa smiled,
"Thank you You're Grace," she said as she started to enter a curtsy as Arya raised her hand,
"Please, none of that. All I ask for is another night in the Inn," she said as Selsa nodded
"Food and supplies would be great too. We kinda left Kings Landing in a hurry," Gendry said as Arya nodded.
Arya sat in her room on her bed with Gendry in a chair across from her. As she sighed,
"No one's ever gone west and lived before," she said as Gendry nodded,
"No one's ever traveled with the Avatar before," Gendry said as she smiled.
"So we can go to Storm's End. Find a Fire Bender Teacher and then what we can't sail a ship ourselves," Arya told him as he frowned.
"Didn't think of that. Huh perhaps we'd need to find a willing crew as well," Gendry said as Arya sighed,
"Listen we'll figure it out," Arya said
The following day Arya was pleased to find herself with two horses. Nymeria sat at her legs. Nymeria was great but all the supplies and the two of them it was a bit much. Now she could just follow them on her. They had been given Two weeks' worth of food and a bag of small items like knives and forks and plates. It would slow them down a bit but it was worth it if you asked her.
As she mounted her horse she looked at Selsa.
"Selsa thank you. You've been nothing but helpful," she said as Selsa smiled,
"The pleasure is mine Avatar. Don't worry I won't tell anyone you were here," she said as Gendry nodded,
"Thanks, we want to hide that,"
One week and three days had passed since Arya met with the Spirit Of Lust. The trip to Storm's End would end the following day and the search for a master would truly begin. But right now as the horses slept. They ate.
As Arya sat in front of a fire with Nymeria behind her Gendy laughed,
"You know this will be much easier when we have a Firebender," he said as Arya laughed,
"Of course but I've been thinking about Storm's End," she said as Gendry nodded,
"Yeah what," he asked. He had no schooling so he knew little of lands and titles.
"Well Renly Baratheon is it's Lord and I've heard good things about him perhaps he can help us. We need a ship and he must have a Firebender he could suggest," Ayra told him as he nodded.
"And if you're wrong. If he values his Throne over helping the Avatar.," he said as she nodded.
"Gendry. I won't get anywhere if I don't, talk. What will I do lie to my masters? I'm going to need to start being open about this. I'll only tell him. " she said.
"Fine just before careful," he said as she looked at him
"Gendry, Sansa do you think she's alright. I mean the King would not kill his wife right?" she asked. Fear in her voice. If Sansa died. Because of her title. She didn't know what she would do.
"I don't know Arya perhaps we can get information on her while in Storm's End," he said as she nodded,
"Yes, that may work," Arya told him.
Eventually, the two decided to sleep. They would need to be well-rested for the next day.
As they approached the gate of Storm's End a guard stepped before them. Of course, he wanted to know who they were. Arya who is more used to these things spoke,
"I need to speak to the Lord,"
"Lord Baratheon doesn't have time for little cunts," the man said as Arya sighed.
"I don't like to pull this card but. Tell Lord Baratheon The Avatar needs to speak with him," she said lowly as the man took in her person and sighed,
"How do I know you're Arya Stark," he asked coldly as she smirked,
"I'm getting in either way and If I am the Avatar I can tell you're Lord about how you didn't let me in," she pushed as he took a step back,
"Fine," he said as he moved aside
As they passed Arya stopped,
"I'm sorry for scaring you," she said as she walked closer to the doors of Storms End.