Hear me Roar - English version

CHAPTER 40 - Tywin is...

"Which of my brothers and sisters did you see, Thoros?" I ask a few hours later, while he is skinning a rabbit.

               The priest looks up at me but does not answer right away. I get the impression he is searching for his words, as if he needs to carefully select what information he is willing to give me.

"The girl," he finally says.

"Arya," I correct him. "When was this?"

"A few months ago."

"How many, Thoros?"

"Three. Maybe four."

               Four months? My little sister was spotted four months ago when I had believed her dead for over two years?

"Where is she now?" I hasten to add.

"Who knows? That girl could be anywhere."

               The possibility that Arya is still alive gives me a renewed breath of hope. If I was right to trust my instinct, perhaps Sansa is doing well, too.

♐︎

               My training begins the following day. The problem is, none of us really know how to go about it. We all still bear the scars of the failure from last time, so the members of the Brotherhood remain cautious. Thus, I am the one calling the shots now.

               Through all kinds of experimentation, we discovered that I cannot create matter. Therefore, the element must be available to me in order to manipulate it. As for fire, it seems to be inherent to me. I imagine the maesters would argue otherwise, that there must be a scientific explanation. But from my point of view, the flames simply escape from my palms.

               My training with the sword and bow no longer needs to be perfect. Nonetheless, my friend Robin could really use a few lessons. Although his father was the one who taught all the Stark boys to fight, it was never really his thing. He wasn't very gifted, even if he did not lack perseverance. I remember the jealous looks he used to throw at Theon, who handled himself so well. Or perhaps it was because Theon would kiss me after every won fight.

"Raise your arm," I advise him. "And step forward."

"I'm trying," he replies, somewhat defensively.

"Not at all. I have rarely seen someone as unmotivated as you."

"I feel like I'm fourteen all over again."

               So I take my position beside him to show him how it's done. I suddenly envision Syrio Forel facing my sister when we first arrived in King's Landing. At the time, I thought it ridiculous of my father to give Arya a teacher who called swordplay 'the dance'. Now, after meeting so many different people in the capital, I realize that Forel, as crazy as he was, might not have been totally off the mark.

               After a few wise tips and several minutes of practice, I can already see definite progress in Robin. It makes me think he simply needed the right teacher.

"Did it never occur to you that you were only bad because your father terrified you?"

               As surprised as I am, Robin freezes. I have a gift for ruining everything.

"I... It's not..."

"Forget it," he says, before indeed dropping his sword to the ground and returning inside the cave.

               I do not try to go after him because I don't really know what I could say. I will apologize later, without a doubt, but first I need to gather my thoughts. It is silly, but for a few moments, I was back in the courtyard of Winterfell, when our only worry was knowing the evening menu, when both our fathers were still very much alive.