The Lands of Always Summer

Three.

Arya Stark

Dragonstone, 400 years after the Doom

"What is that?"

She asked the servant that had yet to attend to her as she arrived with a pot and put something inside of it and placing it above the open fire in the centre of her room at the Targaryen manse. Wincing as a brush was pulled through her hair and having to think of anything but what was happening to run away from it all. She knew from Aemon that Valyrian's believed that no speck of dirt could be visible- and that included on people. In Winterfell, she was made to bathe every four days by her mother. Something she despised and especially disliked Sansa as she only had to bathe once a week on her mothers demands. Recalling the many explanations she had been given of why that was such a thing.

"Your sister does not have the same interests as yourself. Whilst she sews with Jeyne and Beth, you are frequently playing in the mud left over when the summer snows melt by noon with your cousins and brothers. A Princess must always be presentable."

Every single time she got the talk, her response would always be she did not wish to be a Princess if it meant this frequently. This would then lead to her mother sighing loudly but not speaking farther on the matter. She'd done so when she was much younger and more impressionable, yet the words had never stuck, and her mother knew that now and no longer tried. The brush was put away now and Arya sighed in relief but this did not last for long as she felt a metal comb begin to work through her hair with such force it felt like her scalp was being carved. Wincing heavily and closing her eyes and thinking of what the day may hold.

After noon, they were going to be shown around the city. Or as much of it as they could be shown given the sheer size of Dragonstone. Many more people were expected to arrive over the coming days and a part of her wished to be outside to see if any of the other Valyrian's would arrive on dragonback. She recalled the day when her father had gathered them into his solar with their mother to confirm their Valyrian cousins were coming to live with them for two years as per their custom of living with their mothers family for a set time if the mother was not of the same House as the father. Delighted was not a good enough word to describe it as she'd always loved the stories of the strong Valyrian women- especially some of the Targaryen women as they were family through marriage.

Her favourites were always Maeressa and Visenya though. Visenya had been one of the three siblings who had raised their House in such a way no one could say it wasn't highly impressive. Being one of a handful documented to have had extensive knowledge in the sacred arts lost in the original Freehold and using this to both herself and her siblings advantage. Many said she was evil, a sin, someone who deserved to be burned alive for her actions. She never thought so though, although she also didn't know the extent of her knowledge on the sacred arts and if she ever used sacrifices to fuel them like the Valyrian's of Old were said to do.

Maeressa on the other hand, was different. Being one of the five who had initially moved to Dragonstone when her niece had a dream so vivid it convinced Aenar Targaryen to leave Valyria forever. Said to be quiet, dutiful, and spending more time in the skies than her siblings, niece, and son. Yet when the Volantene's had initially resisted the Caeniar's settling in the city after the Doom and had began a revolt, she had devoted herself to learn to defend herself. Within five years she'd mastered the blade and if the stories were true, she had died in battle with her son by her side.

Her thoughts were interrupted however as she felt a hot thick liquid be spread on her exposed legs. Confusion whirring as a piece of cloth was cut off a roll that must've just been brought in as she hadn't seen it before and was placed over the hot liquid which appeared to be hardening.

"What is- ouch!"

She yelped as the cloth was pulled away. Ripping every piece of hair there was from the area and leaving the skin underneath tender and turning pink. Still, no one answered her as they continued to apply it all over her until her whole body felt like it was on fire. Not to mention the tingling, having to remind herself it was not bugs crawling all over her body that had caused such a feeling.