Lady of Winterfell

Chapter Eight: Direwolves

"I wish I could go with them," Arya whined sitting down next to Sanira, she hated being left behind when her brothers got to do all the good stuff while she was stuck here; she frowned watching Sanira carry on with her sewing. 

Since the older girl had arrived, Arya had found herself spending quite a bit of time with her since Sanira wasn't dismissive of her or her questions when she asked them. 

"You want to go and watch an execution," Sanira asked looking at Arya, she honestly didn't see the appeal but she was sure it had more to do with how her brothers were treated differently. 

It was the way things were and it wasn't going to change, Sanira continued on with her sewing thinking about how grateful she was that she had been married to Robb and not anyone else. 

Arlenna had hoped to marry Sanira off to one of her Lannister cousin's children, she had been sorely disappointed when Rolan had arranged for her to marry a Stark. 

"Doesn't it bother you?" Arya asked getting comfortable in her seat beside Sanira, she preferred to talk with Sanira instead of Sansa who was probably doing some embroidery or something girly. 

She barely spoke with her older sister who was always telling her that she should be more lady like; Arya just wanted to forge her own destiny than the one that people wanted for her. 

"Not at all," Sanira replied with a smile, she had never wanted to be just a lady but that was her role in life and she was going to do her best. 

Continuing on with her sewing, Sanira tried to think of something that would lift Arya's spirit; the young girl seemed down and she was sure that she could cheer her up. 

"I used to help Maester when I was your age," Sanira revealed with a conspirative smile, it had been her father's suggestion but she had enjoyed learning small things about healing although it wasn't much. 

Arya looked up at Sanira surprised, she never would have guessed that her good-sister knew anything about healing; she had assumed that it was only something that men were allowed to learn.

"He taught me all sorts of things," Sanira continued while she focused on what she was doing, if it kept the younger Stark girl out of trouble then it would be worth it. 

It was a little unheard of unless the lady joined the silent sisters; healing was just as much a man's job as fighting wars was although she had heard some unsavoury things from her brother about some of the women that followed armies around. 

Arya nibbled on her lip, she doubted her mother would ever agree to such a thing and it did surprise her that Arlenna had allowed Sanira to do something like that. 

The Lannister Lady seemed to be everything that Sansa wished to be in life, she didn't seem to approve of much and she wanted nothing more than to boss people around. 

"Your mother didn't mind?" Arya asked curiously, she had seen how strict Arlenna had been especially when it came to bossing people about and getting her own way. 

Arya couldn't imagine what it had been like for Sanira to grow up with that woman, she was glad that she wasn't anything like her mother who seemed only happy when she was upsetting people. 

"She did but my father wanted me to have some useful skills," Sanira replied recalling the fights her parents had, it still made her smile and it was the first time she ever seen her father stand up to her mother. 

It made Sanira cherish her lessons even more especially since Arlenna did everything in her power to make it nearly impossible for her to attend. 

"Could you teach me?" Arya asked tilting her head, she was sure that her mother wouldn't mind and it might come in useful if Rolan Tremaine had insisted that Sanira learn it.