Snowcastles

Roses In the Wolf's Den

The woods around Acorn Hall were showing the first buds of spring leaves. The air was brisk on Arya's face as she took her morning run. She sometimes felt guilty that she loved the Riverlands. She could never tell Jon or Sansa but there were times it felt more like home than Winterfell. Arya loved Winterfell, she really did just not the same as they did. She wondered if she could have two homes. 

Ravella Smallwood, the Lady of Acorn Hall, had become a bit of a second mother or second big sister to her over the years. Something else Arya would never tell Sansa. She had been kind to Arya when things had been hard for their family. Arya was thankful, she had invited her to stop for a short visit on her way North. Much of the Riverlands, including the Brotherhood without Banners, wanted to join the North. Lady Smallwood had been working on drumming up support amongst the Lords and Ladies as well as amongst the small folk. 

Passing through the tall maple trees, Arya's mind wandered. She couldn't forget how it had all happened. They just wanted to get Sansa back. Cersei wasn't supposed to be at the rehab center's gate waiting for them when they were leaving with her sister. The security footage was even more troubling. Arya pushed the thoughts out of her mind, the footage was deleted now. She had made sure of that. And someone had moved Cersei's body. She prayed it had been someone from the Brotherhood that moved the body from the back gate to a small office. Her breath grew short and Arya had to stop for a moment. No, she wouldn't think about these things. No one truly cared how Cersei died. 'It was time to move forward,' isn't that what all the news reports were saying?

When she returned to her room at Acorn Hall, Ned Dayne was snoring away underneath the heavy comforter. For such an attractive man, he sure made the most gods-awful noises when he slept. She loved his fair hair and violet eyes against his tan skin. To her, he looked like he spent all his days in the sun. Really that was his natural color. Everyone said he was a striking man and Arya had to agree. They were supposed to go to Dorne and visit his home Starfall after Cersei's funeral but then Daenerys showed up at Dragonstone. Deciding it best to postpone a vacation, they took up Lady Smallwood's invitation to spend some time with her in the Riverlands. She wanted help strategizing ways to convince the River lords to fully commit to the North. Arya dared not refuse her. Leaving Ned to his dreams, Arya went to find breakfast in Ravella Smallwood's large airy kitchen. 

The light was starting to pour into the east facing room. Arya thought this was the nicest kitchen she had ever seen. Of course, Ravella had a knack for these things. There was hardly a building or re-built castle in Lord Vance's, her liege lord, territory that didn't have her touch on it. 

"Have you heard any more from your sister or Jon?" Ravella asked motioning to Arya to sit while she served her oatmeal with apples.  

"Not since yesterday," Arya answered digging a spoon into the steaming bowl. "Lady Dustin had them all tied up with parties or whatever. And this morning they should be on a plane to White Harbor."

"hmm...Lady Dustin's trying to stay on their good side," Ravella said pointing her figure at Arya with hand and pouring her coffee with the other.. "Don't think we don't see what her and Lord Manderly are doing importing shade-of-the-evening from those warlocks in Essos. They bring it right into the Riverlands through Moat Cailin. And we've gotta deal with the problem."

Arya looked up at her friend, her spoon in her mouth. Jon had the same suspicions but no proof. Ravella sat down across from her to eat her own breakfast. She glanced down at her tablet checking the newswires while Arya went back to shoveling food into her mouth. 

"Oh DJ O-sevens played last night in Barrowton," she reported. It had been awhile since Arya had seen good ole' Tom O'sevens. He was part of the Brotherhood, not that it was public knowledge.