ᴡɪɴᴛᴇʀ ʟɪᴠᴇs ɪɴ ᴍʏ ʙᴏɴᴇs

[wolfchild]

[ She stumbles into snow. The cold slices into her. Soaked, filthy, with travel-stained clothes turned almost to rags on her skinny frame and matted, tangled hair only just growing out again, she looks little like a girl, much less like the missing younger Stark daughter.

She sniffles and wipes her nose with the back of her hand. Her face is uncomfortably hot yet she's freezing. Her shivering near knocks her off her feet as she clambers up the steps. ]

My mother…

[ Arya feels her eyes fill with tears. She was going to find her mother and her brother. She was almost home. It wasn't fair. ]

Comments

[wilder]

Alright...

Well, eat all you want. It's yours.

[wolfchild]

[ She shakes her head. Her appetite disappeared. ]

I want to see my mother.

[wilder]

If you're sure.

[He gets up from his chair]

C'mon, let's go.

[wolfchild]

[ Pushing the plate away, she slips off the chair to follow him. She worries the hem of her shirt. ]

[wilder]

[He meanwhile nudges her and offers his hand again. It's okay bb ;; ]

[wolfchild]

[ Look, Zelos, you're the first to get something of a smile out of her. Good job.

She takes it when it's offered this time, keeping closer to him than she had. ]

[wilder]

[Whoo! This is why he's the great Zelos Wilder!]

[And he gives a small smile back before leading her out of the room and back to the elevator]

[wolfchild]

[ When the elevator doors open, Arya tugs on Zelos' hand. ]

Zelos?

[wilder]

Hm?

[he looks down]

Yes, my little wolf?

[wolfchild]

Nothing. You already answered it.

[wilder]

....Uh...okay?

[WEIRD GIRL]

[wolfchild]

[ She only pulls his arm around her shoulders without letting go of his hand. ]

[wilder]

[Sweetie ;; He'll let her do so, squeezing a bit to give her a one armed embrace before stepping off the elevator on the floor her mom is on]

[wolfchild]

[ The closer to the door the more she edges back until she's half-hiding behind Zelos. You do the door, man, she's too terrified of her mother's reaction to her. ]

[wilder]

[Uh yeah he...don't blame you right now since this is all a mess. When he reaches the door, he'll glance back down at her before facing the door and knocking]

[ladywinter]

[It isn't long until Cat opens the door and- whatever she was about to say flies out of her mouth when she sees Arya hiding behind Zelos. It was wrong, all wrong. Not just the hair and the skinny, half starved frame, but the timidity.]

Arya! What has happened to you? [And she's automatically reaching out to pull her closer, sparing a grateful glance at Zelos.]

[wolfchild]

[ Arya flinches away from her. She doesn't mean to and she regrets it immediately. She tries to answer Cat, but there's no good response. Not when she can hardly believe she's finally, finally found her mother. She remains frozen behind Zelos, mouth open and eyes wide, clutching him like a lifeline. ]

[wilder]

[Yep. Sure feels awkward here. But he'll clear his throat and explain]

I think she was sent home, my lady.

[ladywinter]

[Cat pull back, trying not to look a little hurt. It was wrong of her, she knew. Who knew what Arya had been through? She must be patient.

She gives Zelos a nod.]

Thank you for returning her to me.

[wolfchild]

[ Arya takes a tentative step toward Cat. And another. And she throws herself at her mother. The cries she bit back and swallowed over a year finally break out. She'd spent so long trying to be as fierce as a wolverine, a true wolf of Winterfell instead of a little girl. But she feels like a little girl and she clings to her mother as if that alone will fix everything. ]

I found you! I found you, I found you! [ She doesn't raise her head from her mother's waist. ] I've been looking for you—I've been making for Riverrun—no one helped me, they all wanted to ransom me and if Robb didn't pay they'd have kept me—but I found you!

[wilder]

[He simply nods at Cat before stepping away silently. He'll remain a distance, unsure if he's supposed to leave or stay. Mostly he feels like he's an intruder on this reunion]

[So yep. Awkward useless comment goes here]

[ladywinter]

[Cat doesn't bother to say anything. She falls to her knees almost instantly, pulling Arya into an embrace.]

I'm here. I'm here. [That's all she says, just repeating it over and over again, trying not to cry in turn.]

[wolfchild]

[ She relaxes slowly. She breathes in her mother's scent, still familiar a year later. Her shaking eases, but the sniffling stays. Her nose is stuffed up now and the fever-induced headache only hurts more. But she's happier than she can remember being in too long.

After a moment of silence, she grumbles: ] They cut my hair.

[ Priorities. ]

[ladywinter]

[After a moment she pulls back, making a sound that's somewhere between a laugh and a sob.]

It will grow back.

[wolfchild]

[ She touches her hair, for once feeling the loss. The thought of hair reminds her— ]

Did—?

[ She looks over her shoulder to find Zelos. ]