sorry for the late update, will try to update quicker, this is the third time I've had to write this chapter from scratch, been traveling, lost data, all that bollocks. enjoy, please like and review

Arya was in a great fucking mood. Seriously, killing Walder Frey had felt fucking amazing. And his face? His fucking face, when he realized what he'd eaten, fucking priceless.

"God"

The only thing that had left a small, albeit negligible taste in her mouth was how easy it had been. The Frey sons, those stupid fucking idiots, Arya had hoped for a least some form of challenge. But no, like the cunts they were, the two brothers had spent the night arguing over who was going to fuck a whore first, then they'd fought over whose cock was bigger, before passing out drunk on the beds, like kittens after a warm bowl of milk.

A quick slice to the throat and the job was done, seriously, the only difficult part had been baking the actual pie itself. Something to think on, Arya thought to herself. Killing people was one thing, and poison was a handy tool. But she didn't want to fuck up a kill, simply because she couldn't bake, what if a lord didn't like the look of it? Spat it out before they could ingest the poison?

Sansa may have been "a proper lady" but at least ladies knew how to bake, ah well, she could always learn it later, plenty of time after all. Besides, Cersei was her next victim, honestly Arya had gotten some of the best night's sleep thinking of the numerous ways in which to kill her. At first she'd considered killing a dwarf and feeding it to her, but there was cons. Firstly there was the possibility that she might; like it. She had, after all always hated Tyrion and she wouldn't want the queens last thoughts to be happy ones, not to mention "been there done that" granted not with a dwarf but the principle was still the same. Then there was the option of letting loose an actual lion, watching it rip her to shreds with the delicious tinge or irony. But once again Arya was worried Cersei might take pleasure in that, not to mention it would be seriously difficult getting a lion for the job, not impossible, but the payoff didn't match the effort.

At the moment, Arya was playing with the idea of doing something with gold, drowning her in a tub of molten gold was a personal favourite, but it still suffered the same problem as the last two. She loved her children? Maybe she could do something with that? Questions for later.

Once, just before she had arrived at Westeros, a nasty thought had wormed its way into her mind, what would she do after her revenge? Visiting Jon was at the top of the list, had to do that, it would be nice to see family again. Arya remembered how, on one of Sansa's name days, mother had banished Jon to clean up horse shit while everyone else partied like it was the summer of summers. Arya missed her mother more than words could express, but part of her could never forgive how she had treated Jon. More than once she had seen it, that glint of disgust in her mother's eye and how much pain it had always caused Jon. Maybe she could help find Jon's mother? It would be difficult no doubt, but worth it, if there was ever a quest that was worthy of being called a "quest" finding Jon's mother would no doubt be on the list.

However, there was one other concern that tugged on Arya's heartstrings. Whether her friends were all safe and alive, Fat boy…Gendry. NO!

Above all Arya couldn't stand it when "he" entered her thoughts, she didn't care! She absolutely didn't care! He had killed her friend, Mickon….no wait Mychat….no no no, wait it was Mycah!

Fuck…

No matter how hard she tried, Sandor Clegane always held a place in her mind. How could a man, capable of so much evil, earn her…sympathy? Fuck, she hated even thinking the word. But try as much as she could, her throat always tightened when she thought of him.

"your brother gave you that sword, my brother gave me this!"

He had pointed at his scar, he hated it, he hated himself, he hated the world. It was one thing to hate, villains hated, villains were quintessentially evil in goal and desires. But she'd come to learn that behind the marked hound, howling at the world, biting for scraps, there was at least…honour.

"Good name"

that other female night had liked the name of Needle, Arya had liked her for a while, till she learned the truth. How could a Knight, a servant of justice, sworn to her mother? Work for someone like Jamie Lannister? Own a Lannister sword? If someone could swear a vow and be such a bullshitter, then fuck knights, fuck em all.

"aye, that's what I'm doing"

Sandor Clegane was many things, but out of all the people she had known in her life, only three had treated her with truth and appropriate respect. Sandor had been the third.

Pushing thoughts of Sandor out of her mind Arya was near the next inn, a few meters before she arrived a man bumped into her. Turning she saw a man with one eye grin at her,

"My apologies little wolf, having only one eye can blind a man to the most obvious of things"

Arya was eager to leave, the risk of being recognized was too strong, however that "little wolf" comment? Was it a coincidence? Or a layered pseudonym? Arya decided to play the fool, her youth often aided her when wanted to go unnoticed.

"forgive me ser, my mind was elsewhere"

"oh I'm sure little one, I'm sure, best bring your mind back though, Winter has come after all"

Fuck! Again, was this a veiled threat? Had she been recognized? Granted she was in the North, winter had indeed arrived, but there was something about this man. The way he smiled, it was like he knew your deepest darkest secrets. Before she could inquire further the man took his leave. Before he disappeared into the forest he called out

"careful little one, storms a coming"

and with that he disappeared. Arya seriously considered following him, perhaps he was a drunken fool, perhaps something more? No! she had set a path for herself, the man's words could be addressed later. Entering the Inn, she saw a few men sitting in huddled silence, one of them, like the other, though not nearly as handsome, had only one eye. Too her delight they gave her no regard, and resumed eating a drinking in hushed tones, while she took a seat at a nearby table. Then a voice called out

"what can I get for you m'lady?"

Arya looked up and gasped, that strong structure, toned jawline, and eyes, blue…like ice. With a voice that was barely above a whisper she spoke,

"Gendry?"

However, before he could respond another voice came from behind,

"I told you, I'd give you one chance to kill me"

Arya turned around to see Sandor Clegane, if only for a moment before his giant fist connected with her face.