Chapter 1

He noticed, his heart was beating faster, and he tried to will it to slow down. He was walking towards The House of Black and White, and he knew, he would find her there. The lovely girl. He had always come back to here, between assignments, but now he felt, he had something to come back to. His lovely girl.

He stopped before he entered and tried to shut every feeling out. Reminded himself, that he was A Faceless Man, and that he did not form bonds with others. It was a struggle he fought daily, since he had seen the girl for the first time, and she had awakened his curiosity.

He closed his eyes for a minute, and let his mind wander to the day, he had persuaded her to give him something to drink. How he had been amused by her anger and temper, and how he had somehow admired her courage and wanted to protect her. The lovely girl, posing s a boy, fighting so bravely to survive and protect herself. He had enjoyed her stubbornness and her fighting spirit.

Later, when she had freed him, he had found, that he was not dissatisfied with being in her debt. His little, lovely girl, who fought so proudly and had no one. Despite her apparent hardness, he saw right through her, he saw the hurt and the frustration in her eyes, but he also saw an unyielding willpower, and he experienced something long forgotten. His heart weakened and he wanted to protect the little, lovely girl. He did her bidding, as she gave him the first two names. The first, made his heart weaken for her innocence, as she wanted to punish the man, she had seen take such pleasure in hurting others. The second made his insides roar, thinking about her being in danger, and he felt something surge up inside him, as he protected her. The third. The third made him proud and sad all at once. Proud, that she was unyielding in her efforts – it would help her through life. And sad at the hardening within her. He knew, that she would not have let him "go kill himself," as she had put it, and he played along with her childish game – knowing he wanted nothing more, then to get her out. But the loss of innocence in her, had filled him with sadness, and he wished only to take her away, make her safe and watch her play carefree. His lovely girl.

Parting from her, had been the most difficult thing, he had ever done. It had been the only time, he had ever had trouble keeping his vows. He had watched others struggle, but never had that kind of struggle himself. Never felt the need to form bonds, never regretted not falling in love or having children, he was no one, a Faceless Man, and should not feel for anyone or anything. He should not feel the need to protect the girl, he should not feel sad for her, proud of her, protective of her, worried about her. He could kill for her three times, because that was the law of the God. He counted the numerous killings of guards, so she and her friends could flee, as one. Had convinced himself, that it was right to do so, that it had nothing to do with his own feelings. He followed them, to see her safe, and he knew, he had to go back and wait for a new assignment. He had a shimmer of hope, because she was skilled, that he could take her with him, keep her safe, teach her how to take care of herself. As he had to see his hope fade away, he had grasped for a last straw – the coin. He had made sure, she remembered the phrase "Valar morghulis" and saw him change, so she knew not to look for his face but for him, and he had wandered off, concentrating on each painful pounding off his heart remembering that he was no one.

He had struggled not to worry about the child, the lovely girl, and had taken on assignments, one after another, trying to force down the part in him, that was not no one. But she had named him, and when he slept he would hear her call out in fear, the name she had given him. He heard her call "Jaqen" in fear, in agony, in distress and he would wake up urging to run and protect her.

Finally she had come to the House of Black and White. He had been relieved, that she was safe. The first times he had returned to The House, she had called out his name, and run to him, not understanding why this was wrong. Then doing it in spite. Over time, she had learned, she had conformed. But only on the outside. She was a marvellous fighter for her age and size. She was fearless and bold. Although she struggled with her stubbornness, it was the same stubbornness that kept her training hour after hour ignoring pain and injuries, always picking herself up and bouncing back. At day he would train her. She would be an apprentice and he would be one of many seeing to her education. At night he would go to her room, and listen to her talking about her new life here. Sometimes he would tend to her wounds. He would bring back little trinkets or foreign fruits from his travels, and he would tuck her in, and wish her a good nights sleep. He had promised her, always to wear the face she knew,when he was with her. Despite her apparent maturity and her hardness, she had still been a child, and it had confused her to see him in different faces. She was a strong girl, and on the outside she needed no one. She had a shimmer of the same darkness inside of her, that he had inside of him. But when he looked at her, he could see, what no one else could. He could see her fear and her pure heart, he could see the child that was scared and sad and needed him. She would call him Jaqen, and Jaqen he would be until he closed the door behind him. All time not spent with her, he would struggle to again become no one.

He was trained in keeping an emotionless expression, and he did so well. No one could tell by looking at him, that the lovely girl was more to him, than any other little girl. But over time, others started to notice, that he came back more often then needed and stayed for longer, passing on assignments, training the girl. And he was sent away on a long assignment. Now he was back, standing in front of the white and black doors, wondering how she looked now, if she would remember him. His lovely girl.