the long night.

Arya smiled, the other girl was making her feel things, a lot of things that she just was not used to. She decided to take that in stride and she nodded softly, biting her lip softly. 

“You’re right. I just have been taught by some of the best and some of the worst, which… makes everything so complicated. But I’m trying my best, for the good of the world. “Thank you… You’re quite beautiful…”

Allaria can only dream up the things that Arya has done and learned. Thinking about the people who must have trained her, both good and bad in her own words, is intriguing beyond belief. “You must have some amazing stories to tell.”

“It’s alright, I’m quite over it now. I think he would be proud of me, which is enough for me,” she smiles at her, watching her face as she looked her over. She couldn’t believe a princess like her was just out roaming the woods but she was glad that she had ran into her. 

“I really did what I had to do, that’s all that this was…” he smiles, watching her as she began walking. “Oh hush, I look young. I know…” she laughs and shrugs.

“I’m sure he would be,” Allaria agrees softly with a small smile. “How could he not?” She only knows a fraction of what Arya has been through over the years, but she knows enough to know that any father would be beyond proud.

The smile that the Dornish princess had given Arya made her chest flutter, something she wasn’t sure had happened but felt nonetheless. “Oh? Before my father was killed… I think he knew that if he tried to find me any suitors I’d have their hands cut off.” she laughs with a small smile, glancing at the girl. 

“Yeah, I think she’ll bring good to us. We really need it.” she explains and then laughs, nodding. “Oh yeah?” she asks, smiling a little, “most people are so surprised when they see me… I think thats the first time someone has said they were in awe of me,”

Allaria smiles, but her heart aches for Arya. She can’t imagine the pain of losing a parent, especially the way that she did. “Maybe I should give that a try. At least for a few years,” she jokes, before turning more somber. “But I’m very sorry for your loss. My father had... conflicting feelings about yours, but he still believed him to be a good man. An honorable man.” One who did not deserve to be murdered. Even though it was Eddard and his men who killed her uncle Arthur, he had brought her uncle’s body back to Starfall in respect. They were simply on the opposite sides of the rebellion.

“Maybe you should take a trip or two… it’s not good for someone to be cooped up in their kingdom all the time. You don’t learn as much as everyone says you do… they can teach you but what better than actual experience,” Arya explained, biting her lip as she watches her move from the water, the bottom of her gown just soaking wet. 

“Thank you. I just was tired of losing people all the time, it was so brutal but we did it for the future.” she said softly, she also was traveling to get away from a particular boy that wouldn’t leave her alone after they slept together. “That’s a pretty dress by the way.”

“I hope to, someday. It’s difficult to convince my father,” she adds with a small smile. She adores her Lord father, but he is nothing if not protective. Allaria understands why. Both her uncle Arthur and aunt Ashara died a few years before she was born, within months of each other. On top of that, her little brother Ned has been a squire since he was just a boy, and he hasn’t been home in years. He doesn’t want to lose anyone else.

“Yes, I’m Arya Stark,” Arya smirks, knowing that this girl was definitely of royalty. she probably hadnt ever left her kingdom and if she had, she was protected. “I’ve been exploring, I told my family that I didn’t want to sit around while someone ran our region,” she explained, sitting down at the edge of the river again. 

“I’m just here cleaning up, heading into town at some point to get some food,” she began further explaining her reason for being there. “what are you doing out here? seems dangerous for a girl like you.”

The truth is hard to sink in. The girl who killed the Night King, a nightmare who could raise the dead, is standing right in front of her. She has to force herself not to gawk or come off like a complete idiot. “You must have seen so much already.” Winterfell to Starfall is no quick trip, and who knows how much she stopped by to see.

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The stranger proclaims that she knows Arya Stark well, and Allaria’s expression lights up with amazement. “You do? What’s she like?” Other than ancient heroes like Nymeria of Ny Sar, there weren’t many stories about women being the hero. She had come to admire the story of Arya Stark’s bravery and skill on the battlefield during The Long Night.

So to hear this woman claim to be Arya Stark has her drop the bundles of fabric she has in her hands, soaking her lavender gown in the Torrentine. “Oh,” Allaria shakes her head and laughs. “You are playing a trick on me.”

Arya chuckled softly, “no, no tricks…” she admitted, shrugging as she watched the girls face. “I’m Arya Stark, in the flesh. I’m not really into tricks, just making sure that the people who deserve to go, go,” she explained, shrugging her shoulders again before she looked back down. 

She was used to explaining her life, who she was, what she had done for the Seven Kingdoms. She did it a lot in her travels but this is the first time she was explaining it to someone and they questioned her. 

The girl laughs and insists that she’s Arya Stark, but not in the way someone looking for attention or false praise would. She says it so plainly, so genuinely, and Allaria gets caught up just staring. “You really are Arya Stark?”

arya had been set out exploring, she wanted to know more of the land, know more and more of what they’d fought for. She’d defeated one of the most evi, vile things in the world and now she was creating her own destiny. One that didn’t include men trying to interfere with her life. Now she was sitting by the river, stopping to clean her face as she looks up when she hears a soft voice. 

“Oh, afternoon.” she said, glancing down as she cleaned her hands and then looked up again. “No worries.” she said, glancing at her. she was ethereal, more than beautiful but arya wasn’t trying to pay attention to that.

Allaria watches the girl from her spot in the water, bunches of fabric still clumped in her fists to try and avoid it from getting soaking wet. The girl, on the other hand, is cleaning dirt from her face and wearing apparel more typical for a man. Not a usual sight.

“I–” Brienne pauses before narrowing her eyes at him, “No I don’t want you to insult me.” she mutters, glancing away in frustration before looking back at him. “I’ll take you on.” she said softly, biting her lip before she sighed and touched his shoulder again. 

“Just don’t do anything stupid tomorrow, I don’t want you dying under my watch. Wouldn’t look good on me.” she admitted, a chuckle leaving her lips as she headed to the door. 

“Alright, great,” he says curtly, with a single nod of his head. For some reason, the urge to insult and push Brienne away had faded. Jaime knew why, to some extent. He grew to respect Brienne through their travels. Their time apart made him think of her more and more. It made him think of himself, and who he really wants to be.

Brienne was going to walk out but she immediately paused at his words, he was going to do what? This didn’t make any sense, but honestly she was a bit afraid to even ask but her tongue got the best of her and she moved to face him once more.

“Left flank, we’ll have higher ground. we should be able to keep them back if we hold formation… did you just say that you wanted to be at my command Ser Jaime?” she asks, looking at him. “We’ve never had a conversation this long where you didnt insult me.” 

He would be of much better use to her, and to the seven kingdoms as a whole, with his right hand, but he will do what he can. Brienne seems shocked to hear as much, but it’s not like Jaime can blame her. “Sounds advantageous,” he nods in agreement, only to stop when she questions him.

“You certainly aren’t either.” she hums, shaking her head as she looks at him, awaiting his answer to her question. “This isn’t exactly how I thought would be spending my last possible night but I figured you wouldn’t be bad company and I didn’t want to sleep.” she smiles, shaking her head as she looked down at her hands. 

“I should… probably get to bed though, you should too Jaime,”  she said, standing up and touching his shoulder.  

Jaime wants to say something else to her. Something more, but he doesn’t know what that more is. It’s rooted too deeply inside of him to grasp. “Yes, of course,” he says instead, standing as she does. He pauses for a moment, trying once more to say what he thinks he should, but no words come.

“I’m starting to think you may like me.” Brienne laughs quietly, “helps that I’m no longer your captor.” she says and shrugs. she caught the small smile he gave her, something in her feeling so bubbly about the whole idea of making him smile. It shook her and she didn’t enjoy it. 

“This is more than we’ve ever fought for.” she says, watching the way the fire crackles. “god…” she whispers. “I’ve always been willing to live or die for anyone, for the people that I represent… this is just so much. anyway… how are you feeling?”

“Well... you’re certainly not as bad as I once thought.” They were both eager to kill each other, but both unable. And by the time he could have left her behind or thrown her to the wolves, he was unable to do that, too.

“Your company is mildly enjoyable sometimes Jaime.” she chuckles, glancing over at the man. “Even if you annoy the total hell out of me” he explained. everything had gotten so complicated once their relationship changed from captor and captive. now she cared for the man, though she’d never admit it. 

“Yeah, just… not yet. it didn’t feel right and I was thinking too much to actually sleep.” she says before following his words and taking a seat across from him. “too much on my mind as always.”

Jaime smiles, just a small quirk of his mouth that might be hidden by the dim lighting of the room. “That’s the best I could hope for.” There is no ignoring that their relationship is complicated. Before Brienne, Jaime didn’t care about anyone outside of his family. No one else mattered until she came along.

Brienne nods, knowing that he’s right. If they survive the night, they still have his sister to worry about. she wasn’t sure how they were going to survive all of this but she knew that they were going to die for people who at least cared. Sansa knew what she was doing, they all did. It was important to them. 

“I couldn’t sleep and Lady Sansa isn’t in her chambers so, I came here. Saw the fire and your shadow. Figured I would talk to you.” she chuckles softly, looking at him. “What about you?” she asks, genuinely curious. 

“And here I thought you didn’t enjoy my company,” he says, teasing her with a tone that’s indicative of such. He has always had a difficult time talking to her. It was easier in the beginning, when they were simply captor and captive. Then it all began to shift so rapidly, and Jaime has had a hard time keeping up.

“I know, at least we’ll be fighting something that can actually die, again…” she shrugged, rubbing her cheek. “That’s all the hope I have honestly.”

“I don’t want to lose anyone else, I’m tired of losing people to things like this.” she laughs and shrugs, rubbing her cheek. She sighs to herself, shaking her head, this was one of the hardest things she’d done because it meant potentially losing the most important people.

“And tomorrow won’t be the end, if we do survive.” He’s talking about his sister, but he doesn’t want to say her name. He doesn’t even want to think about her. Jaime had trusted that she would bring her army North, but she’s too happy to sit in the Red Keep and wait for half the world to die if it keeps her on that damned throne.

Brienne smiled, though it was barely there. She appreciates Jaime more than she probably should have, he was a good man underneath it all. His methods were a little askew sometimes but underneath it all, away from his sister, he was good and Brienne saw that. She saw through the bullshit and liked him, for him.

“The plans we have are good, there is no other way to do this, but who we are fighting, that’s what I’m worried about.” She admitted, crossing her arms and sighing a bit. She had no idea what was to come of the morning but she knew if she was going to say goodbye, she didn’t want it to be to Jaime Lannister. “I…I’ve said a lot of goodbyes in my day, there are some people you just never want to say goodbye to.”

“Seeing it up close, back in King’s Landing...” Jaime shakes his head. It had been a terrifying sight. He had gone through his whole life believing that white walkers were nothing more than a scary story old ladies liked to tell children. “At least we know they can be killed. Well... again.”

“I’m talking about you. You’re bright enough to know that Ser Jaime.” Brienne spoke, a small chuckle leaving her lips. “But you taking something to heart won’t ever happen, will it?” She said, knowing it was the same for herself, she’d never take anything he said to heart, that is until he knighted her.

“I think we are in for the fight of our lives, if we don’t end up dead it will be a bloody miracle.” She said, rubbing her cheek as she turned to face him more. “I think we have a chance, but it will take everything in all of us.”

She makes it abundantly clear to him, but he still doesn’t know what to say. All his life, he’s been criticized for everything he’s ever done. The only thing that earned him praise was his skill with a sword, but that was lost the moment his hand was. “Well... never say never, right? I appreciate the sentiment, Ser Brienne.”