The Lions Wolf

Chapter 6 ~ Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things

I met father at the bottom of the Tower of the Hand, he raised an eyebrow at my attire but thought better then to mention my fighting clothes that were covered in sand, thanks to Jaime finding it entertaining to continually get me to the ground.

"Practicing, with Jaime" I told him as I blew air my knuckles that were grazed from the punch I had landed on Jaime, he was sporting a rather nice red spot on his cheek "what's this?" I asked as I pulled an old book from his hands "The lineages and histories of the great houses of the Seven Kingdoms, a boring read but to each their own" I mumbled handing it back as we made our way up to his solar, we made it to the landing where we found Arya standing on one foot at the top of the stairs.

"Syrio says a water dancer can stand on one toe for hours" Arya told us as she wobbled on her foot for a moment but kept her balance, making me smile at her.

"It's a hard fall down these steps" I commented as father went closer to her, if she fell father would catch her.

Arya placed her foot down and spoke in awe about her Dancing Master "Syrio says every hurt is a lesson and every lesson makes you better" her eyes met mine and she grinned  "Tomorrow I'm going to be chasing cats" I laughed, recalling my lessons with Syrio.

"Cats?" Father asked me, over his shoulder, I shrugged with a smirk.

"Syrio says..." I replied with a chuckle, father joined in for a moment before Arya spoke once more.

"He says every swordsman should study cats" she stated proudly "They're quiet as shadows and as light as feathers" she grinned.

"You have to be quick to catch them" I told her, touching the small scar I had on the back of my hand from where I was attacked by a very large ginger cat.

"He's right about that," father muttered, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

"Now that Bran's awake will he come live with us?" She asked, I moved past father gently and touched the dirt that was smudged on her forehead.

"He needs to get his strength back first," I told her and she nodded in understanding, the thought of my brother not coming to the Capital was hard to think about, he'd been so excited about the trip.

"He wants to be a knight of the King's Guard. He can't be one now, can he?" She asked us, I folded her into my arms as we sank down on the harsh steps and father came closer to us with a frown on his face.

"No. But someday he could be Lord of a holdfast or sit on the King's Council. Or he might raise castles like Brandon the Builder," father told her making her grin.

"Can I be Lord of a holdfast?" She asked excitedly causing father and me to chuckle at her, I used to think the same way when I was her age.

"You will marry a high Lord and rule his castle. And your sons shall be knights and princes and lords" father told her and I sighed loudly shaking my head, he didn't comprehend that Arya is not Sansa.

"No, " she told him with a shake of her head "That's not me" she got back up and went back to standing on one foot while father and I went into his solar.

"You can control armies, fight wars, hatch excellent battle plans but when it comes to Arya and Sansa you are hopeless," I told him with a chuckle as I took a seat in one of the two seats that faced his writing desk.

"You were easier to help," he told me truthfully causing me to roll my eyes at him, he wasn't wrong, I did as I was bid, I helped mother with everything and when I wanted to learn to fight I wrote to the biggest houses in Braavos and Dorne asking if they could help me learn, it was pure chance that Syrio was in Dorne and was willing and even more of a chance that the Prince of Dorne was more then happy to house me.