Chapter 281: Arya's First Week in Dreadfort
Dreadfort, Bolton Lands
POV of Domeric Bolton
It was just the afternoon when Lyra called him with her communication mirror to tell him about Tywin Lannister's plan. This meant Domeric had slept for nearly 18 hours and had already missed dinner and breakfast.
Added to the meals he had skipped before going to bed, Domeric realized he was starving.
So, he quickly returned to Dreadfort to join for lunch, and after a quick shower, he headed to the dining hall and joined the others at the table.
"Did you complete what you set out to do?" his Aunt Barbrey asked when he took his place at the table, and Domeric shook his head.
"It was… more complicated than I thought." He replied, "I've met with some success, but not what I'm aiming for."
"What were you doing?" Arya asked. He kept an eye on his aunt, noticing how she would react to an interruption from a Stark.
She didn't even bat an eyelash.
"Important adult work." He said with a smirk, and Arya pouted, crossing her arms.
"My brothers never tell me anything either." She said, but then went back to eating a moment later, "I jus' hout hat ou ere gone or a long…"
"Eat first. Talk later." His aunt said, but there was no venom in her voice.
It seems like his aunt truly didn't hate the younger lady of House Stark.
The fact that even his cold-hearted aunt couldn't bring herself to hate the little bundle of excitement known as Arya Stark said something about the girl.
That's good news for him if he ever heard any. He really didn't want to witness yet another silent pissing contest for months.
His aunt's warming to Sansa didn't mean she'd tolerate all the Starks, after all.
As for Sansa, Domeric didn't want her around Arya for a while. Although Sansa's hair and eye color had changed, her facial features and voice were still the same, and Arya was likely to recognize her.
For now, Sansa was taking lessons from Lyra to refine her speech and accent. After that, she could join them at the table as usual.
"You were gone for a whole week." Arya said after eating, "You did not even show me the castle. And you didn't listen to my list." Then her expression changed, and she smiled widely, "But Raksa showed me around the castle. She might be a little scary, but she's so awesome."
The stars in her eyes made him wonder if Raksa had gained a fan in Arya Stark.
Once Arya stopped speaking, there was a comfortable silence in the room, only broken by the occasional clanging of a spoon on a plate while eating.
"So… I heard that the King tasked you with bringing another Wight." His aunt said, and he nodded, wondering if she was about to go for yet another lecture.
To his surprise, she just sighed tiredly, and Domeric didn't like that at all.
"Are you alright?" he asked, and she shook her head.
"Last time you went up there, you almost died." She said in a tone that conveyed that she was trying to hold back her emotions, "How can you expect me to be alright with you risking your life once again?"
There was silence at the table. He felt a hand on his thigh and turned to see Ygritte giving him an assuring glance.
He nodded before turning to his aunt.
"Don't worry. I won't go until I'm properly prepared this time around."
"That's what you said last time." She said, and he nodded.
"Yeah. I had still underestimated the White Walkers back then." He nodded, "This time, I'll be so prepared that I won't even have to participate in the main fight."
"I won't ask for your promise, looking at how you broke yours last time." He internally winced at that. "But… do be careful."
He nodded and turned to Arya once again.
"So… how has your stay here been so far, Arya?" he asked before cutting and eating the seasoned meat of whale that had been left to dry for over a year. It tasted divine. His chefs never failed to spoil him with their excellent food.
Especially after Domeric obtained the "Book of Earth Cuisine" from the Deathly Hallows tattoo in the past and taught the chefs new recipes.
"It was great." Arya said with a large smile, "Your castle is more comfortable and beautiful than ours. Ygritte teaches me archery every morning. I can play with the children and the direwolf pups as much as I want. The market here is filled with so many new things. Every day, the chefs prepare wonderful dishes that I have never seen before. And Aunt Barbrey even called for a sword teacher from Braavos for me."
He gave his aunt a wide-eyed look of surprise, which she ignored with expert ease.
Huh… who knew that Arya's tomboyish nature would melt the cold heart of Lady Barbrey Dustin?
But then again, his aunt didn't show any dislike for Sansa Stark when she first arrived here. It was only due to Lady Stark's constant bickering with her that she came to hate Sansa Stark, who tried to be like her mother day and night.
"I'm glad to see that you're adjusting so well in Dreadfort." He said, "It would be a bad record on my part to chase off yet another Stark from my castle."
Arya frowned at that. "Like you did with my mother. She didn't tell me anything about that. Saying I'm too young and everything." She pouted.
"Well, you're what, seven name days old?" Domeric asked with a teasing smile on his face.
"I'm one and ten name days old," Arya said. But her voice sounded like the growl of a direwolf cub whose tail had been stepped on.
"Arya, Domeric does that to tease you. If you always take his mischiefs so seriously, he will never stop teasing you." Ygritte said.
"Boo... Ygritte, you're being a spoilsport. Besides, shouldn't you be on my side?" he said.
"That's called female unity. You wouldn't understand," Ygritte said, winking at Arya.
And from the sparkle in Arya's eyes, Domeric could see that Ygritte had become more than just someone she admired.
Perhaps, one day, Arya would see Ygritte as more of a sister than Sansa.
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Next Chapters' Name:
Ch.282: You Are Not Horse-Faced
Ch.283: Bolton War Council - I
Ch.284: Bolton War Council - II