M seeking F for continuing a story cut short.

[backlash84]

I am looking for someone to pick up a story from where it left off, as my partner and I were only a few posts in before it became clear that they wanted something very different from what I thought we had agreed to. Anyways, I'm looking for someone to pick things up where she left off, as I was enjoying the tone that was struck and would very much like to continue it and see where it goes. I'm going to pace the posts alternating between hers and my own, and put a big, bold END where I'd like to pick things up from.

The story is set in the Game of Thrones universe, and although I'm not an expert, I feel I can handle things to a certain extent, although I might ask you a question or two as far as lore is concerned. My partner was playing Arya, and I was playing a local thief.

Please take a look at my on/offs before contacting me, I'm looking for someone who can post regularly, so keep that in mind please. :)

[backlash84]

(Hers)

Her grey gaze alert beneath her unkempt brown strands that hung before her face almost like a curtain, Arya slowly followed the stream of farmers currently swarming into the city, glancing up at the weathered town walls looming before her. Between all the commoners having finished their work out on the farm fields for the day and returning home, her petite frame vanished nearly entirely. Nobody took note of the small, tomboyish looking orphan with her messy mane and dirty brown tunic, grey breeches and cracked black boots.

Not being noticed was exactly what she preferred though. She hated nothing more than standing out. Only misfortune came from that. She had learned so several months ago already, when surrounded by rapists and killers and torturers in Harrenhal. Prior to Harrenhal she had still been naive and unknowledgeable about the ways of the world, but her time of captivity there had taught her all kinds of things. Among others, that the safest way to survive was to blend in, to be a grey mouse that was overlooked. Then nobody would trouble her.

That also was precisely why she had waited until evening to enter this city.

In this time of war, Lords and guards were more careful than ever to protect their place of refuge. Any unfamiliar face was instantly arrested and closely questioned in the town's dungeons before a verdict was reached. So had she decided to just randomly try and enter the city some other time of day, when the traffic of commoners was much lower, she undoubtedly would have been stopped at the gates by the guards. Her small sword named Needle confiscated, and her arms cuffed as she'd be dragged off for questioning. But if she waited until the most opportune moment, when all the town's farmers and woodcutters returned in the evening, then she'd be able to slip in unnoticed, appearing as little more than some peasant's whelp who had helped her family outside town.

And indeed, hiding between the bodies, her gaze low and mannerism unobtrusive, nobody troubled her as she followed the stream of bodies through the city gate and into the town opening up before her.

It was a large town, one of the bigger in Westeros, and as a trading hub also one of the few to actually have a whole city wall around its perimeter. Arya didn't need to ask anybody to know which town specifically this was. Maidenpool it was called, After the capital King's Landing, it was the second largest port down on the eastern shores of the country, a buzzing harbor with several trading ships and fisherboats anchored. The city's main attraction, and where it got its name from, was the huge fountain and pool in the center of the town's main market-square. A beautiful, nude woman stone statue in the center of the pool holding a water cask in her hands, water splashing from her mouth and teats. Another thing she noticed instantly was the Lord's castle built on the largest hill of the city, next to a cliff shore, Arya knowing that the castle belonged to the local Lord called Lord Mooton, one of the Lords sworn to House Tully of Riverrun. Her mother Catelyn's family.

Not that being sworn to House Tully mattered much anymore after her mother had been killed and her uncle Edmure Tully been captured during the Red Wedding. Maybe, prior to the Red Wedding, Arya could have used her true identity to convince Lord Mooton to deliver her back to her mother's family. But not anymore, now it would only get her a ticket straight back to the dungeons of King's Landing. Because now Lord Mooton swore allegiance to House Frey, the new wardens of the Riverlands promoted by King Joffrey for their betrayal during the Red Wedding.

No, revealing her true identity was the last thing Arya of House Stark planned on doing.

Nor had she even have wanted to come to this town in the first place. But after the Hound had been killed in his fight with that strange big woman a couple days ago, and with this town the only one nearby, there wasn't really much else where she could have gone instead. Besides, it was a port town, meaning there were lots of ships anchoring here every day. Maybe she could somehow collect enough money to buy a trip up north to the wall where her brother Jon was still a member of the Night's Watch. If she could find some way of reuniting with her most favorite of brothers who had even given her Needle, that would undoubtedly be her best solution to get out of this dilemma of being stuck in the Riverlands.

Although she doubted that any boats would go that far North with Winter already well on its way, the late autumn winds cool and chilly. In which case, taking a ship to Braavos instead would likely be the best alternative. She already knew two people from Braavos after all, Syrio Forel her waterdancing teacher from King's Landing, and Jaqen H'Ghar the Faceless Man from Harrenhal. Both had taught her a lot of useful survival tricks that had come in handy countless times, and Jaqen had even invited her to join the Faceless Men cult with him. At the time she had refused since she had been more concerned with reuniting with her family, but not that most of her family was murdered, taking the path of vengeance and learning the skills necessary to accomplish her redemption, seemed like one of the only options left.

Wherever she ended up going though, whether north to the Wall or to Braavos, the biggest priority for the time being was to get out of the war-torn Riverlands where most of the war between the Starks and Lannisters had been fought. Dwelling in the Riverlands was nothing but a daily reminder of the Red Wedding, every single person talking about that, and with these lands now under control of the Lannisters and Freys, she'd never find any kind of peace or comfort here.

But before she could go anywhere, she first needed some money. And before that she needed a meal, not having eaten anything in a good two days of traveling. Already her legs have felt like weak jelly these past few hours, and her tummy was aching like a black pit due to lack of food. After she got her dinner, then she could spend time trying to think of a way to make money.

Turning straight for the buzzing market place, littered with crowds of people buying and selling wares at their stands, Arya slipped in between the haggling crowd, carefully screening her surroundings, looking for some food stand that might be less protected than others and allow her an opportunity to snatch some food without getting noticed. Given her light physique and swift agility from countless hours of waterdancing, she was convinced she'd be able to snatch some thing or another and get away before anybody could notice. As long as her legs didn't give out from exhaustion and lack of food at least. Which was a genuine worry, her mind already having felt dizzy for quite some time, lacking her usual precision, her tread more unsteady than ever, clutching onto her small fencing sword Needle on her belt as if it was some sort of anchor to keep her upright and steady.

[backlash84]

(Mine)

Derek ran his fingers through his short black hair, letting out a yawn as he looked up at the slowly setting sun... it would be dark soon, too dark to work, but he had a good hour before he needed to worry about that. The war hadn't made his job any easier... more security, more poor, everyone was that bit more on edge... A few of his fellow pickpockets had learned this the hard way, either losing both hands, or ending up on the end of a short rope... Not him though, Derek was careful when it came to this sort of thing, precise... He wore clean, simple clothes... not the kind of thing that would stand out, but just upstanding looking enough that no one looked too closely at him for being in the market close to the stalls... figuring he might be running errands for his young wife, not the type to cause any trouble. He had learned just how big a difference a quick bath and some clean clothes could do to people's perceptions.

He looked around over the crowd of people, looking for a good target, not about to waste risking his own hide for pocket lint, which he was sure is mostly what he'd come across with these farmers... He did however notice someone not so well off... a young girl, dirty, clearly in need of a meal... and by the looks of it, was planning on solving that issue by snatching something... he'd seen that look before, desperation, hunger... the kind of look that usually lead to trouble, kept you from thinking straight, doing something stupid that would land you in more trouble than you could handle... maybe he was getting soft, but he didn't like the idea of this young girl getting dragged off for the crime of wanting to survive, having who knows what done to her by the guards before they put her in a cell, if she even lived to see the inside of one...

He pushed himself off the wall he was leaning against, silently cursing himself. He silently moved through the crowd, slipping up beside her. "Don't want to be doing what you're thinking... crowded place like this, in your condition, you'll get maybe... three steps before someone grabs you." He said, talking in a hushed voice, grey eyes looking off into the crowd. "You want to get food, you've got to be smart about it... careful too. That is if you don't want to start blowing John's in back allies for spare coins... not knocking it, honest work... but doesn't seem like what you're after." He flashed her a small smile, capable of being fairly charming when he tried. "If you like, I could help you out... get you enough for a hot meal and a warm bed tonight, maybe a bit more if we're lucky."

[backlash84]

(Hers)

Looking at all the varieties of foods mounted on the stands was truly mouth-watering, Arya impatiently chewing her lower lip as she pushed herself through the crowd, eyeing the delicious wares. As a buzzing trading city, the market offered so much more than just locally grown vegetables, she didn't even know half the things on display.

During her travels in the war-torn Riverlands, she had been forced to learn sustaining herself on the lowest quality of food sources for months on end. Whatever dirty carrots or potatoes she had dug up in the gardens of abandoned farm houses, or apples with worms, or some nuts and mushroom she found on the ground. Sure, every now or then she had also managed to catch a rabbit if she was lucky, but skinning and cooking them had always been a hassle and barely worth the pay-off.

Compared to those times of poverty and starvation, watching these traders selling all kinds of exotic fruits and vegetables she had never even seen before, or fresh fish and smoked meat and bacon, or strange smelling drinks made from black beans from far away lands, was as though she had just entered through the gates to heaven.

Trying to look as inconspicuous as possible since she didn't want anybody to grow suspicious, understanding fully well that her ragged appearance and grimy skin wouldn't exactly inspire any confidence regarding her ability to pay for any of these foods, Arya stopped before one small fish booth. Hands in pockets she glanced down at the pieces of salmon laid out, her empty tummy growling in protest.

The trader selling the wares was quite busy with other customers. Nobody was paying any attention to her as far as she could tell. All she'd have to do was reach out and slip it into her pocket without anybody noticing and then swiftly vanish into the crowd again where she could hide behind the bodies of large men or curvy wenches. Nobody would spot her. And even if somebody did happen to catch her stealing the fish, they surely wouldn't be able to catch her, her feet quick and nimble from all her waterdancing training.

Holding her breath as she braced herself, Arya slowly slipped her dominant left hand out her pocket, sneaking it towards one of the fish pieces, her eyes darting back and forth between the other customers and the trader, confirming that nobody was paying attention to her.

Yet the voice exploded next to her ear without any warning whatsoever, her hand darting away from the fish as if stung by fire, Arya spinning around to find herself face to face with some kind of village boy standing behind her.

Her first instinct was to punch or kick him in the groin for startling her like that. Not that she was afraid of older boys or anything, being quite familiar with them. Her brothers had been older boys too, and during her escape with the Night's Watch right after her Lord Father's beheading, she had also met a variety of older boys, some of which she even had befriended. Such as Gendry or Hotpie or Lommy, her even having become the leader of their small gang, being both the smartest and boldest. Nevermind all the stable boys she had interacted with during her time in Harrenhal, or the young soldiers of the Brotherhood without Banners. In fact she even had killed a few boys herself already, those who had thought to obstruct her or thinking she was easy prey.

Also considering her frequent arguments with Sansa, or all the other girls at court and at home in Winterfell always having flocked to her perfect older sister, if anything Arya was considerably more comfortable around boys than girls to begin with, having spend much more time with guys. She even looked half a boy herself, with her slender face and messy mane and shapeless figure beneath her slightly oversized clothes, random pieces of clothing she had picked up here or there in abandoned farms they had passed, or her short nails and grimy skin.

No wonder most often happened to mistake her for a boy. Which she has learned to accept, not bothering to correct others anymore as she used to when she was younger. Being considered a boy was much safer on the road, after all.

Regardless, thankfully suppressing her instinct to lash out at him, still in the mindset of wanting to be as inconspicuous as possible and not making any kind of scene, Arya just reached down to her hip to worldlessly stroke the pommel of her blade, letting him know about her ability to defend herself if need be.

Though he didn't really seem the kind of person who'd want to make a scene either for that matter, his clothes quite unremarkable too for that matter. Nor did he appear particularly threatening or hostile for that matter, alleviating her immediate surprise a bit.

Taking a deep breath, Arya calmed herself enough to actually listen to his words, blankly frowning up at him.

Who did he think he was, talking like he knew or understood her situation? Or that she'd get caught after only three steps, evidently not knowing that she has been trained in fencing by the greatest swordmaster in the world! And blowing Johns, what did that even mean?

The boy's attempted charming smile was met with an icy glare of hers. Like most Northerners, Arya possessed quite a brooding temper, hard and cold as the North. Not a girl of many words or facial expressions, keeping her emotions to herself. Particularly after all the experiences she had made on the road the past few months, where keeping her thoughts to herself had been the only way to stay out of trouble. Sure, once upon a time she had been quite plucky and bold and outspoken, but not anymore. The daily punishments and torture for speaking up during her captivity in Harrenhal had taught her better.

Although, if nothing else, his suggestion of a warm bed and dinner did sound quite appealing.

After all, having been raised properly, while she wasn't opposed to having to steal or kill for survival, it still wasn't like she particularly enjoyed doing anything morally questionable or illegal. She would if it benefited her, but she took no pleasure in it and was relieved when she didn't have to resort to it. Even her death list and all. She didn't enjoy killing in general, only bringing justice to those who have wronged her and deserved to be punished.

But in any case, not that she particularly trusted this boy either for that matter. It could easily just be some sort of trap. But really though, not that she had to be worried or afraid considering she had her blade Needle, and been trained by both Syrio Forel one of the finest experts of the Braavosi waterdancing fencing style, and also sparred with the Hound during their months of travel to learn more about proper dirty street brawls and underhanded tricks with the mehods the Hound utilized in his own fights.

So if the boy tried anything funny, she'd undoubtedly be able to repel him easily enough, and stab him full of holes if need be. But beyond that, since she was comfortable around older boys generally speaking, and did still possess a reasonable amount of default trust in society, she doubted there was anything she had to worry about.

Nonchalantly shrugging her shoulders at his offer, Arya slightly relaxed again, keeping her face still. "Okay."

[backlash84]

(Mine)

Derek didn't seem put off by the fact that his charm seemed to have no effect on her, his confident smile still intact. He had noticed how she massaged the hilt of her sword, clearly sending a message without having to say a word. He could respect that, understanding that someone in her condition couldn't really afford to trust some stranger. When she agreed to his proposal his smile widened a bit, clearly pleased with her decision. "Great, first thing's first... you don't want to take anything from a stall, crowds like this have the merchants on edge, eyes peeled... sure, you might get lucky, but between the merchants, do gooders, and city guards... not likely. In a crowd like this, you're much more likely to succeed if you target an individual in the crowd."

He started to look around, trying to find a suitable target. "Farmers aren't worth the effort, and I try not to take from anyone who's worse off than I am. Most of them make enough to get by, but they need what they've got... I also avoid taking anything from servants out getting something for the people they work for, since they'll end up blamed, end up on the streets at best, the end of a noose at worst. They usually aren't too hard to spot if you know what to look for... You want to look for middle or upper middle class, they tend to be easier targets." He raked his fingers through his hair, considering his options. "Don't get greedy, that's how you get caught..." He noticed a woman walking down the streets, looking over the stalls... she looked fairly nice, wearing a clean green dress, a simple silver band on her finger, her long chestnut hair done up with a nice metal clip. Derek pointed the woman out, smile fading a bit as he became more serious. "She has some extra coin... what I want you to do is distract her. Make yourself a nuisance, if she feels sorry for you she might give you a coin or two, and if she has her fingers in her coin purse I can't do shit. You want to be annoying, not sympathetic." He explained, before she could give an answer he peeled off, not even checking to see if she was going to follow his instructions, slipping through the crowd to get into position. He looked over some of the stalls, looking fairly casual, inching towards the woman he had indicated before.

[backlash84]

(Hers)


Arya wasn't entirely sure what she had expected him to do. Truth be told, she'd have assumed him to simply guide her to wherever the dinner he had promised was waiting. She truly was extremely hungry.

So when he instead starting berating her about her plan of trying to steal from that stall, she couldn't help her frown from instinctively deepening. Not that she minded anybody trying to explain or teach her anything, she wasn't overly proud like that, not after everything she had been through. Plus she had had plenty of teachers along the way anyways. But right now she truly was not in the mood to listen to any talking or explanations whatsoever.

She just wanted food!

But even so, she politely nodded at his words, forcing herself not to interrupt him. It wouldn't do to insult the host that had just promised her free food, not in her current situation. Or ever really. She knew her manners, having been raised properly.

And yet, his explanation started veering more and more off course. He evidently was somebody who liked to talk a lot. Which, technically, she didn't really mind. If anything, he actually seemed to really know what he was talking about. Almost as if he happened to be a professional thief or something. Could that really be the case though? He hadn't actually properly introduced him, so it wasn't like she knew anything about him, but based on his words that really did seem to be case. Which actually was pretty awesome. She may have had plenty fighting and survival teaching, but she had yet to find anybody actually willing to teach her how to steal like a professional thief.

But even then, couldn't he postpone all those explanation for some other time?? She truly was already feeling dizzy with lack of food. That's what two days without it did to you. And yet he kept talking. And when his attention shifted towards that woman, Arya just couldn't help zoning out.

At least until he abruptly demanded her cooperation.

That suggestion caught her entirely by surprise, Arya snapping back to the present, fully wake and alert as she confusedly eyed him. Hadn't he just promised to simply take her to dinner just a moment ago? And now he wanted her to take part in his heist instead?? That made no sense. How annoying. Was he lieing to her or something? Trying to get her to help him by offering the one thing she wanted most, trying to exploit her weakness of being excessively hungry?

But even if that was the case, did she even have another choice to begin with? The only alternative was to steal something herself, but maybe cooperating with him was the better option still? It might at least be worth a try, she supposed? And if the heist didn't bear the fruits she expected, she could always just return to stealing herself. But no need to let this opportunity pass without at least attempting it, no?

Too slow to verbally react as he never even waited for a response before making off, Arya just heavily sighed with a heavy shrug of her shoulders.

Okay then, so he wanted her to latch onto that woman and be as annoying as possible. That was it, right? Easy enough. Arya had seen plenty of beggar kids being annoying little nuisances, even if she had never defaulted to that option herself yet.

Sliding through the crowd, already having lost sight of the boy, Arya locked her eyes onto the woman, stepping forward, crossing the woman's path. And suddenly stumbling so she was dropping onto all fours squarely before the woman, blocking her path. The woman recoiled in surprise.

And Arya used that moment. Still on all fours, she turned to the woman, Arya grabbing the woman's flowing skirts while working herself onto her knees, trying to look desperate. Not that that was particularly difficult in her current situation. Although Arya did try to make sure not to stand out too much, keeping her voice low, and her eyes remaining alert of her surroundings. She only wanted to obstruct and annoy this particular woman a bit, not cause some form of drama scene.

"Please my Lady, give me coins or fruits please." 

[backlash84]

(Mine)

Derek kept an eye on Arya as she made her approach, glad to see she was following the plan. He took one last deep breath before making his own approach, making sure he was directly behind the woman just as Arya threw herself at the young woman's feet. The woman backed up instinctively, bumping into Derek and allowing him to take firm hold of her coin purse with one hand, slicing the tie connecting it to her belt in one, smooth motion. It only took a second, already walking away at a steady, relaxed pace, slipping the small bag of coin into his pocket as he did so.

The woman Arya was begging in front of did seem to have a bit of a soft spot it seemed, because after taking a step back and seeming a bit distressed she reached back to her coin purse. "You poor dear, I might just have..." She continued to fumble around her belt in search for her coin purse, thinking it must have slid... increasingly becoming more panicked. "My purse! Someone's nicked my purse!" She screamed, drawing quite a bit of attention from the crowd around her. People would expect the thief to run if he was nearby, but Derek simply continued to walk calmly towards the stall Arya had been about to steal from, looking back at the panic as any rational person would do. Luckily, Arya was just seen as a normal beggar on the streets, not having been anywhere close to the coin purse herself, and quickly forgotten in the frenzy of people checking their own coin purses and looking around at all those around them, looking for someone suspicious.

Meanwhile he was counting his newly gotten coins by the stall, looking like anyone else currently checking their own coin. It wasn't exactly an amazing haul... but it was a decent amount of coin, enough for him to provide Arya what he had promised her, enough for some food and a bed for the night. He kept two thirds, having taken the bulk of the risk upon himself, and his job requiring the most skill after all. When she made her way back to him he would hand over her cut. "Now you can afford to eat whatever you want, within reason anyways." He said, quite pleased with how things had gone.

[backlash84]

(Hers)

Arya wasn't entirely prepared for the sudden escalation of chaos, herself at the center of it all as the woman started hysterically shrieking. Though she probably ought to have expected something like that, knowing the thief boy's plan. In fact, knowing that the boy planned on snatching the purse, it probably had been quite silly of her to ask the woman for coin specifically, as that had involuntarily lead to the woman reaching for her purse and as such discovering the theft sooner than she might have otherwise if Arya had shifted the subject elsewhere.

But oh well, it seemed to have worked out, she supposed.

Still though, better get out of here quickly before anybody thought to turn to her, even if just for innocent questioning of whether she had seen the assailant. Arya simply didn't care for any of that sort of attention.

Glancing towards the salmon stand, she saw the boy standing and waiting, and quickly made her way over to him. It was a relief that he hadn't just made off with the entire loot himself, since he very well could have. Though even in that case it probably wouldn't have been too bad, only meant that she would have had to to revert to stealing herself. Still, paying was always preferable.

Accepting her share, Arya immediately turned towards the stall trader, buying herself two or three slices of small, smoked salmon. She'd still have to buy something else to go with the salmon, maybe a bit of bread or so, or some lettuce or vegetables, but she most definitely wanted salmon now. "Good job there." she addressed the thief boy again once she got her salmon bagged, "Didn't even see you. Making your living like this? My name is Arya by the way." She usually disliked revealing her true name in fear of anybody figuring out her real identity, but with the war settled and her family massacred, she doubted there was much harm in it anymore, especially when only revealing it to some nameless orphan thief.

--

Meanwhile, Waldemar stood among the panicking crowd, his eyes screening the situation. Dressed casually and with short hair, e looked like any other middle class man in his late thirties. But he was so much more. He was an ex-convict who used to make his living as a pro thief in King's Landing. But during that brief stint where that northern Lord Eddard Stark had taken over charge of the city as a direct result of King Robert's hunting accident where the boar had impaled him; and Lord Eddard cracked down much more heavily on criminal activities, Waldemar had been among the thieves captured and sent to the city dungeon to await his execution.


But thankfully, with the war breaking out, the Lannisters returning to control of the city, had found better use for him, deciding that his thief skills were worth employing. After all, during any war was always a shortage of resources, people turning to stealing considerably more often than in times of peace, and his job was to use his professional expertise in order to oust any minor beginner thieves that did nothing but unsettle the citizens, and get them locked up. In turn he got a stable home and income.

And with most of the war having been fought in the Riverlands, leading to lots of poverty, now that the was was over with the Lannister victory, various smaller town Lord had petitioned for the court to send them some security guards such as himself, who would be able to reign in the crime activities somewhat, and help keep the peace in each town. Buzzing trading hub cities such as Maidenpool, were particularly infested by stealing rats. As this current incident proved yet again.

So far Waldemar had had a decent success rate here though, already having caught a good dozen thieves and gotten them hanged, but there still were a few more on the loose. Such as this girl right here, or was it a boy. Hard to tell with her short man and ambiguous frame beneath her dirty clothing. And though none of the other citizens seemed to pay her any mind, Waldemar wasn't naive enough to think that she didn't have a hand in this ploy of stealing the poor woman.

After all, having been a pro thief himself for a good two decades, Waldemar knew every trick in the book. And it wasn't uncommon for a good number of thieves or street gangs to cooperate and combine their efforts with one being the distraction while the other robbed the target. Odds were, in order to find whoever stole the purse, it might be wise to keep an eye on the girl.

And in fact, Waldemar could never have imagined it being this easy, but as he pushed through the crowd to carefully observe the girl without anybody else noticing, he saw her making straight for the salmon stand and stopping next to a boy who seemed only a few years older than her. And that boy openly carried a particularly feminine pocket in his hand, emptying out and counting the coins before giving the girl a good share of it. Waldemar saw the entire deal play out in front of him, those two naive kids weren't being particularly discreet at all. How foolish. True beginners.

It would have been easy to apprehend him right there and then, Waldemar having been handed authority over the city guard by the Lord after reaching this town on behest of the King. But that wouldn't do. For one he needed to catch them red-handed and during the act, one of those annoying rules he had to adhere to, rather than simply catching them whenever as long as he didn't have definite proof yet, and on the other hand, if he actually were to tail them a bit more, he might even find their hideout, maybe find a few more gangs or thieves hiding there, as well as their stored loot. (All of which he would then be able to pocket for himself since nobody else would know about the hideout).

So arresting them now really was premature, instead he would wait and listen and observe. These two definitely were the main targets on his radar now.

--

Momentarily turning back to glance at the chaos in the center of the market place, the woman still not having calmed yet, Arya boxed the boy into the shoulder. "Let's get outta here. Got a place to go? Got a stove too or something, or do I need to eat this salmon raw and cold?"

[backlash84]

(Mine)

Derek watched as Arya returned, glad she seemed pleased with how things had gone, rather pleased himself. "You could use a bit of polish on your act, but pretty damn good for a first try." He said, feeling that positive reinforcement was a good way to motivate people. He considered her question. "I've got a place, you can spend the night if you like, save your money for food." He said, turning and guiding her down an alley that he knew would be empty... they had a little while before it got too dark, and he knew which alleys were safe to travel down. He moved fairly quickly, taking her hand to ensure that she didn't get lost. "Another rule in this line of work, you don't shit where you eat... and in this case, I live on the other side of town. Guards have routes, area's they are assigned to, they don't just wander aimlessly... at least not usually." He said with a shrug. "If you get spotted, you've still got a chance to run for it... but the guard will remember you, and you'll want to avoid that part of town for a while... which is why you don't snatch anything in your neighborhood, no matter how tempting."

He talked as they walked, weaving through the crowds with ease, clearly used to it. "Lazy thieves steal from close to home, they don't alternate spots... so they get recognized, people start to add things up, and after that it doesn't take long to end up caught. It can be a pain in the ass, but you don't survive by being lazy." He realized he hadn't introduced himself, not really used to people caring about his name. "Oh, and my name's Derek by the way... forgot to mention that." He said, appearing a bit awkward for the first time since their meeting, but he managed to shake it off rather quickly.

It didn't take too long for them to reach their destination, about fifteen minutes, but far enough that she would probably be desperate to tear into her food. He was living on the poorer side of town, as it was all he could really afford... well, as much as he was willing to spend anyways. He guided her into a dingy tavern, the kind of place where low end prostitutes looked for Johns, and men came in after a long days work for a cheap drink. He nodded to the man behind the bar as he passed, walking up the staircase on the far side of the room and up a few flights, getting to the third and final floor. At the end of the hallway there was a room, a room that Derek called home. He opened the door, locking it behind them once they were inside.

The room was pretty simple, small, but not too small. It had a fireplace, a bed, a dresser and a few cupboards here and there. It wasn't filled with the spoils of his craft... it looked downright normal. There were some cooking supplies by the fireplace, a pot, a pan, some tongs and a fire poker. "No place like home... which is a good time to mention that stealing from another thief is also a big no no in our line of work... Doesn't mean I trust other thieves, but there isn't much you could steal from here anyways. I don't keep anything I steal, and most of my coin goes straight into the bank. That said, I live better than most in this neighborhood." His pantry was filled with fresh food, he had a nice bed, and a study roof over his head. For someone who had lived on the street, he now lived in the lap of luxury by comparison. "Help yourself to whatever you want food wise. Got fresh, clean water in the jug with a mug by it. I'd offer a bath but I don't really have one... I usually just go down to the river." He said with a shrug. "That said there is a wash basin, I suppose you could always clean yourself off with a wet rag... that is if you don't mind putting on a show." He said, privacy wasn't exactly an option in such a small space, it wasn't like he had company over often. "I'd say I won't look... but I'd look." He said with a small grin. 

[backlash84]

(Hers)

Arya didn't protest when he took hold of her hand to pull her away from the scene. Much like she was more comfortable around boys than girls to start with, she also didn't particularly mind physical contact at all. Be it during her childhood in Winterfell, or her time on the road with Gendry and other boys, she had often wrestled or hugged or generally been close to them. Arya truly couldn't be further away from being some sort of shy wallflower. Her initiation of contact with the small box into his shoulder vivid proof of that.

So she truly was relieved when he decided to take her back to whereever she could finally get something to eat, allowing herself to be pulled along as they swiftly moved through the alleys.

Though this city was completely foreign to her, and even though her hunger was still zapping her strength, Arya still tried her best to at least remember the lay out and paths they were taking. While she did plan on getting out of the Riverlands sooner rather than later, ideally catching some ship to either Braavos or back to the North, there was no guarantee she would get that kind of voyage anytime soon, so it was fairly likely for her having to spend at least some time in this town, up to a few weeks, or even months if she was unlucky.

It wasn't until they stepped inside the questionable tavern though, that she briefly frowned at the location. Not that she had ever been in one herself, but she understood very much what pleasure houses were, having seen them aplenty during her time King's Landing. Places where desperate women sold every last amount of virtue they had.

So why was the boy leading her here? Did he think she was that desperate? She wasn't entirely sure what to make of that. Sex was not something she had ever considered a plausible choice for herself. Not because she was shy or wanted to save her for marriage or anything silly like that, she didn't particularly care about nudity or gauzy clothing either. However, during her time in the Riverlands, she had been exposed to sex countless times at the hands of the Mountain and his compatriots. Never subjected to it herself gratefully, but she had seen rape and torture sex first hand much too often, most of the time culminating in either murder or the women just completely breaking down at the end.

As far as Arya knew, that was the only type of sex that really existed, not really having any other reference for sex. And she had absolutely no appetite for that.

Sure, she was convinced that she'd do a better job at resisting the abuse and pain as any of the women she had seen, Arya's competitive and perfectionist streak convincing her that, while the women she had seen getting fucked had often screamed or cried or lost their bowels in the most embarrassing of manners, she herself would never make a single sound or embarrass herself like that. But still, she really couldn't relate anything but pain and torture with this kind of act.

So the fact that he had lead her to this sort of place, did make her hesitate a bit.

She didn't resist or anything when he pulled her inside, but she couldn't help slipping her free hand around her sword's handle either. Just in case, the touch of her blade flooding her with confidence, making her feel protected and secure.

They moved up the stairs, down the corridor and towards the last room, and finally they were in the boy's home.

It was pretty modest. But more than she'd have expected honestly, probably having assumed him to live in some alley or abandoned hut or something. And compared to her own time on the road where she had never had any proper room of herself other than the caves and grooves she found for nightly rest, this room seemed like heaven.

The fire was already burning, adding warmth and comfort, and the smells of various foods wafted from the cupboards. She didn't need to be told twice when he offered to help herself to it. Her tummy growling loudly, she made straight for a couple slices of bread to somewhat still the immediate starvation, while also picking up a bit of broth, vegetables, and several chicken pieces to head over to the pot hanging over the fireplace.

Laying out a plate, she kicked off her boots and sat down crosslegged on the ground next to the fireplace, back against the wall as she started chopping the onions and carrots and potatoes while warming up the broth.

All the while she had listened to his talking. She had already realized before, but he truly was a very talkative person. Which was fine, it complimented the fact that she didn't speak much herself. Had he been similarly quiet as her, they probably would have just sat in silence the entire time. So in that sense his distraction was appreciated.

And his comment about watching if she were to bath even made her smile a little. It was cute. Not that she was bothered by the prospect of being seen naked either way. Sure, she absolutely loathed the concept of sex based on what she knew, but nudity in and of itself didn't concern her. Back in her home she and her family had often bathed together, and during her travels, she had seen and been seen naked countless times too. She had always shared baths with the Brotherhood soldiers, or the Hound. And while she had been a captive and servant in Harrenhal, she had always taken part in the public bathing sessions too where every last servant in the castle assembled for a shared public bath every other few weeks. So nakedness was the least of her worries.

If anything, she'd be happy to show off her body, being quite proud of her lean and sinewy athleticism, having honed and drilled her figure through countless hours of waterdancing and sword practice. After all, her body was nothing but a weapon too, a suitable vessel to get the best out of her sword Needle. She didn't really care about virtue or the like, as her naive sister would. Instead, a good blade needed a capable warrior to wield it. And she had become that kind of warrior, even despite her tender age and curveless figure.

So if he, or anybody really, wanted to see just how fine of a honed blade her body truly was, she'd be all too happy to show off the fruits of all her arduous daily training, having practiced countless hours on a daily basis for months on end.

On the other hand though, what she truly was more interested in, was why he'd go to such lengths to help her considering he didn't know anything about her at all. Yet he kept on sharing all kinds of tips and tricks about stealing and thievery. And she really wanted to know.

Having finished cutting the onions, her composure and self-control easily allowing her to blink away the tears that threatened to form in her eyes, Arya tossed the onions into the pot and turned to the carrots. "So why are you telling me all this, Derek? You don't know anything about me, I could just expose your identity and get the reward that would comfortably last me for quite some time." Not that she planned on anything like that, but it was an actual possibility, had she cared. And the fact that he neglected that option and wasn't particularly secretive about his life and skills, did seem a little bit naive and careless on his part, no?

[backlash84]

(Mine)

Derek was pleased to see her smile, enjoying the relaxed conversation... he didn't get to talk to people much, not about real things anyways... he'd tell stories to get him what he wanted, quite the accomplished liar when he set his mind to it... but something about honest conversation just felt... nice. He did laugh a bit when she suggested the possibility of her turning him in. "In all honesty, who do you think they'd believe? The starving peasant girl who looked like she'd trade her own grandma in for a hot meal, or the young man wearing clean clothes, always pays his rent on time, and has an absolutely spotless reputation in his little corner of the city? Hell, I've even been known to do volunteer work from time to time." He said, truly a model citizen... or at least, in appearance. "Besides, even if they did believe you you'd more than likely end up in a cell yourself, they're not going to pay out more than they have to, and they wouldn't think a girl like you going missing would be looked into too closely."


He stretched out on his bed with a yawn, looking up at the ceiling as she started to cook. "Also there's no stolen items in this room. All bought and paid for... I am very careful about that. I never hold onto anything for longer than twenty four hours, even if I don't get a very good price for it." He said with a sigh. "Nope... no matter how you slice it, I doubt I'd see a day inside a cell on your word alone... besides, even if you could, there is that old saying... give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he'll eat for a lifetime. Coin doesn't last long, never does. But if you know how to get it... well, then you're never really in that much trouble." He said, confident he could survive if he were dropped in any city in the entire kingdom, sure it wouldn't be easy for a while, but he could manage.

"As for why... I know what it's like to be hungry, I've been there myself. Guessing you wound up the way you are through no real fault of your own... just trying to get by... I had someone help me once, showed me how to pick locks... without them I'd probably be dead by now." He said, shrugging slightly. "Guess I feel doing stuff like this pay's them back in some small way... that and I've always had a weakness for cute girls." He said, what had been a serious tone returning back to his more light hearted self again. "Make sure you make enough for me too." He added, feeling he had a right to some of the stew, since she was using quite a few things of his to make it. "Who knows, if you're any good at cooking you might be worth keeping around..." He said with a playful grin, glancing over at her. She did seem cute... it was difficult to notice at first, what with the dirty clothes and coating of grime... but still, a cute girl.

[backlash84]

(Hers)

Peeling the carrots with the knife, quite skilled at using any blades whatsoever, Arya just grunted at his explanation. Her jab at him had been meant to be more of a light-hearted tease, never really expecting a serious answer. Yet when she started getting long-winded as to why precisely she had absolutely no leverage on him whatsoever, she couldn't help getting just a hint annoyed at just easily he exposed her current vulnerability. He did have a point, like with the guards rather believing his word, or never bothering to pay her in the first place, but that was exactly what irritated her about his explanation.

She quickly pushed those annoying thoughts away again though, understanding that she had no real right to complain about his explanation considering it was her who had shifted towards this subject in the first place.

Although she still couldn't help remaining a little bit bothered at just how helpless he suggested her to be. After all, while he did have a point with his fisherman proverb, it wasn't like she didn't know to earn coin herself as well if need be. If push came to show, she could always hire as a bodyguard or something, she supposed. Not that she had actually tried that yet, but she was very skilled with Needle, skilled enough to be useful to any Lord that might look for an additional pair of hands to safeguard their belongings. So that always was a possibility she could fall back on, if necessary. She hadn't been trained by the finest fencing teacher in the world for nothing after all, nor spend countless months with great warriors such as Jaqen, the Hound or the Brotherhood without banners, without picking up some tips and tricks along the way. Her skills, combined with her quickness and agility, and even her mental fortitude after having seen so much horror to be perfectly conditioned against any kind of intense situation, did make her quite a lethal opponent after all. Even if her actual battle experience was still pretty low beyond theory and practice.

Finishing the carrots and tossing them inside the pot too, Arya turned towards the potatoes, not bothering to peel them as she cut them up and tossed them inside the pot too, putting on the lid to wait a couple minutes until it was time to add the meat. Already the room started smelling of tasty hot stew, her mouth watering in anticipation.

Having finished adding all the ingredients for the time being, Arya pushed herself up and nimbly jumped onto the bed where he already was making himself comfortable, once again folding her legs until her bare soles touched another and she could wrap her hands around her ankles, sitting in front of him and staring down at him.

"Cute?"

Now that was a word she hadn't had heard before. Most of the time boys and men referred to her as wild or bratty or plucky or the like. Nobody had ever called her 'cute'. And she was not entirely sure what to make of that. The only person she knew that could be considered cute was her sister Sansa. Cute and pretty, with frills and flowing hair and pretty dresses. But Arya had always considered herself the exact opposite of everything Sansa stood for. Cute most certainly wasn't a word she'd ever have used to describe herself, much less in her current outfit. In fact, she wasn't entirely sure if this was supposed to be a compliment in the first place. If anything it sounded more like mockery or taunting to her.

"I'm not cute, quit being silly, stupid." she scolded with a shake of her head, pursing her lips as she eyed him laying splayed beneath her.

She couldn't claim to ever have looked at boys in any form of romantic manner. If anything, to her, boys had always just been very close and platonic buddies. And with her experiences on the road, all the horrors she had seen at the hands of men, she had never developed any real romantic liking for them either. Or even ever pondered romance at all, whatsoever.

But she could not deny that the boy did look good. Perhaps not quite as pretty as Jon or Gendry, but not bad by any means, certainly above average. Not that she cared, but she couldn't help noting that either. And more importantly, from everything he had said so far, he did seem like the more genuine and kind type of person too. A rarity in these times of war, most people, especially youths, seeming to have lost their friendliness all too early, grown cynical by the cruel world surrounding them. So his open-heartedness was a nice change of pace compared to the folks she had spend with in these last few months on the road.

"Keeping me around? I doubt that, I don't plan on staying here longer than necessary and once I want to leave, nobody will be able to stop me. Trust me on that."

[backlash84]

(Mine)

He smiled even wider when she called him stupid. "Cute and an attitude... I like it." He said with a small laugh, not taking the whole thing too seriously. He wasn't making a serious move, not yet anyways... but he did enjoy flirting occasionally, it was like a game... and who didn't like a complement? "Don't worry, I wouldn't try to keep you from leaving, although why anyone would want to leave this little paradise is beyond me." He said with a smile, quite enjoying his own little room... a place safe and warm... what wasn't to like? "Not like I haven't notice the sword you've got, nice little blade... not that you need much to actually do some damage." He said, looking up at her with charcoal grey eyes, examining her face. "Although I have to admit, I wonder why you would choose to starve when you could have sold it for quite a bit of coin, looks valuable to me anyways... I've got an eye for that sort of thing." He said, before adding. "Not that I would steal from a fellow thief mind you... I don't break my own rules. But it does make me wonder... why exactly do you hold onto it?"

He was genuinely curious, she hadn't spoken much since they'd met, and he did like to get to know the people he would be sharing a roof with, that is if she chose to stay the night. He didn't get the feeling she was a cold blooded killer... if she was she could have killed him when they got in the door, looted his place for anything valuable and then left behind nothing but his cold corpse and blood stained floorboards... a chilling thought, one he was rather grateful hadn't occurred to him before now. He could handle himself in a fist fight, but even a rather small girl with a sword could be very deadly, even to a much larger man... yep, he wouldn't want to make that gamble.

[backlash84]

(Hers)

His little paradise...

Arya felt like his words being quite genuine here. This room indeed was his paradise, the best situation a peasant thief like him could hope for. Her sister Sansa would maybe have found this romantic or beautifully sad in its own right, always having to tether on the edge without a place of their own but a rented room in a brothel, but Arya just shrugged at it.

As far as she was concerned, this really wasn't a paradise. Now her own home, Winterfell, that had been a paradise. But not this place. Though who was she complain, he had helped her after all, and it wouldn't do belittling her host. Especially in her own current situation of homelesslness. Plus, in a way, admitting to this, made him also appear more vulnerable in a way, more desperate than he actually let on initially with his attempted charming smiles and all. Which made him much easier to relate to, put things into perspective for her.

He continued talking. And Arya had absolutely no idea what he meant when he said that she didn't need much to do some damage. He was completely wrong there. She absolutely required Needle to do any kind of damage. Without an actual blade, she lacked the strength and penetration to ever hope to harm an opponent. Sure, big burly men like the Hound didn't need their weapons necessarily, their brute strength was enough to use their fist or body to crush their enemies, but not her. She couldn't crush anybody, and without a blade she'd be relegated to simply having to fun from any form of conflict.

Though at least she understood his next words, his inquiry upon where she got the blade from. "It's called Needle, and it isn't for sale. My brother gave it to me." And that was all the explanation she cared to give on that subject. Her dear beloved Jon, oh how she missed him. He had been her favorite brother, her favorite person in the whole world. How she longed to see him again, and talking about him made her sad and angry and lonely and emotional. And she hated that. She didn't want to start getting emotional like a little girl, she was a waterdancer now, she had to be strong.

And she'd rather starve than ever betraying Jon's gift, the last thing in the world she still had from her days of Winterfell, from that good life she had been ripped out of.

Turning around, Arya got up, checking the broth. It was about time to add the meat, so she did, tossing it all inside to be properly cooked. This would be the longest part, the thick meat chunks probably taking a good half an hour before being ready.

Returning onto the bed next to him, she picked up the words he had said earlier that she hadn't responded to yet. His comment about cute and an attitude. Again he was calling her cute. She hated that. "Stop it. I'm not cute." she repeated, this time putting more emphasis into her words. She really hated being belittled like that, as if she was some naive little kid. She may still be a kid, but she was pretty sure she had already seen more than he had. People had always called Sansa cute, and meant that she was naive and innocent and pretty like a charming princess. But Arya was none of that, and she didn't want to be treated like it either. And he better understood.

Yes, Arya was grateful for his aid, and yes, she didn't dislike him, but he better not get too carried away with his belittling insults of her, or else...

Not wanting to dwell on his insults for longer than she needed though, Arya instead mustered him and down again before glancing about the room. "It's still pretty bare in here. So what do you do once you return here? Or do you only come here to sleep at night and spend the rest of the day outside? This is a pleasure house, right? So do you get some of those girls too at night? Don't worry if you do, you can invite them I won't interrupt while you guys do your thing. Seen plenty rape before."

[backlash84]

(Mine)

Derek was a bit surprised by her reaction to being called cute, finding it a bit odd that she couldn't take a complement. "I don't see why that offends you... it isn't a bad thing, most would consider it quite the complement." He said, looking up at the ceiling for a moment, taking a deep breath and letting out a sigh. He didn't push the subject, at least for now. He was a bit confused by her next statement, bringing up rape in comparison to what would be a consensual business transaction. "Well, the place didn't start out like that, it was just a tavern and inn... but the customers attracted prostitutes, and since the prostitutes order drinks, and get drinks ordered for them... well, the owners weren't going to complain, it made them some extra money, so everybody wins." He said, turning onto his side to look at her. "And although I personally don't tend to pay for sex, you know that there is a big difference between consensual sex and rape, right?..." He asked, getting the feeling that maybe she didn't... after all, he didn't know the kind of background she had.

"Consensual sex is probably the most fun any two people can have. Sure, it can be rough sometimes... but some ladies like it rough. As long as everyone's having a good time, basically anything is fair game." He said, raking his fingers through his short black hair, considering how to put it. "It's intimate, sharing something personal with someone... exciting, and way better than just taking matters into your own hands, if you know what I mean." He said with a small grin. "I'd never rape someone, takes the fun out of it. All you get when you rape someone is screaming and struggling... and not in a good way. Much more fun to find someone's limits, play with them a little... find out what they like, what they don't. All rapes are basically the same, but having sex with someone who wants to have sex with you? Well, that's a whole different thing entirely..." He wasn't a virgin, he'd had a few experiences before... and might have paid once or twice, when he got a bit drunk after a good score, but that wasn't really relevant. "Especially when it's with a cute girl..." He added, not directly calling her cute, but making it clear that he definitely wouldn't mind getting to know her a bit better... although probably after she'd had a chance to bathe.

[backlash84]

(Hers)

"It's not a compliment." Arya brusquely responded. This boy really ought to get that into his thick skull. Then again, boys usually were a bit on the slower side when it came to understanding psychology or emotions, so she couldn't really blame him for it. And as far as she was concerned, being compared to her sister, really could never be a compliment at all.

Her sister, so naive and silly and frail. Arya would never forget the day her Lord Father's head had been chopped off on that plaza in King's Landing, and Sansa looking all pretty and dressed up splendidly for the occasion as she stood next to Joffrey while the king ordered the execution. Even before that, on that journey south from Winterfell to King's Landing, where Arya had played with sticks with her butcher's boy friend Micah until Joffrey had intervened and started torturing Micah.

Sansa had seen it all, she could easily have told the truth. But no, she had been more concerned with looking pretty for that stupid Joffrey, and make him like her pretty innocence, that she straight up had lied when asked for testimony. Getting Micah killed due to her lies.

No, ever since Arya had learned that people considered Sansa cute and pretty, those words had been tainted for her, and she never wanted to described in the same lowly manner.

Though the boy's next words as he started his speech about sex was a little bit more interesting at least. Even if she could never agree, it all sounded like gibberish to her.

A difference between consensual sex and rape? She highly doubted that, trusting her own eyes and experiences more than the words of some thief boy orphan who likely had never set foot outside his own town. But she had come around all over the world, been part of both the highest noble society, and the lowest of savage soldiers. Had seen the strongest men in the country, and faceless assassins and Braavosi waterdancers. Seen torture and being gutted or beheaded and tossed to the dogs right in front of her very own eyes. She definitely knew much more about the world than this boy did, no doubt about it.

So even if she was polite enough not to push her own opinions on him, she still couldn't agree with any of his words. She had seen the truth, the exact opposite of everything he tried to argue. Of how none of the women she had seen getting raped had ever wanted any of it, how men always were cruel, beating and insulting and stabbing the women with both knives and cocks. It was self-explanatory that women didn't want sex at all, and only the prostitutes were willing to suffer the rape at the hands of men due to needing the coin in order to at least somehow hope to make a living. If prostitutes didn't need the coin, Arya was convinced they'd never have chosen that line of work in the first place!

She didn't particularly care to correct the boy with the truth however, his opinions much too different from her own to ever hope to find any form of agreement. Trying to discuss this would likely only lead to a useless argument that, in the worst case scenario, might see her getting thrown out. She knew how these things worked, men and boys always being so proud and convinced of themselves that it was almost as if their minds were stuck in their tunnelvision and incapable of understanding truth or different viewpoints.

Nor were all rapes the same, she knew better. She had seen women being raped while laying on their back, or their front. Raped in their arses or mouths or cunts, or even eyesockets. Sometimes on tables, sometimes on the floor, sometimes against a wall or from multiple men at once. Rapes definitely were not always the same, his words evidently proving that he had never really seen actual sex in the way she had.

Admittedly, in a way that sort of male, linear, outspoken decisiveness also was a reason why she generally liked them in the first place, as opposed to girls or women who often seemed to be the exact opposite of saying whatever other people wanted to hear, but thinking something entirely different. In that vein girls were much more cruel and calculative, and why she didn't really enjoy spending time with them, even if she was a girl herself. She preferred bluntness, and being around people she could understand, without always having to read between the lines to figure out a girl's true opinion.

Even so however, there was one thing she wanted to make sure he understood. That she indeed was stronger and different from normal women. Any normal girl in her place would long since have broken down or perished when confronted with the kinds of situations she had, like forced to travel with the Hound or outlaw Brotherhood, or the Mountain who was renowned for his savage cruelty. No, Arya was better than any other girl or woman she had ever met. And she wanted to clarify that to him. "I don't care if women always scream or struggle during rape. I never would. I'd just bury my blade in the man's neck or heart or cut off his filthy cock!"

Though then again, given his evident preference for 'cute' girls like her sister for example, it probably would make sense why he'd imagine every single girl or women to only struggle and scream against rape. He had evidently never met a vice pussy as Arya was.

"But whatever, all I wanted to say, if you usually rape a woman in your room at night, don't worry about having to change your habits or anything while I'm here. I don't mind really." She repeated, emphasizing the word 'rape', both to trigger him a bit since she still enjoyed occasionally messing with people and getting a reaction out of them, as she often used to when she was still younger and in Winterfell; but also because his arguments had simply not convinced her otherwise.

[backlash84]

(Mine)

Derek wasn't about to argue about cute being a complement or not, guessing they had very different definitions of the word. What did bother him however was her insistence on using the term 'rape' when connected to him, as if that were something he would subject a woman to, as if he, and by extension all men only cared about their own pleasure, and enjoyed hurting women. "You have no idea what you're talking about. If you'd ever experienced the joys of consensual sex, you'd understand... although considering you'll bite a guys head off when he gives you a complement, I doubt things would ever get that far." He said, looking over at her. "And as for being silent, maybe during a rape you could... Pain is one thing, pleasure is another." He said, raking his fingers through his hair as he looked at her, a thought coming to mind... an evil little thought, one that made him grin practically from ear to ear.

"If you are so sure about that, if you really think that sex is so awful, how about placing a bet on it? I bet I can make you enjoy a mans touch, without causing you any pain whatsoever... If you win, you can stay here, rent free for as long as you like. Hell, you can even have my bed for your entire stay... but if I win, and you feel pleasure without any pain, if you actually end up enjoying yourself... you have to do whatever I say sexually for the rest of your stay here, trusting me completely that I won't abuse you, or cause you any suffering." He said, quite confident he could do that, hell, he wouldn't even have to penetrate her to pull that off. "And you can even have a dagger in your hand the whole time, if you are worried that I would break my word and not stop when you say you feel pain." He said, wanting to make it so she had no reason not to refuse the bet. Although he did hesitate before adding "That said, you'd need to wash off first... I do have my own limits after all." He said, not exactly fond of the idea of the smell of old sweat and who knows what else that was caked to her.

[backlash84]

(Hers)

Was he...challenging her? It really seemed that case, Arya wordlessly listening to his suggestions, the broth boiling in the background giving the room a warm and cozy atmosphere.

Crossing her arms as she squinted down at him between the tufts of her unkempt mane, Arya pondered his deal. Now that sounded interesting. But did he even know what he was getting himself into? She was a waterdancer and descendant of the oldest and most noble northern family. She was fierce as a wolverine and quick as a snake. And this boy was just some lowly orphan thief. It may be true that she didn't have any practical experience with the sort of thing he was supposedly referring to, even if she had seen it plenty times, but still, did he truly think he could best her in anything? He didn't know what he was getting himself into.

Getting up, she tip-toed over to the cooking pot, stirring the meat a bit to check how long it would still take. Probably about twenty more minutes or so.

And beyond the challenge itself, was his deal even fair? After all, she hadn't claimed to not feel the pain of rape, but simply to withstand it enough to never make a sound or struggle. She would still feel the pain of a rape regardless of what reactions she let on. But his deal wasn't about her physical reactions, but merely whether she felt pleasure or not. Which seemed a quite one-sided deal to her, considering one couldn't be in charge of what they felt, only of how they reacted and responded to that feeling. So should she perhaps tweak his deal according to whether she let any pleasure on or not?

No, there probably wasn't any need to tweak his deal, since she was completely convinced that there was absolutely no way at all it could ever feel pleasureable.

What about the other parts of the challenge. She didn't mind his suggestions of what she had to do if she lost, since she was never going to lose anyways. But as to what she got if she won. "If I win...I get all your money and treasure so I can buy a ship voyage out of this town." Yes, only fair that the boy had some important stakes in this deal too, going beyond just having to sleep on the floor for a couple nights.

What about his bathing suggestion then? She wasn't sure she liked that. After all, during all the rapes she had seen so far, there had never been an intentional bath or anything before that, so if anything, doing this would be cheating on his part, and not at all true to reality where men just raped whenever they pleased without a care. Besides, while her exposed skin like neck or hands were a bit dusty from travel, it wasn't the same beneath her clothes. That's what clothes were there for after all, to keep the dust and dirt away from the covered skin. Plus she had only recently taken a bath in the river outside the city, having made sure to still look as properly as possible before making her way into the city. He really shouldn't have a reason to complain, and if he was a real man he shouldn't be so picky either. Those men like the Hound or the Mountain or various other rapists and murderers she had met on the road, weren't picky either. "No bath either. Can't have it all going in your favor while I'm the only having to go through all the rape pain."

Plus in her current attire she felt much more familiar and comfortable than having to take some strange bath in an odd place she had never been to before, probably get perfumed too like all these girls in the pleasure house. No thanks, she was a fierce wolverine of the North, not some pampered doll like the southern girls in King's Landing. And since he was the one trying to convince her to let him rape her, then she at least ought to feel comfortable in her own skin, if nothing else.

Turning back around to face him, Arya nodded and brushed away a from strands from between her eyes. "Okay then. Got a deal. But one more thing, you have to finish the rape before dinner is ready. Or you could just take forever, and all the rapes I have seen usually lasted much shorter than 20 minutes anyways. Though really, even if I lost, which will never happen, I couldn't really care less about having to trust you not to abuse or make me suffer. You aren't a real man if you can't establish physical superiority." Another truth she had internalized in her months with the Mountain and his gang. Truly powerful men, flaunted and abused their power and strength, since they knew they were the best and that nobody could stand in their way. Once she got even better at swordsplay to the point that she could best anybody and had no more rivals, she definitely would flaunt her superiority in a similar way to let others know of the gap between them.

[backlash84]

(Mine)

He considered her counter offer... twenty minutes to get a girl to climax was a bit more risky, especially when she clearly wasn't going to make it easy for him with so much on the line... then again all he had to do was have her enjoy it, and that didn't necessarily mean she had to reach climax. The idea of losing everything was a bit much to him, after all she could just lie and say she hadn't enjoyed it and take everything he had... "I'll pay for the ship voyage to wherever you want, that would take up quite a bit of my savings, I'll even give you enough spending money to put yourself up for a week, that's most of what I've got saved anyways." He said, depending on where she wanted to go, that could be quite expensive, especially if she had to charter her own small passenger ship... hell, that might empty his account out in and of itself...

"Alright, strip and lay down on the bed. I'm not losing simply because you say I undressed you too roughly or something like that..." He said, taking this seriously now... money was on the line, so he couldn't afford to make any mistakes. His teasing attitude was gone, his face much more determined than she'd ever seen it before, his dark eyes taking on a completely different appearance, almost like he was a different person.

[backlash84]

(Hers)

Arya didn't mind his haggling, that counter-offer was quite fair after all. "Works for me." she agreed, noticing his sudden change in his demeanor.

As somebody who had struggled through endless months of captivity, always fearing for her life while many of the other captives had been picked off one after the other for torture and lethal questioning, she had learned to become particularly observant regarding other people's behavior and attitude. Her adaptablity of always being alert of her surroundings, reading the mood and atmosphere of the soldiers to know when to make herself invisible or when it was safe to push her luck a bit and maybe ask for a second slice of bread or something, had been the main reason she had survived so long.

So she quickly picked up on him growing more serious. Which she liked, seems she really had gotten under his skin then. Which would make her subsequent victory all that much sweeter if he actually got invested with all he had, just to realize that even his best efforts fell short to her resilience. After all, in the last few months of wandering hither and thither, always at the mercy of her captors, it wasn't like she had often been able to taste the sweet empowerment of superiority. She had always been on the short end of sticks, always having to hope for other people's mercy. But to finally feel in charge for once, and actually come out of a duel victorious, would fill her with endless self-esteem and confidence.

And this was a duel. Even if a different one from the usual fights.

Understandably the boy got straight to the point too, suddenly feeling the pressure of time, much to Arya's glee.

"Sure sure." she mischievously chirped as she stepped out of her tunic and breeches, unclasping Needle's weapon belt until she was completely nude, before wrapping the belt back around her now bare waist, Needle still hanging by her side, ready for usage. He had offered for her to keep her blade ready after all, so she certainly wasn't going to pass up on that offer.

Beneath her clothes, her skin indeed was cleaner than her scabbed arms or elbows. All the endless travel and arduous training had burned off every last ounce of excess fat. She had always been on the more scrawny and smaller side, but not her body had grown lean and leathery. No longer was she simply just scrawny, but instead she now possessed the toned athleticism of a fierce mountain lioness.

Her hips were still narrow and straight as a board, but her bust had already started to develop shades of femininity, even if her tits still were small and perky, her tiny nipples slightly inverted.

Between her legs, her girlhood was a fine, pink line, sealed and pure. Almost bare too, only small, vague strands of brown peachfuzz unevenly sprouting around her lower lips, while her behind was flat yet toned.

Overall her frame certainly was more on the practical side, suiting her lifestyle of travel and fighting, rather than possessing the perhaps pretty, albeit ultimately useless grace and softness of pampered noble girls, or those living in pleasure houses. Nor did she particularly care on any form of sensuality as she nonchalantly slipped from her covers. Not that she had ever bothered with trying to look pretty in the first place. If anything, all her countless months on the road where she had to act the part of a boy since that was safer to travel, had taught her to act the exact opposite from that.

Combing one hand through her hair to properly reveal her face as she brushed the loose strands over her head or behind her ears, openly revealing her mischievously blinking grey eyes, she stepped over, other hand resting on her blade's handle.

Even without focusing on sensuality or grace however, her waterdancing skills still gave her a unique semblance of sure-footed elegance as she slithered down on the sheets next to him, laying relaxed as she crossed her hands behind her head and tucked up her legs so her soles were resting on the smooth, comfy surface. She knew what would happen now, him revealing his male worm between his legs to try and shove it into her cunt. She had seen that happen countless times, and though never having experienced it herself before, in her head she had been prepared to suffer this since long ago. Sure, in the end she had never been raped so far, but she couldn't have known that during those days where she had seen daily rapes all around her, so in her mind she had simulated and braced herself for it for whenever it would eventually end up happening.

Something that now worked to her benefit, considering their deal and the thief boy's plans.

[backlash84]

(Mine)

Derek watched as she undressed rather unceremoniously in front of him, clearly not interested in trying to look attractive, not even in the slightest. Still, she was attractive... maybe even more so than he had expected. She was a bit of a tomboy, there was no doubt about that, but that didn't put him off any... in fact he couldn't help but feel his heart start pounding a little bit harder as he looked at her naked form. He didn't mind that she seemed insistent on wearing the belt, part of him actually finding it pretty hot in its own way.

He didn't bother undressing, after all he couldn't take her virginity without causing her at least some discomfort... that is unless she broke her hymen riding horses... or if she was still a virgin at all. It was possible that her views on sex were the result of being raped herself, just not mentioning it in the discussion they'd had on the subject. Keeping that in mind, he didn't rush into things... sure, there was a time limit, but pawing at her without getting her at least a little warmed up first wasn't going to help his cause. So instead he slid in close, his fingers running through her hair gently as he looked into her eyes. "I'm going to enjoy making you mine..." He said, referring to all the things she'd have to do once she lost the bet. She seemed to be a woman of her word, and he was sure that after she'd gotten a taste of how good this sort of thing could be, she'd be more than happy to experience a little more.

His fingers slid down the soft curve of her spine, slowly making its way down before settling just above the soft curve of her ass. He leaned in a little closer, his breath warm against her skin as he started to kiss down the side of her neck, his lips warm and soft against her smooth skin... He slowly made his way down to her collar bone, his tongue then sliding out like a hot lash against her skin. He seemed to have quite a bit of experience when it came to this sort of thing, his touch firm, but not too firm... Confident, but not pushing too far too fast, gauging her reaction, paying close attention to her body.

[backlash84]

(Hers)

Closely watching him as the thief boy descended before her, Arya openly matched his gaze, his whispered promise sending a low chuckle from her lips. Make her hers? He meant like, own her or something? Like she owned Needle? Pff, did he genuinely think a lowly thief boy like him could ever hope to tame a wild wolverine such as herself? Oh yes, she'd like to see him try.

And indeed he did seem to be trying, possessively wrapping himself around her.

She could feel the gentle touch of his fingers drifting through her hair, combing her head in the same manner Jon often used to pat or ruffle her hair. She also took note of his knee brushing against her inner thighs as he leaned close, his warm breath softly wafting across her skin, his other hand calloused yet gentle as it hooked underneath her back, prompting her to involuntarily arch her torso upwards in order to allow his hand to slip down the length of her spine and settle against her lower back. It was evident he truly was trying to possess or own her or something, to catch and enclose her with his hands and body.

That notion still amused her, and she let it happen without comment or reaction, knowing the stakes of their deal.

And yet, she couldn't small hints of confusion from budding in the back of her head either. Especially when she took note of him starting to kiss her neck. It was a warm and gentle touch, slightly damp and ticklish. She didn't dislike it though, it felt funny and pleasant how his tongue showered her with attention, how his tongue briefly slipped across her collarbone once he reached lower. Yes, it felt good.

But...of course it felt good. Because what he doing right now, was the kind of cuddling and hugging that would always feel good. Minus the kisses, this was exactly how she had always hugged her beloved brother Jon when she had still been a young girl in Winterfell. She had often shared a bed at night with her brother, the two telling another stories or talking for hours on end until deep in the nights as they laid in each others arms under their sheets.

What this thief boy was doing was quite similar to those times, soft hands massaging her muscles to help her relax, tender fingers curling into her skin. Wherever his touch applied she could almost feel a hint of tender warmth lingering even after his fingers moved on again, his various touches sending pleasant comfort seeping through her veins. Making her feel warm and cozy. It felt good.

But it wasn't sex!

This wasn't the kind of sex she had seen on the roads, the kind of sex she was referring to.

On the roads, the men had never done any of this. They had violently torn on the women's hair, or twisted their nipples until Arya thought they'd tear the tits off, beaten and kicked and insulted and spat on the women. Tied them up or peed on them. And of course, driven their bones between the women's legs.

That was the sort of sex Arya was referring to. Not this kind of soft cuddling this boy was doing now.

So what was going on here? Did he think she didn't know the difference between sex and hugging? Was he trying to cheat in order to not lose their deal? It wouldn't surprise her, after all, he was still a thief, not exactly the most honorable of occupations. Lieing and cheating likely were second nature to him. Perhaps she never ought to have trusted him with this kind of deal in the first place. She probably ought to have expected him to try and cheat.

Her blade slipped from her belt lightning quick, Arya's fingers curling around the handle as she brought the weapon in between their bodies, the tip of her small fencing dirk poking into his belly. Not hard enough to draw blood or actually hurt him, but enough to let its presence known. Because she demanded an answer. It appeared they hadn't been talking about the same thing when doing their agreement.

His actions had been pleasant and gentle, of course, yet she abruptly interrupted him. Arya's tone a low, threatening hiss, she applied a bit of pressure on her dirk, slipping it down the length of his belly until reaching the bottom of his shirt, using the tool in her hand to push his shirt upwards to reveal his stomach and chest.

"What exactly are you doing? Where is the punching and kicking and tearing on my hair and nipples? This isn't the deal we agreed, cheater! Take out your cock and rape me."

[backlash84]

(Mine)

Derek looked at her as she pressed the sword between them, looking into her eyes without fear... annoyance perhaps, but definitely not fear. "I have twenty minutes, remember? Nothing in our agreement said I couldn't take my sweet time with pleasing you... So unless you intend to break your word, I'd much prefer it if you didn't talk unless asked a question... it's distracting me, and I require focus." He said, his voice stern, commanding even... he seemed rather confident she wouldn't gut him. She seemed to be the kind of person who valued their word, and wouldn't break it lightly. "Although I will remind you my bet was that I could bring you pleasure through a mans touch... which I fully intend to do... And, if you are willing to undergo a few moments of discomfort, I will show you exactly how good having a man inside of you can feel." He gently guided her sword out of his way, starting to kiss down her from her collar bone.

He figured he had warmed her up enough that he could get started on something a little more intimate... starting out by kissing down to her breast, his lips seeming to feel even warmer against her sensitive skin. "Taking a woman's virginity can sting, for a moment... unless you've done a lot of horse riding, which would be rather fortunate for me..." She felt his hand move around from her back, sliding down the front of her, over her flat stomach, dipping between her thighs so that she could feel his warm, rough hand cup her sex, starting to rub her there in a slow, deliberate fashion. "That is, unless you are scared of a little discomfort..." He said, thinking that might make her accept his challenge... she didn't like the idea of being seen as cute, and she was definitely confident about her pain tolerance... he figured she would be rather eager to prove him wrong, enough so that she wouldn't tap out before she could really experience the pleasure he had spoken of before. While she considered his challenge he captured her nipple between his lips, sucking gently on it before his tongue caressed the sensitive little nub, moving in smooth circles as he held her to him.

[backlash84]

(Hers)

Arya was glad that he didn't just melt down at the abruptness of her interruption, weak and wimpy men were one of the things she hated most. But she had to admit, she was taken aback by the sternness of his voice. There was a sense of commanding authority to it that she absolutely loathed, the kind of commanding voice she had heard so often during her months of captivity, treating her nothing but an obedient servant that had to be ordered hither or thither. That one of his almost made her want to rebel all the harder against him.

And yet there was something more to his voice. It was odd, because he was just a lowly thief boy, but somehow his tone reminded her of a 'Lord's voice', of the kind of voice her own Lord Father or even older brother Robb had often used when settling a discussion for good. The eerie similarity with Robb specifically was particularly reminiscent, having been of similar age as this current boy, and the two even having similar hair colours to boost.

Yes, this really was strange. On one hand this thief boy's sudden, commanding seriousness reminded her Robb, while at the same time his soft and gentle touches reminded her of Jon. Almost as this boy was also possessing all of Jon's and Robb's best traits that she had always liked so much.

Frowning at that weird realization, Arya couldn't help her smile vanishing as she absent-mindedly started to chew her lower lip, a bad habit that sometimes resurfaced whenever she was deep in thought. "You're still cheating though." she grumbled, not wanting to entirely surrender her argument as if she was some push-over doormat like her sister. But she did allow him to take charge again, not resisting as she felt his hand shoving her blade away from his belly.

Instead she settled down again, once again returning her focus on his kisses as they ponderously traveled down her chest, across her pale, lightly freckled skin.

By now he had changed the subject to talking about a girl's virginity. Considering that she - thankfully - had never been raped before her, his words obviously applied to her, Arya still being a virgin. Though she had indeed done a lot of horseriding, in fact one of her nicknames in Winterfell had been exactly that "Horseface", because she had used to spend so much time in the stables or riding out on her pony and even grown steeds. She had been the fastest rider of any of her brothers, always winning every race against Jon or Robb.

Although she admitted that she still wasn't entirely sure how that made any difference to how rape and sex would feel. From all she had seen, the main discomfort from sex seemed to be the thick size of a man's cock that looked much too big to ever comfortably fit into her. And how horse-riding was ever supposed to help with that she had no idea. Despite that however, one thing was for sure...

"I'm not scared of a little discomfort. I'm not scared of anything."

By now his lips had reached breasts, warmly caressing at her budding, perky mounds. Even more than with her neck or collarbone, these touches felt particularly...funny. She couldn't say why, but the way his lips curled around her soft skin sent a strange sense of warm allure through her chest, joining the already lingering heat seeping through her veins. By no means were the touches strong enough to particularly trouble or concern her, let alone elicit any form of reaction, but she could feel the nestling heat as it comfortably snaked its way through her torso. Especially if she focused on his kissing specifically could she feel the tender and comforting relaxation his attention gifted her. As good as any massage she had had.

Yes, it felt good. Much like that hand slipping down her torso.

Focusing on his kissing, his actions confusing and unexpected and not entirely their deal still, but not unpleasant; she had barely paid any attention to that traveling hand whatsoever. Vaguely she had felt it leaving her rear to instead brush across her taut belly. But she hadn't paid attention, not until she could feel it slipping lower, across her bare mound, to that spot where any hand had yet to ever reach her.

Arya had been through much during her travels, all kinds of arduous strains. Compared to all the pain and suffering and starvation she had experienced, the touch of his hand between her legs was nothing. And yet...there was something oddly unsettling about it as well. This wasn't something she had ever felt before, this feeling of...surrendering her privacy...of exposure as his body parted her legs to fully open her most secret of spot to his roaming fingers. And that warmth radiating from his hand as it cupped her slit almost protectively, like a shield safeguarding her vulnerability.

Such an odd sensation, Arya frowning at the thought. Again, what was he doing now?? Her pussy didn't need to be guarded or protected as if it was some frail flower! Quite the opposite, he was supposed to ram his spear into her.

And yet he didn't. And that annoyed her. Why couldn't he just rape her properly like they had agreed??

Why go through all this trouble? Why did he remind her of both Jon and Robb? Could he just stop messing around? No matter how long he massaged her like that, this wouldn't win him the bet, nor was it any form of challenge for her. She wanted to prove herself better than the other women she had seen raped, not having to endure this strange touching. This strange touching...that felt so oddly weird and ticklish and intimate.

It grew stronger too. Arya had no idea what he was doing between her legs, and yet she could feel this strange warmth that felt so weirdly alluring, growing fiercer. His fingers were rotating in small circles, she could feel that at least. And those tiny sparks that momentarily jolted through her snatch, egged on by his slowly rotating fingers. They were barely noticeable, only if she focused on her pussy could she consciously feel them. And yet they were there, vaguely, distantly. Tiny hot jolts that kept on momentarily flaring up within her pussy, originating from the top of her snatch, precisely where his fingers were.

These felt so very unfamiliar, unlike anything she had ever felt gushing through her pussy. And yet, at the same time, some instinct inside her head had somehow felt this before. Understood its familiarity. Wasn't afraid of the sensation, even cherished these tiny warm sparks that radiated through her core, her legs parting just a little bit wider to accomodate his hand, her own left hand still loosely holding onto Needle as the blade rested on the bed next to her, while her right hand returned behind her head.

Taking a flat breath, Arya leaned her head back into the sheets and pillow, closing her eyes as she focused on the sensation more intimately, wanting to properly understand it. His tongue and lips too. By now they had even closed around her small inverted nipples, blowing warm breath and licking and even sucking. This sensation was even stronger than the sparks between her legs for now. Where the jolts in her pussy were little more than distant twitches, his attention on her breasts was considerably more thorough, her nipples itching and tickling, almost as if demanding attention and to be scratched. To be scratched by his tongue. Yes, exactly like that, that warm lick and suckling that made her breasts feel strangely warm and full, as the blood rushed through her veins in increasing pace, the center of her chest flushing just a hint of light pink shade.

Her eyes still closed, Arya nodded approvingly. "Told you, I'm not scared of any discomfort."

[backlash84]

(Mine)

Derek could feel her body reacting to his touch, a smile forming on his lips, pleased he was making progress... and it had hardly been two minutes. When she gave him permission to continue he started to massage between her legs more firmly, his touch more demanding, insistent. He shifted so that instead of lying beside her he was mostly on top of her. pressing her into the mattress. He proceeded to start to undress, shrugging his robes off, only removing his hand from her for a few moments to toss them aside.

Soon he was completely naked and on top of her, his warm body pressed firmly against hers, allowing her to feel his lean muscles and warm skin. He may not have been a fighter, but Derek was still in pretty good shape, you had to be to run away effectively, to scale walls and dodge your pursuers. It was a different kind of strength, more streamlined than say a warrior, less bulky, but still fairly impressive none the less. His mouth moved back up to the side of her neck, kissing her with a heat and desire that she had probably never felt directed towards her before... treating her like she was something to be desired, wanted... worth something.

His hand slid from between her legs, only to be replaced by the feeling of his thick cock, the shaft pressing against her moist slit. She couldn't exactly feel how long he was, but she could get a feel for his girth... and it would be a rather tight fit. In reality he was about nine and a half inches, more than enough to intimidate any first timer, but he was going to do his best to distract her from that. He started to thrust back and forth along her lower lips, spreading her against her cock, allowing her to really feel how hot and hard he really was, like fire forged steel wrapped in silk. All the while he continued to kiss her neck, lips traveling up behind her ear. "Do you feel how hard you make me Arya?... How much I want you?..." He whispered, his voice deep, rough with desire. He raked his fingers through her hair, wrapping his arms around her, holding her close as he slid his hand down her back, taking a firm hold of her tight rear end, making sure she couldn't pull away. "God I'm going to enjoy fucking you... not raping you, fucking you, like you deserve... like you sorely need, whether you know it or not..." Thinking that maybe a nice, thorough fucking might dislodge the stick she had up her ass about sex... and as much as he was going to enjoy making her swallow her words, he was going to enjoy it even more when he made her swallow his load after he'd won the bet, making her his.


END