Arya sat down with Bran before he left for King's Landing. They talked for a while, and she agreed to lead the counter-invasion. Consternation still colored her voice when she said the words, but the potential harm to her children had sealed it for her. "I'm going to get them, Bran, every last one of them." Bran looked deep into her eyes and said, "Just win Arya. Make them never want to come back here again, okay?" Arya snarled at Bran, "I'm going to break them, Bran." Arya stifled her tears as she went back to her apartment to care for Thomas and her children.
A month later, reports came in of 4 large black ships heading north along the western coast. On a clear day with not a cloud in the blue sky, those four ships docked along the wharf in Brandon's Rest. Four men in black robes left the largest ship and came ashore. A herd of attendants carried chests behind them as they made their way through town to the great hall. Arya received them as they entered. The leader of the four looked around inside the hall, as if he expected a throne room of some sort. Instead, he found the hall's common tables. Arya motioned for them all to sit at the closest table; drinks were brought out, and Arya said, "How can I help you, gentlemen?"
The leader spoke in clear Westerosi, saying, "We hail from the Shadow Lands; Stygai is our home. We have come for two reasons. We want trade, as we need much of your wood to build an invasion fleet. We mean to join your invasion of the west. But we also need to learn...he stammered a bit here...and teach magic. To and from the people that will be going on this expedition. There is much we can learn and also teach, I mean to say."
Arya looked kindly on the man, saying, "We can always use help on this mission, but I am curious as to why the Shadow Lands, who have always maintained their mystery, would want to be a part of this endeavor?" The man nodded and answered, "Excuse me for not introducing myself properly; we shadow mages have little to do with the outside world. My name is Quorash, and if possible, the others in our group shall remain nameless. As to your question, Mrs. Stark, I assume you were aware that blood mages from the Shadow Lands aided the battle near the tree-kin homeland? A book was taken from a Zonian dark mage at the end of that battle. The Shadow Lands learned a great deal from that book, and we want more of that knowledge. To that end, we have been sent to gather materials to join the invasion and to set up a magic college so that we may teach and be taught."
The man looked exhausted after that speech. Arya imagined he hadn't said that many words to a stranger in his whole life; a smile spread across her face. Then a look of study crossed Arya's face; she was thinking about where in the city a magic college could be housed. "Ah," she said at last, "There is a site in the northeast corner where a merchant began building a warehouse and an estate. He went bankrupt before it was finished. Might it be just the place for such a building? But we will have to get the owner of the construction company here to discuss this with you." Arya sent someone to find a person who could discuss this.
Quorash nodded understandingly and looked around the hall. He focused on Hassan's assassin guards, doing their best to blend into the woodwork, yet still on duty. "Are there more of these guards that could be hired?" Quorash asked. "We would need security for our college." Arya sent someone else to find Hassan, but he was gone only a moment, as Hassan had already come to see what his guards had messaged him about. As soon as Hassan sat down, the two men began discussing setting up security for the new college. They agreed on a price; Quorash opened one of the chests, and a great deal of gold changed hands.
The construction company owner came next and started discussing the property and costs. He and Quorash discussed the costs and how to finish the unfinished property. Quorash said he needed to see the property before he could agree, and that they would need to make plans to finish the place. Arya told Quorash that his gold would be safe in the hall if he wished to go to the property to see it. Two of the black mages stayed behind as Quorash and the property owner left to survey the possible property. Hassan and Arya joined the small group as they walked through the north gate to the corner where the property stood. Quorash and the owner haggled and discussed more, with the owner saying they would have to rehire the stone-kin to finish the estate's outer walls. Quorash and the other black mage who had come with him talked together for a bit. The young mage produced a draft book and began sketching some drawings for the college building exterior. He also added a plan for the building's interior layout, and they gave it to the property owner. The man studied the drawings and then gave a price for everything. Quorash agreed, and they went back to the hall, and the money was paid in gold coins on the spot.
Arya asked if they needed a set of rooms at one of the inns in town, but Quorash told her his people would stay on their boat in the harbor until construction was complete enough for them to move in.