It took hours for the trio to reach The Streets of Steel. Trying to hide away Arya's face at every chance they got. They had to remember anyone could have seen her in that glowy form as they had taken to calling it. When she lost control after father's death.
Gendry led them to a narrow yard as Erner sighed feeling his face heat in anger,
"We've been moving all day," he said as Arya signed,
"I miss Tito," she said offhandedly as Gendry yawned as a building came into view. It was a stone barn and Arya found it fitting this was where Gendry did his work.
As they entered the barn Arya looked around. She hadn't been in a forge since she left Winterfell. Over a year ago now. A forge blazed in each corner and the air stank of smoke and sulfur. Journeymen armorers glanced up from their hammers and tongs just long enough some stopping at the sight of a girl in the forge as Arya glanced around. Here her and Erner at least had much fire to use if a fight broke out.
Then Arya knew nothing of the armorers. They could be benders of great skill for all she knew.
Then she saw a man walk to them. He wore a black velvet coat with silver hammers embroidered on the sleeves. A large sapphire hangs on a heavy silver chain about his neck. As Gendry grew stiff he looked at her and she knew.
It was Tobho Mott.
"Gendry is that you," he asked almost as if he was shocked Gendry lived. Though Arya couldn't blame him. No word for so long,
"Yes, Master it's me. Been a while," he said with a grin as Tobho glanced at Arya and Erner,
"Why did you come back," Tobho he asked as Gendry's eyes went wide for only the second,
"I have business here," he said as Tobho shook his head. As if confused as it didn't make sense. Like being told a fact you were sure of was wrong.
"These are my friends, Cat and Erner," he said as Tobho nodded,
"Why are you here," he asked as the girl spoke,
"Gendry's helping me looking for someone," she said as they followed him to a back room of the barn as he nodded his slowly. The room was large and held nothing but a table, some chairs, and materials. Irons and steels of all kinds.
"Gendry I taught you much. But never to lie. That explains why you're so bad at it," Tobho said he spun around to strike Gendry with his sword.
Gendry gripped Needle as he brought it up to block the blow before using his free hand to reach for his hammer.
"I'm not lying," he said as he used his hammer to block another blow before Tobho knocked the hammer from his hands. As the hammer fell he glanced as Arya and Erner stood in front of him. there palms out forward as he smirked. As if knowing they would not attack with Gendry they're. He kicked Gendry's legs out from under him and readied a strike as Gendry spoke,
"You're right I'm not telling the full truth but it's for everyone's safety," he said, his eyes downcast in shame as Tobho smirked,
"Oh I know," he said as he stood and moved to put his sword away and looked to Arya,
"I'm a bit old to be fighting the Avatar, Milady," he said with a tease in his tone as Arya's eyes grew wide,
"You knew," she asked as he nodded,
"I had a suspicion at first but then I remembered Ned Stark married a woman named Catelyn. Clearly where you got the name," he said.
"Don't worry I won't tell anyone. Now mind explaining why you're really here" he asked as Arya glanced at Gendry who nodded,
"I trust him," Gendry told Arya honestly as she nodded back,
"My sister Sansa is trapped in the Red Keep. She's going to be wed to the king. I'm going to save her," Arya said as Tobho looked at her. His brows rising,
"You think you can do that," he asked as Arya looked around before opening her palm and allowing fire to burst out,
"Yes I do," she said as he nodded,
"Well you're going to need a place to stay and plan right," he asked as Gendry nodded,
"That's actually what I wanted to ask you. But I understand if you can't"
"You can share the room in the forge. I know it's not proper but" he said looking at Arya for confirmation as she nodded,
"Doesn't matter, Can you tell us anything that could be useful," Arya said as he nodded,
"Yes, why don't we sit," Tobho said as he glanced at a small wooden table in the far right of the room.
As they sat. Tobho sighed, "I'm not sure you could have picked a worse time to come," he said as Arya raised an eyebrow,
"Why is that," Erner said with a frown.
"King Joffrey's name day is tomorrow. Security is worse than normal because of it. How'd you even get in," he asked as Arya grinned,
"Earthbending with a bit of firebending," she explained as he laughed,
"Clever girl," he said as he grew serious.
"You have to wait it out," he said as Arya looked away before shaking her head,
"What if we sneak in," she said as Tobho looked up in wonder,
"The King is hosting a Tourney. There will be much going on. If you are careful perhaps you could slip in," Tobho suggested as Erner nodded,
"It's possible I'm sure Lady Sansa will be there," he said as Arya nodded,
"From what I knew of Joffrey he'll make Sansa go," she said before grinning,
"Sansa takes forever to get ready for an event. Joffrey would want her looking pretty," she said as Gendry looked at her confused but Erner nodded,
"If we can get to her room while she's getting ready," he said as Arya nodded,
"Then we can save her," she said before shaking her head,
"We'll need Tito though. To make a quick escape," Gendry said as Arya sighed,
"Who"s Tito," Tonho questioned as Gendry laughed,
"Our flying bison," he said as his former master stared at him before shaking his head.
"We'll just have to get away on our own," Arya said as Gendry nodded,
"We'll have to be careful if we get caught were dead," he said as Erner nodded his head.
"How will you get in," Tobho asked as Arya smirked,
"I lived in the Red Keep for a while," she said before pausing, "I'm right to assume that's where it's happening," she asked as Tobho nodded.
"Then we need a way to get in undetected," Arya said as she sighed as Gendry spoke,
"What if we did that thing we did to get into the city," he asked as Arya's eyes grew wide,
"Yes," she shouted as she stood, "we can use Earthbending," he said as Erner sighed,
"How will we know where we are going," he asked as Arya sighed,
"That's the issue we will need to get close so I can see and figure it out," she said as they nodded. Arya sighed,
"When we get there how will we find her. We have no information to go off of," he said as Tobho hung his head,
"You could capture someone," he said as Arya nodded,
"Yes, we could. Force the information out of them," she said as Gendry nodded as Erner sighed,
"That or we could split up," he said as Gendry shook his head,
"That's not a good idea. The King'sguards will be there and everyone one of them is a Master Bending," he pointed out as Arya pinched her nose,
"Seven Hells," she muttered before speaking,
"That's our plan," she said as Gendry nodded and Erner spoke,
"Yep, we'll get close and Earthbend in. Get information and find Lady Sansa and get out," he said as Arya nodded.
Arya stared at herself in the mirror as held a knife in her right hand and her long hair in the other. She had never wanted to hide her she was. She was Arya Stark. Daughter of Ned Stark. The Avatar. But everyone in this city wanted her dead. Anyone who was poor would likely want the reward.
However, she also knew cutting her hair was her admitting she had to hide who she. She knew it was smart and even practical for fighting. But to do it to hide herself. To hide her name was painful. She pushed the knife through her hair as she allowed it to fall. She smirked as her hair down fell to the start of her neck. Easily able to pass as boys hair.
She had woken up an hour ago and was readying herself to move to the Red Keep. She dressed slowly as she slipped Needle into its sheath. As she looked into the glass and knew it was time. As she exited the forge room the trio had slept in the night before.
They had to move early. The plan was to get Sansa before she left her room and Arya knew Sansa would start getting ready early so they had to move fast.
As she met Erner and Gendry outside the room she looked at them,
"You both ready," she said before adding, "Thank you for helping me save her," with a grim frown as Gendry smiled,
"Gendry hold on to this" Arya said as she handed him a Water Skin and he tied it to his side.
"We'll save her and then find you a Waterbending Teacher," Erner said with a pause before throwing in a tease though it was true," not that you're close to being done with me," he mocked as Arya smiled at the thought of learning more bending.
The morning of Kings Joffrey's Name Day Sansa awoke early as the air filled her chambers. As she stretched she flinched in pain. Her body aching in pain from the Kings last punishment. She knew the Queen was unaware that she had been raped. That he was raping her. But if she said anything they'd kill her. It wasn't even fair. She hadn't seen Arya in a little over a year. Yes in truth she had lied. She knew Arya was the Avatar but she'd be of no use now.
Sansa knew a comet was coming and thank the gods new and old it wasn't the one that made Firebenders more powerful That wasn't due for another twenty-five years.
The sun shined bright and the air blew coldly on her skin. Winter was coming. She could feel it in her bones as she walked to grab a dress and began readying herself for the day.
Sansa had knew she had to take special care of her face and clothes. She chose a gown of pale purple silk and a moonstone hair net that had been a gift from Joffrey. The gown had long sleeves to hide the bruises on her arms. Those were Joffrey's gifts as well. When they told him that Robb had been proclaimed King in the North, his rage had been fearsome, and he had sent Ser Boros to beat her. It helped they hugged her form tightly preventing any high-level forms of waterbending. Sansa was unsure if she would even be able to use a simple Water Whip while wearing it. But she knew she had no choice. She had to please the King and Queen. There was no way to get to her family. To return to Winterfell. All she could do was pray that Robb won. He would save her.
It didn't take long for the trio to reach a point where Arya could see the Red Keep. They made sure to stay hidden. Arya's hair was short and boyish and unlike the last time she was here she wore the clothes of a boy. Opposed to the dress of a highborn lady. But she had still been here. High in the sky in a monster of earth from what Gendry told her.
Not that she would know. She still knew nothing from the two times she had entered the strange glowly state. All she knew was that while in it she could do great things and bend things she didn't know how to bend. Arya glanced around as they made their way to the side of beaten down flea bottom house.
"You guys ready. No time to waste," Arya told them as they nodded before Gendry grabbed her shoulder,
" Whatever happens don't do anything stupid Milady," he said as she shot him an angry glare,
"I. Am. Not. A. Lady," she said slowly as before adding, "and you're the dummy," with a grin before she allowed the earth below them to spread.
It took almost an hour for Arya to reach a point where she felt she could check their progress.
As Erner let his fire vanished she popped the earth open as she pulled knelt down and crouched nodding to Gendry who stood in her hands as allow him to look up.
Gendry allowed his eyes to scan the area. They were in the Red Keep. He could tell by how it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen and filled with Lions and Stags. He looked down to Arya and nodded as he pulled himself up and she slowly lifted her and Erner find there way up.
Earthbending was loud and strong. It had to be done slowly to not get them caught. Luckily for Arya she could now fight with fire as well. As they moved to hide behind a wall she looked to Gendry and glared. His steps were loud.
"Gendry walk more softly," she warned lowly as he nodded mounting a sorry to her. She turned and smiled as she saw a man walked by. The white cloak and intricate suit of white scales, and fastened breastplate and pure white unemblazoned shield told her he was.
"Kingsguard good he'll know. He must have tasked him with this part of the keep. Wanted at least one of the best here," Arya muttered. She paused before she looked at the Erner and Gendry and spoke in a whisper,
"Follow my lead,"
Arya summoned earth around her hand with a flick. It didn't fit at all but the shape matched that of a much larger hand. She looked and grinned as she saw the helmet didn't cover the man's mouth. She flicked her hand forward and the rocky glove shot open. Gripping around the man's mouth as Arya smiled. She did the same with his hand as it reached for his sword. Gendry and Erner rushed out as they grabbed him and pulled him back. As he kicked and screamed. As they reached Arya, Gendry released a hand and grabbed the mans sword. Erner formed a dagger of fire with his now free handheld it to his neck as Arya dropped a hand and allowed them to fall back beneath the earth before closing the hole.
Erner lit a fire and light-filled the hole as Arya picked the man up and slammed him to the earthy wall.
"Sansa Stark where is she," Arya depended as the man gulped,
"You're the Avatar," he said as she nodded her eyes darkening,
"Yes and I'm going to kill you if you don't talk," she said as she dropped him to the ground and pulled at Needle. Her blade to his neck,
"Just answer me and I won't hurt you," she said as he looked at her,
"The end of this tunnel leads pretty far from the Red Keep. You tell me where Sansa is and I'll leave you here. Eventually, they'll find you," Gendry explained as Arya narrowed her eyes,
"I said tell me!," she demanded as she allowed fire to cover fists as the man gulped,
"You're fucking crazy! You can't save her. This is mad," he tried to reason before Arya sighed and pressed needle harder on his neck,
"Answer now," she order as he looked down and hung his head,
"The top of the Tower Of Maegor's," the man said as Arya lowered Needle as Gendry hit him with the hilt of him hammer knocking him,
"He'll be up in a few hours," Gendry said as the other two nodded before they once more left their hole in the ground. As they started to move Arya spoke,
"I know just how to get there just follow me," she said as they nodded and they broke into a run.
Arya smirked as they rounded a corner and she saw the hallway end. The stairs to the Tower Of Maegor's were right on the other side of the hallway. But her happiness was short-lived as she saw another two Kingsguard standing outside a door with more common guards around him. The door was in the middle of the hallway. The men turned and began to shout as a blast of water and fire flew in the air.
"Do all Avatars have shit luck," Arya thought as she entered a firebenders stance and sent a blast of fire at the Kingsguard. Before rolling to the side and slamming her fist into the ground. Splitting the stone ground in two knocking a man off his footing as she glanced at Gendry,
"Go after Sansa, We got this," she said as she hopped into the air and spun around sending a kick of fire to block another blast of water as he nodded before looking at her,
"How do I make her trust me," he asked as she twisted her arms and the earth flipped knocking another man down. Erner rushed passed them as he formed fire daggers and starting fighting more of the common guards.
"Tell her that after Bran was hurt I earthbend a table next to his bed," she yelled as he looked confused but nodded and rushed to the stairs. Hammer in hand.
As Sansa finished looking over her hair a third time she heard what she recognized as a blast of fire from a firebender. She glanced at the great comet visible through the high clouds watching it from her tower window when Ser Arys Oakheart looked at her and she sighed. She liked him the most though that wasn't by much. Arys Oakheart was courteous, and would talk to her cordially. He didn't beat her as hard as the others. He rejected it once. But he still ended up beating her. Then he spoke,
"My Lady I should go check what's going on," he said as he opened the door, he was met with Gendry Waters holding his War Hammer with both hands as he swung it forward into the Ser Arys's chest.
Sansa looked in horror as she took a step back. Without any real water, she had no idea if she could protect herself. She certainly could not fight him. He smiled,
"It's alright, milady I'm with Arya. We came to get you out of here," he said as Sansa's head shot up. She could not believe what she was hearing. It had to be a trick. She took a step back,
"Why should I trust you," she asked her voice cracking in fear as he sighed,
"Arya said you'd know something about her earthbending a table next to Bran's bed when he got hurt," he told her as Sansa felt her heart stop. No one but the Starks had been there when that happened. It's such a useless piece of information only they would know. This man knew her sister. She could leave. She was saved. Her family had saved her.
"I don't understand why would-," she began as he entered the room and walked over to her and pulled a Water Skin from his side.
"Arya gave me this to safeguard. Guess it's good I found you," he said as she reached over and grabbed it a smile breaking out onto her face. Water Skins held water for waterbenders to use. They could use it for daily activities or fight.
"A water skin. Thank you," she said pausing before he spoke,
"We should go. The others are fighting downstairs," he said as they made their way out of the room as she struggled to run in her dress she allowed herself to smirked she pulled water from the skin and formed and dagger of ice as they ran. Gendry looked at her and his eyes grew wide as she cut the dress short freeing her legs and soon did the same with her arms as they ran.
As the dress's sleeves fell he forced himself to look away from the marks on her arms as they were forced to a stop. Ten common guards stood before them. Bending stances ready.
Sansa looked to Gendry,
"Boy I assume based on the hammer you're an earthbender," she said trying to force hope as he sighed,
"Nope nonbender,"
"Gods be damned," Sansa said before she faced them,
"Well, I've got four brothers. I think I can pull something off," she said timidly as she placed her hand on her water skin. The freedom to bend her water as she wished without rules was unlike any other. Like something had been freed after months in a cage.
A common guard entered the room as Cersei stood. Her eyes narrowing in anger at being bothered during a council meeting. She was already furious Lord Tywin has gone to ground at Harrenhal instead of bringing his army to the city as she commanded. But then he spoke,
"The Avatar is here! We think she wants to free her sister,"
Oh, this was going to be a good day indeed.