ａｕｄｉｏ + ａｃｔｉｏｎ.

[wolfchild]

[ she begins without preamble, speaking clearly and surely. ]

I have things to trade in the cafeteria. There's hams and cheeses, doughnuts, and juices. Socks too, and wet wipes, toys and jewelry. I've got books too for those who want them and markers in lots of colors. There's a lot more too. I'll be here all day or until it's all gone.

[ she took over a section of the cafeteria for her use. her direwolf lies beside her, guarding both her and the cart.

her wheeled cart ( commandeered from the clinic ) is full of items: the top has a tray of finger food from the promised cold hams and cheeses to oysters and shrimp packed in ice with sauces alongside, even cooked mini pizzas. below are assorted vending machine goods in their wrappers, sacks of ground coffee and hot chocolate, and a dozen fresh doughnuts. she has a pitcher of lemonade and a half-gallon of fruit punch.

in the drawers are assorted items such as wipes, hand sanitizers, socks and scarves, toys including a stuffed bear that moves and talks when you press its stomach, a few books and papers and markers.

hidden inside a bag at the girl's feet are a few cartons of cigarettes and small bottles of whiskey and wine for those who can pay a little extra. ]

Comments

NO >:(

[wolfchild]

Yes, Your Grace. Will you be needing anything else?

BUT BUT SISTER ;;

[wolfskin]

No, that is all.

NOT YOUR SISTER…! oh and action.

[wolfchild]

[ she packs up now that her king had called her. she managed to get rid of a lot and her winnings now fill the empty spaces. the meats and seafood left she covers to feed the direwolves with when she returns to the room. anyone else wanting anything is too late; she grabs her little cart and wheels it away.

with the door open, nymeria slips through first going directly to grey wind. she greets him nuzzling his neck and face. the girl pushes the cart into the space left by the wall. the second bunk bed frame had been unceremoniously pushed outside, but the mattresses and sheets were kept for the direwolves.

she takes her time piling the salted meat and seafood on a plate for the wolves. she sets it on the floor and whistles to catch their attention. with the door shut, her smile acquires a genuine turn typically reserved only for nymeria and grey wind. ]

): | action forever.

[wolfskin]

[ Grey Wind greets his sister with a happy noise and nuzzles her back, tail wagging in obvious joy. the happy little greeting only broken by the signal of food, to which he bounds towards without a moment of pause.

the king- no, the young boy watches from the side smiling. behind closed doors this feels easier, the weight on his chest lifts and he can smile and laugh with much more ease. behind closed doors he can call her Arya and get not scowls or scoldings. behind closed doors he has his sister back. ]

You spoil them. [ a tease almost, words he does not truly mean. the direwolves appetite is large and seemingly never ending, it is oft a struggle to get them what they need. ]

[wolfchild]

They hate it here.

[ arya kneels beside them. she pets grey wind, the one closest to her, fingers carding through the thick fur. ]

We ought get them a stool to eat. I feel bad for them needing to bend down so far to reach the floor.

[wolfskin]

Aye, they do. [ it has not passed Robb's noticed how discontent his direwolf oft is, he can see it in the way Grey Wind moves and in his dreams ─ ]

A table may be better for them, stools are easy to tumble.

[wolfchild]

Who will make them a table? I know of a smith, but no carpenter. I don't know if we could bring one through the transporter.

[ abandoning the wolves, she opts to sit next to robb. her hair wants cutting, split ends reaching past her shoulders. with her too large clothes and her callused fingers, she looks less a princess and more a beggar. ]

[wolfskin]

[ he furrows his brow in thought, watching the direwolves devour their meal. ]

I will inquire with the Initiative, press upon them our need for one. [ as far as either of them know there is no carpenter within these walls, nor the materials to make one but perhaps he will have some luck with the Initiative themselves.

Robb looks to her, frown giving way to another smile. ] Your hair wants cutting. [ not that Robb can speak, his own curls hang close to his eyes and his beard has come out more. they are both in need of steady hands and scissors. ]

[wolfchild]

So does yours. [ she tugs on the hairs on his cheek. ] And your beard. I could trim it for you.

[wolfskin]

[ he screws his nose up, sister stop doing that. ] Oh? Have you become skilled in cutting hair?

[wolfchild]

I used to cut mine. I shaved it all off for a while.

[wolfskin]

Truly? [ he frowns again. ] Why?

[wolfchild]

[ as a servant of he of many faces, it was demanded of her. ]

Lice.

[wolfskin]

[ . . . ]

[wolfchild]

I don't have them now!

[wolfskin]

I believe you, sister. [ BUT SERIOUSLY. ] I would be honored if you trimmed my hair.

[wolfchild]

[ she scrunches up her nose at him, trying hard not to smile. ]

Now? For true?

[wolfskin]

For true.

[wolfchild]

All right. [ she hops to her feet. ] Have we scissors?

[ she slides the box holding her few possessions out from under the bed. it's full of an odd assortment of things. she installed a false bottom: inside it, carefully folded, is a robe, white on one side and black on the other. after some rummaging she comes up with both scissors and a whetstone. she tests the scissors against a lock of her hair. frowning at the result, she sharpens the blades. ]

[wolfskin]

[ after a moment of watching her search through the box and pulling out those scissors, he's starting to regret his decision. nevertheless he has decided to trust her, allow her to trim his hair. it needs a cut and makes her happy. so he waits. ]

[wolfchild]

[ once she's pleased with the result, she hops up onto her feet. arya guides robb to the floor where she can more easily get to his hair. she wraps a towel over his shoulders to catch whatever she cuts, then combs her fingers through his thick red hair. ]

How short do you want it?

[wolfskin]

[ he pauses, brow furrowing in apparent thought. ]

As short as it was the day you left for King's Landing. Do you remember?

[wolfchild]

[ her hands still in his hair. ]

Yes.

[ then she continues brushing it out. it's soft to the touch, thick and strong, and a color she always envied, the only one of lady catelyn's children without the tully red hair and blue eyes. ]

It was snowing. There was snow in it. Here. And a lot of it here.

[ arya points out the areas combing her fingers through them. she takes care not to pull and wonders if peace always tastes of grief. ]

[wolfskin]

[ if she tugs on his hair too tightly he does not show it, he sits still and lets her comb his hair with her fingers. ]

Was there truly so much?

[wolfchild]

[ she makes no answer. not when she cannot speak for fear of saying something she should not. arya measures a lock of hair with her fingers and cuts the excess.

sometimes she remembers and she would claw at her own memories to remove them.

was it a knife that did it? a blade no bigger than the scissors that come so close to his neck now? a bolt from a crossbow could bring down a man, but robb has always been so much stronger. the young wolf that cannot be killed.

red curls settle on his shoulders and on the floor. arya continues cutting. when she is almost finished, she comes around in front of him. she sweeps her hands through his hair, checking that the sides are even. she never looks him in the eye. if she does, she might scream.

when she is satisfied, she moves back. ]

I'm finished.