NOVEL NEXT Chapter 65: Chapter 65
To be fair, Arya is a lively, adorable, and lovable child, just like her brother Bran. She's not as skilled at dressing up as her sister Sansa, so she often gives off the impression of being "plain-looking." However, from a modern perspective, judging by her facial features and bone structure, this little girl is actually quite the beauty.
Apparently, someone agreed with this judgment. If Aegor remembered correctly, someone in the original story remarked that Arya resembled her aunt Lyanna and shared the same "Wolf Blood" as her.
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"The wolf blood represents a relentless pursuit of freedom, a dangerously intoxicating romance, and an untamable wildness. Only through spontaneous journeys, reckless love, endless adventures, and the thrill of the unknown can those who carry this blood find fulfillment."
And what did Arya's aunt Lyanna do to make her "name in history"? She eloped with Prince Rhaegar, who already had a wife and children, while she herself was betrothed to Robert Baratheon!
Sure, the marriages between Lyanna Stark and Robert Baratheon, and between Rhaegar Targaryen and Elia Martell, were arranged for political gain, not personal happiness. Perhaps Lyanna and Rhaegar met during the Harrenhal Tournament, believed they'd found true love, and then made the foolish decision to act on it. From a modern perspective, Aegor might reluctantly support their choice for the sake of "following their hearts."
But running away without leaving a word? That was a whole other level of stupidity. Even a six-year-old knows to tell their parents where they're going before heading out to play. A teenage girl not understanding this basic principle? If something happened, who could she blame but herself?
Lyanna, the daughter of House Stark, eloped with the crown prince of House Targaryen and became his lover. What followed was a scandal that rocked the North, the Stormlands, and the royal family itself. At worst, it might have canceled the Starks' betrothal to the Baratheons, tarnished Rhaegar's reputation, and required a hefty price to clean up the mess he caused.
But because of Lyanna's foolishness and ignorance, a disaster was set in motion. Her father and brother assumed she'd been kidnapped and stormed into King's Landing to demand her return. They spoke out of turn to the Mad King, who, in his paranoia and cruelty, had them burned alive. Then Jon Arryn, the Warden of the Vale, refused to hand over his wards, Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon, prompting the rebellion known as Robert's Rebellion.
In the end, the two star-crossed lovers paid the ultimate price: Rhaegar died in battle, his dynasty was destroyed, and Lyanna herself succumbed to childbirth. All that remained was her beauty, immortalized in a cold statue. Her reckless actions were no different from Robb Stark's later betrayal of a marriage pact, which ultimately led to the infamous Red Wedding.
This is the world of ice and fire: if you court disaster, you'll meet it.
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Of course, while both the Stark children and Joffrey, Cersei's spoiled son, were willful, there were important differences. To put it simply, the Stark children still had redeeming qualities. They understood basic manners and had virtues like kindness, integrity, and loyalty. If the world weren't about to plunge into chaos, Aegor wouldn't have minded making friends or forming partnerships with them. But right now, what he needed were allies with wealth and power and partners with cunning and foresight. The Starks, prone to getting their friends and families into trouble, were far from his first choice.
Besides, Arya was only ten years old. Unless Aegor had some unsavory inclinations, which he didn't why would he take an interest in her?
His initial thought was simple: keep a safe distance from the Starks, who seemed cursed to bring misfortune to those around them. If he stayed out of their way, they wouldn't drag him down when calamity struck. His swordsmanship wasn't bad, perhaps good enough to teach Arya a thing or two. But if he stepped into the role of the Braavosi sword master and followed the original plot to its tragic conclusion, he'd be courting disaster himself.
But upon further thought, even if this little she-wolf had no remarkable abilities for the time being, her status as a Stark child was intimidating enough. Arya could trick Eddard into giving her a certificate, which would usually be convincing enough. And if clients frequently saw a girl from the Stark family coming and going from the Night's Watch office, wouldn't they have more confidence in the bonds they held?
Additionally, though Aegor had not yet devised the best way to create a rift between Littlefinger and Eddard, he realized that whatever plan he chose, winning over a Stark child would make things much easier.
"Hmm..." After a brief internal struggle, Aegor reluctantly stroked his chin and said, "It's not completely impossible, but there are conditions. If you want me to teach you how to use a sword, then I am your master, and you'll have to listen to me."
"Okay, Master! I'll listen to you!"
"Hmm." Aegor continued to deliberate. Suddenly, he remembered that in the original events, the Faceless Man he'd never managed to recruit seemed to have some connection to the girl standing before him.
There was an old saying that people naturally gravitate toward each other, just like Aegor and Tyrion. Even if Aegor hadn't gone out of his way to get close to Tyrion in Winterfell, given the right opportunity to meet and collaborate again, they would still likely hit it off. Could the same principle apply to Arya and Jaqen H'ghar, both young and old?
After some thought, Aegor dismissed the notion of recruiting Jaqen through Arya as pure wishful thinking. He ultimately decided to let things play out naturally and see what would happen if he put the two of them in the same place. "Here's my first condition: don't come to me dressed like a boy anymore. Learn from your sister—dress like a proper girl, and then come for your sword lessons."
"Why!"
"Because dressing and fighting like a boy isn't exactly unique or remarkable, is it? But if you can be a proper lady and a skilled swordsman, like a rose with thorns, that would be a challenge, wouldn't it?"
The reasoning was mostly nonsense. Truthfully, Aegor just didn't want to teach a tomboy in his precious free time. He was already drowning in work, and having to deal with Arya in boy's clothing would only add to the monotony.
"That makes sense." Arya pondered his words and was unexpectedly drawn to the idea of being a "rose with thorns." She nodded. "Then I'll come here starting tomorrow?"
"It's up to you. If nothing unexpected happens, I'll be staying here for a while," Aegor replied with a shrug. "Second condition: before you leave for your lessons, make sure you inform your father or his guards, and have someone escort you. Even though the Red Keep isn't far from here, it may not be entirely safe for someone like you."
"I'm not a child anymore!"
"If you say you're not, then you're not," Aegor said dismissively. "But do as I say. If you want me to teach you how to use a sword, don't cause me unnecessary trouble."
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