onceandfutureprat | .034 - backdated to the end of port

[But it's obvious enough, and Merlin hardly needs to be a master of subtlety to tell that this is now officially a moment that he's intruding on.

He straightens and gives Arthur a nod which effectively communicates 'you'll be fine and we'll talk later', because they've known each other long enough now to be that eloquent without saying anything. And then he's heading away to leave them to it.]

[Arthur nods back, promising to come find Merlin when he's done here with that simple movement.

He tightens his grip on Arya, it is clear she's crying but he won't point that out. He's touched really, that she is crying over him, and apologizing for something that wasn't really even her fault. It was that place, those things.]

Are you going to let me get up?

[She knows when Merlin leaves, and lifts her head enough to see him go. She should thank him, she knows, but the words aren't there, now. No words are, and it's a long moment before she lets go of him, sits up on her knees with a sniff and a swiped arm across her face. She almost doesn't care that she's crying, because she can't stop and can't hide it, and it sucks.]

I guess, [she mumbles, but immediately her eyes dart to his again.] Robb wouldn't've, [she blurts out.] Robb - the real Robb, he wouldn't...he wouldn't have...

[Arthur pushes himself to his feet, slowly because he's still kind of adjusting to the fact that Merlin healed him, even though he asked for it. It's not that he's afraid of Merlin's magic anymore, but it's still weird to have a punctured lung one moment and then be able to walk it off a moment later.]

I know that. I'm just glad that you realized those shades for what they were before it was too late.

[She gets up slowly with him, looking like she's ready to catch him if she has to (because that would go so well). She sniffs, and wipes her nose on the back of her hand.]

I wanted to stay with them. [Her voice is small, because she's afraid of what that means: she would have stayed, if Robb hadn't attacked, she would have stayed with them forever.]

[Arthur doesn't doubt that she would have tried to stay with them if Robb hadn't attacked. But she probably underestimates how much he, Jesse and hopefully Toshiko would have done to keep that from happening.]

Jesse and I wouldn't have let you stay with those monsters, Arya.

[She underestimates a lot of things about Arthur and Jesse - and probably Toshiko, too. She looks down and away, out over the rail.]

They didn't look like monsters. Not at first. [She looks almost sheepish when she glances back up at him.] I feel stupid.

You shouldn't. [Even the best of them do stupid things because of magic.]

You should feel strong. You saw them for what they were eventually. And you fought them off.

I stabbed her. [Not her mother, but - it was, at the same time. She rubs her hands against her breeches, uncomfortable.] I killed her.

I think it's safe to assume whatever that thing was, it was already dead.

She was in the water. [And she doesn't want to look at him, now, because she can still feel where her clothes are wet from hugging it, and it makes her shudder.] They cut her throat. What happened to her face?

[The gouges had been deep and bloodless when she'd finally seen them, and she wonder how she'd ever known it was her mother at all.

Nymeria had known, in her dream. When she pulled her from the water. She scrusb at her face.]

I wish I knew.

[Arthur could probably guess but he doesn't particularly want to. Especially if it'll only make things worse for her.

He reaches out and puts a hand on her shoulder.]

Come on, let's get you out of those wet clothes.

I can change my own clothes, [she mutters, because it's something that feels natural to say. But she leans into his hand, too, because she's too empty to push away kindness.]

...Arthur?

[Please, he's not going to change you. He can't even change himself out of his chainmail. But he is going to insist and drag her to her room if he must.]

Yes?

.034 - backdated to the end of port

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