❈ | 026 | Video

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

[The video clicks on, and those unaffected will notice that Arya looks different. When she arrived, her head was shaved bald; she hasn't kept up with that, but yesterday it was no longer than her chin. Today, it's well on its way past her shoulders again, and much less messy than one might expect. And she's in a proper northern dress. Hell has frozen over.

The expression on her face, at least, is a very familiar scowl.]

You can't put princesses in dungeons!

[It's an angry huff, but there's a reason this is public, instead of private to Arthur.] My brother is King in the North, and he'd cut off your stupid head himself for jailing me. [Behind her, Nymeria gives a quiet warning growl, more annoyed than distressed. That hasn't changed, either: they still feed off each others emotions. Arya tosses hair over her shoulder, and keeps glaring at the screen.]

Robb's a better king than Arthur can ever be. Robb never put little girls in dungeons. [Not that she likes thinking of herself as a little girl, but.] He's fair, and smart, and not paranoid like some kings.

[This is perhaps brought on by the last flood, which was very close but not quite like home, and she misses her family. And anger is less annoying to her than petulance.] You all think Arthur's good just because he's a king, but he's not. He's just a stupid craven.

[Private to Arthur]

You give me Needle back, or the next time I buy poison, it will be for you!

Comments

[godsays]

Princesses find themselves in dungeons more often than you might think.

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

Not where I'm from. Princesses are hostages, not prisoners. [She sounds a little uncertain, though; she still doesn't like this princess noise, but if she isn't a princess then Robb isn't a king.]

[godsays]

A comfortable cage is a better cage?

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

It's not better, it's - it's just how things are done.

[godsays]

If it's not better than why does it matter?

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

Because I said it does.

[godsays]

Well, why does it matter to you?

I think you can take what zero has in store.

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

Of course I can, it's just a stupid room. [She hates it, because it keeps her from having wolf dreams. She can't even walk around at night as Nymeria.] But it's - I shouldn't've been there to begin with!

[godsays]

That's something that happens to a lot of people. Being places they shouldn't be.

If you make sure people know it upsets you, it's more likely to be used as a punishment next time.

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

You shut up. [She is very mature.]

[godsays]

All right.

[ Doesn't seem particularly offended.

He'll pause for a second or two, then go to cut the link. ]

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

Wait! [She hesitates, but cuts in before he leaves, and pauses again to chew on her lip for a moment.]

You're newer. Who are you?

[godsays]

[ A pause. But, well, no reason not to. ]

My name is Zane. But I've never found a name to be a good answer to that question. What do you want to know?

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

Where do you come from?

[godsays]

A place called the Final Empire. It was ruled for a thousand years by a god, and then he died.

Most of the power, he gave to the nobles. I'm one of them. But, illegitimate. Do you know what that means?

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

You're a bastard. My brother's a bastard. He's a Lord Commander, now.

Are you a Snow, too?

[godsays]

Yes. [ He's surprised that the answer would come so readily - but perhaps he shouldn't be. She is an inmate, after all. ]

And no. [ Assuming that's a last name, taken by bastards. ] I hold no name but my own.

Sometimes it happens that way, with bastards. We become stronger, like two weaker metals forged into an alloy.

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

Jon's not weak. [But she doesn't understand, exactly, and she struggles between asking and pretending she gets it. She decides with a frustrated breath.]

What's an alloy?

[godsays]

[ - And he respects her more, for the asking. ]

Mm. Do you know - bronze? It's made of tin and copper, usually. Both tin and copper are soft metals, beautiful when pure but not good for much. Bronze can make weapons, armor.

Iron into steel is another alloy. Alloys can be made of two materials but be entirely unlike them both. Like a bastard - not quite of one family, not of another. They become their own.

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

[She's young, but she's smart, and she nods along with his explanation. She likes the comparison, though she still thinks of her half-brother as family, bastard or no.]

Bronze doesn't make good weapons, though. Steel's better.

[godsays]

Bronze did. A long time ago, before people could make steel.

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

Well, not anymore. Now it's steel.

[godsays]

Yes. Steel is lighter, and stronger.

Alloys are very important, in my world. Certain people can use them to draw on powers.

[fearcutsdeeperthanswords]

What kind of powers?

[godsays]

Pushing and pulling metals. Enhancing senses and strengths. That sort of thing.