Editing Arya Stark (section)

==Recent Events==
===''A Game of Thrones''===
[[File:Arya and nymeria by vvjonez-d370kfi.jpg|thumb|350px|Arya Stark and [[Nymeria (direwolf)|Nymeria]], by Veronica V. Jones © Fantasy Flight Games]] 
When her brothers [[Robb Stark|Robb]] and [[Jon Snow|Jon]] find six [[direwolf]] pups,{{Ref|AGOT|1}} Arya adopts one of them,{{Ref|AGOT|2}} whom she names [[Nymeria (direwolf)|Nymeria]], in reference to the [[Rhoynar|Rhoynish]] warrior-queen [[Nymeria|of the same name]].{{Ref|AGOT|7}}

Arya and her sister, [[Sansa Stark|Sansa]], travel with their father, Lord [[Eddard Stark|Eddard]], to [[King's Landing]] when he is made [[Hand of the King]]. Before she leaves, Arya's half-brother Jon gives her a sword called [[Needle]], after her least favorite ladylike activity, as a parting gift. He tells her she will need to practice, but that the first lesson is to "stick 'em with the pointy end".{{ref|AGOT|10}} On the way south, she befriends a [[peasant]] boy named [[Mycah]], and they often play at swords.{{ref|AGOT|15}}

While walking near the [[ruby ford]], Prince [[Joffrey Baratheon]] and Sansa happen upon Arya and Mycah "battling" in the woods. Arya defends Mycah from Joffrey's torments, and Nymeria helps Arya fight off Joffrey, wounding his arm in the process. Knowing that Joffrey will likely want retribution, [[Jory Cassel]] helps Arya chase the direwolf away when he finds them.{{Ref|AGOT|15}} Arya is brought to [[Darry]] before King [[Robert I Baratheon]], who counsels Eddard to discipline Arya. Queen [[Cersei Lannister]] is not satisfied with this, however, and orders Sansa's direwolf, [[Lady (direwolf)|Lady]], to be killed in Nymeria's place. Mycah, having fled, is tracked and killed by Joffrey's "dog," [[Sandor Clegane]].{{Ref|AGOT|16}} From this moment, Arya harbors enmity for the [[Hound]].

While in King's Landing, after Arya fights with Sansa, their father discovers Needle. Questioned how Arya gained possession of the sword, she refuses to give up Jon's name as the gift giver. Eddard realizes that she must be trained if she is entertaining ideas about swordsmanship, and hires [[Syrio Forel]], a celebrated [[Braavos]]i swordsman, under whom Arya begins her training. Under his strict, but creative, tutelage, Arya learns to fight in the Braavosi [[water dancer]] style with Needle.{{Ref|AGOT|22}}

Arya spends most of her time doing balancing and swordplay exercises as Syrio instructed her. During one of these she discovers a [[secret passage]] in the [[Red Keep]]. She overhears two men, who by description seem to be [[Varys]] and [[Illyrio Mopatis]], speaking about her father, Cersei, and [[little birds|spies]].{{Ref|aGoT|32}}<ref>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/1214 Eastern Cities and Peoples], June 12, 2002</ref>

When tensions heighten in the capital, Ned intends for Sansa and Arya to return to the north via the ''[[Wind Witch]]''.{{ref|AGOT|45}} His plans are halted by the Robert's death, however, and the succession of King Joffrey I. During the purge of [[House Stark]] from the Red Keep, Ser [[Meryn Trant]] and [[House Lannister guards]] attempt to take Arya into custody, but Syrio holds off Arya's attackers with a practice sword so she can flee.{{Ref|AGOT|50}} Arya kills [[stableboy at King's Landing|a stableboy]] with Needle and escapes the castle using the passage she found earlier,{{ref|AGOT|50}} but Sansa is captured by the Lannisters{{ref|AGOT|51}} and Septa [[Mordane]] is slain.{{ref|AGOT|67}}

Arya cannot leave King's Landing since the city gates are heavily guarded, so she lives on the streets of [[Flea Bottom]], catching [[pigeon]]s and rats to trade for food. Arya witnesses her father's public condemnation at the [[Great Sept of Baelor]]. She is found in the crowd by [[Yoren]] of the [[Night's Watch]], who saves her from the sight of Eddard's execution and drags her from King's Landing.{{Ref|AGOT|65}}

Cersei has Sansa send letters to Winterfell, but Arya's mother, [[Catelyn Stark]], notices that no mention is made of Arya.{{ref|AGOT|55}} Catelyn negotiates an alliance between Robb, her eldest son, and Lord [[Walder Frey]] at the [[Twins]], and the agreement calls for Arya to wed one of Walder's sons, [[Elmar Frey]].{{ref|AGOT|59}}

===''A Clash of Kings''===
Arya escapes [[King's Landing]] with [[Yoren's last Night's Watch recruitment group]], with Yoren planning to return her to [[Winterfell]] on his way back to the [[Wall]]. Yoren shaves her head and makes Arya assume the identity of "Arry", a boy recruit traveling with Yoren to the Wall.{{Ref|ACOK|1}} They make it as far as a [[Gods Eye town|deserted town]] near the [[Gods Eye]] lake, where they are [[Storming of the Gods Eye town holdfast|attacked]] by [[House Lannister]] raiders led by Ser [[Amory Lorch]]. Yoren is killed, but Arya is one of the few to escape alive, along with [[Gendry]], [[Hot Pie]], [[Lommy Greenhands]], and [[Weasel]]. Before escaping the burning town, she saves the lives of three chained Night's Watch prisoners: [[Jaqen H'ghar]], [[Rorge]], and [[Biter]].{{Ref|ACOK|15}}

Arya heads out with the survivors until they are captured by Ser [[Gregor Clegane]] and the [[Mountain's men]] in [[Gods Eye village|a village by the Gods Eye]], where they are held for eight days, while the [[Tickler]] tortures the villagers.{{Ref|ACOK|19}} [[Rafford]] kills Lommy{{ref|ASOS|47}} and [[Polliver]] takes [[Needle]] from Arya.{{ref|ACOK|26}} During the journey to [[Harrenhal]], Arya creates [[Arya's prayer|a prayer of those she hates and wants to kill]]. These include Gregor Clegane, [[Dunsen]], Polliver, [[Chiswyck]], Raff the Sweetling, the Tickler, [[Sandor Clegane]], Amory Lorch, [[Ilyn Payne]], [[Meryn Trant]], [[Joffrey Baratheon]], and [[Cersei Lannister]].{{ref|ACOK|26}}

[[File:Valar Morghulis by Tim Tsang II.jpg|thumb|350px|Arya kills the [[House Bolton guards|Bolton]] [[Guard at Harrenhal|guard]] at [[Harrenhal]] and whispers ''[[valar morghulis]]'', by Tim Tsang ©]]

At Harrenhal, Arya is assigned to the steward [[Weese]] to work at the [[Wailing Tower]].{{Ref|ACOK|26}} Several days later, Arya reunites with Jaqen, Rorge, and Biter, who are now in the employ of Amory. Jaqen comes to her at night and offers her three deaths for the three lives—Rorge, Biter, and himself—she saved from burning at the Gods Eye. After several days, Arya names [[Chiswyck]], after she overhears him boast about how he participated in a [[Layna|gang rape]], and he dies three days later. Next she names [[Weese]], for striking her. Weese's death is untraceable, apparently linked to his small dog that he raised from a pup.{{ref|ACOK|38}} Creating a wooden sword out of a broomstick, Arya practices her swordplay in the [[godswood of Harrenhal]].{{ref|ACOK|47}} While trying to figure out the last name to say, Arya realizes she should have said a more important name, such as Lord [[Tywin Lannister]] or Amory Lorch. Finally, she names Jaqen himself. To make her unsay his name, Jaqen agrees to help her free [[Robett Glover]]'s and Ser [[Aenys Frey]]'s men in the dungeon and stage an uprising.{{ref|ACOK|47}}

Unbeknownst to Arya, Robett is already conspiring with [[Vargo Hoat]] against Amory. During the [[fall of Harrenhal]], Arya obtains soup which Jaqen, Rorge, and Biter then use to scald the Lannister guards. To Arya's amazement, Jaqen changes his face and manner in front of her, saying it was time for that person to die. Before departing, he gives Arya an iron coin and tells her to repeat the phrase ''[[valar morghulis]]'' to any man of [[Braavos]].{{ref|ACOK|47}} Although Jaqen did not explain its meaning, Arya begins to use the words at the end of her prayer of the people she hates and wants dead.{{ref|ACOK|47}}

The next morning, Lord [[Roose Bolton]] arrives to take charge of the castle. Arya, now calling herself "Nymeria", or "Nan" for short, is named Roose's cupbearer for her role in the freeing of the prisoners. She inadvertently meets [[Elmar Frey]], the squire she would have to marry under Robb's agreement with the Freys, though they remain unknown to each other.{{Ref|ACOK|47}} Lord Bolton has Arya help him with leechings and orders her to burn his wife [[Walda Frey (daughter of Merrett)|Walda]]'s letter. Due to her participation in the "weasel soup" plot, many of the servants in Harrenhal, including [[Gendry]], blame her for the executions ordered by Lord Bolton on the castle servants that collaborated with House Lannister.{{ref|ACOK|64}}

Arya asks to accompany Roose when he leaves Harrenhal, but Lord Bolton is shocked by his servant's insolence and announces she will be left behind at the castle with Vargo's [[Brave Companions]]. Arya, however, escapes with Gendry and [[Hot Pie]], killing a [[House Bolton guards|Bolton]] [[Guard at Harrenhal|guard]] at the gate.{{Ref|ACOK|64}}

===''A Storm of Swords''===
While Arya and her companions travel north from [[Harrenhal]], Arya enters Nymeria during a dream as a [[skinchanger]] and sees Nymeria kill members of the [[Brave Companions]] sent in pursuit.{{Ref|ASOS|3}} Not long afterwards, she and her companions are discovered by a group of the [[brotherhood without banners]] and taken to the [[Inn of the Kneeling Man]], where she is recognized by one of her father's former guards, [[Harwin]].{{Ref|ASOS|13}} While [[Hot Pie]] remains at the inn,{{ref|ASOS|17}} Arya and [[Gendry]] journey with the brotherhood and visit Lord [[Lymond Lychester]], the [[Lady of the Leaves]], the [[ghost of High Heart]], and Lady [[Ravella Swann|Ravella Smallwood]] at [[Acorn Hall]].{{ref|ASOS|22}} Arya stays at the [[Peach]] in [[Stoney Sept]], where the [[outlaws]] take custody of [[Sandor Clegane]].{{ref|ASOS|29}}

At Harrenhal, Lord [[Roose Bolton]] informs Ser [[Jaime Lannister]] that Arya has been found and that he intends to return her to the north.{{ref|ASOS|37}}

[[File:Mathia Arkoniel thetickler arya sandor.jpg|thumb|350px|Arya stabs the [[Tickler]] over and over again in a rage until [[Sandor Clegane]] stops her - by Mathia Arkoniel]]

Arya travels with the brotherhood to their hideout in a [[hollow hill]]. She accuses Sandor of murdering [[Mycah]], earning him a [[trial by combat]] with Lord [[Beric Dondarrion]]. Sandor survives, however, and so is set free by the outlaws.{{Ref|ASOS|34}} Arya witnesses the [[battle at the burning septry]] between the brotherhood and Brave Companions.{{ref|ASOS|39}} Although Thoros has been able to revive Beric several times, Arya learns that it would not be possible to revive her beheaded father, [[Eddard Stark]]. Beric [[knight]]s Gendry, who decides to remain with the outlaw brotherhood.{{ref|ASOS|39}} The ghost of High Heart is disturbed by Arya when the outlaws return to [[High Heart|her hill]]. Disappointed that the brotherhood intends to ransom her to her brother Robb, now the [[King in the North]], and feeling alone, Arya attempts to flee but ends up captured by [[Sandor Clegane]], who was trailing the group.{{Ref|ASOS|43}}

Sandor plans to return Arya to Robb and win a place in his service, but they are delayed by flooding along the [[Trident]], including at [[Lord Harroway's Town]].{{Ref|ASOS|47}} They reach the [[Twins]], where Robb has gathered hosts for the wedding of Lord [[Edmure Tully]] to [[Roslin Frey]]. Arya does not recognize men outside the castles, however.{{ref|ASOS|50}} When the slaughter of the [[Red Wedding]] begins, Sandor prevents Arya from running into the castle and certain danger by knocking her out with the flat of his axe.{{Ref|ASOS|52}} Robb and Catelyn are slain inside the Twins, betrayed by Houses Bolton and Frey.{{ref|ASOS|51}}

Sandor decides that the only place left to take Arya is to the [[Vale of Arryn]], which is ruled by Arya's aunt, the widowed [[Lysa Arryn]]. On the way east, Arya finds a saddled horse which she takes as her mount and names [[Craven (horse)|Craven]]. Sandor gives the [[gift of mercy]] to a [[House Piper|Piper]] [[Archer (House Piper)|bowman]], and Arya dreams of [[Nymeria (direwolf)|Nymeria]] dragging [[Lady Stoneheart|a body]] from a river.{{ref|ASOS|65}} They briefly stay at a village in the foothills of the [[Mountains of the Moon]], but learn they cannot take the [[high road]] to Lysa at the [[Eyrie]]. Sandor decides to head back towards [[Riverrun]] to instead ransom Arya to her great uncle, Ser [[Brynden Tully]].{{Ref|ASOS|65}}

On their way, Arya and Sandor stop at the [[crossroads inn]]. They meet the [[Tickler]] and [[Polliver]], two of the men in [[Arya's prayer]], as well as [[Pimply squire|a young squire]]. Arya is confused when Polliver mentions that Lord Bolton's bastard, [[Ramsay Snow]], is to marry Sansa's sister. Sandor gets drunk and a fight ensues. Arya takes a dagger from the squire and stabs him in the belly while Sandor kills Polliver, though he is badly wounded in the fight. As the Tickler closes in on Sandor, Arya sneaks behind and repeatedly stabs the torturer with his own dagger while echoing the questions he asked of his victims on their journey to Harrenhal. Sandor directs her to finish off the squire, who is dying of his wound. Arya reclaims [[Needle]] from Polliver's corpse and stabs the squire in the heart.{{Ref|ASOS|74}}

Arya and Sandor head towards the town of [[Saltpans]], but Sandor is too weak to continue due to his injuries. Arya realizes she left Sandor off her list that night, and wonders why. She adds him back, but thinks maybe he will die before morning. The next day, Arya draws Needle, intending to kill Sandor, after thinking maybe if she rides off, he will die on his own. Sandor sees her indecision and tries to goad her into killing him, but she decides to leave him to die instead of administering the mercy of a quick death. She sells Craven at Saltpans and gains passage on the ''[[Titan's Daughter]]'', a ship headed to [[Braavos]], by using the coin that [[Jaqen H'ghar]] had given her, along with the [[High Valyrian]] phrase ''[[valar morghulis]]''.{{Ref|ASOS|74}}

Jaime Lannister sees [[Steelshanks Walton]], Roose Bolton's captain, depart [[King's Landing]] with a northern girl who claims to be Arya. Jaime thinks the real Arya is dead.{{ref|ASOS|71}}

===''A Feast for Crows''===
[[File:Marc_Simonetti_HouseofB&W.jpg|thumb|350px|Arya in the [[House of Black and White]], by Marc Simonetti ©]]
During the voyage to [[Braavos]] on the ''[[Titan's Daughter]]'' Arya uses the name "Salty". Captain [[Ternesio Terys]] and many of the sailors ask Arya to learn and remember their names, and many seem afraid of her. The captain has his older son [[Yorko Terys|Yorko]] row Arya to shore so as to get her off the ship before customs came aboard.{{ref|AFFC|6}}

In Braavos, Arya finds her way to the [[House of Black and White]], where a [[kindly man|kindly old man]] initiates her into the guild of the [[Faceless Men]].{{Ref|AFFC|6}} She is required to discard her old personality, including her belongings, to begin the training. She does this, except for [[Needle]], which she hides in a safe location. {{Ref|AFFC|22}} She speaks the Braavosi tongue with a strong accent.{{ref|AFFC|22}}

Arya's training requires her to go out into the city under the identity of "Cat of the Canals", a street urchin, to learn secrets and report them to the kindly man. She also begins learning the art of lying from the [[waif]].<ref group="N">When put together, the alias "Cat" used by Arya and the alias "Alayne" used by her sister [[Sansa Stark]], they form the first name of their mother, [[Catelyn Stark]].</ref> During this time, she kills a deserter from the [[Night's Watch]] named [[Dareon]], and she briefly meets [[Samwell Tarly]], a friend of her half brother [[Jon Snow]], though they do not introduce themselves to each other. After these incidents, she accepts milk meant for "Arya". When she wakes the next morning, she is blind.{{Ref|AFFC|34}}

[[Brienne of Tarth]] visits the [[Quiet Isle]] during her search for [[Sansa Stark]]. She learns from the [[Elder Brother (Quiet Isle)|Elder Brother]] that Sansa's sister Arya had been in the company of [[Sandor Clegane]], but she may have been killed in the [[raid on Saltpans]].{{ref|AFFC|31}}

===''A Dance with Dragons''===
[[File:Thaldir the Blind Girl.jpg|thumb|right|350px|A blinded Arya in the service of the [[House of Black and White]], by Tiziano Baracchi © Fantasy Flight Games]]

Arya remains blind and in the service of the [[House of Black and White]] in [[Braavos]]. The blindness is induced by the milk she drinks every night. She continues to dream through the eyes of her direwolf, Nymeria, who is now leading a [[great pack]], but speaks of it to no one. She still struggles with leaving her identity as Arya Stark behind. While she is blind, Arya wears the guise of "Beth", a beggar girl. She wanders the streets of Braavos, begging for money and listening for bits and pieces of information. She becomes better at lying and detecting the lies of others.{{ref|ADWD|45}}

Arya receives her sight again after she is able to identify the [[kindly man]] and hit him with a stick when he sneaks up on her. It is implied, however, that she does not simply sense his presence (as he assumes) but sees him through the eyes of a cat hiding in the rafters.{{ref|ADWD|45}}

Arya attends a meeting of eleven priests and speaks privately with [[plague face]], who gives Arya her first assassination assignment. She is asked to give "the gift" to an [[old man]] who sells a type of insurance for ships. The kindly man takes her to the secret lower chambers of the House of Black and White, where thousands of faces are hung on the walls. Arya is given the face of an ugly, broken girl who had been beaten by her father and came to the House of Black and White to seek the gift. Arya watches her target carefully for days. She notices that the old man has guards with him wherever he goes, and always tests the coin he is given with his teeth. While watching him, she attempts to find ways to justify his fate, but the kindly man tells her it is not for her to judge the old man.{{ref|ADWD|64}}

In the end, Arya feigns stealing a bag of coins from a captain on his way to meet with the old man. She splits the bag in the attempt, and switches one of the captain's coins with one of her own, coated in [[poison]]. After the switch, she escapes. Later, the old man's heart mysteriously gives out. The kindly man then gives Arya an acolyte's robe and assigns her to begin her first apprenticeship with [[Izembaro]].{{Ref|aDwD|64}}

Following the [[siege of Moat Cailin]], [[Theon Greyjoy]] learns that [[House Bolton]] are claiming [[Jeyne Poole]] to be Arya.{{ref|ADWD|20}} [[Jon Snow]], now [[Lord Commander of the Night's Watch]], is shocked when [[Castle Black]] is informed that [[Ramsay Snow|Ramsay Bolton]] is to marry his sister.{{ref|ADWD|28}} [[Melisandre]] tells Jon she saw a vision in her flames of a girl, Arya, fleeing a wedding,{{ref|ADWD|28}} but it is [[Alys Karstark]] who arrives at Castle Black seeking protection from Jon against [[Cregan Karstark]].{{ref|ADWD|44}} [[Wedding of Ramsay Bolton and Arya Stark|Ramsay marries Jeyne]] at Winterfell,{{ref|ADWD|37}} and the [[northern mountain clans]] agree to support [[Stannis Baratheon]] so they can rescue [[Eddard Stark|the Ned's]] girl.{{ref|ADWD|42}} As Stannis's host approaches Winterfell, Theon helps Jeyne escape the castle{{ref|ADWD|51}} and they are brought to Stannis in a [[crofters' village]].{{ref|ADWD|62}}

===''The Winds of Winter''===
{{Warning/twow}}
Theon convinces Jeyne that for her own safety she should continue impersonating Arya. Stannis orders Ser [[Justin Massey]] to bring the girl to Castle Black.<ref>''[[The Winds of Winter]]'', [[Theon I (The Winds of Winter)|Theon I]]</ref>

Under the identity of "Mercedene" or "Mercy", Arya is now a [[mummer]] at a playhouse called [[the Gate]], owned by Izembaro. She is still experiencing wolf dreams, the latest with a tree watching her.<ref name=Mercy/>

When Ser [[Harys Swyft]] arrives in Braavos on a mission to negotiate with the [[Iron Bank of Braavos]] on behalf of King [[Tommen Baratheon|Tommen I Baratheon]], the mummers of the Gate perform the play ''[[The Bloody Hand]]'' in which Arya plays a [[maiden]], presumably [[Shae]] or Sansa, who is raped by [[Tyrion Lannister]], played by a dwarf named [[Bobono]].<ref name=Mercy/>

However, as the play is about to begin, Arya notices that one of Harys's guards is [[Rafford]], also called Raff the Sweetling, one of the [[Mountain's men]]. She seduces him and takes him to her room. She tires him out by running there, and thus she is able to stab him in his thigh, cutting his femoral artery and rendering him unable to walk. Raff pleads to have him carried to a healer, but Arya replies: "Think so?" and stabs him in the throat, just as Raff did to the disabled [[Lommy]]. Arya throws his corpse in a canal and heads back to the Gate before she is due to come on stage.<ref name=Mercy/>