Editing Arya Stark (section)

===''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}}