Robb said nothing. He simply kept his head lowered and followed Sansa onward.
Arya walked beside him. After a moment of silence, she spoke again. "Robb, you just met with His Majesty Viserys. What kind of person do you think he is?"
Robb stopped and looked at her in puzzlement. "Why do you ask?"
After all, he knew Arya had arrived in Valyria a year ago. Having spent so long with Viserys, how could she not know what kind of person he was?
"Oh, I just want to know." Arya scuffed her foot against the paving stones, sounding a little bashful. "When you were negotiating with him, did you feel he was, well, how should I put it... not like the stories say?"
Robb studied Arya, thought for a moment, then said, "He was calmer than I expected, and more honest, too. He told me you and Sansa were his guests, not his hostages. I think he meant it. Otherwise, he wouldn't have let Sansa write to me, much less allowed Mother and me to stay here with you."
"Then why do you still look so worried?" Arya asked, her face full of puzzlement.
This time, however, Robb merely looked at her without answering. He could only think how much Arya had grown over the past year or so. At the very least, she had become much more quick-tongued.
"I know what you're thinking, Robb," Arya continued. "You're wondering whether His Majesty Viserys will go back on his word once you return to the North."
"He certainly won't." A voice came from ahead of them.
They turned toward the voice and saw Sansa walking over.
"His Majesty Viserys would never do that," Sansa said, stopping beside them. "He keeps his word. I've lived here long enough to see him handle