[King's Landing]

Brienne had been searching for Arya Stark for what felt like hours, her armour battered and her breathing heavy as she made her way through the ruined streets of Winterfell. She had heard from Sansa that Theon Greyjoy had imprisoned Arya in one of the abandoned, fortified houses, but so far she had found nothing but empty buildings and false leads.

As she turned a corner, she saw a figure emerging from the shadows - it was Arya, her face streaked with dirt and her eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"Where have you been?" Brienne asked, rushing forward to embrace her friend. "I've been looking all over for you."

Arya shook her head, her expression grim. "I've been trapped in this house," she said, gesturing to the building behind her. "Theon put me here and left me to rot."

"Are you okay?" she asked, examining Arya for signs of injury, other than the burn she knew about.

Arya nodded. "I'm fine," she said. "But I need to know what's going on outside. What happened during the battle? Is Sansa okay?"

Brienne took a deep breath. "Your sister is fine," she began. "Arya, I need to talk to you about your list."

Arya looked up at Brienne, her eyes narrowing. "What about it?"

"You know that I have pledged my sword to Catelyn Stark, and that I will do everything in my power to fulfill her wishes," Brienne said. "But I must tell you, Arya, that I am beginning to worry about the path you are on. Your list of those who have wronged your family... it seems to be consuming you. And I fear that it may lead to more harm than good."

Arya scoffed. "Harm? They deserve far worse than what I can give them! They have murdered my family, betrayed and murdered my father, and left me alone and adrift in this cruel world." Her voice rose, her anger hot and fierce. "They will pay for their crimes, Brienne. Every last one of them."

Arya scowled, her hand tightening on the hilt of her dagger. "I won't stop until all those who have hurt me and my family are dead."

"Including Bronn?" Brienne asked gently. "He can't be added to your list, Arya. I killed him."

Arya's expression faltered for a moment, then hardened again. "He deserved to die," she spat. "He tried to kill me."

"I understand why you feel that way," Brienne said, "but taking his life would only fuel your thirst for vengeance. Is that what you truly want? To be consumed by anger and hatred?"

Arya laughed bitterly. "What other choice do I have? My family is gone. Nearly everyone who ever mattered to me is dead."

"Not everyone," Brienne corrected her. "Sansa, Bran and Jon live. The Night King was defeated, but not before he destroyed much of the city. Many people were killed, including Lord Varys and Melisandre. Jon returned and led us all to victory."

"Jon's alive?!"

How? She had seen the sword in his heart.

"Apparently, Melisandre and her friend, Joryllo, sacrificed themselves to bring him back." She told the young girl. "Littlefinger will stand trial for his crimes. He will face justice for what he did to your family."

"And what about Cersei?" she whispered. "She ordered the death of my family. Shouldn't she pay for her crimes too?"

Brienne hesitated before answering. "Cersei is dead, Arya. She died at the Red Keep, along with many others."

Arya's eyes widened in shock. "How did you...?" She trailed off, realizing that Brienne had been there, at the Red Keep, during the final battle.

"I was there," Brienne confirmed. "I fought alongside Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen to defeat the Night King and save Westeros. And when it was all over, we made sure that those who had committed such heinous acts would face justice."

Arya nodded slowly, absorbing this information. She knew that Brienne was telling the truth, and it seemed to give her some small measure of closure. But she still felt empty inside, lost and alone.

"What now?" she asked after a long silence. "Now that they're gone, what purpose do I serve?"

Brienne reached out and placed a gentle hand on Arya's shoulder. "Vengeance is not the answer. It only leads to more suffering, more death. Is that truly what you want?"

Arya pulled away, her face twisted in bitter laughter. "What else is there for me? My family is in ruin. What else is there but revenge?"

"There is justice," Brienne replied. "And there is peace. You do not have to let the past define you, Arya. You don't need to seek revenge anymore. You can find a new purpose, one that brings you peace and fulfillment. You're strong enough to overcome any obstacle, to create a new future for yourself."

Arya and Brienne trudged through the ruins of King's Landing, their armor battered and their weapons weary from the long battle. They had fought side by side against the army of the dead, but now they were left alone to survey the devastation. As they turned a corner, they came upon a pile of rubble that caught Arya's eye. She approached cautiously, her hand on the hilt of her sword.

"What is it?" Brienne asked, noticing Arya's hesitation.

"It looks like...the Mountain," Arya whispered, her voice barely audible over the wind.

Brienne followed her gaze and saw the massive figure lying among the debris. His once-formidable frame was now still and lifeless, his face twisted in a snarl even in death. Nearby lay the body of Obara Sand, one of the Sand Snakes who had died fighting for Dorne.

Arya felt a sense of satisfaction wash over her. With the death of the Mountain and Obara, she had finally completed her list. But as she looked at the two bodies, she felt a strange emptiness. What now? Without her list, she didn't know what to do.

Brienne noticed the look on Arya's face and walked up to her. "Are you okay?" she asked gently.

Arya shook her head, unsure how to answer. She had spent so much time focused on her list, on killing those who had wronged her family and her people. Now that it was all over, she felt lost.

"You've done it, Arya," Brienne said softly. "You've avenged your family and protected the realm. You don't need this list anymore."

But Arya knew that wasn't true. The list had been her purpose, her drive. Without it, she didn't know who she was or what she wanted.

"Find joy in something else," Brienne suggested. "There must be other things that bring you happiness, besides killing."

Arya scowled, unwilling to accept that there could be anything more important than her list. But as she looked around at the destruction of King's Landing, she realized that there might be more to life than just vengeance. Maybe there was beauty in living, in finding happiness and love and purpose beyond the bloodshed.

Maybe Brienne was right. Maybe she didn't need to be defined by her past anymore. Maybe it was time to start living for herself, rather than for her family.

She sighed heavily and nodded at Brienne. "You're right," she said quietly. "I need to find something new to focus on."

Brienne smiled and placed a hand on Arya's shoulder. "Together, we can find it," she said. "We'll explore this new world together, and see where it takes us."

They watched as Oberyn, Nymeria, and Tyene stood over the body of Obara, their faces twisted in grief.

Arya felt a pang of recognition as she saw the pain in their eyes, remembering how she had also lost loved ones to Cersei's cruelty. She approached them slowly, unsure of what to say or do.

"We failed her," Oberyn said, his voice thick with emotion. "We should have been able to protect her."

Nymeria nodded in agreement. "I know. But we fought hard. We did everything we could."

Tyene looked up at them, tears streaming down her face. "But it wasn't enough. The Mountain was too strong. He took her from us."

Arya felt a familiar ache in her own heart, remembering the loss of her family and all that she had suffered because of Cersei's schemes. She knew that she couldn't take away their pain, but she wanted to offer some comfort.

"You didn't fail her," Arya said gently. "You fought bravely and honourably. And you still have each other. That's more than many people can say."

Oberyn looked up at her, his expression softening slightly. "Thank you, Arya Stark. Your words mean a great deal to me."

As they spoke, Arya realized that she was not alone in her pain. There were others who understood what it was like to suffer such a profound loss. And in that moment, she found a sense of peace, knowing that she was not the only one affected by the actions of the Mountain and Queen Cersei, and that neither of them could harm anyone else.