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  ==== ''The Winds of Winter'' ====
  An excerpt chapter from the yet-to-be-published sixth book of the series, named "''Mercy''", was released on George R. R. Martin's official website on March 27, 2014.  In the chapter, Arya assumes the identity of an apprentice stage actress under the alias Mercedene (or "Mercy" for short). She performs in a Braavosi theatrical play, ''The Bloody Hand'', a dramatized parody of the recent Westerosi political events in King's Landing, in which she plays a maiden (a whitewashed version of Shae) and rape victim of the titular evil dwarf Hand (a demonized version of Tyrion Lannister).
  When the Westerosi envoy, treasurer Harys Swyft, arrives in Braavos to negotiate with the Iron Bank for loans, Arya's theatre group is employed to perform the play to entertain the guests.  As the play is about to begin Arya recognizes one of the envoy guards as Rafford (also known as Raff the Sweetling), a former subordinate of Gregor Clegane who killed her injured friend Lommy.  She seduces him and lures him to her own room, before slicing his femoral artery, rendering him unable to walk.  When Rafford begs for a healer, Arya cuts his throat in the same fashion as he had killed Lommy and throws his corpse into a canal.  She heads back to perform the play, knowing this murder will most likely ruin her Mercedene identity.