Revenge is a Wild Justice

Revenge is a kind of wild justice, which the more a man's nature runs to, the more ought law to weed it out. -Francis Bacon

Arya didn't know if it was fate, or destiny, or luck, or if the Gods finally heard her prayers that she overheard that conversation. Lord Beric was talking to the Red Woman while Arya just passed by. She could hear them talking about someone, a person that they wanted to buy, which didn't make any sense to her. They didn't have any slaves in the Brotherhood Without Banners. The Red Woman said, "the bastard boy," and Arya felt like someone dropped her into a frozen lake. It was Gendry, they were going to sell Gendry, and she could hear them talking about price as if he was a thing and not a person.

They needed to leave, and they needed to leave now. The camp was mostly asleep, and it sounded like they were planning on taking Gendry in the morning. That meant that Arya didn't have a lot of time to not only convince him to leave but also get them as far away from these people as she possibly could. Arya could see him sleeping next to one of the small fires in the camp, and thankfully there didn't appear to be anyone nearby. She knelt down next to him and roughly shook him until he woke up.

"Arya? What's going on? Is there an attack?" he asked, still half asleep.

"I need to talk to you immediately," she said.

"It's the middle of the night--"

"This can't wait," Arya said as she stared directly into his oh so blue eyes. "Please." Arya didn't know if it was the "please" that ultimately convinced him, but Gendry pushed himself to his feet and followed her away from the camp and into the woods. When they were a decent distance away, she turned to him and tried to think of the best possible way she could do this. "Gendry, the Brotherhood isn't safe, and we need to leave immediately."

"Arya, I know you're worried about the whole "ransom" part of this, but you have to know that I wouldn't let them hurt you," he replied, which threw her a little, but there wasn't time to dwell on it.

"No, it's not safe for you," Arya said. "I heard Lord Beric talking to that Red Woman, and he and Thoros are planning to sell you to her. She's here for you." Gendry frowned and looked a little lost for words.

"What would a woman like that want with me?" he asked quietly.

"Anyone willing to trade a person for coin isn't up to any good," Arya said. "Please, we need to leave right now. We need to get as far away from them as possible. They were planning on taking you in the morning, so that only leaves us a few hours." Gendry was still frowning and looked like he didn't entirely believe her. "Please, I wouldn't lie to you about something like this. Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do," he replied without hesitating, and then it seemed to dawn on him what that meant. "Okay, so we need to leave. If we go back to the camp and try to steal something, then someone might catch us."

"The faster we get to Riverrun, the faster we're safe," Arya said as she began to make her way deeper into the woods. Gendry reached out and took her by the arm to stop her. He looked a little sad, and she didn't understand why.

"Arya, the first direction they are going to go to look for us will be toward Riverrun. We can't go to your family, or they'll catch us," he said sadly. Arya was about to argue with him, tell Gendry that they would be fine and that getting to her mother and Robb was the only way they would ever be safe, but she also knew he was right. She didn't risk everything to get him away from that woman only for them to get caught again. Arya could picture what that woman would do to try and get him back, who she would hurt, and hurting him in the process. It wasn't acceptable, the risk was too much, but that didn't make it hurt any less. "Arya," Gendry said, and she realized how long she'd been staring at him without saying a word. "Look, why don't you make your way to Riverrun and I'll head the opposite direction. I can make my way back to you, take the long way, that woman will give up eventually."

"No," Arya snapped, and her voice was much angrier than Gendry must have expected because he flinched like she had struck him. "You were going to leave me for the Brotherhood. I'm not letting us get separated again. It's not an option. I'll just have to wait a little longer to see my mother and brother. I can wait a little longer if it means keeping you safe."

"You'd do that for me?" Gendry asked after a moment of silence. Arya was about to call him stupid when she saw how wide his blue eyes were, how shocked he looked like he couldn't comprehend the idea that someone would place his needs above their own. Arya was ashamed to admit that she sometimes forgot how different their upbringings were. While she fought against the trappings of a noble life, she went to bed at night, knowing her family loved her even if she drove them crazy sometimes. Gendry's mother died when he was very young, and he didn't know his father. His master sold him off like he was nothing, and now the Brotherhood had tried to do the same. She wondered if anyone in his life had ever thought of him first.

"Yes, without hesitation," Arya replied because he needed to hear those words. He needed to know that she was willing to wait if it meant keeping him safe. "Riverrun is East, so let's head West. Maybe we can find a village or something." Gendry was still staring at her like he couldn't believe she was real, and Arya was about to say something when Gendry wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. She couldn't remember the last time someone held her like this, and memories of her father came rushing forward, but she didn't cry. She couldn't, not yet, not until they were safe, but she hugged him back in the dark right before they needed to run for their lives.

They didn't stop to rest for the rest of the night. There wasn't enough time, and they still needed to put some distance between them, the Brotherhood, and the Red Woman. There was no doubt in Arya's mind that she was going to be looking for them, and distance was the only thing that could keep them safe. For the next three days, they slept only a few hours a night, ate and drank very little, and ran until they both nearly collapsed. She knew they needed to get far, but that didn't stop her from being bone-tired by the time they stumbled upon a small village. A few of the houses looked burnt, and Arya realized that this village had recently been attacked either by bandits or the Lannister's. She wasn't sure which option made her angrier. There was a small inn, but neither of them had any coin.

"I have an idea," Gendry said when she mentioned how they had nothing to trade for food and shelter. Arya didn't know what he had planned, but Gendry walked into the inn and found the keeper. "Pardon me, sir," Gendry said. The innkeeper looked up from the broken glass he was trying to clean. "I see that you and yours had some trouble recently."

"Aye, trouble would be one way of putting it," the man replied, and he was eyeing them like he wasn't sure if they were going to be trouble too.

"My sister and I are in need of somewhere to stay and some food, but we don't have any coin, so I was wondering if a bargain could be struck," Gendry said, and the innkeeper narrowed his eyes.

"Go on," he said.

"I'm trained as a smith, and in exchange for forging any nails or fixing anything that needs fixing, you let my sister and I stay here with a meal a day." Arya raised her eyebrows because that was a good idea, and the innkeeper looked surprised as well.

"And what will your sister do to earn her place?" he asked.

"I can teach you how to defend yourselves from more attacks like this," Arya said. "A great swordsman trained me, and I know enough to teach the men and the women of this village how to keep themselves safe." The innkeeper looked at the two of them and seemed to realize that he had nothing to lose aside from a room and two meals.

"Very well, let's see what you two can do."

+++

For the next ten days, Arya and Gendry worked in the village. Gendry forged all sorts of things for the villagers from nails to weapons to whatever they asked. The forge was tiny; basically, a single room where one blacksmith could work, attached to the inn. The innkeeper, a man named Josef, saw that they were more than worth the room and food that he was giving them. The village couldn't seem to understand what they were doing or why they were helping, but they didn't turn it down either. Arya could climb, and she would often find herself on the roof of older people in the village, learning how to fix leaks and put down wood. It was hard work, but it was the kind of work that left her feeling satisfied by the end of the day. She also offered to train whoever wanted to learn, which was helpful too.

Gendry managed to find her an old dagger that one of the villagers gave him as a thank you. He fixed the bent steel and even put a small direwolf near the hilt of the blade. Arya smiled and hugged him tightly for the gift. On day ten, though, a man rode into town. Arya was getting ready to eat dinner when the man nearly kicked in the door of the inn and demanded a room. Josef didn't look thrilled about this, but he gave the man a room nevertheless. Josef's daughter, who was younger than Arya, was helping her mother serve the food. The man leered at the girl in a way that made Arya sit up a little straighter. She had a bad feeling about all of this.

"Oi, innkeep," the man yelled at Josef. "How many coins do you want for a night with the girl here?"

"I can give you room and food, and that's it," Josef said, but Arya knew that he didn't have the strength to defend his family from this man, and the man knew it. The door to the inn opened, and she saw Gendry walk in with his smith's hammer still in hand. Arya knew that he was deadly with it when he could be, he told her how he killed a few Gold Cloaks with it when Yoren died, and judging by the white knuckle grip he had on the hammer he was feeling deadly again.

The man reached for Josef's daughter, and Arya acted without thinking. She would never let a woman get hurt like that in front of her. The dagger was in her hand, and she slashed the man's hand.

"You little bitch!" he screamed as he reached for his sword. It was the distraction that Gendry needed because he calmly walked up to the man and smashed his skull in with the hammer. The would-be rapist fell to the ground, and judging by the blood pool; he wouldn't be getting up anytime soon. Arya looked up and saw that all of the other patrons in the inn, including Josef, were staring at them. She wasn't sure what to say, and the sound of the girl bursting into tears made the two of them jump. She ran over and threw her arms around Arya in a tight hug.

"Thank you," she whispered. She broke away from Arya and gave Gendry the same tight but brief hug. He looked very confused by that and awkwardly patted the girl on the back. Josef told them that they could have whatever the man on him since the kill was theirs. Arya and Gendry gained a sword, another dagger, and a small coin purse with a little money in it. Josef and his family helped the two of them drag the body out into the woods, where the wolves would hopefully have a feast.

"Two daggers and a sword. We might be able to defend ourselves now," Arya said. Gendry was looking at the sword with a clinical eye that told her that he was not impressed with what he saw. "What is it?"

"This blade is mostly useless. I'm thinking of melting it down and starting over," he said, and then he looked at Arya. "I bet if I use both of the daggers, I could forge you something similar to Needle." Arya wasn't sure what to say to something like that. She missed her beloved sword like she was missing a limb, and the idea of having a replacement felt wrong. However, she was much more talented with a sword-like Needle than two daggers.

"I'd be honored," she said, and Gendry smiled at her.

+++

Two days later, Gendry was taking apart the sword to make it into something else when the sound of horses began to approach the village. He looked up at Arya, and the two of them moved to the wall near the entrance just below the only window in the forge, so they were hidden. There was a chance that this was just someone passing through, some more travelers, but the Brotherhood couldn't be happy that they had lost their ransom, and the Red Woman was dangerous. There was no telling what she would do if she found Gendry again. Arya wouldn't let her have him, she already decided this, and that hasn't changed.
"Good sir," the Red Woman's voice said, and Arya saw Gendry visibly flinch. He had his hammer in one hand, and he was doing his best to look brave, but Arya could see that he was afraid. Arya, with her dagger in her left hand, reached over and took Gendry's available hand into her own. He glanced at her and looked a little relieved but still nervous.

"Can I help you, my lady?" Josef said.

"Perhaps, my men and I are looking for a boy and a girl. The girl is young with short brown hair while the boy is a little older with black hair and blue eyes. There is a chance they passed through this area, have you seen them?" This was not good, and Arya could feel herself getting ready for a fight.

"Can't say that I have, my lady," Josef said, and Arya froze. "May I ask why you are looking for them, my lady? What did they do?"

"Stannis Baratheon, the rightful King of the Seven Kingdoms, is in need of the boy. The Lord of Light needs him, and that is all you need to know," the woman said, and she didn't sound happy that someone was asking her questions.

"We haven't had any travelers recently, my lady, I apologize," Josef said. There was a long beat of silence, and Arya wanted to look out the window more than anything to see what was happening. The last thing she wanted was someone to get hurt because of them. She knew that Gendry would never forgive himself if this woman hurt Josef while looking for him.

"Very well. We shall continue our search," she said. The sound of horses and a cart being drawn followed. Neither of them moved for a long time, and Arya wasn't sure when it was safe to do so. She heard someone walk into the forge, and Josef looked down at the two of them.

"They're gone," he said.

"Thank you," Gendry replied. "You didn't have to do that for me."

"You helped my daughter, so I consider us even," Josef said. "That being said, I think it's time for both of you to move on. No one here wants soldiers looking for two fugitives, no matter how helpful they are."

"We understand," Arya said.

"You can stay the night, but I'd like you both gone at dawn," Josef nodded to the two of them and walked out of the small forge. Gendry slumped back against the wall and closed his eyes. Arya kept her hand interlocked with his because she had a feeling that he needed something to ground him at this moment.

"Gendry--"

"Why me?" he asked softly. "Why do all of these high borns want something to do with me? First the Gold Cloaks and now this King? I'm no one."

"You're not no one," Arya replied softly.

"People keep dying around me when they ask who I am," he said as Gendry opened up his eyes and looked at her. "You aren't safe with me."

"People are looking for me too," Arya said as she squeezed his hand. "You're just as much of a danger to me as my own last name." He didn't look like he believed her, but he looked at their intertwined hands. "We're family, we're pack, and pack doesn't leave when things get hard. You said you've never had a family, and now you do, me, and I'll protect you. No one is going to hurt you while I'm standing."

"You would try to make that promise," Gendry replied, but he was smiling a little again. "No one will hurt you as long as I'm standing either."

Gendry spent the rest of the day taking apart the useless sword and making something new. Arya helped around the village as much as she could, and by the time the sun went down, she let herself back into the forge. Gendry was leaning over the small table, working on something. Arya walked over and saw a large warhammer getting polished. On the bottom of the mallet was a small sigal of a bull.

"We can't tell people our names," Gendry said as he watched her look at the hammer. "So I figured going by "the wolf" and "the bull" might be our best bet. What do you think?"

"Why a warhammer?" Arya asked, and Gendry shrugged.

"A hammer is what I know, so it makes sense. Josef said I could keep the smith's hammer too, so now we have more than one weapon each."

"We'll make my sword at the next forge we go to," Arya said. "Let's get some supper and sleep. We need to leave in the morning."

Arya and Gendry left the village early the next morning. They thanked Josef for letting them stay and for telling the Red Woman that he hadn't seen them. Josef nodded, thanked Gendry and Arya for their hard work and what they did for his daughter, and that was the end of it. They set out with their small group of possessions, unsure where to go next.

"Do you think we could go to Riverrun now and not have a problem?" Arya asked, and Gendry frowned.

"Well, the Red Woman thinks we went away from Riverrun, so maybe we won't have to worry about her. I'm not sure what Lord Beric and the Brotherhood would do if they found us. If the Red Woman was going to pay for me, we could have cost them a small amount of gold," Gendry replied. For some reason, the fact that he thought he was only worth a small amount of gold broke Arya's heart a little.

"Why don't we go south for a little while then head toward Riverrun. Maybe that will be enough to keep away from the Brotherhood," she said. Gendry nodded, but he looked a little uncomfortable. They walked in silence for over two hours before she had to know what was bothering him. She has a pretty good idea because Gendry wore his feelings on his sleeve. She could take one look at him and know exactly what he was thinking. "You're worried about my family again."

"Of course I am," he said without hesitating. "I don't understand why you aren't. You're different from other high borns, but I don't know your brother or your mother, and from what you've told me about your mother, she's going to hate me on sight. I'm a bastard that traveled alone with her daughter. I'll be surprised if she doesn't send me to the wall the second she lays eyes on me." Arya wanted to be offended on behalf of her mother, but she knew that Gendry was a little right. If she found out that the two of them not only traveled alone together but sometimes shared a room Arya couldn't imagine how she would react.

"She would be happy you helped me survive above all else," Arya said. "Everything else we can figure out later. They aren't taking you away from me." Gendry looked at her like he couldn't believe that she was a real person, but he smiled softly as they walked.

They slept outside and managed to catch a rabbit that night, but the next day they found another village that needed some help. They introduced themselves as Wolf and Bull and offered their skills in exchange for food and shelter. Gendry worked in the small forge while Arya helped build houses, plant crops, and train anyone who asked. Three days after they arrived at the new village, Gendry presented her with the new sword. It looked a lot like Needle, the blade was long and thin in a similar way, but Gendry put a lot of small features in it. The best was the direwolf carved into the handle, a grey one with yellow eyes. She hugged Gendry a long time for her gift and told him that she would let him know what she has named the sword.

They only stay in the village for a week before departing again. Arya could see that every step that they took toward Riverrun was making Gendry more nervous, but she didn't call him out on it. There wasn't anything she could to calm his fears until they got to her mother and brother. Gendry was working on setting up a fire as Arya went to a nearby river to make water and freshen up. She was on her way back to the camp when she heard someone unfamiliar talking. Arya pulled out her new sword and kept quiet as she approached the camp she was sharing with Gendry.

There was a small fire burning, and Gendry was on his back, holding a hand to his lip, which looked like it was bleeding. His hammer was several feet away, just out of his grasp, and he was looking up at a familiar person.

"Where is she?" the Hound asked. "Where is the wolf bitch? I know she ran off with you, so tell me where she is." Gendry spat some blood at the Hound's feet and didn't say a word. The Hound pulled out his sword and pointed it at Gendry's throat. "Now, you don't want to do that boy. You are going to tell me where the wolf bitch is, and you're going to do it now." Arya stayed in the shadows but wasn't entirely sure what she could do. The Hound was an extremely experienced fighter, and there was a good chance that he would hear her coming. She also had no idea whether or not he would let Gendry live. Arya had seen the Hound murder a child in cold blood. There was always the chance that he would do it again. She couldn't hide, though, or eventually, the Hound might hurt Gendry or come after her.

"I'm taking the wolf bitch to the Twins, and there isn't anything you can do to stop me, boy," the Hound threatened.

There was a large rock sitting nearby, and Arya knew she could hit a target with a bow and arrow. Maybe she could stun the Hound enough for Gendry to get to his hammer. Between the two of them, if the Hound was stunned, perhaps they could get away with this. Arya carefully picked up the rock as the Hound threatened Gendry again and aimed for his head. After everything terrible that had happened in the recent years, she still had to have some luck still. She let the rock go and prayed to the Old Gods that it would fly true.

It turned out that Arya really did have that much skill or that much luck because the rock smacked into the back of the Hound's head. It wasn't enough to knock him out, but he stumbled, and he looked a little dazed.

"Gendry, your hammer!" Arya exclaimed. Gendry scrambled to pick his hammer and smacked the Hound hard enough in the head that he collapsed. It was not, as Arya noted, enough to kill him.

"I was wondering where you were," he said, and when Gendry smiled at her, his teeth were red with blood.

"I heard you were in trouble, so I came running," Arya said as she shrugged. They couldn't stay here now, and they needed to put some distance between them and the Hound very quickly. "Let's see what he has on him that we can steal and then find his horse. Even with the two of us, we should be able to get some distance between us very quickly."

"Sounds good to me." Gendry began to go through the pockets of the Hound as Arya searched for his horse. It didn't take long to find it hidden away from them, and she brought it back to their camp. The Hound hadn't moved, and Gendry had relieved him of all his weapons and all of his coins. The two of them climbed onto the horse, and Arya briefly wondered if leaving him here meant that he was going to die, but she didn't want to think about it too much.

"My family is at the Twins," she said carefully as they took off on the horse. Gendry, the less experienced rider, held tightly onto her waist as they took off into the night. Her family was at the Twins, and she was going to see her mother and brother again. There wasn't anyone who was going to stop her from doing just that.

They rode hard for several days and stopped at an inn that gave them shelter and food in exchange for work. There was one man in the inn who said that he had heard of the Wolf and the Bull who was going around helping people. It made Arya feel happy that people were noticing that they were trying to make a difference. They didn't stay long at that village, but Gendry did mend some pots for a few houses so they would be able to cook in exchange for a little food. They continued North for several days as they tried to make it to the twins. They were walking along the road, talking about nothing at all, when they heard voices. Arya immediately steered the horse off of the road and deep into the woods.

"We should try to get closer," Gendry said. "We don't know what's going on out there. Maybe they can give us some sort of hint about this giant war and who is going to win." Arya had to admit that was a pretty good idea, and after carefully hiding their horse, and making sure they are armed, they both crept closer to the road.

"The whole world is blowing up," one of the men said. It looked like they were traveling South but didn't seem to be in a big hurry. Wandering around the Riverlands these days was not safe, but these two didn't seem to mind one way or another. "The King in the North is aligning with House Frey and fighting a war in the South while Winterfell gets sacked and two of his brothers die. This is who we're supposed to follow in the North?" The man spat on the road, but Arya felt her blood run cold.

"The South might be tearing itself apart with gods knows how many kings, but at least they aren't losing their family homes thousands of miles away," the second man said with a laugh. Arya didn't want to hear anymore, and she stumbled back toward the horse in a daze. Bran and Rickon were dead? That didn't make sense to her. They were her little brothers that she liked to chase around in the snow. They couldn't be dead.

"Arya," she heard Gendry say as they got back to the horse. He touched her arm, but Arya felt something in her break. Her father was dead, and now her two brothers were too. Sansa was lost to them in King's Landing, Jon was sworn to the Night's Watch and couldn't protect her. Mother and Robb were the only ones, and she needed to get them as soon as possible.

"We should keep going," Arya said even though she could barely hear herself. Gendry seemed to sense that she wasn't entirely paying attention, and it was easy for him to take her into his arms. At first, Arya stood completely still, unable to react, but eventually, she put her arms around him. She held onto him so tight she wondered if she was about to break his ribs, but he didn't loosen his hold on her. He held her tightly and didn't say anything about the tears that were soaking the front of his shirt.

Arya didn't know how long they stood there, wrapped in each other, but eventually, Arya pulled away. Gendry didn't say anything, she wasn't sure if there was anything he could say that could help in any way, but he did brush her tears away with the pad of his thumb.

"We should keep going," Arya said, and her voice sounded steady.

"As m'lady commands," Gendry replied softly, and for the first time, it didn't sound like he was mocking her. Arya didn't have the energy to correct him, and they both climbed onto the horse as they continued North toward the Twins.

"What do you think the Hound is going to do to me if he catches up with us?" Gendry asked after they rode in total silence for several hours.

"What do you mean?" Arya asked as she glanced over her shoulder. He was frowning and looked a little scared.

"Well, you're a Stark, so he won't hurt you, and he was looking for you, but I'm no one. I'm also the one that clocked him upside the head with a hammer. If he ever catches up to me, I wonder what he's going to do," Gendry replied.

"You'll be under the protection of Robb by then, so it won't matter," Arya replied. "And my brother isn't an idiot. He wouldn't throw away an amazing smith like you because he managed to knock out the Hound."

"For the sake of my neck, I hope you're right." Just as the sun was going down, an inn came into view. They had some coin on them, and Arya really could use a place bed and a hot meal afterward. She told the innkeeper that they were brother and sister so they could share a room. It only had one bed, and Arya chose to ignore the fact that Gendry's ears got a little red when he heard that. The innkeeper didn't notice, fortunately, and they were given some stew, bread, and ale. Arya was exhausted, and she went up to the room immediately following her food. She wasn't entirely surprised that Gendry followed.

The bed was pretty small, but there was enough room for the two of them without things getting too awkward. Arya pointedly did not look at Gendry as he kicked off his boots and stripped off his shirt. For not the first time Arya wished she was a boy so she could take off some layers of clothing. She just wanted something comfortable to sleep in. She remembered the oversized shirts that she would sometimes steal from Jon and how comfortable they were.

"Hey," she said as she turned around. His eyes were stunningly blue in the low light of the moon that was coming in through the window. His black hair was sticking up in every possible direction, and she found herself wondering how soft it would feel between her fingers. "Do you mind if I sleep in your shirt? I just want to get out of mine for a night."

"Oh, sure, I don't see why not," he said, though he looked a little thrown by the suggestion. He turned around and gave Arya her privacy to change into his black long-sleeved shirt. It smelled like him; a combination of smoke, steel, and the scent she had begun to associate with Gendry.

"You can turn around now," Arya said as she climbed into bed. Gendry looked down at her, and he was giving her a funny look. He was staring, and Arya was loathed to look away. She could get lost in those eyes. Gendry shook his head like he was trying to clear his vision and also climbed into the bed. Arya rolled onto her side, her back to Gendry, and she wasn't surprised when he wrapped his arms around her press so they could share their body heat. She could feel when he pressed his forehead to the back of her head and took some deep breaths.

"I'm sorry about your brothers and your home," he whispered into her hair. Arya didn't know what to say to that, and as she fell asleep, she swore that Gendry placed a soft kiss to the back of her neck.

It took several days for them to make their way north toward the Twins, and as they got closer, the more nervous Arya got. She could tell that Gendry was getting more and more uncomfortable at the idea of facing her mother. It was getting colder, and they had started huddling together at night to stay warm. Arya was sure her mother would have plenty to say about that when she found out, but Arya was trying not to think about it too much.

They were maybe a day away from the Twins when they came across a group of Frey soldiers. She wanted to approach them and ask for help getting to the castle when Arya heard the words "fucking massacre." She looked at Gendry, who went extremely pale. Arya pulled out her sword, and Gendry took his hammer in hand as they approached the camp but kept out of sight.

Her blood ran cold as they talked about betraying the Stark's at the wedding how they pumped the King of the North with bolts before gutting him. How they stripped the Lady Stark and threw her body in the ocean after slitting her throat, and how they attached the head of the wolf to the King of the North to parade him around. Arya acted more on instinct rather than anything else. She walked into the camp and stuck her sword through the back of the soldier without giving him a chance to turn around. Gendry immediately joined the fight, and Arya realized for the first time that she was not strong enough. The Frey soldier grazed her shoulder, and she hissed out in pain.

There was a chance that they were going to die. There was a chance that this was going to be the end of them, and she hoped that they lived. She realized just how much she wanted to live in that moment. It was the thing that helped her defeat the soldier in front of her, and she watched as Gendry smashed the last soldier with his hammer. The two of them stood around the fire, breathing hard and bleeding from superficial wounds. She glanced at Gendry, who was staring at her with more rage than she had ever seen in him. He dropped his hammer to the ground, stomped around the fire, and took both of her arms in his hands. If he noticed the sword she was holding, he didn't pay attention to it.

"Do not ever do something like that again," Gendry said lowly. "You tell me when you're going to do something like, and we work together. You do not walk into a fight and not tell me. Never again."

"Never again," Arya whispered, and her legs gave out. Gendry fell down with her and pulled her into his arms. It was like finding out about Bran and Rickon all over again. Her mother and brother were betrayed, they were dead, and now she was alone in the world. Jon was on the wall, he couldn't help her, and Sansa was trapped in Kings Landing. She was the daughter of a dead house. "I'm alone."

"You're not alone," Gendry promised her. "I'm never leaving you."

"Everyone leaves me," she said as Arya pressed her face into his shirt. It was comfortable, comforting, in a way that she desperately needed right now.

"I'm never leaving you," he repeated. "Now, where to next? You must have aunts or uncles that would take us in? There has to be somewhere we could go." There were; Uncle Edmure was lost and a prisoner after this wedding. They could go to her Aunt Lysa in the Eyrie, but a nagging voice in the back of her head told Arya that was a bad idea. She pulled away from Gendry and looked into his blue eyes. Her mother or brother might understand that they would want to stay together, but she didn't know her aunt well enough. Aunt Lysa might send him away, and she wasn't prepared to face a world without him. If they went to the Wall, the Night's Watch might take him, and they already had Jon. She wouldn't let them take Gendry as well.

"We become outlaws," Arya said. "We do what the Brotherhood wanted to but better. We go around to villages, and we help them rebuild for no gold. We'll kill groups of bandits that roam the Riverlands, the Crownlands, the Stormlands, all over Westeros. We'll ruin supply chains for the Lannister's and give them hell that way. We can't fight a war, but we can make things harder for them and protect the smallfolk."

"Arya," he whispered. Gendry cupped her cheeks, so she was looking him in the eye. "You're the daughter of a great house--"

"I'm the daughter of a dead house. There is nothing left in Westeros for me except for you, and you want to do good. So do I, so let's do it together," Arya said. She started to get nervous when Gendry just stared at her with that look like he couldn't believe that she was real. After what felt like a lifetime, he leaned over and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Let's become outlaws then," and it was decided.

Three years passed, and Arya couldn't believe her and Gendry had operated in Westeros that long. They traveled all over and tried to help as many people as they could regardless of how close it took them to the Lannisters. As far as the Lannisters were concerned, they were two dead children and no longer threats though Gendry continued to remain in the dark about why they wanted him in the first place. Arya listens for rumors. She hears about Sansa's wedding to the Lannister imp, she hears about King Joffrey dying and how she wished she could have seen that, and she hears about Sansa vanishing after that. Her sister was more than likely dead, and now she was truly alone.

The Wolf and the Bull were becoming more and more well known throughout Westeros. The smallfolk were beginning to recognize them on sight, and it made Arya feel good whenever someone came over and thanked them. She enjoyed what she and Gendry were trying to accomplish. He continued to learn and perfect his skills as a smith and also trained with the massive warhammer that he had reforged several times in the last three years. They ran into Polliver about a year after fleeing from the Brotherhood, and Arya took Needle back. She kept Gendry's sword and named it Thread.

Arya was desperate for anyone who could teach her more swordsmanship. As soon as they met anyone with any training, she asked to work with them. Arya learned from soldiers from the Reach to Dorne to Essos. Gendry said that she was developing her own style of swordsmanship, but she considered it water dancing.

They were back in the Riverlands after several months of working in the Stormlands. The people there kept giving the two of them funny looks, which Arya didn't know what to do with. It happened more and more when they went to the Stormlands, and it made her uneasy. The night wasn't exactly cold, but it wasn't warm either. She was quite comfortable lying next to Gendry and feeling the heat coming from his body. They were looking up at the stars through the trees.

"Where to next? You think you're ready to see the North again?" he asked. While Arya missed the North like a limb, she hadn't found the confidence to actually travel there. She was worried she would be recognized, and she didn't know how loyal the North was to the Starks now that they were all presumed dead. She wanted to see Jon but seeing Jon meant leaving him behind again because she couldn't join the Night's Watch and he couldn't leave.

"Maybe," Arya replied.

"You go, and I'll follow," Gendry said like that wasn't a big deal. Arya turned and looked at his profile. He looked more or less the same though his blue eyes were a little harder, and his hair was a little shorter. He had somehow grown a little more, which annoyed her and that he loved to poke fun about. The fighting and the smithing meant that he was strong, very strong, and he was just as bullheaded as ever. He was hers, though, in a way, no one had been in a long time.

'Has it really been six years that I've known him?' Arya thought. She was a woman grown now and one and eight, and she couldn't deny that her feelings for him have changed over the years. Arya looked forward to the cold nights when he would wrap his arms around her and hold her close. Gendry must have felt her watching him because he turned his head, so he was looking at her. They were nearly nose to nose, but the distance between them felt as big as the sea. If she closed this distance, it would mean their relationship would change forever, and Arya wasn't sure if she could risk that.

"Arya--" Gendry whispered, but a sound from the woods jerked them back to reality. Arya was on her feet in seconds, sword in hand, as two men appeared from the trees.

"Well, look what we have here," one of them said. One of them already had a crossbow pointed at them while the other carried two small blades. "These two look like the outlaws that have been running around these last couple of years. The crown is willing to pay a nice reward to bring you two in."

"We're just two travelers passing through," Gendry said, but Arya could tell that these two men didn't believe a word he was saying.

"Good thing the reward is for dead or alive," the man with the crossbow said, and he fired. Arya didn't have time to worry about whether or not it hit him, but the grunt of pain said that it must have hit Gendry. The man in front of her fought like Syrio, and she realized he must have been from Braavos. She thought about the coin that she still carried around that Jaquen gave her all those years ago.

Arya risked a glance at Gendry as she fought just in time to see his warhammer knocked to the ground, a crossbow bolt in his shoulder, and the attacker slice down his chest with a sword. The wound was deep, and blood was already staining Gendry's clothes. "No," she whispered as he stumbled to the ground, and it was enough for the Braavos fighter to knock Needle away.

The first stab to her lower abdomen burned like nothing she had ever felt before, and the next several made Arya's entire body feel like it was on fire. She stumbled to the ground and realized that she wasn't far from Gendry. He was already pale, and Arya realized that she was going to have to watch him bleed out. The feeling of regret hit her, and she couldn't believe she hesitated. She couldn't believe she never kissed him or told him how much he meant to her.

Arya could hear the two men going through their things as they both died on the forest floor. Gendry's eyes closed, and they didn't open again. Arya thought she was used to losing people, but it was like losing her father, her mother, her brothers all over again. The world around her started to go dark, and the last thing she remembered was the sound of two men screaming and what sounded like a growl.

+++

Arya didn't remember much from that. She thought she heard the growl and the next awareness she had pain in her stomach. The world was black, but she was lying somewhere comfortable. She couldn't remember what was going on and someone was giving her water. Arya could hear people talking about infection and needing rest. The world went dark again, and Arya lost more time.

The world was blurry when she opened up her eyes, and she didn't know where she was. Someone was talking to her, but the words weren't making any sense. Arya looked at the person looking down at her and didn't recognize her face.

"What happened?" she managed to ask though the words hurt.

"You were attacked," the woman said, "You were gravely hurt, and we have been trying to save you ever since." Arya vaguely remembered that happening and didn't know what to do about that. The last thing she remembered was bleeding out in the middle of the forest.

"How did you find us?" Arya managed to ask.

"A large wolf came into the village and practically dragged us out to you. The two attackers were already dead," the woman said. "As soon as we got to you, the wolf ran into the woods.

'A large wolf?' Arya thought. There was really only one explanation for that, and that was Nymeria. 'Maybe she'll be waiting for us when we leave.' That was the moment that Arya realized that she was asking questions about her and Gendry, but this woman hadn't mentioned whether or not he had survived. The idea that Gendry might be dead while she was alive made Arya panic almost instantly, and the woman could see it. She put a cold cloth on Arya's forehead and told her to calm down.

"My friend, the man I was with, where is he? Is he alive? I need to know if he's alive," Arya stammered. Her voice was shaking, and it sounded like she was moments away from bursting into tears.

"M'lady look to your left," the woman said gently. Arya looked, and there was another bed mere feet away. Gendry was lying in the bed, and as far as Arya could tell, he was breathing. He was pale, and in some ways, he looked like he was dead, but he was breathing, she could see it, but it didn't alleviate any of her fears. She needed to feel his heartbeat beneath her palm, or she would never calm down. Arya wouldn't rest until she knew. "He lost a lot of blood, he hasn't woken up yet, and we are doing our best to keep his wound from getting infected."

"Please, I need to be in the same bed as him," Arya said. "I need to be near him when he wakes up, he's my--" She cut herself off and didn't know what to call Gendry. Calling him, her friend wasn't enough. "He's my husband." She lied effortlessly. "Please, he's my entire world." The woman looked pretty apprehensive, but she must have seen something in her eyes that made her pay attention.

"Very well." The woman called another woman into the room, and the two of them walked into the room. It was painful, and she nearly blacked out as they moved her, but they were able to move her into the bed. Arya put her hand over the massive bandage and could feel his heartbeat beneath her palm. She felt a little better and was able to rest.

+++

Arya later found out that she had slept for three straight days. The two women that were taking care of them were sisters named Mina and Prycella. Mina, the older of the two by a year, told Arya that they both lost their husbands and sons in Robert's Rebellion, and instead of remarrying, they decided to train to become healers. If they weren't trained healers, there was a chance that she and Gendry wouldn't have survived their very serious wounds.

Gendry, the stubborn bull, slept for another three days, and Arya worried the entire time. He lost a lot of blood, and there was a chance he might never wake up again. They were both still healing and could get sick of infections. There were so many things that could go wrong, but right now, all Arya wanted was to see the blue of his eyes. Mina surprised her by calling Arya "Wolf" and told her that the entire village knew who they were almost immediately. It still surprised her when people knew who they were but didn't know their names.

It was the afternoon of the sixth day, and Arya was debating about ignoring the advice of Mina and getting out of bed to see if she could walk. Then she felt Gendry shift against her, and she watched him carefully. Gendry winced and then opened his eyes slowly.

"I'm right here," Arya whispered, and Gendry turned his head, so they were nearly nose to nose again. It was like the night they were lying in the forest when she thought about kissing him, and the night they almost lost each other.

"Arya," he whispered. It took more energy than Arya was comfortable with to take the cup of water from the table and help Gendry take a few sips. "What happened?"

"A wolf came into our camp, killed those two bandits, and then managed to alert a nearby village that we needed help," she explained. "We've been in the care of two sisters who are healers, and you've been asleep for six days."

"A wolf?" he asked, and Arya shrugged because she didn't know much more than he did. "Okay, then why are we in the same bed?"

"I panicked when I first woke up," Arya explained quietly, and she couldn't look him in the eye when she talked about this. "I could see you, but I couldn't feel your heartbeat. I thought I was going to have to watch you bleed out, and I needed to know you were okay, so I lied. I told them we were married."

"Congratulations to us then," he said rather breathlessly, and Arya turned so she could look him in the eye again. He was smiling a little, he was still far too pale, but his eyes were bright, and he didn't look bothered by the idea of pretending to be married to her. They had to sometimes when they shared rooms in villages, but this was different. "I wanted to kiss you that night," he confessed because while Gendry might be stubborn as a bull, he was much better at talking about his feelings than she was. "But I felt like I didn't have the right. I know you always say you're the daughter of a dead house, so it doesn't matter, but it always feels like it will. So I didn't, and then we almost died."

"I wanted to kiss you that night, too," Arya whispered. "And while I've been lying here waiting for you to wake up, all I kept thinking about was how I wasted all of this time. I always knew we could die any moment, but seeing you lying in a bed looking like a corpse terrified me." Gendry tried to move his arms, but he winced in pain. Instead, he sought out her hand under the covers and entwined their fingers together.

"You're everything to me," Gendry said, and those were the same words she said to Mina when she was begging to share his bed. "I'm yours."

"And you're mine." Arya finally closed the distance between them and pressed her lips against his. When Arya let her mind think about what kissing Gendry would be like, she pictured it as an explosion of passion with teeth and tongues and lips. They were both recovering, though, and this kiss was so much better. It was gentle, loving, and it made her feel something that she hadn't felt since she lost her family. It made her feel loved, and Arya realized it was a feeling she'd been chasing since Ice took her father's head.

There was time for more kisses when they both weren't half dead, and she broke the kiss but pressed her forehead to his. They stayed like that until Mina and Prycella walked into the room and immediately began to scold Arya for not yelling for them the moment Gendry woke up. He looked a little surprised by the two sisters, who were assertive and a little loud despite being old enough to be their grandparents, but his bewildered expression just made Arya smile. Mina began to check Gendry's bandages, but they kept holding hands underneath the blankets.

Recovery was a slow and painful process for both of them that left Arya anxious. The longest they had ever stayed in a village was just over two weeks, and now they were approaching two full moons. The concept of taking the time and being still was not something she was used to and more than once Mina and Prycella yelled at her for pushing herself too hard too fast.

There were some benefits to staying still for so long, and that was exploring the new aspect of her relationship with Gendry. Within days of him waking up, he was able to sit up and move around a little. As soon as they were left alone, Arya took him into her arms and kissed him. Unlike their chaste kisses, when neither of them could move, this kiss was a lot different. Arya pulled him against her body and ran her fingers through his hair. She opened her mouth to his tongue and groaned at the feeling. Every time he touched her, whole new feelings were coming to light. She learned quickly that when Gendry kissed her on her neck, she couldn't help but arch against his body. She learned that if she pulled on his hair, just a little Gendry would groan against her mouth.

Neither of them bothered to correct Mina or Prycella that they weren't actually married, and neither of the sisters ever brought it up again. Arya found the two of them fascinating, but watching them also made her sad. She wanted to know what happened to Sansa; she wondered if given enough time, they could love each other the way Mina and Prycella did. It made her miss something she tried not to think about too much because it was too painful.

Arya was in the yard training with Gendry two moons after their attack. They were getting their strength back, and Gendry went further into the village to work in the forge for a few hours a day. Arya's wounds didn't pull when she moved anymore, and it felt like she was finally herself again. She ducked from Gendry's warhammer and swept a leg out to try and trip him. He knew her tricks, though, and dodged the attack.

"Either I've gotten slower, or you've gotten faster," Arya said.

"For the sake of my ego, let's go with the latter," Gendry deadpanned. Mina and Prycella were watching the two of them and smiling. Arya didn't want to admit that she was getting a little attached to the two sisters, and it hurt a little to think about moving on. They couldn't stay though; there was always a chance of the wrong soldiers coming through, and Mina and Prycella would be slaughtered for harboring outlaws.

"Okay, that's enough, you two," Mina said. They both learned very quickly that not listening to the two women who owned herbs that could kill you in your sleep was not a smart idea. "Come over here. We need to talk to you inside." They followed the two sisters into the sitting room, and Arya didn't like the expressions on their faces. She didn't feel sick, and the last time she saw Gendry's wound, it was scarred over as well as they could hope for.

"Is something wrong?" Arya asked as she sat down. Gendry joined her in the seat next to her as Mina and Prycella exchanged sad looks.

"Lady Wolf, I'm afraid this concerns you," Prycella said softly. "However, it's also important that your husband knows this as well. You have not had your moon's blood since your attack, and while it could be because your body is still healing my sister and I believe the damage was too great. We do not believe you'll be able to have children." Arya felt her heart seize at that statement, and she was not sure how she was supposed to react to something like that. She never wanted children, so why did she feel the urge to burst into tears?

"Ladies, could you give us a moment?" Gendry said. Mina and Prycella nodded and left the sitting room to go into the small kitchen. Gendry took her hand and held onto it tightly. "Arya, talk to me."

"I never wanted children," she whispered. "For as long as I can remember, I never wanted children. I made that choice, I was choosing not to have them, but they took that choice away from me. It's not that I suddenly want them, but they took that choice away from me." A tear escaped her eye, and Gendry pulled her onto his lap and into his arms. Arya cried silently as he rocked her back and forth. She hated their attackers for taking her choice away from her. It was hers and hers alone, and now it was gone; just another thing this hellish world had stolen from her.

+++

Arya tried not to show how sad she was to leave Mina and Prycella behind. They were important to her now, and they risked so much to keep the two of them safe. She also knew that they weren't safe, and the longer they stayed here, the more likely it would be that someone would come looking for them. Arya wanted to get back into the woods so she could look for Nymeria and take out her frustrations about her choice being taken away on some Lannister soldiers. Mina smiled as she hugged Gendry, and he was smiling in a way Arya hadn't seen before. That was the look of a man getting some parental love, and Arya's heart ached that her family wasn't around to give it to him.

"I'd tell the two of you to be safe, but we all know you won't," Prycella said as she hugged Arya.

"We can't thank you enough for what you've done for us," Arya replied, and the two sisters waved them off.

"If you're ever hurt again, don't hesitate to come and see us. We'll do our best to keep the two of you alive," Mina said.

"That means a lot to us," Gendry replied, and he glanced at Arya. "I'm going to make sure the horses are ready." She nodded and watched him walk away. The two sisters were looking at them with that odd expression again that Arya couldn't place.

"Wolf, does Bull know who his father is?" Mina asked.

"Oh, no, he doesn't. He's a bastard," Arya replied, but the question set her on edge. People kept asking about Gendry's family, and it never seemed to end well for them. She didn't want the same fate that befell her father and Jon Arryn to happen to Mina and Prycella as well. "We don't talk about it. It seems dangerous."

"Yes, it would be," Prycella agreed. "It's probably best if you two don't know. Information is dangerous, little one, and we want you both to be safe." Arya wanted to get them to tell her what they knew, but the two sisters nodded and went back into their small home without another word. Arya joined Gendry, and the two of them climbed onto the back of their horses. It was time to put some distance between them and the sisters and maybe get some catharsis as well.

"If we go south, we might run into a few groups of soldiers," Gendry said. "If we get some of those supplies, we can stock up the next village or two."

"Sounds like a good plan to me." Arya pushed Gendry's family from her mind. It didn't really matter because they were outlaws no matter what, and they didn't need an excuse to draw even more attention to themselves. Gendry always said that whenever people looked into his life, they died, and Arya didn't want to test that theory too much.

They rode for a full day until they found a band of Lannister soldiers looking to transport some supplies to the armies still stationed in the Riverlands. The war was over, and the Lannister's controlled the Riverlands through her Uncle, but that didn't mean there wasn't plenty of unrest out there still. Arya hid the horses as Gendry scouted ahead to see what exactly they were dealing with. She decided that she would use Thread this time for battle, and Arya got herself in the right mindset. Gendry joined her a moment later.

"Six soldiers and it looks like they are transporting some dried meat and fruit," he said. Six against two weren't great odds, but the two of them knew these lands better than anyone. They knew how to use it to their advantage.

"We'll wait for them to set up camp for the night, and then we'll take care of it," Arya replied. Her and Gendry followed the group of soldiers but made sure to keep enough of a distance that they wouldn't be spotted. Despite how big he was, Gendry was surprisingly quiet on his feet after years of doing this. The soldiers set up camp for the night, and Arya nodded to him. It was time to get to work.

Arya stayed East of the camp while Gendry went West. The only way they could take on this many men was to thin the herd. Arya kept to the shadows as Gendry purposely made a large stick snap. The soldiers immediately looked in his direction, and they appeared nervous.

"What was that?" one of them asked.

"Two of you go out and see what that was," the captain said.

"But what about the rumors? Of the people that kill Lannister soldiers?" one of them asked, and Arya was a little proud of the fact that her and Gendry were scaring these people. They deserved to be scared because of what they were doing to the smallfolk and what that family has done to the people of Westeros.

"Are you craven? Go out there and see what you can find. Maybe it'll be an animal, and we get something other than dried meat for dinner," the captain said. Two of the soldiers grumbled and took off into the forest. Arya counted down to the pre-arranged time that Gendry had to kill the two men quietly. They knew the woods, and they used it to their advantage. The time hit, and Arya made her own branch snap. The captain did exactly what he was supposed to do; he sent out two more men into the darkness.

Arya kept to the shadows as she pulled out the bow she had acquired over the many months of being on her own. She needed to make sure both of these men died quietly, and they didn't seem to be looking out for one another. She fired an arrow at one of them, and it went through the soldier's neck. He fell to the ground in a spray of blood, and the arrow made it so he couldn't say a word. She quietly made her way toward the second soldier and sliced at the back of his knees. The man went down with a small cry of surprise, but Arya was quicker and slit his throat.

She made her way back to the camp to see the captain, who was a man at least as old as her father was, and the last soldier. He was afraid, and he looked like he was ready to run and leave the other man behind. Arya emerged from the shadows just as Gendry did. He turned his war hammer on the remaining man while Arya pointed her bow at the captain.

"By the gods," the captain said as he stared at the two of them. He was pale, and he looked like he'd seen a ghost.

"Running away won't save you," Arya said as she heard Gendry kill the remaining soldier and join her at her side. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the blood on his war hammer.

"Robert and Lyanna back from the dead," the captain whispered. He seemed to come back to himself and fired a crossbow bolt at Arya. She managed to dodge it, barely, but the captain took off on his horse. She swore as she watched him ride away.

"Did he call us Robert and Lyanna?" Gendry asked as he looked in the direction the fleeing captain was going.

"My aunt's name was Lyanna," Arya said. "People have told me that I look a lot like her."

"That explains why he referred to you, but what does that have to do with me?" Gendry said as he looked at her. Arya knew that Gendry got more and more handsome as he got older, but now there was a nagging sense of familiarity that she couldn't place. She remembered seeing blue eyes around the Red Keep when she was staying there. She remembered seeing blue eyes like Gendry's when she looked at Renly Baratheon when he served as Master of Laws on the small council. Renly Baratheon with his blue eyes and black hair.

She remembered seeing blue eyes like that, though they were usually bloodshot and glassy with liquor when she looked at the late king. Arya nearly laughed as the reality of the situation suddenly dawned on her. She'd heard rumors over the years that Joffrey and Ceresi ordered the death of all of King Robert's bastard children. That would have been right around the time that Gendry was sold to the Watch. The Gold Cloaks were looking for him, not her.

"Gendry, I think I just figured it out," Arya said, and he frowned at her. "I know why the Gold Cloaks wanted you dead all of those years ago."

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"You're one of King Robert's bastard children. They wanted you because Joffrey ordered all of them killed, but you survived," Arya said with a small laugh. "You're a king's son."

"You're wrong," Gendry said, and he didn't seem to find the humor in all of this. "I'm no one. I've always been no one." Even after all of this time, Arya could still see the insecurity that Gendry carried around with him everywhere. It didn't matter that she chose him, it didn't matter that she would leave everything behind for him, in the back of his mind he was always beneath her and no matter what she said it couldn't seem to get through his thick skull. Arya took a step forward and pulled Gendry into a kiss. He was tense for a moment, but he eventually relaxed. She pulled away but pressed her forehead against his.

"You have never been no one to me, and you never will be," she whispered. "This doesn't change anything between us. It just means that we have another piece of the puzzle, and we understand all of the weird looks that people old enough to remember your father as a young man always give us. It changes nothing."

"If Cersei finds out I'm still alive--"

"She might find out that we're both alive," Arya interrupted. "We are starting to develop a reputation, and someday someone is going to figure it out. She was always going to want us dead for attacking her soldiers and stealing her supplies. She was always going to put prices on our heads. So what if we give her one more reason to? She doesn't want anyone to know we're alive because our names are powerful. She's smart, and she won't spread this information around because two unknown people fighting in the woods is far safer to her than Arya Stark and the son of her late husband."

"I always wondered who he was," Gendry said softly as he pulled away from her. "I always assumed he was some drunk idiot who ran around Flea Bottom and didn't give a shit about me. It turns out I was mostly right. I just never thought I'd be the son of a King."

"We need to get these supplies to the people who need them." He nodded, and the two of them hooked up their horses to the cart and began to walk through the woods until they came to a village. They were grateful for the supplies, and Arya loved to see the smile that Gendry got whenever someone would pull him aside and thank him for their help. He would get a warm look in his blue eyes, and when he would look at her again, she fell a little more in love with him.

Arya was a little surprised to realize that she loved Gendry, and then she was surprised at how little it bothered her. For as long as she could remember, she had loved him, perhaps longer than she even knew what love was. They had finally kissed; she knew that he felt the same way about her that she did about him, even if they hadn't said the words to each other yet. He was her family, and she would do anything to keep him safe.

+++

Qyburn paced the halls of the Red Keep and was unsure how he was supposed to approach a conversation like this. Her Grace was not going to like the report that he had to deliver and the information his little birds had gathered, but the moment that captain rode into the city, he needed to make sure that the information was correct. Now he was sure, and it was the last thing he wanted to tell her. She was going to be furious, and Qyburn wasn't sure who she would take that fury out on. Cersei also needed to know what was going on because it was important and dangerous information.

Cersei was in her chambers, alone, drinking wine. There was still something deeply broken in her from the walk, and she looked so different with her long, golden hair cut so short. Qyburn walked into the room and dismissed all of the servants, so they were alone.

"Your Grace," he said. "I have some information I believe is important to you."

"What is it now?" she snapped without looking at him.

"Several weeks ago, a Captain in your army returned to the Keep, and he was yelling about ghosts he had seen out in the lands. He said he thought he had seen your late husband and Lyanna Stark back from the dead," Qyburn explained.

"The dead don't come back," Cersei said lowly.

"No, they do not, so I began to look for another explanation. There have been rumors of a woman and a man fighting all over Westeros for the smallfolk. They have gained quite a reputation over the years."

"I fail to see why this concerns me directly. Tell our soldiers to kill them both and be done with it," Cersei snapped, and Qyburn waited a moment before he continued.

"The Bull, the man, is known to be a master smith with the kind of skills that only come from getting one's training in a city like King's Landing. When you and King Joffrey ordered all of your late husband's bastards killed, one of them was a smith who got out of the city," he explained, and that got her attention. She turned and looked at Qyburn with narrow eyes.

"I was told they were all dead," she said quietly.

"That you were, Your Grace, but I looked at the records from the attack where the boy was killed and even found some of the soldiers that were there during that attack. They told me that the boy that died was young with curly blonde hair," Qyburn said, and Cersei froze. She knew as well as he did that none of Robert's children ever had blonde hair; they were all the spitting image of their late father, and this bastard was no different. There was no possible way the boy that was killed in the raid on the Night's Watch was one of Robert's, which could only mean that the boy somehow survived, and no one was the wiser.

"You're telling me one of Robert's bastards has been running around Westeros with a woman that looks exactly like Lyanna Stark for years?" Cersei asked.

"I'm afraid it's worse than that, Your Grace. Arya Stark, Ned Stark's youngest daughter, even in her youth, everyone said that she greatly resembled her aunt. She vanished from the Red Keep the day her father was killed, and the same day the bastard, the records say that his name was Gendry, was also smuggled out of the city with Night's Watch. The Night's Watch, which likely felt like they owed the Stark's a favor and perhaps found a way to get the girl out as well."

It was hard to believe that Arya Stark was wandering around Westeros with one of Robert's bastards for so many years, but the more Qyburn looked into it, the more the evidence made sense. He also sensed that telling Cersei that her father once held both of them at Harrelhall was not the right course of action at the moment. She was strangely still as she stared at Qyburn like she was trying to decide whether or not she believed him.

"You said they are gaining a reputation?" Cersei asked after a long moment of silence.

"Yes, they steal our supplies and take our small groups of our soldiers. They go to small villages and help them rebuild and protect them from bandits and ask for nothing in return. The smallfolk seem very fond of them, and that fondness could be more dangerous than either of their lineages," Qyburn said.

"Agreed," Cersei said, and she looked out the window of the Keep and out at the city. "They are dangerous, and I won't have them running around anymore. I want our best trackers out there, and I want them brought back alive. A public execution of both of them would send a strong message that this kind of behavior won't be tolerated. Stannis and Renly are both dead, so House Baratheon won't be a problem, and even if Sansa Stark is still running around out there, House Stark is dead as well. It's time we put the final members of both into the ground."

"I will see that it gets done," Qyburn said.

"That being said," Cersei said. "The bastard is less of a threat to me, and considering Robert never acknowledged him; he is less dangerous. The Stark girl that would mean something, so if given a choice, make sure she is brought back alive. You never know when you'll need another valuable hostage." She turned and looked at Qyburn again. "I want our best men on this, and I want them found."

"Yes, Your Grace." Qyburn bowed and thought it was time for him to leave.

"Wait," Cersei said as she looked out at the city again. This time she was looking directly at the Sept of Balor as it stood tall and proud. The place where the Sparrows currently were and the ones that made her walk through the city naked. "How much do you know about wildfire?" Qyburn looked out at the building and smiled to himself.

"Quite a bit, Your Grace, did you have something in mind?"

Two weeks had passed since the attack on the Lannister soldiers, where the captain got away. Arya kept waiting for an entire hunting party to come looking for them, but it never happened. If anything, there seemed to be fewer soldiers running around, which made no sense at all. It didn't really bother her that much at the moment. The fire her and Gendry had built had long since died, and now they only had the moon and the stars giving them any light.

It was enough for her as she lay wrapped in the arms of the man she loved exchanging slow and deep kisses. They weren't in any hurry, and even though she always wanted him, Arya didn't think having sex in the middle of the forest was the best idea. That didn't stop Gendry's hands from wandering and made her think back to two weeks earlier.

They had just finished giving out the last of the Lannister supplies to an extremely grateful village. It wasn't the first time someone gave them a room in an inn, and it wasn't even the first time the room only had one bed. It was the first time they had shared a room since they confessed they had feelings for one another. The air was different as they went into the small room. Gendry closed the door, and as soon as Arya heard it lock, something inside of her snapped.

She took three large steps forward and yanked Gendry down so she could kiss him. He didn't hesitate to kiss her back, and it didn't take long for the kiss to turn into something different. Arya didn't know how much experience Gendry had, but in Arya's opinion, this might be the best kiss of her life. They broke apart only when they both needed to breathe. Arya stared at him, this amazing man in her life, and considered herself so incredibly lucky. So many women never got the chance to be with a man they loved, and here she was.

They both silently removed all of their weapons and let them fall to the floor without looking away from each other once. Gendry was usually a lot more careful with weapons, but he didn't seem to care this time. He was still too tall, but Arya could think of an excellent way to make things easier. She pulled him toward the bed and pushed Gendry down, so he was sitting. He watched her with wide eyes as Arya settled into his lap.

"Arya..." he whispered, but she cut him off with a kiss. She could feel so much more like this. She could get her fingers into his hair and pull, which made Gendry groan beneath her. Arya had seen him in various stages of dress over the years, but, for the first time, she wanted skin. She wanted to feel his body beneath her hands. Arya slipped a hand beneath his shirt to touch his stomach, and Gendry froze beneath her. "What are you doing?" He was out of breath, and his eyes were almost black.

"I want you," Arya replied. "I want all of you because I love you, and that's what people in love do." She leaned forward to kiss him again, but Gendry moved out of the way.

"You love me?" he sounded like he couldn't believe that but shook his head as if to clear it. "Arya, this isn't something that can be undone. If we do this, it changes things."

"I am yours, and you are mine. What more needs to be said?" Arya was not one for patience, and she really wanted to move things along.

"You're a lady of a great house," he whispered, and now it was Arya's turn to tense, but Gendry held up a hand to silence her. "Please let me explain. You might be the daughter of a dead house, but if anyone should recognize you as Lady Arya Stark, it won't matter. They will see me as the bastard that stole your maidenhead; they will label me a raper even if it was something we both wanted because you're a lady, and that's how it is. I'm afraid not because they would likely kill me on the spot but because they would make you watch as they killed me."

Arya was reminded of a Mycah and how the Hound cut him down for something she did. It didn't matter that she was the one who drew blood; she was the daughter of a great house, and Mycah was the one who paid the horrible price. Arya always hated when Gendry got up on their differences because it didn't matter to her, but it might matter to someone else.

"I swear to you, on my life Gendry Waters, that I will let no harm come to you," Arya said.

"You can't make--"

"And yet I just did. I have sworn this oath that I will let no harm come to you. I will protect you with my life just as you protect mine with yours because I love you," Arya said as she framed his face with her hands. He still looked a little afraid, but Gendry slowly began to smile. It was like watching a sunrise.

"I love you too," he whispered, and he leaned in to kiss her. This time there wasn't any hesitation as the two of them began to strip away their lawyers of clothing. Gendry was no doubt leaving bruises on the sensitive skin of her neck, but, at the moment, Arya couldn't care less. She finally got his shirt off of him, and she trailed her fingers down the terrible scar on Gendry's chest. This was the night she almost lost him, and it still hurt to think about. Gendry took her hands and moved them both further onto the bed. "If I do something you don't like, I want you to tell me," he said softly as he touched the scarred skin of her stomach. "I'm going off knowledge gleaned from listening to the whores and other men talking."

For some reason, it made Arya feel even more special that this was a first for him too. There was no doubt that it was going to be a little awkward, but the idea of any other woman sinking her claws into Gendry's skin made her see red. She nodded, and Gendry pushed her shirt up and over her head, so she was bare before him. He leaned down and began to place soft kisses along her shoulders and slowly made her way down to her breasts. No one had ever touched her there, and she jumped a bit when Gendry's rough hands touched her skin. He looked up at her, and she nodded for him to continue.

He took one of her nipples into his mouth, and Arya couldn't stop the moan that escaped from her lips. She was getting wet between her legs the way she sometimes would when she had a dream about Gendry doing exactly this. Arya always thought sex was just men fucking, but Gendry didn't even seem interested. She had always wondered if sex was supposed to be good for the woman too. Gendry was apparently determined to make it good for her.

After teasing her breasts mercilessly, Gendry began to kiss his way down her stomach. He paused when he got to the scars that she bore from the night they almost lost each other and the reason why Arya couldn't have children. He kissed each one tenderly, and Arya loved him even more just for that.

"I want to try something," he whispered against her skin. "That I heard some of the girls say it was good for them. If you don't like it, we don't have to."

"I promise I will tell you to stop if I don't like it," Arya replied. Gendry knew what it was like to get used like a tool rather than a person. He was always making sure that she was doing things of her own free will, and Arya wasn't surprised that he was no different when they lay together. He began to undo her pants, and Arya made a point to kick off her boots. Gendry smiled at her, and he slowly pulled her pants down, revealing her pale legs. He took the small clothes with him, so when they hit the floor, she was bare before him.

Arya's first instinct was to cover up, but then she saw the way Gendry was looking at it. He looked in awe of her as if she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She didn't know how to react to it. He crawled up and began to kiss her sweetly as his hand traveled down her body. Arya knew a little about what he was about to do. In the most private moment, she had touched herself a little, but ever since King's Landing, she didn't have much time alone. Arya thought she knew what to expect when he touched her, but it was so different. She gasped against his lips and tried to ignore the fact that he looked a little smug.

He was touching in places and in ways she never had before, and it made her body feel warm and tight. Arya threw her head back, and Gendry latched onto her pulse point as his fingers drove her out of her mind. He slipped a single finger inside of her, and Arya gasped again. She could feel him hesitate, and the last thing she wanted was for him to stop. "If you stop, I might actually kill you." Gendry pressed himself to her neck, and she could feel him softly laughing. He slipped another finger into her, and the stretch was unfamiliar, but it didn't bother her. Gendry moved away from her neck and began to kiss down her body. His thumb pressed against a part of herself that Arya didn't know existed, and she began to tremble. Gendry used his thumb to move a circle around that one spot slowly, and Arya couldn't take it anymore. Every muscle in her body clenched, and she swore she saw stars. It was the peak that she had heard some whores talk about and a thing that most men didn't let women have.

Gendry removed his fingers from her and drew Arya into a soft kiss as they lay side by side on the bed. It took a moment for Arya to realize that Gendry was still wearing pants and didn't seem to be in any hurry to take them off. That was not acceptable for Arya, and she reached down to undo the laces of his breeches. Gendry seemed to keen her until her lips were nearly numb, but he gasped as she got a hand around him.

"We don't need to do this," he whispered against her lips. "There are ways we can love each other without doing this."

"I swore to protect you and intend to keep that promise. I want this with the only man I have ever loved," Arya replied. Gendry smiled and removed the rest of his clothing. Arya knew she was supposed to be nervous about having a man in her bed, she heard from so many ladies that the first time hurt, and while the stretch wasn't exactly pleasant, it wasn't so bad either. Gendry took his time, letting her adjust until they were together. There was no taking anything back now, and Arya was glad for it. She pulled Gendry down for a kiss as they began to move together.

No one knew her better, and it didn't take long for her to peak again, clenching hard around him. Gendry snapped his hips forehead twice more and pulled out just as he fell over the edge. She knew why he was doing it even if there was a very good chance she couldn't have children. Gendry would never father a bastard. They pulled each other close as their breathing slowed, and the sweat began to cool on their bodies. It was perfect.

For all of the fighting and killing, they did Gendry still liked to treat her properly. Arya had no problem taking him to bed somewhere other than an inn, but Gendry didn't seem comfortable with it. That was why they were curled together, exchanging deep kisses with no rush to remove any clothing. The moonlight made his eyes shine, and Arya loved every moment of it.

There was a noise in the woods that had them both breaking away quickly. An arrow fell from the trees and handed mere inches from Gendry's head. Arya was about to pull out her sword when someone stepped out of the shadows.

"Now, now, I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Anguy?" Gendry said.

"Lovely to see you both again," Anguy said as more brotherhood members came out of the shadows. "You'd do well to hand over your weapons before I put an arrow in him, m'lady. You were always so protective of him, and I doubt that has changed from what I just saw." Arya grit her teeth together but removed her swords and dagger all the same. Lord Beric and Thoros of Myr emerged once Arya and Gendry had surrendered all of their weapons.

"Can't say I'm very surprised to see the two of you running around together still," Beric said as he looked the two of them over.

"We didn't have a choice but to run," Gendry snapped. "You were going to sell to that Red Woman."

"We lost out on a good set of coin because of that," Thoro said, and he nodded. Members from the Brotherhood took Arya and Gendry's arms and brought them forward. Thoro put a finger under Gendry's chin and forced eye contact. "If you've put your bastard hands on that girl, you won't live to see the morning."

The words shook Arya to her core, but this is what Gendry was worried about. The exact scenario he feared before they laid together was here, and now it was her turn to protect him. She needed to think fast, or she was going to lose yet another person that she loved.

"The way I see it, you have two options here," Arya said with her head held high like the noblewoman she was born as. "Either you see me as Lady Arya Stark, heir to Winterfell, and the last of Stark's as you well know. You were loyal to fighting for the Riverlands and my Uncle. I am the one who could lead this group to war if I wanted. In which case, the only person who can pass judgment is me." She paused as she looked at the men before her. "Or you could see me as a girl traveling with a boy, and what we do in beds does not concern you in the slightest because her house is dead. Which is it?" Beric and Thoro looked at each other, and they both smiled a bit like something was amusing.

"Very well, Arya," Beric said, and the men released her and Gendry. "We've heard all about the two of you running around all of Westeros trying to make things better."

"We don't exactly have an army we can call on to get the Lannister's out of power," Gendry said. "But we could be a persistent thorn in their side and take care of the smallfolk at the same time." Gendry and Arya began to gather their weapons, but she could feel Thoros and Beric watching the two of them. Someone made a strange noise when they saw Gendry's warhammer, and they both turned around.

"Would you look at that," Thoros said with a drunken smile. "Like two ghosts from the past, and I can't believe we didn't notice we had two runts of noble birth among us."

"Hardly," Gendry muttered.

"There is power in king's blood," Thoros muttered. "Now, I see why the woman wanted you so badly, boy."

"It's best if we're known as Wolf and Bull," Arya said. "As you know, Westeros has a long memory, and both of our names are dangerous."

"Very well. Now, I don't expect either of you to trust us, but you are welcome to come back to the Hallow Hill for some time to rest and plan your next move," Beric said. Arya glanced at Gendry, and he shrugged. If the Red Woman was not here, then the Brotherhood was of no danger to either of them.

"Just for a few days," Arya said, and they all made their way back to the camp.

+++

Arya didn't mind being around the Brotherhood again that much. They were good people who made plenty of mistakes, and while she hated them for trying to sell Gendry, it hadn't happened, and it was in the past. There was nothing she could do about it now. She was sitting with Thoros one night while Gendry was in the small forge working when she asked the question that had been bothering her for a long time.

"When you found out who Gendry's father was, you said, "there is power in king's blood." What did you mean, and do you know what that woman would have done to him if we hadn't gotten away?" she asked.

"Dark magic requires sacrifice," Thoros muttered. "She likely would have bled him dry or burned him at the stake."

"And you were okay sending a young man to his death like that?" Arya snapped.

"I didn't know who he was, and I suppose I was willing to look the other way, which was wrong of me." Thoros poked at the fire and took a long drink. "He's in danger. The smallfolk are calling you both Lyanna and Robert back from the dead. It won't take someone like Cersei long to realize that one of the bastards escaped."

"We know the risks we're taking," Arya whispered. "But we can't get on a ship and sail away from all of this. These people didn't do anything wrong, and they are the ones suffering in the wars. This is how we can help."

"The two of you would have made a hell of a King and Queen," Thoros whispered. Arya didn't know what she was supposed to say to something like that, so the two of them sat in silence for a long time as Beric came over to the fire and joined them. Arya still didn't know where Gendry was, but if he was working on a project, she didn't need to bother him. She just missed always being close to him. Arya thought about names and what they meant, she thought about traditions, and family.

"Lord Beric, Thoros," and the two of them looked at each other. "Have you found any heart trees nearby, and do you know how to perform a Northern wedding?" Arya would cherish the look on both of their faces for the rest of her life. "We're together in all of the ways that count, so now I want to stand before my Old Gods and make it official. If he says "yes," Thoros and Lord Beric, will you marry us?"

"I can think of nothing else that would make Cersei Lannister angrier," Thoros said with a grin. "Let's find you a Heart Tree."

It wasn't until Thoros agreed to marry her and Gendry that Arya realized that might have skipped a few steps here. While the two of them had traveled together for years, they had only confessed their feelings for each other recently. This was fast, and she wasn't entirely sure he would say "yes." Arya gave him her maidenhead, and now it was time to give him everything else. She excused herself from the conversation with Thoros and Beric to go find Gendry.

Arya found him working on something that he put away when she walked into the room. It wasn't any of her business what he decided to spend his time on and didn't press him to tell her what he was working on. He turned around and smiled at her softly.

"You were right," she said.

"It does happen sometimes," Gendry replied. "But what specifically are we talking about?"

"You warned me that someone might try to blame you for my decisions regarding my body, and it happened. So, you were right to be worried." Arya couldn't remember the last time she had been so afraid than when the Brotherhood seemed keen to punish Gendry.

"And I knew it would happen eventually." He shrugged like him nearly getting his throat cut wasn't that big of a deal. "And you protected me just like you promised you would. It probably won't be the last time it happens. I knew what I was signing up for."

"You don't regret it?" she asked, surprised at how quiet her voice was. Gendry frowned and walked up to her taking her hands into his.

"Do you?" he asked, and Arya shook her head. "Then, we're okay."

"Marry me," Arya said without hesitating for a moment. There were probably better ways to go about asking, and she was pretty sure the man was supposed to ask the woman, but everything about her life with Gendry wasn't conventional. She didn't know why their marriage would be anything different. If the question weren't so, serious Arya would have been amused by how struck dumb Gendry seemed to be. He was staring at her like she grew a second head or had completely lost her mind.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. I want to get married. I already asked Thoros, and he said he would perform the ceremony. We just need to find a Heart Tree because I want a Northern ceremony," Arya said, and she could see the wheels in his head-turning. "I know you don't have a last name, and I don't care. The two of us not having a last name is safer and, someday, if it's safe for the two of us, I want you to have the Stark name. You're my family, and I want to stand in front of my father's Gods and claim you as my own." He was still staring at her like he couldn't believe what was happening, and it was beginning to get on her nerves. This was an important moment, and he needed to say something.

So Arya went from a little annoyed to outright mad when Gendry shook his head and began to laugh softly to himself. She took her hands out of his and shoved Gendry back a few steps.

"This isn't funny!" Arya said. She went to push him again, but Gendry managed to grab her arms and pull her close to his body.

"You are absolutely mad," he said, and he was still laughing. "Someone tries to kill me because they thought I might have touched you, and your reaction is "let's get married." And then, on top of everything else, you make sure someone will perform the ceremony before even asking me. You are completely mad, and I wouldn't have you any other way. You're my family, and I love you. Yes, I will marry you, Arya Stark."

It wasn't easy to kiss someone when you were both grinning like idiots, but Arya managed to find a way. She thought about her father and how he promised to find someone good to marry. Arya thought about how close he and Robert were in their youth and how much Robert wanted to join their houses. Perhaps Gendry wasn't exactly what her father had in mind for her husband, but Arya liked to think he would have approved.

+++

It turned out that finding a Heart Tree in the middle of the Riverlands was not as easy as Arya thought it would be. They could travel further North, and she did want to someday soon, but that would mean Thoros couldn't perform the ceremony, and she wanted this official. Gendry seemed perfectly fine to shut himself in the forge and work on as many weapons and armor that anyone wanted. There were times he would send a dirty look to various members of the Brotherhood that had stood by and nearly let him get sold but didn't seem to be holding it against anyone too much. It wasn't easy to try and forgive these men for this indiscretion, but it was okay in the end. She got him away, and they were both okay. Now she was relying on them to find her a Heart Tree to get married in front of.

It took the better part of two weeks for someone to find a Heart Tree buried deep in the Riverlands, and even then, it was small and looked like it might be dying. Arya tried not to read into that too much, but she squeezed Gendry's hand. She didn't like the reminder that the North wasn't the same without her family, but there wasn't anything she could do about it right now. Right now, she just wanted to make a difference for anyone she could and be with the man she loved.

The night before the ceremony, Gendry took her hand and led her into the woods away from the camp. Arya tried to ignore the looks that the various Brotherhood members were giving them, but it crawled on her skin like an insect. She was looking forward to it just being the two of them again.

"What are we doing out here?" she asked.

"I wanted to show you something, but I didn't want to surprise you tomorrow," Gendry replied. He reached into his pocket and pulled out two iron bands. Her hands were shaking a little as Arya took one into her hands and looked it over. There were tiny direwolves carved into the band, and the detail on them was impressive. It must have taken him days, perhaps even longer than the two weeks they've spent looking for a tree, and hidden among the wolves was a lone bull. "You told me that wolves are packs. I thought this would be a good way to show that you are taking me into your pack."

"How long did this take you?" Arya whispered as she looked at the rings. They were perfect and exactly what she wanted.

"Longer than two weeks," Gendry replied quickly like he was worried about that answer.

"They're perfect." Arya threw her arms around Gendry's neck and held on as if for dear life. They were going to be family tomorrow, and she couldn't wait. It was going to finally be official. They walked back to the camp hand in hand and told every Brotherhood member that made some sort of remark to fuck off.

+++

The next morning it was time to hike to the tree. It was several hours away and not an easy hike. Arya wasn't looking forward to walking all the way back, but at least they were only carrying some of their weapons and not all of them. The party consisted of Beric, Thoros, Anguy, and a handful of other Brotherhood members that promised not to make any smart remarks of themselves. The tree finally came into view, and Arya felt her nerves for the first time. It wasn't that she had any doubt, that was the last thing she had for Gendry, but she still felt her stomach twist.

Thoros only knew some of the Northern ceremonies, and Arya only remembered some of it. They walked before the tree, and Thoros smiled drunkenly at the two of them.

"If the Gods have taught me anything over the years, it's that they don't care about technicalities when it comes to these sorts of things," he slurred, and Beric rolled his eyes. "If you know what you want, then the Gods know what you want. Gendry, do you take this woman?"

"I take this woman," Gendry said.

"Arya Stark, do you take this man?"

"I take this man," she said. Arya took Gendry's hand, and the two of them knelt in front of the tree and bowed their heads. She wasn't sure if she believed anymore, the world was so horrible Arya wasn't sure how anyone could, but she believed in the man holding her hand. So she prayed that they would be safe in this crazy world, and she prayed that they would always depend on each other.

In the other weddings, Arya had seen the man took the woman's cloak and put his own on her to take her into the family. She spoke with Gendry, and the two of them agreed that they would be exchanging cloaks since they were taking each other into their families. Their cloaks were dark and practical, and the only difference between them was the length. They looked a little comical with their cloaks, but Arya didn't care. Gendry placed the ring he made her on her finger, and she put the ring on his.

When they kissed, they kissed as a married couple, and Arya swore she could feel her long-dead family's presence.

+++

They didn't stay with the Brotherhood much longer than that which Arya was more than fine with. Even though they were married now, several members of the Brotherhood still looked at Gendry like he was the enemy, and it made Arya nervous. She didn't want to give those people a chance to hurt the only person she had left in the world. So they left and continued to work as the Bull and the Wolf throughout all of Westeros. They traveled back to the Stormlands, and they both did their best to ignore the way the older people would look at them. They got close enough to King's Landing that they could see the top of the Red Keep but never returned to the city. The cities were dangerous, so they kept to the small villages. However, that meant there was little in the way of information.

There were rumors, and some people said that Sansa was alive and married to the Bolton's. There were rumors that things at the Wall were very bad, and after nearly a year of working throughout Westeros, she turned to Gendry one night that they were sleeping under the stars.

"I'd like to go North," she said.

"How far North this time?" Gendry asked.

"The Wall. I want to see Jon, I'm ready to see him," she said. Gendry froze for a moment as he poked at the fire, and she could see the tension in his shoulders. She knew what he was thinking; Gendry was supposed to be on the Wall with the other bastards and criminals. If they went there now, there was a chance that someone could try to take him from her. Arya was ready to argue, maybe even fight, about this when he shook his head as if to clear his vision.

"if that's what you want, then we'll make our way up there." That night Arya held Gendry close and thanked all of the gods that she could think of that she had this man in her life. They began to make their way North the next day but continued to stop in villages and kill Lannister bannerman to steal supplies as they went. When they would ride into villages, people would immediately thank them and even throw them a few feasts. Arya tried to keep it from happening, but she could see that they were happy to repay her and Gendry for their hard work.

Arya continued to train with every single man or woman that she could find. She learned more styles of fighting and became even more confident with her weapons in hand. Gendry's smithing skills were masterful, and on more than one occasion, she thought about what he could do with his own shop. Those were dreams for a different time, and she didn't dare bring them up now.

The village was near the Twins, and Arya could feel the cold of the North starting to settle into her bones. It was a good feeling and one that she had missed in the sweltering South.

"I'm going to freeze up there," Gendry said as they held each other in a small room in an inn.

"I'll keep you warm," Arya promised with a wicked smile. She loved these moments where they got to simply be with each other. They were quiet, and they were some of the few times she saw Gendry smile broadly.

"My hero," he deadpanned as he leaned down to kiss her. The sound of pounding horses made them jerk apart from each other. It sounded like there were half a dozen riders at least running into the village. Arya glanced at Gendry, and the two of them slowly climbed out of bed and glanced out the window. There were Lannister soldiers all over the village with their weapons drawn, and Arya could hear a woman scream.

"Wolf and Bull!" a man yelled. "We know you're here. Surrender yourselves, or we'll lock these people in their houses and burn them to the ground!" Arya stepped away from the window and closed her eyes. She could hear people already getting rounded up, and there was the smell of torches. It was only a matter of time before the entire village was burning.

"Arya," Gendry whispered, and she opened her eyes.

"We can't let these people die for us," she said.

"I know," he replied without hesitation. "We knew this would happen someday." Arya nodded, she knew that too, but that didn't mean she was okay with it. Gendry took her hand and squeezed it tightly. There wasn't enough time to say everything she wanted to say to him, there was a chance these Lannister men would kill them both on the spot, and that broke her heart a little.

"I love you," Arya said.

"I love you too," Gendry replied. They strapped their weapons to their belts and backs because even though these men would take them away, Arya refused to meet them empty-handed. She couldn't fight, but she was going to die with Needle on her hip in memory of her family. She would die with the weapons that Gendry forged her nearby because it was important to both of them. Gendry nodded, and the two of them slowly walked out of the inn and into the village.

The Lannister soldier who yelled for them was smiling as they walked out of the shadows and into the clearing. It wasn't anyone she recognized from her time in King's Landing, but that didn't really mean anything right now. He was looking at the two of them, not like they were people but a treasure that he could keep. It made her skin crawl.

"Put your weapons on the ground," his voice was soft, and even but Arya could feel the threat in it. He would burn every single house to the ground and lock these innocent people inside so they would die slowly and painfully. It hurt, but she put Needle on the ground along with every other weapon strapped to her body. Gendry dropped his sword and his war hammer as they both stared this man down. "The Queen Mother has been seeking the two of you for a long time and maybe even longer. You will tell me your name or I will start slaughtering these people." He glanced at Gendry, crossed his arms, and waited. As he waited for their name, Arya realized that Cersei didn't just want Wolf and Bull, the man and woman killing her soldiers and stealing her supplies. She knew or at least suspected who they really were, which was much worse.

"Gendry," Gendry said after a moment of silence.

"A bastard then," the soldier said. "And if your father had acknowledged you, what would your last name be?"

"Waters. If my father had acknowledged me, my name would be Gendry Waters."

"A bastard from the Crownlands. How interesting," he said. "And what is your name, girl?"

"My name is Arya of House Stark," Arya said with her head held high. There was no point in denying it anymore since this man clearly knew who they were. What he didn't know was that they were married, and Arya didn't plan on telling him that. There was no telling what they would do to Gendry if they found out.

"As we thought, the Queen Mother has been searching for the two of you for a long, long time." He nodded, and several soldiers began to surround them. Arya wanted to fight back more than anything, but she couldn't let these people die. There was a wheeled cage just like the one Jaquan was put in when they made for the Wall, and Arya sneered as she was pushed toward it.

She stumbled when the soldiers pushed her in, and Gendry was right behind her. The door slamming shut and locking seemed to echo.

"She asked us to bring the two of you to her alive, and that is what I tend to do. If you think leaving this village behind means I won't find a way to hurt you, then you are sorely mistaken," the soldier said. "That being said, the Queen Mother didn't say either of you needed to be whole when you arrived. We have a long journey to King's Landing, and it would be in your best interests to sit there quietly." He turned to the other soldiers as they waited for orders. "Burn the village to the ground."

"You said you would spare them if we turned ourselves over you!" Arya yelled.

"These people willingly helped two traitors to the crown when they took the two of you in. As we travel south, we will stop by any village on the way, and if they ever helped either of you, we'll burn them to the ground too. You will see how your actions have impacted the people you were trying to help." He turned, and Arya could only watch as they began to light the buildings on fire. Gendry took her hand, and she held onto him as if for dear life. She wanted to scream, she wanted blood, but all Arya could see was the flames as a sense of failure seemed to sink into her very soul.

Within the first few hours of being locked in the cage, Arya already felt terrible for Gendry, who was considerably taller than she was. While she could nearly stretch out to her full height, Gendry looked like he was in considerable pain from being hunched over. Arya couldn't think about the various villages they would pass and whether or not those people were in danger right now. She couldn't think about what was waiting for the two of them in King's Landing and what Cersei was going to do. If she thought about those things, she was going to have a nervous breakdown, and she refused to show that kind of weakness around these men. So she listened.

The first thing Arya learned was that while these were men working for the Lannister's, they were not Lannister soldiers like she initially thought. They were hired mercenaries, and judging by the way, they knew her and Gendry's real names, they were hired by Cersei to find them specifically. They told her that Cersei wanted them alive, which meant that she had something in mind, but that didn't make any sense to Arya. Her family was dead, so there wasn't anyone to ransom her to or use her as a hostage. She was just a lone wolf without a pack. Cersei had slaughtered all of Gendry's half-siblings without thought; they heard rumors that the soldiers killed babies and teenagers alike, so why did she want Gendry alive? What made him different from his other bastard siblings aside from him possibly being the last one?

They were mercenaries, and that meant that they had to know certain things. They would talk loudly about what was going on around Westeros and beyond. Some of these men came from Essos, and they talked about a dragon queen that was going around conquering and killing. Arya knew her history, and the fact that there was a daughter of the Targaryen's out there fascinated her. If there was anyone that could take care of the Lannister's for her, it was this dragon queen, and she wanted to learn more.

It wasn't until a week later when they were stopped for the night, that the leader walked up to her with a smirk. His name was Griffin, and his men respected him like he was a knight.

"You two were making your way North," he said. Arya glanced at Gendry, who didn't even acknowledge that Griffin walked up to them. He wasn't asleep, Arya knew what Gendry looked like when he was sleeping, he was merely faking it or showing Griffin disrespect by refusing to even look at him. Arya leaned back against the bars and looked at Griffin with a raised eyebrow. "Oh, I see how it is, you think you can sit there quietly, and it'll be okay for the two of you. Need I remind you both that the Queen Mother said that you needed to be alive. She didn't say anything about you needing all of your fingers or your hands."

"We were heading North," Arya said evenly as Gendry cracked his eyes open and stared at Griffin.

"The irony must not be lost on you then," Griffin said, and Arya had no idea what he was talking about. He must have taken their silence as an indication that they didn't know what he was talking about, and he laughed. "Oh, you don't know? I suppose when you keep to tiny ass villages you don't hear about the important information. You see, if you'd made it to Winterfell, you wouldn't be in this situation."

"What are you talking about," Arya snapped. "The Bolton's control Winterfell and they wouldn't give us sanctuary. If anything, they'd flay us and leave our corpses out to rot."

"That they would, but the Bolton's don't control Winterfell. A month ago, there was a battle, and your bastard brother Jon Snow, your sister Sansa, with the help of the Knight of the Vale, took back Winterfell in the name of the Starks. They even named the bastard the King in the North. So, you see, if you had made it to Winterfell, you'd be safe in your featherbed instead of heading South to the Queen Mother. That's what you get for constantly stopping to help the little people; missed opportunities." Griffin turned and walked back to the camp with the rest of the mercenaries.

When Arya was little, she once fell through the ice and into freezing water. It knocked the air from her lungs and made her limbs feel heavy. Jon and Robb had reached into the water and pulled her out after only a few seconds, but that information was like falling through the ice again. Gendry was saying her name and trying to get her attention, but it wasn't working very well. He took her hands into his, and she wanted to tell him not to do that because then Griffin and his men would know what they were to each other, but Arya's tongue was like lead in her mouth. She looked up and met his blue eyes and slowly began to breathe normally again.

"They're alive," she whispered. "They're alive, and they have Winterfell. They were right there, and I didn't go to them."

"I know, but there isn't anything we can do about it right now," Gendry said.

"Now we know why Cersei wanted us alive," Arya said. "She has two very valuable hostages to trade to the North in exchange for something." She expected Gendry to agree with her or say something about how they had to be patient and wait. She didn't expect him to go strangely still and not say anything for a long time. Arya looked up and noticed that he was frowning like there was something wrong.

"Arya," Gendry's voice was so quiet that she could barely hear him, and it sounded like he was talking to her like she was a scared animal. "Cersei doesn't have two valuable hostages; she has one." Arya opened her mouth to disagree with him, but Gendry squeezed her hand. "What would the King in the North want with the unacknowledged bastard of a dead Baratheon king? What strategy would he gain by bartering for my life? I'm far more dangerous to Cersei and the Lannister's."

"You're my husband," Arya whispered, and Gendry smiled sadly at her.

"Imagine you're your sister or your brother. Cersei Lannister tells you that not only does she have your younger sister, she also has the bastard blacksmith that she willingly married," Gendry explained. "You told me that you used to tell Sansa and Jon that you wouldn't ever get married and that you weren't interested in it. If you heard from Cersei that you were married, wouldn't the first thing they would assume 'is that it was a trick somehow?'" The last thing Arya wanted to do was agree with him, but deep down, she knew that Gendry was right. There was no reason the North would want anything to do with Southern politics like the Baratheons and the fate of that house. The North wanted independence from Southern politics and rule, and Gendry was right in the middle of said Southern politics.

"I refuse to accept that," Arya said even though she knew she was lying. "I won't let this happen. I refuse to let this happen." Gendry didn't say anything, but he looked like he was trying not to be patronizing to her about this whole thing. He didn't tell her that she was wrong and there wasn't anything they could do. He didn't tell her that there was a good chance Cersei would kill him immediately and leave her to rot until some sort accord could be struck.

Instead, Gendry did what he always did, which was comfort her without words. It was cold, and even though it would likely give away how important they were to each other, he took Arya into his arms and held her close. He shifted his large cloak, so it covered both of them, and while it wasn't nearly warm enough, it helped. Arya clenched his shirt into her fists and tried to think. They couldn't get to King's Landing, they had to escape before that, or there wouldn't be any chance of survival.

+++

As the night went on, Arya whispered that she had a plan to get them out of here. They needed to wait until the next time they were let out of the cage, and then they could fight. If Gendry noticed that she was being a little insistent about them getting away right now, he didn't call her on it. Instead, he just agreed and pulled her closer to his body. Arya would have killed for the opportunity to kiss him, hold him close like she ached to, but she refused to give these men another excuse to hurt either of them. If the Brotherhood would have hurt Gendry for touching her, there was no telling what these men would do, and she refused to risk it no matter how much she wanted to touch him.

They moved away from each other as soon as the sun rose, and Griffin and his men began to move around the camp. Arya glanced at Gendry and nodded to him. The last week or so, they hadn't done much to show these men that they had a fighting spirit. A week was just long enough for them to get complacent, and they think that Arya and Gendry weren't going to fight back. She intended to take advantage of that today. The moment they got away, she planned to ride North as fast as humanly possible. As soon as they found some of Jon's men, they would be safe. She could explain to her family who Gendry was and why they needed to keep him safe from the Lannister's.

Two of Griffin's men opened the cage and gestured for the two of them to come out.

"Come on. We don't have much time," one of them said. Gendry climbed out first as one of the men roughly took his arm. Arya followed and ignored the finger-shaped bruises that this man was no doubt digging into her skin. She glanced at Gendry and nodded. It was now or never.

The man holding her never saw it coming. Arya wrenched her arm free and punched him as hard in the stomach as she could. He was winded, and when he doubled over in pain, Arya threw her knee into his nose. She relished the sound of it breaking, and he fell to the ground. Another hand went to grab her, but Arya didn't let them hold onto her for long. They were too used to fighting men who moved slow and hit hard. She was quick and got away. She swept her foot out and knocked the man onto the ground. Arya took the sword he was holding and turned to help Gendry.

Gendry wasn't as good at fighting as she was, and while Griffin and his men might have underestimated her, they didn't hold back when it came to Gendry. He was on his knees, and there was blood on his hands, running from his nose and on his split lip. Griffin was holding him by the hair, and there was a knife to his throat. Four men were lying on the ground around them, either unconscious or possibly dead.

"The way I see it you have three options," Griffin said. He pushed the knife into the skin of Gendry's neck, and Arya could see a thin trail of blood. "The first option is you turn around and run. The minute you do that, I'm going to slit this bastard's throat and send all of my men to find you. Maybe we catch you, maybe we don't, but he'll be dead no matter what. The second option is you try and fight to free him. The moment you take a step toward me with that sword in your hand, I'm going to slit his throat. I can see you're a decent fighter, but you're not that fast. You won't be able to save him. The third option is you put the sword down, and you surrender. I won't kill this bastard, and the two of you get to live to see another day." Griffin smirked as he watched her carefully. "You obviously care about his life, so what's it going to be?"

"Arya, you need to run," Gendry said, and he hissed in pain as Griffin pushed the knife into his throat. He was trying to sacrifice himself for her, and she wasn't going to allow that. Arya clenched her jaw and tried to figure out if there was something else she could do. She tried to see another option besides the three that Griffin had set, but she couldn't. There wasn't another option, and she couldn't live with herself if she let Gendry die so she could getaway.

"Don't hurt him," Arya said as she tossed the sword to the ground and raised her hand in surrender. Two of the remaining soldiers, including the one whose nose she had broken, grabbed her arms.

"Smart choice Lady Stark," Griffin said. He forced Gendry to his feet and pushed him toward the cage. They didn't get the chance to relieve themselves, and it didn't seem like Griffin was feeling generous. He shoved Gendry into the cage and gestured for Arya to join him. "Since you two decided to act like two savages, you can do your business in a bucket until you've learned your lesson." Griffin tossed the old bucket into their cage and slammed the door shut. The man whose nose she had broken was glaring at her like he was going to kill her, but Arya wasn't paying attention to him. She knelt beside Gendry and touched the cut on his neck.

"You should have run," he said as she looked at his wound.

"If it was me, would you have?" Arya asked, but Gendry didn't reply. He knew as much as she did that neither of them could ever abandon the other. They couldn't do it as dirty and starving children in the Riverlands, and they couldn't do it now. Arya tore a piece of her cloak and tied it around Gendry's neck to try and keep the wound from bleeding too much and began to look his bloodied knuckles over. Griffin knew that they were fighters now that they hadn't given up, and he knew they cared about each other.

Arya knew it was going to get worse from now on.

It was the middle of the night when the sound of a wolf howling jerked Arya from a very deep sleep. She knew, deep down in her bones, that Nymeria was out there somewhere. She remembered the last time that Nymeria saved her and Gendry's lives, and the selfish part of her wanted it to happen again. However, she could see Griffin getting his sword and cutting her beloved wolf to pieces. Arya wasn't sure of a lot of things at that moment, but she was convinced that she could not handle seeing such a thing play out in front of her.

Arya pulled Gendry closer to her and closed her eyes. She knew what a warg was, and she knew that the Stark's had a deep connection to the North. There wasn't anything more North than a direwolf, and Arya knew that despite the many years apart, she was still connected to Nymeria.

'Stay away,' Arya thought. 'I know you want to help, but I need you to stay away. There's too many of them, and I couldn't stand to see you get hurt.' There was a feeling in her head like someone replying to her. She heard a mournful howl as Nymeria seemed to say that she understood that she would stay away because now wasn't the time. There was a time that they would see each other again, she was sure of that, but it wasn't now. Arya opened her eyes and looked at Gendry's sleeping face. He seemed almost younger in sleep, and over the last week from their escape attempt, he had done his best to preserve her modesty in front of Griffin and his men while keeping her warm at night. The cut on his neck was healing, but there was a chance that it was going to leave a scar. It was a constant reminder of how she almost got him killed and how he wanted her to leave him behind like he didn't matter.

Arya shifted away from Gendry so the mercenaries wouldn't know how close they were just yet. They would find out eventually, but she wasn't ready for that. The sun was coming up, and Arya hoped that today they would let the two of them out of the cage and let them walk around a little. She was starting to get worried about Gendry's legs and back.

Griffin and his men were running into another problem. They seemed to think that they could talk the villages into admitting whether or not Arya and Gendry had ever helped them. The problem was they saw right through the act and kept their mouths shut. Arya had worked very hard over the years to leave little to no trace of their presence. Gendry's blacksmith work was good but unremarkable. She made sure everything she taught people was something anyone could use and nothing that could be traced back to her. Despite how much she wanted to teach other little girls water dancing over the years, the risk was just too great.

A familiar house emerged on the horizon, and Arya felt her stomach drop; that was Mina and Prycella's house. She had no idea whether or not the two old sisters were still alive, but they were healers and often spoke to her about how they would help anyone. A few of Griffin's men were still limping from the escape attempt and needed a healer.

"Stop here," Griffin said, and he turned to the two of them. "If I let the two of you out, are you going to try anything?"

"No," they both said, and this time neither of them was lying. Arya knew they needed to escape but now was not the time, not when Griffin so obviously wanted blood still. He opened the cage door and gestured for Gendry to move forward. He tied Gendry's wrists with a thick rope and nearly pulled him out of the cage. Gendry stumbled, his legs no doubt numb after a week of being unable to move, and Griffin sneered at him.

"Get up bastard unless you want to stay down there," Griffin warned. Gendry glared at him but pushed himself to his feet. He stared Griffin down, his blue eyes bright with the promise of something terrible to come, and Arya loved him so much for not giving him. Griffin broke their stare first, a small victory for her and Gendry, and gestured for Arya to come forward. He pushed Gendry to another soldier and tied her wrists. "If you try anything funny, I will cut a piece off of him in your honor," Griffin whispered loud enough for only her to hear. "Do you understand me?"

"Yes," Arya said as she struggled not to do anything stupid. She was a wolf, and a wolf didn't belong in a cage like this. She wanted to run free, and right now, Arya wanted to tear this man's throat out. With her wrists, secure Griffin let her out of the cage but kept a firm grip on her arm.

"Healers!" he yelled. "We are in need of your services!" Arya wasn't entirely surprised that a man like this just yelled for someone to come out and serve him. She heard the way he spoke; sometimes, Griffin was low born, and no doubt, his position with these mercenaries afforded him some power. Like most men, the moment he got some power, he let it go to his head.

Arya didn't pray often, but right now, she prayed that Mina and Prycella were no longer in this house. She prayed that they were somewhere safe. If nothing else, she prayed that the two sisters wouldn't react when they saw her and Gendry prisoners. The door opened, and both Mina and Prycella walked out. These two women were veterans of several wars, and they scanned the group carefully. Arya held her breath when they looked at her and Gendry, but neither of them reacted.

"Good sers," Mina said with a smile. "What can my sister and I do for you?"

"We are transporting two prisoners of the crown, and they attacked my men. Some of them are in need of a healer," Griffin said as he jerked Arya's arm. "Do you know these prisoners?"

"I'm afraid we don't ser," Prycella replied, and Griffin narrowed his eyes.

"You've never healed either of them? I was under the impression that you would help anyone. That is what a nearby village told my men," Griffin said.

"While we will treat anyone who comes to our doors, they never passed through here sers," Mina said. Arya was very impressed by how well these two could lie, but then again, she supposed that they wouldn't have lived through several wars if they couldn't lie. Griffin stared at the two sisters as if he was trying to figure out whether or not they were telling the truth. Arya glanced at Gendry, who was doing his best not to look nervous. Finally, he nodded and gestured to his men.

"Is there a secure place we can keep our prisoners while you are treating my men?" Griffin asked.

"There is an old storage shed out in the back that we no longer use," Prycella said. "Please follow me." Griffin and his men tugged Arya and Gendry over to the old storage container. It was empty and looked like it was sturdy enough, so even if they tried to break it down, it probably wouldn't work. Not to mention, it would make a lot of noise, and they couldn't risk that. Griffin pushed Arya inside, and Gendry followed moments later.

"If either of you tries anything, I'll take a finger from the other, and I won't do it quickly," he warned. Behind him, Prycella frowned but otherwise did not react. One of the soldiers tossed in two thin blankets, and the door slammed shut. Arya could hear Griffin locking it, and he told one of the soldiers to stand guard but not to open the door. He said something about not giving them a chance to fight. Arya listened as the men walked away, and soon, it was quiet. The door to Prycella and Mina's house opened and closed, and there was silence.

Gendry crossed the space between them in two large steps and pressed his lips to hers. For the first time in weeks, he could touch her and not have to worry about someone cutting off his hands. Said hands were still bound tightly with rope, but that didn't stop Gendry from kissing her within an inch of her life.

"God, I've missed you," he whispered as he pressed his forehead against hers.

"Not as much as I've missed you," Arya replied. The two of them sat down together, so they were shoulder to shoulder. Arya ached to touch her husband, but there was nothing she could do about it right now. They needed to make sure that they talked quietly enough that the man staying guard wouldn't hear what they were saying, what that meant that Gendry drove Arya a little out of her mind when he leaned forward and whispered in her ear close enough that his lips touched skin.

"Do you think Mina and Prycella are going to be okay?" he asked, and Arya shivered.

"Yes, you don't live through as many wars as they did without learning how to lie extremely well," Arya replied. She made sure that she also got as close to Gendry's ears as possible and loved the way he shifted like he was suddenly uncomfortable.

"You should have run," Gendry said softly, and this time he didn't look at her after he finished speaking. "You could have gotten away."

"And you'd be dead," Arya said because that was the main thing that mattered. She reached up with her bound hands and touched the thin white scar that was on Gendry's neck. So far, it still hadn't faded, and she wasn't sure that it was ever going to.

"I wanted you to run. I wanted you to get away."

"Of course you did. For some reason, despite all that has happened over the many years we've been together, you still think my life is somehow worth more than yours. While that might be true to Griffin or Cersei, it isn't true to me. To me, you're everything, and I'm not going to sacrifice you." It took some effort but reached forward and put her hands over Gendry's. "We're going to get out of this, and we're going to do it together. Then we're going to get North as fast as humanly possible, and my brother and sister are going to keep us safe."

"Do you really believe that?" Gendry asked.

"Yes," Arya said without hesitation. "We are going to get away from these people if it's the last thing I do. We either go together or not at all. One of leaving the other behind is not an option. You wouldn't leave me behind, would you?" Arya asked.

"Never," Gendry replied without hesitation.

"Then why do you keep expecting me to leave you behind? It's not happening, and I'm not going to let you throw your life away for mine either. We keep each other safe." Arya leaned forward and pressed her lips to Gendry's. "You're my husband, and nothing is going to change that." He smiled softly, and they spent the next several hours enjoying each other's presence. They had to move apart to keep anyone from seeing them so close when Griffin came out and brought them food. He announced that they were going to spend the next three days at the healer's home, and they should get comfortable. Gendry looked like he really didn't mind being able to stand up and walk around for the first time in days. Arya rested her cheek against Gendry's shoulder and closed her eyes. She just hoped that Griffin didn't find out that Mina and Prycella had helped them in the past.

+++

Arya was running through the forest as fast as her feet could carry her. She knew that Griffin and his soldiers were right behind her, and it was just a matter of time before they caught up. Gendry was bigger than her, and he was somewhere up ahead in the dark. It was a miracle that they managed to get away at all, and this time Griffin wasn't going to let them walk away with bruises. He was going to remove a body part, or Arya was going to have to watch Gendry die.

She stumbled into a clearing and froze. The Red Woman was waiting for her, hands folded in front of her, with a smile on her red lips.

"What are you doing here?" Arya asked.

"You didn't really think you could keep the boy safe from me, did you?" she asked. "You made me miss out on his blood once before, and I won't let it happen again. He needs to die for the good of Westeros."

"I refuse to believe that." Arya looked around and realized that she couldn't hear Griffin and his men anymore, but she couldn't see Gendry anywhere either. "Where is he? What did you do to him?"

"He's fulfilling his purpose," the Red Woman said, and she stepped aside to reveal a large burning fire. Arya could tell that it was Gendry burning in the flames, but he wasn't screaming, he was already dead, and the fire seemed to be spreading. It was like the woods were suddenly on fire, and everything around her was burning. The Red Woman stood among the flames and smiled. "You can run and hide as much as you want, but you cannot stop the will of the Red God. He wants the boy dead, so he will die." The flames seemed to consume Arya as she watched her husband turn to ash.

She screamed.

+++

Arya jerked awake and heard someone telling her to calm down. She was cold, but she was also covered in a thick layer of sweat, and her hands, which were still bound, were shaking so hard she didn't know how to make them stop. Arya blinked in the darkness and saw Gendry telling her that she was going to be okay. Griffin had told them that they were leaving in the morning, and every step that they took to King's Landing made Arya feel sick. Now she thought about Red Woman and the fact that she might be alive and out there looking for them.

The door to the shed opened, and the guard walked in.

"What's with all of the noise?" he asked.

"She had a nightmare," Gendry said. "Everything is fine."

"And who are you to comfort a high born lady from a nightmare, bastard?" the guard asked with a smirk.

"I asked him to," Arya said though her voice was surprisingly raspy. The guard, however, didn't look convinced. He was staring the two of them down with an evil look in his eyes.

"I've seen the way you two act around each other. I think it's more than that," he said. Gendry narrowed his eyes and stood up. He was imposing even though his hands were still bound.

"I don't like what you're imposing about the lady. Perhaps you should return to your post," Gendry said. Arya also stood and tried to ignore the way she was still shaking. The guard smirked and advanced on the two of them. He threw a punch at Gendry, who managed to duck, but without the use of his hands, it was only a matter of time before the guard landed a hard blow to Gendry's stomach. He stumbled and struggled to get his breath back, and the guard focused on Arya.

"I think you've soiled a high born lady," the guard sneered. "Which means no one will notice when I have a little fun with her." Arya knew precisely what this asshole was implying, and she wasn't going to stand for it. Not now and possibly not ever. She clenched her fists as Gendry stumbled to his feet and tried to get his breath back. There was a good chance that the blow had bruised a rib or two. The guard advanced on her, and Arya managed to get away from him. She eyed the door that was hanging open. Maybe if they took care of this guy, they could make a run for it even if her nightmare was lingering a bit too close to home right now.

"You're not touching me," Arya said lowly. Gendry was on his feet, and the two of them began to circle the guard. He didn't look too worried probably because he was underestimating just how much damage they could do with their hands tied. Arya ducked away from him again and landed a sharp kick to his stomach. The guard stumbled back into Gendry, who managed to loop his bound hands around the man's neck and tried to put him into a chokehold. The angle was wrong, and the guard threw his head back into Gendry's nose. The guard got away from Gendry's arms and punched Gendry in his already bleeding nose. Gendry stumbled to the ground as the guard pulled out a dagger.

"I'm going to gut you, boy, and then I'm going to take the Stark girl," he said. Arya ran at him and threw her entire weight into the guard. It was enough to knock him off of his feet, and Arya struggled to use her legs to cut off the man's air supply. He was struggling, hitting her hard enough to bruise, but if he got up again, someone was going to get hurt, and she couldn't stand for that. The guard was just starting to settle when Griffin ran into the storage room.

"What the fuck is going on here?" he demanded. The room was suddenly filled with mercenaries who yanked Arya away from the guard and pulled a dazed Gendry to his feet. His nose looked crooked, and Arya wondered if it was broken.

"I caught them trying to escape," the guard said. "Then, they attacked me."

"Liar," Arya hissed. "He let himself in here and was threatening to rape me. We were defending ourselves."

"Your soldier thought he had the right to lay his hands on a highborn lady," Gendry said as he spat blood on the ground. "Get better control of your men." The taunt was probably not the best idea, but Arya could see some of that legendary Baratheon fury in Gendry at that moment. He looked like he wanted to tear all of these men apart with his bare hands. Griffin narrowed his eyes as he looked at the two of them and then at his guard.

"Come on, Griffin, don't tell me you believe these two over me," the guard said as he laughed bitterly.

"If we were trying to escape, the first thing we would have done was untie our hands," Arya said as she held up her still bound with rope. "If you check both of us, you'll see we never even got the ropes close to being broken. He was going to try and rape me, and you need to do something about it." Griffin stared her down for a moment and then nodded to his men. They took the guard and dragged him out of the shed as he screamed curses at both of them.

"I warned you what would happen if you tried anything," Griffin said lowly.

"We were defending ourselves," Gendry snapped, but Griffin ignored him as he walked up to Arya and took her chin in his hands, so she was forced to meet his gaze. Her first instinct was to spit in his face, but she managed to convince herself that it would be a terrible idea.

"Why did he think touching you would be okay?" Griffin asked as he looked her over. "Did he know something about you that I don't?"

"Even if he did that doesn't give him the right to touch me or any other woman that doesn't want it," Arya said. Griffin laughed a little and nodded to the men who were holding her. One of them pulled back and hit her in the stomach as hard as they could. It knocked the wind out of her, and Arya could feel herself struggling to breathe. As she tried to get her breath back, one of the men backhanded her hard enough that she tasted blood.

"Don't touch her you--" Gendry started, but Griffin nodded, and one of the men punched Gendry in the face three times, and when they let him fall to the ground, they kicked him in the stomach until he wasn't moving. Griffin smirked as he looked back at her.

"Call the healers and have them take a look at these two, then I want them back in the cage. We leave in the morning."

Mina and Prycella very subtly squeezed both of their hands as they tended to their wounds. Arya was covered in bruises, and the black eye she sported was very bad. Gendry's nose was broken, and judging from the way he moved around, his torso was just as bad as Arya's. Griffin shoved their bruised and broken bodies into the cage and began to gather their things. Gendry fell onto his back and winced when he tried to get comfortable.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Are you?" he replied without missing a beat. It was enough, and she settled down next to him. She stayed close enough that neither Griffin nor his men could get angry about it, but she was starting to get worried. Arya knew she wasn't "ruined," but if these men found out that she was no longer a maiden, they might think that it was okay to touch her. Gendry was getting weaker each time Griffin and his men took their fists to him, and it was only a matter of time before they damaged him permanently. They were traveling to King's Landing, and there didn't seem to be any getting around it. She was going to have to face Cersei, and she needed to keep them safe until then.

Mina and Prycella watched them roll away without a word, and Arya wished she could tell the women that they were going to be okay and not to worry about it. It was safer that she didn't, though, and it was a miracle that Griffin hadn't burned any villages as they made their way south. However, Arya knew that their luck couldn't hold and late at night, as Gendry held her close and they still shivered because their blankets weren't warm enough, they talked about how they could keep each other safe. The sun was coming up several days later, and when Gendry went to move away from her when Arya stopped him. The bruises from his broken nose were mottled green, and he was healing. She didn't want him to move away from her, and it was time to take the risk. Gendry stayed close and dozed back off even after there was movement in Griffin's camp, and one of the soldiers came up to them.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" one of the soldiers yelled. Gendry snapped awake and blinked down at her. They were curled up close together, and there was no denying it. This was one of her other nightmares. "I said, what the hell do you think you're doing bastard? Your daddy might have been a king, but that doesn't mean you get to put your hands all over a highborn lady."

"What's going on?" Griffin asked as Arya sat up and glared at her captor.

"We were keeping each other warm since someone has denied us our furs," Arya snapped.

"That looked like more than that if you ask me," the man said, and Griffin narrowed his eyes. She was ready to argue against these men when Gendry reached over and took her hand in plain view of the mercenaries.

"I'll put my hands wherever I want," he said without a hint of fear in his voice. He ran his thumb along with her wedding band, which drew the attention of Griffin. He narrowed his eyes as he stared at it.

"So that's how it is," he said.

"It is," Arya replied because if he wasn't afraid, then she wasn't either. She was sick of hiding the fact that this man was her husband because there wasn't much they could do to make things worse for them. They were already near starving and almost froze every night. She specifically was of no use to the Lannister's dead.

"What makes you think you can get away with this, boy?" Griffin asked Gendry, who smiled pleasantly. Arya imagined this was the smile he would use against highborn's that were trying to buy something from the forge back in King's Landing.

"Because you're not going to kill or maim us," Gendry said.

"And how do you know that?"

"Because you need me whole and alive," Arya said. "The Lannister's can't exactly ransom me to my brother if I'm half dead. If you maim him, I will find a way to maim myself, and I have a feeling that Cersei Lannister wouldn't exactly be forgiving to those that brought her damaged goods."

This was a gamble, but one that her and Gendry had whispered to each other for several days now. They both knew it was only a matter of time before Griffin and his men realized that they were married. They needed some way to combat that, and this was the only way that Arya could see. Gendry linked their fingers together and stared these men down. He was a warrior, and judging by the expression on several of the mercenary's faces, they forgot that. Arya smiled, and she made sure they could see the promise of violence behind it. The Wolf and the Bull hadn't killed countless of Lannister soldiers by accident.

"Lady Stark, I would like to remind you that you're not in charge in this situation," Griffin said.

"And I would remind you that the Lady who is in charge, technically, would have no problem stringing up a nobody like yourself," Arya replied, channeling all of the power into her voice that she could. Gendry was staring Griffin down, and despite the bruises, he looked like he was daring the mercenary to try something. Griffin laughed to himself, and he walked up closer to the cage, so he was out of earshot from the rest of his men.

"Do you really think I'll let you get away with challenging me in front of my own men? There are other ways I can make you hurt that won't leave a bruise on that body of your highborn," Griffin snarled. "As for the Queen, she'll just be happy to have the two of you regardless of what state you're in. She's going to kill the bastard, and I think you should come to terms with that now, Lady Stark." He took a step back and looked at the two of them. "The Lady seems to think she has us beat," Griffin said, louder now so his men could hear. "Let's remind her who's in charge. Bastard, get out of the cage."

"I warned you--" Arya said, but Gendry squeezed her hand. '

"I'll be fine," he said to her softly. Gendry looked at the men watching them and ignored the way they all reacted when he leaned forward and kissed her. Arya admired his bravery, and she knew that she had to follow through with the threat if they tried to hurt him. Griffin opened the cage door and roughly pulled Gendry out.

"You must think you're the luckiest bastard in all of Westeros to trick a highborn lady into marrying you," Griffin said.

"She asked me actually," Gendry replied, and Arya could tell he enjoyed the way all of the men looked like they didn't quite know what to do with that information.

"Let's see how lucky you are when you have to walk the rest of the way to King's Landing," Griffin said. They tied Gendry's hands and then attached a long rope to the cage, so he was being dragged along. Arya moved, so she was right at the door, and the only space between them was the length of rope. The cage began to move and jerked Gendry forward, so he was forced to walk. He watched her, and Arya refused to look away. She might not have a weapon in this cag, but if these men harmed Gendry, she would find a way to keep him safe. He was letting himself get dragged along like this for her so she would do what she could for him.

+++

Griffin and his men forced Gendry to spend the next week walking instead of in the cage with her. The first few days didn't seem to bother him, but as time wore on, Arya could see that the walking was starting to get him. Dark circles formed under his eyes, and he looked exhausted. They were days away from King's Landing, and Arya didn't want to think about that too much. Instead, they stumbled upon one of the many villages they had helped over the years. She was thankful that no one admitted to accepting their help, and Griffin had no way to prove it. It was wrong to think about the fact that she was a little happy that they were almost to King's Landing because then the villagers would be safe.

The cage came to a stop, and Gendry nearly collapsed to the ground. He was pale now, and Arya knew they hadn't given him enough food or water to counter all of the walking they were forcing him to do. They weren't actively hurting him, though, so she wasn't sure what she could do about it. Arya managed to pass him some of her food, which Gendry took without protest, which proved to her that he was in a bad state. He was leaning against the cage so they were close enough that Arya could reach through the bars and touch his hair. She ran her fingers through it and could feel Gendry relax into her touch.

"Do you remember traveling with Yoren and the other members of the Night's Watch?" she asked softly as Griffin and his men demanded supplies from the various villagers.

"Yeah, you were a tiny little thing who still looked like she wanted to take on the entire world," Gendry replied. "I'm pretty sure half the reason Yoren got you out of there is because he was worried you'd try to fight all of the Lannister armies single-handedly."

"He wasn't wrong," Arya said as she thought back to those days. "I was miserable because I missed my family, and all I wanted to do was go home, but it was a relief when you revealed to me that you knew I was a girl. I knew I could trust you; you were different." Gendry hummed and shifted so she could continue to touch him.

"You were the first person who cared about me since my mother died," he confessed. "Your father was kind when he met me, complimented my work, but you cared about me in a way no one had in years. You were different, too, and it meant everything to me. It still does."

"We'll be in King's Landing in a few days," Arya said, and Gendry nodded. "I'm going to do everything I can to figure out a way to get you ransomed with me. I want you to make me a promise, though." Arya tugged gently on his hair, so he looked up at her. "Don't give up, no matter what happens."

"We're going to the black cells m'lady," Gendry said. "Hope dies in those cells."

"Promise me that you won't give up," she repeated.

"I won't give up on you until I draw my last breath, and that is a promise." There was a commotion as the villagers didn't seem to want Griffin and his men there. While they were working for the Lannister's, they weren't Lannister soldiers despite how much they were boasting. One of the mercenaries angrily walked over and cut Gendry's hands-free. They forced him to his feet, opened the cage, and practically shoved him in. Arya wasn't sure what was going on, but she didn't care. She pulled Gendry into her arms and held onto him tightly.

Arya arranged Gendry's long limbs, so his head was lying in her lap, and within moments of him lying down, he was asleep. She ran her fingers through his dark hair and looked out at the mercenaries as they argued with the villagers. These people lived near the city, and they were used to bullies like Griffin and his men. They wouldn't take this abuse lightly, and Arya just hoped she wasn't going to have to watch them slaughter these people.

Arya saw someone moving out of the corner of her eye and noticed a young woman inching toward them. It took a moment, but she recognized this woman; this was someone they had helped in the past. Arya shook her head to try and get the woman to keep away, but she got close enough that they could whisper, and she was hidden out of sight.

"Wolf, is it true? Are you Arya Stark?" the woman asked. Gendry opened his eyes and narrowed them as he looked at this young woman. "I was one of Lord Vary's little birds before I got too big. I know all about sneaking around the Lannister's, so no one sees me."

"Yes, I'm her," Arya said and decided that it was time to take a huge risk. "I need you to do something for me after we leave. I need you to send a raven to Winterfell and tell my brother and sister that I'm alive and that I'm going to need help escaping. Tell them that I'm not alone and that I have someone special with me that is going to need help. Can you do that for me?"

"You helped my village," the young woman said. "You gave us food and helped us rebuild. It's the least I can do." She got up and vanished into the shadows, and Arya hoped that no one had seen that. Griffin seemed like the type that would make a huge deal about finding an excuse to burn everything to the ground, and that young woman was the perfect one.

"Was that wise?" Gendry asked.

"Probably not, but I need to do something. If Cersei tries to ransom for me, I want Jon to know that he needs to ask for you too. I need them to know I'm not alone, and the person I'm with is important," Arya replied as she began to run her fingers through Gendry's thick black hair. "Go back to sleep. I'll wake you up when they bring us some food."

+++

They didn't stay in the village long and began to make their way toward King's Landing until nightfall. Arya heard them mention that they would reach the city by the middle of the next day. She didn't know how to react to that. Arya thought that she should be terrified, but she was tired, and she was angry above all else. She had always wanted revenge on Cersei for what she did to her father, and in the back of her mind, Arya wished she could take advantage of the close proximity. She looked down at Gendry, still asleep in her lap, and knew that she had to maintain perspective. She wasn't the only one that needed to get out of the city safely.

The sun was down, and Griffin had just fed her and Gendry when the sound of approaching horses made everyone lookup. Arya glanced at Gendry as they watched Griffin get to his feet. It was a group of dozen gold cloaks, and they looked a little amused by the sight in front of them.

"What do we have here?" the leader of the gold cloaks asked.

"We were hired by the Queen Mother to find these two outlaws. We're here to turn them in and collect our payment," Griffin said. Arya noticed that all of the gold cloaks had their hands on their weapons, and they looked ready for a fight.

"When the fighting starts, we need to lay as flat as possible," Arya whispered, and Gendry squeezed her hands in acknowledgment. The gold cloak leader looked at the cage where Arya and Gendry were and nodded.

"The Queen thanks you for your service, but we'll be taking the prisoners to the city," he said.

"We need our payment first," Griffin replied. "We were hired, and we expect payment for completing the job."

"You found them, but we'll be delivering them, so you didn't complete the job," the gold cloak leader smirked and his men laughed. Now Griffin's men were on their feet, and they seemed to know something wasn't right.

"Then we'll deliver them ourselves in the morning," Griffin said slowly.

"I'm afraid that is no longer acceptable, and the Queen Mother apologizes for the misunderstanding." Somewhere, someone fired a crossbow, and the bolt lodged itself in Griffin's chest. He stumbled, blood on his lips, and all hell broke loose. Arya pressed herself flat to the cage and held onto Gendry's hand. It didn't take long for a dozen gold cloaks to slaughter Griffin and all of his men. The gold cloak leader rode his horse up to the cage and looked at the two of them. He saw their clasped hands and smirked. "Well, well, look at that," he said. "That information wasn't known and is very interesting. The Queen Mother is expecting the two of you."

It was dark by the time they arrived in King's Landing. No one has spoken to them since they set off, and Arya was more than okay with that. No one even looked at them, so she refused to let go of Gendry's hand. He seemed to get tenser as King's Landing came into view, and she squeezed his hand. She knew he didn't have many good memories in this city and that returning likely reminded him of everything he had lost.

In their travels, Arya spent a lot of time talking about her own family. The things that were done to them was the reason they were fighting back against the Lannister's. They were only two people, and if they couldn't get to Cersei's side to kill her, then the least they could do was make things harder for her. It was a year into their travels, as she was telling Gendry another story about Winterfell and all the adventures with her brothers, that she realized she never asked him about his own childhood. The next night she did, and Gendry smiled at her sadly.

"I'm afraid there isn't much to tell," he said sadly. "My mother died when I was little, and I barely remember her face, let alone her name. I never knew who my father was, so I was alone for a long time until Master Mott took me on as an apprentice. Then I just worked to stay alive." It was moments like that Arya remembered that despite how bad things were with her family now she had grown up in a good home. She might have butted heads with her mother and sister, but deep down, she knew her family loved her, and she loved them. The idea of having no one at all made Arya feel a little sick to her stomach. She reached over and took Gendry's hand that night.

"You're not alone now," she assured him, which made him smile. Now they were returning to the city that nearly killed them both, and there was no telling if they were ever going to get out.

"I thought I would miss it," Gendry said as they got closer to the city. "This was the only place I had ever known for my whole life, and I left it all behind one day. I thought I would miss it, but coming back, I'm just realizing that I never did. King's Landing never felt like home."

"I find it hard to believe anyone could consider this place home," Arya mumbled, and Gendry smirked. He knocked their shoulders together and sighed heavily. "Do you ever wonder what would have happened if we hadn't met?"

"Sure," Gendry replied. "I'd be dead. If you weren't with Yoren that night, the gold cloaks attacked they would have turned me over in a heartbeat. I'd be a corpse somewhere in the Riverlands or dead somewhere here in King's Landing."

"I don't think I would have survived either," she said.

"You would have." Gendry squeezed her hand, and she turned to look at him. "You're a survivor and clever. I have no doubt in my mind that you would survive without me." Arya opened her mouth to say something, but Gendry leaned over and kissed her. "And I know what you're going to say; just because you could survive without me doesn't mean you want to."

"You're not nearly as amusing as you think you are," Arya said, and despite the gates of King's Landing opening before them, she found herself smiling and even laughing a little. Gendry shook his head and laughed too. It felt like such a long time since she'd seen him smile and laugh, and Arya wanted to commit it to her memory. There was no doubt in her mind that there would be few reasons to laugh or smile once they got to the Red Keep.

It was the dead of night, but there were still people moving about the city. When they saw the gold cloaks and their cage, they stopped to stare. She wondered if any of them would recognize or remember Gendry. She wondered if any of them knew that they were the Wolf and Bull that had helped so many people outside of these walls and if they would help if they did.

The gold cloaks and their cage came to a halt, and Arya tried to steal her expression so they wouldn't see fear. She refused to show fear to these people. The captain opened the door with a sword in one hand and gestured for the two of them to get out of the cage.

"If you make any funny moves, I'll take a hand from one of you," he warned. Arya could tell that he meant every word of that, and even if they did try to fight back right now, they didn't stand a chance of getting away. Arya climbed out of the cage and ignored the way one of the guards roughly took her arm. Gendry followed, and he wisely didn't say anything about the guard putting hands on her. The last thing either of them needed was a fight right now.

The Red Keep hadn't changed in the years since Arya had set foot within its walls. There was a new king now, and she remembered Tommen as a sweet boy. Arya wondered if she was going to get the chance to appeal to him because that was something that could save her life. She didn't exactly play with the young prince, but she hadn't gone out of her way to ignore him either. He just wasn't the sort of boy she wanted to interact with at the time. If she could figure out a way to get an audience with him or the new Queen, then maybe she could save both her and Gendry's lives.

It was odd to go through the keep and see corners that she recognized. Arya hadn't gone too close to the black cells when she chased cats as a little girl, but that didn't mean she stayed entirely away. Gendry, on the other hand, was looking at the palace like it was something out of a dream. He was born in the shadow of this fortress, and this was his father's house despite everything that had happened. He was more like a king than Joffrey ever had been.

The guards dragged the two of them down the steps and into the cells. There were people crying and screaming, but Arya forced herself not to listen. As they approached a door, the captain turned and looked at her.

"Let's make sure you're not hiding anything," he said with a disgusting smirk. He used the excuse of searching for weapons as a reason to put his hands all over her. Arya felt her skin crawl as he touched every inch of her body, and she could hear Gendry trying to get away from the guards that held on tight to him. Eventually, he found her wedding ring. "Well, what do we have here?" Arya wanted to tell him, no, not to take that because it was precious to her, but the captain ripped the ring off of her finger and looked it over. "Looks hand forged. Did you make this for your lady wife, bastard?"

"A ring is not a weapon," Gendry snapped. The captain walked over and removed the ring from Gendry's finger as well.

"The craftsmanship isn't terrible, but a high born lady deserves better than this," the captain said as he nodded to the guard. They began to check Gendry for weapons too, and Arya met his gaze and held it. She could see that infamous Baratheon temper rising to the surface, and she prayed that he wouldn't do anything foolish.

"No weapons, sir," one of the men reported, and the captain nodded as he looked at the two rings in his hand.

"I'm curious to see what the Queen Mother does to the bastard that dared touch a valuable high born lady," he said, and Arya hated the world she was born into yet again. It didn't matter that the marriage between her and Gendry was something they both wanted; he was going to get the blame regardless of what she said.

"I demand an audience with King Tommen," Arya said. She stood up a little taller and tried to channel her lady mother into her voice.

"The King has much more important things than to entertain the whims of a woman only good for trading favors," the captain said. He nodded, and Arya found herself forcibly thrown into a cell. She stumbled and fell to her hands and knees. For a moment, she panicked as the thought of being alone terrified her. For some reason, fate decided to give her a little happiness as Gendry was pushed into the same cell. They were going to be in the same cell, and Arya was so relieved she thought she was going to cry. The captain pocketed their wedding bands and left them alone in the cells.

Gendry waited until they were alone to pull her into his arms and hold on tight. He didn't want to let him go, and the thought of losing him made Arya's stomach twist into anxious knots. She needed to see Tommen at all costs. He was their possible salvation, and she needed to protect her family. They both sank to their knees while still wrapped up in each other's arms. She wanted to promise that everything was going to be okay, but that was not a promise that Arya could keep.

+++

They were left alone for half a day, and every time a guard came down, Arya loudly demanded an audience with the King. At some point, she figured that the right person would hear something and report to the King that a noble was in the black cells and demanding to speak to him. The Stark name might not be worth much anymore, but it had to be worth something. It had to be worth a chance to talk to the shy boy that she barely remembered from her childhood. A Kingsguard stood in front of their cell and glared at the two of them like they weren't worth anything.

"The King has agreed to your request for an audience, Lady Stark," he said. The door to the cell opened, and they took her roughly by the arm. When Gendry took a step toward her, one of the guards pulled out a sword. "Just the Lady. The King has no use for speaking to a bastard." Gendry narrowed his eyes but put his hands up in surrender and took a step back.

"Be careful," he said softly. Arya nodded and let herself get lead through the Red Keep and into the throne room. She was expecting Cersei to be there and was pleased to see just Tommen on the throne with no one else save for a few members of the guard. He was bigger now, but Arya recognized the same kind eyes she saw as a child. He was so unlike his brother, and while she hated anyone with Lannister blood, she also knew that Tommen and Myrcella were just as much victims of their brother and mother's madness as everyone else was.

"Lady Arya Stark," Tommen said. "It's been a very long time since we have seen each other. Everyone assumed you died many years ago."

"Your Grace," Arya replied as she bowed. "We were both children when we saw each other last, and now I come before you with a request."

"My captains tell me that you and your husband have been killing my soldiers and stealing from me for many years, do you deny this?" Tommen asked.

"I don't deny it. The people of Westeros suffered greatly during the many wars, and I was doing my best to keep them fed and happy if possible," Arya replied. "My husband is the reason I wanted to speak to you. I know that it is likely you will ransom me back to the North in exchange for something from my brother."

"That's what my advisors tell me to do," Tommen said as he looked at her. "I seem to remember that you never wanted to get married. I remember a little girl that wanted to be a knight or warrior more than anything." Arya had to smile to herself a little as she thought about the little girl that she used to be.

"My husband is a good man, Your Grace. One that was driven out of King's Landing at the same time I was and has fought for his life ever since," she hesitated because revealing this to Tommen could make things worse, but as Arya looked at this King, she could still see the kind boy she remembered as a child. "Do you remember your mother and brother ordered the murder of all of your late father's bastards?"

"Yes," Tommen said. "Or I should say I learned about it after the fact."

"My husband, Gendry, he was one of those bastards forced to flee King's Landing, or he would have been killed," she said carefully.

"You're saying he could be my half brother," Tommen said though he did not say it like a question but a statement. Arya nodded and watched as he leaned back in the iron throne to think. "Guard," Tommen said after a long silence. "Bring me Lady Arya's husband immediately."

"Your Grace, I was under orders--"

"I am the King, and my orders are the ones that matter. Bring him here immediately," Tommen said. The guards stood up a little taller and bowed as several of them rushed out of the room to go and get Gendry. Arya could only imagine that the orders came from Cersei, who probably didn't want either of them actually talking to the new King and Queen. The Queen, Arya noted, hadn't been brought up just yet, and she wondered whether or not she could appeal to the romantic in Tommen and if he believed in love.

"You are married as well, Your Grace?" Arya asked since they had some time before Gendry would make his way up to the throne room.

"I am," Tommen replied, and he smiled a little. "I care about her very much, which I know is rare. It's not often that royals get the chance to fall in love with their wives or husbands, but I feel very fortunate that I care about her. Between her and my faith, I have everything I could need until we decide to have children."

"Your faith?" Arya knew that Tommen likely believed in the Seven, but there was something about the way he said "faith" that made Arya pay attention.

"Yes, Westeros will be moving forward in a new era with the crown united with the faith as we work together," he said, and Tommen looked proud for the first time. It seemed that this was the thing that he was the proudest of. She wanted to ask him more, but the doors opened, and two guards dragged Gendry into the throne room.

"What happened?" Arya asked as soon as he was close enough. In the small amount of time that they were separated, Gendry seemed to have acquired a dark bruise around one of his eyes and a cut on his lip that was still bleeding.

"It seems the guards took issue with my attitude," he replied. Gendry looked up and made eye contact with Tommen, who was on his feet. The two men stared each other down like they weren't entirely sure what to do with each other. Tommen began to make his way down the steps, and Gendry averted his gaze down to the floor. Arya hadn't seen him look away from someone like this in a long time, and she wondered if this were the man she would have met on the streets of steel all of those years ago. "Your Grace."

"Who are you?" Tommen asked, which was clearly not the question that Gendry was expecting. He glanced at Arya, but she shook her head silently; she didn't know why Tommen was asking this either.

"I'm just a blacksmith, Your Grace. I was born right here in King's Landing and left several years ago where I met the Lady Arya. We have traveled together ever since," Gendry replied, which was an extremely short explanation but not a lie either.

"And your name?"

"Gendry, Your Grace, and I'm a bastard. I have no last name." Gendry glanced up from the floor as Tommen stood right in front of him. Now that they were standing side by side, Arya realized that they looked nothing alike. If she saw them walking down the street together, she would have assumed they were friends and not half brothers.

"The Lady Arya tells me that there is a chance that Robert Baratheon is your father. Do you believe that's true?" Tommen asked.

"I'm not sure what I believe is relevant, Your Grace. I was targeted to be killed when your late brother ordered all of the King's bastards killed, and I've been told that I resemble him. My mother died when I was very young, I don't remember her name or her face, so there isn't anyone I could ask. I could be, but what I believe doesn't really matter. It's what everyone else believes," Gendry replied.

"So there is a chance we could be family on some level," Tommen said softly. "Lady Arya, were you aware of the rumors surrounding my mother?"

"Rumors?" Arya asked. "I'm afraid we know very little of anything that happened in the South for the last several years, Your Grace." Tommen stood up a little taller and, for the first time, really looked like a King.

"There are rumors that I'm not Robert Baratheon's son. They say that I might be the child of an affair between my mother and my Uncle Jamie," Tommen said as he clasped his hands behind his back. "If that is the case that we are not related by blood, Gendry, but by marriage. My mother did marry your father even if he is no longer with us. If I am Robert's son, then you are my half brother, and the only sibling I know of that is still alive. Regardless, that makes you family." Arya didn't know what to say to those statements, and when she looked at Gendry, he was openly gawking at Tommen with shock. "You said you are a blacksmith, are you talented?"

"All of the weapons we traveled with, save for one, were made by Gendry," Arya said when a beat of silence passed, and it was clear Gendry was at a loss for words. "He also made our wedding rings."

"Where are the rings? I don't see either of you wearing them," Tommen said.

"The guards took them from us," Gendry said, and he sounded winded like he'd just run across a field.

"Bring me the rings," Tommen ordered, and a moment later, the guard that took their rings dropped them into the King's hand. Tommen looked them over and smiled a little to himself.

"These were made with care. I can respect that." Tommen walked over and handed both Arya and Gendry back their wedding rings. "The matter of your crimes against the crown and how it will be handled is complicated and not something that I believe I can judge at the moment. There is an important trial happening at the Sept in two days, but after that, I will talk with my advisors about what should be done with the two of you. Until then, since you are family and a Lady of a great house, I won't be leaving you in the black cells. Instead, you'll be given a room in the tower, far too high to escape from, where you'll be guarded until I have decided on a sentence for both of you."

"That is very generous of you, Your Grace," Arya said when she managed to catch up to everything that she just heard.

"Thank you," Gendry whispered. Tommen nodded and didn't say anything about how Gendry didn't refer to him by his title.

"I'm hoping to run a different kingdom from my father and my brother," Tommen said as he looked at the two of them. He gestured to the guards who began to lead Arya and Gendry away from the throne room. Everything seemed like it was going a bit too well, but Arya wasn't about to fight it. They were brought high into the castle until the guards pushed open a small guest room. There was a bed, a table with three chairs, a single-window looking out over the city, and nothing else. The guard shoved Arya into the room a little hard, and she stumbled as Gendry joined her.

"The King has shown you mercy. For now. It would be in your best interests if you didn't test that mercy by doing anything stupid while in this room," the guard snapped. Arya could feel the threat in that statement and watched as he slammed the door shut. There was the sound of it locking from the outside.

"We've changed from one cage to another," Gendry said as he began to look around the room.

"At least this one has a bed," Arya replied.

For the rest of the day, Arya and Gendry spent their time looking over the room and trying to see if there was any way for them to get out safely. Arya realized that they could use the chairs and tables as weapons, but it wasn't nearly enough to up against the various soldiers with armor and swords. There didn't seem to be anything in the room that was meant to kill them. As far as Arya could tell, it was just an ordinary chamber used to house someone that the crown could consider dangerous but didn't want to insult either. She could remember similar rooms in Winterfell when she was young.

The bed seemed fine as well, and as the sun began to set, Arya wanted to lie down and get some sleep. However, Tommen seemed to keep his word, and just as the sun was down, there was a knock at the door. Arya was on her feet in seconds, and Gendry stood close by like they had any chance of fighting if the guards were coming to take them back to the cells. Instead, an old woman was standing in the doorway with a tray of food, and Arya could see the guards watching them.

"The King has graciously decided to feed you," the guard said. "If this servant is harmed, we will take your fingers." They both nodded silently, and the servant walked into the room. She set down the tray, and Arya could smell a warm stew with some fresh bread, and her stomach grumbled. Griffin and his men hadn't fed them very well.

"I promise the food is safe," the old woman said, and she gestured for them to sit. Arya glanced at Gendry, who shrugged. They needed to eat. The woman watched them sit down to eat and then began to tidy up around the room.

"What's your name?" Gendry asked after a moment of silence. The woman turned and looked at him oddly like she didn't understand the question.

"Alsy," she replied. "My name is Alsy ser."

"I'm no ser," Gendry replied immediately. "But thank you for the food. We realize that it must have been hard to come in here to feed two prisoners essentially."

"Yes, thank you," Arya said, and Alsy smiled.

"I remember you, Lady Arya," she said. "You were such a little thing, and all of us servants would wonder what dark corner of the keep we were going to find you in." Arya blushed when Gendry smiled at her. "And you ser, you look so much like your father and your uncle. It's like seeing ghosts." Gendry froze in his chair and looked up at Alsy like she was a warrior about to kill him. Instead, she was smiling warmly like it wasn't a big deal.

"You know who my father is? Because that is dangerous information to know," Gendry said, but Alsy waved him off.

"I've been serving in this castle since the Rebellion. I'd recognize someone with your blood a mile away," Alsy said. "You do look like your father while he was young but also look so much like your Uncle Renly. The Lady Arya, no doubt, saw him walking around the keep when she was here last." That was true, and Arya did think that Gendry did look a lot like Renly. It was one of the reasons that she thought it was a Baratheon. Gendry looked a little pale, though, like he was afraid of something, and it was making Arya nervous. The food looked okay, and it tasted fine, but she wouldn't put it past the Lannister's to try and kill them with poison. She was about to ask him if he was okay when Gendry seemed to snap back to attention.

"Alsy," he said, and the servant turned around so she could look at him. She smiled warmly. "I never knew my father or my Uncles. I never knew anyone in my family, and now they're all gone. My mother died so she couldn't tell me anything, and now they're all gone." Gendry paused as he clenched his fists like he wasn't sure he had the strength to ask what he wanted to ask. Arya reached over, took one of his hands into hers, and squeezed it. "Could you tell me about them?"

"I would be honored," Alsy said.

+++

The next day Alsy came with their meals and some new clothes for them to wear along with the promise to clean up the things they wore on their backs. Arya was reluctant to give up anything to these people, but Alsy seemed to be rather trustworthy. She sat down at one of their chairs and began to fix the various holes in their clothes and the parts that had worn thin. She told Gendry about the family that he would never know with the kind of honesty that Arya didn't see from servants very long. Alsy seemed to know that while there was a Baratheon on the throne, that didn't mean that was the house with the power.

Gendry didn't seem too surprised when Alsy said that she didn't think Robert ever really wanted to be King and sort of accidentally ended up in the position when he tried to save Lyanna. She looked at Arya knowingly, and Arya knew that Alsy was making the same connection that a lot of people seemed to when it came to her and Gendry.

"I know we look like them, but we aren't them," Arya said as she took Gendry's hand and smiled at him.

"I know. I hope your ending is much happier," Alsy said.

"She's the only family I have left," Gendry said.

"Oh, I find that hard to believe," Alsy said, and they both turned to look at her oddly.

"All of my brothers and sisters were killed," Gendry said slowly, but Alsy shook her head.

"Your father had many suitors, and they were not limited to King's Landing. It wouldn't surprise me if you had a half brother or sister running around of the other seven kingdoms." For as long as Arya had known him, Gendry only had her for family, and she watched as Alsy knocked his entire world off-center by casually mentioning that he might have family hiding somewhere in the seven kingdoms.

Alsy had to leave to get them some dinner and left them alone as Gendry stared at the wall like he couldn't believe what he just heard. Arya thought she was alone until Griffin told her that Jon and Sansa were alive and well in the North and she imagined that Gendry was experiencing something similar only on a deeper level,

"Do you think Cersei knows?" he asked quietly. "Do you think she knew to send out notices to all of the kingdoms to kill all of us?"

"She might have," Arya said. "But you Baratheon bastards are tenacious, you're survivors, and I think there probably are more of you out there. And when we're safe again, we're going to go out there and try to find some of them."

"We will?"

"Yes, of course, we'll go find them and bring them North so damned Southern politics can't touch any of you ever again," she replied. Gendry leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead.

After Alsy brought them dinner and clean clothes, she said that she had other duties to attend to, but she was told that she had time tomorrow before the King would want to see them again. It was time for the trial at the Sept, and there was a chance she wouldn't even see them tomorrow, let alone have time to speak. She left them some food wrapped in cloth just in case no one came to feed them and wished them goodnight.

Arya climbed into the far too comfortable bed with Gendry that night, and they held onto each other. She wanted to take advantage of the bed and the locked door, but the idea of the soldiers breaking down the door if they heard him "defiling" her was enough to cool the blood in her veins. They held each other close, and Arya tried to enjoy this holding pattern that they were stuck in until Tommen could convene a court to decide if they were going to live or die. She preferred action to this, and the rumor that there was a Stark girl in King's Landing again was going to reach the North eventually. Jon and Sansa had to know that she was alive, and they would have to petition her return. She was sure of it; even if her sister didn't think much of her years ago, they were still family. They still meant something to each other.

"I wanted to thank you," Gendry said into the darkness.

"What did I do exactly?" Arya asked.

"You keep fighting for me, and I want you to know how much I appreciate it."

"We fight for each other because that's what you do when you love someone and decide to marry them," Arya replied as she leaned forward and kissed him gently. "For some reason, I keep deciding to honor our vows." They both laughed quietly and settled down to sleep. There was nothing they could do right now, and they weren't of any use to anyone if they didn't sleep.

+++

The castle was busy the next day, and Arya could hear people running around as they prepared for the trial. She didn't know exactly what was going on, but she hoped that they would be over soon so they could speak with Tommen again. She had a feeling that if she could appeal to him, then maybe Gendry's life would be spared. Tommen seemed keen on the idea of having a half-sibling even if it was by marriage, and the fact that he didn't threaten to cut off Gendry's head immediately seemed like they were going in the right direction.

At least Arya had to see it that way because there wasn't any other option. In the back of her mind, she knew that things often didn't go well for the people in her family and that her and Gendry were likely living on borrowed time, but she couldn't think of it that way or she would collapse in on herself.

There wasn't anything to do in this room, and Alsy didn't come around with breakfast, so Arya didn't see any reason to get out of bed at all. While she didn't trust the guards to keep out of the room if she decided to lay with her husband, if they couldn't hear anything, then there wasn't any reason to come into the room. So Arya spent her morning and afternoon in Gendry's arms, talking softly about anything and everything, while occasionally stopping to kiss him breathless. It was the kind of relaxing feeling that they didn't get to explore outside of these walls, and if they couldn't do anything until the trial was finished, then she planned to take advantage of this.

They were both half-asleep in the middle in the afternoon when there was a loud explosion, and the entire Red Keep shook. Arya jumped out of the bed and looked around as she waited to see if the whole keep was coming down.

"What the hell was that?" she asked. Gendry scrambled out of the bed and stumbled over to their window, which looked out over the city.

"Oh gods," he whispered as he went extremely pale. Arya raced over and looked out the window. The Sept, which usually stood tall and looming over the city, was gone. There was a pile of rubble where it once stood, and green flames were reaching out into the sky. The buildings surrounding the Sept were heavily damaged, and Arya could only imagine how many people just died.

"Green fire," she whispered as she remembered hearing about how Stannis Baratheon lost his siege of King's Landing. "Someone used wildfire."

"Arya, the King, said that the trial was going to be at the Sept today," Gendry whispered as he looked out. "The entire royal family was supposed to be there, including most of court as well."

"Tommen could be dead along with his Queen and maybe even Cersei," Arya said, and she needed to sit down. The idea that Cersei Lannister might be dead made her entire world tilt on the side because that was something Arya always assumed would never happen. Gendry was staring out over the city; the Street of Steel wasn't that far from the Sept, and she wondered how many people he knew died in this explosion. They needed more information, and they needed it fast. There was no telling what would happen to the city with the Sept being destroyed, but it wasn't going to be good for anyone involved. Gendry seemed distracted as he watched part of his home burnt to the ground, but Arya was focused. They never had the meeting with Tommen, and she wasn't sure anyone else knew that he had declared them family at least to some extent. They were not safe. Arya got herself dressed quickly and banged her fist against the door.

"Hey, guards! What's going on? What happened out there?" she yelled as she continued to hit the door. Arya could hear people scrambling outside, but she couldn't make out any words. They were yelling and talking quickly, but they seemed to be ignoring her. Gendry seemed to have snapped himself out of his shock and began to bang on the door as well. They called out for anyone, but they were ignored. No one even told them to stop hitting the door or stop yelling. Whatever was going on was big enough that no one cared about them.

"They aren't going to tell us anything," Gendry said.

"Then maybe it's time we got out here," Arya said. "They clearly aren't paying attention to us; this might be our only shot."

"The door is locked from the outside," Gendry said. "We have no weapons and no way of picking the lock. Also, just because the guards aren't yelling at us doesn't mean they aren't standing there ready to cut us down at a moment's notice." He was right, but that didn't mean she was okay with that. Gendry reached forward and took her into his arms. "I know you hate being helpless."

"More than anything," Arya whispered.

"But trying to escape out of the Red Keep while things are like this is not smart, and you know it. We both know it. I don't want to stay any more than you do, but we have to wait and see what happens," he reasoned. Arya nodded, and they ate a little more of the food that Alsy had left for them. They looked out into the city and tried to see if there was any way to determine precisely what had happened. The hours seemed to crawl by, and Arya wasn't sure how much longer she could take this. The sun was beginning to set, and the last of their food was gone. There was a little water left but not nearly enough to last them several days, and starving them didn't seem like something Tommen would do.

They were lying on the bed together, wrapped around each other when the doors were kicked open by the guards. They smirked when they saw the two of them together.

"Isn't this adorable. Is this the first time you've been able to provide a featherbed for your lady, bastard?" one of them asked. They were being baited, she knew that, but that didn't stop her from picturing how she wanted to smash this man's face in. She could tell that Gendry felt the same way but wisely said nothing.

"The Queen has demanded an audience with both of you," the other guard said, and Arya blinked. She didn't know that much about the Queen, just that she was a Tyrell and beloved by the people, and Arya had no idea why she would want to meet the two of them. She glanced at Gendry, who shrugged as two more guards filed in, and they were forced out of the room and into the keep.

It seemed that the chaos from earlier in the day was still very much in progress at the Red Keep. The guards were running around as servants and maids looked around frantically. She could see people in dark corners paying, and others were crying. The Sept was the center of the Seven, and Arya could not imagine what the faithful people of the city were feeling after having it taken away from them. Tommen spoke highly of his faith to her, and she knew he must have been heartbroken.

The doors to the throne room opened, and Arya tried to ignore the dark feeling that settled into her stomach as she was forced toward the throne. From a distance, she didn't recognize the woman that sat on the iron throne, but as she got closer, Arya felt her blood run cold. Years ago, her hair was long and golden, and she wore lovely silk dresses. Now her hair was cut short like a boy, and the dress she wore was black and looked like armor.

"Queen Cersei, may we present the two prisoners you requested," the guard said, and Arya's worst nightmare came true. It became apparent just who died in that explosion today; Tommen Baratheon was no longer the King of the Seven Kingdoms. His mother, Cersei Lannister, was Queen, and she was smiling down at them with deadly intent.

It was evident by the dead silence in the room that no one really knew how they were supposed to react to this situation. Arya didn't know what to say to the woman who took away her entire family and ruined her life. Gendry clearly didn't know how to react to the woman who wanted him to die and considered him some sort of threat. Cersei didn't seem to understand how to start this conversation either because she just stared at the two of them with barely contained rage. Somewhere in the back of her mind Arya realized that she should have bowed or addressed Cersei like the Queen she apparently was now, but the words just got stuck.

It seemed that the guards had some sort of idea about it because they kicked the back of Gendry's legs and forced him to the ground. Arya was about to say something when they did the same to her, and she hit the stone floor of the Red Keep's throne room. Cersei smirked when Arya failed to hide her wince of pain. She decided that there was no way this conversation was going to be pleasant, so there was no point in trying.

"What happened to the King?" Arya asked.

"Tommen has joined his brother and sister in the arms of the Gods," Cersei replied, but there was something about her voice that made every hair stand on end. Cersei looked guilty, and Tommen was not a bad person. He didn't deserve whatever his mother did to him. However, it seemed that Arya wasn't going to get the chance to bring it up because Cersei stood. "We assumed you were dead for many years, Arya Stark. If you were wise, you should have stayed that way."

"I didn't exactly run around announcing it to all of Westeros," Arya snapped.

"No, but you stayed in Westeros. You ran around the lands and attacked my men. You stole supplies from me. You remained a constant thorn in my side for many years. If you wanted to stay hidden, that was not the way to do it." Cersei folded her hands in front of her and walked down the stairs. "What did you think you were doing?"

"I was thinking that my father was an honorable man that you helped kill. I was thinking that my mother and brother didn't deserve to get slaughtered at the Twins," Arya said, and Cersei smiled.

"You wanted revenge, but you were just a little girl with a little sword. You couldn't get to me, so you thought you would annoy me to death with your little attacks?" Cersei shook her head and laughed a little to herself. "None of this surprises me from the girl who tried to have her wolf kill my son. You could have jumped on a ship and sailed to the free cities. No one was looking for you, Arya Stark, you could have run away, and no one would have spoken your name again. Instead, you chose revenge, and now you're here."

"The people were suffering--"

"Do not lie to me and act like you did all of this for the sake of the people. You did all of this for revenge and nothing more." Cersei looked at Gendry for the first time, and there was an odd expression on her face. "And the fact that you did it with one of my husbands escaped bastards is just fascinating." Unlike Arya, Gendry did not seem keen to speak back to the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and instead kept his eyes down. Arya didn't blame him; they both knew that he was on much thinner ice than she was.

What Arya was not expecting was Cersei walking down the steps for the throne so she could look down at Gendry. She put a finger beneath his chin and forced him to look up at her.

"You look so much like him," Cersei whispered. "Robert was so beautiful when I first thought he was mine, and you are his mirror image. I've been told you even fight with a war hammer as he did. You look like his ghost come back to haunt me for all of my many terrible deeds."

"Get your hands off of him!" Arya yelled as Cersei cupped Gendry's cheek and ran her thumb along his cheekbone. If Arya didn't know better, she would think that there was lust in the way that Cersei was looking at him.

"Does it bother you? To have a woman look at your husband and call him beautiful?" Cersei asked without looking away from Gendry's face. "He has the face of a former king, and there is not a person alive who could deny that. There is a reason the Stormlanders would look at you two oddly; they knew who he is. Tell me, Gendry, do you believe you are Robert reborn?"

"I think that you don't really care what I think, Your Grace," Gendry said as he looked Cersei directly in the eye.

"Ah, some of that Baratheon fury. I see it though the fact that your wife seems to be angrier than you is extremely amusing to me," Cersei replied as she continued to touch caress Gendry's face like a lover would.

"I am barely controlling my rage, Your Grace, because I have nothing to gain and everything to lose by lashing out at you right now." Gendry narrowed his eyes but didn't move away from Cersei as she touched him. Cersei smirked and dug her long nails into Gendry's cheek. She scratched four long, bloody lines into his skin, and neither of them broke eye contact for even a moment.

"Oh, dear boy, you are fascinating," Cersei said as she watched the blood from her scratches slowly drip onto the floor of the Red Keep. "It's such a shame you need to die." Cersei looked back at Arya and smiled. "I'm sure your bastard brother and your ruined sister won't care if we send you back after a failed marriage. You Stark's are so obsessed with your family; I can only imagine what I can convince the King in the North to do in exchange for your life. Perhaps he will even bend the knee."

"Robb didn't bend the knee to save Sansa, what makes you think Jon won't just declare war on you to get me back?" Arya snapped.

"There are far fewer Stark's in the world now than there were all of those years ago," Cersei said as she looked Arya over with contempt. "Guards, I would say these two prisoners have shown some terrible manners during this meeting, would you agree?"

"Yes, Your Grace," the men holding their arms agreed.

"Their rudeness after my son showed them such generosity is quite sickening. Please escort them to the black cells and remind them both that they are only alive because the crown has graciously allowed them to continue to breathe. For now, at least." Cersei locked eyes with Gendry and smirked. She nodded to the guards, and they were both roughly yanked to their feet. Arya wanted to fight back more than anything; she wanted to scream at this evil woman more than anything in the world. Arya wanted to make her bleed, but there was nothing she could do.

That didn't stop Arya from struggling as the guards dragged her and Gendry back toward the black cells. The first time one of the guards backhanded her, Arya tasted blood, and Gendry screamed at them for hitting a lady. The guards shoved them both into a cell, but the four men closed the door behind them and smirked.

"The Queen told us that you two care about each other and that it would be in our best interests if we took advantage of that," one of the guards said. "She didn't want to risk one of us putting a bastard in the girl, though, so we're not allowed to touch her that way. That doesn't mean there aren't other ways to make her hurt."

"Lay a hand on either of us, and I'll make your death as slow and painful as possible," Gendry warned, and Arya could hear the promise of violence in his voice, but the guards laughed as they drew their clubs.

"Let's see how much the lady loves you if we knock out all of your teeth, bastard."

They both fought with everything they had, but Arya knew they were going to lose. The guards had clubs, they had fists, and it didn't take long for a well-placed blow to knock all of the air out of her lungs. As she struggled to breathe, she watched them knock Gendry to the ground as blood began to run from a wound on his temple.

"Time to watch bastard," one of the guards said. They forced Gendry to his knees as they began to hit her with the clubs. Arya swore she felt her own ribs break, and she did her best to curl into as small of a ball as possible and protect her own head. Her body took the beating, and by the time it stopped, everything hurt. She could barely open her eyes or see clearly. Vaguely, Arya could hear Gendry screaming at them, telling them that they clearly lacked honor if they were going to beat a woman like that, and Arya watched from the ground as they knocked Gendry to the ground with the clubs. They kept hitting him until he was bloody and still on the ground, and Arya was unsure whether he was alive or dead.

The guards laughed as they left and loudly locked the door behind them. They warned her that there was more coming for the disrespect they showed the Queen. Arya pulled herself across the ground until she was next to Gendry's bloody body. She touched his neck and was relieved to feel a steady pulse. He was alive but badly hurt. Arya could barely see straight and knew that she shouldn't sleep with a head wound, but the darkness was pulling her under. She took Gendry's limp hand into her own and was unable to fight it anymore.

As she fell unconscious, Arya thanked the gods that they were both still alive but could not ignore the traitorous voice in the back of her head that said: "for now."

+++

It takes Arya a moment to realize that someone is saying her name and trying to wake her up. The world seems a little too loud and too bright, and she really just wants to sleep, but the last thing she remembered was Gendry's blood soaking into the stones of the Black Cells. Arya forced her eyes open and looked up to see her husband looking down at her with a worried expression. She could see dried blood on the side of his head and throughout his black hair, and he was holding himself oddly like something hurt.

"Thank the gods you're awake," he whispered. "I thought they had beaten you to death."

"I'm too valuable to kill or bruise permanently," Arya replied. Her throat was dry, and she ached for water, but she assumed that they weren't about to get any of that anytime soon. Gendry's hands were shaking, but he helped her sit up nevertheless and stayed nearby to keep her steady. "I thought they had killed you when I passed out."

"I'm not sure what they did," Gendry said softly as he frowned. "When I woke up, I couldn't remember where I was or who you were. It took nearly an hour for me to remember everything, and even then, I kept losing my thoughts. It was like I couldn't hang onto them, and they would float away." He laughed bitterly. "You always called me stupid; maybe I've taken one too many blows to the head, and now I really am."

"You're not stupid, and you never have been," Arya replied. She reached forward and touched the large lump on the side of his head, and she could feel the dried blood in his hair. Arya could see the bruises peeking out from his clothes, and the way he was holding himself betrayed the broken ribs he was likely sporting yet again. Arya supposed she should have considered herself lucky that they hadn't pierced his lungs, and he bled to death while they were both unconscious.

Cersei didn't want Gendry to bleed to death in a cell in the dark and away from everyone. She would want him to die publicly the way she killed her father, and the way she killed the former Queen and everyone else in the Sept. Gendry's death had to be some sort of statement to mean anything and Cersei knew how to use death to her advantage. The guards would be back, and they would likely get beaten black and blue again, but Arya knew he probably wasn't going to die here the same way she wasn't going to die here either.

For the rest of the day, Arya tried to ignore the way she saw Gendry suffer from his head wound. When he lost his thoughts or stared off for long periods of time, she let it happen. If he forgot something, she did her best to gently remind him so he wouldn't get upset. She needed to keep him calm so he could heal to the best of his ability. They were both able to keep the small amount of food and water the guards brought them. There were more threats, but Arya refused to even flinch at these men, and she was proud when Gendry narrowed his eyes and refused to do the same.

The next day something changed. The guards dragged a few members of what looked like the small folk into cells and left them there. If she listened carefully, Arya could have sworn she could hear something within the city. The guards dropped off more food and water for them but seemed distracted, and there weren't any threats. There was something else going on. Gendry was dozing against the wall. He seemed a little better today, but he was still having a hard time from his head wound. The blood was still matted into his hair and on his skin, and Arya wished she could wash it off. It was a constant reminder, and she hated it.

It took three days for Arya to find out what exactly was going on. In the middle of the day, all of the guards near the Black Cells heard a horn and raced out of the room. They were left entirely unguarded for the first time since they got here. The cells were filling up with men, women, people who didn't look like they deserved to be in the Black Cells. This was going to be her only chance to ask what was going on without the guards listening in.

"Something is happening in the city," Arya said to the people in the cell closest to her. "What's going on?"

"Riots," one of the women said. "When she crowned herself, we all knew that she was responsible for destroying the Sept, and as followers of the Seven, we won't stand for this. We are fighting back." Arya couldn't believe what she was hearing; she knew that there was a good chance that the people would not react well to the Sept being destroyed, but she didn't think in a million years that there would be riots. She glanced over at Gendry, raised an eyebrow, and smirked to himself.

"The people of King's Landing have a high tolerance for many things, but this far from the first time they have fought back against the crown," he said. "The nobles think we don't care about the crown, but we do when it impacts us, and destroying the Sept impacts us in a big way. They won't stand for it."

"That could be good for us," Arya said in a soft voice. "If the city is in chaos and that chaos spills into the castle, then we might have a chance of escaping." The guards chose that moment to storm back and began to fill up the Black Cells with countless people. It turned Arya's stomach to see just how many people they were packing into the cells and how many of them looked like they might die from injuries within the next day or so. No one was put into their cell, though, and Arya was a little thankful for that. She didn't want to think about dealing with other people while the guards wanted to bash their heads in.

The next day the guards were mostly absent again, and if she listened carefully, Arya could hear the yells of people within King's Landing. The people could win in a riot against the crown, but the number of lives that would be lost was too much for her to think about. She was finally feeling like herself again and sitting next to Gendry on the floor. She was dozing on his shoulder, and they were holding hands when a guard walked up to them.

"Stand up," he ordered. Arya rolled her eyes but pushed herself to her feet and pulled a still very sore Gendry with her. "The Queen wants to see you." Arya took a step forward, but the guard shook his head. "She wants to see the bastard."

"No," Arya said without thinking. "No, you can't take him." She was beginning to panic because she didn't think Cersei would do this right now. She thought she had more time to figure out a way to get them out of this keep, but there was nothing. Gendry reached over and took her hand.

"I'll be fine," he whispered as he took a step forward, but he was lying. She knew that he was lying to her to make her feel better.

"Don't you lie to me, Gendry Waters," Arya warned. She didn't want possibly the last thing they said to each other to be a lie. She couldn't stand the thought that this might be the last time that she sees him. The guards took Gendry by the arms and dragged him out of the cell. The smallfolk in the other cells began to react as they asked the guards where he was being taken, and if they were going there as well.

'No, you're not going to face what he has to face,' Arya thought as he vanished around a corner. She fell to her knees and prayed to any of the gods to spare his life.

+++

Gendry wanted to look over his shoulder at Arya one more time before they left the Black Cells behind him, but he couldn't. He didn't want to see the pure look of fear and sadness that would be there. He wanted to remember her like she was this morning as they sat together how she smiled a little for him as they held hands in the cells. How she was helping him recover from the head wound, he took a few days earlier and was endlessly patient whenever he forgot what he was talking about. Gendry wanted to remember the good times the two of them had and not everything that had happened in the cells.

As they went through the Red Keep, he could hear the riots in the city, and they made him smile. Those were his people fighting back, and he was so glad to hear it. Gendry hoped they tore this entire keep down brick by brick and melted down the Iron Throne into something useful. The guards weren't looking at him, and their grips on his arms were hard enough to bruise, but Gendry refused to show any sort of weakness. If it were Arya, she would snarl and refuse to back down. He admired her so much for how brave she was and how hard she continued to fight for them.

Unlike the last time they were in the throne room this time, there were more people. Cersei still sat on the throne, but this time Jaime Lannister stood nearby and a man with black robes and a pin that said he was Hand of the Queen. Jaime stared at Gendry and paled a little; Gendry could only assume it was once again his resemblance to his father that was throwing him off. At this point, Gendry was nearly used to it. The guards stopped before the throne and kicked the back of his knees, so Gendry fell onto the floor.

"Like a ghost come back to haunt all of us," Cersei said as she looked down at him. "You were born here bastard, weren't you."

"Yes," Gendry replied. One of the guards hit him in the back of the head with a gauntlet, and Gendry briefly saw stars. He really didn't want any more head wounds.

"You should remember your courtesies," the guard warned. "You will address Her Grace with her title, or we'll make it hurt more."

"Yes, Your Grace," Gendry said between his teeth. He could feel a little blood running down the back of his neck and soaking the collar of his shirt.

"Then you can hear what's going on out there," Cersei said.

"Yes, I can, and I've spoken to the other people in the Black Cells, Your Grace." Gendry looked up from the floor of the throne room and narrowed his eyes. "They aren't going to stop."

"And why do you think that?" the man in the black robes asked.

"I know those people, and you won't be able to stop them, Your Grace. They've dealt with a lot over the years, and you destroying the Sept was just a start," Gendry said. "My wife has told me that you also killed members of House Tyrell and the former Queen. The people liked her, I hear them talking about her in the cells, and they are upset you took her from them."

"Your wife hasn't been around the nobility in years so what does she know," Cersei said as she narrowed her eyes. "I expected you to come here and beg me for your life, yet you're simply being insolent. Do you want to die, bastard?"

"Would begging make any difference at all, Your Grace?" Gendry asked, and Cersei smirked. "The smallfolk in the cells talk, and they talk loudly. They don't forgive you for the bread riots or when you sent out guards to kill children for no reason that they could comprehend. You might take my head, Your Grace, but they are coming for yours too." One of the guards took Gendry by the hair and painfully tilted his head back.

"You better watch your mouth, boy, or we'll take that tongue of yours," he warned.

"Your life is forfeit," Cersei said as she stood up and walked down the stairs. Despite the painful angle, his head was at Gendry could still see Jaime Lannister staring at him. "But you're brave to come here and talk to me like this. You clearly don't care about your own life, but I know you care about the life of Arya Stark. Perhaps I should punish her for your insolence." The threat against Arya was enough for Gendry to briefly fight against the guards, which Cersei was clearly not expecting. She took a surprised step back, which made Gendry happy for some reason. He was glad to see her surprised by him, but Gendry froze when he felt a knife pressed against his ribs. "There is some of that Baratheon fury."

"Shall we kill him for you, Your Grace?" one of the guards asked.

"No, not yet," Cersei said. "We need to get the city under control first, and then we'll show them and all of Westeros what happens when even one of the great houses stands against House Lannister."

"And the girl?" Jaime asked.

"We'll send her back to the North once her bastard brother kneels to the crown and not a moment before. If we need to send her back in pieces to make him understand just how serious we are, we'll do that too," Cersei said as she looked Gendry over. She reached forward and touched the still healing scratches from her on his cheek. "Still beautiful," she whispered. "But you're not him, and you couldn't hope to be."

"I wouldn't want to," Gendry snapped. Cersei nodded to the guards, and they began to forcefully drag Gendry through the Keep again only this time Jaime Lannister followed. As soon as they were away from the throne room, Jaime, had them stop.

"I'll take him. You two go back to the city and help there," he said. The guards took a long piece of rope and tied it tightly around Gendry's hands as Jaime took him by the arm and led him through the keep. "Talking to her like that was not wise."

"I'm dead either way," Gendry said, and he didn't understand why Jaime Lannister was talking to him.

"Maybe, but making her mad will make it more painful in the end," Jaime said as they entered the Black Cells. "And how much she hurts the Stark girl as well."

Gendry said nothing as Jaime walked him into the cell and pushed him into Arya's waiting arms. She freed his hands of the ropes and handed it back to Jaime through the bars. Jaime watched the two of them for a moment and left them alone. Arya held onto him tightly, and Gendry enjoyed how she felt in his arms.

Arya doesn't mean to lose track of time, but it's remarkably easy when each day is the same. The guards continuously move the small folk in and out of cells, and she knows that some of them have been executed. She hears rumors that the Dragon Queen has come to Westeros, and she is at Dragonstone. She also hears that Casterly Rock is no longer part of the Lannister armies. She hears that there are prisoners of the Martell family of Dorne in the cells, but she never sees them. Arya does hear a woman wailing, though, and someone says that they saw Cersei visiting someone. The idea that Cersei might come down to personally execute someone turns her stomach and makes her worry that her or Gendry could next.

Their wounds finally take the time to heal, and the guards return to give them more. Anytime she thinks Gendry might finally be free of bruises, they see fit to beat him over and over again. He heals slower each and every time they throw punches, and they aren't given enough food or water to compensate. She doesn't think that Cersei would allow Gendry to slowly die by being beaten to death, but Arya doesn't trust these guards to pull their punches. They could kill him without meaning to, and it hurts more than the bruises they are inflicting on her body.

It takes a little time, but Gendry eventually confesses that he spoke to Cersei in a way that could hurt them sometime in the future. She doesn't blame him for losing his temper, but it makes her worry all the same. Arya feels helpless, and she doesn't like that feeling. As time goes on, she knows that the North must know about her. If Jon comes for her, if they send her back, Gendry will die, and there wouldn't be anything she could do about it. She needed to save him before being ransomed back to the North. Gendry is asleep when she walks over and beckons one of the guards. The thing she needs to do is already turning her stomach, but there isn't anything Arya Stark wouldn't do for family.

"Tell the Queen I need to speak to her," she said.

"And what makes you think the Queen will want to speak to you?" the guard asked with a laugh.

"Just tell her Arya Stark needs to have a word with her, and it's important." The guard narrowed his eyes, but she watched him pass along the message. Arya settled down next to Gendry and waited to see if this part of her plan would work.

It took a full day before the guards came and stood in front of her.

"Stand up. The Queen has granted your request," the guard said. Gendry, who was awake, looked at her.

"What did you do?" he asked softly.

"I need to speak to her," Arya said as she pushed herself to her feet. Gendry went to stand as well, but she shook her head. "Just me. I'll be safe, I promise." Gendry didn't look like he believed her but didn't call her out on the lie. Instead, he settled back against the wall of their cell and said nothing as the guards let her out.

Arya was surprised when she was led not to the throne, but what appeared to be Cersei's solar. The guards went to kick her knees, but Arya willingly dropped down to one knee when she saw Cersei. Cersei, who was drinking wine, looked a little amused by this and sat down at a table.

"You told my guards you wanted to see me," she said.

"Yes, Your Grace, I would like to see if we can come to some sort of arrangement that would benefit both of us," Arya said. She stayed on one knee, and she kept her eyes on the ground.

"Well, if we're going to talk like civilized women, then we'll talk like civilized women. Stand up," Cersei ordered. One of the guards took Arya by the arm, and none too gently put her in one of the chairs across from Cersei. Arya knew she was covered in blood and grime, but she did her best to keep her back straight and her chin high. This was a moment to channel her parents and everything she learned about being a lady as a child. "Now, tell me what you want to talk about, and please do not attempt anything in this room. We wouldn't want anything to happen to that husband of yours in the cells."

"My husband is the reason I'm here," Arya said as she took a deep breath and released it slowly. "I'm here to beg for his life."

"Beg?" Cersei said with an amused laugh. "I didn't know Starks had it in them to beg."

"He's my family, and I would do anything for him," Arya replied without hesitation. "Your Grace, Gendry, and I have no desire to be part of politics. We just want to be together and be happy. We and specifically, he is of no threat to your rule. If you allow him to come North with me, you'll never see or hear from either of us ever again."

"Your brother is the King. He could very easily legitimize the bastard and give him a claim to the throne. Why would I allow that to happen?" Cersei asked.

"We don't want it. I don't want to be a Lady of a great house, let alone any sort of Queen. We want to live together and be happy. We want a simple life, and that's all."

"You hate me, don't you little wolf," Cersei said after a moment of silence. Arya wasn't sure what she was supposed to do with a statement like that, and she clenched her fists in her lap. Answering that question seemed like a trap, but Arya needed to prove a point.

"Yes, Your Grace, I really do. I've wanted bloody revenge on you since the moment you stood by and let them take my father's head," Arya replied.

"And should I grant this request of yours, you know you wouldn't be able to get that revenge. You'd be banished to the North for the rest of your days," Cersei was looking at her oddly. "You're willing to give up your quest for revenge for your husband? A bastard blacksmith who doesn't even have a name?"

"Yes, I'm willing to give it up for him," Arya stated and even saying those words hurt. The thought of Cersei living set her teeth on edge, but this wasn't the time to think about revenge. When she said her oaths before the tree with Gendry, her life was no longer just about her. She had to think about him as well, and if giving up her list for good kept him alive, she would do it. She would give it up in a heartbeat. Cersei stood up and walked across the room.

"You seem to think the only reason I want that bastard dead is because he's a threat to my reign," Cersei said after a moment. "And that is true, he is a threat, and no doubt there are houses in the Stormlands that would declare for him in a heartbeat even if he wasn't legitimized. If I kill him, then I lose that threat, but that isn't the only way his death could be useful to me."

"What?" Arya whispered. She thought this was all about the throne, and she hadn't counted on Cersei thinking Gendry being dead was useful in more than one way.

"Why, of course. I can't imagine an easier way to put down dissent among those lesser houses than executing the last living member of House Baratheon. That will show them that I am willing to wipe an entire house out, then they should be worried about what I would do to them." Cersei smiled and looked at Arya. "I heard that a maid was going around and saying there are more bastards out there. It would be quite a strong message to line them all up, a bunch of Robert's children, and kill them all publicly. That would make the nobles understand that I am not to be trifled with.

"Then there is the matter of the Dragon Queen," Cersei continued. "She is going to come for my throne someday soon, and I can only imagine how much she hates Robert and House Baratheon for what he did to her and her family. If I needed to bargain for my own life, I imagine offering up the last of House Baratheon to her dragons would be a good way to get her to spare me."

"You can't do this," Arya said, her hands shaking with rage she didn't even know she possessed, but Cersei didn't seem to care.

"So I won't be sparing your little bastard husband, Arya Stark, and considering how long it has been since I sent the ravens to your family letting them know you're alive you should probably say goodbye to him now," Cersei set the glass of wine down on the table and smiled. "Though I must thank you, Lady Arya, for giving me the opportunity to see a Stark beg for the life of another. It's something I didn't think I'd get to see after your sister begged for your father's life."

The world seemed to tilt on its side for a moment as Arya realized that there was nothing she could do. In her own head, she screamed that she should fight, right now, break that cup and slit Cersei's throat with it, but Arya also knew she'd just end up hurt like that. She offered to give up her list, and it wasn't enough. She didn't remember the walk back to the cells, but when she looked up and saw Gendry waiting for her, she wanted to cry. Arya Stark didn't let herself cry often, but she wanted to, more than anything, at this moment. The door slammed behind her, and Gendry was in front of her. He was asking what was wrong and what he could do to help. He asked if she was hurt.

Instead, Arya threw her arms around him and held on like he was a lifeline. Gendry held her back and didn't ask what she talked about with Cersei. The crushing weight of their reality came down on her, and for the first time in a long time, Arya let herself cry. She cried for her father, who died in this very city. She cried for the mother and brother, who were slaughtered miles from home. She cried for her little brothers who were dead and dust in the North. She cried for Sansa and the fact that she would never learn whether or not they could be good for each other. She cried for Jon and her favorite brother, who now wore a crown on his head. She cried for the weight that must carry as he grappled with how he could set her free without costing the North everything. She cried for all of Gendry's half-siblings and how they were slaughtered because a fat, drunk King couldn't remain faithful to his wife. She cried for the entire realm and how they were going to suffer under the reign of Cersei Lannister.

Gendry held her close as she cried long into the night and never once asked her to explain what happened to trigger all of these tears.

+++

The days slid by, and the guards continued to struggle to hold the city. They kept getting angrier and angrier that they couldn't seem to get things under control. When the guards got angry, they looked for people to take it out on. They would beat the smallfolk, and that would make Arya and Gendry lash out. So then the guards would beat them instead. It was a fate that Arya was willing to suffer because the people of King's Landing didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve it either, and neither did Gendry, but that was beside the point.

It was after a rather vicious beating that Arya wondered what they were going to do next. Gendry was lying on the floor next to her, just as bloody as she was, and staring at the ceiling. Neither of them had said a word in several hours. One of the guards dropped off some food, and Arya dragged herself over.

"Come on, Gendry, we need to eat something," she said. Gendry winced as he sat up, and he practically crawled across the cell to get to the food instead of walking. He looked like he was having a hard time focusing again. "Do you feel nauseous?"

"I'll be fine," Gendry replied as he picked up one of the small cups of water that was left for them. Arya blinked and saw something stuck to the bottom. She snatched the cup away from Gendry and pulled off a small piece of paper. "What is that?" he whispered.

"It's a note of some kind," Arya replied. "It says "Ray" and nothing else. Does that mean anything to you?"

"There is an inn near Flea Bottom called The Ray of Sun," he said with a frown. "But why would someone send us the word "ray" and who could have done it?" Arya didn't have any answers to that, and she hit the piece of parchment in her boot so no one would find it. Despite how hurt they both were, they managed to eat and settle against the wall of their cell together. She thought that since they had just hurt her, they would leave her alone, and a guard and Jaime Lannister walked up.

"What happened to them?" Jaime asked.

"They took issue with how we were treating the other prisoners, we took issue with their attitudes," one of the guards said.

"The Queen needs to speak to them, and she asked for me to escort them personally. Bind their hands," Jaime said. Arya narrowed her eyes as the guards walked into the room and bound her hands with tight rope. Gendry, however, didn't seem much aware of anything. He was in pain, and then they pulled him to his feet he winced. The guards tied them together so Jaime could move them with his one hand. He began to roughly pull them through the Red Keep, but Arya noticed that they weren't going toward the throne room or Cersei's solar.

"Where are you taking us?" she asked.

"A long time ago, I swore an oath to your mother to get her daughters home in exchange for my own life," Jaime said lowly. "I still believe in keeping my oaths." He jerked them around to a dark corner and pulled out a knife. Arya was struck dumb as Jaime Lannister cut the ropes from both of their wrists and reached into the nearby shadows.

"You're helping us," Gendry said like he didn't quite believe it.

"The best I can," Jaime replied. He pulled out a bundle that contained all of their weapons and two dark cloaks. Arya felt her heart sing as soon as she had Needle as her waist again, and she couldn't believe how much better she felt when she was armed. Gendry strapped his hammer to his back despite how much it looked like it hurt and the sword around his waist. Jaime handed Arya some money and gestured for them to follow him. "I can get you out of the Keep, but the city is too dangerous right now. The riots mean it's hard to get in and out or anywhere, for that matter. You need to get out as fast as possible, though; once my sister realizes you're done, she's going to tear the city apart to find you."

"Give me one reason I should believe a word you're saying," Arya said with a hand on her sword. Jaime looked down at her going for her weapon, and he didn't seem that worried. Arya knew she was hurt, and even with one hand, there was a good chance that Jaime could beat her in a fight.

"You told Cersei you didn't want anything to do with Southern politics or the Iron Throne, did you mean that?" he asked.

"Yes," Arya replied without hesitation. "We just want to get North back to my family so we can be safe and live our livers."

"I don't want the throne," Gendry said.

"Then you don't need to die," Jaime replied like it was that easy. They moved to the lowest levels of the keep, which Arya remembered exploring as a child. As they got closer to the city, she could hear the riots, and it was going to be difficult to keep their heads down. "If you get caught in the riots, there is nothing I can do for you. You'll be arrested just like everyone else and end up right where you started."

"Won't the guards tell your sister that you let us go?" Arya asked, and Jaime frowned.

"No one gave the order to kill the smallfolk in the Black Cells, they did that themselves, and sometimes accidents happen to men like that," Jaime said. He stopped and pointed to the end of a long tunnel. "Keep going this way until you get to the city. From there, you'll need to find your own way."

"I'm not going to thank you," Arya said after a moment of silence, and Jaime frowned deeply.

"I don't want it anyway now get out of here. I did as much of my duty to your late mother as I could." Jaime turned and walked away from them. Arya watched him go and waited a moment to see if more guards were going to come and take them. A staged escape didn't make a lot of sense, and if this weren't real, they wouldn't have given them weapons to fight back with. She glanced at Gendry, who just shrugged.

"If it's a trap, then I'm just going to die sooner than planned. We have nothing to lose," he said. Arya nodded, and they both took off down the dark tunnel. They emerged beneath the Red Keep, and Arya could see a group of people rioting. The city seemed more alive in the middle of the night than it had the last time she was here. Gendry took her hand and began to lead her through the winding streets. He took her through dark alleys and places that someone shouldn't go if they wanted to hang onto their valuables, but fortunately, no one approached them.

Gendry paused for half a moment when he got to Flea Bottom but kept his head down and pushed through the crowds. They were moving in the same direction as the crowds, and while it was slow going eventually, they got to the inn that was on the piece of paper.

"This could be a trap," Arya said when they walked in. "Playing with us like this does seem like something she would do."

"We're here, and we have nowhere else to go. We might as well see what happens," Gendry said. He was surprisingly calm about all of this, but she could see how tired he was and how much pain he was in. It hadn't dawned on Arya that Gendry could be close to giving up; that the beatings and everything that happened to them in the Black Cells might have crushed the spirit that she loved so much about him. She squeezed his hand, and Gendry smiled softly at her. His teeth were a little red from the beating, but the cloaks covered most of the blood. He got them a room and had their meals sent up later. Right now, she wanted to get away from people.

The room was small, but the bed looked just big enough for both of them, and all Arya wanted to do was to sleep on something comfortable again. She stripped off most of her weapons but kept her dagger close. Gendry pulled off his hammer and his sword and collapsed onto the bed like he couldn't walk another step. If he was this exhausted, there was no chance he could walk out of the Red Keep fast enough to get them safely away. They would need horses or some other way out of the city.

A serving girl brought them two bowls of brown and two large glasses of ale. Gendry had told her about bowls of brown before, and considering the state of the city, she didn't want to think about what they were likely eating. It tasted fine, and before long, the food was gone, and they were both tired. They were both covered in weeks worth of blood and dirt, and that needed to be taken care of. They wouldn't make it far if they looked like two escaped prisoners. Gendry was half asleep on the bed, but Arya went downstairs. There weren't any baths, but the serving girl gave her a large bucket of water and some rags which were better than nothing. Gendry jumped when she opened the door but settled when he saw it was her.

"Come on, we don't have a bath, but the least we can do is get some of this blood off of us," Arya said.

"I keep waiting for them to burst in," Gendry said as he sat down on the floor near the bucket. "I keep waiting to wake up, and we'll be back in that cell. Why would he help us like that?"

"Maybe he still has some honor," Arya replied. "Now hold still so I can get some of this blood off of your face." For the next hour or so, they did their best to try and wash as much of the blood and dirt as they could. There was nothing they could do about their clothes, but they were dark enough that no one would notice unless they looked closely. The rest of their belongings were gone, and Arya couldn't stand the thought of sleeping in her clothes again. Despite that, it probably wasn't wise; she insisted they both sleep naked.

It also let them explore the full extent of their injuries. Arya wasn't surprised to see that the bruises on Gendry's body were significantly darker than her own. Of course, they pulled their punches with the woman. As Arya ran her fingers along the near-black bruises along Gendry's torso, she knew he wouldn't be able to run. He was far too hurt, so running was not an option. There was a good chance he wouldn't be able to ride a horse either.

"Whatever you're thinking about, we can deal with it in the morning," Gendry said as he wrapped his arms around her. They hadn't touched each other in weeks, but they were both too tired and too injured to anything other than sleep. They were out of the Black Cells, but now they needed to find a way out of King's Landing before the Queen got her hands on them again.

Arya blinked against the sun shining in the small window and realized she was the most comfortable she had been in weeks. The bed wasn't a featherbed, but it was a bed, and the blanket was warm enough that neither of them was shivering. Gendry was a solid presence at her back, and she could feel him breathing steadily. He was still asleep, and that was good. He needed rest because they needed to figure out a way to get out of the city. At the most, they had another day before the guards realized that they were gone and started to tear King's Landing apart. Cersei would offer a reward for their capture, and she couldn't even blame the starving citizen of King's Landing that would turn them in.

She rolled over and looked at the sleeping face of her husband. There was a nagging voice in the back of her head that sounded a lot like Joffrey, that said she could get out of the city alone. That if she left him behind, she could make it North and home. If she mentioned this to Gendry, he would probably agree with the self-sacrificing idiot that he was. He'd tell her to run and to run as fast as she could. He would try to placate her by saying that he knew the city better, and he could hide out until his bruised and broken body healed. He would tell her that one person in hiding was a lot easier, and he could keep away from the guards. He would tell her it would be fine, and she needed to get home.

Arya knew she could never leave him behind like that the same way he couldn't ever leave her behind. The white scar from Griffin's blade on his neck was Arya's constant reminder that Gendry would give his life for her without hesitation. He was stubborn, and while she loved that about him, he still didn't think his life was worth just as much as hers. She supposed the rest of the world wasn't doing an excellent job of showing him that it was. Everywhere they went, someone would lash out at him for marrying her. How dare a low born bastard like him to ruin a lady of a great house? It was no wonder he had a complex about the whole thing; all of Westeros seemed bound and determined to prove Gendry right.

She ran her thumb along his cheekbone and the fading bruises underneath both of his eyes. Even bloody and bruised like this, she thought he was the most beautiful man she ever laid eyes on. Arya remembered the rage she felt when Cersei touched him like this; when she dared to call him beautiful but look at him like he was expendable. Arya had a lot of reasons to kill Cersei Lannister, but it was always nice to get another one.

Gendry shifted and slowly opened his eyes. He was so exhausted; still, she could see it in his eyes, but there was no way Gendry could spend a day lying in bed. They were both weak, and the people in the Black Cells were starting to get sick. There was a chance either one of them could come down with something in the next day or two.

"Hey," he whispered. "I know when you're getting lost in your own head. You get this little frown."

"You're full of shit Gendry Waters," Arya accused, and he smiled. It was like watching the sunrise, and it made her chest feel warm. "No matter what happens, I need you to know how much I love you."

"I know how much you love me, Arya Stark. You went to Cersei to ask her to spare me. You told her we wanted nothing to do with Southern politics, but for that to happen, we'd have to stay in the North for the rest of our lives," Gendry said as he took one of her hands into his. "You were willing to give up revenge for me. I know you love me."

They stayed in bed a little longer before they both agreed they needed to get up and figure out what they were going to do next. Arya didn't want to; she wished she could stay in bed and not think about anything, but that wasn't realistic, and she knew it. She wished she had spare clothes because her own felt stiff and disgusting. She wanted a long and hot bath, another hot meal, and maybe the opportunity to sleep without worrying who was going to come out of the shadows to kill them.

There was a small tavern in the inn, and they spent most of the day listening to the drunken conversations people were having. There were a lot of rumors going around Westeros, and this seemed like a good place to try and get a handle on them.

One merchant said he saw dragons flying around Dragonstone, which all but confirmed to them again that the Dragon Queen was here. The people seemed worried that she might attack, and no one seemed to know what to think about that. As far as Arya could tell, a lot of the smallfolk seemed to think that Cersei was terrible, and they wanted her gone, but at the same time, they were terrified of those dragons and what kind of damage they could do.

From where Arya was sitting, she wasn't sure which one frightened her more. There was a good chance that both Queens would want them both dead. The North and hoping Jon could remain independent should Cersei and the Dragon Queen go to war was really their only hope.

They also listened for ways to get out of the city. It didn't really matter where a boat was going as long as it was out of the Crownlands. Even just out of King's Landing would be better than nothing. It seemed that a lot of people wanted out of King's Landing, and all the merchants and sailors were laughing about the huge prices they were charging people to get out of the city. Jaime gave them enough money for maybe three days at the inn with food and nothing else. The guards were checking people as they rode in and out of the city, and by the time they managed to get enough money for horses, Cersei would know they were missing, and there was no way they could leave through the front gates.

"I know what you're thinking, and I don't want to hear it," Arya said as they returned to their tiny room for the night. It was another bowl of brown with more terrible ale, but this time Arya managed to get her hands on some water as well. The ale was not going to help them heal, but the water would.

"You didn't even know what I was going to say," Gendry argued, and Arya fixed him with a stare. She knew exactly what he was going to say and she wasn't going to hear it. Gendry put his hands up in surrender and took a few steps back with a boyish smile on his face. "All right, maybe you do know what I'm thinking. That doesn't mean I'm wrong." Arya didn't have the chance to argue when there was a knock on their door. She glanced at Gendry, and they had a silent conversation; neither of them had asked for anything that would require someone to knock on their door.

Arya flipped her dagger in hand and nodded to Gendry. She pulled the door open, and Gendry took the person by the shirt and yanked them into the room. Gendry used his strength to pin the person to their door while Arya placed a dagger to their throat.

"I don't know who you are, but you better start talking fast," she said. The person who had knocked on their door was an older man in fairly nice looking leathers. He had silver-gray hair and a beard, and there was something familiar about the way he was dressed.

"I mean you no harm milady," the man said, and she saw Gendry jerk in surprise. Arya knew that accent, it was a Flea Bottom accent, and he spoke like a low born. "I was sent here to help you."

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"My name is Ser Davos Seaworth, and King Jon Snow asked me to come to this city to help his sister Arya Stark escape," Davos said.

"Prove it," Gendry demanded after a beat of silence. Davos looked away from Arya and focused on Gendry. His eyes went a little wide, and Arya could tell that this Davos knew who Gendry was immediately.

"Yes, tell me something that only my brother would know," Arya said.

"Your brother had a direwolf like your other sibling, but he's white with red eyes. Jon calls him Ghost," Davos said. Arya glanced at Gendry, but she wasn't entirely convinced. "Very well. On the last day, your brother saw you; he gave you a sword. You called it Needle."

"He's telling the truth," Arya whispered as she took a step back. Gendry nodded, and he also moved back from Davos but also made sure that he was between her and this stranger.

"I was expecting to see you somewhere in the Black Cells milady," Davos said as he straightened his clothes. "We only sent the message about this place recently. How did you escape?"

"We had help," Arya said and left it at that. There was no reason for this man to know how they got out of the cells.

"Yes, we, I can see that," Davos said as he looked at Gendry. "I wasn't told that you had anyone else traveling with you. Your brother told me that I was here to collect you alone."

"He's coming with me," Arya insisted.

"Milady--"

"No," Arya snapped. "You either take both of us out of the city or you leave, and we'll find our own way. Those are your only choices." Davos looked at the two of them and seemed to be thinking on the matter. Eventually, he nodded slowly.

"Then I suppose I'm taking both of you."

+++

Davos was still openly staring at Gendry, and he sort of looked like he was seeing a ghost. It made Arya deeply uncomfortable because this man might be loyal to the Stark's that didn't mean he wouldn't throw Gendry to the wolves. None of them were comfortable enough with each other to go downstairs for food, so Arya ordered it to the room, and the three of them sat down on the floor to eat. Davos didn't look like he minded that much sitting on the floor, but that didn't make Arya any less uneasy.

"You know who I am," Gendry said after a long silence as they all ate their food. He narrowed his eyes at Davos and watched him carefully.

"I do," Davos said softly. "I was the Hand of the King to Stannis Baratheon. Renly never had any children, and Stannis wouldn't have any children out of wedlock, so I can only assume you're one of Roberts who survived the slaughter."

"That's what we think," Arya said.

"You knew my Uncle?" Gendry asked.

"Yes, I'm afraid he lost a bit of his mind to the Red God for many years. I saw him destroy the only thing that really mattered in the name of that god," Davos explained.

"A woman in red came to try and buy me from the Brotherhood Without Banners many years ago," Gendry said. "She said she was doing it in the name of the rightful king of Westeros, Stannis Baratheon."

"You're lucky to be alive then, lad," Davos said. "That woman was keen to bleed or burn anyone with king's blood, and if she got her hands on you, she probably would have killed you." Davos frowned a little and looked at Gendry. "Stannis is no longer with us, so you're not in any danger from him. I can't say how friendly King Jon will be in taking in a royal bastard when he's already fighting a war on two fronts."

"What do you mean "two fronts"?" Arya asked.

"It's not my place to explain everything milady," Davos said. "Right now, we need to get both of you out of the city. Your brother sent me here to get you, but we told everyone that we were going as a test to make sure I could still get in and out of the city. Lord Tyrion needs to come to the city next week. King Jon is currently at Dragonstone, trying to negotiate an alliance with the Dragon Queen." Arya felt her blood run a little cold at the mention of the Dragon Queen; she hadn't told Gendry what Cersei said about offering him up as a prize to the Dragon Queen in exchange for mercy. Arya didn't want to worry Gendry about that, but she also couldn't keep it from him either.

"Cersei said something to me," Arya said softly. "She said that Baratheon's are valuable because of how much the Dragon Queen must hate that house for everything that they did to her. She said that she thought offering Gendry to the Dragon Queen would be seen as something worthy of sparing her life if need be. You're telling me that my brother is with her right now."

"I'm afraid I don't know the Queen, so I don't know how she would react to seeing one of Robert's children," Davos said.

"What if we just didn't tell her who I am?" Gendry said. "She can't know what Robert or other Baratheon's looked like. If we just say I'm a bastard, then it shouldn't be a problem."

"Lord Varys and Lord Tyrion Lannister are both advisors to the Queen, and they would know who you are within seconds," Davos said. "Lad, perhaps I can drop you off somewhere else on the way to Dragonstone and---"

"He stays with me or not at all, Ser," Arya said before either of them could entertain that thought. She reached over and took Gendry's hand into her own and squeezed it. "He's my husband, and I won't be separated from him." Davos stared at the two of them with an odd expression on his face like he didn't quite believe what he was hearing. At this point, Arya was used to that reaction when she told people that she was married.

"That's a dangerous union," Davos said. "One that could be a threat to a lot of people. A Baratheon bastard marrying into one of the oldest and most powerful houses in Westeros. It's no wonder Cersei wants at least one of you dead."

"In our defense, we thought I was the last of the Stark's at the time," Arya said.

"Very well, I'll sneak you both onto the island without anyone knowing you were ever there. I'll get you to a place where Jon will be so you can meet with him and figure out exactly how you want to handle all of this," Davos said. "Lad, I served House Baratheon for many years, and I must say it makes me happy to see it survive in some capacity." Gendry didn't seem to know what to say to that, so he simply nodded and kept quiet.

Not long after they finished their food, the sun went down, and Davos began to guide the three of them through the city. Gendry was still moving stiffly, and Arya knew that he was still in a lot of pain. Her own bruised and broken body was not faring much better, and all she wanted to do was sleep. However, the cover of darkness was better for them to escape, and she wanted out of this city as soon as possible.

On the beach tucked underneath a cliff was a small rowboat, and Arya could almost taste freedom. She kept waiting for a crossbow bolt to come out of nowhere or someone to yell "halt," but none came. The three of them pushed the boat out into the waves, and before long, the darkness of night had swallowed them up. They were getting away from King's Landing. Gendry looked a little pale and was holding his side as he winced with pain.

"I know that look," Davos said as he began to row. "That's the look of a man with broken ribs. I'm surprised you're still able to walk."

"Not easily," Gendry said. Davos guided them to a small ship that was anchored far away from the city. By the time the three of them managed to pull themselves on deck, Gendry looked like he was about to fall over. The ship rocked with the waves, and Gendry raced to the side so he could lose whatever food was still in his stomach. That had to be painful with his ribs, and Arya rubbed his back to try and make him feel better. Davos guided them to a small compartment used by smugglers and told them that he would come and let them out when it was safe.

"I feel so weak," Gendry whispered when they were safely stowed away.

"You're hurt. We both are," Arya said as she pulled Gendry down so he could lie his head down on her lap. "They hurt you more than me because you're a man. You need time to get better, and we haven't had it yet. Once we're in the North, we can stop running."

"I hope so," Gendry said. "I really hope so." Arya closed her eyes and slept throughout most of the sailing. Davos stopped by to give them a little food and water and assured them that it was going to be just a few more hours. As they got closer, she felt her stomach tie up in knots. She hadn't seen Jon in so many years, and now he was the King in the North. Jon was her favorite brother, but the idea of seeing even one member of her family made her nervous. She always felt like such an outsider, and Jon was too. It was one of the things they had in common, but now he was a King, and Arya didn't know what she was anymore.

"A princess," Gendry said when she voiced her concerns. "By the gods, if your brother is a King that makes you a princess. I'd be laughing about how ridiculous it is that a lowborn bastard like me married a princess, but it would hurt too much."

"Good because it isn't funny," Arya snapped, but she could still see Gendry smiling in the darkness. She thwacked him upside the head, and he huffed out a laugh regardless. Arya could hear the boat dock, and she sat very still. There was a chance that this Davos could turn them over to the Dragon Queen. That he wasn't really loyal to Jon, and they were about to get burned alive by a dragon. She could hear them even below deck. Their roars were hard to mistake. The little girl in her wanted to see the dragons, but the practical woman who survived this long didn't want anything to do with them.

Eventually, Davos came out and helped them out of the compartment. The castle was massive, but Arya was glad that Davos was leading them along the beach to a small alcove in the walls of the island. There were people moving around in there, and Davos asked them to wait not far from the entrance. He said he was going to bring Jon to them.

"You'll protect me if your brother decides to beat me bloody for touching his little sister, right?" Gendry asked.

"No one is touching you while I have a sword in my hands," Arya assured him. She took his hand and held onto it tightly. She couldn't believe that she was about to unite with her family, and it felt like a heavyweight settled onto her chest. Arya knew she was probably crushing Gendry's hand; she was holding on so tight, but he didn't say a word. There was the sound of someone rushing toward them, and Arya braced herself.

"Arya?" an all too familiar voice said from the darkness.

"Jon?" she whispered. The man who emerged from the shadows was both familiar and all too different. His dark hair was tied back in a bun, and he had a much larger beard. He was dressed in Northern armor and clothing despite the heat at Dragonstone, and there were direwolves etched into the metal. She released Gendry's hand and raced toward him. It was like she was a child all over again, and despite every single bruise and broken bone, she had Arya jumped into his arms. Jon held onto her like she was a lifeline and collapsed to his knees in the sand.

"Little sister," he whispered, and Arya knew she was finally home again.

Arya could have held onto Jon for several hours, and the little girl she was deep down really wanted to, but other things needed to get taken care of. She pulled away from Jon and watched him smile down at her. It seemed to take Jon a moment to notice the fourth person in the room that he didn't know. Jon looked over at Gendry, and Arya felt nervous all over again. She looked over her shoulder at her husband, and he did something she hadn't ever seen before; Gendry bent the knee and put his head down.

"Your Grace, it's an honor to meet you," Gendry said. Gendry had a problem with nobility, he wasn't a fan, and he disliked having to act nicely to them even more, but here he was willingly knowing and kneeling to her brother. Arya had a feeling that the only reason Gendry was doing this was because he knew all about Jon. She broke away from her favorite brother to stand next to her husband.

"Please stand up," she said softly. Gendry glanced at her, then at Jon, and let her help him to her feet. Jon seemed to zero in on the places where they were touching, and Arya didn't like the way he was narrowing his eyes. "Jon, I want you to meet someone very important to me. This is Gendry; he's my husband."

"Is this a jape?" Jon said after a long beat of silence and staring at the two of them like they spawned second heads. Arya looped her arm through Gendry's and could feel him flinch at the statement.

"No, it's true; we were married beneath a heart tree about a year ago. We've known each other since the day Father was killed, and we've traveled together ever since," Arya explained. Jon didn't look less confused, and Gendry was beginning to look a little pale and likely needed to sit down. "Let's sit down so we can explain everything."

"Sure, we can go up to the castle---"

"We need to stay here and talk," Arya interrupted, and now Jon looked incredibly suspicious. "Please, brother, let us tell you our story here, and then we'll decide what we want to do next. We've just spent considerable time in the Black Cells, and we're still wounded from the beatings."

"Very well," Jon said, and the three of them settled into the cool sand beneath Dragonstone near a torch. Davos did not join them but stayed close enough that he would be able to hear and let them know if anyone was coming. Arya glanced at Gendry and began to tell their story. She told Jon about that day on the Sept and how she traveled with Yoren. Gendry explained about how the Gold Cloaks attacked and how they ended up at Harrenhal. Her favorite brother patiently listened to everything that the two of them were telling him. He looked angry when he found out about the bandit attack that nearly took their lives.

Arya was nervous to see how Jon would react to their unconventional relationship. She was not keen to tell her brother all of the details, but he seemed to understand that this marriage was consummated. Jon smiled a little when they talked about their work all over Westeros as Wolf and Bull and frowned deeply when he heard about Griffin and being taken to the Black Cells. However, they had to tell him why Cersei wanted both of them, and that meant revealing Gendry's parentage.

"Cersei massacred any of King Robert's bastards right around the time that Ned Stark was killed," Gendry said because this was his story to tell and not hers. "We didn't know until many years later that I was one of those bastards. The reason I was sent to the Wall that day was to protect me from that massacre. There's been a price on my head ever since, and now Cersei wants to use my death in a couple of creative ways such as using it as a threat to any lesser houses that might defy her."

"I don't understand what that has to do with the Queen here," Jon said.

"Robert Baratheon killed most of her family, and no doubt, tried to kill her. How do you think she would react to having one of his sons nearby? Not only one of his sons but possibly the only one and the last of the house?" Gendry sighed and glanced at Arya. "Cersei seemed to think she hates Baratheon's enough that handing me over to get burned alive by a dragon could grant her some level of mercy."

"Gendry's an unacknowledged bastard, but anyone who knew Robert could see who he is. Ser Davos told us that Lord Vary and Lord Tyrion are part of the Dragon Queen's counsel. They would know who Gendry is, and I can't risk her deciding that he's a threat to her rule," Arya explained. "Cersei seemed to believe that you could legitimize him, as King of the North, and Gendry would have ample claim to the Iron Throne."

"Even if I'm not legitimized, there are people who still support my father's house," Gendry said. "Anytime we went to the Stormlands, people would look at us oddly. They could declare for me based on my look alone, and that would be a threat to her rule." Gendry reached over and took Arya's hand into his. "And if she thinks there is a chance that Arya is with child, she could burn her too."

"It's not a risk either of us is willing to take," Arya said. "Please, don't let her see us until we know she won't burn us both because of who our parents are or who we decided to marry." Jon looked at their joined hands and then back up to their faces.

"You love my little sister?" Jon asked.

"More than anything," Gendry replied without hesitation. "I would have insisted we separate, so she was in less danger, but she's too stubborn to accept that answer." Gendry looked at her, and she could feel her heart pounding at the naked affection in his eyes. "She never cared that I had nothing to offer her, she never cared that I was a bastard and unworthy of her, and by some miracle of the gods she loves me back."

"When I thought I was alone in the world, I had him," Arya said as she looked back at Jon. "I thought I lost my entire family, and you were on the Wall, so I couldn't see you. When I was alone, I had Gendry. Please don't make me choose between my brother and my husband because I know what would happen. This self-sacrificing idiot next to me would probably insist I choose you over him, but I don't want to make that choice. Not ever."

"After everything this family has gone through, I couldn't imagine asking you to do anything like that," Jon said. He offered Gendry a hand, and the two of them clasped hands tightly. "Gendry Waters, thank you for helping take care of my little sister and for being there for you. Our fathers were close friends, and I hope you and I can continue that friendship."

"Nice to meet you too, Jon Snow," Gendry replied, and Arya's heart sang as the two of them smiled at each other. She knew she wasn't out of the woods yet, that Sansa would probably have something to say about this, but if Jon approved, then that was what really mattered.

"All right, you two look like hell," Jon said as he pushed himself to his feet. "Ser Davos and I will do our best to get you some food and blankets. It's not exactly warm here, but it's the best we can do for now."

"Thank you, Jon," Arya said. He leaned over and kissed her forehead, and left to go back to the castle to get them supplies. Arya settled into Gendry's side as he let out a long breath. "So, that went well."

"Yeah, for the first time, someone didn't threaten to gut me for touching the high born lady. If anyone had the right to, it would be your older brother, and yet here I sit," Gendry said as he shook his head and smiled to himself. "You high borns make no sense to me."

"Jon's like you, he understands, probably better than most," Arya said. The two of them sat there in the sand and the darkness, not saying anything, for several hours until Jon and Davos returned with some food and blankets to keep them warm. When Jon heard about all of her bruises, he began to fret, but Arya waved him off. If anyone of them needed a maester, it was Gendry, and he said he was fine at least for now. It wasn't exactly comfortable to lie down in the sand, but their bellies were full, and the exhaustion of everything was catching up to them.

"You told me everything that happened to you," Jon said as he was getting ready to go back to the castle for the night. "Tomorrow, I'll tell you everything that happened to me and what I know about the rest of our family." Arya nodded and watched him go. The sound of the sea and Gendry's warm heat behind her lulled her into a dreamless sleep.

+++

Arya wanted to sleep longer, but it seemed that people were in and out of the cave for most of the morning. The two of them were tucked into a dark corner so they couldn't see them, but it still meant that she could hear them talking. They were talking about mining something from beneath the island and how they needed it to fight something. It was a detail that she didn't understand and one that she wanted to press Jon about as soon as possible. Arya slipped out from her blankets and let Gendry sleep some more.

She wandered to the entrance and looked out at the ocean. It was warm, but nothing she wasn't used to at this point. Arya wondered if she would be cold if they ever made it back to the North. Would it bother her like it bothered most people from the South? She'd been away from her home for so long Arya wasn't sure if she was even from the North anymore. The thought of getting sick from the cold broke her heart a little, and anytime the wind cut through to her bones would be a constant reminder that she purposely stayed away from home. Her and Gendry could have gone North years ago, and they didn't. They remained in the South, and they did good work. She was proud of what they did. Yet, at the same time, she regretted staying away for so long.

Jon came around the corner and smiled when he saw her.

"I can't get over the fact that you're my little sister," he said as he pulled her into a hug. "You're a woman grown, and I missed all of it."

"Everyone did," Arya replied as they walked into the caves toward the back area where Gendry was still asleep. She knelt down next to him and ran her fingers through his hair. He hummed in his sleep but didn't wake up. Arya didn't really want to wake him up at all; he was still very hurt and needed rest to recover.

"I never thought I'd live to see the day you looked at a man like that," Jon said.

"Thank you," Arya whispered.

"For what?" Jon asked as he settled down on the ground in a way that was a little awkward and seemed below his great station.

"For accepting him," she said as she turned and looked at her brother. "When we first decided to be together, he told me he was afraid. He knew that if anyone found out who I was and that we were together, they would blame him. They would string him up even if it were something I wanted. I didn't believe him, at first, but it seems like everyone we've met has done exactly that." She looked down and saw that Gendry was still asleep, but he was frowning like he was in pain. She wished she could take it away. "He's a good man, one of the best I know, and he still thinks his life is worth less than mine because he's a bastard."

"Arya," Jon said. "It's a mentality that is drilled into us from day one. All anyone can tell us is that we're the lowest of the lows. I was lucky that father made sure I was treated better than most. Judging from what you've both told me about his life before that, it sounds like he wasn't as lucky." Jon took a deep breath and released it slowly. "Am I a little uncomfortable with the idea of my baby sister being a married woman? Of course, I am, I'm your brother, and you're my sister. You always saw the good in people and didn't tolerate the bad, so if you deemed this man not only worthy of your affections but your hand in marriage? Well, your judgment is something that I trust." Gendry began to stir, and he blinked up at the two of them.

"Bleeding hells, I'm sleeping in front of royalty," he mumbled.

"You didn't snore, so don't worry about it," Arya said, and Gendry rolled his eyes. He winced as he sat up and settled against the Wall. Jon reached into his bag and handed the two of them some bread, dried meat, and a small wineskin.

"You told me everything that happened to you, so I suppose it's time for me to tell you everything that has happened to me," Jon said.

+++

It took a couple of hours, but Jon eventually caught the two of them up on everything that was happening in the North. Arya took Gendry's hand and held on tight when Jon told her about what happened to Rickon. In her own mind, Arya had already grieved for her baby brother, but hearing how he died and right in front of Jon made it so much harder to hear. She was surprised to hear that Theon came through for Sansa in the end, and her blood boiled with rage at the thought of what that Bolton bastard did to her beautiful sister. It was also at that moment that Jon told her about the letter he got that Bran was alive and back in Winterfell.

It took all of her self control not to jump up and scream when Jon told her that he'd been killed and brought back to life. When he mentioned the red woman, Melisandre was apparently her name, Gendry tensed up. He was still afraid of her after all of these years, and she honestly did not blame him in the slightest. Just because this woman served a different king didn't mean she wasn't keen to burn people whose blood she deemed powerful.

Jon explained that he was in the South trying to create an alliance with the Dragon Queen, Daenerys Jon told them her name was because he believed that they needed all of Westeros to fight the undead. Arya and Gendry glanced at each other, and she still wasn't sure if it was worth the risk. There was still the chance that this Daenerys would decide to burn them both.

"I'm not sure if you can trust her either," Jon confessed. "She seems like she has a good heart, but people have been known to do crazier things in the name of the iron throne." Jon smiles to himself a little. "I won't let anything happen to either of you. I swear it."

"Ser Davos said something about smuggling Lord Tyrion into the city, what was that about?" Gendry asked as they finished the rest of their food.

"He seems to think he can convince Jaime to convince Cersei to join the battle against the dead," Jon said.

"That won't work," Arya said.

"We're discussing a plan to go beyond the Wall and bring back a wright to prove to her that the dead are real," Jon replied, but Arya shook her head.

"Jon, both of us have spoken to her more than once recently. She is not going to agree to anything. She blew up the Sept of Balor, do you think someone like that can be reasoned with?" Arya asked. Jon frowned but didn't say anything more. "It sounds like you want to go North again soon, can't we just sneak aboard your ship and she'll never know we were there?"

"She wants to send someone with us on the mission beyond the Wall," Jon explained. "He's loyal to her, and it'll look worse for us if we make it look like we're hiding the two of you." The three of them sat in silence for a moment as Arya and Gendry finished the last of their food.

"But Daenerys isn't really the problem," Gendry said as eyes turned to him. "She doesn't know what my father looked like, only Lord Tyrion and Lord Varys, so could you figure out a way to introduce the three of us without including either of them?"

"The man she wants to send North is Ser Jorah Mormont, and he could recognize Gendry as well," Jon said. "He was knighted by King Robert."

"Gendry is injured though and could use the entire trip sailing North to recuperate. Ser Jorah wouldn't have to get a good look at his face if he's resting below deck the entire time. When you decide to go on this suicide mission beyond the Wall we can go to Winterfell. It'll be easier to hide there," Arya suggested. "I still believe that trying to convince Cersei to join this fight won't work."

"I don't believe I can make it to the North on foot," Gendry admitted. "Not right now and not without some considerable time to heal. Ever since we got captured, men have been beating the hell out of me. I feel like I haven't been able to take a deep breath without pain for months. If we're going to make it to the North, we need help getting there."

"I'll see about a meeting without Varys, Tyrion, or Jorah nearby, but it won't be easy," Jon said. "I want the two of you to continue to rest down here the best you can, and I'll try to get us North as soon as possible." Jon pushed himself to his feet and nodded to them. Arya watched her brother walk out of the cave and leave the two of them in the darkness once again.

"He mentioned that there was a material here that was one of the only things that could kill the undead," Gendry said. "We should have him give me some to bring to Winterfell while we wait for them to return."

"You would latch onto that bit of information," Arya said as she smiled. She settled next to him and closed her eyes. She didn't like the idea of being this close to many enemies still, but there weren't any other options at the moment. Jon said that he could keep both of them safe, and he seemed to like Gendry enough. She thought her favorite brother wouldn't let some Queen he didn't know to burn her husband. There was something about the way that Jon spoke about this woman that set Arya's teeth on edge. There was no avoiding meeting her, though, and it was something that she was going to have to accept. She just hoped that this meeting doesn't end with her and Gendry staring down a dragon in their final moments.

"I want you to know something," Arya said as she looked up at Gendry. "If we need to escape to keep this Daenerys from hurting you, I'll do it. I can wait to get North if need be." Gendry turned and looked down at her.

"I need some time to heal, Arya. I don't know how long that will take," he said. "I don't want to make you wait that long, and I know you want to defend your home from this threat beyond the Wall. We're taking the ship, and we'll figure out a way to keep both of us safe." Gendry kissed her forehead, and the two of them spent the rest of the day resting and hoping that their wounds healed sooner rather than later.

When Ser Davos failed to turn up for a full day, Arya guessed that he must have taken Tyrion to King's Landing. She just hoped that they managed to get out of the city with the way things were looking the last time. Gendry told her that he didn't think the riots were going to stop, in fact, he thought they were going to get worse, and Cersei was going to respond to them poorly. When she inevitably responded to them badly, they were only going to get worse until all hell broke loose in the city. There were half a million people in that city, and Arya tried not to think about someone like Gendry, a working-class man trying to get by, would be doing in that kind of city.

Tyrion being gone meant that there was one less person around that could recognize Gendry. Jon stopped by in the early morning to say that he was going to ask Daenerys to come down to the beach for a walk. While they were walking, he would reveal that he was going to do an introduction. There was a chance that Daenerys handmaiden, Missandei, might be with her but that she wasn't a threat. She wouldn't know what a Baratheon looked like either.

"This is a bad idea," Arya said after Jon left.

"This is our only chance to meet this queen so we can go North," Gendry replied. He was looking a little pale today, more so than usual, and he didn't sleep well the night before. He kept assuring her that he was fine, but she didn't believe it. They needed to go North, and they needed to go there quickly.

"That doesn't mean I have to like it," Arya replied as she turned her wedding band around her finger.

"We can't hide here forever. We need to get off of Dragonstone one way or another," Gendry said. He failed to mention that one of the "other" ways was turning to ash and being blown away by the wind. Arya could hear voices approaching the caves, and she stood up. Her and Gendry brushed the sand from their clothes and waited patiently. She reached over and took his hand and laced their fingers together. They would draw on each other's strength.

"I just wanted to keep her safe, and the fewer people know that they are here, the better. I wouldn't want a spy getting back to Cersei that I have her escaped prisoners," Jon explained as they walked into the cave. They had decided that telling most of the truth was better than a lie; they were wanted fugitives for their work as Wolf and Bull, and that was a good reason to keep them away from Cersei. They also decided it was best if Gendry introduced himself as a "Rivers" instead of a "Waters". The more distance they could put between him and King's Landing, the better. It was Arya's idea, and she still didn't like it.

Jon walked a woman dressed in grey clothing with a dragon brooch on her shoulder and an intricate chain that went across her chest. Her hair was white and her eyes a strange violet color, unlike anything Arya had ever seen before. Behind her was a woman with curly hair and darker skin wearing another dragon broach.

"I would like to introduce my little sister, Arya Stark, and her husband, Gendry Rivers," Jon said.

"May I present Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, First of Her Name, the Unburnt, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, and Mother of Dragons," the woman, Arya could only assume this was Missandei, announced. Despite the significant amount of pain, it caused them both Arya and Gendry bowed to this woman in front of them. She held herself like a Queen, Arya noted, and with the number of titles she had, she didn't blame her sense of righteousness.

"Lady Arya," Daenerys said. "King Jon was just explaining to me the terrible thing you and your husband went through. You were very lucky to escape the Black Cells."

"We were, Your Grace," Arya said, and she squeezed Gendry's hand, and he squeezed it back. "Now, I just want to go back to the North and be with my family."

"I see," Daenerys turned her gaze to Gendry and narrowed her eyes. "A lady of a great house marrying a man with no real last name is not common here in Westeros. Why did you marry?"

"For love, Your Grace," Gendry said without hesitation. "Arya means everything to me, and I would do anything to keep her safe. That includes marrying her to try and conceal the fact that she was a Stark and someone sought after by the Lannister's." Arya was impressed by how confidently he was speaking to this woman who could beckon a dragon to eat them both.

"You plan to go North with King Jon, then?" Daenerys asked. "They are currently planning a mission beyond the Wall to capture a wright to prove to Cersei Lannister that the dead are real and she needs to join us. Will you be joining that mission?"

"No, Your Grace," Arya said. "We are both hurt from our time in the Black Cells, and neither of us could travel very far on a horse, let alone on foot." She hesitated and glanced at Gendry. "Your Grace, if I may speak freely. Gendry and I both got the chance to speak to Cersei twice while we were in the Black Cells. Once together and then we were separated the other times. She is not someone you can reason with."

"Arya, we need the Crown to help win this war," Jon said.

"I don't doubt that," Gendry said. "But she blew up the Sept of Balor and killed who knows how many civilians doing that. The city is about to tear itself apart with riots, and she is letting it happen, Your Graces. She's not someone who can be reasoned with." Daenerys watched them both with an odd expression on her face.

"My hand tells me there could be hope if we can sway Jaime Lannister," she said.

"Jaime does have some honor left, Your Grace," Arya said. "But that doesn't mean Cersei will listen to him. She's mad, and you can't reason with someone who's mad."

"I would insist you come up to the castle to rest, but Jon says that we cannot risk someone finding out that you are here," Daenerys said.

"I can have them both waiting on the boat for them. I leave to go North one way or another," Jon replied. There was an odd tension between Daenerys and Jon that Arya didn't quite trust. She knew this woman wanted Jon to bend the knee to her reign. There were many risks involved with that, including losing the support of the Northern Lords. Arya knew those men, she remembered them from her childhood, and she could only assume the many years of war hadn't dulled their stubbornness.

"I will talk to my advisors about your suggestion regarding Cersei," Daenerys said. She nodded to Missandei, and they walked out of sight. Arya released a breath she didn't know she was holding and slumped against the Wall.

"I want our family together again as soon as possible," Jon said. "We will leave for the North as soon as we decide whether or not we're going to go beyond the Wall." Arya didn't bother to tell Jon it was a stupid plan because she had already told him multiple times. Cersei would never pledge troops or fight for the good of Westeros. She didn't care about the people in the city she had to look at every day; she wouldn't care about the North or anyone else. "Gather your things and pull up your cloaks. I'm taking you both to the boat."

"Still alive for now," Gendry said softly as they walked toward the boat that was docked near Dragonstone. They both looked up and could see the dragons circling the island. She could only assume they were protecting it and Daenerys. "What am I going to do if she allies with Jon and comes North to fight? Her advisors and the people who would recognize me would be coming too."

"We'll deal with that problem when it happens," Arya whispered back. "I'm hoping that once she sees we're in the North and plan to stay there, then she'll decide that we aren't a threat." Jon leads them both back to his ship that would be sailing for White Harbor soon.

The plan was to hope that either the plan beyond the Wall gets scrapped and there isn't anyone from Daenerys' circle traveling with them. In which case, it wouldn't matter who saw them. Or that they could hide Gendry's identity for the trip North and then separate from the group after they headed for Eastwatch. The excuse as to why they couldn't travel together was that Arya and Gendry were injured and needed to travel much more slowly. It was a plan that relied far too much on luck for Arya's tastes, but there wasn't anything she could do about it now. Jon took them below deck into a small room connected to where he would sleep.

"No one should bother you here," he said. "We'll be shipping off soon." He turned and left them alone on the boat. Arya looked around the tiny room and took in the small bed that could barely fit the two of them and the lack of storage.

"We're in servants quarters," she said. "He's right when he said no one should look for us here."

"I'll take a bed over sand," Gendry said as he started to peel off the many layers the two of them were wearing. Arya hoped there were some clothes the two of them could borrow to help keep them warm in the North. Gendry stripped down to just his breeches and handed Arya his shirt. She wanted just to wear that, but the idea of Jon walking in on the two of them made it seem like a bad idea. Instead, she wore the shirt and her own breeches untied. "I suppose this means I'll need to start calling you milady again."

"Don't you dare," Arya warned as the two of them settled into the bed. Gendry winced but put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him.

"As milady commands," he whispered against her lips. "And you can't hit me for that because I'm too injured."

"As if I couldn't find another way of punishing you," Arya replied. They were both smiling when they leaned in for the kiss, and Arya couldn't remember the last time they got a chance to kiss like this. She knew there was a chance that Jon could walk in at any moment and they couldn't go any further, but it felt so good to lie on a bed and exchange soft kisses with the man she loved. Arya opened her mouth to him, and their soft kisses were no longer so soft. They were wet and left her breathless, and there was a good chance it was leaving Gendry breathless as well, which was probably hell on his ribs. She reluctantly pulled away and pressed their foreheads together.

Arya wanted to be free of pain. She wanted to be in Winterfell with her family so she could live her life. She wanted peace, but the dead were coming, and there was still a fight for the Iron Throne, which the North could easily get drawn into. She wondered if there was anywhere in Westeros they could go where they would be truly safe.

+++

Jon tried to steal his nerves as he made his way to the painted room for the meeting with Daenerys. He wanted to go back North and get Arya and Gendry back to Winterfell as soon as possible, but every time he seemed like he was ready to go, something else would happen. Now they were going to decide if going beyond the Wall to find a wright was the right decision to make. All he could think about were the dark bruises on Arya and Gendry's bodies, the way they both moved like they had multiple broken bones. There were odd marks on Gendry's face like someone had scratched him, and Arya told him that Cersei. That was how she reacted the first time she saw him.

'She's mad, and you can reason with someone who's mad,' he thought. 'That's what Arya said.' The more he thought about it, the more sense it made. They couldn't accuse Cersei of being mad and then try to appeal to the logic of self-preservation. It didn't make sense, and there wasn't any reason why they would even think about trusting her even if she did agree.

"Your sister and her husband are safely below deck, then?" Davos asked as he joined Jon on his trek to the room.

"Yes, I put them in my servant's quarters. I'm hoping no one will look for them there," Jon replied. They walked into the room to see Daenerys standing with Missandei, Tyrion, Varys, and Jorah.

"What did you learn from your trip to King's Landing, Lord Tyrion?" Daenerys asked.

"Cersei is pregnant again," he said. "Jaime thinks that will be enough to convince her to help fight for the realm."

"She blew up the Sept of Balor," Davos said. "King's Landing is a riot right now as people try to fight back against the destruction of such an important relic. Cersei did that."

"I know but--"

"Lord Tyrion, your sister, is mad, do you agree with that statement?" Jon asked.

"Yes, she probably is, but I'm not sure--" Tyrion began.

"Then why do you assume that you can win this fight logically?" Daenerys said, and Jon released a breath. So she was listening to Arya and Gendry, and that made him feel a little better.

"A mission beyond the Wall is dangerous to everyone included, and for all, we know we could bring her proof, and she still wouldn't come to fight for us," Jon explained, and he looked at Daenerys. "The Crown won't help, so all the more reason for you and I to agree to fight together."

"So then you plan to bend the knee, King Jon?" Daenerys asked.

"Is now really the time to be talking about this?" Jon leaned heavily on the table and thought about the horrors he'd seen beyond the Wall. He knew what was coming for them, and that didn't make this any easier. "Right now, the threat lies beyond the Wall. If we start drawing political lines, we'll still be here arguing while the dead march over all of Westeros. We need to come to an accord and decide on country lines at a later date, Your Grace."

"You believe I should fight for the North only to have the North remain apart from my Kingdom once this war ends? When you leave me with no men to take King's Landing?" Daenerys said as she narrowed her eyes.

"No, you pledge to fight for Winterfell, and the North will fight for you. Once you are on the Iron Throne, we can discuss the topic of independence then but right now, Your Grace, it doesn't matter. If the North falls, then the dead will just move South and take the Riverlands, the Crownlands, The Stormlands, all of Westeros. Fighting for the North is fighting for Westeros," Jon sighed heavily and looked up at her. "Your Grace, we need every man we can get, and if I bend the knee to you now, I could lose support from the Northern lords."

"And when all of this ends, I'm supposed to just trust that you'll send men North to help me as well?" Daenerys snapped.

"Yes," Jon said without hesitation. "Whether the North remains independent or not, we'd still have to trade with each other, and we'd share a border. That means any sort of border would need to be heavily negotiated and now just isn't the time to do that. We're going to war together, Daenerys; if you don't trust me, then we're going to lose. Both of us. And if we lose, everyone is going to die, and it won't matter who holds the North or the Iron Throne." Daenerys looked at the table in front of her and frowned deeply. Tyrion looked like he'd just bit into a lemon while Vary's was staring at Jon like he was trying to see through him.

"King Jon, will you please excuse us for a moment, I wish to talk to my advisors," Daenerys said. Jon bowed and walked out of the room as Davos followed. If she didn't help with the fight against the dead, then there was no chance that they were going to win. He just hoped that she could see beyond the Iron Throne and titles right now and see the bigger picture. He could, but he also knew that the North wouldn't take kindly to another Queen walking in without notice. They could rebel, and they needed the Northern lords to pledge their men.

"Do you think she'll align with us?" Davos asked.

"I hope so," Jon said.

+++

Jon paced around the castle for the entire time that Daenerys was conferring with her advisors. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do if they decided not to come North to help him. The Riverlands were not an option, and they didn't have anyone who could rally the Stormlands. For half a second, he thought that maybe Gendry and Arya could do that, but he dismissed it immediately. They didn't want anything to do with this, and he wouldn't ask them to become involved like that. Daenerys told him that the Reach, Dorne, and the Ironborn were no longer available. Theon had gone out to rescue his sister, but they would have the full Iron Fleet, and sailors did them no good against the dead.

Missandei walked out of the room and approached them after what felt like an entire day of deliberation.

"Your Grace, please join us," she said. Jon glanced at Davos and tried to school his face so he wouldn't reveal just how nervous he was. They walked back into the room, and Jon immediately noted that Tyrion looked extremely unhappy, which boded well for him.

"King Jon, I have carefully considered your proposal, and I agree that for the good of the realm, we must stand together. As long as I have your word as a Stark that we will revisit the discussion of a unified Westeros when the battle with the dead is over, then we have an accord," Daenerys said. She walked forward and offered Jon her hand. "I pledge to fight for the North."

"And in exchange, I pledge that the North will help you take the Iron Throne," Jon replied as he took her hand. "I need to make my way to Eastwatch as soon as possible. I need to talk to the other brothers on the Wall and see how much time we have."

"I would like to send Ser Jorah with you as well," Daenerys said as they released each other's hands. "As a sign of our new alliance, of course." Out of the people she could have sent, Jorah was the one who likely wouldn't recognize Gendry as a Baratheon right away. He was expecting this, but that didn't mean he was looking forward to keeping his sister and her husband locked in a ship for several days.

"Of course. I'd like to leave as soon as possible for the North, will everything be prepared by morning, Your Grace?" Jon asked, and Daenerys smiled a little.

"Yes, it will, Your Grace," she replied. For the first time, he felt like she was seeing him as an equal and not a little boy playing king. He nodded and walked out of the room with Davos following close behind. This was much better than he could have anticipated. He thought he would have to bend the knee to get her to help.

"That was very wise," Davos said as they walked toward their rooms. "Your father would be proud of how well you're handling diplomacy."

"Right now, I just want to get back to the North so I can figure out how much time we have. I'd like to keep some men here and have them start mining for dragon glass. Then when Daenerys and her army comes North, we'll have the supplies we need to start making weapons. We're going to need as much as we can carry," Jon said. "Make sure that you bring a small amount with you so I can give it to Gendry. Arya said he was a blacksmith, so maybe he can figure out how to use it effectively."

"Right away, Your Grace," Davos said, and he walked away to get their preparations started. Jon sighed heavily and made his way down to the beach. He wanted to tell Arya and Gendry that they were going to head North tomorrow. The door to the servant's chambers was closed, but Jon opened it without knocking. They both jerked awake, and Jon immediately averted his eyes. While he was trying to be okay with the thought of his little sister married and sharing a bed with a husband that didn't mean he wanted to see it.

"Jon, relax, we were just sleeping. You can turn around. We're both mostly decent," Arya said, but he could hear her smiling. He turned around, and for the first time, he saw how badly Gendry was hurt. The bruises on his body were still an ugly black color, and it looked like they were just starting to heal. Arya appeared to be wearing his shirt, and the collar was too wide. When it fell off of her shoulder, a little Jon could see a yellowing bruise poking out.

"Daenerys agreed to fight for us without forcing me to bend the knee. She is still sending Ser Jorah with us, so it would be in both of your best interests to stay out of sight," Jon explained.

"And the mission beyond the Wall?" Arya asked.

"You were right; there isn't anything in the world that could convince Cersei to help us. We aren't going," Jon replied. "We leave for the North in the morning."

Arya woke up to the feeling of motion, which could only mean that they had set off for the North in the morning like Jon promised they would. The plan hadn't changed that much now that they weren't going beyond the Wall either; Jon was still heading to Eastwatch to see if he could get an idea of how long they had until the dead came. Her and Gendry would make for Winterfell on horses and foot alone. Gendry would spend most of the next four days or so below deck resting and avoiding Jorah Mormont at all costs. She turned over and watched Gendry sleep for a moment. He was still pale, still didn't look healthy, but he wasn't frowning in his sleep like he was in pain anymore. She was worried and would be throwing him to the Winterfell maester as soon as they got through the gates.

Just because he had to stay hidden didn't mean that she did. Arya climbed out of the bed doing her best not to wake him up. Gendry blinked once as soon as she removed herself from his arms.

"Go back to sleep," she whispered. "We're sailing so you can't go far anyway. I'll bring you some food."

"Love you," Gendry mumbled as he reached forward and squeezed her hand. He was back asleep almost instantly, and Arya kissed his forehead. She walked out of the servant's quarters and into Jon's room. When Arya was younger, and she thought about being married to someone, she always expected to be miserable. She expected that she would hate her husband and even thought that running away would be an option. Instead, here she was; lovesick like the songs she used to mock Sansa for loving. Gendry wasn't a knight, and she wasn't a princess who needed saving, but she loved him, and he loved her. It felt so natural now, and she couldn't remember a time when she didn't love him.

Arya had another flashback to her childhood as she stole a tunic and a pair of breeches from Jon. They were too big, and she needed to roll the legs up so she wouldn't trip on them, but they were clean and felt amazing against her skin. She tied Need around her waist, leaving Thread and her other weapons in the room. Arya ran her fingers through her mess of hair, braided and tied it with a leather, and walked out of the room. She wandered a little, keeping out of sight until she found a familiar face.

"Ser Davos," Arya said.

"Lady Arya," Davos replied with a nod of his head. "It's lovely to see you. How are you and the lad feeling?"

"He's asleep, which I think is probably for the best. I'm worried about him, but I think he's going to be okay once we get the chance to relax and sleep a little," Arya replied. "I guess the same applies to me but to a lesser extent. Where's my brother?"

"Follow me," Davos said and led her through the ship. He opened the door to reveal Jon sitting at a small table with a man she didn't recognize sitting next to him. She never met Jorah Mormont, so she could only assume this was the sworn shield of Daenerys.

"Arya, I'm glad to see you up and about," Jon said. "Allow me to introduce Ser Jorah Mormont. Ser Jorah? My youngest sister Arya Stark."

"My Lady, your brother, was telling me what you and your husband went through in the Black Cells and why you were there. It sounds like you have a fondness for the smallfolk."

"We were just trying to help the people that couldn't help themselves while being as annoying to the Lannister's as two people without an army could be," Arya replied. "It's lovely to meet you. I'm sorry that my husband isn't here right now, but he's resting. The guards didn't pull their punches when it came to him, and he was hurt a lot worse than I was."

"Of course. I hope he heals quickly and I can meet him soon," Jorah replied. He seemed nice enough, but from what Jon told her, he was utterly devoted to Daenerys. She didn't trust him, not yet, and probably not ever until Daenerys herself declared that she wasn't going to order a dragon to eat Gendry.

"Would you like to join us for some food?" Jon asked, but Arya was already shaking her head. She didn't really want to be here right now.

"No, I think I'll go get some myself and bring it to Gendry to eat, but I'll try to join you for dinner later." Arya didn't wait to be dismissed; instead, she turned and walked out of the room. There were a lot of things she could get used to quickly, but readjusting to the strappings of a noble life was not one of them. Also, she didn't really think Jon would force her to bow every time she walked in and out of the room. They were a family before he was her King.

She picked her way through the ship until she came out on deck. The sun was high in the sky, and the horizon looked endless. It was beautiful, and she loved every single second of it. A few men were manning the sails and walking around. They seemed to either know who she was or were smart enough to leave her alone. Arya was hungry, but she was so used to being hungry at this point that it didn't really register. She wanted time to enjoy the clean air and the open sea.

Arya wasn't sure how long she stayed near the railing, watching the waves and the ocean when Jon joined her.

"We haven't had a chance to talk just the two of us," he said.

"I know, and we probably won't until we get to Winterfell," Arya replied. "You have secrets, and so do I. We need to make sure we're someplace safe before we can have all of those conversations. Also, having Sansa and Bran, there will save me from repeating the same thing over and over again."

"I'm your brother, so the main thing I'm concerned about is your happiness," Jon replied. "I know you've been through hell, and it looks like we're going to keep going through hell for at least the foreseeable future what with the dead coming to kill us all. That all being said, I need to know; is my baby sister happy?" Arya turned and looked at Jon. He was so sincere at this moment, and she knew that this really was the most important thing in the world to him.

"I got to marry for love," Arya replied. "Do you know how many ladies from a great house can say they married for love? Pretty much none of them. Some of them got lucky, like mother and father, and they found love eventually but me? I got to fall in love and then get married. I got to help people who were helpless for many years and make a difference in lives. I got to see my favorite brother become the man I always knew he could be. I'm going home to see my older sister and my little brother, both of whom I thought were dead." Arya reached forward and took Jon's hand. "The dead are coming, and that bitch still sits on the Iron Throne, but right now? At this moment? I couldn't be happier."

Jon was always a sullen young man when they were growing up. The way her mother treated him, combined with the way almost everyone else treated, meant that there was a lot of moping. Arya learned to cherish Jon's smiles, the real smiles, and for a long time, she thought she'd never see him smile again. When she told him she was happy, he smiled, and it was a beautiful thing to see on her big brother. She had to smile back, and when she threw her arms around his neck for a hug, he returned it just as tight. She was getting her family back, and that meant the world and then some to her.

"Come on," Jon said as he released her. "Let's get some food for you and that husband of yours. Neither of you are going to get better if you don't eat, and I want you to get better as fast as possible." Arya nodded, and the two of them walked through the ship to the kitchen. Jon helped her make a plate for Gendry, and the two of them walked down to Jon's room. Gendry was up in his old clothes, and his head jerked up when they entered.

"Just us," Arya said as she walked in.

"Your Grace," Gendry said with a nod to Jon, who made a face about it.

"I'm not giving you this plate until you agree to call me 'Jon.' You're my good brother after all," Jon said. Gendry ducked his head and looked a little embarrassed.

"Jon, it is," he replied. Jon handed the plate over, and he sat with the two of them as they ate their food. The ship rocked gently, and one of the crew stuck their head in the door to tell Jon that there was a chance they were going to run into a storm the next day. The trip to White Harbor was thankfully not very long, and the faster they got North, the better. Jon told the crew not to go around the storm; they would brave it because they didn't know how much time they had.

Arya enjoyed the casual conversation between the three of them and was thankful yet again that Gendry and Jon were continuing to get along well. Now he just needed to win over Sansa, Bran, and the Northern lords who would no doubt pitch a fit that a Stark married someone without a name.

+++

It seemed that the gods were once again on their side because, despite the storm and some seriously rocky water, nothing terrible happened during their remaining days at sea. They learned that both Arya and Gendry didn't exactly do well with rocking boats, which meant they spent most of day two in Jon's room with buckets trying to keep down food. Then the storm cleared, and Arya found herself killing time by lying in bed with her husband and spending time with her brother. They got to spar on deck, and Jon gave her some pointers. It was all so normal that she didn't really know how to deal with any of it.

Jon explained that they would dock at White Harbor for a day so Arya and Gendry could get off of the ship, and then they would ship back out so they could sail to Eastwatch to save a lot of time. Jon assured her that he wasn't going beyond the Wall, but getting to Eastwatch would be faster for everyone, and he could figure out how bad things were. Arya wanted him to come to Winterfell more than anything, but that wasn't an option right now. She was going to have to wait a little longer to have her whole family back together.

Gendry joined her on deck as they pulled into White Harbor. He was wearing a warm cloak that Jon had lent him, and he had the hood up. If anyone asked about it, he would just say that he was from the South, and the cold was bothering him, which wasn't far from the truth. Arya could feel him shivering even now, and she worried about how weak they both still were from their time in the Black Cells. She could feel the cold hitting her face, and it felt like home. It smelled like the North; when she took a deep breath, it hurt a little because the air was cold, and it was everything she'd been missing for years.

"You're smiling," Gendry said, and Arya realized that she was. She was smiling so hard it felt like it was going to hurt.

"You're going to see my home," she said as she put her arm around him.

"I always knew you were mad, but we've been above deck for all of ten minutes, and this cold is already ridiculous," Gendry said, but he leaned into her. They pulled into White Harbor, and Jon joined them on deck.

"The good news is Jorah Mormont is still wanted for his crimes in the North so he won't be coming on land and will be in hiding this time. You shouldn't have to see each other," he said. Jon and Davos came into the city with them and helped buy two horses and set them up for a night at an inn under false names. Arya didn't want anyone to know who she was until she was safe and home, and while Jon seemed to think she was overreacting, he allowed her to do what she needed.

"When do you ship out?" Arya asked.

"As soon as possible," Jon replied. "You two get a good night's sleep and head out for Winterfell in the morning. I know you're both in pain still, so take your time. I made sure that you have some supplies to camp and some food as well."

"We know how to survive on the land, Jon," Gendry said. "Did you think we slept in villages all the time when we were acting as Wolf and Bull?" Davos grinned, but Jon rolled his eyes. One of the things that had happened over the last few days was Gendry and Davos apparently bonding. Davos spent a lot of time telling Gendry about his Uncle, the good and the bad, and about the cousin he apparently lost not that long ago. It was nice to see Gendry accepting another person into his tiny circle, and Arya couldn't wait to get him to Winterfell so Sansa and Bran could join it as well.

"Just be careful as you're traveling. I know you both know how to fight, but you're both still recovering. Are you sure I can convince you to travel with--" Jon started, but Arya held up a hand.

"I promise you; we'll be safe if it's just the two of us," she said. "You come back to Winterfell as soon as possible. I want all of the Stark's together again." Jon looked like he was going to argue, say something stupid like he wasn't a Stark, but he didn't. Instead, he pulled her into a tight hug and held on a little too long. Gendry and Davos clasped hands, and Jon pulled Gendry into a hug that her husband looked like he didn't quite know what to do with. It made her heartache sometimes how confused Gendry seemed by basic affection, and she hoped that it would become a distant memory soon.

They watched Jon's ship sail out the harbor, and Arya got to watch one of her only family members vanish into the horizon yet again. She was trying not to panic, she really was, but it wasn't helping. Gendry reached forward and took her hand. It helped ground her, but it didn't alleviate that panic.

+++

They set off for Winterfell the next morning. Gendry was amazed when the snow began to fall, and Arya was struck a little dumb by the sight of him smiling with big white snowflakes in his hair. He looked so happy, and she couldn't believe that she got to witness this. Their travel was slow because anything more than a walk on their horses made them both want to scream with pain. Arya thought that their speed would drive her crazy, and several times Gendry tried to apologize for it, but Arya found that she didn't mind. She liked walking through the wilderness of the North with Gendry. She liked cuddling with him by the fire and not just because she wanted to get warmer. She liked how this reminded her of the few camping trips she went on her with her brothers.

It was on their third day, and they were setting up camp when Arya heard something in the woods. She pulled out Needle and looked out into the darkening forest. Gendry looked up from where he was building their fire.

"Arya? What is it?" he asked.

"Something is out there," she whispered.

"Person or animal?" Gendry said, but Arya shook her head. Whatever was out there was slowly approaching them like a predator would, and she knew that this was likely an animal. Whether or not it was the kind of animal that was about to tear them apart was a bit more unknown, but she was ready. They'd been attacked by a bear in the Riverlands before and made it out okay. She was sure that they could handle this too.

A pair of yellow eyes opened in the darkness, and Arya felt her heart stop. There was no way, there was no possible way that she was seeing this, but the eyes moved forward. Gendry was saying her name, asking what he was supposed to do, but she could hardly hear him over how loud her heart was beating. The eyes moved closer, and Nymeria stepped into their camp.

"Nymeria," Arya whispered. She looked around and realized that they were surrounded on all sides by close to two dozen regular wolves. This was Nymeria's pack, and she was coming to show them off. Arya put down Needle and held up her hands as she slowly approached her old direwolf. "I told you to stay away when we were captured, and you did. I didn't think I'd ever see you again."

"Arya," Gendry said, and he sounded terrified.

"It's okay," Arya said both to Nymeria and to Gendry. "You know him. You helped save him many years ago, and you know me." She reached out and placed a hand on Nymeria's head. The growling around all of them immediately ceased, and the only sounds in the forest were the crackling of their fire. Nymeria's tail began to wag as she pushed her massive head into Arya's hand for more pets. She was enormous now, big enough to ride, and she looked healthy. "Gendry, come here."

"Are you sure?" he asked. "I don't want to say I survived the Black Cells only to get eaten by a wolf." Arya looked over her shoulder and smiled at him.

"Trust me," she said and gestured for him to come over. Gendry looked a little wary, but he put his hammer down and slowly made his way over to her. Nymeria tensed a little but leaned forward to smell the hand that Gendry offered. "See? You know him. You know us." Her tail began to wag, and she let him scratch her behind the ears. The other wolves seemed to fade into the darkness, but Arya could feel that they were staying close. They weren't leaving, so maybe that meant that they were going to follow them to Winterfell. Arya couldn't imagine a safer way to travel than to have an entire wolf pack staying guard.

+++

The wolf pack apparently decided that the two of them were pups that needed to be fed and protected at all costs. Nymeria stayed close, and the other wolves brought them a deer ["is she trying to tell me something with that deer?" Gendry asked, and Arya laughed until she almost cried] and would circle their camp, so no one got close. On their fifth night, some bandits did try to attack them, but Nymeria and her pack took care of them before they even got close. Nymeria spent the first night just outside of their tent, but after Gendry spent a night shivered, she bullied her way in and would sleep against his back to keep him warm.

To her husband's credit, he was taking the entire thing in stride. Gendry seemed to accept pretty quickly that Nymeria had adopted him, and there wasn't anything he could do about it. It made her heart sing the first time she saw him reach out and pet Nymeria without flinching. The wolf pack mostly kept their distance, but Arya would sometimes see them out of the corner of her eye. She slept without nightmares for the first time in many years.

On day six, the towers of Winterfell finally came into view. Arya paused as she looked at her home. The nerves began to settle in again, and she almost wanted to stop for one more night before heading to the gate. Gendry reached over and took her hand. He nodded, and she knew that he was with her no matter what. Arya glanced at Nymeria, then at her husband, and released a breath she didn't know she was holding. She kicked her horse, and the three of them made their way toward the gate.

The closer they got to Winterfell, the more Arya began to panic. The last time she saw Bran, he was still unconscious from his fall from the tower. The last words she spoke to Sansa were not kind, and they sort of hated each other when they lived in King's Landing. What if Sansa still hated her? What if Bran hated her? She was spinning in these thoughts as she stared at her home. It wasn't as she remembered. It was still massive, but it somehow seemed smaller. It seemed like it wasn't as she remembered. It was burnt, and much of the castle looked damaged. As they got closer, Arya could see people working to restore it, but it still made her uneasy.

If she closed her eyes, she could picture her mother and father watching her brothers train together. She could picture Robb smiling down at them like the proud big brother that he was, getting into trouble with Jon and Theon. She could picture chasing Bran and Rickon around the courtyard as they played with swords. She remembered Sansa rolling her eyes at them and her mother shaking her head with a fond little smile. She could picture her father looking over everything and standing tall and proud.

"Arya," Gendry said, and she jerked in her saddle. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," she lied. The wolfpack was nearby, but Nymeria was following them back into the castle. They both jumped off of their horses and walked them up to the gate.

"Who goes there?" one of the guards asked.

"My name is Arya Stark, and I've come home," she said.

"Lady Stark told us to expect you," the guard said, and he looked at Gendry with narrowed eyes.

"He's with me," Arya said before they could question them. Nymeria emerged from behind the horses, and the guards both jumped. "She won't hurt you unless you try to hurt us." They stepped aside, and Arya walked through the gates into Winterfell again. A stable boy came over and took their horses. Gendry pulled both of their bags off of the saddles since Arya was having a hard time focusing. She looked up, and for a moment she thought she was seeing a ghost. It wasn't her mother, but Sansa looking so much like their late mother with her bright red hair wrapped in a braid. Her older sister stared at her for a moment until she raced down the icy steps without a care in the world.

Arya didn't think she would want to run into Sansa's arms, they weren't close, but once she starts running, she can't stop. Her sister is holding her skirts in her hands and shoving her way through people in a very unladylike fashion, but she is running. They throw their arms around each other, and Arya can hear Sansa crying. Sansa smells like Winterfell, like the North, like home, and it's too much for Arya's heart to handle.

"I thought you were dead," Sansa whispered. "No one could find you after father, and I thought you were dead. I thought you were dead for so long, and you're not. You're here, and you're alive."

"I'm sorry," Arya whispered into her sister's hair. "I should have come home sooner; I should have--"

"Don't say that," Sansa said as they broke apart. Sansa looked so much like their mother that Arya wanted to burst into tears again. "When we got that raven saying that you were alive and in King's Landing Jon and I didn't know what to think. We didn't know how to check or see if it was some terrible trick. We were coming for you."

"I know, but I managed to get myself out," Arya said. People were beginning to crowd around them, and Arya realized that there was something that she needed to take care of. She moved away from Sansa and turned around to see Gendry keeping his distance but smiling softly at her. She beckoned him over, and Sansa stood up straighter as he approached. There were still tears in her eyes, but Arya could see Sansa become Lady Stark in front of her eyes. "Sansa, what did Jon tell you?"

"You don't need to explain right here," Sansa said. "We should go see Bran, and we can have all the explanations we need." Ghost emerged from the castle and immediately began to play with Nymeria. The two wolves began to chase each other around, and Arya couldn't contain her laughter. "You found her."

"She found us," Arya corrected. "Where is Bran?"

"In the Godswood. We'll speak there."

"Lady Sansa--" a man in black with greying hair said. Arya recognized his face but couldn't place his name.

"I will meet with my family alone," Sansa said. She gestured for Arya and Gendry to follow, and they made their way to the Godswood. Arya could feel prying eyes on them, and some things needed to be explained without someone watching. She knelt down in front of Nymeria and scratched behind her ear.

"Do you think you and Ghost can watch the entrance for us? Make sure no one bothers us?" Arya asked. Nymeria huffed, but her and Ghost sat down at the entrance to the Godswood and appeared to be guarding it against anyone following them. They walked to the tree at the center, and Arya stumbled. Bran was not a little boy with floppy hair anymore; he looked like a young man. His hair was cut shorter, and it made him look older. He sat in an odd-looking chair with wheels and was wrapped in warm furs. The thing that surprised Arya was that he wasn't alone. There was a young woman with him, curly dark hair and wearing furs, with a spear leaning against the three. They both looked up when they approached; the girl smiled, but Bran just tilted his head a little.

Arya wasn't sure if she laughed or sobbed, but she raced through the snow and threw her arms around her little brother. If he could stand, he'd be taller than her now, which broke her heart a little. Bran felt too thin, but he put his arms around her and hugged her nevertheless.

"Arya, I'm so glad you and Gendry made it safe," he said as she pulled away.

"Did Jon tell you his name?" she asked.

"Bran is special," the girl said. "He has visions now." She stood up and walked over to offer Arya a hand. "My name is Meera of House Reed. I traveled with Bran to help him understand these powers of his."

"It seems we all have a lot to talk about," Sansa said. "But I think a formal introduction of the young man you travel with is the first piece of business."

"Right, of course," Arya said, a little thrown by the fact that her brother apparently had visions now. "Bran, Sansa, Meera, I want you to meet Gendry Waters." She took his hand into hers and held on tight. "He's my husband."

"I must confess of the many explanations that is not the one I was expecting from my wild little sister," Sansa said, but she didn't look angry. Arya was reminded of Gendry telling her about how they wouldn't believe Cersei if she told them that she was married.

"Milord, miladies," Gendry said with a bow of his head.

"A man with manners married my little sister," Sansa said, and now she was smiling. "I must hear how you both met."

"It's not a short story," Arya said as they all settled beneath the tree.

"None of our stories are short, but they are important," Bran said. "And we have time."

+++

The sun was setting by the time all of them had finished their stories. Arya knew some of Sansa's already and didn't press for many details about her time with the Bolton's. Bran's story blew her mind a little, and she had no idea what to do with the knowledge that her brother was not quite her brother anymore. It made her a little sad to look at him because she could tell that something was missing. Arya didn't miss the way Sansa smiled when she and Gendry detailed their story and how they got together. Her sister was always a romantic at heart, and apparently, there wasn't anything more romantic than their story.

"You'll be safer here," Sansa said. "But unfortunately there is one person who would likely know who Gendry's father is by looking at him. Lord Petyr Baelish is currently the Lord Protector of the Vale. He knows a little bit of everything, and it wouldn't surprise me if he were able to recognize a Baratheon. He used to be Robert Master of Coin."

"Littlefinger," Arya said. "I knew I recognized him. What do we do?"

"I'm attempting to take care of Lord Baelish," Sansa said with a growl in her voice. Arya always thought her sister wasn't much of a wolf, but at that moment, Arya could see the North in her beautiful sister. "Afterall, he is the one who sold me to the Bolton's, and for that alone, I hate him. Bran has told me that he has done many things and has been using his powers to try and see if he could get some evidence. If I can present evidence of treason to the Knights of the Vale, they will turn on him."

"I will get you what you need quickly," Bran said. "For now, I think it would be best if you kept away from Lord Baelish, Gendry."

"After everything we've been through, I'd really just like a warm place to sleep for several days if possible," he said.

"Of course. Arya, I've had your old room made up already. I'll have someone send up some dinner and a warm bath for both of you," Sansa said as she stood up and brushed off the snow from her dress.

"Meera," Bran said. "I think it would be best if you and Gendry stayed close until our enemies within these walls are taken care of." Gendry looked like he was able to argue against that, but Arya cut him off.

"I think that would be a good idea," Arya said. "We need to keep him safe from Lord Baelish, and whichever Northern lord is going to get mad that I'm married to someone they think isn't worthy."

"I agree that it would be best if the two of you stayed together when you leave Arya's chambers," Sansa said. Gendry looked a little bewildered like he didn't quite understand what was happening and why three Stark's were ganging up against him. Meera, however, looked a little amused by how lost Gendry seemed.

"I'd be honored. I can show you how to make a good spear," Meera said.

"I know how to make a spear," Gendry said with a frown as they began to make their way through the Godswood. Arya pushed Bran's wheelchair as Sansa walked beside them. Meera and Gendry were a few steps behind them, and Arya glanced over her shoulder as she watched Meera smirk.

"I don't know how a Southerner could possibly know how to make a spear better than someone born in the Neck," Meera replied. Arya knew this conversation was about to devolve into weapons talk, one of Gendry's favorite topics, so she tuned it out a little. She took in the warmth from her sister walking next to her and Bran as he reached over his shoulder and placed his hand on hers. She was home, she was finally home, and even though there were terrible things on the way, Arya felt like she could conquer all of Westeros right now.

Gendry pulled up his hood as they exited the Godswood to try and keep who he was a secret from Lord Baelish, and it took all of Arya's self-control not to attack the man. He was lurking near the entrance of the Godswood, clearly waiting for them, and if Arya hadn't asked Nymeria and Ghost to keep people out, she was sure he would have listened in to everything that they just said. He approached them as soon as they passed the wolves, and when he smiled at Sansa, it made Arya's skin crawl.

"Lady Stark, I was about to send someone into the Godswood to make sure that you were safe," he said. If it were anyone else, Arya would have thought he had good intentions, but she didn't believe him. She would never trust someone who sold her sister to the Bolton's.

"We haven't seen each other in many years, Lord Baelish," Sansa said. "We had a lot to talk about."

"Of course," Littlefinger said.

"Arya, I'll send food, a maester, and a warm bath up to your room," Sansa said. It was already agreed that Gendry would be staying in Arya's room, but that didn't mean Littlefinger needed to know that part of her life. Arya nodded, kissed her little brother on the cheek and hugged Sansa, and nodded to Gendry so he could follow him. She could feel Littlefinger watching the two of them, and she did not doubt that he would bring it up to Sansa as soon as she was out of earshot, but Arya didn't care. Right now, there was a warm castle with a warm room waiting for her, and she was going to take advantage of it.

"He's watching us," Gendry said as they walked into the castle. "Arya, everyone is watching us."

"Of course they are," she said. As soon as they were inside, she took his hand and began to guide him through the hallways to her old room. She had a feeling she knew where this conversation was going. Jon had accepted them, and it seemed that Sansa and Bran had as well, but it was going to be very different with the Northern Lords and something they were going to have to deal with. Arya hated that people made Gendry think he wasn't good enough for her because he was in all of the ways that count.

"Maybe I should sleep somewhere else," Gendry said as she pulled him into her old room. There was a fire burning in the hearth, and the room was already toasty warm. There was a little dust in corners, but all of it still looked so similar to when she was a child. This was her room, and while it made her feel like she was home, it also forced Arya to remember what she had lost.

"We finally have a warm room with a featherbed, and you want to sleep somewhere else?" Arya asked.

"I don't want to do anything; it's just--" Gendry cut himself off as he put their bags in a corner. "Your brother is King of the North, you're a princess, and people are going to expect things from you when you're a princess. One of those things is not marrying no named bastards."

"Do you want to end our marriage?" Arya said with a flat voice, and she watched as Gendry jerked like he'd been physically hit.

"No, of course not, but--"

"We are safe as we can right now. So let's sleep and heal before we can concern ourselves with what other people think of us," Arya said. There was a knock at the door, and a man walked in that Arya didn't recognize. He was older and looked like he was about to fall over, but he smiled warmly at both of them.

"Lady Stark sent me here and said that the two of you had injuries that needed to be looked at," he said. Arya begrudgingly let the maester look at her wounds, and she hovered when he looked at Gendry's. He confirmed some cracked ribs for her, but when he got to Gendry, he informed him that Gendry was lucky one of his broken ribs hadn't pierced his lung and killed him. He told Gendry that he had to rest and give himself some time to heal, or he was going to kill himself. The maester gave Arya some bandages that they could wrap around Gendry's torso to make it easier for him to move and breathe. He left them just as a maid brought up some food for them to eat. It was a thick stew that tasted like home and warmed Arya down to her bones.

As they were eating, two maids brought up a large tub and began to fill it with water that was hot enough that Arya could see the steam coming off. She knew that the maid was giving them both strange looks, a man in a lady's room like this, but wisely didn' say anything. They were just finishing their food when the tub was full, and they were left alone.

"I don't think I've ever had a warm bath," Gendry said as he looked at the tub with wide eyes. Arya smiled as she began to strip off her layers.

"I'll show you the hot springs beneath the castle soon," she said. Gendry looked up and froze as he watched her undress. When she was younger, Arya didn't think she was pretty. She always compared herself to Sansa, and no matter what anyone told her, she never thought she'd be considered a great beauty. Now that she was older, Arya still wasn't sure if she was a great beauty, but she never felt more beautiful than when Gendry was looking at her with lust in his bright blue eyes. "This tub is big enough for two, and if you wait, the water won't be warm anymore."

Gendry blinked once and began to pull off his borrowed clothing. Sansa already said that she was going to work on getting them both some weather-appropriate clothing and that it would be ready in a day or two. Arya was fine spending the next day or two in bed, sleeping and relaxing. She climbed into the warm water just as Gendry shed his last piece of clothing. The water got dangerously close to spilling over, the maids clearly didn't think they were going to share, but didn't make a mess.

"Okay, I think I understand why you high borns make such a big deal out of a warm bath," Gendry said as he settled into the water. Arya laughed to herself, and despite the close proximity to his very naked body, she focused on getting clean. The two of them worked together to scrub all of the dried blood and dirt from their skin. Arya didn't like to get scrubbed pink as a child, but right now, it felt like heaven. Gendry helped her comb through her hair and washed it clean. The water was getting cooler, but they were both cleaner than they'd been in months.

Arya leaned back against Gendry's chest and closed her eyes as she enjoyed feeling him warm and safe behind her and the water. Gendry wrapped his arms around her and held her loosely as they both relaxed for the first time in a long time. Arya shifted against him and could feel him half-hard against the small of her back. She could feel Gendry groan against her, and he began to press wet kisses along her neck. Gendry shifted his hand down her stomach and slipped between her legs. Arya couldn't remember the last time they got the chance to be together, and while she was very mindful of his injuries, she still wanted him more than anything.

Arya turned, so she was facing him and in Gendry's lap. She leaned forward and kissed him with everything that she had. Gendry pulled her close as he slipped his tongue into her mouth, so there wasn't a place where they weren't touching. One of his hands was in her hair, but the other was slipping inside and driving Arya out of her mind. She gently bit down on Gendry's lower lip and loved the way he moaned.

"The maester said no strenuous activity for me, Lady Arya," Gendry said against her lips.

"I wasn't planning on letting you do a lot of the work," Arya replied as she kissed along his jawline. She took him into her hand, pumped him twice, and moved him between her legs. "You keep touching me, and I'll do the hard work." The water made everything feel that much hotter as she slowly sat down until he was inside of her. Gendry seemed to be making a great effort to stay quiet, probably to make sure no one heard and thought they were doing exactly what they were doing, but Arya didn't care. She moaned as she began to roll her hips in a slow but passionate pace. Neither of them was up for anything hard or fast right now, there was time for that when they were both healed, but right now, Arya needed a reminder that this was her husband and what it felt like to be with him.

Arya kissed Gendry as he moved a hand between her legs again and touched her in the place that made her see stars. The water from the bath was beginning to splash over the edges and onto the floor, but Arya didn't care. They were both chasing release at this point, and Gendry managed to twist his hips in a way that pushed Arya over the edge. She cried out, uncaring who might hear, and she dug her fingernails into the meat of Gendry's shoulders. She rolled moved three more times and captured Gendry's moan with a kiss, knowing that he would have bitten his own tongue than make any noise that someone else could hear.

They stayed in the water for a little while longer, exchanging lazy kisses until they both stopped trembling and were breathing normally. The water was cold by the time they got out of the tub and began to get dressed. They had just finished putting on sleep clothes when the maids knocked and removed the tub. Arya hoped that Gendry didn't notice how red their cheeks were because that probably meant that they heard. By the time the sun rose the next morning, the entire castle would know, and there wasn't anything she could do about it. Nymera bullied her way into the room just as the maids were leaving and happily settled on the floor next to the hearth.

Arya chose not to tell Gendry that because he would have spent the entire night worrying about it. Instead, Arya locked her door once the maids removed the sub and cleaned up the spilled water. If someone was going to complain, Arya hoped they could go to Bran or Sansa and not straight to her. She wrapped Gendry's ribs and let him wrap his arms around her as they settled in for the night. Arya breathed deep and tried to slow her racing heart. She was home, her sister and brother seemed to accept who she was but her new family as well, and she was as safe as she could be. For the next two days, Arya planned on lying in this featherbed and catching up on all the sleep she'd miss from the moment Griffin shoved them both into a cage all of those months ago.

Arya had planned to sleep in as late as possible. She didn't have much in the way of clean clothes until Sansa finished them off, and laying in bed with Gendry all day knowing that they were both safe was exactly what she wanted more than anything. It seemed that luck wasn't entirely on her side because it was mid-morning, and someone was knocking on the door. Arya wanted to ignore it and for a little while she did until she heard Sansa calling her name. Gendry, however, didn't move a muscle to the noise. The exhaustion and injuries seemed to have finally caught up to him, and he didn't so much as twitch when Arya climbed out of his arms and out of bed. She pulled on Gendry's cloak and opened the door to glare at her sister.

"I thought you told me to stay in bed and relax," Arya said.

"We need to talk about something, and then you can do exactly that," Sansa replied. Arya didn't want to leave Gendry alone, she didn't think he would react well if he woke up, and she wasn't there, but Sansa seemed serious about something. Arya sighed, pulled on her boots, and followed her sister up to her solar. "So, I woke up to the most interesting rumors."

"Let me guess; it has something to do with the mysterious and handsome man that came with me into the castle," Arya said. "I had a feeling those chambermaids were going to tell everyone about what they heard."

"You've put me in quite a difficult position," Sansa said as she sat down.

"I'm not going to hide him," Arya said. "All we've ever heard from people is how he's unworthy of me, how it's wrong that we're married, and how they are going to make him suffer even though I'm the one who asked him to marry me. I wanted to bring him here because I thought we'd be safe here. I thought we could live here. I'm not ashamed of him, Sansa. I thought you approved anyway."

"Arya," Sansa said as she held up her hand. "I do approve. I can't believe you managed to find the one good man in all of Westeros. We all approve of him because we want you to be happy, above all else. That doesn't mean, however, that anyone else is going to. I wanted to tell people about it slowly, and formally so they couldn't second guess you or me or Jon. This has nothing to do with anyone disapproving as it does the game. I know neither of you wants anything to do with the game, but that doesn't mean you aren't going to be involved. You're a Princess, Arya, it was always going to come up one way or another." Arya wanted to disagree with her sister, tell her that neither of them wanted anything to do with politics, and that was the point, but there wasn't any avoiding it. She was a Stark and the Stark's controlled the North.

"I used to tell Gendry that I wasn't a lady," Arya said as she sat down at the table with Sansa. "I used to rage against the title and used to give him so much grief whenever he would call me "milady". The first time we decided to be together physically, he stopped me and told me that he was afraid. Do you know why?"

"No, I don't," Sansa said.

"Because if anyone ever found out, they would blame him. It didn't matter that I wanted to be with him or that I was a willing participant. All they would see was a high born lady and a raping bastard. Ever since then, multiple people have threatened to kill him just because we are together," Arya explained as she looked at the table. "Do you remember Mycah? The Butcher's boy I made friends with?"

"The one that Sandor killed," Sansa said.

"Yeah, the one he killed because of something I did," Arya replied. "It made me realize that I could fight against being a lady or being a princess all I wanted, but in the end, it didn't matter what I said or did. I would always be a Stark of Winterfell, which meant I was always going to be a lady to some degree." Arya sighed and thought back to the night before. She had even thought about keeping quiet, and Gendry certainly made an attempt, but in that moment, she hadn't cared. That kind of carelessness, even in her own home, was not the right way to go about this. "I'm sorry, Sansa. I didn't mean to put anyone in a difficult position. I just wanted to be with my husband in a safe place for the first time in a long, long time."

"I know," Sansa replied. "I'll do my best to take care of it, but there is a good chance that Lord Baelish knows. All of the people were talking about Gendry as a handsome man with blue eyes and black hair. There are a few people that managed to catch his name as well, and if I know Lord Baelish, then I can only assume he knew the names of the bastards."

"What if he sends a raven to someone?" Arya didn't know who Littlefinger could message, but she knew that she didn't want it to happen.

"I have people watching him," Sansa said. "He won't be telling anyone, but we need to make sure he's taken care of before the dragon queen gets here because he will tell her. He wants the iron throne for himself, and I believe he wants me to sit on it with him. Gendry, like Cersei, told you, is a threat, and that means taking out any threats against the throne. For now, I want you two to remain close. If you must leave him, then make sure Meera stays close as we planned. I'm sure we can figure something out, or I'll speak to Jon. He wants Lord Baelish gone as much as I do." Arya nodded and pushed herself to her feet. She turned to leave the room but paused.

"I'm sorry I left you behind," Arya whispered, and Sansa blinked. "I should have gone back to the castle and found a way to bring you with me when I escaped. Will you ever forgive me for leaving you behind?"

"Arya, I don't hate you for escaping," Sansa said as she stood up. She walked over and took Arya's hands in her own. "I never could have managed to hide among the men like you did. We would have gotten caught immediately, and we'd both be dead. I was naive back then, and I probably wouldn't have gone with you anyway. We both had our own paths to walk. Never blame yourself for me having to walk mine." Arya nodded and pulled her sister into a tight hug. "Now, go back to your room and rest. I'll go see how your new clothes are coming along. Maybe we can get you two out and about for the day. Everyone knows, so there's no point in hiding."

"Won't someone say something?" Arya asked.

"No," Sansa said, shaking her head. "I've told everyone that I would be dealing with it myself. Don't you worry about it; it's my problem to deal with as the Lady of Winterfell and not yours. If I get your clothes ready today, you should seek out my sworn shield, Brienne of Tarth, and see if she'd be willing to train you. You told me you tried to learn from everyone and anyone who could fight, and I can't picture anyone better to teach you than Lady Brienne. She served Renly Baratheon during the War of Five Kings, so you won't have to explain who Gendry is to her. She'll know, and she is discreet."

"Thank you, Sansa. Thank you for everything, and especially thank you for accepting him and us. It means the world to me," Arya replied.

"I told you; you're my sister, and I just want you to be happy at home, and safe," Sansa said, which was very similar to what Jon told her as well. Arya never thought she would be drawing comparisons between Sansa and Jon, but it seemed like they really just wanted the best for her. Arya nodded, and Sansa walked with her back to her rooms. Sansa nodded, kissed her forehead, and walked down the stairs into the castle to do the things that ladies did. Arya crept back into her room, locked the door behind her, and kicked off her boots and Gendry's cloak. She was thankful that it looked like Gendry's hadn't moved an inch in the time she'd been away. Arya climbed back into bed, and he hummed happily as he pulled her back against his chest. Arya closed her eyes and let herself fall back asleep.

+++

The sun was high in the sky the next time Arya woke up. The fire in the hearth had burned entirely out, and despite the amount of heat that Gendry was giving off, the room was a little cold. Arya removed herself from his arms again and tossed some fire on the stack and relit it. As it began to burn, she heard Gendry stir for the first time in many hours.

"Well look who decided to wake up," Arya said as she climbed back on the bed. Gendry blinked heavily as he looked around the room.

"How long have we been asleep?" he asked.

"You since last night. I had to get up to talk to Sansa a few hours ago," Arya explained. She knew that this conversation wasn't going to go well, but he needed to know that they were found out.

"Oh? What did Sansa need?" Gendry asked as he rubbed his eyes and ran his fingers through his messy hair.

"Apparently, the chambermaids heard us last night, so now the entire castle knows about us," Arya said as she decided that the direct approach was likely the best way to go about this particular conversation. Gendry froze and paled a bit.

"They know about us," he said, but he didn't make it a question but a statement.

"There is even a chance that Lord Baelish knows who you are since apparently everyone is talking about my handsome blue-eyed, black-haired lover," Arya said and reached forward to take his hand. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been so obvious last night, but Sansa has assured me that she is going to take care of it. We can trust her. We're just going to do the same plan we agreed on yesterday only now you don't have to stay out of sight. Now we just need to make sure someone stays with you at all times." Gendry sighed as he removed his hand from hers and pushed himself to his feet.

"I knew I should have stayed somewhere else," he mumbled.

"Gendry," Arya said as she watched him start to move around the room. She knew he was going to be upset, but she didn't predict that he would react like this.

"Has Sansa dropped off our new clothes yet?" he asked without looking at her. Arya pressed her lips together and decided that it was probably best if she didn't push him too much right now. Instead, she got up and walked over to the door and unlocked it. There were two bundles of clothes and two pairs of warm boots sitting outside her door. She brought them inside and watched as Gendry silently pulled on the new clothing and laced up his boots. "I'm going to take a look at the dragonglass that Jon gave me and see if I can figure out the best way to make it work for weapons."

"Gendry, I need you to talk to me," she said.

"You're never going to really understand what it's like to have people looking at you like you're the worst possible person in the world. You're never going to understand what it's like to walk around and have people judge me for the fact that we're together," Gendry said softly as he shook his head. "I thought maybe I'd have a little time to walk around Winterfell and not have to worry about people wanting to take my head off. I thought I'd have just a day or so when no one looked at me and wanted me dead just because we decided to be together."

"I swore to you that no one would ever hurt you," Arya said. "I made you that promise, and I'm not going to break it. I'm going to keep you safe, and so will Sansa. She won't let anything happen."

"I believe you, but that doesn't mean you can stop people from talking about me. That doesn't mean you can stop the looks." He met her eyes, and Arya could see just how hurt he was. She wanted to comfort him, but there wasn't anything that she could do because he was right. While she could keep someone from physically hurting him, she couldn't stop people from talking. She couldn't fight every person that looked at Gendry like he was less than because then she'd be fighting everyone all of the time. Arya just wanted to be with her husband and not have to worry about other people judging her for it, but she was a princess again. There were always going to be people who were going to judge her. "I'll make sure Meera stays close. Have a good day, Princess Arya." Gendry nodded his head to her, grabbed the bag with the dragonglass and his tools, and walked out of the room without another word.

Arya looked at the door for a long time and closed her eyes. Nymeria walked over and pressed herself against Arya's leg.

"Go watch him and keep him safe," Arya said as she opened her eyes and opened the door. Nymeria huffed but walked out of the room and in the direction that Gendry had gone. She guessed that, on some level, she thought that all of their problems would be fixed if they just made it to Winterfell. That as soon as she walked through the gates, everything else would just cease to be an issue. She was even more convinced of that when Jon, Sansa, and Bran all seemed to accept that she was in love with Gendry, and nothing was going to change that. Arya hadn't played the game of thrones since she was a child, and even then, she hardly understood any of it. Now there were men that were going to be angry that she wasn't getting married off for an alliance.

Arya pulled on her new clothing, strapped Needle to her waist, and made her way through the castle. She was angry at a lot of things like right; Gendry for reacting the way he did because he had to know that she didn't mean for any of this to happen. She was angry at the chambermaids who decided to broadcast her business all over Winterfell. She was angry at herself for being naive enough not to care if people heard her with a man.

She walked out into the cold and could see that there was smoke coming from the forge. Arya knew that Gendry wanted space, but she also knew he was stubborn and wanted to make sure that he actually kept Meera close. She crept close and glanced around the corner. Gendry and Meera were both looking at the dragonglass with critical eyes, and Arya could hear them softly talking about weapons. Nymeria was curled up near Gendry's feet, and her ears twitched as Arya looked into the forge. That was all the proof she needed that he wasn't alone at the very least.

When she got out to the training yard, she saw one of the tallest women she had ever seen fighting with a younger man with dark hair. This could only be Brienne of Tarth, and despite how unhappy she was with how things were right now, she knew nothing would clear her head faster than a quick spar.

"Lady Arya," Brienne said when she saw Arya approaching. "Your sister told me that you would be coming to me today."

"I'll call you Brienne if you call me Arya," Arya said.

"Very well. This is my squire Podrick Payne, and we're both very happy that you and your husband made it home safe," Brienne said.

"Thank you," Arya said as she tried not to glance over her shoulder at the forge. "I'm told you're quite the warrior, and I want to learn more about fighting. Can you teach me?"

"I'd be honored," Brienne replied. "I'd like to see what you know already. Do you mind sparring with Podrick?"

"Sounds good to me." Arya pulled Needle from her belt and faced Podrick. They were both hesitant to start the fight, but Podrick was apparently impatient enough that he wanted to take the first swing. Arya learned very quickly in all of the training that she did that being fast was the most important thing when fighting someone bigger than her. She ducked out of the way of Podrick's first strike and moved quickly on her feet. The snow on the ground was something she wasn't used to anymore, and she felt a little unsteady. Podrick swiped at her again, and Arya threw up Needle to deflect.

She knew she was weak from captivity, but the pain in her arm from the force of Podrick's attack worried her. He didn't look like much, but he was stronger and bigger than her. In her current state, with the bruises and the cracked ribs, Arya knew that she wasn't going to last long. If she was going to win, then she needed to end this quickly. Arya ignored the pain in her ribs as she ducked one of Podrick's attacks and swiped a foot out. She nearly fell from the snow, but Podrick seemed even less steady on his feet from the slick ground. He hit the ground hard, and Arya pressed her blade against his throat.

"Well done," Brienne said. Arya glanced around and realized that people were staring at her. Gendry and Meera were both standing just outside the forge and watching her carefully. Meera was smiling, but Gendry looked utterly blank. Arya glanced around and even realized that Sansa was standing up where her parents used to watch them train, and the whole thing was a little too surreal for her. Gendry said something to Meera that was too quiet for Arya to hear, and the two of them began to walk the opposite direction with Nymeria at his heels.

Arya wanted to call out to him, to tell him to come over here and talk to her, but a knight in armor from the Vale slammed into Gendry's shoulder hard enough that he stumbled. Even from where she was standing, she could see him wince and grab at his ribs. The knight didn't even stop to see if he was okay or to apologize, and Arya saw red. Nymeria was already growling, but Arya wasn't going to stand for that type of passive aggression. She knew that this would probably make Gendry madder at her, but she needed to stake her claim. These people needed to know that he was hers, and there wasn't anything they could do about it.

"Gendry!" she called as she walked across the courtyard. Brienne and Podrick were following a few steps behind her as if they knew that something was about to happen. Both Gendry and Meera stopped to look at her, and Arya could see him still rubbing his shoulder. That knight was wearing armor, and there was no doubt that that was going to leave a nasty bruise. Arya was not going to tolerate someone hurting him because rumors were going around. It was time to confirm some rumors.

Arya grabbed a handful of Gendry's shirt and yanked him down into a kiss in front of everyone. She could feel how stiff he was against her, but Arya didn't pull away until after a moment or two.

"Why would you do that?" he whispered, but he didn't pull away from her. Arya considered that to be a good thing.

"I'm a wolf, and it was time for me to stake a claim," Arya replied. His lips were a little swollen, and she had to fight down the instinct to bite down on his bottom lip in front of everyone. That was probably not a good idea. Arya released his shirt but didn't take a step back. Meera was smirking and looked like she was about five seconds away from bursting into laughter. Sansa was still watching them from above, but Arya could see her older sister looking a little smug. She glanced over her shoulder and realized that Brienne looked like she was about to faint.

"Renly..." she whispered, but Brienne seemed to realize that she said that out loud. She glanced at Arya but didn't say anything else. "Would you like to train some more, Arya?" Brienne asked.

"Gendry and I were going to talk spears anyway," Meera said, "Would you like us to join you in a little while for a late lunch?"

"That sounds perfect," Arya replied. She stepped close and rested her forehead on Gendry's chest as she wrapped her arms around him. "Please don't be mad at me," she whispered. She could feel him sigh as he pulled her into a tight hug despite the audience they had acquired.

"I could never stay mad at you for long, no matter how much of a pain in my ass you are milady," Gendry replied. He kissed her forehead, and Arya watched him and Meera head off in another direction with Nymeria staying close. Everyone was watching, and Arya was okay with that. It was time for the North to know that there was another she-wolf in Winterfell, and she would not tolerate attacks against her pack.

Sansa had a feeling that Arya was going to do something that would grab a lot of attention once she found out about the chambermaids. It wasn’t exactly the way that she wanted to deal with this situation but her sister is a woman grown so it’s not like Sansa could tell her not to. That didn’t mean that this whole thing wasn’t going to be irritating to deal with but Sansa was willing to do whatever it took to keep her sister happy. Arya was extremely protective of the people she deemed worthy of that protection and the last thing Sansa wanted was her sister to run away for the sake of keeping Gendry safe. She also didn’t want Arya to run away because she thought it was the best thing for the family either. The reality of the situation was that Sansa didn’t want to give Arya any excuse to escape back into the woods and if that meant she had to yell at some lords of Westeros then she was going to do that.

Out of the corner of her, Sansa could see Littlefinger watching everything happen. His eyes were narrowed and Sansa could see that he was watching Gendry very carefully. He hadn’t gotten a good look at Gendry yet but if there was anyone who could spot a Baratheon from miles away it would be Littlefinger. She didn’t think he would reach out to Cersei to try and turn him in but she didn’t trust Littlefinger not to try and use Gendry for his own means. There were also the Northern Lords who were starting to arrive at Winterfell to talk before bringing their armies to fight. They were going to call some sort of meeting before Jon got back and she was going to have to deal with it.

Sansa stood up a little taller and walked back into the castle. They were going to run out of food if she called on the banners and that was something much more important to her than her sister's love life. She thought that everyone else should be focused on that as well but gossip was a powerful thing. They talked about her too and how she wasn’t really of the North anymore. Sansa would bare her teeth at those men in the guise of a pretty smile and think about how she wanted to tear them apart with her bare hands. Sansa might have spent a lot of time in the South but that didn’t mean she wasn’t the daughter of Ned Stark.

There was plenty of food in the Reach but one of the things that Robb never got around to doing when he declared independence was working out trade agreements with the crown. At the moment there wasn’t anyone in the Reach to work with since the sack at Highgarden and all of the Tyrell’s being murdered. Sansa tried not to think about that one too often. Margaery and her family were far from bad people when it came to those who played the game of thrones. They were trying to marry her off to a man that had no interest in women but considering how her previous marriages were Sansa thought she would be okay with that. Loras wasn’t a bad person and he would have treated her well even if he had no interests as to what was between her legs.

Now the Reach was being run by the lesser houses and they were going to run around fighting each other without a liege lord to guide them. Jon told her that he knew Samwell Tarly but Sansa heard some rather terrible things about Dickon and Randyll and that the house was mostly dead. There was a chance that Sam could rally something to help but that was only if the food could get the North. There was another problem and that was House Frey.

Sansa hated House Frey with all of her being. They slaughtered her mother and her brother and last she heard they still had her Uncle Edmure hostage. They still controlled the bridge at the Twins and weren’t likely to let any merchants carrying food for the North to come through. Politically, House Frey needed to be dealt with but on a personal level Sansa wanted revenge for what they did to her family and she knew that Arya did as well. Jon had an ally with the Dragon Queen and right now the only way Sansa could see to deal with House Frey would be to send a dragon to burn the Twins to the ground.

Despite that being her first instinct Sansa knew that wasn’t the right way to handle this. Walder Frey needed to die for what he did but that didn’t mean everyone in that castle was guilty. She knew as much as anyone that you couldn’t say no to the man in charge even if you wanted to. She knew that by watching how much doing Joffrey’s dirty work bothered Sandor. However, they needed food from the Reach and if they were going to make it through winter they needed to secure something.

“Lady Stark?” Littlefinger said as he walked into her solar. Sansa tried not to roll her eyes but plastered a pretty smile on her face nevertheless. Dealing with House Frey was likely something she wouldn’t be able to tackle until Jon came back from surveying the Wall.

“What is it Lord Baelish?” Sansa replied.

“Several of the Northern Lords have been asking to speak with you,” he said with that smirk that Sansa wished she could claw off of his face.

“Is that so,” Sansa said as she pushed herself to her feet. “I wonder if they have made a decision as to whether or not they will fight for the living.” Littlefinger blinked like he somehow forgot that this was the important thing and not petty squabbles about who wanted whose son to marry either her or Arya. Jon already promised her that she would get to marry whomever she wanted whenever she wanted and Sansa couldn’t understand why they would assume there would be different terms for Arya now that she was home.

“I’m afraid I don’t know what it is about,” Littlefinger said. “I saw your sister fighting this morning.”

“Yes, she is quite impressive. She will be a valuable fighter in the upcoming war for the living,” Sansa replied as she sorted her papers and turned to Littlefinger. The look on his face said that this wasn’t the response he thought she would have to Arya knowing how to fight.

“It just seems surprising that a young girl would know how to fight like that,” Littlefinger said. “Who could have taught her that and what kind of loyalties did they instill in her?”

“Lord Baelish,” Sansa said her voice much louder than before. “Are you insinuating that my sister is not loyal to House Stark?”

“Sansa, of course not, I just--”

“You said the Northern Lords we have present wanted to speak with me. Perhaps it’s best if we do that now,” Sansa said. She walked by Littlefinger and made every attempt not to let him touch her in any way. He made her skin crawl and she hated how badly they needed the Vale. If she could she would set him out in the snow without shoes or a cloak to see if his ability to speak could save him then. Sansa got to the great hall and saw several Lords waiting for her. She watched each of them carefully and sat down at the table. “Lord Baelish has informed me that you wish to speak to me, is this about committing your men to fight for the living?”

“Lady Stark, your sister has been putting on quite the display,” said a man from a lesser house that Sansa couldn’t place at the moment. “She is a princess who married some unknown Southern bastard and flaunts it for all to see. It is a disgrace.” Sansa could see by the way these men were saying that these were not completely original thoughts. Littlefinger was whispering in their ears but Sansa didn’t have any proof of that.

“Do you think my sister is an idiot?” Sansa asked.

“I beg your pardon, my lady?” he asked.

“I said; do you think my sister is an idiot? Are you telling me you think my sister, Arya Stark of Winterfell, is an idiot?” Sansa repeated. “I can only assume that this is what you are saying because why else would you judge the man she decided to willingly tie herself to.”

“She did this without the permission of her family--” another man started.

“So then you are questioning the intelligence of myself and my brother Brandon Stark because we gave our approval to my sister and her husband within moments of meeting the man,” Sansa interrupted. “So then you are calling into question my ability to judge the character of a man and the ability of my brother.”

“The King didn’t--”

“The King,” Sansa said, raising her voice even louder. “has also given Arya and Gendry his blessing. He was, in fact, the first to do so. So, my lords, are you questioning the character and the judgment of your King?” Sansa glanced at Littlefinger who looked like he wasn’t expecting this sort of reaction from her. “My Lords, we have much bigger things to worry about right now. The North is entering winter weak from many years of abuse from our enemies. We have a great war coming to us that threatens our very existence and all of you call me here to squabble about my sister and her marriage?” Sansa stood up and looked over the entire room and smiled with plenty of teeth. “If you are here to pledge yourselves to fight for the living then I will gladly accept on behalf of the King. I will not tolerate this sort of display against my family again. You are dismissed.”

Sansa turned and walked out of the room without waiting to see how anyone would react to her. She knew that Arya kissing Gendry in the open was a wolf showing proclaiming possession. Sansa might have spent time in the South and she might have her mother’s Tully looks but she was not above showing just how possessive she could be as well. Sansa heard whispers that after she killed Ramsey with his own dogs they called her the Red Wolf. She was a wolf and she refused to allow anyone the opportunity to drive her family away.

+++

It didn’t take long for news of the Lords confronting Sansa to reach Arya’s ears and she was furious when she heard about it. How dare they question her like that? How dare they bring it to Sansa like that? She hated every moment of it and how as word of the meeting spread she could see Gendry shrinking inward. He just wanted somewhere where they could be safe and the world kept trying to take it away from them. It wasn’t fair. Arya clenched her fists and excused herself from training with Brienne and Podrick so she could go find Sansa. Her sister was in her solar looking over some papers with a deep frown when Arya walked into the room.

“I should have been there,” Arya said loudly.

“You didn’t need to be,” Sansa said without looking up. “They won’t be bothering you again and they won’t be bringing it up again.”

“Not publicly but they’ll still be gossiping and they will do it in places where Gendry can hear. He doesn’t deserve that,” Arya said.

“No, he doesn’t,” Sansa said as she looked up. “But you and I both know that we can’t fight the entire world every time someone says something terrible about us. There are whispers around here that I’m not a Stark; that I’m a Lannister or a Bolton because of my marriages. Those whispers hurt but there isn’t anything I can do about it. Not right now anyway.”

“I just want us to be safe and happy,” Arya said softly and Sansa reached over and took her head.

“I want that for you too and we’re going to do everything we can to make sure that it happens. Now, I think now would be a good time to check with Bran and see if he has any more information for us,” Sansa said. She squeezed Arya’s hand and the two of them began to make their way through the castle and out to the Godswood. Arya was glad to see Ghost was with her younger brother and he wasn’t out here alone.

“All anyone can talk about is the meeting that just happened,” Bran said and he was smirking a little.

“Stark’s protect family,” Sansa said as if it wasn’t a big deal. Arya smiled to herself as she remembered how few people Gendry had had in his life refer to him as family. She wondered how he would react once he found out about Sansa telling off all of the Northern Lords in his honor. Sansa sat down on a root and reached into her braid. She kept two pins in her hair to help keep it up but Arya watched as she removed one of the pins and it revealed a piece of paper that was hidden from the naked eye.

“Words are dangerous,” Bran said as Sansa began to unroll the paper. Arya frowned as she leaned forward and began to read all of the notes. It seemed to be moments from the past that included Littlefinger and there were some things here that she just couldn’t believe. Arya realized that these were the things that Bran was looking into the past for and keeping the paper in her hair was the only way to keep Littlefinger from finding it. “We have almost enough information but I believe that it would be best if we waited for Jon to return.”

“We don’t know when Jon is going to be back unless you know something I don’t,” Sansa said as she looked over the small piece of paper. She looked up and noticed the way that Bran was smiling to himself. “And that look means that you do. Things would go by much faster if you weren’t so cryptic little brother.”

“Jon will be home soon?” Arya asked and Bran nodded.

“The Night King approaches and will be making an attempt to bypass the Wall within the next several months. We have time to prepare but not nearly enough. There will never be enough time to prepare,” Bran replied and he frowned. “Every day that he gets closer and closer I feel less and less like Brandon Stark. I have to wonder what I’ll be by the time he arrives.”

“And I have to wonder if you’ll be whole again once he’s gone,” Sansa said.

“Jon has some new warriors which will help with the fight,” Bran said. Arya and Sansa both sat in silence and waited for him to expand on what he just said but Bran didn’t say anything more. Arya could see why Sansa found this to be annoying. “They are sailing and will be making their way to White Harbor and then here. They will arrive within a fortnight.”

“Then we need to be ready with charges by the time Jon arrives,” Sansa said. She rolled up the piece of paper, slipped it around the pin for her hair, and hid it among the braids. She stood up and brushed the snow from her dress. “I know you’re cold, little brother, so I think you’ve had enough time by the tree. It’s time to come inside. If I let you catch a chill Meera will be very cross with me.” Arya was fascinated by the way Bran’s ears turned a little red at the mention of Meera.

“House Reed marches for Winterfell. They will be here within a week,” Bran said without addressing the comment about Meera.

“Well then we have to make a good impression,” Sansa teased and Arya grinned as Bran blushed nearly to his hairline. While things were a mess right now that didn’t mean there weren’t going to be some good moments too.

+++

Gendry was still a little surly for the next couple of days but he also walked around in a bit of a daze when he found out exactly what Sansa had done for him. He thanked her, awkwardly, as Sansa watched him fondly, shrugged, and told him that Stark’s lookout for their family. Arya wasn’t surprised that he didn’t know what to do with information like that and let the fact that he had multiple people that cared about his well-being sink in.

Arya was also amused by how quickly Gendry and Meera bonded. They would constantly bicker like siblings about weapons and about spears in particular. These were fights that her and Gendry had years ago before they ever admitted they had feelings for each other, and it amused Arya greatly to see them play out as an outsider. Meera was also one of the rare people to kill a White Walker and the two of them spent some time debating weapons and they could effectively arm people. They both had interesting ideas and Meera worked hard designing spears that would work for the Unsullied, happy to hear that there were going to be others in this great army that favored her preferred weapon.

Brienne also insisted on helping train all three of them saying that while they were all skilled it was far more important that they learn even more so they would live through the coming battle. Arya was fine with it but Gendry kept insisting that he should spend more time in the forge making armor and prepping for the dragonglass that Daenerys was bringing with her. Between Arya, Meera, and Brienne he didn’t stand a chance and despite loudly complaining against it he usually ended up on the training ground.

Four days after Sansa told the Northern Lords to keep their opinions on Arya’s marriage to herself Arya and Meera were happily sparring as Gendry stood on the sidelines and watched. Brienne was explaining exactly what they needed to do to improve their footing when a Knight of the Vale walked over.

“You’re sparring?” he asked.

“Teaching but yes,” Brienne said.

“And what are you doing?” the Knight asked Gendry.

“Waiting for my turn,” Gendry replied. Podrick had gone out with some of the men to see if they could find some food. Arya thought he would be returning soon since she knew that Nymeria’s wolf pack was still nearby and would be leaving food for them soon. As soon as the gates opened Nymeria and Ghost took off into the woods no doubt to be reunited with their wolf brethren. Apparently, her and Gendry still needed looking after even after they got back to the castle.

“Care to spar then?” the Knight asked. Gendry glanced at Brienne who smiled a little and nodded.

“It would be good to practice against someone new,” Brienne said. Gendry shrugged and picked up his war hammer. The Knight pulled out his sword and the two of them began to circle one another. It was distracting and Meera managed to knock the spear from Arya’s hands as she watched the other fight. “Don’t get distracted, Arya.” It was hard not to as she watched Gendry and the Knight charge each other. Gendry was bigger than the Knight but he had skill with a sword that Gendry did not have.

It wasn’t a lack of skill that was making Gendry frown as he fought with the Knight. There was something else bothering him, Arya could tell, and it just distracted her more.

“Why does your armor look like that?” Gendry asked as he deflected another blow from the sword that sent him back a few steps.

“Is this how they spar in the South? With taunts?” the Knight asked as he swiped at Gendry and Arya thought it looked a bit too much like he was trying to take off Gendry’s head.

“No but it is mismatched,” Gendry said as he kicked out and sent the Knight stumbling back a few steps. “The pieces don’t seem to match, ser, like they aren’t all from the same set of armor.” The Knight smiled and renewed his attacks. Arya realized that Gendry was being driven further and further away from her, Meera, and Brienne and something terrible settled into her stomach. Gendry knew armor better than anyone and if he said the armor looked mismatched in a strange way that meant it was. There was no way a Knight of the Vale would have mismatched armor.

The Knight knocked Gendry’s war hammer from his hands and sent him stumbling to the ground, hard. It was enough to knock the wind out of him and he put a hand over his still injured ribs.

“I yield!” Gendry said but the Knight didn’t put his weapon down. Instead, Arya could only watch, from just a little too far away, as the man approached her husband and raised his sword to strike a killing blow. She screamed Gendry’s name as she tried to run over to him. Brienne was also running, her sword in hand, but Meera flipped the spear in her hand and threw it. The armor was mismatched because the weak points between the plates on this man’s back were much bigger. The spear hit the man in the shoulder and he cried out as he dropped his sword.

“Arrest that man!” Arya cried out as Brienne got to the man and guards began to appear. “He tried to murder a member of House Stark.” Arya raced over to Gendry and helped him to his feet. “Are you okay?”

“My ribs are killing me but I’ll live,” Gendry said as the guards began to drag the man away. “His armor looked like someone had taken pieces from other people and put it together.”

“Not a real Knight then,” Arya replied. Sansa came running out of the castle and joined them in the training yard. Meera raced over as well.

“Are you all right?” Sansa asked as she looked Gendry over.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” Gendry replied even though he kept a hand over his ribs. He looked at Meera and smiled gratefully at her. “You saved my life, thank you.”

“You would have done the same for me,” Meera replied.

“A man in what looks like stolen armor from the Knights of the Vale tried to kill him,” Arya whispered. “I can’t think there were many people who had access to that armor.” Out of the corner of her eye, Arya could see Littlefinger watching the proceedings and he was frowning.

“Littlefinger wants to be on the throne and what better way to get rid of a threat than a spar gone wrong,” Sansa replied quietly. “We will jail this man and see if he will give up who told him to hurt Gendry. Until then I will have Brienne assign a guard she trusts to be with you at all times. We will keep you safe.”

“Thank you, Sansa,” Gendry replied as she glanced at Arya. “I think I should lie down. I’m in a lot of pain.” Arya thought back to what the maester said about the broken ribs damaging something internally and worried. She put her arm around her husband and walked with him back to their room. Arya resisted the urge to glare at Littlefinger and mentally thought of all the ways she would make the assassin hurt until he gave up the information they already knew.

Gendry hissed when he laid down in their bed as Arya did her best to hide her panic. The idea that he could be hurt in a way that she couldn't fix terrified her more than anything in the entire world. All she wanted was for him to be safe, and she wanted to burn Westeros to the ground for denying her that. Arya ran her fingers through his hair and looked down at him with a sad smile.

"I'm okay," he whispered.

"Because you noticed something was wrong with the armor," Arya replied. "That was genius and only something a blacksmith would have noticed." Gendry closed his eyes as she touched him and seemed to relax a little more as the minutes went by. Arya settled on the bed next to him and curled up close on the side where the bruises weren't quite as bad. She chastised him when Gendry winced to wrap an arm around her and pull her close, but she didn't fight him either.

"It's overwhelming," he said as he ran his hand up and down her spine. "It's always been you that had my back, but now there are all of these other people looking out for me. You called me a member of House Stark today. It's a lot to take in."

"I know," Arya replied as she pulled him a little closer. "But my family accepts you, accepts us, and you're among wolves now. We look out for our own, and that means protecting family above all else. Sansa won't let that man who attacked you get away with it, nor will she show mercy on the person who orchestrated the attack. The same goes for Jon and me." Arya shifted, so she was looking down at her husband and smiled at him.

"I often ask myself what I did to deserve you," he whispered as Gendry reached forward and touched her cheek gently. "And I don't know what it is, but it must have been amazing because I can't believe you even speak to me, let alone accept me as a member of your family. I keep waiting for the day you wake up and realize I'm not worth all of this trouble."

"I love you, and that isn't going to change. Not now and not ever," Arya replied as she kissed him. "And you are worth every ounce of trouble. I assure you of that." She leaned forward to kiss him again when there was a knock on the door. Arya groaned as she got up, but the door opened, and she realized in her haste that she forgot to lock it. Fortunately, it was Sansa, who was purposely averting her eyes as she walked in. "Oh stop it, we're decent."

"Good, there is acceptance, and then there are things I never need to see my little sister doing," Sansa said as she looked at. "Gendry, how are you feeling? Should I fetch the maester to look at your wounds again?"

"They just hurt. I'll be fine with a little rest," Gendry said, but he looked a little uncomfortable with Sansa standing in front of him while he was lying on the bed even if he was fully clothed.

"Have the guards locked the assassin away?" Arya asked.

"Yes, we'll have to see how loyal he is, but I must remind you that we need him alive," Sansa said with a look. "We still have some time before Jon gets home, and I want all of us to do this together. It will look better that way." Arya didn't want to wait, but she knew that Sansa was right. She still grumbled as she thought about Gendry getting hurt or killed within Winterfell's walls. "Podrick has returned from hunting, and Brienne has assigned him to be your personal guard, Gendry. Meera has also stated her intentions to continue to shadow you as well."

"Sansa, I don't think--"

"He graciously accepts," Arya said loudly as she interrupted Gendry, who was no doubt trying to claim that he wasn't worth that. She glared at him until he sighed and held up his hands in surrender, knowing that he lost. Good, that was what she wanted. "Stay here and rest. I'll be back later, and we can sup together." Gendry nodded, and Arya followed Sansa out of the room. Podrick was waiting outside, and he nodded to both of them as he took up a place at the door to keep watch. Now Arya knew she could go confront this man who tried to kill her husband without worrying about said husband. Sansa seemed to know that was where she wanted to go and wordlessly lead her through the castle. As they walked to the dungeons, Brienne joined them but didn't say a word about their intention to confront this man.

What Arya was not expecting was to find Meera and Bran already in the dungeon and the man hiding in a corner as he cried and begged for mercy. Meera waved with a big smile on her face, but Arya could only stare.

"Bran knew you two would want to come down here and get some answers," Meera said. "So, we decided that it was best to do this without getting any more blood on anyone's hands."

"You got blood on your hands," Brienne said, but Meera shrugged. Arya didn't want this to be the way things ended, though. She couldn't remember the last time she craved vengeance like this, but Bran was staring at her like he knew something she didn't.

"You will get vengeance, Arya, just not today." The words were the same ones she learned all those years ago in King's Landing. Bran couldn't have known that, or maybe he did now. She wasn't sure what he knew and what he didn't. "I have what I need. Now we must wait for Jon to return." Arya didn't want to, but she nodded nevertheless and went back to her rooms to spend time with her husband.

+++

Gendry only spent a day or so in bed and was out and about despite the maester telling him he needed to slow down. He waved the man off and continued to work in the forge only this time Meera, Podrick, and Nymeria were constantly following him around. Gendry eyed Podrick like he didn't entirely trust the man, but much like Meera, Gendry tended to endear himself to people after a short amount of time. He was surly, stubborn as hell, but he also spent a good amount of time fixing Podrick's weapons and indulging the squire in what new ones they could make. Arya enjoyed spending time with the three of them because they made her laugh. They reminded her what it was like to have friends again, which was nice. For so long, it was just her and Gendry, and to have friends was nice.

Podrick and Gendry would also train together, which made Arya feel better. That way, Gendry could learn to fight, and she didn't have to worry about random knights that would come out of nowhere, trying to kill him. Gendry trained with both his hammer and a sword, but, as always, he was just not as good with the sword as he was with the hammer. Arya was also trying not to count down the days until Jon got home, but it was hard not to.

Howland Reed and his fellow crannogmen arrived when Bran said that they would. As soon as word came in that they were at the gate, Meera took off running. Bran was in the courtyard waiting, and he watched as Meera threw her arms around her father and began to sob. Arya didn't know Meera well but didn't think she was one to cry like this in front of everyone. Arya could hear Meera saying, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I should have protected him," over and over again.

"My dear girl," Howland said as he held onto her tightly. "Your brother was a man of his convictions. He knew what was waiting for him at the end of his journey. He told me we wouldn't see each other when you left." Meera pulled away and looked at her father.

"He told you? Why didn't he tell me?" she asked.

"Would you have let him go if you knew?" Howland said as he wiped a tear from her cheek. He stood up and walked over to greet Sansa, who had emerged from the castle, and Bran.

"Princess Sansa, you look so much like your mother; it hurts my heart," he said. "It's an honor to see you again. It has been far too long. You were just a little girl back then."

"Thank you for answering the call to help Winterfell and the North," Sansa replied. Howland nodded and turned to Bran.

"I know he knew that he was going to die," Bran said. "But I'm still so sorry for what happened to your son. He was a good man and a better friend than I deserved."

"I very much doubt that, Prince Bran," Howland replied. He looked up as Arya approached with Gendry, and he paled as he looked at the two of them. Arya knew that Howland knew her Aunt and that between her appearance and Gendry's, he must have thought he saw ghosts. She needed to make sure that he didn't say anything publicly.

"Lord Reed, it's lovely to see you again," Arya said. "I know I'm much bigger than I was the last time you saw me."

"A woman grown now, I see," Howland said. "And who is this young man?"

"My husband, Gendry," Arya said as she tried to communicate that he shouldn't say anything. Howland smiled and bowed to both of them. Sansa helped him and his men get settled, but Howland lingered to stay near Meera. The two of them talked quietly, and Arya felt a lump in her throat as she got to watch Meera with her father. She didn't want to resent Meera for having what she didn't, but Arya couldn't help herself.

Howland was someone they could trust and informed them that as soon as he gave the word, the rest of his men would march North to help with the war. He promised to keep Gendry's identity a secret but assured them that more people would notice as time went on. He told them that it was only a matter of time before word spread that a Baratheon and a Stark had joined their houses. Arya spent the night praying to the Old Gods that the secret would remain a secret as long as possible. She didn't want to think about what would happen if Daenerys found out.

They were two days away from Jon getting home when Littlefinger decided to approach her. Sansa was holed up in her solar, trying to figure out how to get them food from the Reach, but House Frey was blocking all of the routes that went anywhere near the Twins. There were other ways, but all of them were indirect, and no merchants were willing to go out of their way. Arya had offered to lead a caravan down to the Reach herself and bring the food back, but Sansa told her that they needed to wait until Jon got home before they could make any decisions. Arya didn't like that answer and was sitting on a crate while she watched Gendry and Podrick spar with Brienne standing nearby and telling them what to change.

"Lady Arya," Littlefinger said as he approached her. Sansa warned her that he would likely come to her at some point to try and get some information and that she was going to have to lie. Arya knew how to lie but what she was not good at hiding her contempt.

"Lord Baelish," Arya replied, and she turned her attention back to the training session in front of her. Littlefinger stood nearby and watched silently with her for a moment.

"Your husband is quite a fighter," he said. "There aren't many men who would choose a war hammer as a weapon."

"He's a smith by trade, and he said he feels more comfortable with a hammer," Arya replied, but she knew what he was hinting at. She almost felt like indulging him, telling him that Gendry was a Baratheon, and it would be best not to test his fury, but she held her tongue. Jon would be home in days, and then they could deal with Littlefinger permanently.

"How did a lady like yourself manage to find a bastard blacksmith?" Littlefinger asked. There was no hiding Gendry's accent, but they still needed to make sure people thought he was from the Riverlands and not King's Landing.

"His mother was killed while they were visiting from the Riverlands when he was little," Arya said. "Without anywhere else to go, he was apprenticed to a blacksmith who eventually decided he was more trouble than he was worth and sent him to the Wall. We met on the way there."

"How interesting," Littlefinger said. "I heard an interesting story while I was serving as the Master of Coin for King Robert. It seemed one of his bastards worked as a blacksmith, been there all of his life, and this boy would not be a Rivers but a Waters. Born in the shadow of the Red Keep. I believe he might have met more than one Hand of the King."

"Are you accusing me of something, Lord Baelish?" Arya snapped. "Because as my sister told you and the other lord's recently, it would not be wise to question us."

"I'm questioning him, Lady Arya, and who exactly you tied yourself to," Lord Baelish replied with that smarmy smile that she wanted to punch right off of his face. "Who knows what kind of threat a king's bastard married into one of the great houses of Westeros could be." Arya glared as he walked away and wanted nothing more than to stick Needle through his neck. They needed the support of the Vale, and they needed to do this united as a family.

'Just two more days,' Arya thought as she clenched her fists hard enough that she drew blood.

+++

Arya was in the forge, creating more elaborate weapon designs with Gendry, Podrick, and Meera when a guard announced that there were riders on the horizon. The only person it could be was Jon, and Arya grinned. She took Gendry by the hand and pulled him out of the forge as she ran out into the courtyard. He stumbled a few times but mostly kept up as Podrick and Meera yelled at them both for leaving their guards behind. Sansa emerged from the Godswood with Brienne pushing Bran's chair as people started to gather in the courtyard to welcome the King back. Some thought Jon was going to bend the knee to Daenerys and Arya was glad that wasn't drama they were going to have to deal with right now. There were other things that they needed to focus on.

Jon rode into Winterfell with Davos right behind him, but there were four men that Arya did not expect to see following him in. The first one was a man in Northern furs with bright red hair and a red beard who was grinning at Jon and looking around Winterfell. Lord Beric and Thoros of Myr climbed off of their horses, and they grinned when they saw Arya and Gendry standing side by side.

"If there was anyone who could escape that crazy bitch it's you two," Thoros said as he grinned drunkenly.

"Jon mentioned that you were injured, are you recovering?" Beric asked.

"We're getting by," Arya said, but she frowned as she noticed the third man. She would know those scars anywhere and the way he sneered at them.

"I'm going to die," Gendry whispered as they both stared at Sandor Clegane.

"You two cunts nearly bashed my head in," Sandor said, and despite Gendry being a man grown, Sandor still towered over him. "You left me there in the middle of the woods to die."

"First, we robbed you," Arya said, and she smirked. Sandor looked like he was about five seconds away from doing something stupid like attacking them when someone cleared their throat. They looked over to see Jon and Sansa watching them with an amused expression.

"Sandor, it's good to see you, and I would appreciate it if you refrained from hurting my little sister or my good brother," Sansa said.

"You married this hammer-wielding cunt? For fuck's sake," Sandor snapped as he turned to Sansa. "Little Bird, I am here to protect you." Arya blinked as she noticed that he didn't actually ask if that was what Sansa wanted and instead just stated it as a fact.

"I accept your protection, but I'm afraid I already have a sworn shield," Sansa replied. "You are always welcome in Winterfell by House Stark."

"I need a fucking drink." Sandor didn't wait for anyone else to say anything as he walked away from the group. Jon looked like he was trying very hard not to laugh.

"The world is so much smaller than we realize," Bran said.

"Thank you for the insight, Bran," Meera replied.

"I see we all know each other more than I expected," Jon said. "I would like to introduce Tormund Giantsbane of the Free Folk."

"Which one of you told this one it was a bad idea to go beyond the wall to catch a Wright?" Tormund asked. Arya glanced at Gendry, who just shrugged like he had no idea what was going on.

"Allow me to make introductions, Tormund," Jon said as he introduced everyone. When he got to Arya and Gendry, he explained that they were the first ones to say that it was a bad idea. Tormund smirked and nodded.

"You should listen to these two," Tormund said. Out of the corner of her eye, Arya could see Littlefinger approaching, and she tightened her hold on Gendry's hand. She was probably holding onto him too tightly, but he didn't say anything about it.

"Jon, we have much to talk about," Sansa said. "I think it would be best if we met in my solar to talk about our plans."

"Perhaps the Great Hall would be best," Littlefinger said. "After all, the Northern Lords want to greet their king."

"And while I want to greet them, I would like to be with my family. We are all together for the first time in many years, and I wish to see them," Jon said. Sansa smiled, and she gestured for everyone to follow her. Brienne and Podrick both nodded as they walked in the opposite direction, Arya watched as Beric and Thoros went off in the same direction as Sandor, while Jon and Meera began to push Bran back into the castle. Littlefinger looked like he just ate something terrible as he watched all of them, but Arya did her best to ignore him for now.

"Should I leave?" Gendry asked as they made their way through the castle to Sansa's solar.

"Why would you?" Arya asked.

"Jon said he wanted to be with family--"

"You're family, too," she reminded him. Deep down, Arya wanted to chastise him for always thinking that he wasn't part of the family but reminded herself that this was all very new to him. She pulled him into the solar as Meera and Jon set Bran's chair down. Arya was not surprised when Meera didn't leave either and took a seat next to Bran without a word. She was family too, and Arya was not surprised that she was staying. Jon made sure the door was closed and turned to all of them.

"Something happened," he said as he sat down.

"Littlefinger made another move," Sansa said as she pulled out the pin in her hair where she kept the piece of paper that listed everything that Littlefinger had done. "He hired a man to dress up like a knight to pretend to spar with Gendry and kill him. Gendry noticed that his armor didn't match and managed to call attention to the fact that he wasn't a real knight. Meera stopped him before he could do any real harm, and he's in the dungeons." Jon shook his head as he took the piece of paper from Sansa and began to look it over.

"Gendry, I want to apologize that this happened under my watch," Jon said, and Gendry blinked once like he didn't quite understand what was going on. "You are family, and I swore that I would never fail to protect family again."

"You have nothing to apologize for, Jon," Gendry said.

"I don't like the way he looks at Sansa either," Arya said. "He lurks around her and stares at her. If it makes me uncomfortable to watch, I can't imagine it being much better for you, Sansa."

"Littlefinger has expressed a certain interest in me before," Sansa said with a look of disgust. "Bran says that he was in love with mother, and since I remind him of her, well, you can understand the rest."

"We were lucky I was able to hit him with a spear," Meera said. "We won't be so lucky next time."

"Then we will deal with him," Jon said. "We will call a trial of the man who attacked Gendry, and we will reveal everything that we know about him there. I won't let him hurt another member of my family." Jon stood as they all began to gather their things to move down to the great hall. Arya clenches Gendry's hand as Jon puts calls out to the Northern Lords and the Lords from the Vale to meet them in the hall for the trial of the man that tried to hurt a member of House Stark.

At the great table, there were enough chairs for Jon, Sansa, and Arya to sit down. She took a seat and wished that there was another for Gendry. He squeezed her hand as he took his place right behind her right shoulder. Meera helped Bran settle at the table as well and stood in the same place over Bran's right shoulder.

The guards brought the would-be assassin after all of the Lords gathered. Jon stared the man down, and Arya tried to suppress her smile at how much he looked like their father at that moment.

"You stand accused of attempted murder against a member of House Stark, do you deny it?" Jon asked. Aside from the cuts and bruises that came from being in the dungeons, the man was remarkably unharmed, and that made Arya angry. She kept an eye on Littlefinger as he lurked in a shadow and watched all of this.

"I don't," the man said.

"I want to know why you attacked my good brother," Jon said, and the man shrugged.

"I wanted to," he said.

"You donned the armor of a knight so it would look like an accident. There were plenty of people around that day you could have killed. You sought him out, and I want to know why," Jon said. The man scoffed but didn't say a word.

"The man you tried to kill is my sister's husband," Sansa said as she folded her hands on the table. "He means everything to her, and you tried to take him from her. She wants vengeance, and I am inclined to give it to her. Now, you can tell us why you tried to kill Gendry and who asked you to do it. If you tell us what we want to know, then you will die quickly by my brother's sword. If you don't, then you will die slowly by my sister's hand." The man looked a little uncomfortable now as he shifted where he stood and glanced around the room. He looked at Littlefinger, who narrowed his eyes but didn't react in any other way. The hall was silent except for the man as he moved around.

"I was given the armor," he said quietly.

"Speak louder so we can all hear you," Arya snapped.

"I was given the armor," the man said in a louder voice. "And I was told who to kill. I was told to make it look like an accident and then to leave as soon as I could. Then I would get paid."

"I see," Jon said as he leaned back in his chair. "You will tell us who hired you to kill a member of House Stark, and I swear on my honor as King of the North that I will grant you a painless death." Arya watched the man as he looked at Littlefinger again like he was trying to decide if it was worth it. There was a chance that Littlefinger had something over him that would keep him from naming him, but Jon seemed to be making it clear that this man was going to die no matter what. How that death came was going to be completely up to him. The man stood up a little taller and looked Jon in the eye.

"He did," the man said as he pointed at Littlefinger. The Lords began to whisper among themselves as Littlefinger glared at the man.

"Lord Baelish, step forward," Jon said.

"Your Grace, this man is clearly lying," Littlefinger said as he took a few steps into the room. "You are offering him a painless death, and he picked me out at random. I trust you won't believe the word of a would-be assassin over one of your closest allies."

"You're quite right; I wouldn't believe him without proof," Jon said, and he looked at Bran. "Bran, can you confirm what this man just confessed to?"

"You hired him in Winter Town the day before the attack. You gave him pieces of armor from three different Knights of Vale that fell during the battle against the Bolton's. You told him that Gendry was a bastard and a threat that needed to die for the good of the realm," Bran said. Arya enjoyed the way Littlefinger started to turn a little pale.

"Your Grace, I--"

"Do you deny it?" Jon asked.

"Of course I do--"

"That is not all you are accused of," Sansa said. "You murdered our Aunt Lysa by pushing her through the Moon Door. Before that, you conspired to murder Jon Arryn by giving tears of Lys to our Aunt poison him. Do you deny it?"

"I'm sorry to say that your Aunt was not well. She tried to hurt you, so I protected you, and whatever she told you about Jon Arryn was not true as well," Littlefinger said as he stepped forward with a smile. "I was trying to protect you, Sansa."

"You sold her to the Bolton's," Arya said, struggling to contain her temper. "You knew what kind of man Ramsey Bolton was, and you sold her."

"My Lords, we all know what kind of man Ramsey Bolton was," Sansa said. "While I cannot show you the scars I bear from my time with him, rest assured I will bare them for the rest of my life."

"Lady Sansa I have always--"

"You told Aunt Lysa to send a message to our parents telling us that it was the Lannister's that murdered Jon Arryn when it was you," Jon said. "The source of the conflict between the Stark's and the Lannister's stands before you. The reason we have spent so long at war stands before you."

"I deny all of these charges," Littlefinger snapped as all of his patience was gone.

"You betrayed my father by holding a knife to his throat and saying, "I did warn you not to trust me" while you conspired with Cersei and Joffrey to have him killed. He was executed because of your doings," Bran said. "The knife you tried to give me, the one that was used by the assassin that tried to take my life, it belongs to you and not Tyrion Lannister. I saw it all, Lord Baelish, do you still deny it?"

"Lord Royce," Jon said as he stood up. "Will you be escorting Lord Baelish back to the Eyrie?"

"No, Your Grace, I don't think I will," Royce said as he glared at Littlefinger.

"Your Grace, please, I have only ever wanted the best for your family," Littlefinger said.

"Because of your actions, House Stark has lost many great members, and the North has suffered. For this and many other crimes I, Jon Snow, King of the North, hereby find you guilty. Bring them both to a block," Jon declared as he rose to his feet. Several guards took Littlefinger by the arms and dragged him and the assassin outside. Arya wanted to argue that they deserved worse, but she knew better than to go against Jon's wishes in front of everyone. They all stood up, and she felt Gendry reach for her hand. She held on tight as they all followed Jon out to the courtyard.

Jon was a man of his word and gave the man that tried to kill Gendry the quick death he did not deserve. Arya thought that Sansa deserved to do more to Littlefinger considering what he put her through, but she said nothing as his head was placed on the block. He begged for his life, said how much he loved their mother and Sansa, but Jon did not even grant him the option of final words.

The sword came down, and one less enemy resided in the North.

Arya was having a hard time reconciling how she felt. On the one hand, Littlefinger was gone, and that meant that she was safer. That meant that the people that she cared about were safer. That didn't mean that there weren't people lurking in dark corners. There was a chance that word of her return to Winterfell could have spread South. Cersei could be sending assassins to kill her entire family in their beds. The Others were marching South to kill all of them, and Daenerys was on her way as well. There was no telling how she was going to respond to a North that had no interest in kneeling. She was relieved but still so afraid that she couldn't sleep half of the time. Arya spent hours lying in bed and watching as Gendry slowly healed. She watched him breathe deeply, and she woke him up when he had nightmares.

It was a month after the death of Littlefinger, and Arya once again could not sleep, and she watched her husband frown and whimper in his sleep. She never asked what he dreamed about, but her name came up a few times so she could only imagine. Arya reached forward and placed a hand on his cheek.

"Gendry, wake up," she said. Gendry didn't wake up quietly; instead, his eyes snapped open, and he gasped for breath. He blinked a few times as if trying to bring her into focus until his breathing slowed down.

"Sorry," he whispered. "I woke you up again." Arya didn't want to tell him that he wasn't the one that was waking her up. Instead, it was everything that was happening around them. She was trying to focus on the good as she had her family together for the first time in so long. Arya could feel the pack expanding as she got to know Howland and Brienne and Podrick and Davos. The people that she cared about used to consist of one person, but now, now she had weak points that she didn't know how to deal with. Now there were so many ways that she could get hurt, and Arya didn't know how to deal with any of this. She didn't know how to accept a world where her pack wasn't just there to give her strength but could be her weakness as well.

"You can't control your nightmares," Arya replied as she ran her fingers through his hair. Gendry closed his eyes and seemed to relax a little as she touched him.

"Something is bothering you," he said after a moment of silence. Gendry cracked open an eye and looked at her. As always, it was like he was looking through all of the layers she wrapped around herself to keep her heart safe. There were times when it was dark, and Gendry was asleep, that she thought about running. She thought about getting away from Winterfell and all of these people that made her feel vulnerable. When she was feeling particularly weak, she even thought about leaving Gendry behind, thinking that he would be safer somehow if she weren't there. Arya hated when those thoughts crossed her mind.

"I'm thinking about weakness," Arya said as she let Gendry pull her close.

"You think you're weak?" he asked. Gendry leaned forward and began to press soft kisses along her neck, which Arya found incredibly distracting. She groaned as Gendry started to suck a bruise onto her pulse point that was going to be hard to hide. Arya enjoyed the fact that she could walk up to Gendry and kiss him in front of everyone without having to worry as much. She liked that she could take his hand during dinners even if some of the Northern lords were still giving them dirty looks. Gendry seemed more comfortable with his place as well and seemed to be growing closer with Jon. Arya sometimes caught the two of them late at night, sharing drinks, and lowly discussing being a bastard and their different upbringings.

"I don't know," Arya said as she pulled Gendry closer and gave him better access to her skin. They weren't exactly clothed, but Arya wanted more skin. She reached down and helped Gendry pull off the shirt he slept in sometimes. Gendry kissed up her neck and eventually pressed his lips to hers. Arya dug her nails into Gendry's shoulder and let him settle between her legs as he rolled her onto her back.

"Then what do you mean?" Gendry whispered against her lips. He slipped his hands beneath her sleep shirt, one of his, and pulled it off. Gendry kissed down her chest and took one of her nipples into his mouth. "What is it about weakness that is keeping you awake at night, Arya?" So he knew that she wasn't sleeping. Arya shouldn't be surprised because Gendry knew her better than anyone. She arched her back as he touched her other breast with his rough hands.

"I care about more people now," Arya said as Gendry slipped her small clothes down her legs. They hadn't had a lot of time to explore each other much despite being together as long as they had. Arya knew what Gendry wanted to do right now, they had talked about doing this in the past, but now was the first time they had somewhere safe where they could be together. "The more people I care about, the weaker I am."

"That's not true," Gendry said as he bit down gently on her hip bone. "The people around you make you stronger." Arya wanted to tell him that he was wrong, that having more people around you were just more opportunities to get hurt, but Gendry placed his mouth against her center, and Arya lost all of her words. He had shaved the day before, but the rough feeling from his stubble was delicious against her thigh, and whatever he was doing, his tongue should have been illegal. The women in the brothels talked about the rare client that would do this for them and how good it felt, but Arya felt like they were underselling how amazing this felt. Arya groaned as Gendry slipped two fingers in her, and it took no time at all for her to peak. She cried out, and Gendry didn't pull away until she was trembling.

Arya was having a hard time feeling her legs as Gendry moved back up the bed and pressed his lips to hers. She could taste herself on him, and it made her moan against his lips.

"I just want everyone safe," Arya whispered. "And when I think about them getting hurt, it makes me feel weak."

"You taught me that the people around us make us stronger," Gendry said he shifted between her legs and pushed inside of her. "I'm not saying, don't be afraid but use that fear as strength to keep the people you love safe." Arya wanted to make a crack about when he got so wise, but Gendry slammed into her and stole her breath again. He wasn't being rough, but he was being relentless as if he was trying to fuck this notion of weakness out of her mind. Arya wasn't sure if it was going to work, but it was taking her mind off of everything for a moment.

Gendry pinned her arms down beside her head and interlaced their fingers as he moved in and out of her. Arya felt a little trapped, but if there was anyone she was willing to give up a little control to it was Gendry.

"Arya," he said, his voice annoyingly steady considering what they were doing. "You can't protect yourself by shutting everyone out. You're home; your family is home, so now it's time to protect it." Arya looked into his blue eyes, and she could see how much he loved her. She could see how much he believed in her and how he wanted her to have everything under the sun and then some. Arya pulled hands free and pulled Gendry down into a passionate kiss where she put all of her insecurities into it. She put everything that she was feeling into that kiss so he would know. Sometimes, Arya needed a reminder that Gendry was her husband, and that meant sharing her fears with him.

He reached down and touched her, and it was enough to make her peak again. She cried out against Gendry's lips as he snapped his hips three more times and spilled within her. Their coupling was intense, and Gendry nearly collapsed on top of her as they continued to kiss. The bed was a mess, and Arya knew she needed to get up and find something to wipe it up with, but right now, she enjoyed exchanging deep and slow kisses with the man she loved. Gendry rolled onto his side and pulled her close as they continued to kiss. He eventually pulled away and got up to grab a cloth from the table to clean them both up.

He settled back down into the bed as they lay side by side, looking at each other. He was so beautiful, and Arya couldn't sometimes believe that someone as good and as kind as Gendry wanted to be with her. He was the kind of man her father would have approved of. She was sure of it.

"I've thought about leaving," Arya confessed, and she hated herself a little for the hurt expression that crossed Gendry's features. "I'm sorry."

"Please don't apologize," he said immediately. "You shouldn't apologize for having doubts about everything that's happening. This is all a lot and not just for you."

"Seems like you're handling it a lot better than I am," Arya said, and Gendry scoffed.

"I'm not, not even a little," he said. "I feel like I'm even more unworthy of you than ever. I have the moment we walked through those gates. I don't like feeling like I'm lesser, but seeing you smile every time you get to be around your siblings is worth that. Those bad moments are worth finding friends for the first time in so long." Gendry paused as he took her hands into his and kissed her knuckles. "I'm not going to promise we're going to be okay because neither of us knows that. Just promise me you'll try to stop thinking of those of us that love you as weaknesses."

"I'll try," Arya said, which was about as close to a promise as she could make. Gendry pulled her back into his arms, and before long, his breathing evened out as he fell back asleep. Arya closed her eyes and hoped for a dreamless sleep.

+++

Arya did try her best to keep her promise to Gendry and remind herself that loving all of these people wasn't a weakness. She met more people and more of the Northern Lords. She met little Lyanna Mormont, who looked like she could take down half an army with her stare alone, and Arya couldn't believe she was envious of someone nearly half her age. Jorah Mormont, who had initially traveled with Jon, came up from White Harbor, where he was staying as he waited for news about his Queen to come to Winterfell. Lyanna looked like she was about to beat the man bloody and to Arya's relief, he mostly kept to himself since most of the Northern Lords wanted to string him up. Jon seemed to convince them that he couldn't be killed without risking the ire of someone with three dragons, and no one drew their blade on him yet, but Arya could see it happening before the end of the war.

She trained with Brienne, and she bothered Gendry in the forge. It felt like things were going to be okay, but she saw that Sansa and Jon were shutting themselves up in her solar for long periods of time, and they got little pinched expressions between their eyes when something was wrong. One day Arya saw them head inside, and she decided that it was time for her to find out exactly what was bothering her brother and sister.

"Arya, is something wrong?" Sansa asked when Arya walked in.

"I could ask you two the same thing," she said as she closed the door. "You're not telling us something, and I want to know what it is." Jon and Sansa looked at each other and had a silent conversation that sort of blew Arya's mind a little. She couldn't remember a time that Sansa and Jon had that kind of bond and could communicate like that, but here they were.

"We have a problem, and neither of us is sure how to fix it," Jon said as he gestured for Arya to sit down at the table that he and Sansa were at. "The fact of the matter is winter is just beginning, and we don't have enough food."

"If the banners of the North come to defend Winterfell and the battle is quick, we will make it through half of the winter at best," Sansa explained. "However, with the armies of the Dragon Queen coming North, then we might not even make it through the war with the Others. We are going to starve."

"Queen Daenerys told me that she had allies in the Reach, but now that the Lannister's have sacked Highgarden, we don't have those allies anymore," Jon explained. "Samwell Tarly is on his way, and he could try to get some of the Houses of the Reach to send us food, and they very well might, but that leads to one of the many problems."

"When Robb declared the North independent, we were at war and didn't have time to sit down with the Crown or the various Kingdoms of the South to figure out trade negotiations," Sansa said. "That is no way Robb's fault, he was at war, but now that we are independent again, we have no established trade laws with the South. No merchants on ships are willing to sail here without some sort of deal hammered out ahead of time."

"Couldn't someone just bring food up from the South to the Neck or the border to trade?" Arya asked.

"That leads us to our second problem," Jon said, and he suddenly looked very angry. "While the Blackfish has taken back Riverrun in the name of Tully's, the Frey's still control the Twins. They aren't letting anyone go North with supplies on their bridges or on the King's Road. They are threatening merchants and anyone willing to trade with us to turn around." Arya didn't have many regrets in her life, and she was proud of the work that she and Gendry did, but the fact that they weren't ever able to really lash out at the Frey's always bothered her. The Frey's had taken her mother, her brother, her good sister, and her unborn nephew or niece out of this world, and now they were trying to starve the North. The fact that House Frey still existed made Arya see red.

"So let's ride an army down there and take care of them," Arya snapped.

"I wish we could," Jon said. "However, that would be outwardly declaring war on the Crown, and we don't have the men for that right now. We need our armies here, in the North, preparing for the war for the living. If we don't prepare for the Long Night, then we will fail, and we don't have the numbers to fight a war against the dead and against the Crown."

"But if we don't take care of it, we're all going to die a much slower death," Sansa said. "Hence why Jon and I have been locked in here for days trying to figure out exactly how we're going to deal with this problem. We could ask the Dragon Queen when she comes North, but we don't know how the Lannister's would react to an attack like that, and we need everyone ready for the Long Night."

"I know you're going to tell Gendry this because I can only assume you tell him everything," Jon said with a smile. Arya opened her mouth to say that it wasn't true, but the way Jon and Sansa were smirking at her seemed to be indication enough that they wouldn't believe her even if she did try to deny it. "But try to keep it quiet for now. I'm sure we'll think of something eventually." Arya nodded and walked out of the solar so the two of them could get back to work. It wasn't that she didn't want to help but more that she was unsure about how much help she could be.

That night Arya told Gendry that she wanted to take supper in their room, which he accepted without second-guessing her for a second. It still amazed her sometimes how much he trusted her. They settled down and ate the warm strew filled with meat that Nymeria and her pack had gathered for them, but even the wolves would run out of food eventually. As they ate, she explained to him what was happening and how they didn't have a lot of options right now.

"I can see why merchants either wouldn't want to defy House Frey or wouldn't want to come North without something in writing declaring that trade was going to happen at a set rate," Gendry said as he sat back in his chair and frowned. "There has to be something that we can do."

"Jon and Sansa said that bringing an army down there, even just a small part of it, would be a bad idea," Arya said. "They said it would be too hostile considering how close we are to the Long Night."

"So what we need is an army but not an army of the North even though we can't spare the men," Gendry replied as he frowned like he always did when he was deep in thought. Arya chewed on the nail on her thumb as she thought about battle, tactics, and fighting.

"Maybe we don't need an army," Arya said as Gendry looked up at her. "When we were operating as Wolf and Bull, we took down small groups of trained men together because we knew the land and how to make our small numbers work for us."

"If we could get a small group of the right members of House Frey out of the castle and into the woods, we could probably take down a dozen or so of them between the two of us," Gendry said as he looked down on the floor. "We also help that we didn't have back then." He gestured to Nymeria and smirked. "Her pack seemed keen to protect us when we were riding up here. Do you think they would help us in the woods against some Freys?"

"I think they would," Arya said as she smiled to herself. "We also have some men here that aren't directly connected to the North or House Stark that could come and help, and it wouldn't be seen as open war."

"You mean Lord Beric and Thoros and any other Brotherhood members that might be running around the Riverlands," Gendry said. "As far as I'm concerned, they still owe me a favor because of the whole "trying to sell me" incident. I could cash in that favor."

"And something tells me Sandor would come with us if Sansa asked him to," Arya said.

"Meera and Podrick probably would too even if we didn't ask them," Gendry said. "With that group, the wolves, and if we could get the Freys into the woods where we know the terrain better than them, we could kill a group of two dozen men or more without any problems."

"I have that house with my whole being, but there must be someone within its ranks with some sense. If we find them and establish either him or her as the Lord or Lady and get them to open up the King's Road, the crossing, or both to the North that would settle our food problem," Arya said with a smile that faded as something dawned on her. "Jon and Sansa will never let us do this. You are just finishing recovering from your injuries, and they won't let me run to the South to deal with this problem without the full support of the North behind me."

"Sometimes it's better to ask for forgiveness than permission," Gendry said with a shrug. "Besides, we're telling him this is all your idea."

"What? Why?" Arya asked because this was something they both came up with, and Gendry should be getting credit for it just as much as she should have.

"Because Jon likes you more than me, and he's less likely to beat you bloody than me," Gendry said with a smirk. Arya reached over and smacked him on the arm.

"A younger me would have agreed with your "better to ask for forgiveness than permission" idea, but I don't want to do something without the support of my family," Arya said. "Besides, half of the people we want to come with us won't come unless Jon, or in the case of Sandor Sansa, says they can. We need to get permission from them to do this."

"You told me they were locked in there for days and they couldn't come up with a solution," Gendry said as he folded his arms across his chest. "Something tells me Jon and Sansa are smart enough to know when there is only one solution on the table and right now? You, me, two members of the Brotherhood, the Hound, Meera, Podrick, and some wolves look like our only option."

"This isn't going to be a fun conversation," Arya said, and Gendry hummed with agreement as he finished his glass of wine.

"No," Jon said when Arya was only about halfway through her explanation of what her and Gendry came up with. Gendry rolled his eyes and didn't say anything as he leaned back in the chair, and Arya wanted to smack him. He should have been speaking up and getting Jon to listen to them, but instead, he seemed keen to sit there and let their plan get blown to bits. She glared at her husband, who shrugged and seemed to say, without words, "I told you so."

"Look, Jon, this is the only idea we have to deal with the food problem," Arya said. "Have you and Sansa come up with anything better in the last couple of days?"

"That isn't the point," Jon snapped. "My little sister is asking her to let her and my good brother go off to fight one of the houses of Westeros with nothing but a bunch of wolves to help them out. What kind of leader would I be if I let something like that happen on my watch?"

"Jon, I've told you about all the fights Arya, and I did before we came North," Gendry said as Jon glared at him. "This won't be much different from when we were operating as Wolf and Bull only this time we're trying to find someone reasonable to put in charge of the house instead of stealing supplies."

"You only just finished recovering from an injury, and now you want to run off to get hurt again?" Jon asked.

"It would happen eventually. I wasn't planning on sitting idly by when the dead came and neither will Arya," Gendry said.

"You need to let us do what we do best. We operated for years without any issues, and the one time we did get seriously injured, it didn't have anything to do with our tactics but getting jumped by a bunch of bandits," Arya said. She crossed her arms across her chest and narrowed her eyes. "Lord Beric and Thoros probably like me more than you. They'd come with me without me."

"Meera and Podrick have both said they go where I go, and if I go down to fight the Freys, I'm fairly sure both of them are coming with me," Gendry said.

"And the wolves already decided Gendry and I are worth protecting so they will come with us," Arya said.

"That's enough!" Jon shouted, and Arya didn't think she had ever seen him this mad. "I am your brother and your King. If I forbid this, that is the end of it."

"Jon," Sansa said quietly. Thus far, she hadn't said anything in this fight, and Arya glanced at her sister, who was frowning deeply. "We don't have enough food, and there is no getting around that. Even if we win the fight against the dead, none of us will survive the winter."

"By then, Daenerys should be Queen, and she will force the Freys to trade with us," Jon replied, but Sansa shook her head.

"It will still take time to write out exactly how we are controlling the border and what kind of trade we will be doing. Even if Daenerys took King's Landing tomorrow, we still would starve before we sorted everything out," Sansa said. "We can't ask the people of the North to fight for their lives only for them to die later. We need food, and this is the only idea we've had so far."

"Arya was the one who decided we needed to come to you for permission," Gendry said as Jon and Sansa looked at him. "I told her it was better to ask for forgiveness than permission, and we should go take care of it. She was the one who wanted to make sure that she didn't undermine either of you."

"Sansa, if you ask him, I'm sure Sandor will come too. With that group, the wolves, and any other Brotherhood members we can find, I'm sure we have enough people to take care of it. I know we can," Arya said.

"How exactly are you planning on getting members of House Frey out of the Twins and into the woods where your strategies would work?" Jon asked. Arya glanced at Gendry because that was part of the plan that they hadn't worked out just yet. Jon raised an eyebrow and seemed to take that as confirmation that they didn't know. "That's what I thought. Look, I want revenge for Robb, Talisa, Lady Catelyn, and our unborn niece or nephew at much as the rest of you, but I won't let House Frey take any other member of this family."

"They still hold a member of our family," Sansa said. "Our Uncle Edmure married Roslin Frey, and he has been their captive ever since. House Tully is part of our family, and they are refusing to release a member of our family. If we sent Arya, Gendry, and the convoy down to negotiate a release of Edmure and his family, that could be enough to get them out of the castle."

"No one familiar with the Red Wedding would ever come into House Frey and believe they wouldn't turn on you in a moment," Arya said with a nod. "Only I can't go as a member of House Stark as if you sent me. I will simply say I am making my way North to be with my family, and I am picking up Edmure and his kin on the way. They can't know you know what I'm doing, or it'll look like an attack from the North instead of a singular family member acting out."

"Sansa," Jon said. "Please don't tell me you're thinking of agreeing to this insane plan. We just got her back, and you want to send her out again?"

"Of course I don't," Sansa snapped. "But I also know that we need to eat or we're all going to die, and the Long Night isn't worth fighting at all." A silence fell over the room as the three Stark's stared each other down and tried to see who was going to be the most stubborn out of all of them. Arya would put coin down on herself since she figured years of being with Gendry had rubbed off on her. Gendry, who was watching this entire exchange with a slightly amused expression on his face as he sat forward in his chair.

"Why don't we just ask Bran?" he asked, and everyone turned to stare at him. "He says that he sees things, why don't we ask him to see if he "sees" whether or not this is a good idea?"

"And if he says it's a bad idea, will you both swear to stay in Winterfell and not go off on your own?" Jon asked. Arya glanced at Gendry, who shrugged and nodded.

"Fine, but if he says it is, you need to let us go and handle House Frey without argument," Arya said. Jon nodded, and they all stood up. It was the middle of the day, so there was really only one place that Bran could be, and that was in the Godswood. He was sitting next to the tree with Meera, who smiled when she saw all of them walking toward her.

"They are earlier than you predicted," she said with a smile.

"You knew we were coming," Sansa stated and sighed when Bran smirked at her. "Very well, I'm assuming you know the details of this plan that Gendry and Arya have?"

"I do," Bran said.

"Will it work?" Jon asked, which wasn't exactly the question that Arya thought they were going to be asking.

"I cannot tell whether or not the plan will work because that could change things," Bran said. "But that isn't what you're supposed to ask me, brother."

"Fine, I want to know if the plan is a good idea," Jon said.

"If the North is going to survive through the winter, we need food, and unless House Frey is dealt with, we will starve," Bran said. "Arya and Gendry worked very well together against the Lannister's for many years. If House Frey meets them outside of the castle, I do believe this is a good idea." Jon frowned deeply and looked like he wanted to argue, but Arya wasn't going to let him get away with that.

"Jon, you gave your word," she said softly. "Please, let me help our family. We want to help our family, and we want to help the North. We can get revenge against the House that wronged us, free our Uncle, and get food to those that need it. Let us do what we are good at doing for the sake of our House, brother." Jon sighed as he looked at Meera, who was smiling softly as she watched this exchange.

"You know they intend to bring you with them, you know," Jon said.

"I've already sharpened my spear," Meera replied without hesitation. Jon sighed and seemed to know that he had lost this fight, and there wasn't anything he could do about it. Sansa placed a hand on his shoulder, and it seemed to calm him down a little. Jon closed his eyes, slowly released a breath, and turned his gaze on Arya and Gendry.

"If you are unable to get Walder Frey to meet you outside of the castle walls, I need you to abandon this plan of yours. Your little group cannot take on an entire army," Jon said.

"We have no interest in dying," Gendry said as he took Arya's hand.

"You have our word that we won't take any unnecessary risks," Arya replied. Jon looked between the two of them, then at Meera and Bran, and heaved a long sigh.

"Sansa, you might want to go have a conversation with Sandor. I have a feeling you're the only one who can convince him to go and keep an eye on these two," Jon said. "Permission granted. Winter has come for House Frey."

+++

Now that they had permission to go and take care of the Freys, Arya decided it was time to start getting everything together. Meera already confirmed that she was coming with them and smiled at Gendry about showing him what a real warrior with a real spear could do in battle. Next, it was time to find Beric and Thoros and see how they felt about helping out. It was a day later, and Gendry squeezed her hand as they walked around the castle to try and find the men. They were high on the ramparts as Thoros drank, and Beric sharpened his sword. They both looked up as Arya and Gendry approached.

"The King is walking around with a very sour look on his face," Beric said as Gendry and Arya sat down with them. "I haven't gotten word that the dead are at our doors yet, so I can only imagine there is one person in the world capable of making Jon Snow look like that."

"What did you do to make your brother so upset, little lady?" Thoros asked.

"It has to do with what we want to ask you," Arya said. "The North is running out of food, and with Daenerys coming with her giant army, we aren't going to make it through the Long Night, let alone through the entire winter. We could trade with the Reach, but the Frey's aren't letting anyone looking to work with the North come through."

"So consider this me calling in a favor for the whole selling me thing," Gendry said. "Jon has given Arya and me permission to go South and deal with House Frey, so the North has food. The Lady Meera is joining us, and Nymeria has her pack of wolves, but we could use two men who know the Riverlands and who know how to fight large groups of people with few resources."

"The King won't send an army to help because it would complicate things," Beric said as he looked at the two of them. "So you two want to go back to your roots only this time you want to displace an entire house. How, exactly, are you planning on doing that? Because I saw the remains of the Red Wedding, and I wouldn't trust Walder Frey not to kill you within his own walls."

"We're going under the guise of negotiating for the release of my Uncle Edmure Tully, whom House Frey keeps prisoner," Arya said. "As far as we're going to tell them, I'll be traveling North for the first time to help my sister and brothers reclaim the North and want my family with me. They won't know we're coming from Winterfell at all."

"Plausible deniability when it comes to someone accusing the North of attacking the South," Thoros said with a nod. "Very clever, and you think you can eliminate an entire house using your old tactics with the help of a girl from the Neck and some wolves?"

"And you two and any other former Brotherhood member that will help us," Gendry said. "While I know Arya and her family would love to see all of House Frey killed, we all know that there is no saying "no" to powerful men. We can't say the entire House is guilty when they couldn't say no to their father."

"That's rather wise coming from two people who killed Lannister soldiers for years," Beric said as he eyed the two of them. Arya glanced at Gendry, who narrowed his eyes.

"Yes, we did kill soldiers, and those were just men following orders as well. However, we made sure that any man we killed was part of a group that terrorized the Riverlands or attacked the small folk in some way," she said as she looked at the two men in front of her. "Will you help us? Jon won't order you."

"We're with you, my lady," Beric said as Thoros nodded as well. Arya smiled as Gendry stood and helped her to her feet. They left the two former Brotherhood members to have their night and went back into the castle. Arya wasn't expecting to find Sansa waiting for her, but her sister had a pinched expression on her face.

"What happened?" Arya asked.

"I may have found something that could make your plan harder. Come with me," Sansa said as she guided the two of them to her solar. There was a piece of paper sitting in the middle of the table, and Sansa handed it to Arya without saying anything. Arya frowned and began to read the paper.

"This is a marriage contract," Arya said as she began to read, and it dawned on her exactly what she was reading. "This can't be."

"What is it?" Gendry asked as he looked over her shoulder to read it. One of the main things that Arya taught Gendry over their many years together was how to read and write, and while he wasn't the fastest at either, he could understand what it was he was reading. "Arya, this has your name on it."

"It seems that part of the deal that allowed Robb to use the crossing at the Twins was your hand in marriage to Waldron Frey," Sansa said. "This was on top of Robb marrying Roslin Frey and taking on a Frey as a squire."

"What does this mean for us? I'm afraid that the idea of signing a piece of paper in exchange for marriage is something I don't really understand," Gendry said. "Arya and I are married, we have been for a long time now, what could they possibly do about it?"

"Walder Frey could claim that the marriage wasn't legitimate because it wasn't done in a Sept," Sansa said. "He could demand Arya."

"I would like to see him try," Arya snapped. "I'm a woman grown who is wedded, bedded, not to mention barren. I hardly think I would make an ideal bride for any man." Arya didn't realize that she had said until she saw Sansa turn white with horror, and she realized this was the first time anyone from her family learned that she couldn't have children. Gendry reached over and took her hand and interlaced their fingers together. The fact that she couldn't have children was something that Arya came to terms with a long time ago, and her time with Gendry had all but proven it. She never got her moonblood again, and they stopped being careful a long time ago.

"Arya," Sansa whispered. "What happened?" She wanted to tell her sister what happened, but it all came back to her again. The pain and how she thought she was going to have to watch Gendry bleed out in front of her. It stole her words, and she squeezed Gendry's hand to try and tell him that she couldn't explain this right now.

"A bandit attack," Gendry said. "They nearly cut me in half, and one of them stabbed Arya in the stomach. We nearly died were it not for Nymeria alerting some nearby healers that we needed help. They told us that they were fairly certain Arya couldn't have children, and it seems to be true. We haven't been careful for a long time." Arya watched as tears began to form in Sansa's eyes as she crossed the room and pulled them both into a tight hug. Gendry seemed surprised that he was being included in this hug, but, as Arya thought about it, that attack stole his ability to have children when he decided to stay with her.

"I'm so sorry," Sansa whispered as she pulled away from them. Arya was holding onto Gendry's hand tight enough now that it had to hurt, but he didn't even flinch.

"I have a family," Arya said, and she was surprised at how steady her voice was. "I have the two of you and Bran and Jon and Meera and others. Perhaps once the war is over, we try to find a child that needs a home. Until then, I would rather not talk about this, Sansa."

"I understand," Sansa replied without hesitation. "Just be careful when you meet with Walder Frey and know that he could try and invoke the contract."

"No one is taking your sister from me," Gendry said. "Not while my heart still beats, and there is breath in my lungs." It was a terribly romantic thing to say, so, of course, Sansa looked like she was about to cry with happiness from it. Arya wanted to change the subject before Sansa started talking about the songs the two of them would be written into.

"Sansa, I have a favor to ask of you," Arya said. "Sandor is one of the best fighters in the realm and would be a great help on this trip that we are taking South. He won't come if either of us asks, but if you do, I think he will." That seemed to get Sansa to compose herself as she nodded and agreed to try and get Sandor to help them. Arya all but dragged Gendry from the room because she didn't want to think about this anymore. She didn't want to think about marriage contracts and how her mother had all but sold her for a bridge.

"Are you okay?" Gendry asked as he continued to allow Arya to drag him through the castle to their room. She closed the door and leaned against it as she tried to get her heartbeat under control.

"They sold me, Gendry," she whispered. "They traded my life for a bridge, and they didn't even know if I was okay at the time." He walked forward and pulled her into a tight hug as the reality of the situation really began to dawn on her. "You were right. You were right to say that you weren't going to come with me that night. I was promised to another, and they would have never allowed us near each other. I know that a daughter is often used for some sort of alliance, but this feels different, and I don't know why. I might have to face the man I was betrothed to."

"I meant what I said," Gendry whispered into her hair as he held her. "I'm not letting anyone have you."

"I didn't know about the stupid contract, so it's not like they can get mad at me for breaking it," Arya snapped as she pulled away from the hug and tried to calm her beating heart. "That also isn't how I wanted my family to find out I can't have children."

"Hey," he tilted her chin up, so she looked him in the eye. "You said so yourself; there are plenty of orphans out there that need homes. When we're ready, we'll find someone to bring into our lives. We found each other, so it makes sense that we need to find our child as well." Arya couldn't help her laugh as she pulled Gendry down for a kiss. They couldn't stay in her room for long because they had one more person to talk to.

+++

"You did swear to protect me," Gendry said as he stood with Podrick and Brienne, both of whom were looking at them like they lost their minds.

"Well, yes, but I thought that meant from people here in the castle that wanted to hurt you," Podrick said. "Not following you to fight for control of a castle with no army. Lady Brienne? Surely you can't condone this."

"The King has agreed," Arya said. "And I'm sure he would appreciate any warriors who would come and keep his family safe. Duty and whatnot."

"Very well," Brienne said with a heavy sigh. "I did tell him to protect you, my lord, and to tell him not to now would be something unbecoming of the knight that Podrick is training to be. He will accompany you."

"I don't want you to force him," Gendry said as he locked eyes with Podrick. "I only want him to come with us if it's of his own free will." Podrick stared at Gendry before he laughed and shook his head at them.

"I hope when all of this is over, they give you two a Holdfast because I would very much like to serve your house," Podrick said. "I'll come with you."

"You already serve our house Podrick," Arya said. "Thank you for coming."

+++

It took three days for all of them to pack their belongings and for Gendry to finish fixing all of the weapons and armor. Sandor came out just as they were packing their horses, swearing up a storm and yelling about keeping "stupid wolf bitches and hammer swinging twats safe" as Sansa followed him out. Arya was forever amused by how fond of Sandor Sansa seemed to be and how he seemed to do anything that she told him to do. Jon came out with Ghost just as they were getting ready to leave.

"I know you have an entire pack out there waiting for you, but I'd like you to take Ghost with you. That way, I feel like I'm there with you," Jon said.

"Of course," Arya said as she beckoned for Ghost to join them.

"I asked one other person to accompany you, and it would make me feel a lot better if you agreed," Jon said, and he nodded to Tormund of the free folk. He grinned at them as he climbed onto his horse.

"The crow asked to come and keep an eye on you and your blacksmith, do you agree little wolf? Tormund asked. Arya knew that Jon trusted Tormund a great deal, and to send him and Ghost with them was his way of saying that he wanted them to be safe.

"We'll be going South, do you think you can handle the heat?" Arya asked, and Tormund laughed.

"I like this one," he said. Arya looked around at their band as everyone made their final preparations. Meera and Bran were softly talking to each other, and Howland hugged his daughter goodbye. Beric and Thoros were already talking to each other about where they might find other members of the Brotherhood that could help them. Podrick was smiling at Brienne, who nodded to him and stood close to Sansa. This was more help than she thought she would have, and she smiled at Gendry, who nodded to her.

"Please come home safe," Sansa said as she took Arya's hand and squeezed it.

"We'll do our best," Arya replied.

"Work together despite any issues you might have in the past," Bran said, which was about as close to a 'good luck' as she was going to get from her brother. Arya could see Meera rolling her eyes from on top of her horse. Arya climbed on her own and nodded to her family. She just got home, and she was already leaving, but Arya knew that she was going to come back. Arya was going to come back after she got revenge for her family.

Nymeria and Ghost both take off the moment they step foot outside of Winterfell. Arya wasn't entirely surprised to see them run off since she expected that the wolf pack would be joining them later tonight. They were an odd group of people but she couldn't have been more thankful to have others there with her as she went out to get justice for her family. The North needed food and she was part of the North. She was going to make sure that they made it through the long winter if it was the last thing she was going to do.

Meera was going to guide them through the Neck in places where anyone from the Twins patrolling wouldn't see them. Beric and Thoros said that there were a few Brotherhood members that might come and help them out. The idea of fighting with someone other than Gendry made her a little nervous but that didn't mean she wasn't ready for all of this. Arya knew that they could do this because they didn't really have a choice. It had to happen.

"What the fuck is that," Sandor said. Arya blinked and looked out to see the wolf pack lingering on the edges of the forest, watching them, and keeping them surrounded on all sides.

"Backup," Arya replied.

"Of course the wolf bitch has a wolf pack," he grumbled.

"You shouldn't call the Lady Arya that," Podrick chastised.

"Fuck off you little Lannister cunt," Sandor said which made Podrick frown deeply. Thoros let out a drunken laugh.

"We're not even a day away from Winterfell and this is already so much more amusing than anything that could happen in that castle," he said.

"This is going to be interesting," Gendry said softly as they continued. They walked until the sun was nearly down and that was when Nymeria and Ghost decided to join them again. Sandor, Beric, and Thoros were arguing about who was going to go out and do the hunting to find food when the two wolves dragged in a deer big enough for all of them to eat. Everyone stared at the wolves as they casually settled down near the fire as if they didn't have a care in the world.

"You lot aren't going to just stare at that, are you?" Meera said as she pulled out a knife and began to skin the deer. The men seemed to come back to themselves and before long they had plenty of meat over the fire. Nymeria seemed to get restless as they all finished food and began to pull on Gendry's sleeve as if she wanted him to follow her. He smiled fondly at the wolf and got up to follow her to the edge of camp where they began to play. Sandor scowled as Gendry played with a wolf the size of a pony but everyone else seemed amused and bewildered. Nymeria eventually knocked Gendry down and pinned him by simply lying down on his chest so he couldn't move.

"He seems lighter out here," Meera said.

"He isn't cut out for noble life. I don't think either of us is. Not really anyway," Arya replied as she watched Gendry scratch Nymeria behind the ears and look up through the trees at the sky. He was lying in the snow without shivering which meant that he was finally starting to adjust to the harsh Northern weather. Nymeria eventually let Gendry back up as they began to set up the bedrolls and the tents. That was when the issue of sleeping arrangements came up.

"There is no way the Lady Meera can stay in a tent with any of us," Podrick said.

"This lady can still throttle you," Meera snapped. "I'm here as a warrior just like Arya. I don't need any of you to protect my virtue. I'm perfectly capable of protecting it myself."

"Meera, you're welcome in my tent with Gendry. I promise he'll keep his hands to himself," Arya said. "It's just going to be a little tight."

"That's fine by me," Meera said with a shrug. They had another tent but Thoros, Beric, Tormund, and Sandor all insisted that they didn't want to sleep in a tent. Podrick seemed reluctant to set up a tent just for himself and Meera rolled her eyes. "If you try to touch me I'll remove your hands, Podrick."

"I would never--"

"I traveled with men for many years. I can handle sharing a tent without someone trying to protect me," Meera said. It seemed that Ghost knew something was going on and bullied his way into the tent that Meera and Podrick were going to share. Nymeria still thought that Gendry was a pup that needed to be protected and settled at his back as he wrapped his arms around Arya so they could get some sleep. She could hear the other men still talking and making jokes at Podrick's expense. Arya tried not to feel just how much more relaxed Gendry seemed to be now that they were away from the castle and everything that came with it. She wondered if it was the best place for them once all of the wars were over and they were safe again.

+++

For a trip that had such a wide variety of people, it turned out that they all traveled well together. Aside from the occasional bad comment from Sandor or Thoros insulting someone after he got drunk until he ran out of liquor anyway, they all got along okay. All of them had traveled long distances on foot and on horses over the years in less than ideal situations so a simple trip South wasn't that big of a deal to anyone. Meera guided them through the Neck and during those days Arya lost sight of the wolves. She didn't feel as safe at night knowing that the wolves weren't looking out for them but so far they hadn't had any problems. It was beginning to make her nervous.

Two weeks later they were far enough south of the Twins that no one could think that they were coming from the North. It was time to try and find some other Brotherhood members as Thoros and Beric set out on their own with promises to come back within the week. While Arya did love the North there was something about being in the Riverlands that made her feel like she was coming home in a way that she wasn't expecting.

"So this is the South," Tormund said as he looked around their small campsite that they would be staying for the next week. He had shed most of his fur layers as they got further South and now was looking around the Riverlands like he wasn't quite sure what to do with them.

"This isn't that far south," Gendry said. "It gets much warmer in the winter where I'm from. This is nice weather in my opinion."

"It's a bit too dry. I like the weather to be a little wetter," Meera said despite the fact that it had rained on them today and they were all still a little damp from it.

"Your lands were very interesting little frog catcher," Tormund said. Meera had shown them how to spear a frog at one point which impressed everyone. Arya didn't know how she managed to see the frog in the dirty water from so far away but Meera caught enough frogs to feed all of them the nights they needed to spend in the Neck. Podrick and Meera had become better friends since they began to share a tent and Arya thought that he might be a little bit enamored with her. Arya knew she needed to tell him that Meera was all but spoken for by Bran but didn't want to ruin the dynamic all of them had going.

"I'm going to see if I can find some dry firewood," Gendry said as he stood up and went out into the woods. Arya couldn't ignore how much lighter he seemed anymore and called out her intentions to join him. They hadn't had a moment alone in days and she needed to talk to him or this was going to eat at her for days.

"Gendry?" she asked. "Are you happy at Winterfell?" Gendry frowned as he turned and look at her with an odd expression on his face.

"Why would you ask me that?" he asked.

"You seem so much more relaxed out here on the road than you do back at the castle," Arya said as she looked down and kicked a rock. This wasn't a conversation she wanted to have but it was one they needed to have. "Would you be happier if we weren't at Winterfell?"

"Arya," he said as he placed his hands on her arms. "Yes, I'm less tense out here because I don't have to worry about which Northern lord is going to call be an upstart bastard or see if they figure out who my father is. That doesn't mean I don't want to be there. It's your home which means it's my home now. That's all."

"Would you be happier if we left after the wars are over? When it's safe?" she asked.

"I think we've done this dance enough to know that it's never safe for us. Not completely anyway. I know I'd feel better knowing that the King of the North would keep me safe than anywhere else in the realm," Gendry replied as he squeezed her arms. "I'm good and I promise I'll get used to the castle and everything that goes on it. I just need more time." Arya nodded and they continued to look for firewood. They found enough dry wood to make a fire and went back to the campsite. Arya watched as Gendry spoke with Podrick and Meera, as he even fired back a few insults at Sandor, and tried to imagine seeing him this relaxed within the walls of Winterfell. She hoped that, someday, they could just live without any worries.

+++

A week later Thoros and Beric road back into camp with half a dozen or so men including a few familiar faces. Anguy grinned when he saw the two of them and Arya was glad to see him. She wanted him hidden somewhere where he could put an arrow through someone's eyes if it was needed. As everyone introduced themselves Meera was looking up at the trees. Arya followed her line of sight and saw a raven standing in the branches as it silently watched then. She felt Bran's presence and knew that he was nearby and watching out for them. Meera looked down from the raven and smiled. Now that they were all together it was time to get this plan off of the ground.

"Gendry and I will approach the castle and tell them that I will only meet them under the condition that it is outside the castle in the forest," Arya explained. "To start we will break off several of the guards by making it sound like someone else is coming. That is how Gendry and I would take care of large groups; break them apart from the main group and use the terrain. Use the places around you to your advantage. After we thin the guards I will give the signal and we will attack. If there is a family member that is willing to concede then we will no longer have a problem. If there isn't then we'll have to lure the next group of Frey men out."

"Won't the next Lord Frey just call an army out and attack us?" Podrick asked.

"That's why we won't be killing Walder Frey and one of his sons," Gendry said. "At least not yet. Walder Frey will die for what he did but he will do after we negotiate a truce between our houses. There has to be a sensible son among that group somewhere."

"And if we make it through all of his sons he does have daughters," Arya said.

"And if they call the banners?" Beric asked.

"Fall back into the woods and make for the Neck. We will regroup there and go back to the North without succeeding," Arya said. "The North needs this food to live so we don't have much of a choice when it comes to succeeding. We need this or we aren't going to make it. There's no getting around this."

"The wolves are nearby and they will help the best they can," Gendry said. "Ghost is staying behind but Nymeria is coming with us because there isn't any faster way for Arya to prove she's a Stark than to show up at the front door with a direwolf."

"Everyone stay safe," Arya said as she climbed onto her horse. "If we don't come back before dark assume the worst has happened and head back North immediately. There isn't anything you can do for us if they decide to take us prisoner." Gendry also climbed onto his horse and with Nymeria by their side they began to make their way north toward the Twins. They were roughly five miles south of the castle and Arya tried to keep her breathing even. There was a chance that this was about to go very poorly and her and Gendry were going to end up in yet another cell until the Frey's decided to turn them over to Cersei.

"Let me do most of the talking," Arya said. "I don't want them to know who you are unless they bring up the marriage contract."

"Considering the type of person this Walder Frey seems to be I wouldn't be surprised if he brought his son and a septon to do the ceremony to the meeting," Gendry replied as he looked straight ahead. "I'm not letting them take you."

"I'm not letting them take me either," Arya replied. She reached out and they clasped hands as they made their way to the castle. As they got to the Arya glanced at Gendry one more time and he nodded to her. They kept their heads high as they approached the castle and Nymeria stayed close. When they got close enough Arya jumped off of her horse and let Gendry take the reigns for both animals. It was best if they thought he was a knight or a sworn shield and not her husband at the moment.

"Who goes there?" a guard at the entrance to the castle said.

"I am Arya of House Stark and I come to seek negotiation for the release of my family. I wish to speak to Lord Walder Frey at once," Arya said as she once channeled her mother to the best of her abilities.

"And who are we to leave you're a Stark? I heard they were all dead," one of the guards sneered and Nymera used that opportunity to emerge from where she was hiding behind Gendry. She growled at the men who took a large step back in fear.

"Is the direwolf proof enough?" Arya asked. "I'm returning North to be with my family and you hold my uncle, my aunt, and my nephew here. I'm here to petition their release. Go tell him at once." The guards glanced at each other and one of them ran off while the other stood guard. The guard eyed Nymeria like he didn't trust that the wolf wasn't about to eat him alive and Nymeria did a good job of acting like a wild animal as she lowly growled at the man the entire time. Arya made sure that she looked impatient as they waited. The guard came running back and there was an older man behind him.

"Lady Arya Stark I presume?" the man said.

"Yes, and you are?" Arya replied.

"Ser Stevron Frey, heir to House Frey, my lady," Stevron said and he looked a little pale. "My father had agreed to meet with you if you'll just---"

"If you think a Stark will be setting foot in the Twins after the Red Wedding you must be mad," Arya snapped.

"The guards said you wanted to meet with my father--"

"And I will," Arya interrupted. "I have a camp set up five miles south of the castle. I will only meet there since House Frey does not seem to abide by guest right anymore. That is the only I will meet with the Lord of the Crossing." Stevron clearly wasn't expecting Arya to say that and looked very uncomfortable with how this conversation is happening.

"And if we refuse your terms?" he asked.

"Then I will be traveling back to the North to inform my brother, Jon Snow the King in the North, that House Frey is holding a member of our family hostage and must be punished for it," Arya said as she narrowed her gaze. "Does House Frey wish to go to war with the North?" Stevron once again looked uncomfortable and gave Arya a small smile.

"Forgive me, my lady, I must speak with my father." Stevron hurried back into the castle and the two guards continued to eye Nymeria like they weren't sure what to do with her. So far no one had acknowledged Gendry who was standing behind her and glaring at everyone like he wanted to take them apart with his bare hands. Stevron returned sometime later and he looked like he just ate something terrible.

"My father will meet you at your camp," Stevron said. "Though he says that this is an insult to him as the Lord of the Crossing that he must leave his own castle to conduct business."

"And House Stark considers it an insult that my mother, brother, good sister, and unborn nephew or niece were slaughtered within these very walls," Arya said with a deadly smile. "So I'll be sure to take note of Lord Frey's insult along with my own. I will see you at high noon tomorrow." Arya didn't wait to see if Stevron agreed to that time. Instead, she took the reigns from Gendry and climbed on her horse. She could feel Stevron watching her as she rode away from the castle.

"The wolves are nearby," Gendry whispered. "He's going to send someone to follow us."

"I'm sure he will," Arya said as she glanced over her shoulder. "But I can't control what a pack of wolves do, of course," Gendry smirked as they began to ride south toward their camp. Nymeria stayed close for the first time or so but she turned around and raced back behind them after a moment. Arya glanced over her shoulder and then looked at Gendry. He also climbed off of his horse and tied both of the animals to a tree. They both pulled out their weapons and began to follow Nymeria's tracks. It didn't take long for the sounds of a man begging for his life filter through the trees.

There was a man surrounded by Nymeria and a handful of her wolves as he held a sword out in front of him as he tried to figure out which wolf he would attack first. The man had a dark beard and wore a back headpiece on his head as he frantically looked around. He had multiple weapons on him and his clothing was in all black like he didn't want to get spotted.

"What did you find for me, Nymeria?" Arya asked and the man looked up at her. "It seems odd that the place I came from recently was the Twins who agreed to meet with me. Who are you and why are you following us?"

"My name is Ryger Rivers," Ryger said. "I was under orders from my father Lord Frey to follow you."

"And were you supposed to do anything else but follow me?" Arya asked. "Because you appear to be wearing a lot of weapons for someone who was just following someone else. Did your father send you out here to kill me?"

"No my lady!" Ryger said and Nymeria snapped her jaws at the man.

"My wolf seems to think you are lying," Arya said as Gendry began to slowly circle the man with his war hammer in hand.

"It would be wise not to lie again," Gendry said lowly.

"He told me to come out and kill the man you were with and bring you back to the castle for my brother," Ryger said quickly. "You were betrothed to him many years ago and my father intends to hold you to that contract."

"I won't be marrying any of Walder Frey's sons," Arya said. "It seems the wolves are hungry. It would be wrong to get between them and nature. Shall we?"

"We shall," Gendry said as he joined her again. Ryger began to beg but the sounds his voice cut out with one loud snarl as they walked away. Nymeria wasn't going to leave any evidence of this man so she wasn't worried. It seemed that Walder Frey did not intend to play fair with their meeting. Arya smirked; she wasn't planning on playing fair either.

Arya noticed the blood in Nymeria's fur when she eventually caught up with them and smiled a little to herself. If that was how Walder Frey wanted to play this game then that is how she's going to play it as well. Right now her first instinct was to wipe the house of every living male there and damn the entire thing to near extinction. Then she was reminded that a house was more than it's the leader and there was a chance that there were men that didn't want to take part in the Red Wedding or drag her back to a marriage by her hair. She wondered if Walder was going to try and tell her that it was her fault that his bastard was dead. She wondered if he cared at all.

By the time they got back to the camp, the sun was beginning to set but it wasn't anywhere near dark yet. Everyone was gathered around a fire and they all greeted Arya and Gendry back to the camp when they arrived.

"You're alive so how did it go?" Beric asked.

"He's agreed to meet," Gendry said as he sat down near the fire. Thoros offered him some of the deer they were serving to everyone and Gendry nodded his thanks.

"He also sent one of his bastard sons to kill Gendry and drag me back for my marriage," Arya said as she settled down next to Gendry. She was also passed some food which she thanked them for.

"How did you kill the poor fool?" Tormund asked. "Was it a great battle?"

"We let nature take its course," Gendry said as he nodded to Nymeria. Tormund let out a loud laugh and Arya could swear even Sandor smirked.

"First your sister feeds a man to hounds and you let one get eaten by wolves," Sandor grumbled. "And here I thought the wolf bitch and the little bird couldn't be more different."

"That certain sets a tone for the meeting tomorrow," Podrick said as he frowned. "What do you want to do?"

"I met with his heir today and the man seems like a coward," Arya said. "There is a chance we could use that cowardice against him."

"What if he was involved with the wedding?" Beric asked.

"Yes, what are you planning on doing about that?" Meera asked. "There's no way anyone is going to admit that they were there or had a part in it. There isn't anyone we could ask that would be honest about it."

"The person responsible for the Red Wedding is Walder Frey and the ones who actually did the deeds. If I can convince the rest of the family that I will spare them if they give up the ones who did the killing them maybe I can convince the house that I will let them live," Arya explained. She pressed her lips together and tried to convince herself that this was the way things had to be. To take out the entire house would be something that the Lannister's or the Bolton's would do. She refused to be as bad as her enemies and if that meant showing a little mercy then she was going to show a little mercy.

"Does he know who you are, lad?" Beric asked Gendry who shook his head.

"I'm fairly sure he thinks I'm just a knight or a sworn shield or something like that," Gendry said. "I stood there and let Arya do all of the talking so I don't know why he would assume that I was anything other than that. We also gave no inclination that we were traveling with anyone else so they won't be expecting anyone other than Arya, myself, and Nymeria."

"He's arrogant," Arya said. "He won't come with a lot of men. Gendry and I will be out in the open while the rest of you will be hiding. Anguy and Meera, I want both of you in the trees and hidden. That way they won't see you coming. As they approach the wolves will draw one or two members of the detail out at a time until we diminish their numbers. Once the wolves drag them off one of us will be waiting in the woods to kill the soldier in question. They will think a wolf pack is attacking them and won't be able to pin anything on me. I'll make sure to address Stevron, the heir, so you know who not to kill. You are also not to kill Walder Frey. If he tries to run, Anguy, I want you to put an arrow in his knee."

"Or just put an arrow in it anyway," Gendry said. "The most important thing is making sure you stay out of sight. If they know we're picking them off they might turn tail and run. If that's the case we must prevent that from happening and then something like an all-out battle might happen. We can't let them get back to the Twins on their own terms. They'll call the banners and slaughter all of us."

"So this is how you two killed all of those Lannister soldiers," Thoros said and he looked a little fond. "Very good. We'll make sure that no one gets back to that castle unless it is on our terms." Sandor grumbled his agreement as everyone nodded and they began to discuss who would be waiting where. Arya reached over and squeezed Gendry's hand tightly. She didn't want to think about what would happen to him if they lost this battle. Walder Frey would probably kill him slowly just so she had to watch and then force her to marry his son. She would not allow that to happen.

"By this time tomorrow House Frey will know that the North remembers," Arya said after everyone had sorted out where they were going to be.

+++

Arya tried to sleep but it was hard. The wolves were keeping watch and would howl for Nymeria if someone was seen approaching the camp. She didn't think Walder would try to attack them again but there was no telling what that crazy old man would do. Gendry was asleep behind her and it annoyed her a little that he could sleep when they were to attack someone when they were vastly outnumbered. Arya thought about Robb and her mother. She thought about Talisa, the woman she never got to meet, the woman that so stole her brother's heart. Arya wanted them here with her. She didn't want to be in the Riverlands to try and get revenge. She wished her entire life wasn't so defined by it.

It took some time but Arya finally managed to get some sleep. Everyone was up at first light just in case Walder decided to be early and they all got into their positions. Tormund, Beric, Thoros, and several other Brotherhood members would be watching the path leading up to the campsite and leading men away with the help of Ghost and the wolf pack. Meera and Anguy were in the trees with bows and arrows ready to shoot from high above. Podrick and Sandor remained near the camp as back-up until the others could join once the meeting started.

"Go and come back when he's near," Arya told Nymeria who took off into the woods. She wished she could explain how it was like Nymeria could understand her now but considering that she was one of the only two remaining Stark direwolves Arya could only hope that it meant their bond was even stronger. Arya stood close to Gendry and let him put an arm around her to hold her close. "You're not allowed to die."

"Neither are you," he replied without hesitation. They sharpened their weapons and ate a little of the leftover deer from the night before as they waited. Arya felt her stomach twist into knots when Nymeria ran into the clearing. If she listened carefully she could hear some yelling and men swearing loudly. That meant that the diminishing had started. Arya squeezed Gendry's hand and released it as men walked into the clearing. The oldest one, she could only assume this was Walder Frey, was on horseback and he looked angry. Stevron was also riding a horse and there were two other men on horseback. One was a little younger than Stevron and he had a pronounced limp when he got off of his horse. She could only assume this was Lothar Frey. The other was a man wearing similar clothes to Ryger and Arya assumed this Walder Rivers.

As Arya looked at the men she realized that most of them looked like Walder Frey on some level and she smiled a little to herself. That meant the man was arrogant enough to bring his family members as fighters. She also noticed a young man who appeared to be a few years younger than her. He was staring at her with wide eyes and Arya wondered if that was supposed to be her betrothed. Altogether there were almost just under twenty men.

"Arya of House Stark," Walder said as he was helped off of his horse by his sons. They sneered when there didn't appear to be anywhere for him to sit. "We were all wondering what happened to you."

"Were you now," Arya said. "Well I'm here and I'm alive so let's get down to business."

"Yes, let's," Walder said with a smile. "Your mother and brother signed a contract for your hand in marriage. So if you come back with us peacefully we'll spare the life of the man standing next to you."

"I'm not marrying any of your sons, Lord Frey," Arya said with a smile. "For you see I'm already a married woman and you stand in the presence of my husband. Since there was no way for me to know of this marriage contract and since I'm a wedded, bedded, and barren woman I'm afraid there won't be any joining of houses. I am not here to talk about that. I am here to demand the release of my uncle, aunt, and nephew immediately."

"Married?" Walder said with such obvious disdain. "And who the hell are you?" He asked Gendry who smirked.

"None of your concern," Gendry replied flatly. "Now I believe the Lady mentioned something about doing business. Now, are we here to do business or not?"

"I'm not releasing anyone," Walder said and he spat on the ground at their feet. Arya could see that the men around Walder were eager to attack them and were only waiting for the moment to strike. She hoped that the wolves and the rest of their party were nearby and ready because this was not going to end well for them.

"I'm not just here for the release of my family," Arya said. "You are also going to allow merchants to travel North for trade."

"And why the fuck would I do that?" Walder snapped. "Your bastard brother going to come down and wage war on me? Like I give a shit about what a bunch of shits from the North do."

"Not just my brother," Arya said with a smile. "We've just made an alliance with Daenerys Targaryen. She is here in Westeros to take the iron throne for herself. All the North would need to do is ask her to come down with one of her three grown dragons and no one would have to pay a river toll ever again because the Twins would be no more. I am giving you a chance for your house to survival, Walder Frey, and if you don't take it you will perish."

"Nothing about you or dragons frighten me, girl," Walder said with an evil smile. "Besides, no dragon is going to attack my castle when I tell the North I have you as a prisoner. Boys, kill the husband and take the girl. It's time for the Stark's to fulfill their contract."

"Father," Stevron said. "Perhaps we should consider this offer."

"Silence," Walder snapped. "Take them." Arya pulled out her sword as Gendry removed his war hammer from his back. The Frey men began to advance on them but froze when an arrow hit one of them in the neck. "They aren't alone!" Walder yelled and Arya smirked.

"Far from it," she said. The Freys attacked just as all of her allies emerged from the trees and the battle was on. Arya found herself fighting Lothar and he was grinning at her as they fought. She had Needle and Thread with her this time and was becoming quite adapt to fighting with two swords compared to one. The two blades helped against opponents with bigger swords that were stronger than her. Lothar wasn't the most skilled man with a blade but he wasn't incompetent either.

"I want you to know," he said as they fought. "That I was there that night your bastard brother and bitch mother died. I watched it happen. I stabbed that cunt your brother married."

"And I want to thank you," Arya said as she ducked a swing from the blade. "I wanted to know the names of the people who killed my family in the Red Wedding so they could pay for what they did and you've saved me the effort." Arya ducked low, using her height to her advantage, and kicked up at Lothar's knee. He wasn't wearing full armor and she felt his kneecap shift. He cried out and stumbled down to the ground which gave Arya the chance to slit his throat with Needle. He made a gurgling noise before he fell to the ground.

Sandor was easily fighting two Frey men at the same time and he used his considerable skill and height against them. They said something about the Hound being a Lannister man and that they were allies but Sandor snarled and swiftly cut through the men. Beric, Tormund, and Thoros were behind the Frey men in an attempt to keep them from running around. Arya couldn't see them but she hoped they were fighting well. Arya heard Podrick cry out in pain as someone shot him in the shoulder with a crossbow. He went down hard and as the Frey man approached to finish the job Meera dropped from the trees. She landed easily on her feet and fired an arrow into the man's neck. Another Frey man attacked her and Meera threw down her bow and pulled out her spear. She kept distance between her and her attacker as she jabbed the man over and over again with the spear.

Anguy remained high and Arya watched as he fired arrows into each of the remaining horses so no one could escape. Then she heard Walder cry out in pain and she saw an arrow in his knee which made her smile. Gendry was fighting the bastard known as Black Walder. He was a vicious man and more than once Arya tried to get over to help her husband only for another Frey man to attack her. Gendry took a harsh blow to the temple that made him stumble and Arya did her best to focus when she saw the blood. It would do him no good if someone managed to take her hostage because Gendry would throw down his weapon in a second if it meant her safety. He was holding his own the best he could and managed to smash his hammer into Black Walder's arm. He cried out in pain as he dropped his sword and bared his teeth like an animal. Gendry didn't hesitate as he smashed Black Walder's skull with his hammer.

The wolves circled and dragged off the dead or the wounded as the battle continued. Arya cut another man down and looked around as Sandor took Stevron hostage and she could see Beric emerging from the chaos with a knife to who she assumed was Waldron Frey. Walder was on the ground with an arrow in his knee and Arya smirked at him as the battle came to an end. She walked over and stood over him.

"It would be in your best interest to sit quietly while we discuss things," she said. Walder opened his mouth to disagree with her but a sharp kick to the temple and he was out cold. Podrick was wincing from his wounded shoulder but Meera was talking quietly to him. Anguy dropped from the trees as everyone else came back. There were superficial wounds on almost everyone but Podrick appeared to be the most wounded. Arya turned to Stevron and smiled.

"Ser, here are the terms we will be discussing," she said. "The first thing you are going to do is release my uncle, aunt, and nephew. Does the Blackfish still hold Riverrun?"

"No, my lady, we used your uncle with the help of the Lannister's to take it back," he said and she could hear his voice shaking with fear.

"Then my uncle will be coming North with me," she said. "The second is that you will open trade routes with the North so the Reach may once again trade with us."

"My lady, my father is still--"

"The third thing," Arya said interrupting him. "and the reason I'm speaking with you and not your father is I am here for revenge for the Red Wedding. You don't seem like the kind of man that would take part in a thing like that, is that true?"

"No, my lady, I did not harm anyone that night. I even told my father that it was a terrible idea to betray the Starks," Stevron said quickly. She could see the fear in his eyes.

"Your father is going to die for the crimes he committed against my family along with anyone else who pulled the trigger on my family," Arya said as Stevron opened his mouth to say something she held up a hand. "I know that you cannot say "no" to your lord so I will spare the soldiers merely following orders. I want the men that killed my family. If you agree to these terms you can consider yourself the new Lord of the Crossing. I won't be sending the North or the Dragon Queen down to wipe out your house. If you do not agree to these terms then you and your little brother here will both die and I will personally stand by and watch as your house is burned to the ground." Arya pointed her sword at Stevron and glared at him. "These are my terms and they are not up for negotiation."

"You wish for me to condemn any of my brothers that fired on yours to death?" Stevron asked.

"You either name them or you die right now and I'll let the wolves eat your remains," Arya said. Stevron visibly swallowed as he looked at her and eventually nodded slowly. "Very well. We will continue to hold your father and brother hostage while you travel back to the Twins and get my family. We will be close behind and if we see you calling the banners or your men we will kill your brother and go North. I'll consider our deal forfeit and I'll begin to look forward to your castle being consumed by dragonfire. Have you been to Harrenhal, Ser? Do you know what dragonfire does to a castle?"

"I'd give you my word, my lady, but I fear the word of a Frey means very little to you," Stevron said.

"You would be correct," she said and looked over his shoulder at Sandor. "Bind his hands for now. We must tend to our own first." For the first time, Arya turned and took in her friends. There was blood running down Gendry's cheek from a wound on his temple but his eyes were clear and he was standing steady. Tormund and Thoros were with Meera as they knelt down next to Podrick as they talked about how to deal with the wound.

"We don't want to break those teeth of your lad," Thoros said as she pulled off his sword belt and put it between Podrick's teeth. Arya and Gendry both walked over and they helped hold Podrick down as they ripped the bolt from his shoulder. He screamed and Arya winced with sympathy; Podrick was a good man and didn't deserve this pain. It made her hate the Frey's even more.

"We need to get that wound closed," Tormund said as he poured some ale on the wound to clean it. Thoros nodded and walked over to Beric.

"We need to borrow your fire, Lord Beric. I'll handle the boy." Thoros took Waldron from Beric and Arya watched as he used his fire sword to burn the wound closed. Podrick screamed again and finally passed out from the pain. Arya brushes the dirt from her knees as she stands up and glares at Walder Frey who is beginning to wake up. She wants to kill him right now and it must be obvious because Waldron speaks for the first time.

"I know you're going to kill him," he said. "And I know I don't have any right to request this but I don't want to watch. Please don't make me watch."

"You're Waldron, aren't you," Arya said and he nodded. She had no idea what she was supposed to say to the man she was betrothed to. Walder was awake now and groaning about the fact that there was an arrow in his knee and not caring in the least that his family was dead around him. Arya rolled her eyes and walked up to Gendry to check his temple. She prodded the wound with a finger and he winced.

"It's just a cut. You know how head wounds are," he said.

"I also know how many of them you've taken recently," Arya replied. Gendry smiled and leaned forward so their foreheads were pressed together. She wanted to thank him for not dying, for being okay, but Walder decided that he was going to ruin it.

"Get the fuck away from my son's bride you bastard," Walder said. When they turned to look at him and he smirked. "Do you really think I wouldn't know a Baratheon when I see one? You're one of Robert's spawns and you're touching my son's high born bride."

"Gag him," Arya said without breaking eye contact. "We make for the Twins."

+++

Stevron seemed properly frightened of them and even more so when he realized that there was an entire wolf pack surrounding them at all times. Tormund had offered to carry an unconscious Podrick on his back until the squire woke up again. Walder slowed down their walk considerably but Arya wasn't about to give him a horse to ride. He would walk and he would hate every second of it. Waldron kept looking at her with big eyes like he was trying to ask her something but Arya didn't know what it was. They had lost several of the Brotherhood members that came to help them but the remaining members said that they were going to come North to fight. It seemed that the Brotherhood Without Banners was taking on a banner again.

Arya wasn't sure if this plan with Stevron was going to work but she couldn't think of any other way to handle it. They waited on the tree line as they watched him walk into the Twins. They would have to ride hard if they were going to make to the Neck where they could lose the banners if he decided to call them. Stevron didn't seem like an idiot though and she hoped that she hadn't misjudged him.

It took several hours but he eventually rejoined them with four men, her Uncle Edmure and Roslin who was holding an infant. The wolves surrounded the men as Stevron told her that Black Walder had killed her mother, Lothar killed Talisa, and it was a combination of crossbow bolts and Roose Bolton that killed Robb. Roose was already dead and the four men were the ones who fired the crossbow bolts. They begged their brother to tell them what was going on but hidden in the shadow of the woods Arya took Needle and slit their throats. She was a woman of the North, Ned Stark's child, and she wanted to pass the sentence when she could. The wolves dragged the bodies away as Walder screamed against his gag.

"Arya?" Edmure said as he held onto Roslin's hand.

"Hello Uncle Edmure," she said. "I'm afraid that Riverrun is not safe for you at the moment. I'd like you and your family to join me in the North for now." Edmure was dirty and looked like he'd been through hell but as he looked around he seemed to realize that no matter what was going on he didn't really have a choice but to obey the woman controlling a wolf pack. He nodded and he and his family walked over to Beric whom he seemed to recognize at least a little.

"With my father's death, the deal with the merchants, and the release of your family will you allow my house to live under my rule, Lady Arya?" Stevron asked.

"If the North receives its trade I won't ask the Dragon Queen to burn you all live," Arya said as she looked at Walder. She was half tempted to drag him to Winterfell to execute him there so her family could see it but he was too old and probably wouldn't make the trip. "Keep your bridge tolls low and pull your forces out of Riverrun. When my Uncle takes it back I expect you to bow to him. Kneel and swear your fealty now." Walder was still screaming behind his gag but Stevron walked up to Edmure and knelt before him.

"I pledge my allegiance to House Tully and eagerly await your return to the Riverlands," Stevron said. Edmure blinked and glanced at Roslin who looked a little pale.

"I accept your fealty," Edmure replied.

"Uncle," Arya said. "I think it would be best if you stepped away with the Lady Roslin for a moment. I have one more thing to do on behalf of our family." Edmure nodded as he and Beric guided Roslin away from the area. Thoros released Waldron who joined his brother but kept his head down. Arya clenched Needle tightly in her hand as she stood before Walder Frey.

"In the name of House Stark, I condemn you, Lord Walder Frey, to die. In the name of King Robb Stark, Queen Talisa Stark, their unborn child, and Lady Catelyn Stark, I pass this sentence." Arya didn't give Walder a chance to say anything, she didn't remove the gag, and he collapsed to the ground with a slit throat. He died quietly and even the wolves didn't seem interested in him. Stevron and Waldron were looking away but they glanced at her and she nodded. They hurried back to the Twins without looking behind them.

"Arya," Gendry said softly as he took the sword from her hand. She didn't realize how tightly she'd been holding it. "We need to hurry in case they call the banners." Arya nodded and they quickly began to gather their things so they could go back to the North. She got the North the food they needed, she freed her uncle and her family, and she got revenge. Arya thought she would feel better after all of them but all she felt was a cold feeling settled in her stomach. It was a feeling that followed them no matter how far away from the Twins and the Frey blood soaking into the dirt she got.

Podrick came to about an hour after they left the Twins behind them. Arya had sent Ghost and Nymeria to trail behind them until they got to the North so they would know if someone was coming to hurt them. Tormund set Podrick back on his feet and Roslin offered a strip from her dress to use as a sling. He thanked her and she looked a little shell shocked when he called her Lady Tully. Arya didn't know all of the details but as far as she could tell this was only the second time Roslin and Edmure had been together since their wedding.

They were awkward around each other but they seemed to be quite enamored with their son. Roslin's admitted that she had to name him something but she chose Medgar since it was a Tully name and that is what her son was even though they weren't at Riverrun. Edmure smiled and seemed to like the name. They shared a horse as Roslin didn't know how to ride herself and Arya could see that the journey was likely going to be the thing that defined their marriage. They needed time to get to know each other and traveling long distances, as Arya could attest, was the best way to get to know someone.

Edmure, however, didn't seem to know what to do about Gendry. Arya caught him giving her husband a dark look more than once and she knew that at some point she was going to have to sit down and have a conversation with him about it. For now, Arya made sure that it was obvious that she was in love and she hoped that her uncle would appreciate that if nothing else.

"It's not that I have a problem with him, Arya," Edmure said their first night after they escaped the Twins. Roslin and Medgar were already asleep in the tent that Meera and Podrick were previously sharing. Meera offered to sleep outside but Arya said that without the wolves there would be enough room in her and Gendry's tent for her. "It's just that I ended up in dungeons for years because of a love match with a Stark. Your brother was supposed to marry Roslin, not me, and because I wasn't good enough for Walder Frey the Red Wedding happened. So it's not him it's more that I need time to get over my own resentment for everything that happened to me."

"I understand," Arya said as she reached over and took his hand. He flinched a little when she touched him and Arya wondered when was the last time someone touched her uncle with a gentle hand. "I know all about needing time to recover and you'll get to see Sansa, Bran, and Jon again. You wouldn't believe how much Sansa looks like mother now."

"I imagine it's going to break my heart," Edmure said with a sad smile. "But it is good to see the Starks together again and I appreciate you coming down here to help me as you did." Arya did her best to smile as she watched her uncle go into his tent to be with his family and that cold feeling settled into her stomach again. Gendry was watching her and he gestured away from the camp, where everyone was eating and taking care of their wounds, so they could have a moment alone.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"I thought I would feel better," Arya said. "I thought that killing them would give me some peace or something but it didn't. I don't feel any better; my mom and Robb and Talisa are all still dead and killing Walder Frey didn't help. So much of my life has been revenge and yet it doesn't really help."

"The fact that you can recognize that now is extremely important," Gendry said. "You got the North food and you rescued your uncle. That means something." Arya shook her head and crossed her arms tightly across her chest.

"Do you remember when we met Cersei for the first time?" she asked and Gendry nodded. "She called me a liar when I said that I stayed in Westeros to help people. She said I stayed because I wanted revenge and she's right. I did want revenge. I had my list of people I wanted to die because I wanted revenge and I thought killing Lannister soldiers was better than nothing. My uncle just thanked me for rescuing him but I didn't come down here for him. Would I have come down here at all if the Freys were letting merchants through? I don't know if I would have and I know I didn't help all of those people just out of the goodness of my heart. I helped them because it was convenient for my revenge. How am I any better than the people I'm fighting against?"

"Intentions don't mean anything, Arya," Gendry said as he took her into his arms. "If I'm on the streets of King's Landing and a noble gives me some coin because he genuinely wants to make a difference in my life and another gives me a coin because they want to show off to their friends about how much they supposedly care about the smallfolk when they don't those coins spend the same. Your intentions might not be pure but the results matter and we helped a lot of people." Gendry pulled away so he could look at her. "I will follow you into the heart of the Red Keep if you believe gutting Cersei Lannister will bring you peace but I think we both know that it won't. The same way we both know that we could talk about being safe all we want but it's never really going to happen. We aren't ever going to be safe." Gendry pressed his forehead to hers and Arya felt something inside of herself warm again.

He would follow her into King's Landing and help her try to finish her list. He would give his life for that mission even though it meant nothing to him and he didn't believe in it. Arya thought about Sandor and how his entire life was consumed by revenge but even he was here, fighting for the North and for Sansa, instead of going to King's Landing to kill his brother. The people around her were letting go of their revenge so maybe it was time for her to let go as well.

"Cersei is probably going to die one way or another," Arya whispered. "That doesn't mean it has to be me. If she is gone then the people I care about are safe and that's really all that matters." Gendry smiled and kissed her forehead. They made their way back to the camp hand in hand and ignored the japes about what they were doing off in the dark together. It didn't matter because that cold feeling was gone and she felt better than she had in years.

+++

Arya didn't know if she was expecting the Freys to call the banners to kill them but after a week and nothing happened she was beginning to think Stevron was maybe smarter than she gave him credit for. Podrick was still looking far too pale and Arya was worried that his wound would fester if they didn't get back to Winterfell faster. However, Roslin and Medgar were slowing things down considerably and after ten days, when Podrick woke up with a fever, she knew it was time to split the group up.

"He needs a maester," Arya said to Meera. "You know how to travel quickly with someone who isn't able to help themselves. I want you to take Tormund and travel ahead to Winterfell. I won't have him die for this mission."

"He won't abandon Gendry," Meera said as she glanced over her shoulder at Podrick. "He won't let us take him ahead. He wants to be here so he can help if the Freys decide to attack." He was stubborn and there was no way he was going to leave Gendry behind. That meant that she had to do something she really didn't want to do.

"Then Gendry will go with him," Arya said. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been separated from Gendry willfully. It'd been years and years. They were partners, a team before they were a husband and wife and she didn't want to be away from him. She also knew that her heart couldn't handle the thought of her own selfishness costing a man his life. Meera nodded sadly as Arya went to find Gendry.

"I need you, Meera, and Podrick to head to Winterfell quickly," she said.

"You want me to leave you behind?" he asked and there was something like hurt in his expression.

"Podrick won't leave your side and he needs a maester or he's going to die. I don't want to be apart from you either but we have to do this," Arya said. They both glanced at Podrick who was sitting far away from the fire even though he appeared to be shivering from the cold. "The wolves won't let anyone attack us and I promise I'll be safe. You just need to get him to a maester as quickly as possible." Gendry sighed heavily and pulled her into a rough kiss. She held onto him tighter than she planned to and didn't want to let him go. She also hated herself a little for realizing just how dependent she was on him now and how the mere idea of being away from him made her sick to her stomach.

"Meera, Podrick, let's go," Gendry said after he pulled away from her. Podrick looked up at him and blinked like he didn't understand what was going on. "You're not well, my friend, so it's time to make for Winterfell quickly. Everyone else will catch up."

"But--"

"No buts," Arya said. "I know you'd be stubborn about leaving Gendry since he is your charge so he's going too." The sun was nearly down but Gendry and Meera both insisted that they could travel at night and would. Podrick looked embarrassed as he climbed on the horse with Meera and wrapped his one good arm around her like he was expecting everyone to make fun of him for it, but no one said a word. Instead, they wished the three of them good luck and that they hoped Podrick would be feeling better by the time they got back to Winterfell. Arya clasped Gendry's hand and squeezed it tight.

"I'll see you soon. I promise," he whispered and she nodded. All other words got stuck in her throat and Arya watched as the three of them road into night. She desperately wanted to send Nymeria with him because she knew the wolf would keep him safe but that was just as selfish as wanting him to stay. They needed Nymeria and Ghost to make sure they weren't going to be ambushed by the Frey's. Arya glanced at Edmure who looked a little proud of her like he understood that she was giving away a piece of herself in the name of protecting someone else. Arya had blood on her hands but Podrick was a good man and she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep at night if she let him die.

"We'll continue our travel at first light," Arya said. She tried to give up her tent to someone else but they all insisted they could sleep outside by the fire. Arya thought about joining them as she lay in the tent by herself. It was strangely cold even though she was underneath plenty of furs.

+++

It took them nearly a week to get back to Winterfell and it was one of the longest weeks of Arya's life. She didn't know that she could miss someone like this and it hurt her more than anything. It made her realize just how dependent she was on him and it terrified her. Arya found herself constantly thinking about what would happen if he left for good or if he died. It would kill something inside of her and Arya wasn't sure if it was something that she could survive. She spent the entire week feeling like someone chopped off a limb and there was nothing she could do to fix it.

Arya always knew that Gendry meant a great deal to her but she didn't realize until this moment just how much. She always swore that she wouldn't be that woman that couldn't stand to be away from her husband for days or even hours. Now, here she was, feeling sick to her stomach that she couldn't roll over in the morning and feel him close. It'd been nearly seven years since they'd met and Arya couldn't think of a time they were apart for more than a few hours. Now there were days and it hurt like nothing she'd experienced since she lost her family. The idea that losing him could hurt more than losing her father, her mother, her brothers, felt like she was somehow disrespecting their memory. It made her angry at herself and then at him for making her feel this way.

By the time Winterfell came into view, she was stewing in her anxiety and hatred more than she had the first time they came home. The wolves still hadn't returned but now that they were in the North there wasn't anything the Frey's could do without declaring open war. The gates open and her heart skipped a beat when she saw Gendry standing with Jon, Sansa, and Bran as they waited for her return.

"Only you could come back from a fight with more men," Jon said as he pulled her into a tight hug. "Thank you, Gendry and Meera told us everything and I'm so proud of you. You got justice for our house and you made sure food is on the way. I have scouts that said the first merchants from the Reach have just passed the border and should be here soon."

"It was the least I can do," Arya whispered. She didn't flinch when Gendry pulled her into his arms but it was a near thing. She still held onto him like he was her lifeline and she hated herself again for even thinking that. "How's Pod? Is he going to be okay?"

"Yes," Gendry said as he looked down at her fondly. "The maester says that you made the right decision sending us ahead. He's going to be fine and he's resting."

"Good, that's good," Arya replied. She watched as Gendry seemed to realize that something was wrong and the smile slowly melted from his face. He looked like he was about to ask what was bothering her when she pulled away to hug Sansa. Edmure and Roslin climbed down from their horse and Jon smiled at them.

"Uncle Edmure, it's so good to see you," Jon said but Edmure was staring at Sansa and looked like he was about to burst into tears.

"Yes, Jon, I mean Your Grace, it's been a long time since I've seen you," Edmure said as he visibly tried to pull himself together. "May I present my wife, Roslin Tully, and our son, Medgar." Roslin bowed as well as she could in a tattered dress with a baby in her arms but Sansa walked forward to hug them both. Edmure was still staring at Sansa with a sad look in eyes but he smiled when she held little Medgar in her arms. Sansa cooed at the baby and Arya was once again reminded that this wasn't something she got to have. And when she didn't get to have something it meant she was denying Gendry the family he had wanted so long.

"Please, uncle, call me by my name. I insist upon it," Jon said. "We let in the people of Winter Town a few days ago so space is beginning to run low but we'll find room for all of you."

"Yes, please come inside, all of you, you all look like you need a hot meal and rest," Sansa said as handed Medgar back to his parents. Arya began to walk inside but Gendry took her arm.

"What's going on?" he asked softly. Arya chewed on her lower lip and pulled him into the godswood so they could have a little privacy. She released his arm and paced back and forth a few times as she tried to find the words. "Did something happen while we were separated? I got the impression you didn't have any problems traveling."

"No, we were fine, everything was fine," Arya said.

"So why do you look so upset?" Gendry asked and he was so patient. He had endless patience it seemed for all that she did. She thought about what he said in the woods about revenge and how he would follow her into the Red Keep to kill Cersei if that was what she wanted. The idea that he would do that terrified her but what frightened her more was the idea that she wasn't sure she could even go alone anymore.

"I depend on you," she said. "I depend on you too much."

"I depend on you too. That's what we agreed to do when we got married; depend on each other," Gendry said slowly like he didn't understand why she was upset.

"No," Arya said as she took a step away from him. She could feel a lump in her throat and she didn't want to cry but she had to be strong. "I depend on you too much and it's bad. I spent my entire life saying I wouldn't be one of those women who falls apart when her husband is away and I've spent a week falling apart. I can't do this. I can't be that person."

"You're upset with me because you missed me too much," Gendry said and Arya refused to look at him. If she looked at him right now she knew what she would see and it would break her. Two days ago she decided that she was going to do this and she couldn't back out now.

"I realized that losing you would hurt me more than when I lost my parents or my siblings and that is wrong," she said. "I've never felt weaker than I did when we were apart and it's your fault. I can't be that person. Not anymore and not ever again."

"You're leaving me," Gendry said and his voice was so monotone and dead that Arya had to look up at him. He laughed bitterly to himself. "I always knew you were going to leave one day because that's what people do to me; they leave. You're just like everyone else in my life."

"You were going to leave me first," Arya snapped. "Don't think I've forgotten that the only reason you didn't stay with the Brotherhood is because the Red Woman tried to buy you and I got you out of there."

"Seven hells Arya that was years ago, how can you hold that against me when you're standing here telling me you want to leave because I make you weak?" Gendry yelled and at this rate, they were going to draw attention. "You're a princess, a lady, so I guess you don't need me hanging around anymore. You're home now, back in Winterfell, the only thing that has ever mattered. You used me long enough to keep yourself safe by marrying me, it even got you out of a betrothal you didn't know about, so it was my pleasure to serve House Stark for these many years." He mockingly bowed to her and Arya was so angry so swore that she could see red.

"Oh like you didn't get anything out of it either," Arya snapped. "You got a pair of warm thighs to lie between and someone to give a shit about you which is all you apparently need." Deep down she knew that was too far but he had also gone too far and now she was angry. There was no one she knew better so she knew all of his weak points the same way he knew all of hers. "I refuse to continue to disrespect my family by caring more about you than them. They are the most important thing to me."

"We both know revenge is the only thing you care about, your highness, and that has nothing to do with me," Gendry said as he stared down at her with fury in his eyes. "I'm sure your brother the King can find a way to end this marriage that you believe makes you lesser." Gendry turned and walked out of the godswood without another word. Arya knew that he would go to the forge because Gendry was predictable if nothing else. He would go bang steel because it was the only thing to calm down that infamous fury that was in his blood.

Arya clenched her fists as she walked back into the castle and nearly ran over an old woman that had come in from Winter Town. She snapped an apology and didn't really care how bad it made her look. She needed to be away from people right now. Several people were refusing to look at her and Arya could only guess that they'd heard the fight. It would be all over the castle within the hour. Everyone was going to eat soon but Arya wanted nothing to do with it. She went into their room, her room, and slammed the door behind her and locked it.

She refused to believe that she was wrong and she couldn't believe she almost gave up her list for that stupid bastard of a man. Arya couldn't believe she allowed members of House Frey to live when she should have burned the entire castle to the ground in revenge. She needed to leave because she hadn't realized until they were apart that she had let Gendry become her entire life. Her identity was less Arya Stark and more related to him than anything and she couldn't have that. She fought for so many years to come home and now that she was she needed to focus on that. The North and her family were the things that mattered. Not him. He couldn't matter more than that.

+++

The heat of the forge brought little comfort as Gendry mended some of the armor that people had brought in in recent days. The Northern armies were beginning to gather and that meant more people were going to be using this forge and he would have to focus on weapons and armor. He hated that Arya had this ability to find every open wound he had and make them bleed fresh no matter how old they were. Several people were giving him odd looks when he left the godswood and Gendry wondered if Jon would string him up when Arya told him she didn't want to be married anymore.

Gendry was also not surprised when less than an hour into his work Meera walked into the forge with a small plate of food.

"I brought you something to eat," she said.

"Thanks," Gendry replied without looking up from his work. He really didn't want to talk about this but he had a feeling that Meera wasn't going to give him a choice.

"So, I heard you and Arya had a fight," she said and Gendry slammed his tools down hard enough that out of the corner of his eye he saw Meera jump.

"Yes, I suppose the whole castle knows about that because no one around here can mind their own business," Gendry snapped but he felt bad about yelling at her. Meera didn't have anything to do with this and she'd been a good friend since he walked through these gates. "I apologize Meera, you don't deserve my anger. It has nothing to do with you."

"I understand," she said softly. "What happened?"

"She wants to leave me," Gendry replied as he took a piece of bread from the plate and began to eat it.

"That...can't be right. You two love each other. I've never seen two people more in love than you two," Meera said.

"Apparently she realized that she cares about me too much and that somehow disrespects her dead family or something. I don't really know what she meant but the point of it is that she's leaving me," Gendry said as he slammed the hammer down on a breastplate too hard. "She's used me to get home and out of a marriage so she doesn't need me anymore."

"You don't really believe that," Meera said and Gendry could see her wince as he hammered on the plate.

"All of you high borns are the same, Lady Reed," he said as he glared at her. "You use us until you don't need us anymore and then you disregard us like we're tools. I'm not a thing, I'm a person, and I won't be used by Arya or Jon or anyone else."

"Please come inside--"

"I'm not coming inside," Gendry said as he went back to his work. "The last thing I need is to give His Grace a reason to separate my head from my neck. It doesn't matter that she wants to leave or that she initiated our physical relationship or that she asked me to marry her. In the end, it's going to be my head on a pike because she's a lady, a princess, and I'm a bastard. She's important and I'm expendable. I always have been and I always will be." Meera was quiet for a long time as she watched him work and seemed to realize that he didn't have anything else to say to her.

"I'm going to give you two hours alone out here," she said. "And then I'm going to come out and check on you."

"You can do as you please, Lady Reed," Gendry said without looking up at her. She made a small noise and left him alone in the forge. He did his best to focus on work as the sun went down and it got colder but even as the night began to fall he could barely focus. It hadn't been two hours yet and Gendry thought about going somewhere else so Meera couldn't find him. He pulled his cloak around his shoulders and walked out into the courtyard. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone move in the shadows near the gate.

Gendry frowned as he realized that the guards weren't at the gates like they were supposed to be and he could hear what sounded like a woman crying. His hammer and sword were back in the room but he wasn't about to let someone sit out here in the cold if they were hurt. The torches were out and the courtyard seemed darker than usual. It wasn't snowing but the clouds were thick and cast a shadow over the moon. He could hardly see.

"Someone out here that needs help?" Gendry called out but a gust of wind seemed to steal his words. He was near a far wall where he thought he'd seen someone in the snow when he felt movement behind him. Gendry turned just as two hands clasped his shirt and slammed him against the wall.

"I hope you didn't forget about me, dear boy," the red woman said. She was so close that Gendry could see the red in her eyes and feel the heat coming off of her body. Davos told him that there was a good chance that this woman, Melisandre he was told her name was, had wanted to drain his blood or burn him alive. Jon told him that he'd sent her away and she would die if she returned. Gendry wanted to yell for help but her fire red eyes seemed to steal all of his words. "Time to help kings rise and fall, dear boy." Before he could react she pulled a powder out of the sleeve of her dress and blew it in his face. Gendry felt his muscles seize and he could barely breathe. She smiled as she let him fall into the snow as the world faded to black.

Arya wasn't sure how much time she would have to herself before someone heard about the fight and confronted her about it. It was less time than she thought though as she was sitting in her room, hugging her knees to her chest, when the lock on her door turned and Sansa walked in without knocking even once.

"The door was locked for a reason," Arya said.

"I imagine that it was," Sansa replied as she sat down next to her on the bed. Arya didn't want to talk about this because it was no one's business but her own but it seemed that no one else was going to think of it that way. This is what she got for bringing him here; now her family liked him and it was was going to make it that much harder to get them to understand why she needed to do this. "So, are you going to tell me why the entire castle is gossiping about the massive fight that you and Gendry had out in the godswood?"

"It's no one's business but mine and his," Arya said.

"The problem is when you're a princess your business becomes everyone else's business whether you like it or not," Sansa replied. "So why are you fighting with him?"

"He means too much to me," Arya grumbled. "I realized that I'd become one of those swooning women that couldn't handle a week away from her husband. I swore to myself I'd never be that person. It makes me weak and I refuse to be weak." She looked at the ring around her finger and swallowed the lump in her throat. "I feel like it would hurt me more if I lost him than when I lost father or mother or Robb or Rickon and that feels wrong. I'm in the North and I have all of you back. I should be focused on my family and Winterfell and getting our revenge for the people who wronged us. Not some boy that I attached myself to because he showed me a little kindness. I don't need him."

"So let me make sure I understand what you're saying," Sansa said. "You missed him too much while he was gone and now you want him to leave because you feel like missing him too much is disrespecting the memory of our family that is no longer with us."

"He makes me weak, Sansa, and we can't afford to be weak. Not right now and not ever again. I let members of House Frey live because he's been slowly convincing me that my revenge isn't going to work," Arya explained. "I was losing myself to him and no man is worth losing myself to."

"So what do you want to do exactly?" Sansa asked.

"I'm not sure yet but I don't want him here anymore. If he's not here he can't make me weak anymore," Arya replied.

"So, by your logic, if he left tomorrow and in a week he was captured and executed by Cersei it wouldn't hurt you," Sansa said. Arya felt like someone just punched her in the chest at the mere idea of Cersei getting her hands on Gendry again. She thought Gendry rotting away in the Black Cells by himself or getting hanged in front of everyone or some other form of death. It hurt just to think about and the fact that just thinking about it made her hurt was all the proof she needed that this was the right decision to make. "Arya, you found one of the only good men in Westeros. He loves you and that is so rare."

"He doesn't love me," Arya spat out. "He's never had anyone care about him so he thinks he loves me because he needs someone to care about him to function."

"Arya Stark, that is a terrible thing to say," Sansa snapped and Arya couldn't remember the last time she heard her sister sound that angry. "You have no idea how lucky you are to have that man. I've been married twice and both times I would have given up an arm or a leg to have half of what you have. Not only did you get to marry for love but now you have him here, in your home, with a family that accepts him. Do you have any idea how easy it would have been for me or Jon or Bran to say that he wasn't worthy of you and send him away? It was so expected that we were supposed to hate him that the other Lords got angry when we didn't.

"Suppose you send him away and then what?" Sansa continued as she began to pace around the room. "He goes South and gets killed by the Lannister's. You know Cersei is going to want his blood for you both escaping. If he stays North, without your protection, the Northern Lords could decide that they didn't like what he did to their princess and he dies. Does he deserve that after all he's done?" Sansa turned and forced Arya to make eye contact with her. "If you force him to leave and he dies you're telling me that you're going to be okay with that."

"Of course I'm not!" Arya practically screamed and was on her feet. "But it's going to hurt more the longer he stays. I won't let him make me weak, I won't be weak ever again, and at the end of the day this my decision. He's my husband, not yours, and if I decide that I want him gone and I don't want to be with him then that is my choice. So stay out of it, Sansa." The two of them stared at each other for a long time before Sansa shook her head and walked out of the room without another word. Arya tried to ignore the fact that she was about to burst into tears but it was hard. She sat down on the bed and twisted her ring around her finger a few times. There was a gentle knock on her door and Arya looked up to see Jon walk in.

"Hey little sister," he said and he pulled her into a one-armed hug. "Are you going to tell me why Sansa came downstairs and told me that you needed me to take care of something like looking like she was about to have a fit?"

"You're the King so you can do pretty much anything, right?" Arya said without looking away from the ring on her finger.

"There are some limitations but what do you need?" Jon asked.

"I want you to end my marriage to Gendry," Arya replied and she felt her brother go tense next to her. Arya knew that Jon and Gendry were getting closer and she knew that this was going to be an issue. "I need you to be my big brother right now, not his friend, my brother."

"Did he do something to you?" Jon asked quietly and Arya shook her head.

"No, not in the way you're thinking," she said. "But I need it to end and I need you to be my brother and take my side in this."

"I'm always on your side but I do want to know why you're doing this," Jon said. "You told me on the ship how lucky you were to get to marry for love and how relieved you were that we accepted him. After all of that, you finally get home and now you want to end it with him? Please, help me understand this, Arya."

"It is disrespectful to our family," Arya said. "The fact that it would hurt me more to lose him than our parents is wrong and I hate myself for it. I hate how weak I felt every single second he was away from me last week. It was like losing a limb. And I know sending him away won't prevent that pain entirely but I will do anything to make it hurt a little less." Arya twisted the ring around her finger one more time and pulled it off. "I would do anything to keep from hurting just a little bit less."

"Arya--"

"Just be my brother," Arya interrupted. "I know you two are bonding over being bastards but I need you to be on my side, not his. I want to end it and it's my decision unless my King has decided that who I marry is suddenly his business."

"I just don't want you to do something you're going to regret," Jon said but Arya shook her head.

"No, the only thing I regret was letting myself get that weak. It won't happen again," she said.

"Do you want me to just throw him out of Winterfell? After everything, he's done to help us?" Jon asked and Arya twisted her hands together as the metal from her ring dug painfully into her palm. "We need all the fighters we can get and Meera told me Gendry has figured out how to work with dragonglass and we need that in the upcoming fight." She didn't know what to say to that because having Gendry hanging around after giving him this ring back was going to hurt but she couldn't argue with the logic that they needed people in this fight. "Look, little sister, it's just us left and I can't speak on behalf of father, Catelyn, or anyone else. What I do know is that family wants family to be happy and I know that Gendry makes you happy. You both have been through a lot in a very short amount of time and I know that you're afraid. You can't just push everyone away that might hurt you someday. Are you going to push me away because it's going to hurt if I leave or get hurt?"

"You're not going anywhere," Arya said definitively.

"I'm certainly going to try but we're at war and there aren't any promises in war," Jon replied. "I know you want to protect yourself, our family, and the North but you can do all of that while still caring about someone else. You have a big heart, Arya, you always have and there is plenty of room for lots of people in it."

"My big heart will beat longer if I keep my circle smaller," Arya said. "Jon, I'm a woman grown and this is my decision. I need to do this." There was a knock at the door and Meera slowly walked in. She took one look at Arya, Jon, and seemed to realize what they were talking about. Arya didn't want to talk about this anymore because she didn't want to think about it anymore. This was the only way to keep herself from collapsing inward when something happens to him or he leaves. If making him leave meant that she would survive the inevitable pain of losing him then she would take that opportunity. Arya knew she needed to survive above all else for the good of her family and of the North.

"I don't know what's happening but whatever it is he deserves a conversation at the very least," Meera declared. "I told him I'd give him two hours to calm down in the forge and that was nearly three hours ago. You should go talk to him."

"Fine but I don't have anything to say," Arya said as she removed herself from Jon's side. Meera and Jon didn't look like they entirely agreed with her but they didn't say anything as she pulled on her cloak and made her way outside. The courtyard was quiet and there didn't appear to be anyone walking around. Arya could see the two guards at the gates talking quietly to each other and a fresh layer of snow had just started to fall.

The forge was empty and cold by the time she got to it. Gendry's cloak was gone but his hammer and sword were leaned against the wall. There was a breastplate that looked like someone had just tried to smash it in instead of working on it and Arya did her best to ignore it. He was nowhere to be found though. She walked over to the two guards by the gate.

"Has anyone come in or out tonight?" she asked.

"No, your highness," one of the guards said. "We only looked away for a moment to help some people from Winter Town get settled in but there aren't any footprints of anyone coming in or out of Winterfell in the snow," Arya noted that there also weren't any footprints telling her where Gendry could have gone. He was stubborn though and hurting and she wasn't in the mood to cater to that. If he wanted to go find a dark corner of the castle to sulk in then she would let him. Maybe in the morning, he would understand why she needed to do this. Arya made her way upstairs and back to her room. She was relieved to find that Jon and Meera were both gone and she didn't run into either of them as she crawled into her bed for the night. She shivered even though the fire in the hearth burned brightly and there were plenty of furs to keep her warm.

+++

Arya tossed and turned for most of the night as she woke up from strange dreams. She couldn't remember any of them but they all left her feeling unsettled. Every time she woke up she kept expecting to find Gendry sleeping on the floor near the fire or in the bed trying to keep his distance from her but he was nowhere to be found. Arya closed her eyes as the sun began to come up and tried to calm her breathing. He was sulking somewhere and she would confront him today. She needed to explain why it was better if they weren't together anymore.

A frantic knocking at her door made Arya jump as she scrambled out of bed and threw the door open. It was Meera and her brown hair was wild like she hadn't brushed it and she was still wearing sleep clothes.

"It's Bran. He woke up screaming and said he needed to talk to you," Meera said breathlessly. Arya didn't wait a moment as she raced through the castle to get to Bran's room. She tried to ignore the fact that Meera and Bran appeared to not only be sharing a room but a bed as well as Meera crawled across the bed and took Bran's hand in hers. "It's Arya, she's here, please try to calm down."

"I'm right here little brother," Arya said as she down on the edge of the bed next to Bran. His hair was matted and sweaty and he looked like he was having a hard time focusing.

"You couldn't find him," Bran said as he took large gulps of air. "Last night you tried to find him and you couldn't." Arya tensed as she glanced over at Meera who was frowning deeply. "You couldn't find him because he's not here."

"What do you mean he's not here?" Arya asked. "I thought he was moping somewhere but he couldn't have just left. All of his things are still here. Even if Gendry was mad he's not stupid; he wouldn't leave everything behind. You're wrong, Bran, he's here somewhere."

"She has him," Bran said and he turned to look directly at Arya. "The Red Woman has him and she's going to finish what you interrupted all of those years ago."

+++

It took far too long for Gendry to force his eyes open and even then it felt like an impossible effort. He sucked a deep breath into his lungs and it felt like the first breath he'd taken in hours. He blinked and the world was slowly starting to come into focus. He was staring at a wooden roof and it looked like it was about to fall apart. There weren't any roofs like that in Winterfell so he wasn't in the castle anymore. He was lying on something hard but his body still felt like it was partially numb. He could wiggle his toes and fingers but not much else. His mouth was so dry that he swore he would have given up anything for a drink of water.

"Good morning little prince," a voice said and Gendry felt someone just dump a bucket of ice water on his head. He was barely able to turn his head and he could see Melisandre standing a few steps away. She was wearing a bright red dress with large sleeves and a plunging neckline and didn't seem bothered by the snow in this tiny hut at all.

"What did you do to me?" Gendry managed to ask but he barely recognized his own voice.

"I poisoned you but only a little. I needed a way to move you where you wouldn't resist," Melisandre said. "Don't worry; I only had to breathe for you a few times." Gendry didn't know what to do with that information and it seemed that Melisandre wasn't going to give him the opportunity to ask. She took a step forward and gently touched his cheek and his hair. "The blood of a king runs through your veins, a would-be prince in another life, you could be so powerful with someone like me by your side."

"I heard all about what happens to the people at your side from Ser Davos," Gendry said. "Keep away from me or--"

"Or what?" Melisandre interrupted and she looked amused. "Or House Stark is going to come to rescue one of their own? The last I heard was that little Arya has no use of you anymore so I highly doubt anyone is coming. After all, her family and friends are loyal to her and not to you. You might have shared a few drinks with the King but you're nothing compared to his little sister and that little sister doesn't want you anymore." Gendry desperately wanted to tell her that she was wrong but the words got caught in his throat. She was saying the truths that he didn't want to accept.

"They are good people," Gendry said and she laughed.

"I was a slave, dear boy, I know exactly how people like the Stark's treat people like us. We both know they don't care. Arya Stark used you for protection. No one could marry her off if she was already married even if she was married to a nobody," Melisandre said and it took all of Gendry's effort to shake his head. She knelt down next to him and move close so her lips were right next to his ear. He squeezed his eyes shut so he wouldn’t have to look at her. "They aren't coming because you mean nothing to them. You have no one left in the world. No one cares about you, Gendry Waters."

"You're going to kill me," Gendry whispered and he refused to look at her despite the fact that she was so close and so warm that she was practically burning his skin.

"I am going to kill you but it's for the greater good. You're going to make kings rise and fall, little princeling, and with your blood, we're going to save the world," Melisandre said and Gendry opened his eyes. They weren't alone anymore and he could see two of the Brotherhood members that had ridden north with them after the Freys. Two of them that even Thoros said were a little extreme in their belief of the Red God. That was who helped her take him from the castle. They were both armed and they were staring at Melisandre like they were hanging on every word she said. He couldn't move, he could barely talk, so he couldn't fight his way out of this. She was right that no one was going to come for him. Melisandre reached into her dress and pulled out a wicked-looking blade. "Shall we begin?"

As soon as Bran said that Gendry was missing and the Red Woman had him Arya was on her feet and running through the castle. She didn't care that she was barely dressed and that people were staring at her. She needed to know if he was right and she needed to know right away. Arya banged on Jon's door until he opened it. He looked a little annoyed but he must have seen something in her face that made him realize that something was very wrong.

"Gendry never came back to the room last night and Bran says the Red Woman has him. We need to find him," she said.

"I'll start a search," Jon replied. Arya ran back to her room and changed as fast as she could. While they had been at Winterfell for some time now that didn't mean Gendry hadn't found some places to go hide. There was a chance that he was somewhere else and Bran was wrong. She tried not to think about the way he hadn't been wrong yet or that Bran looked like he could hardly breathe when he told her what was wrong.

Melisandre, that was what Jon said her name was, and he also told her that he and Davos told her she would be tried and killed if she ever came north again. That could only mean that she got in and out of the castle without being seen somehow. It also meant that she managed to find a way to get passed the guards and hide the footprints in the snow.

She couldn't think of him being gone yet. Arya needed proof that he wasn't in Winterfell before she got caught up thinking about how Melisandre got her hands on him. While Gendry wasn't insanely close to Beric and Thoros he did seem to be fond of the Brotherhood. She tied her weapons around her waist and looked at the ring that was sitting on the table next to her bed. It was steel but it still seemed to catch the morning light. Arya chewed on her lower lip and walked out of the room without picking up her ring.

She found Beric, Thoros, Anguy, and a handful of other Brotherhood members breaking their fast and already halfway to drunk even though the sun was barely up.

"Your Highness," Beric said with a nod. He seemed to be the only one of the group that wasn't drinking. Arya didn't know how to ask this question without revealing the fight but her pride wasn't the thing that mattered right now.

"Gendry and I got into a fight last night," she blurted and they all nodded like they knew what she was talking about. One of these days she was going to teach everyone to mind their business but right now was not that time. "He never came back to the room, did he stay with any of you?"

"The lad is missing?" Thoros asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Bran says that Melisandre, the Red Woman, has him but I need to make sure he isn't here before I go believing my brother," Arya replied and the way that Thoros suddenly looked worried did not make Arya feel any better. "What is it?"

"Two of our men are missing this morning as well," Thoros said. "They were strong believers in the Lord of Light and were quite taken with that woman when she tried to buy the boy all of those years ago. I can't imagine them not being here and your brother saying that she's resurfaced is a coincidence."

"We'll help you look," Anguy said as he pushed himself to his feet. "I always liked the kid and no one can make me better arrowheads than him." The various Brotherhood members all nodded and stood up but Arya wasn't really paying attention to them anymore. She raced through the castle and up to Podrick's room where he was still recovering. He nearly jumped when she threw the door open and stared at her like she'd lost her mind.

"Your Highness? Is something wrong?" he asked.

"Was Gendry up here to visit you at all last night or this morning?" Arya asked.

"No, I just saw the Lady Brienne, the maester, and now you. Is something wrong?" Podrick replied. Arya didn't bother to answer him as she ran out of the room and went to find Tormund. Tormund seemed to find Gendry amusing when they were making their way through the Riverlands but he was asleep and alone by the time she found him. Arya didn't bother to try and wake him up as she continued around the castle. More people were looking now, she could tell, but no one was telling her to stop. No one was saying that they found him and everything was okay.

It was nearly lunch when Arya had to come to terms with the fact that he wasn't here, Gendry was missing, which could only mean that Bran was right. Melisandre had him and there was no telling what she was going to do to him. It felt like someone punched her in the stomach and as she sat down at a table in Sansa's solar she felt like she couldn't catch a breath.

"He's not here," Arya said.

"No, it appears that he isn't," Sansa replied. "That means we have some sort of weakness in our defenses that needs to be looked at but I suppose this works out for you in some ways." Sansa was looking out the window as she frowned deeply. "You wanted him gone and you wanted your marriage ending. If the Red Woman kills them then that's a way of that happening."

"How can you say that?" Arya asked because this didn't sound like her sweet sister at all. This sounded like a stranger and when Sansa turned and glared Arya swore she was looking at a lady more fit for King's Landing than the north.

"How is this any different from the situation I posed to you yesterday? I told you that someone could try to kill him and that you would have to face that. The gods seem to have a sense of humor because they are forcing you to come to terms with it now," Sansa narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. "So what are you going to do, sister of mine? Should I call off the people that are looking for him?" Arya didn't know what to say because Sansa was right. Her finger felt empty without the ring and she knew that it was going to hurt when he was gone. Gendry didn't deserve to die and she hoped that she could convince him to stay in Winterfell despite them separating. Davos told her what Melisandre did to people with king's blood and Arya remembered a nightmare where she was burning him.

"Sansa, I don't want him to die," Arya whispered. "I just don't want to hurt anymore."

"We are facing two wars where we could lose people we care about. The thought of losing you or Jon or Bran makes me feel sick to my stomach and if I could lock you all in a tower to keep you safe I would but I can't. As long as there are people in your life there is the potential for hurt and there is nothing we can do to change that," Sansa said. "Now I will ask you again; am I calling off the guards or not?"

"We're going to find him," Arya said after a moment of silence. "But that doesn't mean I'm changing my mind."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Arya." Sansa turned and walked out of the room without another word. Arya wanted to follow but if there was someone who could find Gendry easily it was Nymeria. Her and Ghost hadn't returned to Winterfell yet but she hoped that she could convince the wolf to come home and help.

'Please come home,' she thought. 'Gendry needs your help and I know you care about him as much as I do. Please come home and help me find him.' Arya pushed herself to her feet and raced down the stairs. A guard told her that everyone was heading for the godswood to talk to Bran since he was the most likely to figure out where Gendry was being held. There was a group waiting that included Brienne, the Brotherhood, Sandor, Jon, Davos, even Jorah Mormont was there even though the last thing Arya wanted was a man that knew Robert Baratheon and loyal to Daenerys seeing Gendry.

"Is he still alive?" Sansa asked Bran who was sitting with Meera next to the heart tree.

"I believe so," Bran replied. "I couldn't see much though. It was more a nightmare than a vision but it felt so real. There was blood, so much blood, and then fire."

"Aye, that sounds like Melisandre," Davos said bitterly.

"But I couldn't tell you where they were," Bran said.

"The guards confirmed two of my men left just before dawn. They claimed they were going hunting," Beric said as he looked at Jon. "Your Grace, I didn't know they would do something like this. I knew they believed but I didn't foresee this."

"None of us did," Jon said but that wasn't true. Arya knew something like this could happen and she still let him go. She twisted her hands together and tried not to think about fire and blood too much."Even if she had help with two men she couldn't have gone far. The problem is between all of the wars the north has suffered in recent years there are entire abandoned castles and that isn't including small houses and villages. They could be anywhere and we have no way of figuring out which way to go."

"Or how much time he has," Thoros said softly. "She was willing to pay a pretty large sum of coins for that boy years ago. There's no telling how long she'll keep him alive."

"There has to be something we can do," Arya said and everyone looked at her. She could see them trying to figure out what her motivations were considering the fight but Arya ignored it. It wasn't time to focus on her they needed to focus on him. A howl seemed to distract everyone as Nymeria and Ghost raced into the godswood. Arya knelt down so she could look Nymeria in the eye. "Gendry is in danger, can you help us find him?"

"I thought the wolfs were only attached to the Starks," Jorah said which made Arya want to bare her teeth at him.

"Nymeria seems to consider Gendry a pup that needs protecting, Ser Jorah, and you should never get in the way of a she-wolf and those she seems worthy of protection," Arya replied as she looked back at Nymeria. "Lead us to him." Nymeria howled again she began to make her way back to the gate. "If anyone can find him it's her. We should follow her."

"I trust my sister," Jon said. "Let's go." They knew that they were dealing with three people at the most so they didn't need to bring an entire army. That didn't stop Beric, Thoros, and Anguy from insisting they travel. Davos also said that he was coming to stay with Jon and that he needed to get a little revenge on Melisandre. Jorah also insisted on coming even though Arya didn't want him there. If Melisandre brought up king's blood Gendry's secret would be out. She didn't want him burned alive in dragonfire either. They all climbed on horses and began to follow Nymeria into the wilderness of the north. Arya just hoped that she could find him.

+++

Gendry hissed in pain as Meliandre reopened the wound on his wrist for the third time. As far as he could tell he'd been in her possession for about a full day now and when she pulled out that long and ugly looking knife he expected that he wasn't long for this world. Instead, she seemed keen to drag this entire thing out as she reopened a cut on his wrist and would collect his blood. After getting a decent amount on a bowl she would bring it over to a hot fire that was burning in the hearth and speak in a language he didn't understand while flicking the blood into the flames or nearly putting the fire out with it.

"I don't understand why you're doing this," Gendry said and he knew that he was starting to feel the effects of the blood loss. His words were a little slurred and he felt like the hut they were in was tipping to the side like a boat.

"Your blood is powerful," Melisandre said as she collected blood from the wound. She smiled at him and despite how much he wanted to he couldn't look away. "It could be a weapon if used the right way. That is what I was going to use you for the last time. I was going to use your blood to kill the kings."

"The kings?" Gendry asked.

"The false kings Robb Stark, Joffrey Baratheon, and Balon Greyjoy," she replied.

"And they died anyway so if you had gotten ahold of me you would have been able to take credit for something you didn't do," Gendry said and he laughed to himself. "I thought my uncle was supposed to be smart but the fact that he believed any of the bullshit you say makes me think he was an idiot."

"After I used your blood I was going to burn you so Stannis could win the war and be king. Perhaps if I had we wouldn't have Queen Cersei Lannister and all of the blood she has reigned down on Westeros," Melisandre said as she set a bowl of his blood aside and sat down on the edge of the table close enough that he could feel her heat. The poison, whatever it was, was wearing off but even if it wore off now he'd be too weak to fight back at this point.

"Are you implying that all of that death is my fault for running for my life when you tried to buy me like a slave?" Gendry was doing his best not to show his fear but it was hard.

"You know, you could make this easier on yourself if you wanted," Melisandre said and the way she was looking at him looked almost fond. They were alone right now with the two Brotherhood members keeping watch nearby. Gendry could feel the blood dripping from his wrist, down his hand, and off the tip of his fingers.

"And how would I do that? Give up?" he asked.

"Exactly," she said with a shrug. "The Lord of Light appreciates sacrifice little princeling." Melisandre leaned forward and began to touch his face and run her fingers through his hair again. Gendry tried not to wince but he wanted her hands, red with his own blood, off of him. "You give yourself willingly to him and you could save everyone."

"What are you talking about?" he snapped.

"I mean the ones I fight for this time are the living and I am sacrificing you so we may win the fight against the dead," Melisandre said and she ran her thumb along his bottom lip. "You still love her, I know you do, and you could save her. You could save everyone and be the hero you always wanted to be. You could be a man that people talk about for generations to come. The prince that sacrificed his own life to help save the entire realm."

She was close again, too close, and she had one hand in his hair and the other was petting him like he was a dog. Gendry wanted to tell her to get off of him, to go away, that he would never light himself on fire for the sake of a god that he didn't believe in. Melisandre wouldn't look away from him though and the longer she stared the more it felt like she was pulling the words from him. Gendry didn't want to die but as he stared at Melisandre's red eyes he swore that he was going to say "yes" and he was going to willingly let her burn him.

The howl of a wolf seemed to jerk them both back to reality. She blinked and looked up at the door to the hut with a frown. Gendry took a deep breath and tried to get his racing heart under control which was only making him bleed out faster. Could he agree to be burned if he passed out? He honestly wasn't sure.

"It seems that the Stark's are coming for you after all," Melisandre said and her voice made him focus again. They were coming for him? That didn't make any sense. "Perhaps they will see the bigger picture. That sacrificing you for the good of the realm is the right thing to do." She stood up and finally wasn't touching him anymore but she leaned down close enough that Gendry could feel her lips against his ears. "After all, she doesn't want you anymore and there are plenty of bastard smith's out there." Gendry squeezed his eyes shut until he felt her move away from him and heard the door to the hut opening and closing. There was blood running down his arm still and he was tired, so tired, and he decided that keeping his eyes closed was better. Then he wouldn't have to look his fate in the eye.

+++

Arya was trying not to feel conflicted as they followed Nymeria out into the wilderness. The idea that they might be too late was enough to make her sick to her stomach and more than once she thought she was going to be sick. She could feel Jon watching her carefully as Nymeria stopped and howled. They were getting close and Jon called out to her.

"Arya, I need to be the one to approach. Please don't do anything until I tell you to. Will you promise me that?" Jon asked. Arya wanted to argue and tell him that she wouldn't ever do anything that would place Gendry's life at risk but she also wanted to run Melisandre through with her sword. "Arya, she's got powers and we don't know what she did to him. If we kill her we could still lose him so please just listen to me."

"Okay," she said even though she didn't like it. Jon nodded as they took the lead. The woods were thick enough that they could see the two Brotherhood members sitting outside. They were armed and had their swords out. They didn't attack as they approached. Everyone climbed off of their horses and hands were placed on weapons.

"Gentlemen, please put your weapons down," Jon said. Arya had Needle in one hand but she pulled out of the daggers that Gendry made her into her other hand.

"The Lady Melisandre is doing the work of the Lord of Light and cannot be disturbed," one of them said.

"Your lady is about to kill an innocent man and one that I consider family. The last man that betrayed House Stark lost their heads, are you keen to lose yours?"

"Family he says," one of the men said as he looked at Arya. "From what everyone heard that boy isn't a member of House Stark anymore." Arya clenched her hands around her weapons hard enough that she could feel them digging painfully into her skin.

"This is your last chance to surrender," Jon warned. The two men looked at each other and pulled out their swords to attack. Arya threw her dagger and it lodged in the man's neck. Another took an arrow to the eye and hit the ground hard. She could assume that was Anguy since he was one of the few people who could make that shot. The door to the hut opened and Melisandre walked out. She stood amongst the snow in a simple dress as if the cold didn't bother her. Arya felt her heart skip a beat when she saw the blood on her hands.

"King Jon, how lovely to see you again," she said.

"I warned you what would happen if you came north again," Jon said. "Do you have a deathwish?"

"No, I'm merely here as a servant of the realm," Melisandre said with a smile. "That boy's blood is king's blood and with it comes power. It is a weapon and a powerful one that we could use to win the war against the dead. However, if he burns we will save the realm."

"You've argued that sacrificing people will bring power once and it didn't work then," Davos snapped. "Stannis burned his daughter and still lost."

"Jon Snow, you sacrificed everything when you joined the Night's Watch. You know how important it is. You are here because of the will of the Lord of Light as well are you, Lord Beric. You both know he is real and Jon you know more than anyone what we are up against. Westeros will fall to ruin but that boy can help a king rise and another fall." Melisandre folded her hands in front of her and stared at Jon with those eerie-looking eyes of hers. "If that boy is burned with fire then we will survive the Long Night and the fight against the dead. What is the life of one bastard boy against all of Westeros?"

"He is not your lamb to sacrifice," Arya snapped and Melisandre looked at her for the first time.

"No, but he's not yours to protect either. You have quite clearly made that choice," she said as she pointedly looked down at Arya's lack of wedding ring.

"I believe in our Lord," Thoros said. "But I won't be burning any innocents for him."

"Stark's do not sacrifice one man for another," Jon said. "Take her." The men surrounded Melisandre and pulled her away from the hut but Arya didn't care about that. She shoved her way through and pushed the door open. For half a moment she thought he was already dead. He was so pale and there was blood all over the floor. Arya raced over and placed her hand to his neck and could feel a light pulse. He was cold and he'd lost so much blood.

"Gendry, Gendry, can you hear me?" she asked. All she wanted was to see those blue eyes again and know that there was still some life behind them. "Please." Gendry opened his eyes but it looked like he couldn't focus on her. Arya thought she heard her name and he sounded confused but then his eyes closed again and no matter how many times she called his name they wouldn't open. He was alive, for now, but they needed to get him back to Winterfell as soon as possible.

Arya did her best to ignore the way Melisandre was watching her the entire way back to Winterfell. Gendry slept through the entire ride home and she worried. Melisandre confessed to draining a lot of his blood and poisoned him to make it so he couldn't escape or fight back. When they got back to the castle Arya insisted that he was put in her, their, room. It was warm, it was safer, and she knew that no area of the castle would be better guarded than the rooms near Sansa and Jon. Jon put his friend Sam to work right away to try and help Gendry but it was Sansa who sat down with a needle and thread.

There was something odd about watching Sansa frown deeply and bloody her hands as she sewed the deep wounds on Gendry's wrist back together. Sam and Maester Wolken kept insisting that they could take care of it but Sansa waved them off and said she could do it better. She insisted that she could make smaller stitches that wouldn't scar as badly once the wounds healed. Sam and Wolken excused themselves saying that the best thing for Gendry was to get some rest while Arya remained in the room with Sansa.

"There," Sansa said as she tied off the thread. Arya wordlessly handed Sansa a bandage and watched as her sister wrapped the cloth tightly around Gendry's arm. Arya wished he would wake up so they could talk but she also wanted him to heal as fast as possible.

"Thank you," Arya whispered. "You didn't even flinch when you took care of his wounds."

"Ramsay left scars on me, Arya, and I had to take care of some of them myself," Sansa replied as she touched her own arm. It got blood on her dress but Sansa didn't seem to care. "What will you do now?"

"I need to talk to him," Arya whispered. "But you were right. I couldn't stand the idea of him dying and after nearly losing him I'm not sure what to do. It hurts, Sansa, it hurts so much and I don't want it to hurt anymore. I just want the people I love safe."

"I want the same thing," Sansa replied as she took Arya's hands into her own. "I want all my family safe but I also want them happy. He makes you happy and after everything we have suffered, I think we've earned that. But Arya, you aren't ever going to be happy if you keep pushing people away out of fear. Do you think the fear you're feeling is unique? I wanted to keep everyone far away too because Cersei drilled it into my head for years that the more people you love the weaker you are."

"Cersei told you that?" Arya said and she couldn't believe that she was acting in a way that Cersei Lannister would approve of. That pushing the people she loves away is exactly what Cersei would have done and would believe in.

"Yes," Sansa replied and she squeezed Arya's hand. "And forgive me for thinking that you are a far better person than Cersei Lannister."

"I'm so glad you have such high expectations of me," Arya replied with a dry laugh. Sansa smiled and kissed her forehead.

"I'll make sure some food is sent up. I'm assuming you'll be staying here until he wakes up." Sansa pulled Arya into a tight hug and left the room as she closed the door behind her. Arya pulled one of the chairs over to the side of the bed and sat down so she could watch Gendry breathe. She remembered waking up in Mina and Prycella's house after the bandit attack and how she panicked because she couldn't feel his heart beating. Ayra wanted to climb into bed and be with him so she knew that Gendry was alive but it felt wrong. The first thing she needed to do was talk to him and make sure that he was going to be okay. Her wedding band was still on the table and Arya wanted to put it on but something made her hesitate.

Gendry slept through the rest of the day and into the night. After dinner, there was a knock on the door and Jon walked in.

"Any change?" he asked and Arya shook her head. "Well, if he's not getting worse then we need to take that. I was going to go to the dungeons to speak to Melisandre and find out how she got into Winterfell. If you promise not to stick her with the pointy end you can come with me." Arya glanced at Gendry and didn't like the idea of him waking up alone but she also knew that she needed answers.

"All right let's go find out what this witch wants," Arya said. She squeezed one of Gendry's hands and quietly closed the door behind her. She walked with Jon to the dungeons where Bran and Sansa were waiting. It seemed that this was going to be a Stark family affair. Jon easily picked up Bran to carry him down the stairs as Sansa and Arya both moved his chair to the bottom. The dungeons were quiet and the only men standing guard were handpicked by Jon. They were also supposed to keep their distance so Melisandre couldn't whisper any lies into their ears.

"I was wondering when you would come," she said from her cell. It was cold enough that Arya could see her breath but Melisandre didn't seem bothered by the cold. She hadn't put on the cloak that was given to her nor did she pick up the few blankets on the ground. Instead, she was holding a singular candle and looking at the flame like it had all of the answers in the universe.

"We have some questions for you," Jon said and he sounded and looked so much like their father whenever he was acting like the king he was that Arya sometimes didn't know what to do with it. "The most important one is how you managed to get past our defenses."

"You let me in," Melisandre said with a shrug.

"We did not such thing," Sansa replied. Melisandre smiled as she set her candle down. She reached behind her neck and pulled off the necklace that she always wore. The ruby, which often looked like it was glowing, seemed to dull as she took off the necklace. Before their eyes, Melisandre began to change. Instead of the beautiful seductress, there was an old woman that looked like she would have a hard time walking on her own. Arya briefly remembered seeing this woman as she walked into the castle following her fight with Gendry. Melisandre put her necklace back on and the ruby flared back to life and the beautiful woman once again sat in front of them.

"As for how I got out it wasn't hard to lure the guards away for a moment with the two Brotherhood members who pledged themselves to me. They were also responsible for making sure that no one would see any footprints in the snow or the dirt," Melisandre said as she looked at Sansa and Bran. "Have you told them?"

"Told us what?" Sansa asked.

"That burning the Baratheon bastard will assure that the living wins the Long Night," Melisandre said. "If you allow me to sacrifice him to our Lord then He will make sure that Winterfell and all of us do not fall in the upcoming war."

"That is not a guarantee," Bran said and she looked at him. "You think you know what you saw in the flames but you were wrong before and you're wrong this time. We all have a part to play in this, including you, but burning my good brother is not it."

"Good brother?" Melisandre said as she looked at Arya. "You should learn to not make such hasty decisions, Lady Arya. I spent days here at Winterfell trying to figure out how to get my hands on that boy but he was never alone. At least not until you came back and broke his heart."

"Are you saying it was my fault that you were able to take him?" Arya snapped.

"Yes," Melisandre said and Arya jerked like someone just slapped her.

"You won't be touching anyone ever again," Jon said. "Ser Davos wants you dead for burning Shireen Baratheon and I'm considering letting him do the honors for his service to House Stark. Until then you will stay here with no visitors." Jon, Sansa, and Bran all turned to leave but Arya lingered for a moment.

"That's twice now I've stopped you from taking him," Arya said. "And I assure you, Lady Melisandre, there won't be a third attempt." She didn't wait to hear what Melisandre had to say to that. She turned and followed her siblings out of the dungeon. She took the stairs up to her room two at a time and was both relieved and upset to see that Gendry was still asleep. Arya settled down in the chair next to the bed and took Gendry's hand onto her own. She still wasn't sure what exactly she was going to tell him when he woke up but right now Arya needed to hear him breathe and feel his pulse beneath her fingers.

+++

Arya didn't remember falling asleep but the next thing she remembered was the sun shining in her face and the sound of someone saying her name. She blinked and looked up to see Gendry staring at her like he didn't know what to do with her. It wasn't exactly the expression she was hoping to see on his face but Arya still breathed a sigh of relief that he was awake at all. He lost a lot of blood and Wolken and Sam both said there was a chance that he wouldn't wake up again.

"Thank the gods you're awake," Arya said as she squeezed his hand.

"Why are you here?" Gendry asked which was an odd question. Maybe he was a little confused so she decided to tell him what happened.

"Nymeria lead us to you. Melisandre is in the dungeons and won't be touching anyone. We got you back to Winterfell in time and Sansa even made sure the stitches on your wrist won't scar too bad," Arya said as she forced herself to smile. "You're going to be okay with a little rest."

"I figured all of that out by the fact that I woke up, Arya, I'm asking what you're doing here," Gendry said. "The last thing I remembered was Melisandre saying she was going to convince Jon to burn me. Since I'm still here and not presently on fire I can only assume he didn't go for it. That all makes sense. What I don't understand is what I'm doing in your room or why you're sitting here next to me. You told me you were leaving and I don't think common bastard blacksmiths get a place in the castle." Arya physically flinched at his words and slowly drew her hand back. Gendry looked down and seemed to zero in on the fact that she wasn't wearing her ring the same way everyone seemed to.

"I want you to be safe," Arya whispered.

"Yes, I appreciate the concern Lady Arya, and I'm sure the interest you take in the smallfolk is going to be a commendable quality as you rule the north. I'm still waiting for an answer as to why I'm here." There was something about Gendry's voice that just broke her heart. She knew that he never thought he was good enough for her and she knew that he always thought she would leave him. In a moment of panic, Arya knew she had proven him right and that it was going to take time to convince him that she was wrong. At least, she thought she was wrong. Arya still wasn't sure she was making the right choice.

"Gendry, I can't even begin to apologize enough for hurting you. That was never my intention," Arya began.

"And yet you did," Gendry replied without letting her finish. "Or do you need to be reminded that you were the one who pushed us to have a physical relationship when I thought it was a bad idea or that you were the one who proposed marriage to me. Yes, I agreed to both of those things so I just as responsible, but you are responsible for them too."

"I thought keeping you away would make it easier for when you inevitably leave. I've lost everyone I've ever cared about Gendry and losing my family nearly killed me. I don't know how I could survive that again and come out intact," Arya said and she could feel her eyes start to hurt. She refused to cry and tried to bury those feelings.

"So instead you assume I'm going to leave by leaving me first," Gendry said and he laughed so bitterly Arya had to bite her lip to keep from saying something stupid. "Well, m'lady, as much as I know you high borns just love to use us commoners as tools I'm not in the mood for it. I'm removing myself from all of this since that seems to be what you want." Before Arya could say anything else Gendry removed his own wedding ring and set it on the table next to hers. "I won't be the one to sit around and wait for you to figure out whether or not you want me with you. I thought we made that decision a long time ago but apparently not. So, I would appreciate if you could leave Lady Arya. I'll be sure to be out of your room and in the forge where I belong as soon as possible."

"Gendry--"

"Please, Arya, just leave," and he sounded like he was begging which did not sit well with her. Gendry didn't beg; he was the strongest person she knew and Arya hated herself for how weak she felt. She hated him a little for making her feel so weak. Arya pushed herself to her feet, nodded, and walked out of the room without a word. The door closing behind her felt so final and the tears she'd been fighting back for so long finally fell. She looked up and saw Sansa a few stairs above her.

"Can I stay with you tonight?" Arya managed to ask.

"Of course," Sansa said as she put her arms around Arya's shoulders and lead her up the stairs. They got to Sansa's room and she closed and locked the door behind them. "He's awake then?"

"He all but threw me out of my own room," Arya said as she sat down in one of the chairs by the fire. "Sansa, what have I done? I've made such a terrible mistake."

"You did but that doesn't change your actions. You need to give him time and wait for him to forgive you," Sansa replied. "He still loves you and you still love him. You both just picked at each other's wounds too hard."

"What if he doesn't forgive me?" Arya asked. "It's not like I deserve to be forgiven. You were right about all of it. You and Jon both were; I was just afraid."

"I think he'll see that eventually but right now he's too angry and too hurt to see that. We can only hope that he will someday." Sansa pulled Arya into a tight hug and held on. "Besides, all of those stories I've read about true love always have bumps in the road in them. This is yours." Arya wasn't sure if she believed Sansa about any of that but allowed herself to be held by her sister all the same. She'd give him all the space he needed if that was what it took.

+++

Gendry was thankful when the door closed and he had some time to himself. Melisandre was right about one thing and that was that he did still love Arya and would do anything to keep her safe. Right now, however, he needed to protect himself. She hurt him in ways that Gendry couldn't even put into words right now and to even make eye contact with her felt like being stabbed all over again. He was hopeful to see her sleeping next to him when he woke up and holding his hands but as soon as he noticed that she wasn't wearing her wedding ring it was like getting gutted all over again.

Between the blood loss and the last of Melisandre's poison running through his system, Gendry knew he wouldn't be leaving this bed today but he did hope to be out of this room by tomorrow. This wasn't his room, not anymore, and he just hoped that Jon or Sansa would just let him move into the forge without making a big deal out of it. They were Arya's siblings and he just hoped they wouldn't make it too awkward. He went from having a family with Arya and her siblings to having no one in a matter of hours. Gendry was alone again for the first time since he met Arya and it was the worst feeling.

Someone knocked on the door and before he could tell them that he wasn't in the mood to see anyone Meera let herself in.

"I'm really not feeling up to visitors, Lady Meera," Gendry said as he forced himself to sit up in bed.

"Gendry, I'm here as a friend, so I would hope you'd call me by my name and not my title," Meera said as she sat down on the bed cross-legged. "I know why you're doing it and if you want to do it in public I understand but it's just the two of us right now."

"Fine, Meera, I'm not feeling up to visitors," Gendry relented but she shrugged and didn't move. "What do you want?"

"Just to see how you're doing. Why are you always getting hurt? You should stop doing that," she said and Gendry glared at her. Meera didn't even flinch. "Did you talk to Arya yet?"

"I don't see how that's any of your business," Gendry snapped.

"You're my friend," Meera repeated like that was enough of an answer.

"Yes, we talked, and I sent her away. I'll be leaving this room and moving into the forge as soon as possible," Gendry said and he closed his eyes. "She wanted me gone so I'm going. The only reason I'm not getting out of Winterfell tomorrow is because they need someone to make dragonglass weapons when Queen Daenerys gets here."

"Did I ever tell you what happened when Bran and I first got back to Winterfell?" Meera asked which was such a weird question that Gendry opened his eyes and stared at her. He shook his head and Meera began to pick at a loose thread on her pants. "I dragged Bran on a sled from beyond the wall back to Winterfell myself. By the time we got back here, we were half-starved and mostly dead. I slept for roughly a day and a half and then went to go find him. Bran was in his room, staring at a fire, and looking very lost in his own head. I told him I was going to write to my father and tell him to come to Winterfell to help. Then Bran turned and looked at me with that blank face he sometimes gets. He told me he didn't need me anymore and that I should leave. I couldn't believe it; after everything I did for him he was telling me to leave like I didn't mean anything to him."

"If he told you to leave then why are you still here?" Gendry asked slowly and Meera looked up at him and smirked.

"I told him "no". I told him he wasn't the Lord of Winterfell or the Lord of anything so he didn't get to tell me what to do. I told him; two people, including my brother, and his wolf died to get him home and he was out of his damn mind if he thought I was walking away now," Meera explained and paused briefly. "Then I slapped him."

"I'm sorry, you slapped Bran Stark?" Gendry said because he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"I sure did. Right across the face and damn near hard enough to leave a handprint on his cheek," Meera replied and she looked so proud of herself. "I walked away and left him alone for the rest of the day. The next morning I found him in the godswood. I sat down with my spear and began to sharpen it. I don't think we acknowledged each other for several hours until he reached forward and took my hand. He apologized for trying to get me to run away because he was afraid.

"You see," Meera continued. "Bran seemed to think I'd be safer if I wasn't in Winterfell for the Long Night and he was trying to protect me. He was afraid and thought pushing me away was the safest thing he could do for me. The thing is; Bran doesn't get to make that decision for me. I get to decide for myself whether or not I want to put myself in danger. The Stark's have lost a lot as you know and I think they are all terrified of losing more. Jon and Sansa might not ever admit it but they are keeping people a safe distance away too. I think Arya was trying to do the same thing. She was trying to protect you and herself because Bran tried to do the same thing to me." Gendry shook his head because while he knew what Meera was talking about and that she was probably right that didn't change anything.

"So I should just forgive her? I should sit back and wait for her to get scared and hurt me like this again? What if she tries to leave again?" he asked.

"You look her in the eye and you tell her "no". She might be a princess but she doesn't get to tell you what to do like that. She doesn't get to make your decisions for you. She probably will try to leave again and you have to be more stubborn than she is. You have to tell her you aren't going anywhere just because she tells you to," Meera said. "Maybe don't slap her though."

"She can tell me to leave because she's a princess," Gendry said as he shook his head. "You don't understand what it's like to be with someone who has such a higher standing in life than you. She could absolutely tell me to leave and I would have to." Meera reached over and took his hand but Gendry could barely feel it. "I don't expect you to understand because you can't. You're a Lady and you don't know what it's like. So while I would love to out stubborn Arya Stark I can't and I'm not sure I can forgive her either. I'm not even sure that I want to." Meera didn't say anything else which Gendry was thankful for. Instead, she moved across the bed and pulled him into a tight hug. Arya might have taken away his family but maybe he could hang onto a few friendships.

+++

Arya was helping Sansa look over some papers a few hours later when Jon knocked on the door and walked inside.

"Ser Jorah received a raven from Queen Daenerys. She's sailing north as we speak and I'm going to meet her in White Harbor to escort her to Winterfell. She'll be here in a fortnight."

The last thing Arya wanted to do was give Gendry space but Sansa assured her that it was for the best. So the next day she didn't visit him though she did see Meera coming in and out of the room so at least she knew that he wasn't alone. Arya knew that Sansa went in to check on the stitches but wouldn't say what the two of them spoke about. Jon also went inside and all he would tell her was that Gendry just wanted to confirm that there was a place for him to stay in the forge once he was feeling better. Arya tried to argue that he didn't have to leave but Jon said that Gendry was insisting and he wasn't going to deny him this.

Three days after they rescued him from Melisandre Gendry gathered his things and moved into the small room off to the side of the forge. Daenerys was bringing the dragonglass but Gendry took over the forge and helped the other blacksmiths start to make pommels for swords and handles for axes. That way all they had to do once the dragonglass got here was make the actual blades. Arya watched him work from far away and her heart ached.

When she got back to her room she noticed that he had left his wedding ring on the table next to hers. Arya took them into her hand and held on tight. This was her mistake and her mistake alone. There was no one else who could fix this for her but her. It didn't feel right to wear the ring without Gendry wearing his so she put a line of leather through both of them and wore them around her neck. She tucked them away so they weren't visible to anyone and the cool metal against her skin a reminder that she needed to fix this.

On day four Arya broke and needed to go see him despite the fact that Sansa told her to keep her distance. Even if they were going to fight she needed to be in his presence. Gendry didn't go to the great hall for dinner and was taking his meals in the forge away from everyone else. Arya caught one of the kitchen girls bringing him a plate and offered to take it herself. She had her own plate of food and thought there was a chance they could eat together.

Gendry looked up from his work when she walked in the forge and he narrowed his eyes. He had black soot on his hands and face and despite how warm the forge was he still looked a little cold and touch too pale. The edges of the bandage around his arm were peeking out through the sleeves of his tunic.

"Your Highness," he said and while her first reaction was to lash out at him for calling her that she knew that would be a bad idea.

"There's no one else here, Gendry," Arya said. "I'd appreciate if you'd use my name when it's just the two of us at the very least."

"As m'lady commands," Gendry said with a slight bow of his head. Arya couldn't remember the last time she felt this uncomfortable with him. Even when Gendry was still a stranger to her things never felt like this.

"I brought you some dinner and I was wondering if I could join you?" Arya asked making sure that she gave him a choice in the matter. Gendry stared at her like he wasn't sure what her intentions were and for a long time, it felt like he was going to send her away.

"Come with me," he said and gestured to the back to the forge. He pulled out two cups and filled them with some water that was sitting just outside so it was cold. There was a small table and two small chairs. Gendry pulled out one of the chairs and waited. It took Arya a moment to realize that he was holding it out for her to sit in.

"Thank you," she said quietly as she set the two plates down on the table. She reached into her satchel and pulled out two forks and two knives and handed Gendry a set as he sat down across from her.

"Thank you for the food," he replied.

"I'm not going to say anything else," Arya said and Gendry looked up so he could watch her. "I'm not going to ask anything of you either. I'd like to sit here and have dinner with you tonight and if you want to say anything to me you're welcome to. I'd also love it if I could join you for dinner tomorrow as well but only if you want me to."

"If you come back tomorrow, Arya, I'll let you know if I want company then," Gendry said and she tried not to breathe a sigh of relief because that wasn't a "no". She nodded and they shared a meal in complete silence with the only sound being the crackling of the fire in the forge. When she ran out of water Gendry got up and refilled her up without a word and their fingers brushed when he handed it back to her. When they were finished eating Arya gathered up the plates and hesitated as he walked her back to the forge entrance. They were standing close and she could feel the heat coming off of him.

"Thank you for letting me join you," Arya said.

"Thank you for the pleasant company," Gendry replied and the corner of his mouth twitched like he was thinking about smiling but decided against it at the last minute. "Have a good night, Your Highness." Gendry turned and walked back toward the back room in the forge without another word. Arya watched him vanish from sight and made her way back to the castle.

For the next three days, Arya went out to the forge and had dinner with Gendry and they hardly said a word to each other. She needed to do her time and Arya was willing to do whatever it took. It wasn't until the fourth day that Gendry finally talked.

"I need you to know how much you hurt me," he said as he poked at his dinner. Arya wanted to reply, try to explain or defend herself, but she promised that she wouldn't say anything unless he wanted her to. "You knew that anyone I have ever cared about has left me in some way and you tried to do the same thing. I don't know how I can forgive you for that." Gendry looked up at her and she could see how angry and hurt he was. "Why are you here?"

"Because I made a mistake," Arya said quietly. "I'm here because I will do anything and everything I can to prove to you that I won't try and leave you again."

"What about all of that stuff about disrespecting your family? Is this because they never would have approved of us?" Gendry said and Arya winced because she knew that was true. She knew it even more now that she knew about the marriage contract with the Frey's.

"No, they wouldn't have," she admitted. "But I also know that my family that's still here adores you and wants you to be happy. In fact, they were the first ones to tell me what a mistake I was making. Sansa thinks we're like something out of a song."

"I thought about saying "yes" to her," he said and Gendry didn't need to clarify who "she" was. "She told me that the Lord of Light would appreciate a willing sacrifice and I could save everyone by allowing her to burn. She told me I could save you and I almost said yes. I wanted to because I would do anything to save you."

"I'm glad that you didn't. A world without you isn't one worth saving," Arya replied quietly. Gendry narrowed his eyes but didn't say anything else for the rest of their meal. Arya went to sleep with the rings clasped tightly in her hands and missing his warmth more than anything in the world.

Arya cornered Meera the next morning who seemed to be the only person that Gendry was talking to regularly.

"I'm not telling you anything he's said to me," Meera said.

"Please, just tell me if he's okay. I can't tell," Arya replied. Meera paused as she ate her breakfast and frowned at her food.

"He misses you," she said. "And you're doing the right thing by giving him time." Arya chewed on her lip because time was the very thing she was worried about. Bran seemed to be getting further and further away from them by the day which meant the Night King was getting closer. Jon received a raven from Eastwatch that said they were able to see the army from the top of the wall. Jon explained that he told the black brothers that as soon as they could see the army they were to abandon Eastwatch and make their way to Winterfell. Ravens were sent out to all of the surrounding castles and people were pouring in by the day.

Jon was getting ready to leave with Jorah Mormont and several others to meet Daenerys at White Harbor and escort her and her army to Winterfell. Time was very much not something that they had and Arya wanted Gendry by her side when they faced all of this. The idea that the dead were coming and there was a good chance they only had so much time left alive made her nervous. She wanted more time with all of the people in her life.

Arya watched Jon ride off and tried to keep her heart from racing. She was surprised when Gendry walked over and watched him with her. He didn't say anything but his presence was enough that she felt a little better.

"Meera is worried," he said. "She says that Bran sometimes looks like he doesn't know who she is. She doesn't like that she sometimes wakes up with a stranger."

"Tell her to come see me," Arya replied. "I can stay in Sansa's room and she can have mine if she needs space." She took a deep breath and released it slowly. "Daenerys will be here soon and she'll be bringing several people who will figure out who you are. I need you to please be careful. I'd like you to keep Nymeria close and Meera as well." Arya looked at him and Gendry was watching her carefully like he didn't know what to do with her. After a moment of silence, he reached forward and took her hand into his.

"I'll be fine," he whispered. Gendry released her hand and walked away without looking back. It hurt to see him put his walls back up when they had so little time but Arya knew this was a punishment she would have to bear. She felt a little closer to forgiveness but Arya knew that they were all quickly running out of time.

+++

Arya did her best to hide her anxiety about Daenerys but she couldn't help but be nervous about it. She hated how many people in the world seemed to think that Gendry was a threat that needed to be taken care of because his father couldn't keep to one woman. He didn't want the Iron Throne but it didn't seem to matter how many times he said it no one would believe him. Instead, all they saw was Robert Baratheon reborn and that meant he was ready to claim the thing that was his birthright. Arya hadn't lied when she told Jaime Lannister that neither of them wanted anything to do with southern politics but they didn't know how much that was going to matter in the long run.

Fourteen days after they got a raven saying that Daenerys was sailing north a scout rode into Winterfell and reported that the army would be arriving within the next two hours. Arya raced across Winterfell to the forge where Gendry was working. She didn't come to him during the day, that was part of their unspoken deal, but that needed to change today.

"Gendry," she said and he looked up from his work. "I know I promised I wouldn't ask anything of you but I'm going to. I need you to move back into my room."

"Arya, I'm not ready to--"

"I know and I believe you," Arya interrupted. Meera had turned down her offer to switch rooms and said that it was important for her to remain close to Bran even if she didn't know who Bran was at any given moment. "Daenerys will be here soon and she could know who you are before the end of the night. You'll be better guarded in the family wing of the castle and with me. We can look out for each other like we used to." Arya took a step forward so she was standing close to him and stared into his blue eyes. "I'm not above begging so, please, stay in my room from now on. We can sleep completely clothed and with space between us. I'll sleep on the floor, you can sleep on the floor, I don't care as long as you're in that room with me. Please, Gendry, I need to know that you're safe."

"Fine," Gendry said and he didn't sound happy about it. Arya didn't even care if this set them back some time in reconciling their relationship because it wouldn't matter if he was dead.

"Thank you," she whispered. "I'll bring your things up to my room and I'd like you to stay here for the rest of the day. I'll come and get you later tonight and we can have dinner together in my room. Tomorrow, we'll talk to Jon and Sansa and decide how we can keep you safe."

"The dragonglass will be arriving with the Queen and her army so it's not like I won't have plenty of work to do anyway," Gendry said with a shrug. Arya nodded and raced off to his room off to the side of the forge and gathered all of his things. She left his sword nearby so he had a weapon in case he needed it and took the rest of his things up to his room. Meera was rolling Bran out into the courtyard as they waited for Jon and everyone else to appear. Arya told Nymeria to keep close to Gendry and to let someone know if something was happening. She didn't want her wolf and her husband to both die trying to fight against an entire army.

Sansa joined them and a sound, unlike anything Arya had ever hard rung out in the air. Everyone looked up to see a massive dragon shoot across the sky. Two more followed the large, black beast as they began to circle Winterfell. Sansa reached out and took Arya's hand into her own and held on tight. Jon road into Winterfell with several members of his guard and Daenerys, dressed in thick white furs, followed him in on horseback. More and more men began to pile into Winterfell but it was two men that got out of a carriage that she recognized; that was Tyrion Lannister and Lord Varys. Jon walked over and stood next to his sisters.

"Queen Daenerys, I King Jon Snow of the North welcome you to my home in Winterfell. You've already met my sister Princess Arya but allow me to present Princess Sansa and my brother Prince Brandon Stark." Arya bowed her head to Daenerys as Sansa cursed and Bran nodded. Meera looked a little nervous and Bran had that all too familiar blank expression on his face.

"Princess Arya it's lovely to see you again. You look much better than the last time we spoke. I can assume your husband is well?" Daenerys asked.

"Yes, we've both recovered well," Arya replied though she could tell that a few people were a little confused by the way she was talking. Jorah was nearby and Arya didn't know how much gossip he had shared with his Queen.

"Let us get everyone settled," Sansa said. "I'm sure you are all very tired from your long journey. I will have the cooks start to prepare a small feast to welcome you to the north and to thank you for the alliance." With those words, everyone seemed to move off in different directions. Arya's first instinct was to run to the forge and keep an eye on Gendry but she didn't want to give any of Daenerys' people any excuse to track him down. Jon glanced at her and while he didn't look worried he didn't seem at ease either.

+++

Arya didn't trust how smoothly everything was going. So far it seemed like everyone was getting along just fine. There were a few small spats between the Wildling's and the Dothraki but between Missandei and Tormund they managed to stop any bloodshed. Arya wanted to avoid the feast but she couldn't think of a way to get out of it. No one asked her where Gendry was and, for once, Arya wouldn't have had to lie. He was working in the forges on the dragonglass weapons and would likely be doing so right up until the battle. That was a good excuse to skip a feast and no one questioned her on it.

"King Jon," Daenerys asked as the meal was wrapping up. "I was wondering if my advisors and I could converse with you and your family for a time. I would like to talk about this Long Night that we will be fighting so we all know exactly what we are facing and how much time we have."

"Of course," Jon said. Arya wanted to leave but when she stood up Sansa grabbed her hand and shook her head slightly. All of her nerves were on edge and there was something wrong. It took some time for the lower lords to clear out of the Great Hall and things were oddly quiet as the door finally closed.

"King Jon, I must say I'm a little confused," Daenerys said. She was on her feet in front of the fireplace and she looked like a Queen. Jon, however, stood just as tall and did not cower in front of her at all. Arya was once again reminded of her father and how much Jon resembled him when he was being a leader.

"About what, Your Grace?" Jon asked.

"Why you suggested we trust each other in this alliance but yet you lie to me," Daenerys replied.

"You think I'm lying about the Night King?" Jon said.

"No, not about that," she said. Jon was about to say something when Nymeria, somewhere out in the courtyard, let out a mournful howl. Arya was on her feet in seconds as the door to the great hall opened and one of the Unsullied roughly pulled Gendry in by his arm. "You neglected to tell me you were holding the blood of Robert Baratheon within your walls."

"I told him not to tell you," Arya said and everyone turned to look at her. "You want the Iron Throne and neither of us knew how you would react to a son of a Baratheon even if he's an unnamed bastard."

"Not just a son," Vary said. "But the oldest and one with a claim to the Iron Throne if he were legitimized by someone."

"Daenerys, we were going to tell you--" Jon began but Daenerys was not going to let any of them talk.

"Ser Jorah told me that the Red Priestess said that if we burned him we would win the war. I see no reason why I shouldn't take him out to my dragons and be done with this threat to the throne and assure our victory," she said. Arya didn't remember screaming out "no" and her body seemed to move on its own. She practically climbed over the table and pushed the Unsullied soldier away to take Gendry's hand in hers.

"You burn him you must burn both of us," Arya stated. Several people began to yell at each other at once with Sansa gesturing for Arya to come back to her. Jon was talking quickly and held up placating hands. Daenerys was gesturing angrily at Jon as Tyrion tried to step in to calm everyone down. Arya didn't hear any of it as she looked up at her husband. "We've been married for many years, Queen Daenerys, I could be with child and that child would be just as much a threat to you, so if you insist on killing him you must kill me too."

"She's lying," Gendry said. "Arya can't have children due to an attacked she suffered many years ago. You don't need to hurt her too."

"If you hurt either of them that is a direct attack on House Stark, Daenerys," Jon said as he walked in front of Gendry and Arya. "You attack them and you are effectively declaring war on the north. We didn't want to lie to you because we were worried about this exact thing happening. My sister and her husband have no inclinations toward southern politics. Neither of them wants your throne or to overthrow you."

"You legitimize him and he could lead an army against me," Daenerys said. "The priestess told you that he could win us the war."

"She's wrong," Bran's voice was quiet but seemed to echo in the great hall. "Melisandre read the flames wrong. If you burn Gendry or Arya we will lose the war, not win it. I can promise you that. We all have our parts to play in the coming battle." Bran turned and looked at Daenerys with the blank expression he often got these days. "You want to be judged on your merits and not the reputation of your father. It would be wise for you to do the same for the son of your enemy."

"I didn't know him, Your Grace," Gendry said and Daenerys turned to look at him. She looked furious and Arya wondered if she was going to burn them all for this. "And I don't want his name."

"You want to save the south from Cersei Lannister," Arya said. "She wanted to kill us because she saw us as a threat too. You can be a better person than her by simply allowing us to live our lives." Daenerys narrowed her eyes as she walked across the great hall and stopped in front of Arya and Gendry.

"Swear to me, on your lives, that you are not a threat to me or my reign," she said.

"I swear on the life of my father Eddard Stark I am not a threat to your reign," Arya said.

"I swear on the life my mother who was only guilty of being unable to say no to the king, that I'm not a threat to your reign," Gendry replied. Daenerys stared at the two of them for a moment and she turned to look at everyone in the room.

"It seems that they are not the threat I was told they could be. There will be no more lies between us when it comes to this alliance," she declared.

"There will be no more lies," Jon assured. Everyone in the room seemed to breathe a sigh of relief at once and Arya squeezed Gendry's hand. He pulled her to the side a few steps and he almost looked angry.

"What were you thinking telling her you could be pregnant? You put yourself in danger," he hissed.

"It was the only way to save you because I know you wouldn't have tried to save yourself," Arya replied and Gendry jerked as if someone just slapped him. "You told me that you almost said "yes" to Melisandre to keep me safe and now Daenerys was saying that she was going to do the same thing. You were just going to let it happen, Gendry, don't lie to me." Arya held onto his hand tightly and pulled out the rings from her shirt with the other. "I told you; a world without you in it isn't a world worth saving and I meant it. We either live in the world together or we leave it together." He stared at the rings and then looked at her with a completely baffled expression that Arya didn't know what to do with.

"You're mad," he said shaking his head with a smile Arya recognized from the day she asked him to marry him. "You are completely mad." Arya grinned as they threw their arms around each other and held on as if for dear life. It took all of her self control not to cry in front of everyone but, for the first time in a long time, she had her husband back in her arms. There were still things to work out and Arya wasn't sure she was ever going to completely trust Daenerys again but right now it didn't matter. It didn't matter at all because when Gendry pulled away from her he helped her break the chain that held their wedding rings and, completely oblivious to everyone in the great hall watching them, put the rings on their fingers.

Jon wanted some time to get his head on straight. It wasn't every day that he had to stare down a woman with three dragons and try to convince her not to burn two people alive. He was glad to see Arya and Gendry exchange their rings again because seeing the two of them so miserable was making him miserable. Sansa looked like she wanted to throw Daenerys out of Winterfell which was going to be a fun thing to deal with but she seemed to be calming down as she spoke with Tyrion. When Jon first met the man he thanked Tyrion for treated his sister with as much respect as he could considering their situation.

Bran had blinked twice when everything started to settle down and looked at Meera with an odd expression on his face. Meera didn't smile a lot these days and when she took Bran's hand in her own Jon could see their knuckles turning white they were holding onto each other so tightly.

"Jon Snow," Daenerys said softly. "I'd like to speak to you alone for a moment."

"Of course," Jon replied. He ignored the looks that everyone was giving the two of them as they walked up through the dark halls of Winterfell up to his solar. When Daenerys walked in she looked a little pale and Jon did his best not to look at her hands that were shaking.

"I don't know what came over me," she whispered. "When Jorah told me about Gendry and that you were keeping things from me all I could see was betrayal. This was the proof I needed that coming here and trusting you was a mistake. I could barely think straight despite Tyrion and Varys telling me it wasn't a good idea. I met that young man, I met your sister, they were good people and it didn't matter to me."

"These are strange circumstances for all of us," Jon said as the two of them sat down in front of the fire. He offered her a glass of wine but Daenerys shook her head. "I just got Arya back and when she told me about Gendry the first thing I wanted to do was introduce you to the two of them. Then Arya told me that Cersei thought she could use him as a bargaining chip to you and that if she offered Robert's son you would grant her mercy. We'd exchanged some words by then and I knew how much you loathed the Baratheon's. I didn't want to risk Arya running off on her own after I just got her back. I couldn't lose my sister again."

"I wish I had such fond memories of siblings," Daenerys said. "But I know what it's like to love and what it feels like to want to protect someone above all else. I didn't want to come here and burn people, I didn't want to be my father, yet when I attacked the Lannister army I did exactly that. How am I supposed to break the wheel if I'm repeating the mistakes of the past?"

"Before I left to go see you Sansa told me that I needed to be smarter than my father or my brother or I'd end up just as dead as they did," Jon replied. "I'm trying not to repeat the mistakes of the past either."

"Do you think they'll ever forgive me?" she asked.

"Gendry probably will but Arya might not," he replied honestly. "Look, the two of us have armies to lead against a threat that could kill everyone. It's going to be tense from here on out and we need as many allies as we can get. The people in that room tonight know that talking about what just happened will make things harder for everyone. That being said if we win against the dead I can see what just happened being used as an excuse for the north not to help you in the south. I don't want that to happen so, from now on, we need to show a united front. If we don't show unity despite being crowned for different kingdoms we'll never convince our armies to work together."

"It's been a long time since I had to work with someone I consider an equal but I think I'll enjoy working with you Jon Snow," Daenerys said. "I don't have many people I consider friends and I'd like to count you as one of them." Daenerys held out her hand and Jon took it without hesitation. This woman might be a Queen but she was still a person, just like him, and they were going to make mistakes. He just hoped they were a little less public going forward.

"My friends call me Jon," he said.

"And mine call me Dany," she replied with a small smile.

+++

If Arya had it her way she would have pushed Gendry into the bed, locked the door to her room, and refused to see another person for at least two days. Time, however, was very much not on her side. She did drag him into the room and lock the door but as she kissed Gendry within an inch of his life he pulled away to press his forehead to hers and remind her of the reality they were currently living in.

"I need to be up at dawn to work on the dragonglass weapons," he whispered. "So as much as I would love to stay awake with you I need to get some sleep."

"Look at you being all responsible," Arya said as she held him close. "I knew there was a reason I love you." Gendry smiled and she let him push him back onto the bed and climb on top of him. He was staring at her like he never thought he would get the chance to touch her again and the little cracks that had formed in her heart from this fight splintered again. She did that, she was the reason he looked a little unsure right now, and Arya hated herself for that. Arya leaned forward and began to press soft kisses along Gendry's jawline and neck as she whispered apologies into his skin.

Eventually, Gendry pulled her up into a proper kiss and Arya let herself get a little lost in it. She was still afraid as she held the man that meant so much to her in her arms but she was willing to face that fear if it meant being with him. Gendry broke the kiss and held her in place so she had to look into his eyes.

"I'm not going to lie to you and say that I completely forgive you or that I'm not hurt anymore," he said. "But, I'm here with you right now and we're wearing our rings again, so I'll get there eventually."

"I'm not going to lie and say I'm not terrified anymore but I'm here and I meant it when I said a world without you isn't one I want to live in," Arya replied. Gendry kissed her one more time and they both stripped down to their sleep clothes. Gendry had spent the better part of the day working and was asleep within minutes of his head hitting the pillow but Arya was having a harder time chasing sleep down. She watched him sleep and every breath he took the stranglehold her anxiety had on her lessened a little bit.

The evening turned into night as the entire castle went to sleep and Arya was still awake. She thought about what Daenerys had said about why she thought burning Gendry was a good idea and how Jorah must have told her. There was no doubt in her mind that Melisandre knew what she was doing when she named Gendry's king's blood and said that he needed to die for the good of the realm in front of the sworn shield of the woman who hated Baratheon's and had dragons that could burn people. Meliandre thought she had found a way for Gendry to burn despite her being behind bars and Arya wanted her to know that she failed.

Gendry slept like the dead when he was tired and he didn't twitch as Arya climbed out of bed. She pulled on a cloak, slipped a dagger into one of her boots, and crept quietly through the castle to the dungeons. The guard let her walk by when they saw who she was and Arya walked toward the cell. Melisandre was sitting on the floor, her legs tucked underneath her, the single candle was given was burned nearly to the ground and in front of her. She opened her eyes when Arya walked up to her cell.

"Princess Arya, I was wondering when you were going to come see me," Melisandre said.

"Your plan failed," Arya replied. "You wanted Danerys to burn Gendry with dragonfire and it failed. She isn't going to hurt him."

"Yes, I suppose that is true, which is a shame. I would hope that the Queen would look at the good of the realm compared to the life of one boy who could be her enemy but," Melisandre said and she shrugged her shoulders. "In some ways, I suppose I did fail but if you think, Arya Stark, that I lost then you are wrong."

"You're locked in a cell with several people here waiting for the day they could execute you. In what world do you think you haven't lost?" Arya snapped.

"Your husband is one of the few good men left in the world, the flames have shown me that, and they have also shown me that his good heart will be the very thing that breaks him." Melisandre stood up and walked toward the bars of her cell. Despite the fact that she was a prisoner not a hair on her head looked out of place and her dress was somehow still clean. "He was going to give himself up to the Lord of Light willingly. I had him all but convinced before you came and stopped me. I'm going to guess that, if you hadn't stepped in, he wouldn't have fought against the Queen burning him. Now, when the battle comes, he is going to look at every single loss of life as his fault. It's going to be in the back of his head, as he looks at the many people you will lose in the fight against the Night King, that if he had let himself get burned they wouldn't have died.

"He's going to spend the rest of his life thinking he has blood on his hands," Melisandre continued and now they were standing so close, only the bars between them, that Arya could feel the heat coming off of this woman. "So yes, Arya Stark, you might have saved his life but the guilty he will carry is going to eat him alive for the rest of his life. I wonder how long his good heart can handle that."

"I'm going to enjoy watching your execution," Arya managed to say. She kicked some dirt that was on the ground so the last of Melisandre's candle went out and did her best not to run out of the dungeon. Her heart was pounding as she walked back to her room. It was still the dead of night and Gendry looked like he hadn't moved. Arya took off her cloak, kicked off her boots, and climbed into bed. Gendry pulled her to his body in his sleep and held her close. She tried to sleep but instead, she watched the sunrise and pretended to be asleep when Gendry kissed her cheek and left to work for the day.

+++

For the next several days everyone was a little nervous around each other. Jon and Daenerys spent a lot of time going over strategy and exactly how they were going to attack the dead once they broke through the wall. Arya didn't like Jon spending so much time with her but they were both leaders and it needed to be done. It made her feel a little better that Davos was almost always nearby. Sansa looked like she wanted to string Daenerys up personally but she also spent lots of late nights talking to Tyrion and whatever he was saying seemed to be putting her at ease. Sansa didn't trust easily these days but, three days after the threat, Jon told her that he didn't think Daenerys was going to be an issue.

"I want to trust your judgment and I will but if she harms a hair on the head of anyone I deem worthy of my affection she will find out why people call me the Red Wolf," Sansa said. Arya raised both of her eyebrows and was again reminded that for all her sister looked like their southern-born mother she was a woman of the north now.

"You're properly terrifying when you want to be, sister of mine," Jon replied. Bran, on the other hand, seemed further away than ever. He would spend entire days in the godswood and wouldn't even talk to Meera at times. Jon had Ghost staying close to him and Meera was working on carving arrowheads out of dragonglass with Gendry instead.

Edmure and Roslin had a long meeting with the woman that wanted to be their Queen one day and Arya wished she could have been there to make sure that they were okay. Medgar was a good little boy and Edmure even let Daenerys hold the little boy at dinner one night. There was something in the way that Danerys held the baby and the sad look she got in her eye that Arya recognized; that was a woman who had lost a child. Jon confirmed it to her the next day and Arya learned small bits of information about the woman that brought dragons back into the world.

She could see how she inspired so many people to follow her but she still didn't trust this woman. Whatever she said must have been good enough for Edmure because he pledged the Riverland's forces to House Targaryen at a feast. When it was time to go south Edmure would leave ahead of everyone else with a small group of warriors from Daenerys' army to take back Riverrun and march south to help take the iron throne. Right now, however, there wasn't time and everyone needed to focus on fighting the dead instead.

Arya, however, kept her distance. Gendry was working himself to the bone and would often skip dinner to keep working in the forges. She would bring him meals and drag him up to bed where he would barely have the energy to eat before passing out for a few hours. Arya didn't mention her talk with Melisandre to anyone but she watched her husband carefully. She didn't want him to work like this but Gendry wouldn't stop. He insisted that this is what he was meant to do and they needed weapons.

On the fourth day of Gendry working himself to the bone Arya went out to the forge with some lunch and insisted that he take a break. She took him to the godswood but they didn't go to the weirwood where Bran was. Instead, there was a small corner where they could be alone and Arya just wanted him to stop for a moment.

"I really don't have time to do this," he said but Gendry didn't put up much of a fight as Arya pulled him down to sit.

"You're of no use to anyone dead," she replied. He relented and she wanted a quiet lunch where they could relax. What Arya wasn't expecting was Jon and Daenerys approaching them before they were even halfway through their meals. Gendry scrambled to his feet so he could bow but Arya narrowed her eyes and stood slowly.

"Princess Arya, Ser Gendry, I'm very sorry to interrupt your lunch," Daenerys said. Out of the corner of her eye, Arya saw Gendry wince a bit at the title.

"It's no problem, Your Graces, but I'm afraid I'm not a "ser" either," Gendry said. Daenerys nodded briefly and watched the two of them for a moment. Arya wasn't sure what she was expecting but the woman who wanted the iron throne, who commanded armies and dragons, dropping to one knee in front of her was not it.

"I'm here to beg your forgiveness," Daenerys said. Arya looked up at Jon who didn't seem surprised by this moment at all. If anything he was smiling a little bit. Gendry looked like he was about to fall over and he took Arya's hand as if to steady himself. "I pre-judged you both far too harshly and I made a terrible mistake when I first arrived here. I not only insulted you both by doing that but I also insulted all of House Stark and the north who had agreed to be my allies in the fight for the living and the Iron Throne. I was wrong and while I do not deserve it I am humbly here begging for it nevertheless. I will not make excuses for my actions; I can only swear that my armies and my dragons are friends of House Stark and both of you until the end of my days."

Arya had met a lot of nobles in her life and she knew many of them could be good people. Her father was a good man, Howland Reed was a good man, but Arya couldn't even picture them getting down on one knee in front of someone like Gendry and asking for forgiveness. To her, yes, but the fact that Daenerys was here for both of them spoke volumes. Arya didn't know what to say, what to do, and if she was even the one who could give Daenerys the absolution she wanted.

"Please, Queen Daenerys, stand up," Gendry said and he sounded a little afraid.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that," Daenerys said as she looked at the two of them. "Not until I know you have both forgiven me."

"You were a stranger in a strange land and someone with power told you that all you had to do to get rid of a threat to your throne and save everyone was to kill one nobody. You were putting the realm before one man you didn't know. I can't fault you for that," Gendry said.

"I do fault you for it," Arya said and Daenerys looked at her like she was expecting this. "But, we all need each other to get through these wars and there isn't enough time left to waste it on grudges. I forgive you." Daenerys smile and even Arya had to admit it was a beautiful smile. She stood up and didn't seem to care that there was mud on her white furs now. Jon grinned and nodded to them both.

"Thank you for giving me what I don't deserve," Daenerys said.

"And as for you not being a "ser" we need to fix that and soon, Gendry," Jon said.

"Gendry," Daenerys said and he jerked a little when she addressed him. She was smiling again and it looked soft. "Did you know that we're related? Your great-grandmother was Rhaelle Targaryen. You and I are cousins if distantly. Your father railed so hard to kill Targaryen's yet their blood ran through his veins. Perhaps it is the dragonfire in your blood that makes you such a talented smith."

"I'm afraid I don't know anything about my father's family, Your Grace," Gendry said.

"Please, I just told you we are related, so you may call me Daenerys in private. You may as well, Princess Arya," Daenerys said.

"Please, call me Arya," Arya replied.

"Very good. I was going to take Jon out to see my dragons, would you both like to come with us and see them up close?" she asked. Gendry opened his mouth like he was going to say that he needed to get back to work but Jon beat them to it.

"Gendry's been working very hard to get us weapons for the battle. I think he should take a break for a bit, what do you think, Arya?" Jon said. Arya wasn't sure what to do since she didn't really want Gendry near those dragons but also just told Daenerys that she forgave her. The little girl inside of her also wanted to meet the dragons she read about in books and she couldn't ignore that impulse. If Jon was there she knew he would keep the two of them safe.

"You're right, he has been working hard, let's take a break," Arya said.

"I believe you have been overruled," Daenerys said. "Now, will you escort your cousin out of the castle?" Gendry blinked and glanced at Arya as if he needed her permission. She nodded once and he offered her an arm covered in dirt and soot. Much like the mud now on her white furs Daenerys took Gendry's arm and didn't seem to care that she was getting dirty. The two of them began to walk out of the godswood as Arya walked with Jon close behind.

"Thank you," Jon whispered when they were far enough away from Daenerys and Gendry that they couldn't overhear their conversation. "I know it wasn't easy for you to forgive her."

"It's not like I have a very high horse I can sit on these days when it comes to making rash and emotional mistakes when it comes to Gendry," Arya replied as she watched Gendry and Daenerys quietly talk together. "Are you in love with her?"

"What?" Jon said a little louder than he probably intended. Both Daenerys and Gendry looked over their shoulders at him but Jon waved them off as they continued out of the gates of Winterfell. "Why would you ask me that?"

"You spend a lot of time with her and you've been smiling more," Arya replied.

"No," Jon replied without hesitating. Despite the many years they were apart Arya knew when Jon was lying and right now he wasn't. "No, she's a friend, an ally, and nothing more. I gave my heart to someone several years ago and I still miss her terribly. Her name was Ygritte and she was one of the Free Folk. She died a few years ago but my heart still belongs to her. Besides, there is a war on the way that the two of us much fight in. This wouldn't be the time to start something anyway." Arya reached over and squeezed Jon's hand; she couldn't imagine what it must be like to lose someone like that.

"I'm sorry," Arya said and Jon squeezed her hand back and now they were a decent distance from the castle. Daenerys called out some words in High Valyrian that Arya didn't recognize and the three massive dragons landed nearby. The ground shook as they landed and Arya felt her mouth drop open. They were massive and they looked so different from each other. The biggest one was black with red markings followed by two smaller ones; one was green with bronze and the other was creamy white with gold. Gendry startled when they landed and took several steps back.

"The black one is Drogan, the green is Rhaegal, and the white one is Viserion," Daenerys said. "I call them my children and I am their mother."

"Drogan let me touch him on Dragonstone," Jon said.

"He did which I believe speaks of your character," Daenerys said as she reached forward and placed a gentle hand on Drogan's nose. "Will you let Gendry and Arya touch you?" The massive dragon grumbled and Arya had no idea if that was a good thing or not. Daenerys, however, smiled. She walked over and took Gendry by the arm as she slowly approached Drogan. Arya held her breath and wondered if she was about to watch her husband die but even Jon didn't seem that worried. Daenerys took Gendry's hand and gently placed it on Drogan's nose. For a moment it was like everyone was holding their breath and after a few beats, nothing happened. Gendry let out a nervous laugh as Daenerys took a step back and smiled. "As I said you do have Targaryen blood in you Gendry."

"This is absolutely insane," he said. Gendry looked over her shoulder and Arya suddenly felt a little breathless. She couldn't remember the last time she saw Gendry so happy. He was grinning from ear to ear and it made his blue eyes sparkle like sapphires. He looked back at Dragon and Arya could hear him quietly thank the dragon before taking several steps back to join her.

"Arya? Would you like to meet him?" Daenerys asked.

"Yes, what sort of fool wouldn't?" Arya said. Daenerys took her arm and together the two of them approached Drogan. He seemed more on edge with her than he did with Gendry but he still let her press her hand to his nose. He was warm and the scales were rough against her hand. Arya could understand why Gendry was smiling when he touched the dragon because Arya couldn't stop smiling either. Unlike with Gendry Daenerys stayed close until the two of them stepped away.

"Pretty incredible, aren't they?" Jon said and Arya could only nod enthusiastically.

"Thank you for this, Daenerys, it was truly incredible," Gendry said. "But I really need to get back to work now. I've already taken far too much time."

"Thank you both for forgiving me," Daenerys replied. "The least I could do was introduce you to my children as a sign of peace. You and Jon are the only ones I've done this for."

"Thank you," Arya said as she took Gendry's hand. The two of them began to walk back to Winterfell hand in hand but when Arya looked over her shoulder she saw that Jon and Daenerys were still talking to each other by the dragons. While Jon looked easy and smiled with Daenerys it was the same smile he gave her or Sansa or Bran. Her brother was not in love with Daenerys but Arya was glad that Jon had found another person he could consider a friend.

Arya did her best to remain focused as the days continued to drag on. Bran continued to drift further away but Meera insisted that she would continue to stay close as often as she could. It was hurting her to see him so lost but Bran would only seem like himself when Meera would reach out and take his hand. Howland looked at the two of them sadly but never said a word. He didn't even seem to care that his unmarried daughter was sleeping in a bed with a man. Arya gave him a lot of credit for that. In recent days, Howland spent more time with Jon as an advisor than anything else. Meera, on the other hand, spent her time teaching the women and children in the castle how to make arrowheads out of dragonglass. It was one less thing that Gendry and his smiths needed to make which Arya was thankful for.

It seemed that earning Daenerys' forgiveness meant that Arya got to have a lot more conversations with her. Arya always wanted to see the Free Cities and she enjoyed hearing about all of the adventures that Daenerys had in her time there. Sometimes, Arya thought about a certain coin that was at the bottom of her traveling bag that she never really got rid of. She didn't have any intention of taking Jaqen up on his offer these days but whenever Daenerys spoke of the east Arya thought of him.

Arya also got to watch Daenerys make some more amends. When she came to Gendry and her begging for forgiveness it was only the first of two she needed to do. No one else was there to see it but Daenerys told her that she had to beg Samwell Tarly for his forgiveness as well. Daenerys made a bad decision when she attacked Lannister soldiers and Randyll and Dickon Tarly, Sam's father and brother were victims of it. Daenerys said that she wasn't expecting Sam to forgive her and while Sam said he wasn't there yet he thought he could be someday. She gave him lots of space and Jon did his best to comfort his friend in his time of mourning.

It took another day or two for Sansa to finally relax around Daenerys but once Arya revealed that she had no hard feelings then Sansa had to accept that she couldn't either. Everyone was hard at work when there was a call that several riders were approaching the castle. Jon, Daenerys, and Sansa all walked out to greet the rider and Arya nearly fell over when Theon Greyjoy climbed off of his horse. He didn't look like the same man from her memories; gone was the cocky smile and easy-going attitude and before her stood a man that looked like he was barely holding himself together. He started to drop down to one knee but Sansa pushed past Daenerys and Jon and threw her arms around Theon. He held onto her like she was a lifeline. By the time they pulled away, both Jon and Daenerys were smiling softly.

"Your Graces," Theon said as he got down on one knee. "I apologize. Queen Daenerys, I helped rescue my sister Yara but the forces we control against our uncle are minimal. We decided the best use of our ships would be the claim the Iron Islands back in your name. As for why I'm here alone, King Jon, we once lived in Winterfell as brothers. I betrayed that trust and for that, I can never be forgiven. However, I would like to pledge myself to Winterfell and the north in the fight against the dead. It would be my honor to fight and die in the only place I ever considered a home with the people that treated me like family."

"Please stand, Theon," Jon said and Theon pushed himself to his feet. Sansa was still at his side and she stood close to him. If Arya didn't know better she would have sworn that Sansa was about to put herself between anyone who tried to hurt Theon. She knew they got close through their mutual suffering of Ramsay but this was the first time Arya realized just how close they were. Jon glanced at Daenerys and the two of them seemed to have a conversation without words.

"Lord Theon, I'm very happy to hear that your sister has been rescued and is well again. While I am unhappy that her and her army are unable to join us here I can understand the decision you both made. The Ironborn are best at the sea and we need the Iron Islands back under our control," Daenerys said as she nodded to Jon.

"Theon, the things you did were terrible and, as I told you the last time we met, the only reason you're alive is because of what you did for Sansa," Jon said and Sansa narrowed her eyes. "You aren't forgiven for your crimes but because of what you risked to help my sister and because you are here pledging to fight for our cause you won't be tried for those crimes at the moment. We accept your help and I welcome you back to Winterfell."

The people in the courtyard all go off in their own directions as Jon and Daenerys both retreat so they could continue to work on battle plans. Arya walked over to Theon and Sansa who were talking quietly to each other. Arya didn't know what she was supposed to say to this man that betrayed her family but was also the only reason Sansa was still alive.

"Arya," Theon said and even his voice was different. Arya couldn't believe this was the same man that used to run around with Robb and Jon as children. "I see you didn't grow much in the time we've been apart." Sansa smacked him on the arm while Arya rolled her eyes.

"And here I thought you might have matured in that time but apparently not," Arya deadpanned and Theon smiled softly at her like he appreciated the fact that she was willing to joke with him. Sansa had told her what Ramsay put Theon through and the fact that he was still standing was a miracle.

"That's enough you two," Sansa said as she looped her arm into Theon's. "Come, the three of us have much to talk about." Arya followed the two of them into the castle and was looking forward to the look on his face when she told him she was married.

+++

"I still can't believe that little Arya Stark is married," Theon said after everyone had finished catching each other up. Sansa smiled as she watched Arya blush a little like she was still a little surprised that Gendry had agreed to marry her to this day.

"He's the best person I know besides Jon," Arya replied. Since the very public fight, Arya and Gendry had it was hard to see her sister suffering so much. Sansa knew all about being one's own worst enemy but after so much pain she had hoped that Arya would accept the happiness she got. Theon smiled even though Sansa could see that he was struggling just keeping himself together at the moment. While it was just the three of them in her solar Theon still looked like he was getting overwhelmed.

"Arya, why don't you go see if Gendry is willing to join us for dinner tonight?" Sansa asked. "I'm sure Theon needs to meet the man that agreed to marry you to believe that he's real."

"You're not nearly as funny as you think you are," Arya warned but she was smiling when she walked out of the solar. As soon as the door closed Theon seemed to relax a little.

"Sorry," he whispered. "It's just being in this place is kind of conflicting for me. I can think about you, about your family, how lucky I was that your father treated me so well. And then I think about him and--"

"I know," Sansa said as she took his hand into hers and held on tightly. "I wasn't sure I would ever see you again. I thought you would run from the north and never come back." Theon frowned as he looked over at her.

"This is the only place that has ever felt like home to me," he said. "Of course I would come back to defend it." He looked down at the table and squeezed her hand a little tighter. "I had to come back and defend this place. Then I need to answer for my crimes against your family." Sansa wanted to tell him that he paid for his crimes over the many tortures that Ramsay did to him but that wasn't going to be enough for the north.

"I want you to stay here," Sansa whispered and Theon stared at her with wide eyes. "I know what people will say and I don't care. I want you safe while you are staying here and the safest place is with me."

"Sansa, I can't--"

"Please," she said and Sansa was many things but she was not above begging to keep the people she cared about safe. She thought about Arya and how she kept Meera or Pordrick close to Gendry when they weren't sure who was going to hurt him. Sansa thought she understood that instinct but now she felt it. Theon needed to be kept safe and she was going to be the one to do it. Sansa took both of his hands into hers and held on tightly. "I know you would never hurt me or touch me in a way I don't want the same way I would never touch you or hurt you. The idea of having a man but you sleep near me makes me feel sick. The castle is full of people that could harm you so I want to keep you close. Please, stay."

"I really don't want to give your brother another excuse to execute me," Theon said and his hands were shaking.

"Let me deal with my brother," Sansa assured. "I promise that I am going to keep you safe the same way you kept me safe when we were running for our lives from that monster." Theon stared at her for a long time and she hated how afraid he looked. He leaned forward and the two of them press their foreheads together. They stayed like that for a long time until Sansa pushed herself to her feet. "Stay here. We can eat our supper here so you don't have to be with the crowds. If you really want to meet Gendry we can ask them to join us here. Arya and Gendry don't like to eat with everyone else either so I'm sure they will appreciate any excuse to avoid the crowds."

"Sansa," Theon said and she turned as she was leaving. "I'm very glad you made it home safe."

"All thanks to you," she replied. Sansa walked out of the room and made her way quickly through the castle. She found Jon talking to several men and took him by the arm so they could talk privately. He frowned but allowed Sansa to guide him through the castle to his solar which was the only place she knew no one would listen.

"Did something happen?" Jon asked. Sansa stood tall and stared Jon down as she channeled her mother in the best way she knew how.

"Theon will be staying in my room," she said in a tone that didn't leave any room for argument. Jon blinked once and stared at her like he wasn't sure what he just heard. Sansa didn't move a muscle; she stared him down and dared him to say a word.

"Sansa, I'm not sure that's the best idea," Jon said slowly.

"Half of the north wants him dead. I won't have him killed in a dark corner," Sansa said. "The same way we had to keep someone close to Gendry I want someone close to Theon. The best way for me to know he's safe is if he stays in my room with me." Sansa folded her hands in front of her and tried to come up with the best possible way to put this. "Jon, after what Ramsay did to me I don't think I can stand the idea of another man touching me. I'm ruined so it's not like my hand is going to be worth much but even then I've been sold twice for political purposes and I can't do it again. I just can't. Theon understands better than anyone what I went through. He went through a lot of it too and I know I can trust him."

"But I don't trust him, Sansa. He betrayed Robb and the two of them were closer than brothers, how could I ever trust him?" Jon asked.

"You trust me though," she said and he nodded. "So trust my judgment. When I say we will be sleeping in the same bed I mean we will be sleeping in the same bed. I told you what happened to him because I needed you to understand what he has suffered. I understand that there will have to be another trial someday but as far as I'm concerned; Theon Greyjoy has suffered enough the same as the rest of us." Jon stared at her for a long time and she was struck by how sad he looked.

"You are not ruined," Jon said. "And I would never, ever, make you marry anyone you didn't want to. I wouldn't make any of you do that. All I want for my sisters and my brother is for you all to be happy. I won't stop you from keeping Theon in your room and I'll make sure anyone who says anything answers to me. Just, please, be careful."

"I survived King's Landing and Ramsay Bolton," Sansa said with a small smile. "I can survive anything." She turned and walked back to her room. She knew that Arya and Gendry would be coming later but she wanted to make sure that Theon knew he was welcome before they got there. When she opened the door she saw him jump but he seemed to settle when he realized it was her.

"So, is Ghost going to eat me?" he asked with a laugh that sounded far too forced to her.

"No, I trust you and he trusts me so it's not going to be an issue. I will talk to Brienne and see about assigning someone to keep an eye on you. Perhaps Podrick will now that we know Gendry's life isn't in danger," Sansa said. She looked up and could see Theon getting ready to tell her that he didn't deserve that and she had to go through this once with Arya's husband she wasn't going to do it again. Sansa took a step forward and held up a hand to silence him. "Theon, I want you safe and this is the best way for me to keep you safe. You will stay here with me."

The sun was nearly down by the time Gendry and Arya came up to her solar for food. Theon seemed to relax a little around the two of them and she was glad that he seemed to be enjoying talking to other people. He watched the dynamic between Arya and Gendry, who were almost constantly touching each other like they were newlyweds, and he poked fun at the two of them a few times. Sansa was glad the first time he laughed and he was smiling by the time they left for the night.

They turned their backs to each other as they got dressed for the night. Sansa hadn't let anyone see the scars on her body and she didn't want to think about what she would do if she saw the scars on Theon's.

"I can turn around if you're ready," she said.

"Okay," Theon replied. They both turned around and Sansa held her breath. He was wearing long, comfortable-looking pants and long-sleeved tunic. Her nightgown had long sleeves and went down to her feet. She took a step forward so they were standing close. "May I take your hand?" Theon asked quietly and she nodded. His hands were shaking as he took one of her hands into his own. She touched the scars on his hands as he touched the scars on hers.

"Theon," Sansa whispered. "Would you kiss my hand?" This was a delicate thing between the two of them and it seemed like one wrong move and they would both shatter. Sansa knew she was strong, she knew Theon was strong too, but at the same time, they were both fragile. Theon nodded as he pressed his lips to her hand. Sansa took a deep breath and released it; he wasn't going to hurt her.

"Please stay with me," Sansa whispered as she squeezed Theon's hand. He nodded and the two of them got into her large featherbed. There was plenty of distance between them but they both fell asleep holding hands.

+++

Over the next two weeks, Sansa and Theon made progress. She still made sure to ask him if she could touch him at any time and even apologized for hugging him the moment she saw him. He waved her off and told her that her hugs never bothered him. By the time the two weeks ended the two of them were sleeping side by side and she was close enough to count his eyelashes.

"Do you want to kiss me?" Sansa asked in the dark.

"Yes," Theon replied but he didn't look happy about it. "Sansa, I can't give you what you need. You know what he did to me. I can't--" Sansa cut him off as she placed a single finger to his lips. Theon blinked as he stared at her.

"I don't have any interest in anymore," Sansa replied. "I don't want another person to touch me like that ever again. I'm not entirely sure I ever wanted anyone to touch me like that and I just accepted that I was going to have to do my duty as a married woman someday. Things have changed now and Jon has promised that I can be with whoever I want. The one I want is you only what we have now. I want to kiss, I want to hold your hand, and I want to hold each other as we sleep. That's all I ever want from you, Theon, and what is all I will ever ask of you. If that is enough for you then I'm yours. A friend and a partner."

Sansa has been preparing for days how to tell him this and she wondered how it was going to go. Theon was a very sexual young man and was known to visit women in Winter Town when they were kids. The idea of being with a woman that you couldn't touch was likely the last thing he wanted. Things were different now and while she could tell that he was healing Theon didn't seem interested in women anymore. He was staring at her like he couldn't believe that she was real and Sansa didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad one. She pressed her lips together and began to berate herself for saying anything at all. She felt the apology on her tongue and took a deep breath as she prepared to tell him how sorry she was.

Then Theon leaned forward and pressed his forehead to hers. He was breathing deeply and she could hear him trembling. They were close but the only places they were touching were their hands and their foreheads. It felt intimate and more romantic than any kiss Sansa had ever experienced in her life.

"I would have you in any way you want, Sansa," Theon whispered. "I want nothing more than to stay by your side and keep you and your family safe. This is enough; this is more than enough and more than I deserve." He opened his eyes and they stared at each other for a moment. Sansa carefully closed the final distance between them and kissed him. It was chaste, almost sweet, and ended after only a moment. It made her heart race and Sansa tried to keep her panic from taking over. It had no place here. They smiled at each other as Sansa turned to face the other way as they settled close to each other. Theon put a careful arm on her waist and she fell asleep to his deep breathing against her back. This was enough.

+++

Arya knew that Sansa and Theon were close but two weeks after he arrived back at Winterfell she saw them walking through the castle hand in hand. Everyone at the castle knew and she had personally threatened a few people that made snide remarks. All anyone could talk about was how all of the Stark's were paired off and there was no one left to form strong alliances with. Meera remained close to Bran but the moments when he was still with them he looked at her as if she was the sun itself. The Night King got closer every day and as he got closer they saw less and less of Bran. Now Sansa and Theon were public with their own chaste version of a relationship and Arya would not stand anyone saying anything about her siblings being with the people they want.

"Arya, I know you're trying to help but you need to stop threatening people who are just talking," Jon said when he found her in the forge one day. Gendry was snickering nearby as he worked but didn't say a word.

"They aren't allowed to say anything about us," Arya said and she wouldn't budge on this. "They insult Gendry and call him a bastard. They say Meera is a frog eater not good enough for the last trueborn son of Ned Stark. Now they're saying Sansa is committing treason by being with Theon. I won't stand for anyone saying those things and I will keep threatening them until they do." Gendry was outright laughing now and Jon glared at him but didn't say anything else. He threw his hands up in the air and left without another word.

Arya was sound asleep that night when a scream jerked her out of pleasant dreams. Gendry was awake too and they both frantically pulled on clothing to make themselves presentable as they raced down the hallway toward the screams. Arya knew that scream, it was Bran, and the last time he had screamed like that Melisandre had taken Gendry prisoner. Jon, Sansa, and Theon were already in the room by the time they got there and Meera was holding Bran in her arms as she tried to calm him down. His eyes were wide and it didn't appear he was really seeing them.

"Come back to me," Meera whispered. "You can fight this, you're stronger than this, come back to me." She leaned forward and kissed Bran's forehead. Arya knew the two of them were together in some capacity but this was the first time she had ever seen them do anything but hold hands. The kiss seemed to work and Bran took a deep breath and blinked. "You're back, you're back, it's okay."

"Bran, what happened?" Jon asked quietly. Other people were gathering at the door but all Arya could see was the fear in her little brother's eyes. She had a feeling she knew what he was going to say and a cold feeling washed over her.

"He broke through the gates at Eastwatch. The dead have passed through the wall," Bran whispered.

Jon managed to convince the people in the hallway to go back to bed and not to say anything to anyone that would start a panic. Daenerys and Tyrion both stumbled into the room and Arya never imagined she would see the Queen of Westeros with her hair in a messy braid with wrinkled clothing. Meera and Bran were talking quietly to each other as everyone settled into chairs and on the bed. Once Bran seemed more present Jon sat down on the edge of the bed and took Bran's hand.

"What happened?" Jon asked.

"You have Eastwatch evacuate once they were able to see the army which was the right decision. The Black Brothers can do a lot but they can't fight an entire army. The Night King isn't able to just bring humans back to life but anything back to life. They have animals and even giants under his control. He sent forward all of the bears and the giants and with all of them working together they were able to break through the gates. The dead are pouring through the gates at Eastwatch and they will make their way toward Winterfell now." Jon turned to Tyrion.

"Will you go and make sure raven's go out to make sure everyone evacuates to Winterfell?" Jon said.

"I'll go now," Tyrion replied and he hurried out of the room. Jon turned back to Bran who looked like he was holding back against something.

"Tell them," Meera said softly as she stroked Bran arm with her hand.

"I looked at the Night King too closely," Bran confessed. "He's coming for me and he knows where to find me at all times. We have a month before they get here."

"Could we take an army and meet them before they come to Winterfell?" Daenerys asked. "Jon said that these things and perhaps even the Night King can be killed with dragonfire. All I need is to get close enough and my children can take care of it."

"He can bring back anything," Meera said softly.

"If he kills one of your dragons and puts it under his control we're done for," Jon replied.

"We also can't fight them yet," Gendry said and everyone turned in the room to look at him. Arya could feel how uncomfortable he was to have all of the attention in the room on him but he stood up a little straighter. "Your Graces, my men and I have been working around the clock but there isn't enough time or people working to make the weapons. I need more time and even if I have another month I'll still be working until the last second."

"There's no point in sending the army ahead of time if we can't kill them," Arya finished and Gendry nodded.

"I'm sorry, Your Graces, I--"

"Gendry, please," Daenerys said. "Jon and I were in no way criticizing you or the other men who are working so hard to make sure we all have the weapons we need." Jon nodded as they all sat in relative silence for a moment.

"We can't bring the fight to them," Jon said. "We just don't have the manpower. If we had more time to prepare maybe we could have but as it currently stands we have to let them come to us. We have no choice. We can't risk sending the dragons against the dead any sooner than necessary."

"I confess I didn't even consider that he could hurt my dragons or the fallout from it," Daenerys admitted. "Lord Bran, you said that he is coming for you specifically, are you sure of that?"

"Yes," Bran said without hesitation. "It's the reason that Meera and I had to flee for our lives before we decided to come back to Winterfell. He wants to kill me and he knows where I am."

"Then we use that against him," Theon said softly and he too seemed to wilt as everyone turned to look at him. Sansa moved so their shoulders were pressed together and he seemed to relax a little. "In a ship battle where you are is extremely important and if you put the right ship in the right place it can win a battle. We know what he wants and we can use that against him; we put him in the right place so we can kill him."

"Are you suggesting we use my little brother as bait?" Arya asked and she was not okay with this plan. Not even a little. Jon frowned and opened his mouth to disagree but it seemed that Bran beat them all to it.

"I'll do it," Bran said without hesitation.

"Bran, no,--" Jon started but Bran held up a hand to silence everyone.

"It's my decision and Theon is right. The only way we are going to win this fight is if we get the Night King in the right place at the right time," Bran said. "He could be the catalyst that is keeping all of the Wrights and the White Walkers alive. If he dies the others may follow."

"And if they don't?" Daenerys asked.

"Then at the very least no new corpses will join his army," Bran said. There wasn't much to say after that and the sun was still a few hours from coming up. Everyone left the room to try and get some more sleep. Arya could tend that Gendry wasn't going to get more sleep but she pulled him into bed nevertheless.

"They don't blame you," she said.

"But if I was faster we could have drawn the fighting away from Winterfell. Maybe we could prevent some people from getting hurt," Gendry said. Arya thought about what Melisandre said about Gendry's good heart and the fact that the guilt was going to eat him alive. She could see it already and it was more terrifying than the idea of an army of dead people marching on her home.

"You are working yourself half to death as it is. You can't work any faster." Arya wrapped her arms around Gendry and twisted her body so he was flat on his back and she had him pinned to the bed. He looked up at her and she could see the dark circles under his eyes and the burns on his arms and hands from all of the blacksmithing he'd been doing since the dragonglass arrived. At this rate, he was going to hurt himself if he didn't start taking care of himself and she wasn't going to allow that to happen. "You are going to start eating three meals a day and you are going to stop working once the sun goes down."

"Arya, there's too much--"

"You are of no use to anyone dead and I won't lose you. Not now and not ever," Arya stated loudly as she glared at him. Gendry looked liked he was going to argue with her but eventually he sighed heavily and nodded. He sat up and wrapped his arms around her until they were holding onto each other tight enough to bruise. They stayed like that until the sun came up and Gendry went out to the forge to get more work done.

+++

The Black Brothers came from the Wall several days later and with them came the Umber's and the Kastark's, both of whom were allied to the North and to Jon. It was good, they needed more people, but seeing even the children of the people that helped the Bolton's made Arya nervous. She was doing her best not to judge people so quickly but it was hard when so many people were judging them.

Gendry's father was no longer a secret and people made sneering comments about him being a bastard and would loudly ask when he was going to start whoring around like his father. When Theon and Sansa would walk around together people would ask when he was going to pay for his crimes against the north. They made Sansa nervous and as such Podrick became Theon's personal guard after Arya insisted that Gendry was safe now. Podrick grumbled about it but Arya promised that Nymeria would remain close to Gendry and keep him safe.

Bran and Meera were another topic of conversation as people wondered if she was good enough for the last trueborn son of Ned Stark ignoring how close Howland and Ned were and how loyal the Reed's were for many years. There were also whispers from people wondering why Bran wasn't the king over Jon which was another thing that Arya didn't want to deal with. People and their gossip were making her see red and when she heard someone say that Jon was obviously fucking Daenerys and was going to bend the knee to her it took Gendry forcibly pulling her to away to keep from punching someone. She wished for a distraction and the next day one rode in on a horse.

Of all of the people to show up at the gates of Winterfell looking like he hadn't seen a wash in several months Jaime Lannister was not high on her list. People were scrambling as they put the man in chains and dragged him to the Great Hall. Arya wasn't sure what made her go to the forge to grab Gendry but the two of them had made it to the Winterfell because of Jaime. That seemed like a good enough reason for them to be present when he stood before two monarchs that wanted him dead. Both Daenerys and Jon were glaring at him like they wanted to fight to see whether Drogan or Ghost was going to have the honor of eating Jaime alive. Sansa appeared disgusted as she looked at him while Theon stayed off to the side and looked very uncomfortable. Arya took her place at the table and Gendry stood behind her with his hands folded behind him.

"Do you not value your life, Ser Jaime?" Jon asked. "You must not because I can't think of any reason why you would ride into Winterfell unless you had a death wish. Why are you here?" Out of the corner of her eye, Arya could see Tyrion shifting. She knew what it was like to watch a family member die and while there wasn't any lost love between her and the Lannister's she didn't think even he deserved that.

"My brother came to the city and we spoke about the war against the dead. He said that there was a chance you were going to try and bring proof to the sister so we could join the fight but you never came," Jaime explained.

"Yes, we decided that there wasn't any point in trying to reason with madness," Daenerys replied cooly. "Even if we presented proof to your sister and even if she agreed to fight with us, would she have sent the men? Do you really believe she would have?"

"No," Jaime replied honestly. "Right now Cersei is barely able to control the city. Ever since the attack on the Sept the people have been trying to overthrow her. She needs all of the soldiers at her disposal just to keep them from breaking down the gates to the Red Keep."

"So then I ask again; why are you here?" Jon repeated. "Did she send you?"

"She did," Jaime said and he stood a little taller. "She sent me to kill as many of you as I could knowing that I wouldn't make it back alive. She sent me to die up here. That may be how I got out of the city but I'm not here to hurt anyone. I'm here to fight. I understand that if you lose up here we will lose in the south and there isn't any avoiding that. I also understand that my sister cannot be saved, not anymore, not since she let our son die and didn't even care."

"So you admit that she had something to do with Tommen dying," Arya said and everyone turned to look at her but she didn't care. She suspected that Cersei did something to Tommen but to hear the proof hurt.

"She is responsible for the attack on the Sept that took the life of Margaery Tyrell and her family. Tommen loved his wife and he loved his faith. Cersei took both and he couldn't handle it anymore. Or at least that's what I assume happened since he took off his crown and threw himself off of the Red Keep to his death." Jaime looked down at the ground and Arya could see how much he was hurting. "I know he was an enemy to both of you but Tommen was a good boy with a good heart. He didn't deserve what his mother did to him so I left." Jaime dropped down to one knee and bowed his head. "I'm here to fight for the living and then I will help you remove my sister from the Iron Throne for the good of all of Westeros."

"You're a Lannister," Sansa spat out. "You stood by as your son and sister tortured me for years and you did nothing. Why should we believe you?"

"I will speak for him," Brienne said as she walked out and stood in front of Jaime. "Ser Jaime is many things but I trust him."

"You would hand him a blade and fight side by side with him?" Jon asked.

"Without hesitation," Brienne replied.

"Gendry and I will speak for his honor as well," Arya said. "Ser Jaime is the reason we sit with you today. We never told anyone this but he is the reason we escaped the Black Cells. Without him, Cersei would have killed Gendry and used me as a ransom."

"He trusted us enough to give us our weapons and he gave us some money so we could find a way out of the city," Gendry said. "He asked me if I was a threat to Cersei's reign and when I told him "no" he believed me. My word was enough. I would fight with him." Jaime stared at the two of them like he couldn't believe that they were allowing him to live let alone fight.

"I trust Brienne," Sansa said softly.

"We should allow him to fight," Bran said. "He carries a Valyrian Steel blade which is one less dragonglass weapon we need to make." Jon and Daenerys looked at each other and began to talk quietly to each other. Tyrion looked like he wanted to say something but was holding his tongue. After a moment both Daenerys and Jon sat back in their chairs.

"This is your only warning that if you should betray me or King Jon you will not live to see another day, is that clear?" Daenerys asked.

"You have my word," Jaime replied.

"Then welcome to Winterfell, Ser Jaime. I hope you're prepared for what's coming," Jon said. Brienne visibly relaxed as everyone started to talk over at each other as Jaime released a breath. He spoke to Brienne for a moment and then walked over to her and Gendry with a small smile on his face. He had a dark beard, he was dirty, and he didn't look anything like the knight they met in King's Landing all of those months ago.

"I'm not sure I'd be alive if it weren't for you two vouching for me," he said.

"I know I wouldn't be alive without you," Gendry replied. "So let's call us even for now."

"I'm glad to see that you made it back here," Jaime said. "Things in the city just got worse after Cersei realized that you escaped."

"They were already bad when we were there, you're saying it got worse?" Arya asked and Jaime frowned deeply.

"My sister did not take you both escaping very well. She decided that because you escaped that means that you're going to make a move on her," Jaime explained as he looked at Gendry. "She is convinced you're going to ask either Jon or Daenerys to make you a Baratheon and you're going to challenge her for the Iron Throne. It didn't matter how times I told her that you didn't seem like the type she thinks that you are coming for her." Jaime sighed as he looked around the Great Hall and the various people that were glaring at him like they wanted him dead. Much like Theon Jaime was not going to be safe in Winterfell even though Jon welcomed him. "Look, I don't know if we're going to survive this but if you two want some free advice here it is; don't go south while my sister is in power. She wants you dead, boy, and she won't stop at anything until your head is sitting on a pike. You were one of the ones she asked me to kill when I came here. That's how threatened she is by you."

"It doesn't make any sense," Gendry said with a sigh. "I'm not anyone and so many people want me dead for the actions of a man that didn't even know I existed."

"Thanks for letting us know," Arya said as she took Gendry's hand into her own. She could see that he was having a hard time seeing hearing about someone else wanting his head. "And thank you for coming to fight. We need all of the help we can get." Jaime nodded and walked over to speak to Tyrion. The two brothers didn't seem to know how to react to each other and Arya eventually looked away to give them at least a little privacy. Jon walked over and glared at Jaime.

"So were you ever going to tell me that Jaime Lannister was the one who let you out of your cell?" he asked.

"Was it important?" Arya asked.

"Well, not at the time, but--" Jon cut himself off and sighed heavily. "Cersei knows that we're all up here. I'm worried that she'll send an army to attack us if we survive the Long Night when we're weak. It would be the smart thing to do."

"From what Jaime said she is barely holding the city together. I don't think she can afford to send away her army unless she wants the smallfolk to break down the gates and deal with her themselves," Arya replied. "If Bran says we should let him fight then we should let him fight. He says he's going to help us take down Cersei if we survive. That kind of insider knowledge is important since not many of us here have a lot of knowledge about the inner workings of the Red Keep." Jon sighed heavily and looked like he didn't entirely agree with her but he let it go.

"You really trust him?" he asked.

"He got us out," Gendry said. "She would have killed me if he hadn't." Jon nodded and patted Gendry on the shoulder. Arya could tell that Gendry didn't want to be here anymore and walked back out of the Great Hall to the forge keeping a tight hold on his hand. He was silent but Arya could tell he wanted to say something. "I'm starting to wonder if I'll have to leave Westeros to keep away from people who want me dead."

"We're not going anywhere," Arya said with an emphasis on the 'we'. "We're not going to let our enemies dictate our lives and we're not going to let them drive us from Winterfell which is our home now. Not mine, ours, and we're here to stay." Gendry nodded and squeezed her hand. She watched him walk into the forge to get back to work and Arya knew she wasn't going to see him for the rest of the day. The dead got closer every minute and if they didn't have enough weapons Gendry was going to see it as a personal failure. Arya turned and walked back into the Great Hall where Jon was talking to Daenerys.

"Can we help you with something, Arya?" Daenerys asked.

"I think you can," Arya said. "I think it's time for my husband to have a name."

The sun went down and Arya pulled Gendry another night time strategy meeting. The dead were marching and they were due to fall upon Winterfell in a matter of days. Bran was acting very strangely and kept secluding himself from everyone else. Arya could see that it was bothering Meera more than she was letting on but they didn't talk about it much. Arya was also glad that no one had tried to slit Theon or Jaime's throats as they slept at night. Brienne smiled more than she ever had now that Jaime was around which was an interesting thing to watch. It wasn't every day that her marriage was considered the least interesting thing that was going on in the castle.

Speaking of her marriage Arya had been working with Jon and Daenerys on a surprise for Gendry which was going to be part of the evening meeting as they got ready for the war. They were all talking strategy as Gendry was once again apologizing for the fact that the weapons were not entirely ready. They were getting ready to go to bed for the night when Jon asked everyone to stay.

"Gendry, I would like you to come before me," Jon said. Gendry glanced at her but Arya pushed him along so he could stand in front of Jon. Everyone in the room, including the Northern lords and all of Daenerys' advisors, were watching like they didn't understand what was going on. "Please kneel." Gendry did as he was told but he looked like Jon was about to cut off his head. "Gendry, you did a great service for not only House Stark but all of Westeros when you choose to arm our fighters against the dead. You are the husband of my sister, Arya Stark, and you have fought bravely for her and for her house in the time we have known each other. As a fellow bastard, I know what it feels like not to have a name. I know what it feels like to have everyone look down on you and I want to do something that can help alleviate that feeling.

"Queen Daenerys and I have spoken," Jon continued. "And while we believe that your Baratheon and Targaryen blood is a powerful thing that should be honored we also believe it is in your best interest not to take the Baratheon name." Jon pulled out his sword and placed it on Gendry's shoulders. "I, King Jon Snow of the North, hereby name you as Ser Gendry of House Stark. You have proven yourself more than worthy of the name of your wife and you have proven you have the honor of a true knight."

"I don't know what to say," Gendry whispered.

"Say that you accept, cousin," Daenerys said. "This is the best way that Jon and I can keep you safe from the people of the south. You have no claim to the Iron Throne as a Stark and this way you can live in peace. No one will try to put you on a throne or in a holdfast that you do not want."

"By doing this I am keeping you safe for my sister and making House Stark all the stronger for it," Jon said. "Both Daenerys and I consider you family and we are doing this not only to keep you safe but because you have earned it. Also, personally, I want my little sister to be happy and the best way for that is to keep you safe." Gendry was looking at the two of them like he couldn't believe that this was happening to him.

"Thank you. Your Grace, for giving me a place in your house," Gendry said.

"Please stand, Ser Gendry Stark," Jon replied with a smile. Gendry stood and Arya didn't waste a second as she threw her arms around him and held on as tightly as she could. Gendry buried his head in her neck and she could feel his tears. While Arya didn't know how much a name meant to someone like Gendry she knew that it meant the world to him. When they got married they talked about him taking her name when it was safe. It probably wasn't safe, not when Cersei seemed convinced that they both needed to die, but giving him this was an easy decision. Jon and Daenerys both clapped while the Northern lords looked a little annoyed about the fact that one of their princesses was wed to a southern bastard. Gendry wasn't a bastard anymore, now he was a Stark, and Arya couldn't be happier about it. The various lords and advisors talked lowly among themselves and Arya was content to pull Gendry into a bedroom for the rest of the night but it was Bran that made everyone pay attention.

"I need to speak to my brother and my sisters alone," he declared loudly. Meera frowned like she didn't know what this conversation was about but didn't make any move to join everyone that was leaving the room. Gendry put her down on her feet but also didn't make for the door and neither did Theon. They were family or at least they were in the eyes of the people that mattered. Bran, however, narrowed his eyes. "Just my brother and my sisters. Samwell Tarly is the only other person who can stay." This time Meera jerked like she'd been hit but she kept her head high as she walked out of the room without a word.

"I'll see you later," Arya promised.

"Gendry," Sansa said as he was getting ready to leave. "Please stay close to Theon. I want him safe."

"Of course, Sansa," Gendry replied and Theon smiled softly like he was grateful that someone was looking out for him. They all left the room and closed the door behind them.

"You know I don't like to keep things from my husband, Bran," Arya said as soon as the door was closed. "Meera and Theon are all but family now so you better have a good reason as to why you just insisted that we make them leave."

"We do," Sam said and he looked a little nervous. Bran, however, didn't look like he was feeling much at all these days. The Night King was almost upon them and that meant that her little brother was rarely with them these days. "Please, take a seat." Arya glanced at Sansa and Jon who both shrugged a little and took their seats at the table. "Bran wanted to tell you this alone, Jon, but I thought it was best if you had time to talk to your family about it. It's very important information and it could change things."

"Sam, the dead are almost upon us, is now really the time?" Jon asked.

"Probably not but considering the implications, I don't think there really is a good time," Sam replied as he took a deep breath and released it. "Jon, I know who your mother was and, by extension, who your father was."

"We know who is father was. That was never in question," Sansa said but Bran shook his head.

"Father lied to all of us because Jon is not his son," he said. "Jon is the legitimate son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark." The silence that followed was like a living thing and sucked all of the air out of the room. Jon stood up so quickly that he knocked the chair over and he was so white that Arya thought he was going to faint.

"There is nothing funny about that," Jon snapped. "Ned Stark was my father. If you have information about my mother I'd love to hear about it but I won't hear this nonsense."

"I saw it," Bran said.

"And I have proof," Sam replied quickly as he showed Jon a document. "Rhaegar annulled his marriage to Elia Martell and legally married Lyanna. You're not a bastard, Jon."

"Your birth name is Aegon Targaryen as given to you by your mother on her deathbed. She asked my father to protect you at all costs from Robert Baratheon since he would have killed you on the spot. So he passed you off as his own bastard and lied to everyone including his wife."

"You're the heir to the Iron Throne," Sansa whispered. "You have a better claim that even Daenerys."

"Stop!" Jon nearly shouted and everyone in the room fell completely silent. Arya didn't know what to do to comfort her brother who looked like he was about to collapse in on himself. She knew that Jon tied a lot of his own identity in being a bastard the same way that Gendry did. That was the only way to protect himself from the harsh world around them. What Bran and Sam were telling him changed everything about his entire identity. "I'm not the heir of anything and this is how we are going to handle this information. Now is not the time to bring this up. Daenerys is trying to make more rational decisions these days when it comes to threats to her throne but that doesn't mean she wouldn't react to this news badly. The most important thing is defeating the Night King.

"If we survive the Long Night, if Daenerys and I both survive the Long Night, then I will publicly abdicate my claim to the Iron Throne. I will do it in front of other people and in writing so no one can contest it. After that, we will speak with the Northern Lords and they will decide whether or not they want me to continue to be the King in the North. Once that decision has been made we will go from there." Jon paused as he leaned heavily on the table. "Ned Stark was my father regardless of blood and you three are my siblings. We were raised as siblings and I'd like us to continue to live as siblings despite the fact that we are, apparently, cousins."

"You will always be our brother," Arya declared. She walked over and pulled Jon into a tight hug. He wrapped himself around her like he was afraid that he if let her go he would fall apart. "And you have always been wanted and loved no matter what anyone else has ever said."

"Our mother was wrong," Sansa said. "She was so wrong so hold what father did against you and I cannot apologize enough to you for the parts in it that I played. You are our brother and Ned Stark's son. We support your claim as King in the North. We always will." The three of them held each other closely and Arya could feel Jon crying into her shoulder. Arya glanced up and saw that Bran he wheeled himself closer to them. For the first time in days, he looked like their little brother and he pulled Jon into a hug as well.

"I didn't tell you this to ruin your life," Bran whispered. "I'm telling you this because you deserve to know. Father should have trusted all of us with this information years ago and most of all he should have trusted you with it. If you wish to abdicate then you are free to do so with our support." Jon pulled away from the three of them and looked around with tears in his eyes.

"Thank you," he whispered. "We are Stark's and nothing is ever going to change that. I can promise you that. When it's time for someone to sit on the Iron Throne it isn't going to be. I don't want it and I'm going to make sure that no one can contest whether or not it's mine. I'm going to keep all of us safe."

+++

Gendry glanced over his shoulder as he closed the door behind him. It was strange that Bran wanted them to leave. While he was technically a member of the family, even more so now since he had a name he could not believe that he had a name, they always let him stay. Meera and Theon almost always got to stay too and they both looked a little uncomfortable about leaving. There wasn't anything they could do about it right now though. The dead were two days away and they were running out of time. Arya told him that there was no point in making more weapons. He needed to be rested but that didn't stop Gendry from feeling guilty.

There was also something nagging at the back of his head that wouldn't go away. For the last two nights, he had woken up with the sound of an all too familiar voice whispering in his ear. He knew, on several levels, that going was a bad idea but he couldn't get it out of his head. Gendry knew that there was a good chance he wasn't going to make it through the Long Night, he wasn't the best fighter in the world, and that meant he had to take care of everything.

"Gendry? Are you okay?" Meera asked and he realized he had stopped walking in the middle of the hallway. Theon blinked and stared at him too.

"There's someone I need to talk to," he said and he did his best to push past the two of them. Meera knew all about Melisandre and he did not doubt that Sansa had told Theon. It seemed he wasn't going to be lucky because the two of them immediately started to follow him. He was almost to the entrance of the dungeon when Meera reached out and took his arm.

"Do not tell me you're doing what I think you're doing," she warned.

"She said something about this battle and my part in it. I need to know if it's changed," Gendry said. "I need to know if there is anything I can do to help."

"And if she tells you to go light yourself on fire you're going to do it?" Meera asked incredulously. "She wants you dead, Gendry, and she'll do or say anything to make that happen."

"She'll play on your weaknesses," Theon whispered and they both looked at him. "She knows you care and she's going to use that against you. That's what He did. It's why he made me watch--" Theon cut himself and took a steadying breath. "It's a bad idea and you shouldn't go." Gendry knew that they were probably right, that nothing good was going to come from this, but he also knew that this was his only chance. Arya was busy and she would find a way to stop him. Meera and Theon would not.

"I'm going. If you're both so worried about it you can join me," he said and walked into the dungeons. The guards gave him a strange look but didn't try to stop him which he appreciated. Melisandre stood in the middle of her cell, hands folded in front of her, and didn't look like a hair was out of place which was insane. Her dress was still perfect and he couldn't see a speck of dirt on her pale skin. She smiled when he walked and she seemed to only have eyes for him despite the fact that Meera and Theon were close by.

"Princeling," she said. "I was wondering when you were going to come to me again. Were you having interesting dreams? I asked the Lord to ask you to come to me and you did."

"You know something about this battle that you aren't telling me. I want to know what it is," Gendry said. as he tried to ignore the way he felt a little dizzy in this woman's presence. It was like he was remembering what it was like when she was bleeding him dry despite the fact that he didn't have a scratch on him.

"I know lots of things, dear boy, but that doesn't mean I'm going to tell them to you," Melisandre said as she took a step forward. "Your blood is powerful, it could have won this war, but you wouldn't give yourself up to save them. I want you to remember that Gendry Waters, I want you to remember that everyone who dies in this fight died because you weren't brave enough to do the right thing for everyone."

"Shut up before I make you shut up," Meera warned and Gendry could tell that she meant it. He was trying not to think about the guilt, about the people that were going to die because he didn't burn, but Gendry latched onto one specific thing she said because if he didn't he was going to go insane.

"That isn't my name," he whispered.

"Ah, yes, it isn't," Melisandre said with a smirk. "You're Gendry Baratheon, the last son of Robert Baratheon, and heir to not only Storm's End but the Iron Throne."

"No," Gendry said a little louder and he stood a little taller. "My name is Ser Gendry Stark. I'm a knight of the north and the husband to Princess Arya Stark of Winterfell." Melisandre's smirk fell and she looked like someone just kicked her in the stomach. It seemed pretty apparent that she wasn't going to say anything else as she knelt down in her cell and closed her eyes. Gendry turned and walked out with Theon and Meera close behind.

"She's wrong," Theon said. "You aren't responsible for anything that happens in this battle. Don't think that or it's going to kill you and I don't want Arya to be sad. The Stark's have had enough sadness in their lives."

"She was just trying to convince you to commit suicide," Meera said. "Don't let her win. She doesn't deserve it." Gendry looked at the two of them and nodded slowly. It probably was a mistake to go and see her but there was something in the back of his mind that told him it was the right decision. Something felt right now that felt wrong.

"I should have listened," he said because he couldn't explain why he felt like he still made the right decision despite feeling like he was gutted. "It's late so I'm going to head up my room."

"We'll come with you," Meera said and Theon nodded. "We should get some sleep too. We only have tomorrow and they're going to be here." The three of them went to their respective rooms and Gendry spent a good hour or two pacing as he tried to figure out what was bothering and why he felt better and worse at the same time.

He looked up when the door opened and was nearly struck dumb by the look on Arya's face. She was pale and he swore that it looked like she'd been crying. When she met his eyes Gendry seemed to realize that whatever had happened she didn't want to talk about. He also knew that he was also looking a little pale, maybe even sickly, and didn't want to talk about it either. So he didn't ask. Whatever it was Arya would tell him later. Instead helped her get undressed and they both fell asleep in each other's arms without saying a word to each other. They didn't have much time, the dead would be here soon, but this could wait.

When Arya woke up she realized that it was the last day. The dead would be here in a matter of hours and they didn't have a lot of time. There was a chance that this was going to be the last time she would see certain members of her family. This might the last time she saw friends. It made her feel a little sick as she laid in bed and could feel Gendry softly sleeping behind her. Somehow, they managed to convince him not to spend the last day working in the forge but Gendry told her that he had one or two quick things to do and then he would spend some time with her and her family. Right now she just enjoyed the fact that he was still sleeping even though the sun was up.

Arya watched him sleep for a moment. Gendry looked so much younger when he was asleep as all of the worry lines slipped away. She knew something was wrong the moment she opened the door but Arya could also tell that he really didn't want to talk about it. She Arya let it drop and the two of them climbed into bed to sleep. He shifted in his sleep and slowly awoke. The two of them stared at each other because they both had important things to say that they both avoided the night before.

"I went to see her," Gendry said and Arya couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I was having dreams and I needed to see her about something. She told me this is all my fault but I don't believe her. I told her my name was Gendry Stark and she looked like I just struck her. I don't know what I needed to hear from her but I heard it and that's enough."

"I'm not going to lecture you because I can tell you knew it was a terrible idea," Arya said slowly. "I found out something yesterday but I can't tell you what it is. I wish I could but it isn't my thing to tell. You'll know what I'm talking about when you hear it." Gendry nodded like it was okay with her keeping secrets which just spoke volumes about the kind of person that he was. They both climbed out of bed, got dressed, and Gendry took her hand to pull her into the forge. There were two short blades made of dragonglass on his table.

"I couldn't make Needle and Thread out of dragonglass," Gendry explained. "I thought these short blades would be good for you." He handed her the blades and Arya twirled them. They felt good, weirdly light, but she could fight with them. She had to fight with them.

"Thank you," she whispered. Gendry nodded as he began to gather several weapons into a bundle and gestured for her to follow him. He gave Jon and Daenerys daggers just in case they needed them. He presented Edmure with a blade and Arya could see that he was going to do his best despite being weak from his time as a Frey prisoner. Meera made her own weapons and Theon got a dagger. The night before both Meera and Theon declared their intentions to guard Bran personally in the Godswood. They had arrows but the spear and the dagger were for worst-case scenarios. Howland said that he would be staying close to Meera as well and Gendry gave him a dagger too.

Arya was a little surprised when Gendry walked up to Sansa and handed her a dagger. Sansa would be in the Great Hall with all of the people who couldn't fight. She looked at the black dagger in her hand and clenched her fist hard enough that her knuckles started to turn white. Arya believed in her brave sister and that if they broke through she would fight to the last breath. It took several hours but eventually, Gendry's bundle was empty and then he looked a little lost. Arya took his hand and lead him back to their room. It was the middle of the afternoon but Arya didn't want to be around anyone other than family right now.

"Thank you," Gendry said as they walked into the room. "I know you were the one who petitioned Jon and Daenerys to give me the Stark name and I know you did it because you knew how much it meant to me."

"I'd do anything for you," Arya said and let him take her into his arms. They held each other and swayed almost like they were dancing. Arya never thought she would want things like dancing with her husband yet here she was. She was dancing with him in the soft firelight and prayed to all of the old and new gods to spare them both. To spare those that she loved so they could live another day. "Please live."

"We're going to be fighting together," Gendry said as they swayed. "Jon assigned us to the courtyard so we could protect the Great Hall. We are going to be together regardless of what happens." They stopped swaying and Arya looked up into his beautiful blue eyes. She loved him so much and it made her heart hurt to think she might have to carry on without him tomorrow. Arya got up on her toes and pulled Gendry down for a kiss. It was the end of the worth, this was their last night, and she thought that it would be an explosion of passion between them. Instead, it was soft as they held each other and exchanged soft and deep kisses.

They walked back to her bed but Arya didn't make any move to tear off Gendry's clothes and he didn't either. They wrapped their arms around each other and kissed and kissed until there was nothing between them. The fight they had didn't matter anymore. The ups and the downs and the bruises and the tears and the scars. None of it mattered at that moment. All that mattered was that they were in each other's arms and holding on tight.

"I'm so glad we found each other," Gendry whispered against her lips. "I wish the circumstances were different that day but I'm so glad that I managed to find you. I'm so glad that you protected me that day against the gold cloaks when you had every reason to turn me in."

"You've been looking out for me before you even knew if I was a good person," Arya replied as she touched her forehead to his. "You took a massive risk to be with me because you thought I was worth it. I'm sorry I risked it all when I told you that I didn't want to be with you."

"It doesn't matter now," Gendry replied as he pulled her closer. There was not an inch of space between them right now and it was what Arya wanted. He was right; it didn't matter right now. None of it mattered right now. When she thought about the end of the world she knew she would spend it with Gendry but Arya wasn't in any mood to have sex with him. Instead, she wanted to lie with him and let him stay close. They kissed, they touched each other, and that was enough.

+++

Sansa spent a good portion of the day working around Winterfell. She made sure that all the people in her care had food for each and spoke with Daenerys about strategy. She tried not to think about Gendry handing her a blade. She made sure that all of the windows in the Great Hall were boarded shut and all of the doors were locked and blocked with large rocks. There was one way and if that door fell then there would be a problem.

Theon stayed close as she worked and even helped her test the doors. She hugged Arya and encouraged her sister to spend time with her husband. She held into Jon longer than she thought possible and whispered into his ear that he would always be her brother no matter what. A piece of paper and the lies of their father didn't change that. Jon seemed a little lost but nodded to her as he got back to work to make sure that they were all ready to go once the dead arrived.

Bran and Meera spent a good portion of the day in the Godswood where they would make the final stand. Sansa looked into her little brother's eyes and saw emptiness and her hopes of seeing him before the dead came were dashed. It was the string that broke her inside and she was sobbing before she knew what was happening. Theon put his arm around her and helped her up to her room.

"He wasn't there," she cried and tried to ignore how weak this made her feel. "I looked into his eyes and I didn't see him. I don't want my last memory of my little brother to be that thing out in the Godswood." Oo

"We're going to kill the Night King and get Bran back," Theon said as he held her close. "We're not losing another member of your family."

"Our family," Sansa corrected as she soaked the collar of his shirt with her tears. "It's your family too whether you want to admit it or not." Sansa pulled away and she could see Theon smiling softly as he ran his hands up and down her arms as if to warm her up.

"I told the servants to send up some stew for us. Let's eat here away from everyone else," he said.

"But there is still so much--"

"You need time to relax and you deserve time just like you told Arya and Gendry and Jon to take it as well. You might be the Lady of Winterfell, a Princess, but right now I just want Sansa to be here with me," Theon said. Sansa leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. It was chaste, the way a lot of their kisses were, but for the first time, she hesitantly opened her mouth to him. They hadn't ever kissed like this and while it was a lot it still made her feel closer to him than she had ever felt. Sansa could feel her hands trembling as she put her arms around Theon's neck and held him close.

The moment was broken by a knock on the door and a maid bringing in their stew. Even though they were eating with one hand Sansa refused to let go of Theon and when he intertwined their fingers she could feel his pulse against hers. They quietly ate their stew together as the sun went down and when Theon pulled her to bed to get some sleep Sansa held him close.

+++

Jon sighed as he looked over the strategy makes one more time. Daenerys had sent all of her advisors away for the night and it was just the two of them. It felt like there was a piece of glass beneath his skin and he didn't want to lie to her. The timing was just not good. She was looking at him like she knew that something was bothering him but she didn't ask.

"Rhaegal will let you fly him tomorrow," she said. "He's let you do it before and I am confident that he will do it again. You and I will stay in the sky as long as possible and then when it is needed, you will go on the ground to help try to kill the Night King."

"Try being the operative word," Jon said as he looked over their numbers. "Maybe we should have tried to convince Cersei to help us."

"You know she wouldn't have," Daenerys replied. "You told me that and I agree with you now more than ever. Lannister's care only for each other and Cersei has even abandoned Ser Jaime. The fact that he is here and fighting for us, that he says he'll help us with her afterward, speaks of how far she has fallen. We will win this war and then the next."

"And then you and I need to have a long conversation about the north," Jon said as he thought about the other things they needed to talk about. He was going to abdicate, he knew that he just wished he knew how she was going to take it.

"I let Queen Yara take the Iron Isles because she respected me and I respect her. I think it's safe to say that there is a good chance I will be the Queen of Five Kingdoms and not six." Jon looked up at Daenerys who was smiling. He couldn't believe that she all but admitted that she was going to give the north independence. "That is a conversation for another night. I hope you get some rest tonight, King Jon, for we have a great battle to win. Sleep well."

"And you as well, Queen Daenerys," Jon said as he watched her walk out of the room. He sat back in his chair and released a deep breath. All he could think about was the last time he saw Ned when he told him that they would talk about his mother. The truth was not what he expected. He thought maybe he was the son of some noblewoman who didn't want to ruin her marriage prospects with a son. Maybe she was a commoner that his father loved briefly but at the end of the day, Jon always thought of himself as a mistake. Ned might have loved him but he didn't want or expect him. That is the truth that Jon spent hid entire life wrapping around himself like an armor.

Now, he found out that he was from two people who were married and loved each other. He was a trueborn son of a great house. The trueborn son of two people who made a terrible mistake in falling in love and caused a war. He was the product of a union so toxic that Westeros tore itself apart. Jon thought of duty and how Ned sacrificed everything to do his. Ned did his duty to his sister by guarding her son and keeping the secret. He went south to be the hand of the king despite not wanting to. If Rhaegar and Lyanna did their duty Jon might not exist but thousands of people wouldn't have died.

In a way, Jon found himself resenting both of his parents. He understood doing stupid things for love, he did that when he became involved with Ygritte, but what his parents did was different. They were a prince and a lady of a noble house. They have a duty not only to their families but to all of Westeros. Perhaps that wasn't the fun thing to do, the thing to do for love, but it would have been the right thing to do. Jon knew he would have to marry someday and he would be marrying someone for an alliance because that was his duty as the King in the North. There was a good chance he wouldn't feel any love for the woman he would take as a wife but it needed to be done for duty and for the good of the north.

Jon also wondered if his anger was misplaced. He wasn't making Arya or Sansa or Bran marry out of duty. He was letting them marry or stay married for love. However, his siblings weren't going to tear the realm apart. His siblings weren't leaving behind a wife and children to be with someone else. Jon was angry, he was hurt, and he hated Sam and Bran for telling him this information. Yes, it was important, but he didn't need to know. All it did was make things harder. He resented his parents, he resented Ned for never telling him, he resented everyone for making things complicated.

Jon thought about the look in Gendry's eyes when he as given the Stark name. How much it moved him and made him feel like he had a place to belong. On top of abdicating Jon thought of a thing, he could ask Daenerys that would make it so no one could put him on the Iron Throne. He would ask her to name him Jon Stark. It would be as close to forsaking his Targaryen blood as he possibly could. Much like Gendry, he had no claim to the Iron Throne as a Stark. He was angry at Ned for never telling him this and keeping this secret from his wife so Catelyn spent her entire life resenting him. Ned did treat him well and made sure that he was warm at night with a full belly. Lyanna might have been impulsive but Jon felt more connected to her than he did to any Targaryen prince.

He was the son of Ned Stark and if they survived the night Jon intended to ask Daenerys to help him make that official. He might not be King of the North after that but he would feel closer to the people he considered family.

+++

Meera sat with Bran in the Godswood well into the night and by the time she insisted that they needed to go inside his fingers were turning blue. It took one of the guards and her some time to get him up the stairs and into the room. Bran hadn't been himself for days now and Meera could tell how much it broke Sansa's heart when he barely acknowledged her. Jon and Arya came by to see them at one point but they were alone right now. Meera knelt down in front of Bran and took his cold hands into her own.

"Come back to me," she whispered. The Night King was so close and she knew there was a chance that he wouldn't be able to fight the influence but, to her surprise, Bran blinked once and Meera knew that he was with her again. "Hey, you."

"How long was I gone?" he asked quietly. "Did I do anything?"

"Sansa was very sad that you weren't there to say goodbye," Meera said. "You've been gone for over a day. Maybe longer."

"You and Theon. You volunteered to stay close to me during the battle," Bran said and Meera nodded. Sometimes he didn't remember things clearly when he went away. "I wish there was a way for me to convince you to stay somewhere safer."

"I've killed a White Walker Bran which is more than most of these people can say," Meera replied incredulously. "My place is by your side and your place is by mine." Bran smiled softly and glanced at the bed.

"Help me to bed, please?" Bran asked and Meera nodded. He wrapped his arms around her neck and she stood. They were nose to nose like this and while they were close Meera still found herself getting breathless when they were sharing air like this. She set Bran on the bed and he pulled himself further up and wrangled his body into a sitting position. He gestured for her to join him and Meera settled down next to him. They'd been sharing space like this since the north when they needed to huddle together for warmth. Now there were shy kisses to cheeks and handholding but not much else. "I don't know if I'll be back again after tonight."

"I know," Meera said and she let Bran take her hand into his own. He traced the callouses and scars left behind by years of fighting. Bran fell silent and it was like he was having a hard time asking for something. Meera looked at him and they were close again. Bran turned so they were nearly nose to nose and Meera felt her heart start to pound. This could be their last night and she wanted it to be special. She closed the distance and pressed her lips to his.

Bran seemed to hesitate as he kissed her back. They spent a little time exploring one another until Bran opened his mouth and this kiss was different. Meera could feel his tongue press against hers and she moaned against mouth. The angle was strange though and she wanted to be comfortable. She broke the kiss and watched Bran carefully as she moved. She settled herself on his lap with her bracketing his hips. She was gentle as she settled down even though Meera knew that he couldn't feel anything. His hands went to her hips as she slipped her fingers into his short hair.

"Is this okay?" she whispered.

"I feel like this is a dream," Bran replied. "A dream I never thought I would get the chance to see for myself." Meera smiled as she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his again. It was different now that they were facing one another and she could feel Bran pulling her closer. She wanted skin but Meera also knew that this was something that she wasn't sure that they could have. Bran's fall hurt him in a lot of different ways and he never said anything about this before now. She wasn't sure he ever thought about it. "I want to touch you, can I?"

"Yes if I can touch you," Meera replied. It took a little work for both of them to get their shirts off but when Bran pulled her forehead to start laying wet kisses against her neck Meera really didn't care. Neither of them knew what they were doing but Bran was smart. He paid attention to what made her moan and what made her gasp and then he did it again. Meera dug her nails into Bran's shoulder and loved the sound he made.

"I want to," Bran said as he sucked a bruise into her skin. "I want to but I don't know if I can. I don't want to make this bad for both of us so, please, let me touch you. Please let me touch you, Meera." Vaguely, she realized that this was probably not the time to see whether or not they could be together. She wanted him to touch her, more than anything, and she nodded.

"Yes, please, I want you to," Meera whispered. They were frantic as they loosened her breeches and they both laughed a little when she had to get up on her knee to push them off. Meera could feel Bran watching her as she pulled off her smallclothes and it was a little awkward to pull Bran's breeches off while naked as her Name Day but Meera didn't really care. They settled with her on her back and Bran lying on his side. Her eyes drifted between his eyes and he looked a little hard but not enough for this to be comfortable for both of them. It would require work that they didn't have time right now. Bran looked down kissed her as his fingers drifted between her legs.

The first time he touched her Meera jumped and she bit down on Bran's lower lip on instinct. He groaned against her mouth as he teased her. She gasped Bran slipped a finger in her and Meera had no idea how he knew how to tease her so well but he did. Every single motion from his fingers sent sparks through her body and Meera pulled him into a bruising kiss as she peaked. As they broke away from each other she could see the way Bran was looking at her like he couldn't believe that she was here, that she was with him, and her heart felt overwhelmed with emotion.

"I love you, Meera Reed," Bran whispered as he kissed her softly.

"I love you too," Meera replied as they kissed. She was exhausted but she still took the time to help Bran shift into a more comfortable position. They wrapped their arms around each other and held on tight as they waited for the call to happen. Meera knew when she opened her eyes the man in her bed wouldn't be Bran Stark but something else. Right now, he was with her, and she would treasure that for however long she was left on this world.

+++

Arya blinked as she looked outside and realize that while it was morning the sun had not raised. The Long Night was upon them and she could feel a different kind of cold settle into her bones. Arya could feel Gendry start to wake up as well and they glanced at each other.

The horns sounded. It was time to go to war.

It was strange getting ready to go to war like this. Arya didn't know what she was expecting but this feeling of dread in her stomach ached worse than any wound she'd ever had in her life. She glanced at Gendry as he pulled on his leathers and the layers he was using to keep warm. The mace he made out of dragonglass was leaning against the wall and while Arya wished he could have a second weapon the truth was there just weren't enough for that. She wished that he was far away from here and somewhere safe but Gendry wasn't the type of person to run. He was going to fight until he couldn't move a single muscle. He looked up when he caught her staring at him. It looked like he wanted to say something but didn't know what to say. Arya didn't either.

She practically ran forward and threw her arms around him and held on tight. This wasn't the moment to do this, they needed to get to the courtyard because they were going to be the ones guarding the Great Hall and all the women and children, but she needed a moment in his arms. The night before wasn't enough, an entire lifetime wouldn't be enough, and the idea of seeing his corpse on the ground of her home made Arya feel a little sick to her stomach.

Gendry didn't say anything either; he just held onto her and pressed a kiss to the top of her forehead. They were both a little distracted that a knock on the door made them both jump apart. Jon opened the door and looked at the two of them. He was a little pale and Arya thought that it looked like he hadn't slept a wink.

"I need you to come with me," Jon said softly.

"Yeah, of course," Arya replied. She strapped both of her short swords to her hip as Gendry picked up his mace. Arya thought Jon would take them out to the courtyard or the walls where they would be fighting but instead, he lead them into Bran's room. Meera was sitting on the edge of the bed, her lips pressed together, dressed in furs that looked like the things the Free Folk wore. Bran was in his chair staring out the window but he turned the chair when they walked in.

"You tell them what you just told me," Jon said and his voice was shaking a little.

"Very well," Bran said and Arya knew that tone of voice. That meant that this was not her little brother sitting before her right now which explained why Meera looked like she wanted to throw herself from the top of the broken tower. "Melisandre needs to be released."

"Absolutely not," Arya snapped and she could see that Gendry jerked like someone had just him.

"She has a role to play and she needs to be let out," Bran repeated. "If we do not let her out, we will lose this war."

"The first thing she'll do is try to burn Gendry the moment it looks like the battle isn't going well. I'm not letting her out so she can go anywhere near him," Arya said and she was vibrating that this thing pretending to be her little brother was asking this of her.

"Arya," Gendry whispered as he took her arm. "I'm the one she tried to hurt so I think this should be my decision."

"He's right," Jon said. Arya couldn't believe what she was hearing and she wanted to go down to the dungeon and slit Melisandre's throat herself.

"Bran," Gendry said softly. "is she really that important to the battle?"

"Yes," Bran replied without hesitation.

"Will she try to kill me?" Gendry asked bluntly.

"No," Bran said. "In fact, I believe she will tell you that she does not plan on surviving this fight which means no one will have to stain their hands with her blood. She needs to be released." Arya watched Gendry carefully and she wanted to yell at him. She could picture it in her mind's eye; they were losing the battle and Melisandre convincing her too selfless for his own good husband that he needed to die to save them all.

"Jon," Gendry said as he stared Bran. "Let her go." Arya practically growled as she stomped up to Bran and glared at him.

"I don't know if you're in there right now, little brother, but know this," she said dangerously. "If she lays a finger on him I will never ever forgive you. Do you understand me?" Bran blinked and for half a second Arya swore she saw her brother again. He was gone a second later and the thing that called himself the Three-Eyed Raven remained.

"I do," he replied. Arya nodded, turned around, and took Gendry by the hand. He didn't say anything, he didn't try to defend himself, but he did squeeze her hand.

"We have much to prepare for and little time," Jon said. Everyone in the room began to move and Arya walked through Winterfell hand in hand with Gendry. Daenerys was waiting for them just outside and Ser Jorah was standing close to her. He was ready for war and he looked like he would take on the entire army of the dead personally if it kept Daenerys safe. Grey Worm and Missandei were kissing and embracing each other in a darkened corner. Theon and Sansa were talking quietly to each other and when he leaned forward to hug her Arya could see her sister crying and doing her best to hide it. Edmure was standing with Roslin and the two of them were talking to Medgar. The little baby cooed as Edmure smiled at him and Arya felt her heart break a little. There were going to be a lot of children that were going to be raised without a parent after tonight.

Out of the corner of her eye, Arya saw Jaime and Brienne talking to each other. They looked comfortable around each other and she even heard a few people saying that Jaime had officially knighted Brienne the night before. Arya smiled because if there was one person in the world that deserved it it was Brienne. The two of them were going to be on front lines with the Brotherhood and Sandor. Sandor walked quietly over to Sansa and put a large hand on her shoulder.

"Be safe and be brave tonight, Little Bird," he said so quietly that Arya barely heard him. He glanced at Theon who seemed to freeze under Sandor's considerable glare. "You, little squid boy, you mean a lot to her. I don't want to see the Little Bird hurt anymore. That means you aren't allowed to die. If you die I'll come down to seven hells myself and drag you back. Do you understand me?"

"Yes ser," Theon said and he was a little pale. Sansa, however, looked a little amused by this interaction and at least she wasn't crying anymore. Sandor spat on the ground at Theon's feet.

"I'm no ser," he said and walked away. Theon blinked like he didn't quite understand what had just happened. Podrick looked up and saw Arya and Gendry and made his way toward them.

"I'm glad I got to see the two of you," he said. "Did you hear that Ser Jaime knight Lady Brienne last night? I can't believe I get to call her Ser Brienne."

"You sound very proud," Gendry said with a small smile. "You're going to watch out for yourself tonight, right?"

"I'll do my best. I hope to have the honor to someday be knighted by Westeros' first female knight," Podrick replied with a grin. He and Gendry clasped hands and hugged each other briefly. Arya also hugged Podrick and gave him a brief kiss on the cheek which made him turn bright red.

"Thank you for helping keep my idiot husband safe," Arya said.

"It was my honor," Podrick replied and he looked up when Brienne called his name. He nodded to the two of them and walked off to join Brienne and Jaime. Anguy, Beric, and Thoros all stood near the entrance to Winterfell with Tormund and Arya wasn't surprised to see them raising a glass of something with each other. Meera, Bran, and Howland came outside and began to make their way to the Godswood. Theon pressed a soft kiss to Sansa's hair and went off to join them.

"I need to go see my sister," Arya said and Gendry nodded. She raced over to Sansa and pulled her sister into her arms. "You be safe tonight, okay? I want you in the Great Hall and I don't want you coming out for any reason. No matter what you hear I want you safe."

"I'd feel safer if you were with me," Sansa said as she held onto Arya so tightly Arya thought that her ribs were going to snap. "Please, come to the Great Hall with me, please be safe."

"I can't, I need to fight," Arya replied. Sansa nodded slowly as she pulled away from Arya and cupped her face the way their mother would. "They would be so proud of you." Arya opened her mouth to agree when Sansa's head jerked up and looked back in the direction that Gendry was. Arya turned around and she knew she shouldn't be surprised but Melisandre was out her cage and talking to Gendry. She had a grip on his arm tight enough to draw blood and she was whispering in his ear close enough that her lips were probably touching his skin.

Arya immediately saw red and stomped over to put a knife in that woman but Jon stepped in.

"Stay away from him or next time I won't stop her," she heard Jon warn. Melisandre smiled and walked toward the gate where the front line was like she didn't have a care in the world. Arya got to Gendry's side just in time to hear Jon ask if he was okay.

"I'm fine," Gendry said and Arya didn't believe him for a second. Jon didn't look he did either but there wasn't any time for this.

"King Jon," Daenerys said as she walked over to join him. The snow was beginning to fall and the air felt so cold that Arya was having a hard time catching her breath. "We need to take to the skies as soon as possible." Jon nodded and Daenerys turned to Arya and Gendry. "I hope that the two of you will do your best to make it through the night. As I said we are family now and I don't have much of that left. I would very much like the chance to get to know you better." Arya clenched her fists as she glanced over at Jon. He winced when Daenerys called them family and she knew he wanted to tell her about who he was but he remained silent. Gendry and Daenerys exchanged a few kind words and she walked toward the gates of Winterfell so she could get to the dragons.

"Look out for each other," Jon whispered and he pulled Arya into a tight hug.

"Be careful up there," Arya replied and it took a lot to pull away from her favorite brother. Jon kissed her forehead and hugged Gendry tightly as well. It wasn't the time or place to laugh but Arya couldn't help herself as she watched how surprised Gendry was by the hug. Despite the fact that Jon had given him the Stark name it was like he was still surprised that he was considered family. “Everyone remain calm; I’m calling the wolves,” Arya called out and Jon yelled out that everyone needed to clear a path and make sure that the wolves made their way into Winterfell. They were part of Jon’s plan to keep the Great Hall safe; Gendry, herself, Edmure, and the wolves were keeping watch.

There was a howl that rang out through the cold hair and Nymeria, Ghost, and the entire pack ran into the courtyard. A few people jumped and looked afraid but they most looked impressed by the way Nymeria almost immediately attached herself to Arya’s side. Gendry knelt down and several of the pack members approached him for scratches behind the ears. Nymeria and Ghost were usually the only ones that let anyone touch them but it seemed that war made exceptions for everything.

“We need to protect Sansa and everyone else,” Arya said to Nymeria. “Stay close to the courtyard and keep people safe. Thank you for protecting us.” Nymeria licked her hand and howled. The wolves took off into the dark corners of the courtyard and waited for when they would be needed. Nymeria was the last to year as she rubbed her head against Gendry and whined until he rubbed her belly. It made Arya smile despite the fact that they were about to fight.

They weren't going to be on the front lines so Arya and Gendry made their way to the top of the battlements after saying goodbye to Sansa. The two of them and Edmure were the final line of defense when it came to the people in the Great Hall. When all hell was breaking loose around them they needed to make sure the doors held and the people who couldn't fight were safe. Arya didn't mind that job and it made her feel a little better to have a purpose. The dragons took to the sky and Arya wondered if her brother was safer up there or on the ground.

It was dark but even in that darkness Arya would know Melisandre in a second. She watched as she strolled through the front lines and talked to a few people. It was hard to see but one moment the Dothraki were barely visible through the darkness and the next all of their weapons lit up. Arya knew that everyone said that Melisandre brought Jon back to life and she had seen Jon's wounds but this was the first time she had ever really witnessed this woman showing real power. That power meant that there could be some truth to her words. There was one person she worried about believing the crazy things Melisandre said and that was Gendry. She glanced at her husband who was gripping his mace made our dragonglass hard enough that his knuckles were turning white.

+++

Jon landed Rhaegal far above the fighting with Daenerys. The three dragons made to made noises at each other but Jon was more focused on the series of small fires that were illuminated in front of him. He wondered if this is what Bran meant when he said that Melisandre needed to be set free and if it was going to be worth it. He didn't have time to wonder though because he needed to make sure that he and Daenerys were on the same page in terms of their strategy.

"Go over the plan with me one more time?" Jon asked.

"Of course," Daenerys replied. "I have fought in battles before, Jon. You must know this."

"I do and I also know this is different. So, please, humor an extremely paranoid and worried man?" Jon said.

"Very well. You and I will find the Night King and attempt to use dragonfire to destroy him. If that does not work then the most important thing is keeping my children as far away from him as possible. We do not know if he's capable of killing or maiming a dragon but if he is we can't risk them. If they die they could fall under his control and we can't risk that," Daenerys explained.

"Should you and I fail I'd like to be let down on the ground so I can attempt to kill the Night King with Longclaw," Jon said. "Your children will become the easiest way to wipe out a lot of wights very quickly. I'd like them to focus on keeping the wights out of Winterfell should the frontline fall and we have to retreat." Jon looked out and he knew that they were only moments away from this battle beginning and it felt like someone punched him in the stomach. "Dany, I want you to know that you can trust my family if I die and that Sansa would make an amazing Queen in the North. I don't want Northern independence to die with me."

"Should I fall in this battle," Daenerys said softly. "I have no heir at the moment and I suppose if I did it would have been Gendry before we gave him the Stark name. Cersei Lannister must not sit on the Iron Throne. I cannot promise that all of my men would follow you but I know some of them would. For the good of Westeros, she must be removed and I hope that you could help see to that."

"For the good of Westeros I won't let Cersei Lannister live should you fall in this fight," Jon said as they looked at each other.

"Should the north lose its King tonight I know that there is a Queen to ready to lead its people," Daenerys replied. They weren't close enough friends to hug but they nodded to each other and that was enough. They looked out and watched as the Dothraki charged. One by one the lights went out Jon knew that he was witnessing a group of people get slaughtered. Daenerys was biting her lip hard enough to bleed and clenching her fists so tightly her hands were shaking.

"Dany--"

"I know," she snapped. "I know the plan. We hold and wait for the signal from the forces on the ground that the Night King has been spotted. I will abide by the plan it's just--" Her voice cracked and Jon could see that she was fighting back tears. "They followed me here and I swore to be their Queen which means I'm supposed to protect them. I'm watching my failure right now." Jon didn't know how to comfort her but he knew what she was feeling. The Northmen down there were going to fight and die following him and it hurt to stay up here with the dragons. The Night King might not know about them at all and they needed to keep it that way for as long as possible.

The Night King gained control of even one of the dragons Jon wasn't sure they could win.

+++

Arya didn't know what she was expecting but seeing all of the lights go out in the darkness as the Dothraki were slaughtered was not it. She thought maybe Daenerys would jump in and try to save them but she didn't. She stood by and let them die because she had to because it was a choice between saving a few soldiers or letting all of Westeros suffer. That was the kind of thing a queen needed to do and she respected Daenerys so much at that moment. She could see a few people left alive running back to the front line, she heard Brienne shout, and then the wave hit.

It was unlike anything Arya had ever see in her life. She didn't know there were so many people who could move like that. She knew the ocean and had seen massive waves crashing on shores and there was really no other way to describe it. Wave after wave of weapon carrying corpses attacked and Arya pulled out her first arrow. She didn't have the best aim when it came to a bow and arrow but she could help.

"Archers, ready!" she yelled as everyone on the battements drew an arrow hit on fire. They would save the dragonglass arrows for moments that they couldn't get to fire. "Fire!" Tiny pits of light took to the darkened sky and few over their soldiers as they fought. The arrow rained down, just beyond the front line. Gendry was keeping busy as he made sure there was oil for the archers to dip the tips of their arrows into and that everyone had arrows to shoot. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him running up and down the battlements making sure everyone had what they needed.

Jon, Daenerys, and the dragons remained out of sight and the important arrow did not take to the skies. Each of the people on the front line carried a crossbow with a single bolt. Once they saw the Night King they were supposed to shoot that bolt into the sky to signal Daenerys and Jon that it was time for the dragons to join the fight. It would burn green thanks to wildfire. No bolt took to the sky and Arya could see that the front line was getting slaughtered. They were being pushed back and it was time to call the retreat.

The gates to Winterfell were opened and people began to pour in. Arya called for the archers to fire again and cover the retreat. They needed to light the barrier but they all thought the Night King would have revealed himself by now. The dragons weren't in play yet. Melisandre knelt next to the barrier and placed her hand on it. She could see wights trying to attack her and as much as she wanted to leave that woman to get torn away Arya knew that she could light the barrier. Melisandre had fire magic and Arya needed to set aside her own feelings for the good of the battle.

"Archers, protect the Red Woman! She is our best hope to light the barrier!" Arya called out. When she looked back at Melisandre she was smirking a little but her lips kept moving. It took a moment but the barrier finally lit as the Unsullied did their best to protect the rest of the retreat.

A green light shot into the sky from a crossbow near what remained of the frontlines as they retreated. Someone had spotted the Night King. Another shot into the sky and Arya narrowed her eyes. She could see a vague outline of something on a horse and what looked like twelve more at his back. The Night King was getting ready to infiltrate Winterfell and he was coming for Bran.

The sound of dragons roaring cracked through the night sky. Jon, Daenerys, and her children had joined the battle.

The bolts that signaled that the Night King was close took to the sky and Jon didn't hesitate for a second. The was falling in earnest now and as he climbed on Rhaegal he realized that they were going to have a hard time seeing where they were going.

"Dany!" Jon called out as she climbed on Drogan. "We're probably not going to be able to see if we're killing the Night King in this weather. So watch the wights on the ground. If you see them falling in large numbers that means it's working."

"And if we don't need to get the dragons as far away from him as possible," Daenerys said. "Be careful, Jon."

"You too," Jon replied. The dragons took to the sky and Jon got a chance to see the battle from above. It was hard because of the snow but he could see that a considerable amount of their forces were already lost. He imagined that he had friends down there, in what remained of the frontline, and it made him feel a little sick. He couldn't think about that right now. Daenerys eventually let him lead since he had an idea of what they were looking for. The two of them spent nights coming up with hand signals so they could communicate from the skies.

The Night King had made it to the former frontline and was slowly walking toward Winterfell with what looked like about a dozen White Walkers. There were likely more White Walkers out there but, at the moment, it looked like the Night King was planning on attacking with these twelve. The wights would fall if the White Walkers were destroyed and, in theory, the White Walkers would be destroyed if the Night King died. That is what Jon hoped, anyway, he really had no idea and everyone was just guessing and hoping for the best.

Jon signaled Daenerys and they dove down to the ground. It was now or never. They were making an attempt at the Night King and if it didn't work then Jon was going to have to get on the ground and find another way. Daenerys taught him the word and they went off, far away from Winterfell, to make sure that Rhaegal would listen if he couldn't hear Daenerys say it.

The Night King looked up just as the three dragons burst from the clouds and the twelve White Walkers scattered in all directions but the Night King stayed. He looked up at them and despite the fact that he wasn't that much bigger than a toy at this height Jon could have sworn he smiled.

"Dracarys," Jon said and all three of the dragons rained down dragonfire on the embodiment of evil that was beneath them. It was impossible to see if it was working from where he was sitting so he looked around. He looked at the wights that were trying to swarm Winterfell and saw that none of them were falling. Not a single one seemed to even hesitate. It somehow felt like it got even colder and Jon screamed.

"Fall back!" He waved the signal as he Daenerys looked at him. "Fall back! It isn't working!" The dragons stopped and he struggled to get Rhaegal in the sky, above the clouds, somewhere where he could regroup with Daenerys because their first planned had failed. Jon dared a glance at the ground and he saw the Night King with a massive ice spear. It was instinct more than anything that made him move Rhaegal but the massive spear tore through the green dragons wing.

He needed to hold on because a fall from this height would kill him. Jon could hear someone screaming his name and he looked up to see Daenerys and Drogon flying nearby. She was holding out her hand. Jon didn't know if she could take his weight but he didn't have time to find out. Rhaegal was bleeding on a bad wing and could barely fly. Daenerys nodded like she could see his doubt and Jon took a chance. He reached up and Daenerys managed to pull him onto Drogon's back as Rhaegal began to fall. His wing was badly damaged but the wound wasn't fatal.

"We failed," Jon said and his voice was already horse as if he'd been screaming.

"I will take you to the ground and then we move on to the second part of the plan. My children and I will protect Winterfell and you figure out how to kill that thing," Daenerys said as she glanced over her shoulder. Jon nodded as Daenerys went to the far side of Winterfell and the opposite direction of the Night King. The snow was getting worse and Jon could see Rhaegal on the ground and already fighting for his life against the wights. The dragon couldn't fly, not tonight and possibly not ever again, but they still had Drogon and Viserion. There had to be a chance still.

+++

The snow was making it hard to see but Arya could still tell that the dragons had arrived. It was pretty hard to miss the three beasts breathing fire down on the land. This was the first plan, this is where they found out whether or not the Night King could be killed with fire. Arya looked over the battlements, at the wights that were continuing to try and make their way to the walls of the castle, and none of them fell. It wasn't working and it wasn't going to work. When she looked up she saw the dragonfire cease and she knew that it was time to readjust.

"Protect the battlements at all costs!" Arya yelled. "The Night King still stands and he will make his way through the gates eventually! Make sure to hold the line!" Gendry raced over and looked at her.

"We need to get to the courtyard so we can protect the Great Hall," he said and Arya nodded. Various fighters from the frontline were making their way to the battlements because even though the wights are not attacking at this moment because the trenchworks appear to have stopped them for the time being Arya knew that they will attack again. She saw a few familiar faces, Beric and Jaime and Brienne and Sandor, but there wasn't any time to think about who might have fallen on the frontline. She raced down to the courtyard with Gendry where young Lyanna Mormont met them along with Edmure.

"The wolves are staying in the shadows but I don't know how long that door is going to last once they charge," Lyanna said.

"They're going to break through and there isn't anything we can do about it," Arya said. "The Night King has one goal and that's to get to my brother. He wants him and that means coming through Winterfell." There was the sound of a dragon screeching and Arya looked up to see Rhaegal falling from the sky. One of the wings was almost completely gone and her heart sank. Jon was supposed to be on that dragon and if it was swinging around like that he could have fallen to his death. Rhaegal hit the ground hard and Arya winced painfully.

She couldn't think about that right now. Jon had to be alive because that was the only possible option. Someone called out that the wights were sacrificing themselves to build a barrier of bodies over the entrenchment. They were climbing on top of each other to get over the walls. There was a slam against the gate and Arya looked at it. Men were struggling to hold it close but there was no chance. Lyanna raced forward to try and help with the door but Arya stayed back with Edmure and Gendry.

"We protect that door," Edmure said as he drew his dragonglass sword from its sheath. "We protect that door with our lives."

"Nothing gets through," Arya said and she watched as the gate splintered. There were wights on the battlements now and her home was being invaded.

"Nothing," Gendry agreed with his dragonglass mace in hand. The gates to Winterfell spilled open and just like that her home was overrun. Arya didn't know what she was expecting when she saw the wights but nothing could have prepared her for this. She was a good fighter, she knew that, but this was not the kind of fight she and Gendry were used to. They had the tactics they had used for defeating the Lannister's but this was nothing like that. No matter how many of the wights she struck down more and more came. They swung sharp weapons and clawed at her with razor-sharp nails. She didn't know the first time a wight managed to land a blow that drew blood but it was far too soon in the battle.

Arya knew she should have been keeping an eye on Edmure but she found herself fighting back to back with Gendry. He wasn't as fast as she was but his massive mace could take out two or three wights at a time. Arya was faster but she always knew that their fighting styles complemented each other well. She could see that he was bleeding from a few cuts already but she tried not to get distracted by it. They needed to make sure the Great Hall stayed safe.

A voice called out that the White Walkers were going to enter Winterfell and Arya remembered what Jon told her about them, what he told all of them. The White Walkers controlled the wights and taking down a White Walker could severely diminish the number of wights attacking.

"Gendry! Edmure!" Arya called out. "We need to lure a White Walker closer to our position. It's the only way we're going to keep these wights from overrunning us."

"How are you going to do that?" Gendry called out as he smashed another wight to the ground.

"I'll figure it out," Arya replied. "Stay here." She thought she heard Gendry call for her to come back but this was the only option they had and they all knew it. When Jon explained the strategy to everyone it was agreed that the wights were a losing battle. Even if they killed every single one of the wights the Night King could just make more. The White Walkers were the real targets and that meant they had to be taken care of. All of their best fighters knew this so she wasn't surprised to see that some of them were already trying to kill a White Walker. Jaime, Brienne, and Podrick managed to corner one, she thought she saw Grey Worm fighting another, but as much as Arya wanted to know if the people she knew or cared about were alive or dead there wasn't time.

Arya picked up a bow left on the ground and fired an arrow, not a dragonglass arrow just a regular one, into the shoulder of one of the White Walkers. It turned its blue stare on her and Arya turned and ran back to Gendry and Edmure. The White Walker approached and she could see the way they both paled as it got closer to them. Arya bared her teeth and the three of them charged the White Walker.

She couldn't believe how fast a thing that looked like a frozen could move and the first time it swung its blade at her Arya also couldn't believe how strong it was. The impact rattled her bones but she pushed through it. She had pushed through far worse. It swiped at Edmure and he was unable to blow the blow. Arya watched as he flew back several feet and slammed into a wall hard enough that she knew he wasn't getting up again. He needed help and the only way that was going to happen was if she killed this thing quickly. Arya glanced at Gendry and he nodded for just a second. He swiped long at the White Walker and smashed its knee with his mace. It wasn't a killing blow but it made the creature stumble long enough that Arya slashed its throat with a blade. It fell to the snow as if it never existed and several hundred wights nearly collapsed to the ground.

Arya glanced at Gendry and managed a small smile. He was bloody and dirty but he was alive. They were both still alive and that was what mattered. They had survived for now but more wights charged. Edmure needed help but there was no time to rest and try to get him help. They needed to protect the Great Hall and that is what they were going to do.

+++

Meera knew what to expect when the dead came. She'd seen them before, she lost her brother to them, she killed a White Walker. Meera knew what was coming and Bran did too which made her extremely angry when he refused to take the Valyrian Steel dagger. When Bran was himself he talked about giving it to someone who could use it and Meera has stared at him like he was a complete idiot.

"Do you really think sitting in that chair is going to keep someone from trying to kill you?" she asked. Bran had blinked but hadn't said anything else. As she expected when she woke up to the sound of horns signaling the time for war it wasn't Bran that was lying in bed with her but that stranger. At least he didn't acknowledge her lack of clothing and even looked away when she got dressed. When everyone had left the room Meera tried to get him to take the dagger but he kept saying "no". It wasn't until she insisted that Bran finally took the dagger that nearly ended his life and placed it on his lap beneath the furs.

She didn't want to admit it but Meera was beginning to think that Bran was going to have to use that dagger. They were doing their best to hold off the horde of wights but they just kept coming and before long they were going to run out of arrows. Meera knew she could handle herself and she had a feeling that Theon could as well but it was risky to let any of these things get too close to Bran. They were all relatively sure that the Night King wanted to kill Bran himself but there wasn't any way of knowing that for sure.

Right now it was just wave after wave of the wights and for every couple that she killed Meera saw another body fall. The army of the dead was massive and they only had so much energy to kill them. Once the Night King got to Winterfell he could just bring everyone who had died back. There wasn't enough time to burn any of the bodies that were falling so not only were they losing members of their army but they were giving him more bodies. Meera took her spear in hand after she fired her last arrow and bared her teeth. She would die fighting.

Meera kept an eye on Bran as she fought and did her best to keep some distance between him and the wights. Every now and then Bran's eyes would turn white but he never said anything. He never said that the Night King was coming or even forewarned them that Winterfell was breached. Meera didn't like thinking about the idea that the thing in Bran might want all of them to die but it nagged at the back of her mind.

Theon cried out in pain and Meera looked over. A wight on the ground had stabbed Theon in the knee and he went down hard. It wasn't a deadly injury but it was one that was going to keep him off of his feet. A wight broke through the defenses as Theon fought from the ground. Meera called out Bran's name but he didn't say anything. Bran barely reacted as the wight slammed into him and Bran's chair went toppling over.

His head slammed into the trunk of the weirwood tree and his arm hit the root badly. Meera scrambled to fight off the wight she was trying to kill but she distracted. She stabbed the rotting body with her spear and scrambled back to Bran. The wight had fallen still and Bran had the dagger in his hand. There was blood already running down the side of his head, even some smeared on the tree, one of his arms looked broken, and his eyes were wide. Meera instantly knew that this was Bran before her and not the Three-Eyed Raven.

"I guess I did need the dagger," Bran whispered. Meera was about to say something when she heard a grunt of pain and she froze. She turned around slowly to see a wight standing before her father snarling as it pushed the blade further into her chest. She thought she screamed "no" and at that moment she abandoned Bran and raced over to him. Howland collapsed on the ground as Meera looked down at him. It was the second time she'd held a family member with a mortal wound and she hated it. She hated the Night King for taking everything away from her.

"Father, you can't go, I need you," Meera whispered with tears in her eyes. Howland raised a shaky hand and brushed the tears with his thumb.

"You need to survive and sitting here with me isn't the way to do it," he said. Meera glanced over her shoulder and saw that more people were falling. Theon was struggling to get to his feet and couldn't, his knee was too badly injured, and he was doing his best to fight from the ground. Bran was watching her with wide blue eyes and tears. Jojen had died for him and now her father was dying for him. Deep down Meera thought she might hate Bran Stark as much as she loved him. She looked back down at her father and knew that he was fading quickly. "I love you, my sweet girl, and I'm so proud of the woman you've become." Meera didn't know what to say to that, she didn't know how to respond, and she didn't get the chance before her father breathed his last breath.

Meera screamed at the injustice of it all. She screamed because the dead were walking and taking everything that mattered. She screamed because the world was ending and that meant losing everyone that she loved. She screamed because she wished was home with Jojen as he learned how to rule. She screamed because she was supposed to rule beside him, of course, she was, Jojen always needed her. Meera wanted to hold her father's cooling body but much like Jojen, the world did not seem keen to give her time to grieve.

She was on her feet, furs stained with her father's blood, as she fought off wights that were trying to come for her and Bran. Theon had backed up and more and more people were continuing to fall. The Night King would be here soon and there wasn't going to be anyone left to protect Bran.

Meera bared her teeth and, for the first time in her life, felt more like a wolf than a lizard.

+++

Sansa had a dagger strapped to her belt but she wasn't planning on using it. She had a different battle to fight. She remembered being a little girl in the Red Keep and how she tried to help the other women feel a little better when Stannis was trying to sack the city. Sansa remembered praying to gods that she desperately wanted to believe in to keep her safe. She remembered silently wishing that Stannis would take the city because she was fairly sure her life would be spared. She prayed for a stray arrow to take Joffrey's life and she prayed that if they were found by soldiers they were honorable enough not to take advantage of frightened ladies.

She was once again locked in a room with an enemy trying to break in only this time she was home. Sansa lead prayers to the old gods, gods that she once again was desperate to believe that they were real, and tried to keep everyone calm. She played with the children and brought them down to the fire so she could read them books. Sansa took a lot of people into her arms and let them hold onto her even though it made her skin crawl. Her people, these people, needed her and she would put away her own fears for that.

Tyrion watched her with a curious expression that she didn't understand until she had a moment to take a breath and relax as another sounded and she could hear the fighting just outside the main door.

"I've never seen you so in your element," Tyrion said as he sat down next to her. "What a Queen you would have made."

"I think we both know that isn't true," Sansa replied with a small smile. "If I'm going to die I'm just glad I can die here, in my home, and with my family nearby. After Joffrey took my father it was the least I wanted. Of course, I wanted to come home to a family that was alive but if I was going to die I didn't want it to be surrounded by enemies or strangers. I wanted the people I love close by." Sansa looked around the Great Hall and despite it all, she felt a sense of peace.

"I suppose that is all we can ask for in the end," Tyrion replied and he held up his glass. "My Lady." Sansa nodded as she looked at the door. The fighting was close and every time something slammed into the wood the people in the Great Hall jumped. Sansa frowned and stood up. She could hear people telling her to stay away from the door but she wasn't listening. There was a mournful howl of a direwolf and for half a moment Sansa swore she could feel Lady again.

It was like there was a voice in her head that sounded like Bran. He was whispering something she didn't understand and as Sansa eased the heavy furniture away from the door and placed her hand on it she tried to hear. Perhaps these were the old gods that she thought had abandoned her so many years ago. Maybe it was the Seven or the Lord of Light or maybe it was Bran speaking to her. Sansa closed her eyes, pressed her forehead to the door, and waited for clarity.

+++

Arya continued to fight but the battle was beginning to weigh her down. Her muscles were screaming and every inch of her hurt. The wights got in a few lucky cuts but, so far, she wasn't going to bleed to death. Arya wanted water or rest or just a moment to catch her breath but there was none. There was no time. She knocked another wight down and scanned the courtyard for another White Walker. That would be a more difficult fight but at least killing one would give them a moment.

She caught a glimpse of Nymeria and Ghost as the wolves attacked the wights which seemed to be falling to their fangs but there weren't enough. Arya had seen a few wolf corpses around the courtyard and the pack was falling. She wondered if Nymeria was ever going to forgive her for asking them to fight.

Arya blinked when she saw a dark figure moving throughout the courtyard, fighting like nothing she had ever seen before. She had seen Jon fight but she hadn't ever seen him like this. She watched as he sliced through wight after wight and while he was far away Arya was grateful that he didn't look too injured. He saw her, from across the courtyard, and ran over to her. Arya didn't hesitate as she threw her arms around her favorite brother.

"I thought you were dead when Rhaegal fell," she whispered.

"Daenerys saved me," Jon replied as he pulled away. He and Gendry hugged briefly as they looked out at the battle in their home. "Arya, I don't know if we can do this," he whispered. "The dragonfire did nothing and I'm not sure any weapon is going to be strong enough to kill that thing." Arya wanted to say something to make Jon feel better but the words died on her tongue when she saw how pale Gendry had gotten all of a sudden.

"A weapon," he whispered as he dropped his mace on the ground. Gendry looked at Jon and his blue eyes were large and wild. "You need a stronger weapon to kill the Night King and I know how. She told me but I wasn't listening but I get it now."

"Gendry, what are you talking about?" Arya asked even though she had a sinking feeling she knew what "she" he was talking about. Gendry didn't reply as he looked at Jon.

"Let me see Longclaw," he said and Jon hesitated as he handed over the sword. Arya was about to ask what he thought he was doing when Gendry rolled up his sleeve and sliced a cut into his arm.

"Gendry!" Arya called out and she tried to get over to him, to make him stop hurting himself, but there was something about the way he looked at her that made Arya freeze.

"King's blood," Gendry said as he began to slowly cover Longclaw with his blood. "She said that my blood is a powerful weapon. She told me that she was going to use it as a weapon. I think I can use it to make a weapon stronger." The cut on his arm deepened as he worked to cover Longclaw and Arya winced but Gendry didn't even seem to notice. The blade was covered in deep red blood but it looked strange. He landed it back to Jon and something in the air shifted. The blood on the blade looked like it froze and instead of fighting with steel Jon was going to fight with a blade made out of ruby.

"How is this possible?" Jon whispered. Gendry didn't seem to even notice that he was bleeding all over the snow but Arya reached under her leathers and ripped her shirt. She quickly tried to wrap the wound but it needed to be stitched. Gendry winced as Jon looked at the blade. There was the sound of a commotion and they all looked up to see the Night King walking into the gate followed by another White Walker. Arya tasted blood in her mouth as she tried to calm her beating heart.

"Go," she said to Jon.

"Arya--" Jon started but she shook her head.

"We'll distract the White Walker and you go protect our brother. You can do this," Arya said. There wasn't time to do much else as the Night King began to raise any soldier that had died. Jon pressed a brief kiss to her forehead and raced off toward the godswood. The Night King paused and looked directly at her and, for a second, Arya swore that her heart stopped beating. The Night King nodded once to the White Walker which began to stalk toward the two of them. Gendry had his mace back in hand and Arya could see that he was already bleeding through the band.

There was no time.

The White Walker charged the two of them and unlike the last time Arya was not prepared. This White Walker was fighting a lot faster and much more ruthless. It kept looking at the door like it knew that there were people behind that door that couldn't fight back. They were close to the door, a few feet away from it, and Arya wondered if Sansa could hear them fighting. The White Walker knocked one of Arya's blades to the ground and there wasn't any time to go get it. Gendry was struggling and when the White Walker managed to knock his mace down it took Gendry by the arm and forced him to his knees. Arya thought she screamed "no" but even holding down Gendry with one hand it disarmed her with the other.

Arya wasn't sure what she thought a White Walker's hands would feel like on her skin but as it took her by the throat and lifted her clear off of her feet Arya could feel it burning like frostbite. It was strangling her and she could only watch as Gendry's arm snapped and he cried out in pain. They were losing this fight and Arya swore that she heard Brienne scream out a "no" but she couldn't be sure. The world was beginning to go a little dark around the edges and Arya couldn't kick anymore. Gendry was struggling but the White Walker snapped the bones in his arm again. There was nothing Arya could do; they were out of time.

The door to the Great Hall was not to open under any circumstances and that was the rule of this battle. Until it was confirmed that the Night King was dead the door to the Great Hall was not to open. Arya thought her mind must be playing tricks on her because the door opened. Sansa stood there, red hair blazing like the fire that was slowly consuming their home, and a dragonglass dagger in hand. Arya wanted to tell her sister to run, to close the door, but Sansa calmly took two steps forward and before the White Walker could react, Sansa stabbed it through the eye with the dagger.

The White Walker burst into pieces and Arya dropped to the floor. She drew a breath and the world around her began to clear. She coughed violently as Sansa knelt down next to her.

"You weren't supposed to open the door," Arya said and her voice sounded hoarse. Gendry was clutching his arm to his chest and gritting his teeth so hard Arya thought they were going to break.

"I won't apologize for saving my little sister," Sansa said as she looked out. The wights were going to regroup quickly and they didn't have any time to waste. Arya saw that Edmure hadn't moved and one of his legs was twisted in a terrible angle.

"We need to move Edmure to the Great Hall," Arya said. It took a little effort but the two of them managed to drag their uncle's limp form into the Great Hall. Arya turned to Gendry to tell him to go in too but he shook his head.

"I'm not going anywhere," he said and he sounded like he was in so much pain. Arya wanted to tell him not to be stupid but her stubborn husband pushed himself to his feet, took his mace into the arm that already had the cut on it and glared at her as if daring her to try and convince him to leave. Arya glanced at Sansa and nodded.

"Close the door and don't open it again," she said. Sansa nodded quietly, picked up the dragonglass dagger from the ground, and locked the doors to the Great Hall behind her. Arya looked around and found a sword belt lying on the ground. "If you insist on staying then let me help." It wasn't the best idea and Gendry screamed when she tied it but using the belt to hold Gendry's broken arm to his chest was the only idea she had. The wights were regrouping and they needed to give Jon time to kill the Night King.

Arya was once again aware that they were out of time as she struggled to fight. She had found her other blade but it wasn't enough. Her throat ached and made it hard to breathe and every bad move she made the wights managed to get through her defenses. She felt a sword slice her side but Arya felt like she was beyond pain. She saw Gendry fighting with one arm as the bandage on his arm bled through and became useless. Arya was once again watching her husband bleed out in front of her. Maybe the gods did exist and they had a sense of humor. Gendry stumbled, another wound to his leg, and Arya knew that he wasn't getting up again.

She put herself between him and the wights but she was losing the battle. Arya wanted to protect him, the people in the Great Hall, Winterfell, every single person in Westeros, but this was all she could do. Another White Walker approached and Arya readied herself for battle. She could hear Gendry struggling to get to his feet but she couldn't think about him right now. She needed to focus on the creature in front of her.

Arya didn't know it was desperation and luck or skill but she found herself capable of holding this White Walker off. The world, the battle, around her fell away and all she could hear was her own ragged breathing and her heartbeat. She focused in a way she hadn't done in many years. Arya hardly heard the howl as Nymeria distracted the White Walker long enough for Arya to shove her blade through its chest. She fell to one knee and looked up at her wolf, cut and bloody, and still so strong. The pack was surrounding her and Gendry, trying to fight the wights off and keep them safe, but there were too many.

Her wolf was giving her a chance to say goodbye.

Arya stumbled back to Gendry and fell to the ground before him. He looked at her, so pale and breathing hard, and he placed a hand on the wound on her side. Arya knew she was bleeding badly and combined with the other wounds she knew there wasn't much time. Gendry didn't say anything; he pushed himself up to his knees and pulled her close. It must have hurt but Arya still held onto him as the world ends around them. The wolves weren't going to last long against the wights and if a blade didn't take her wounds would.

They were out of time.

Arya closed her eyes to the hell that surrounded her and hugged her husband as the world ended around them.

+++

Jon raced into the godswood as fast as his feet could carry him but he couldn't stop looking at Longclaw. He didn't know why the blood froze like that or why his blade looked like a gem rather than steel but Melisandre proved there was some magic in the world. Maybe her rantings about the power of king's blood were true too. They needed to end this quickly; Jon knew that Arya and Gendry weren't going to last much longer with their wounds.

The weirwood came into view and Jon could see that it was just Meera and Theon left. Meera looked rapid and there were blood and dirt on her clothes, her face, and hands. She looked like some warrior from a story come to life. Theon was on the ground and it looked like he was unable to stand. As Jon ran up to them he could see the deep and ugly wound in Theon's knee. There was no way he would be standing on that today.

Bran looked up when Jon joined the two of them and his eyes were clear. There was blood running down the side of his face and caking his hair, one of his arms looked broken, in the other hand he held the Valyrian Steel blade that nearly took his life, and his chair was smashed to bits.

"He's coming," Bran whispered and they all looked toward the entrance of the godswood. The wights nearby stopped fighting as the Night King began to emerge from the falling snow.

"Jon, what's wrong with your sword?" Theon asked but Jon wasn't really listening. There was a buzzing in his brain that he was unable to ignore. All he could think about was Gendry cutting his own arm opening and declaring the power in king's blood. Jon wasn't sure it was going to be enough to save them.

"Jon," Bran said and even over the chaos he could hear his little brother perfectly. "Gendry isn't the only one with king's blood in his veins." Jon didn't understand what Bran meant for half a second until he realized. He was the son of Rhaegar Targaryen, the son of a prince and the blood of the dragons rushed through his veins. Vaguely, he thought he could hear Theon and Meera asking him what he was doing but Jon ripped off his gauntlet and threw it down to the ground.

It hurt as Jon used his own sword to cut into his arm but at the same time, he hardly felt it. The world around them was getting quiet as the Night King approached. Jon liberally covered Longclaw with another coat of blood which, as soon as he was done, seemed to freeze yet again. Jon looked up and saw the Night King walking toward them and this was the only chance they would have.

Jon clenched Longclaw and walked forward to meet the Night King on the battlefield.

+++

In time, the stories that would become legends would talk about the fight that King Jon Snow raged against the Night King. The legends spoke of an epic battle, one for the songs, but the truth is never as interesting as the legends. Jon Snow met the Night King on the battlefield and the first time their swords clashed Jon's sword burst into flames. The truth was that once that fire was lit Jon Snow took the head of the ultimate evil in less than six moves.

The Night King fell and so did the armies of the dead.

The next few minutes were a bit of a blur for Jon. The whole world seemed to stop for a moment as the Night King ceased to be. As the shards of ice fell to the ground the blood on Longclaw splintered and fell as well. Tiny shards of red mixed within the pile of ice that used to be the Night King and Jon didn't know what to do. The world around him seemed to go silent as he looked up. The wights in the courtyard fell and Jon felt something within him release. The wights were falling so killing the Night King ended it all. The war was over and the people he loved were finally safe.

It took him a moment to turn around and walk back to Theon, Bran, and Meera. Theon's knee was a mess; it looked like a wight had stabbed him straight through the center of his knee. Jon knelt down next to the man he used to think as a brother and looked at the wound. It wasn't life-threatening but Jon knew that some wounds caused more pain than others. Theon was staring at him while wincing painfully.

"Stay here," Jon said quietly and he looked at Meera and Bran too. Bran held one his arms to his best and there was blood dripping down the side of his face. Meera looked stricken like something inside of her was broken. Howland lay on the ground not far from her and Jon winced. He didn't want to think about what it must be like to lose a father like that. He knew what he felt when he heard about Ned dying Jon didn't want to think about what someone like Meera or Sansa, people who witnessed it, had to go through. "All three of you. I'm going to send someone to help you. Bran's chair is broken and Theon you should not walk on that knee unless you want to make it worse." Theon nodded as he held a hand to the wound to try and staunch the bleeding. Bran didn't say a word but his eyes were clearer than Jon had seen them since they were reunited. "Meera." She blinked once and looked at him. Jon didn't know if saying anything about her father would hurt or help right now.

"I'll look after them," Meera said softly and she looked at Bran. Jon didn't think there were words for how conflicted she looked at that moment and Bram looked like he was afraid to even touch her.

"Thank you," Jon said and he hesitated. "I'm sorry." Meera didn't say anything, she didn't even look at him, as he walked out of the godswood as fast as his sore body possibly could. He needed to see his family alive and well and right now that meant getting to the Great Hall as fast as he could. Arya and Gendry were struggling when he left them and he could only imagine how much worse it got.

People were beginning to walk around the courtyard in a daze like they couldn't believe what was happening either. Jon felt his blood run cold when he saw two bodies on the ground and someone all too familiar kneeling next to them. Gendry and Arya were close together, it looked like they'd been holding each other, and now they were lying on the snow surrounded by red. Mesliandre was nearby and she was looking at the two of them fondly as she touched Gendry's blood-soaked hair.

"I will end you if you don't move away from them this instant," Jon said and he didn't even recognize his own voice. Melisandre looked over her shoulder at him and pushed herself to her feet.

"They are alive, Your Grace," she said. "Though perhaps not for long if they don't get care immediately."

"If you hurt them--"

"I did not though I see the boy hurt himself," Melisandre interrupted as she looked at the wound on Gendry's wrist. Jon was usually better at hiding himself but he immediately touched a similar wound on his own wrist. He hoped that Melisandre didn't notice but judging by the way she smirked she did. "The power in king's blood." Jon wanted to stop her but Melisandre walked away from him without another word. She was heading for the gates and he wanted to stop her, throw her back in the dungeon, but there were more important things to tend to. Jon knelt down and tried to ignore the way Gendry and Arya's blood was soaking into the knees of his pants.

One of Gendry's arms was held to his chest with what looked like a swordbelt and Jon could see that it looked like it was terribly broken. The wound on Gendry's wrist appeared to have gotten worse and it looked like he took a stab wound to the leg. Arya had a deep cut on her side and several smaller wounds but it was her neck that frightened him. Jon could only guess it must have come from a White Walker because it looked like frostbite around her neck in the shape of a hand. It looked like a similar wound on Gendry's arm which Jon assumed is how it came to be broken.

"Jon?" a voice said and Jon looked up to see Sansa standing a few feet away. Her eyes were wide and she looked like she'd spent the battle running around. He guessed that she probably had as she tried to keep everyone in the Great Hall calm. "No," Sansa whispered as she fell to her knees beside Gendry and Arya. "They were hurt. I knew I should have made them come into the Great Hall when I had a chance."

"They aren't gone yet," Jon said. He wanted nothing more than to fall apart but now was not the time. He needed to take control and that meant making sure that his sister and her husband lived another day. Jon beckoned some guards over and insisted that they put Arya and Gendry in their room right away and to send up a maester. Sansa looked like she was about to follow but she hesitated.

"Jon, did you see--" she cut herself off like she couldn't force herself to even say the words.

"Theon, Bran, and Meera are all alive," Jon reassured her as he took her hands into his own. "No one can sew like you and I don't think Arya or Gendry want to be covered in terrible scars. You should go take care of them and I'll be up to see you soon."

"Jon, no, you need help--" Sansa said but Jon shook his head. Sansa might be a princess and she might take her role as the acting Lady of Winterfell very seriously but this was his responsibility, not hers.

"Please," Jon said softly. Sansa looked down and noticed the wound on his wrist. She touched it, carefully, and bit down on her lower lip. He was bleeding but not terribly and not so much that it didn't to be taken care of now. Sansa released his hand and pulled out a dragonglass dagger. Jon was about to ask what she was doing when Sansa picked up her dress and ripped a large piece of cloth off. The material was thick and warm which was a perfect bandage as she tied it around the wound on his arm. "Go take care of them and I'll have someone send word once Theon, Bran, and Meera are in their rooms so you can take care of them too. You take care of our family so I can focus on taking care of Winterfell. I wouldn't trust this with anyone else."

"I'm so glad you're safe," Sansa said as she threw her arms around him. Jon was reminded of the moment they were first reunited and how grateful he was to have family in his arms again. He pulled away from her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Sansa nodded and raced into the castle to help take care of Arya and Gendry. Jon took a deep breath and realized it was time to go see how bad the night was for everyone.

The godswood already told him that House Karstark was gone and Jon could already see the corpse of Lyanna Mormont. Ned Umber had insisted on fighting and Jon didn't have a good feeling about whether or not he was going to see the young boy again. He might be the King in the North but he might be a King with no subjects. He picked his way through the destruction and looked for familiar faces despite how conflicted he was about seeing them. The first familiar face he saw was Jaime Lannister who was staring ahead. Jon followed his gaze and realized that he was looking at Brienne and she was cradling the body of Podrick.

"You shouldn't have been out here," Brienne said and she was openly weeping. Jon knew that despite how much she rolled her eyes she cared deeply about her young squire and he couldn't imagine what she was feeling. Arya, Gendry, and Meera were going to devastated. They were close to the young man. "You're just a boy and you shouldn't have been out here."

"I promised her I would look out for him," Jaime whispered as he made no move to get any closer to Brienne which was probably a good idea. "I promised I would look out for him but that White Walker. It was good fast and it was coming for me and--" Jaime cut himself off. "He was a good kid and he saved my worthless life. It should have been me." Jon didn't know what to say but he placed a hand on Jaime's shoulder and squeezed it.

"Make sure she takes care of herself," Jon said softly and Jaime nodded. He walked further into the wreckage and managed to find Davos and embraced the old man tightly. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Not sure how I keep surviving these battles when warriors more skilled than me keep falling," Davos said. Jon didn't know what to say but he tried to maintain perspective. He gave Davos some orders to go and try to help the wounded which Davos happily accepted. Jon continued to wander and realized that it wasn't just some houses of the North that were gone. Beric, Thoros, and all of the Brotherhood members appeared to be gone. Jon didn't know the men extremely well but this wasn't their fight and they fought it anyway. They went south and helped take care of House Frey so Arya could come home safe. They would be buried with honor even though many considered them nothing more than outlaws.

Tormund and Sandor both stumbled up to him and Jon let Tormund pull him into a tight hug. Tormund was a good friend and someone that Jon was far too happy to see survive. Sandor, on the other hand, looked like he just swallowed a lemon as he looked around the wreckage of Winterfell.

"Did they get to the Little Bird?" Sandor asked and sometimes Jon forgot the nickname that Sandor had for Sansa.

"No, Arya and Gendry managed to keep them out of the Great Hall. There were no injuries with the noncombatants," Jon replied.

"And? Did the wolf bitch or the twat with the hammer or the squid fucker make it?" Sandor asked and Jon narrowed his eyes because he really wasn't okay with someone calling Arya a "wolf bitch". He also knew that now probably wasn't the time to yell at a man for so he decided it was probably best to move past it.

"Yes, they are all alive for now though seriously injured," Jon said. Sandor grunted once and then walked away without another word. Tormund shook his head and slapped Jon on the back hard enough that he winced.

"He's a right bastard that one but he fights like nothing I've ever seen," Tormund said. "He helped me kill one of the White Walkers and watched my back throughout the battle. Not a bad one to keep around."

"He's weirdly attached to my sister so I'm not sure I could get rid of him if I tried," Jon replied.

"Jon, your friend Sam, I saw him after the battle so he is alive but the man you appointed Lord Commander of the Black Brothers did not," Tormund said. "He fell on the frontlines. I'm not sure how many of your Black Brothers survived at all." Jon wasn't sure what to say to that but it hurt to think of the men he served with were dead.

"Thank you for telling me," Jon said and Tormund clasped his shoulder. Jon could hear the dragons outside Winterfell and now it was time to see if Daenerys was okay. Jon clasped Tormund's hand and walked toward the gates and just as he got to the gates Daenerys stepped in.

Her face was wind burned from the cold and something that Jon was all too familiar with. Her white fur coat was covered in ash but Jon could see blood on her hands and on her coat. She didn't appear to be wounded though.

"I did my best," Daenerys said and she stumbled hard enough that Jon had to catch her to keep her from falling. "We rained fire down on them but we stayed far enough away so we wouldn't hurt the men. It was working and despite the cold beginning to burn I was okay. Then I saw them attacking Rhaegal and I had to go help but they managed to separate me from my children." She was trembling and Jon had a feeling that she was barely holding herself together. "Ser Jorah, he protected me, and there was a White Walker--" Daenerys cut herself off as she looked around the wreckage.

"There would have been more loss of life if you and your children hadn't protected us," Jon said as he rubbed up and down her arms. Daenerys blinked at him once, twice, and then she visibly seemed to be pulling herself together the same way he had to. There were times to fall apart but for the two of them, that moment couldn't be right now.

"Have you seen Grey Worm?" she asked.

"No, Your Grace, but I will help you look for him," Jon said. The fact that the Unsullied commander did not come running to Daenerys when she walked into Winterfell did not sit well with him. They checked with the wounded first and Daenerys paid her respects to Brienne and Jaime when she sees the two of them with Podrick. Daenerys was looking more and more pale by the moment and Jon knew what was coming.

Grey Worm's body was near the entrance of Winterfell not far from where Jon had found her. A nearby soldier told him that Grey Work had fought extremely bravely and tried to fight two White Walker's at once. He said that Grey Worm saw a White Walker approaching Daenerys after she was on the ground and he distracted it so it would come after him. He killed them both but not before taking a fatal wound to the chest. Daenerys gently reached forward and closed his eyes as they walked back toward the castle. Missandei emerged and she looked so relieved to see that Daenerys was okay.

"Your Grace, I'm so glad you're okay," Missandei said and she was smiling. Jon felt like this was a moment where he shouldn't be here and stepped away to give the two women some privacy. He lingered close, giving orders to people to help make sure that no one else died now that the battle was over, but out of the corner of his eye, he watched Missandei collapse as Daenerys held her close. Jon looked away but he could still hear Missandei crying. It felt like hours later that Daenerys walked up to him and he felt unsteady. There was so much death around him, so many people lost, his home was in ruins, and he wasn't sure if Arya or Gendry were going to survive.

Jon felt a hand in his and he looked over at Daenerys. She also looked unsteady and seemed to make a decision. She pulled him through the castle and Jon followed without a word. He wasn't sure he had it in himself to say anything right now. It wasn't until Daenerys pulled him into his own solar and closed the door that he realized what was going on. They were a king and queen and they couldn't fall apart in public. In front of each other, as friends, they could and Jon knew he wouldn't think less of her for it and the same for her.

Jon wasn't sure if he collapsed into her arms or if it was the other way around but one minute they were both standing and staring at each other and the next they were on the ground and openly weeping. Jon cried for all of the people that were dead; for young people like Lyanna and Ned and Alys who barely started their lives and whose houses were extinct. He cried for his Black Brothers and all of the good soldiers he lost. He sobbed for his little sister and her husband who nearly killed themselves protecting others. Jon allowed himself to break down completely.

Daenerys, it seemed, was doing the same thing. While Jon didn't want to say anything Daenerys spoke as she wept. She cried for the Dothraki that were all but gone. She cried for Grey Worm and how heartbroken Missandei was. She cried for Rhaegal and how she didn’t know if he would ever fly again. And she could barely find the words when she spoke of Jorah. Jon didn't know the nature of their relationship but he was beginning to think it went deeper than being a sworn shield. Jon didn't ask and he didn't tell her it was going to be okay because he knew what it was like to lose someone you loved deeply and it never stopped hurting.

Jon and Daenerys gave themselves a few more minutes to break down and then they had to get back up. Daenerys squeezed his hands and pulled him into a hug. It was still a little strange being friends with a woman but it was good. He and Daenerys were going to have to work together once the wars were over and he knew they both wanted peace once all of the blood was finished being spilled. They both straightened and made sure there was no evidence that there were ever tears.

They opened the door and left not a man and a woman who were reeling from tragedy but a King and Queen ready to put the needs of their people first regardless of what it cost.

+++

Sansa managed to keep her hands from shaking as she finishing stitching up on the wound on Arya's side. She had blushed a little and Maester Wolken had told her she could leave when they needed to stitch up Gendry's leg but Jon gave her a job to do and she was going to do. He was the King and that meant he couldn't just focus on their family. At least not right now. There would be time for that later. She hoped that Jon wouldn't wait too long to get the wound on his arm taken care of. The last thing they needed was for it to fester.

She had also removed most of her many layers of clothing and, while Wolken cleaned the wounds for her to stitch, she ran to her room to change into a simple dress that was easier to move around in. When Sansa noticed the blood on the bottom of her old dress she let herself have a minute to panic until she pulled herself together and went to help. Now at least Arya and Gendry weren't in danger of bleeding out but there were other problems.

Sansa remembered the moment she knew she needed to open the door to the Great Hall. The people around her started screaming but a strange sense of calm washed over her. She pulled out the dagger that Gendry gave her and opened the door to hell. A White Walker, that had to be what this thing was, was strangling Arya with one hand and twisting Gendry's arm painfully behind his back with the other. There wasn't any time to think about what just happened; she bared her teeth at the thing in front of her and embedded the dagger directly in the things eye.

She knew she should have insisted Arya and Gendry come into the Great Hall with her after they dragged Edmure inside but they wouldn't. Now they were both half dead with terrible frostbite where the White Walker had touched their skin. A guard came in just as Sansa was laying warm a warm cloth on Arya's neck to try and combat the frostbite.

"Your brother and Lord Theon are in their rooms," the guard said.

"What are their injuries?" Wolken asked.

"Lord Theon appears to have taken a knife to the knee, it looks pretty bad, while Lord Bran is bleeding from the head and his arm doesn't look right," the guard replied. Wolken nodded and looked at Sansa.

"I will go check on Lord Theon if you will go see to your brother," Wolken said. Sansa nodded and quickly made her way down the hall to Bran's room. She froze when she saw who was sitting in Bran's bed. For the first time in a long time, her little brother was looking back at her. Meera was sitting in a chair staring out a window. She was covered in blood and dirt but she didn't appear to be injured. Sansa heard from Wolken that Howland was among the dead and she didn't know how to comfort Meera. Sansa sat next to Bran and looked at his head. He winced as she touched the wound.

"I fell into the weirwood," Bran said as Sansa dipped a cloth into some water to wash some of the blood away. "I hit my head and broke my arm but when it happened it was like I was me again."

"Are you saying you quite literally knocked the Night King out of your head?" Sansa asked as she started to stitch the wound. Bran whimpered and moved his arm instinctually. Without saying a word Meera got up, sat down next to Bran, and let him hold onto her with his good hand while Sansa worked.

"Bran," Sansa said softly. "Arya and Gendry are in their room and they--they aren't doing great but they're alive."

"It was Jon," Meera said after a moment of silence. "He killed that thing." Sansa wasn't surprised that it was Jon and it made her proud of her brother. Now the North could not deny him as their King even though he wasn't Ned Stark's son. No one would try to take him away, take any of them, away from Winterfell ever again. They could stay and rebuild and be safe.

"I'm going to check on Theon," Sansa said as she stood up. "I'll send Wolken down to splint your arm." She took Bran's hand into her own and squeezed it. "It's good to have you back, little brother." Sansa walked out of the room and nearly ran into Wolken. He was frowning and she tried to hide her panic. She must not have been doing a very good job because Wolken gestured for her to follow him. "Please, tell me he's all right."

"He's alive, my lady," Wolken said which wasn't the same thing. "From what Lady Meera told me a wight stabbed him through the knee. The blade passed completely through. While the wound isn't deadly it is very bad. Knees are funny things and when they are injured badly they usually don't heal the same way."

"What are you saying?" Sansa whispered.

"I'm saying that there is a good chance that Lord Theon won't be able to walk properly again and that if he can walk at all it will come with considerable pain," he explained. Sansa clenched her fists because Theon didn't deserve this. He had already lost so much and now he wouldn't be able to walk properly. A moving ship would be extremely difficult for someone who had trouble walking and Theon might be Stark but he was also Ironborn. "There is another option, my lady. We could remove the leg from above the knee. Your good brother could likely forge something as a replacement. He wouldn't be able to move easily but he could move without pain. He is asleep now but we could start the procedure if you are amendable."

"No," Sansa said immediately. "Theon had already had parts of himself cut away without anyone asking him. I won't do that to him, I won't. If he wants the procedure done I want to hear it from him. It has to be his choice." Wolken smiled sadly at her and nodded.

"I will go see Lord Bran now," Wolken said.

"If you see the King please tell him to come see me. Tell him I promise it won't take long," Sansa said. Wolken nodded and Sansa walked up to her room. Theon was asleep and she sat for a long time just watching him breathe. She should go make sure that Arya and Gendry were healing but she needed another moment. Sansa hardly heard the knock on her door but when she looked up she saw Jon. While she knew he cared about Theon he wouldn't want to sit in this room.

The two of them walked down to Arya and Gendry's room where Sansa forced her brother to sit down so she could stitch his arm.

"Gendry has a wound just like this," she said as she worked. Jon shifted slightly and she glared as he was making it harder to work.

"It's kind of a long story and we don't really have time," Jon said.

"Tell me what you can while I stitch your arm," Sansa replied. Her hands didn't tremble when she stitched skin and the blood didn't bother her. Jon looked a little fragile but in the warm comfort of the room, with their family sleeping nearby, Jon opened his mouth and spoke.

Jon let Sansa finish stitching the wound on his arm as he told her about what happened with the Night King. He told her about how Gendry nearly bled himself to make Longclaw stronger and how he was more than willing to do the same at the end. He told her about how he still didn't feel safe even though the dead were dead and they weren't rising again. And finally, he got up, told Sansa to make sure that their family was safe, and walked out of the room. There wasn't time to dwell on anything at the moment.

For the next three days, Jon worked tirelessly to separate the dead from the living. Massive funeral pyres were being put together outside of the castle that they were going to light once everything was ready. The numbers were starting to come in and it wasn't looking good. The Dothraki were all but gone with less than fifty of them remaining all together. The Unsullied were a little better off but a good half of their forces were gone as well along with their leader. Jon had no idea what Daenerys was going to do about that but now wasn't the time.

As he expected the Northern forces took a terrible hit as well and they were down more than half. On top of that, there were men loyal to houses that no longer existed. Jon didn't know what he was going to do with the Umber men or the Karstark men when their house was gone. Rhaegal's wing was also not healing properly and it was beginning to look like even though they had three dragons only two would be making the journey south.

They didn't have the numbers to take King's Landing and Jon was beginning to think that Daenerys was coming to terms with that as well. She didn't say anything about it and Jon didn't want to think about it right now. There were more important things to focus on.

Such as the fact that the first time Theon woke up he was in such terrible pain that he screamed. It terrified Sansa and she tried to calm him down but he said it hurt too much. It triggered something and he was convinced that he was back with Ramsay. It took three people holding him down to get more milk of the poppy in his system so he could get more rest. Sansa quietly cried and when Wolken mentioned cutting off the leg again she insisted that Theon needed to agree to it before anything was going to happen.

Whatever was in Bran's head appeared to be gone and all Jon found these days was his little brother. He wasn't as goofy or smiley as he was when he was a kid but he smiled and laughed a little which was more than Jon could say for Meera. She seemed to spend a lot of time curled up in a chair and staring out of the window. Bran would sit next to her and occasionally reach over to take her hand much like she would when he used to get lost in his own head.

"I love her Jon," Bran said one morning that Meera wasn't in the room. "I love her but her father and her brother have died for me. I'm not sure if she will ever forgive me for that and I'm not even sure I deserve it."

"This isn't your fault," Jon insisted but Bran carried the weight of this battle on his shoulders. There was still a mark on his arm from the Night King and Bran would stare at it like it could provide him answers. Jon didn't want to tell Bran that Meera would forgive him because he didn't know if she would. Right now, the best thing they could do was to let her cope the only way she could. Jon caught Meera and Sansa quietly talking and if there was anyone who knew what it was like to watch their father die it was Sansa. House Reed didn't deserve this, he considered Meera family at this point, and he hated seeing her in pain.

Arya and Gendry slept and barely moved from the moment they were taken off of the battlefield. Wolken and Sam both insisted that they were healing well, that none of their wounds were festering, and that Gendry's arm should make a full recovery. When he asked why they weren't waking up Sam and Wolken didn't have an answer and Jon spent many nights sitting by their bedside to watch them breathe. It helped chase away the nightmares of blue eyes that never shut.

+++

Arya didn't remember much. One moment she was holding Gendry as he went slack against her and the world was ending. The next she was opening her eyes and she was in her room in Winterfell with Jon sitting nearby. Arya blinked a few times so she could see properly and tried to say something to Jon. Instead, a groan came out and he nearly jumped out of his skin.

"You're awake," he whispered and for a moment she thought her proud brother was going to cry. Arya felt weak but she also wanted to sit up more than anything. Jon put his hand behind her back and between the two of them, they managed to move her into a sitting position. It wasn't until Jon handed her a glass of water to drink that Arya realized she wasn't alone in her bed. Much like the bandit attack that nearly took their lives all of those years ago once again, Arya found herself in bed as they both recovered from terrible injuries. "He's healing," Jon said when he saw her looking at him. Gendry's arm, the one that the White Walker broke, was wrapped in an elaborate splint. She could see a bandage around the wound that was on his wrist and there were healing bruises all over his bare chest. He was warm, despite how pale he was, and she could feel him breathing.

"We're still alive so I guess we won," Arya said and her voice sounded terrible. Jon winced and Arya touched her throat where the White Walker had nearly strangled her. The skin was rough but she could feel it healing just like when she got burned by ice when she was a child.

"We did," Jon whispered. Arya blinked and stared at him as she made a gesture for Jon to continue. "I will explain everything when Gendry wakes up. That way I won't have to say it twice."

"Did the Great Hall fall?" she asked and Arya was unsure if she wanted to know the answer.

"No, you and Gendry held the line and nearly died doing so," Jon said. "Bran, Meera, Theon, and Sansa are all alive and healing. So far it looks like Bran is himself again. When the Night King died the Three-Eyed Raven let our brother come home."

"Who did we lose?" Arya said and Jon looked like he didn't want to answer her. "Jon, tell me who we lost."

"Howland, all of the Brotherhood, most of the Dothraki, over half of the Unsullied, several entire houses in the North are extinct now, Grey Worm," Jon said and he was hesitating and it made Arya's stomach twist. "Podrick." She closed her eyes and pressed her lips together. Podrick was a good friend and someone that she was getting close to. She couldn't imagine what Brienne was going through to lose a squire like that.

"He wanted to be the first man knighted by the first female knight in Westeros," Arya whispered and she felt Jon sit down on the edge of the bed. He took her hand into his and she held on as if for dear life. When she opened her eyes she could see how hard Jon was trying to keep himself together and she wondered if there were more deaths that he wasn't telling her about. "What else?"

"Theon took a knife to the knee," Jon said softly. "He's been waking up screaming from the pain and Wolken thinks we might have to remove his leg from above the knee to save his life. Rhaegal's wing also isn't healing so we're minus a dragon for the fight in the south." Arya didn't ask if they have the numbers to beat Cersei because she was fairly sure that they didn't. She didn't know how Daenerys would take that information. "Get some rest, Arya. If Wolken says it's okay and you won't tear Sansa's stitches you can come to the lighting of the funeral pyres tomorrow."

"How long have we been asleep?" Arya asked.

"Five days," Jon replied. "I'm sending Wolken up in a moment so he can check you and Gendry out. Maybe he can tell us when he's going to wake up." Arya didn't bother to correct her brother with "if" instead of "when" since there was a chance that Gendry might not wake up. He'd dodged death once from massive blood loss; there were no promises that he would make it this time. Arya nodded and settled back into bed as Jon walked out of the room. She gently ran her fingers through Gendry's hair as silent tears fell down her cheeks.

"Time to wake up my stubborn bull," she whispered. "We need to put our home back together."

+++

Gendry woke up a few hours after Arya did and managed to scare the living daylights out of her when he touched her arm. He was smiling a little at her reaction and Arya had to resist hitting him for it. The sun was down and the rest of the castle was sleeping but now they were awake and looking at each other again. Arya's heart clenched as she realized that she was the one who was going to have to tell Gendry about all of the people they lost.

"My arm is killing me and I'm assuming I wouldn't be in pain if I was dead," Gendry said softly and Arya nodded.

"Yeah, we're alive," she whispered. "I thought I lost you. When we were kneeling in the snow I felt you go limp in my arms and it was like the bandits all over again. I don't want to watch you die yet the Gods seem keen to keep putting me in that situation."

"I don't want you to have to watch me die either," Gendry replied as he reached forward with his good arm and ran his thumb along her cheekbone. "But we made it, we made it through another battle, and we'll just keep trying to get through them until the battles stop."

"I don't think they will ever stop," Arya said. She turned her head and pressed a soft kiss to Gendry's wrist. Arya could feel his pulse beneath her lips and it helped settle the anxiety she felt. They were both still in danger of their wounds getting infected but the fact that he was awake at all was a good sign. Wolken mentioned that there were people who were still alive that hadn't woken up from the battle and might not ever. The thought that he might be one of them terrified her. "The selfish part of me wants to ask you to stay here in the north and not go south to fight. I know that Jon and Daenerys would let you if you asked. In fact, they might agree that it would be wise to keep you away from Cersei considering how much she wants your head."

"Would you stay behind?" Gendry asked with a raised eyebrow. He already knew the answer to that question; she couldn't. Cersei was responsible for taking her family away from her and Arya still wanted revenge. She still wanted to be the one to put Needle through that woman's throat in the name of the Stark's the same way she killed Walder Frey. "If they asked me to stay behind and I told them the only way I would is if you stayed as well, would you listen?"

"No," Arya whispered. "No, I want to be there, I need to be there when she dies."

"I told you I would follow you into the Red Keep if I thought revenge would bring you peace. I don't think it will but I will follow you. You can't ask me to stay behind," he said.

"But she'll be looking for you. You and Jon and Daenerys are the ones that she's going to want dead. Her soldiers know what you look like and she's going to want to hurt you for escaping. You're going to be in danger even with the Stark name now and--" Gendry didn't let her keep rambling as he pulled her into a soft kiss. It was distracting and she couldn't stop herself from getting a little lost in it as he slipped his tongue into her mouth. They were both far too hurt to do anything more than this but Arya loved the feeling of his mouth against hers.

"We go together or not at all," Gendry whispered against her lips. "She'll be looking for you too. She'll be looking for anyone so she can use us against each other because that's what she does. I deserve to be in this just as much as you do and you know it." Arya did know it but that didn't mean she was secretly hoping there was some way she could keep him safe. She wouldn't ask him to stay behind again and they settled down into the bed together. "You're avoiding telling me who lived and who died."

"I am," Arya whispered. She told him the good news first, that their family was largely unharmed and that Jon was the who killed the Night King. However, his face shut down a little as she told him about the losses. Gendry was a lot closer to Podrick than she was and seeing the way he had to close his eyes to keep from letting the tears fall was enough for Arya. She didn't hold back as she cried with him and he eventually let the tears fall too.

The funeral pyres would be lit in a few hours and Arya knew that Gendry was going to go against the advice of Wolken and Sam and he was going to be out there in honor of his comrades in arms. She tried not to think about Melisandre and the guilt that she said Gendry was going to carry for the rest of his life. Arya wasn't sure how much she believed in the Old Gods but she silently prayed for strength for both of them.

+++

Wolken and Sam both pitched a fit when they walked into the room and saw that Gendry was awake. They insisted that someone should have grabbed them as soon as it happened but Arya wasn't really listening. She was distracted by the way her family reacted to Gendry waking up and how he reacted to them. Jon walked into the room and immediately pulled Gendry into a hug that was apparently so tight that it hurt Gendry's broken arm. Sansa stormed in and immediately started berating him for staying out to fight when he was clearly extremely hurt and when she was done with her rant she hugged him tightly. Gendry, to his credit, seemed to deal with this about as well as he did everything else; with a bemused expression like he wasn't quite sure what was happening.

Jon sat down and explained to them exactly how he managed to kill the Night King. He told them that Gendry's blood and his made it possible. Sansa glanced at Arya and they both knew that Jon wasn't telling Gendry about why his blood was powerful. He didn't question it but as soon as Jon mentioned it it made sense. He was the son of a prince, a would-be king, the same as Gendry and there was power in king's blood. He also told them, quietly, that Melisandre had vanished after the battle ended and no one knew what had happened to her. Arya hoped that she was dead but she also didn't think they would get that lucky.

Wolken and Sam came back in and both tried to convince Gendry not to go to the funeral because of his leg wound but he insisted. Sansa told him that plenty of people were too injured to attend and there was no shame in it but he wouldn't hear it. Arya knew better than to argue when her husband set his mind to something so she got a crutch and helped him out of the castle. She tried not to look at the damage that was done to the castle but it was hard not to. So many parts were shattered and broken and the snow on the ground still looked as if it was stained red with blood.

As soon as they were out the gates of Winterfell Arya almost wished they hadn't come. All of a sudden people were crowding them, thanking them for keeping everyone in the Great Hall safe, for their sacrifice. Whenever someone said that Gendry would reach for the wound on his arm. Arya wondered just how much everyone knew about what he did to help save them and why he nearly bled out in the snow. There were chairs set up for the wounded. Edmure looked up and gave them both a small smile. He was pale and his leg was in an elaborate splint like Gendry's arm but he was alive. Arya tried to get Gendry to sit but he insisted on standing in honor of the dead.

The pyres really seemed to bring home the reality of how many people they had lost. They were several feet fall and filled with bodies from Northmen to the Unsullied. Jon and Daenerys did their best to give speeches that honored the dead but there was something about it that ran hollow to her. Arya clenched Gendry's good hand and held onto him. She was glad they had won, she was so happy that the people she loved were still here, but they had lost so many. Missandei was shaking as she tried to keep her emotions in check and Brienne looked like she was going to be sick. Jaime pressed his shoulder to hers and it really didn't seem to help.

The gods had spared her family in this battle but there were more to come and she didn't know if they would be lucky again. Her family didn't tend to do well when they went south and there was no avoiding going south now. If Daenerys had any chance of taking King's Landing she needed the north now more than ever. Jon would be on the frontlines and Gendry would follow her wherever she ended up in the battle. If they lost the battle in the south they would all be executed and Cersei would march on Winterfell to make sure that Sansa paid for her insolence with her life.

Gendry squeezed her hand and let her take one of the torches out to light the pyre. She passed by Podrick's pale form and lit the pyre where the Brotherhood lay. It was strange to see men like Beric and Thoros gone after their god had spared them for so many years. Arya couldn't help but wonder if their god had abandoned them or if they had completed what their god wanted them to complete. The Brotherhood killed a White Walker and it was one that helped keep Winterfell from being completely overrun. They were outlaws and thieves but they were good men and, if nothing else, Arya was glad she could honor them nobly for their sacrifice.

There was a feast tonight and as a member of House Stark she should attend but it was the last place she wanted to be. If seeing the bodies was bothering her she knew it was bothering Gendry as well. She hoped that he wasn't blaming himself but she knew he was at least on some level. If not for the lies that Melisandre fed him but the fact that he couldn't get the weapons made fast enough and they needed to fight at Winterfell instead of somewhere else.

"Arya, really, you should go," he said as they slowly made their way up to their room. "Walking out the pyres took a lot out of me and I just want to go to sleep but you should go. The people need to see their princess."

"And what of the knight that forged the very weapons that saved their lives? That gave his blood so they could live?" Arya asked as she closed the door to their room. Gendry might be stubborn but she would win every time. The truth was that she didn't want to go to the feast because Jon told her that tomorrow was the day he would abdicate and she didn't want to be around the people that could try to take his life or his crown. Right now she wanted to be with someone that she could trust and that was Gendry.

It took some work to pull off their layers without making their wounds worse and Gendry was pale and sweating by the time he got back into bed. Arya wanted to tell him about Jon but he was asleep within moments of his head hitting the pillow. She watched him sleep for a long time until her eyes hurt and the exhaustion of the day won out in the end. Arya slept and tried not to think about the blood soaking into the dirt just outside these walls.

Jon wanted to sleep but there was no possible way it was happening. The entire feast was awkward and he felt bad every time Daenerys would give him strange looks. He didn't want to act weird around her but he knew that he was lying and the thought of what she might do to him made Jon nervous. He didn't want the north to suffer because of it and he really didn't want his family to get hurt either. So he spent the night pacing around his room as Ghost watched him carefully. He spoke to the direwolf a few times but even when he dropped to the floor and wrapped his arms around Ghost the feeling of dread in his stomach didn't fade. There was no getting around this and he had to accept whatever fate came from abdicating.

For half of the night, Jon spent it resenting Ned for never telling anyone the truth. He knew why Ned kept his secret but there were some people that he should have told with Catelyn being the big one. Jon knew that she resented him and she never let him forget it but if Ned had trusted his wife then Jon could have been spared a lot of pain. Maybe Ned didn't trust her right away, they hardly knew each other when he was brought home from the war, but after so many years together Ned could have told her. When Jon was going to the wall Ned could have told him. There were so many opportunities for the truth and Ned kept it to himself.

He also resented his parents and could not get by it. Jon spent his entire life using the fact that he was a bastard like armor and knowing that he wanted and loved didn't change that. He didn't have any connection to Lyanna or Rhaegar and frankly, he didn't want any. Even if, by some sort of miracle, Daenerys tried to give him the Targaryen name he wouldn't accept it. Jon didn't feel like a dragon, he felt like a wolf, he felt like a man of the north, and he wanted to serve the north with pride.

The sun came up and Jon broke his fast in his room alone. Sansa would probably want to join him, Arya too, but he couldn't. He needed time alone and was thankful that he got it. He smiled at the people he saw as he made his way to the Great Hall. He had spent the entire night writing the piece of paper in his hand where he formally abdicated his claim to the Iron Throne. He left space on the contract for him to sign, Daenerys to accept his abdication, and a witness loyal to the north and witness loyal to Daenerys. This seemed like the only way that he could prove that he didn't want it and no one could dispute that.

Arya, Gendry, Sansa, Bran, and Meera were already in the Great Hall when he arrived. He tried to smile to his sisters but he knew it came across as more of a grimace. Jon took his seat at the table as he waited for Daenerys to join him. There was room on his side for his family and room on hers for several of her advisors. Jon took a deep breath and released it slowly. Sansa reached under the table and grasped his hand tightly. His family supported him and that was all that mattered in the end.

Daenerys arrived not long after and the last of the remaining northern lords came in. The doors were closed and it was time to address this group. Jon stood up slowly and looked out at the sea of people watching him.

"Your Grace," he said to Daenerys. "and my loyal lords and ladies. I must thank you all for bravely fighting against the Night King and his army. We stand here today because of your sacrifice and there are not enough words for me to say how thankful I am for that sacrifice. We will turn our eyes south to deal with our next enemy but first, there is something that must be addressed before we can do that.

"As you all know, my brother has special powers and the ability to look into the past. My brother looked into the past and he saw my true parentage. I am not the bastard son of Ned Stark but the trueborn son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. They were wed in secret after Rhaegar had his marriage to Elia Martell annulled. My real name is Aegon Targaryen." Several people began talking at once and Daenerys paled considerably but Jon held up a hand to silence everyone. "Everyone, please, allow me to finish. Samwell Tarly has found proof of this so as much I don't want to admit it, I am technically next in line for the Iron Throne. I have called all of you here so I can formally abdicate that claim." Daenerys was on her feet as she stared at him.

"You're my nephew," she whispered.

"Yes and I'm here to tell you that I don't want the Iron Throne and I purposely called everyone here so there are witnesses to be formally abdicating. I have a piece of paper here that the two of us will sign, along with a witness from the north and another loyal to you, so no one can dispute it," Jon explained as he handed the piece of paper to her. "I don't want the south, I don't want all of Westeros, I just want to serve the north in whatever capacity they will have me. I'd also like a request from you, Your Grace." Daenerys looked up at him with wide eyes. "We gave my good brother Gendry the Stark name to protect him from those who think he is a threat to the Iron Throne. I'd like to ask you to do the same for me. Name me Jon Stark and my formal abdication in front of these people, that paper, and my Stark name will mean I have no claim to the Iron Throne."

There was a beat of silence and then everyone started talking at once but Jon wasn't paying attention to them. Instead, he only had eyes for Daenerys as he waited for her reaction to all of this.

"How long have you known?" she asked quietly as they both ignored the way everyone was yelling for some answers.

"Bran and Sam told me, Arya, and Sansa, right before the battle but I didn't think it was the time," Jon said. "I didn't want to lie to you but this is complicated and we all needed to focus on winning."

"Now isn't the time much like when we first allied and were talking about whether or not you would bend the knee to me," Daenerys said and Jon breathed a sigh of relief that she didn't seem too angry that he kept this from her.

"I wanted to make sure I did this here and in front of people because I didn't want anyone to second guess whether or not it happened. I needed to make sure everyone knew that I abdicated to you because then no one could question it," Jon explained and she nodded. The yelling was getting louder as neither of them reacted and Daenerys turned to everyone in the Great Hall.

"Silence," she said loudly and everyone stopped talking immediately. "King Jon, I would like to thank you for telling me this information instead of keeping it to yourself. You could have and then our relationship going forward would have been built on a lie. You have shown your true character by coming forward today to reveal this information knowing that it could end poorly for you in many ways including your own bannerman taking away your crown.

"Because of this and the things you have done to assure me that you do not want my crown I, Daenerys of the House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, The Unburnt, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Queen of Meereen, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Protector of the Realm, Lady Regent of the Seven Kingdoms, Breaker of Chains and Mother of Dragons, hereby accept your abdication for the Iron Throne. However, as the north remains independent, I will not weigh in as to whether or not you will keep that title. That being said I will honor your request for a new name. I hereby name you Jon Stark in honor of your mother and for the family that raised you." She took a quill in hand and signed her name on the paper and Jon did the same. He passed the paper to Sansa, who smiled at him, and she passed it down the table to Tyrion who also signed.

"What of the north?" someone asked. "That is no son of Ned Stark even if he holds his name." This is something that Jon expected and Daenerys sat down and did not say anything about matters that didn't really concern her right now.

"Jon is as much a Stark as my sister and my brother," Sansa snapped. "And he is the one that saved us all." The fact that Jon was the one to kill the Night King was not something that was widely known and it wasn't something that he was planning on telling anyone. He froze when Sansa brought it up as people began to talk again. "As the eldest daughter of Ned Stark, I support my brother Jon's claim to the north. I support him as king."

"As do I," Arya said.

"And as do I," Bran said.

"House Reed supports Jon Stark's claim as King in the North," Meera said with a commanding voice worthy of a lady of a great house. Jon watched as representatives of each of the remaining houses in the north said that they supported his claim. Some didn't, Jon wasn't expecting them all to support him, but it was clear that most of them did.

"As a witness to this display of loyalty I hereby acknowledge Jon Stark the King in the North, an independent kingdom in the lands of Westeros," Daenerys said and just like that it was all final. Jon was still king, he could still serve the people that meant so much to him, and now he had the name that meant everything to him. He looked at Gendry who smiled softly at him and nodded. If there was anyone in the room that understood what he was feeling right now it was Gendry. He had a name and it was the name of the people he had so long considered family. He was a Stark and no one could ever take that away from him.

+++

Gendry could only guess that the secret Arya was keeping from him was about Jon which he wasn't surprised about even if he didn't entirely understand it. The things about noble houses and lineage and who was supposed to take the Iron Throne was always something he wasn't interested in and something he didn't know much about. They were going to sit down to talk about going south now but Gendry's leg was aching and he was a little light-headed. He wanted to go lie down and not think about all of this.

"Arya," Gendry said as he looked at her.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," she said quickly. "I wanted to but it's the sort of information that could get someone killed and Jon wanted to make sure no one could try and argue who was going to rule in the south when all of this is done."

"I'm not mad you didn't tell me," Gendry said and Arya blinked once. "My leg hurts and I think I want to go back to the room. I need to rest if I'm ever going to be well enough to try and fix all of the armor we'll need to take King's Landing. You're all going to talk about strategy and things that are way over my head. I'd rather be resting so I can be useful." Arya frowned and he wondered if they were going to get into another fight about whether or not he was useful but Arya nodded and squeezed his hand. It took some work for Gendry to talk on his own and he wasn't surprised when someone called out his name. What he wasn't expecting was Jon.

"Are you all right?" Jon asked.

"Yeah, just tired and in a lot of pain. I'd rather rest so I can get back to the forge," Gendry replied and he paused for a moment. "It feels different but at the same time it doesn't."

"Yeah," Jon said softly. "I feel different but it doesn't make what anyone said for my entire life matter any less. All of those terrible things people used to say about me; they didn't go away but I feel like I belong to something now even if it's just a name. I knew you'd understand above anyone else." Gendry nodded because he did understand but at the same time his experiences and Jon's were very different. Ned might not have been his father but he still took Jon in and made sure that he had somewhere to sleep and food in his belly. Jon got a bastard's name while Gendry didn't even have a claim to that.

Jon nodded once and went back to the Great Hall as Gendry slowly made his way up the stairs to his room. It was a slow progress and halfway up a maid had to help him the rest of the way because he thought he was going to pass out. He thanked her by the time he got to the room and when Gendry closed the door, he realized that he was very much not alone. He turned slowly and saw Melisandre casually sitting by the fire like she didn't have a care in the world.

"I thought you were supposed to die at the end of the fight against the dead," Gendry said and she smiled at him.

"I never specified which battle I would die in. There are still more to come after all," she said as she stood.

"If Arya finds you here she's going to gut you without a second thought," Gendry said as he limped over to a chair and sat down. "If Davos finds you he might do worse."

"They should be thanking me. I'm the one that told you that your blood was powerful and that the sacrifice would be the thing that would let us win the fight," Melisandre said as she walked quietly around the room. Gendry kept an eye on her and there was a knife in his boot but sudden movements could hurt his arm or tear his stitches. "You nearly bled yourself dry to kill the Night King."

"So did Jon, did you see that little nugget of information in your fucking flames?" Gendry asked and he smirked at the way Melisandre went very still. "That's what I thought. Even though you gave us that information that won't stop Arya or Davos from killing you so here's my version of giving you thanks; you leave and I won't tell them I saw you here." Melisandre smirked as she walked around the room as if she had every right to be here. Gendry wanted to throw her out more than anything but his entire body still hurt and he was worried he'd rip his stitches if he moved too fast.

"It's such a shame," she said. "Two would-be kings of all of Westeros are throwing away their names so they can rule the frozen north and nothing at all. I do not understand both of you. You could have everything and you settle for nothing."

"I can't speak for Jon but I have all I need," Gendry replied.

"I hear what the lords say about you," Melisandre continued as if Gendry hadn't spoken. "They still think you aren't worthy of your northern princess. They think they don't belong up here with them and that you should leave."

"They seem to think that about all of the people the Stark's choose to tie them to but I don't see you harassing Theon or Meera about it," Gendry said and Melisandre laughed softly as she purposely seemed to touch every single thing he owned in this room. It was on purpose, Gendry knew it was, but it was starting to get to him. This woman was like a small shard of glass under his skin that he couldn't ever get rid of.

"Those funeral pyres were quite high. I have to wonder if any of those lives could have been saved if you'd taken my advice earlier," she said. "After all, if I was right about your blood then perhaps I was right about the lives you could have saved. The Lady Meera wouldn't be without a father, Lord Theon would be able to walk, and I have to wonder if Queen Daenerys is going to eventually blame you for her children getting maimed." Melisandre looked Gendry in the eye and he felt like he couldn't move. It was something that he was trying not to think about but it lingered in the back of his mind. "I wonder, if our Lord saw your sacrifice here I wonder what he would do for your fight in the south."

"You still think you can convince me to burn myself in the name of your god--"

"I almost did if I recall correctly," Melisandre said as she began to walk toward him. "I had you on that table and you were about to say "yes". I know you were the same way I knew you would have let Daenerys burn you alive without fighting it. You feel guilty because you know could have saved these lives here if you'd just had the courage to do the right thing."

"If you take another step I won't hold back," Gendry snapped and she stopped walking. "I already told you that I'm doing you a favor by not telling anyone that I saw you here. Your advice nearly killed me but it also worked and I'll thank you for that alone. You're wrong about everything else. Leave or I'll make sure Arya knows you were here. She won't let you walk away again."

"Ours is the fury," Melisandre said. "With me by your side, you could have been the king of this realm. You could have restored your house to its former glory but you chose this frozen wasteland over greatness." She sighed dramatically and began to walk toward the door and Gendry couldn't be more thankful that she was finally leaving. Melisandre paused with her hand on the door and seemed to be contemplating something. "Your father was a man who didn't limit his inhibitions. Perhaps there is another Baratheon bastard out there that would accept my help to restore your house."

Gendry remembered Alsy back in the Red Keep telling him that he probably had other siblings out there in Westeros. He thought about how this woman was so good at getting in other people's heads and the kind of damage she could do to someone who didn't know better. These siblings, he didn't know if they existed, but Gendry suddenly felt such a strong sense to protect that he ignored the pain in his leg. He crossed the room in several steps and took Melisandre by the arm to stop her.

"You will stay away from any of my siblings that might be out there or I'll personally show you that infamous Baratheon fury everyone is always talking about," Gendry said. Instead of looking worried or frightened Melisandre smirked as she reached out and touched his leg sound with her finger. The stitches had split and he was bleeding.

"As you wish, Your Grace," she whispered. Gendry didn't know how she broke her arm out of his grip but one moment she was there and the next he was staring at an open door. He pressed a hand to his bleeding leg and waited until one of the maids walked into the room to bring him dinner a few minutes later. He asked her to go get Wolken and prepared himself for the lecture he was going to get from Sansa for ruining her stitches.

Sansa breathed a sigh of relief the moment the north elected to keep Jon as King. It seemed that Daenerys was also okay with the idea that the north remained an independent kingdom and for the first time in a long time she felt safe. Sansa knew that Cersei was down south and needed to be taken care of. She knew that pretty much her entire family was going to go down to try and take her off of the Iron Throne and they might not come back. At the same time, Sansa could see that Daenerys was trying and it felt like the world wasn't going to end around her all the time. Now that everyone knew it was time to start talking about what they would do in the south.

"King Jon has said that he will honor our alliance and we will make our way south in two moons time," Daenerys said. "That way the wounded should have enough time to heal."

"Do we have the numbers?" Lord Royce asked. The Knights of the Vale had stayed to fight for the living and between that and the Battle of the Bastards their numbers were severely diminished. They came because of her and Sansa wasn't sure she would ever be able to wash that blood from her hands. It was one thing to punish a man like Ramsay; it was another to send good men to their death in battle.

"I believe we can beat her using strategy above brute force," Jon said. "We have Ser Jaime and he has told us that the city is very close to rioting. Cersei's forces are split between maintaining order within the city and eventually fighting us. She can do one but not both. I believe we can use that to our advantage." While that might be true it didn't seem to put a lot of people at ease. Arya shifted in her chair and Sansa could tell that she wanted to leave.

"Excuse me Your Graves, my lords, and ladies," Sansa said. "I'm afraid I need my sister's help with something. I bid you all goodnight." Arya looked so relieved as the two of them walked out of the room and up the stairs toward their bedrooms.

"Thank you," Arya said softly. "It's becoming a bit too real that we're going south to take care of her. All I've thought about since the day she killed father was killing her. I used to say her name every night to help me fall asleep. Now it might be happening and I still want to be the one to do it. I can't let it go."

"I know," Sansa said. "I feel the same way but with the number of men that we have, it's going to be a dangerous fight. There isn't anything we can do about how she dies. We're just going to have to hope that she does die."

"Jon and Daenerys won't let her live and I don't see Tyrion or Jaime sparing their sister at this point," Arya replied as they got to her room. The door was open and they both looked in to see Wolken cleaning up and blood on Gendry's clothes.

"I worked hard on those stitches," Sansa said and he looked at least a little annoyed that he'd been caught.

"What happened?" Arya asked.

"I stood up too fast," Gendry replied and Sansa could see Arya's eyes narrowing. That wasn't strictly a lie but it wasn't entirely the truth either. Sansa decided it wasn't time to get involved with something like that and excused herself. When she got back to her room she was surprised to see that Theon was awake and he wasn't screaming. She ran over to his side and took one of his hands into her own. There was a fine sheen of sweat on his skin and he was still wincing like he was in considerable pain.

"Sansa, what happened?" he asked and not for the first time. She had explained that they won and who they had lost to Theon a few times but he was never lucid enough to understand the words that she was saying. This was the first time since the battle that his eyes were clear and she thought he might remember. So she told him everything that had happened up to this point. She told him about their losses and that the Night King was dead. She told him about Jon and that everything was going to be okay in the north even though that was new information. He nodded and settled back against the pillows. "My knee, how bad is it?"

"It's bad," Sansa said softly as she squeezed his hand. "The pain has been so bad this is the fifth time we've had this conversation because you couldn't remember what I was saying."

"It's not going to heal right, is it," Theon didn't make a question but a statement.

"No," Sansa said as she released a breath. This is the first time she's felt like she could have this conversation with him. "Wolken and Sam have both said that knees don't usually heal right after wounds like this. You won't be able to walk well with it and it's not likely that your pain is ever going to go away."

"Yara's going to be thrilled. A Greyjoy that won't be able to walk right on a ship," Theon said with a harsh laugh. Something inside of Sansa snapped as she thought about Theon leaving Winterfell and her again but she decided that now was not the time to have this conversation. She needed to tell him everything.

"Theon, there is another option," Sansa said. "They said if they remove your leg from the knee up you wouldn't have any pain. They think someone like Gendry could make you a leg that could use to walk on maybe even a little better than if you left your leg to heal." Theon didn't say anything and Sansa decided that she was just going to continue talking. "They wanted me to say it was okay when you first woke up screaming but I told them "no". I told them that Ramsay had taken enough of your body without your permission and I wouldn't do that to you. I told them you needed to make the decision--" Theon pulled her forward and into a soft kiss that Sansa melted into. She couldn't put into words how much she had missed him over the last few days.

"Thank you," Theon whispered against her lips. "And I've had enough pain in my life. If removing my leg saves me from some pain then I want it removed."

"If those are your wishes I will honor them," Sansa replied as she pressed her forehead to Theon's and so, so grateful that he was alive and he would be without pain once Sam and Wolken removed his leg. She was sure that Gendry could make Theon something amazing once his arm was fixed, something that would make his life easier, and until then Sansa didn't mind remaining at Theon's side for as long as he needed her.

+++

Arya knew that the next couple of weeks were going to be tough on everyone. There were a lot of people that were hurt and no one liked being stuck in bed. She was still having a hard time moving around quickly and if she took too deep of a breath her side stung. The healing process also meant that people who were injured were going to get sick and a fever hit the castle three days after the funeral pyres were lit. Wolken and Sam spent the day running around trying to save people from the fever and from wounds that were starting to fester. Arya had hoped they were done losing people now that the battle was over but more people kept dying and there wasn't anything anyone could do about it.

After he tore his stitches Gendry promised to be more careful when it came to his healing. Arya knew he had kept something from her but she didn't ask him about it and hoped that he would come to her eventually. The days turned into a week and he still didn't say anything. Jon and Daenerys spent hours going over strategy as they tried to come up with a way to take King's Landing with their limited numbers. Arya wished there was another way. She wished she had the skills to walk into the Red Keep and do it herself.

For the first time in a long time, she thought about Jaqen and his offer. She reached into her bag and found the coin that he gave her. He made her an offer to teach her to do what he did, to change faces, and that would be a skill that could get her into the Red Keep for revenge. Arya thought about what she could be if she'd gotten on that boat all of those years ago. She glanced at Gendry who was working with Sam and Wolken to try and get his arm better. It was healing but slowly and it was going to be weak for a long time.

Arya knew that if she had taken Jaqen up on his offer she probably wouldn't have Gendry in her life or at least no in the capacity that they were. The offer was made to her, not him, and she wasn't sure whether he would have followed her halfway across the world at that point in their relationship. Arya didn't know it at the time but she had chosen him over her revenge and that choice was just becoming apparent to her now. Cersei needed to die not just because of what she did to her family but for all of the people she killed and so Arya could keep her loved ones safe. Daenerys wasn't a threat and she didn't consider Gendry or her a threat either so if Daenerys was queen then maybe they could live safely.

"This is taking too long," Gendry mumbled as he looked at his arm. It was still a mess of a cast to keep the bones set so they could heal. He looked up at her and could see the coin in her hand. "Is that the coin that the guy who got us out of Harrenhal gave you?"

"Yeah," Arya replied as she walked across the room and settled down next to Gendry on the char. She wanted to sit in his lap but she was worried she would aggravate the wound on his leg again. "Just thinking about what my life would be like if I took him up on it. If I said those words and took a boat across the world and learned what he did." Gendry didn't say anything because he was probably thinking the same thing she was; that they wouldn't be together if she had. Instead, he carefully put his good arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him. "I just want it to be over."

"It will be one way or another," Gendry replied. "Once everyone is healed enough we'll go deal with that crazy bitch and it'll be more or less over."

"I want to be the one who does it," Arya whispered. "I want to be the one that kills her. I still want that and I can't seem to let it go no matter what I do. There is always this nagging feeling in the back of my head that it should be me."

"It probably won't be and you need to start accepting that now or it's going to eat you up for the rest of your life," Gendry said as he kissed the top of her head. Arya didn't mention the fact that Gendry was clearly letting all of the death from the battle and the lies that Melisandre whispered in his ear eat him alive but it wasn't time. Arya cuddled in closer and let Gendry's heartbeat calm her frayed nerves as she held onto that coin tight enough that the metal dug into the skin of her hand.

+++

The weeks went by and Arya watched everyone started to heal. The splint was removed from Gendry's arm and he was working on getting the strength back in it. The first thing he did was make a cane for Edmure and worked with Tyrion to make a new chair for Bran. Arya watched as more people began to get better but they still lost some more to sickness and infections. It hurt every single time she saw Wolken and Sam dealing with yet another body.

They had lost Grey Worm and with it the leader of the Unsullied. They were in a meeting when one of them stepped forward and declared that they would follow Missandei. The fact that Grey Worm loved and respected her was enough for the Unsullied to declare that they would follow her. Missandei tried to argue against it but they insisted and while she said she wouldn't be able to follow them to the front lines she would lead them to King's Landing in battle.

Theon had decided that the best way to deal with his knee injury was to remove his leg. It was a complicated amputation that was going to take time for Sam and Wolken to complete but Sansa insisted on staying close throughout the entire thing. Arya never thought she would see the day that her sister who once wouldn't touch dirt was now playing a nurse to two maesters to remove a limb and her hands didn't even shake. After it was done and Theon was still asleep Arya pulled Sansa aside.

"You are really good at this," she said.

"I want to help with things like this but singing and dancing won't get me anywhere," Sansa replied. "But my ability to sew is something that I can help with and if it means I need to get a little blood on my hands then I'll do it." Two days later Theon woke up and insisted that he could still feel his foot and that it was aching but Wolken told him that it was normal and the pain would pass. The pain in his foot was less than the pain that he was experiencing with his knee so Arya considered it to be a good thing. Theon composed a letter to Yara to tell her what had happened and said that he was expecting one back that wasn't going to be nice.

Arya couldn't imagine being mean to a brother like that but Yara and Theon had a very different relationship than she had with her brothers. The more time she spent at Winterfell the more their ghosts seemed to haunt her. There wasn't anywhere she could go that didn't remind her of them. All she could think about was her family and wondered what they would think.

She thought of her mother and what she would think of Arya running around with a blacksmith husband and a sword on her belt. What her mother would have to say about the bloodstains that Sansa had on her dresses as she went around to the wounded and helped as much as she could. What she would say about Bran and Meera's unconventional relationship. Arya really wondered what her mother would think of Jon now that the truth was out and he had the Stark name. It was late one night that Arya found Jon sitting in the Great Hall with a wineskin just staring at the flames.

"I think I resent them sometimes," Jon said as he passed the skin to Arya. "I know how much Ned meant to you and I know how much he meant to me but the fact that he let Catelyn treat me like that when it wasn't my fault just won't leave me alone."

"He should have told you," Arya said softly. "Sometimes, I think I've built him up in my head. I knew my father as my father and as a child. I didn't see any of his faults because I didn't want to. He died before I got to know him as more than just my father. Now I'm finding out how flawed he was, that he was a liar, that he wasn't as honorable as I thought, and it makes me feel strange. I can't reconcile the man I knew and the man I'm learning about as a woman grown." Jon reached over and took her hand and the two of them sat in silence for a long time. "No one deserves the Stark name more than you and I want you to know how proud I am to share it with you."

Arya stayed with Jon for a couple more hours. They finished the wineskin and then opened another and by the time they were going to bed they were stumbling. She knew that now wasn't the best time to get drunk but considering the events of the previous weeks she gave herself a pass. They were going to leave for the south in less than a fortnight and if she needed to drink to get through that then she would. Arya laughed as she stumbled into her room and she felt a little bad when Gendry shot up in bed in a panic.

"Sorry," she mumbled as she closed and locked their door.

"You've been drinking," Gendry said as he watched her carefully. Gendry didn't drink that much and seemed to avoid it even more once he found out who his father was. He didn't want anything to do with the man that birthed him and that meant avoiding all of the things that Robert liked. Arya didn't mind and when she decided to drink Gendry would be there to help her like right now.

"Jon and I were talking about my parents," Arya said as she crawled into the bed fully clothed. She dramatically threw her arms around her husband and held onto him. "I guess I'm having a hard time with the idea of them since we found out about Jon's real parents. My father lied to all of us for so many years and that doesn't seem like the person I knew."

"So Jon was drinking too. Maybe I should go wake up Sansa so she can go check on him," Gendry said as he wrapped his arms around her. Arya could hear him wince from pain but he was doing his best. He always did his best. "I can't give you any advice on this one, you know that. I don't even remember my mother's name let alone anything about her." Arya moved so she was leaning on her side and could look down at Gendry as he watched her. There were dark circles under his eyes and he was a little pale. She knew he was pushing himself in the forge to try and make weapons, repair armor, and make a new leg for Theon. What he needed was rest but she knew he wouldn't take it.

"I'm afraid of what will happen in the south," Arya said.

"I am too," Gendry replied as he tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. "I'm terrified that I'll have to stand there and watch you die and I won't be able to stop it. I'm afraid for you because I'm not sure what you're going to do when Cersei dies."

"I'm not either," she admitted. Arya knew that her entire life was defined by revenge and she wasn't sure what it would look like when that list she carried for her whole life was gone. What would happen when the person at the top of it was finally dead. Arya knew why Gendry was afraid because she was too; who was she without revenge. "But I want you there with me when I figure out what I want to do next. So you're not allowed to die in that shit hole of a city."

"Not allowed she says," Gendry said as he laughed softly and pulled her closer to him. "I wouldn't want to disappoint m'lady." Arya tried to hit him but Gendry easily overpowered her and pinned him to their bed. She decided that she would blame the wine for her slow reflexes and the fact that she always felt safe pinned beneath him. Gendry leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. They hadn't been together since before the battle and both of their bodies were still a little too weak for this to happen but that didn't mean Arya wasn't going to kiss her husband within an inch of his life. She wrapped her legs around his hips and pulled Gendry close as he slipped his tongue into her mouth.

Arya also blamed the wine for the fact that she moaned when Gendry sucked a bruise into her neck that was going to be impossible to hide. He was marking her as his own and she liked that. It was something a wolf would do and Gendry was a Stark now. He was already dressed for bed but between the two of them, they managed to rid Arya of her clothes until she was down to just her small clothes. She wanted him at that moment, rather desperately, but she could also see how tired he was and the wine was catching up with her. She let Gendry pull her against his chest and wrapped his arms around her body with her back against his chest. He pressed several soft kisses along her shoulder and the back of her neck.

There was going to be a world after Cersei Lannister died and it was one Arya wanted to live in even if she wasn't sure what it was going to look like. She was going to fight to her last breath to make sure her family lived to see that new world even if that meant she wouldn't be the one to swing the sword.

Arya fell asleep to Gendry's comforting presence behind her and dreamed of a life free of revenge.

Meera was lost. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to do now that she felt so alone in the world. There were cousins back in the Neck that were still alive but they were only cousins. Her mother was still alive but Meera hadn't ever been close to her. Meera was close to only two people before life guided her North and that was her father and Jojen. Now they were both gone and the man that they both died protecting sat in the same room as her. Meera shared his bed and even before the battle, she let him touch her. He said he loved her and she said it back but that love didn't get rid of this emptiness that she felt. Meera felt alone in the world and going back to the Neck seemed like the only way to fix that. At the same time, the thought of leaving Bran alone was terrifying enough that she nearly panicked.

When the blood on the ground was dry Sansa was the only person that Meera could think to go to and talk about this. Sansa was there the day that Ned Stark died, she saw it all, and she knew what it was like to lose a father like that. Sansa told her that the ache she was feeling wouldn't ever go away. She told her that it was going to haunt her for the rest of her days and there wasn't anything she could do about it. Sansa also assured her that the ache would be less all-consuming as time went on.

"I look at Bran and all I can see are my father and Jojen dying for him," Meera whispered. "I don't blame him but I can't look at him without thinking of them."

"I can't tell you whether or not that will change with time," Sansa said. "What I can tell you is that my brother adores you, worships the ground you walk on, and if he knew that being away from him brought you less pain he would send you back to the Neck himself." The idea of Bran sending her away somehow hurt even more than the idea of staying with those constant reminders. Meera knew it was selfish but she wanted Bran to fight for her. She wanted him not to give him but she also knew that she was going to have to do some of the fighting as well.

Jon was the King and she had thrown House Reed's support his way. It was the right decision to make and Meera now realized that this was the big secret that Bran and the rest of the Stark's had kept right before the battle. They were planning on going south as soon as everyone was recovered which should be in a little under a fortnight. If she wanted, Meera knew she could travel with the rest of the men from the Neck and go home. She could leave the Stark's behind, leave Bran Stark behind, and try not to think about the pain this family had caused her. She wasn't sure what frightened her more; the thought of leaving or the thought of staying.

A maid arrived with two cups of tea that looked like they were so hot they were nearly boiling.

"Milady and milord, the tea is very hot, I would let it sit for a moment and cool down before you drink it," she said. There were two other cups on her tray and Meera could see a little honey set aside so she assumed they were going up to Sansa and Theon. Theon was recovering from the loss of his leg and despite Gendry's best efforts in the forge making Theon a new one was taking time. Meera was comfortable on the bed and not really in the mood for tea but she got up anyway and moved the cup to the windowsill where Bran was looking outside. He looked up at her and smiled softly. Meera heard someone rushing down the stairs but she figured it was the maid and didn't bother to look.

"Thank you," Bran said as he looked out the window. He seemed very interested in what was going on outside and Meera looked. Daenerys was out there with Tyrion and they were talking with some soldiers. Jon was nearby as well and she could see Davos close as well. Gendry and Arya were walking toward the castle and talking to each other quietly. It didn't seem like anything interesting was going on and Meera couldn't figure out why Bran was staring. He took the teacup into his hand and took a long drink. Then he frowned deeply.

"Not the tea you wanted?" Meera asked but Bran didn't move. She shook his shoulder a bit and took one of his hands into hers the way she would when he would get lost in his own head. "Bran?"

"Something is wrong," he said. Meera was about to ask what was wrong when his entire body seized. He clenched her hand so tight Meera swore she heard bones breaking but she didn't care. Bran's eyes were rolling into the back of his head and it sounded like he was choking. Vaguely, she thought she heard someone that sounded like Theon calling out for help but Meera didn't think about that. She screamed for a guard, a maester, someone, and when she looked out into the courtyard all she saw was chaos.

+++

+++

Gendry knew that at this point he shouldn't be surprised when things went to hell quickly. After so many years of fighting for his life and after the battle against the dead he should have known that things could go bad very quickly. The dead being gone had lured him and others into a false sense of security and they should have known better. That didn't stop Gendry from being surprised when a crossbow bolt came out of the darkness and struck Daenerys in the shoulder. She cried out in pain and everything around them turned to chaos. Tyrion immediately ran to the queen's side and threw himself in front of her. He was doing what he could to protect her. Jon shouted orders to everyone to find out where that bolt came from. Arya took Gendry's hand and pulled him into cover.

"The scouts didn't say there was an attack coming," he said.

"No, but we know that Cersei sent Jaime here intending to kill as many people as possible. It stands to reason that maybe she'd send a few more," Arya replied. Gendry was about to say something else when they heard a cry from inside the castle. Someone was yelling about Sansa and Bran and he watched as Arya paled considerably. Another crossbow bolt came out of the darkness and hit Tyrion in the back. He grunted and Gendry heard Daenerys scream. Brienne and Jaime emerged and threw up their shields to try and keep people from getting hit but more and more bolts continued to come from the darkness.

"I have to get to them," Arya said. She was safe in cover and Gendry took her arm to keep her from running out into the courtyard but Arya was always faster than him. He yelled her name to try and get her to stop but she ignored him and ran to where the bolts were coming down from the sky. Jon was yelling too, he kept telling her to go back to cover, but Arya wasn't listening. When the bolt hit her leg Gendry's entire world seemed to come to a halt.

"Someone is on the roof!" Jon yelled and the bolts stopped. Gendry didn't hesitate as he ran to Arya who was wincing at the bolt that was in her thigh. Jaime fell to his knees nearby as he tried to talk to Tyrion but Gendry knew what a mortal wound from a crossbow looked like. Daenerys was telling him to hold on, that he would be fine, but there was blood on his lips and that was not a good sign. Brienne knelt down next to Arya but made sure to keep her shield up.

"You're going to be okay," Gendry whispered as he took one of her hands into his.

"Someone said they saw someone run into the godswood!" one of the guards shouted and Jon nodded.

"I want guards spread out throughout all of Winterfell and bring me, anyone, that we don't know. I want guards to keep all of the Lords and Ladies safe and no one is to leave their rooms. Call for Wolken and Sam and make sure the wounded are treated. I will search the godswood myself," Jon said.

"Go help my brother," Arya said. "Get your hammer and go make sure that Jon is safe. I'm going to be okay."

"I'm not leaving you here with a crossbow bolt in your leg when someone is running around trying to kill people," Gendry said.

"Ser Gendry I will stay with the Lady Arya and keep her safe," Brienne said. "Someone needs to go with the King." Gendry looked at Arya and she nodded. Her wound was not fatal, not at the moment, and what she needed was rest and treatment. He also knew that she would worry if Jon went into the godswood by himself.

"You better be in our room getting treatment when I get back," Gendry warned and Arya pulled him forward for a brief kiss.

"Keep my brother safe," she whispered against his lips. Gendry nodded and pushed himself to his feet. He called out to Jon who was heading for the godswood.

"Let me get my hammer and come with you," he said. Jon hesitated but nodded. Gendry had left his hammer in the smithy and it was a quick run to grab it and meet with Jon at the entrance to the godswood.

"They were trying to kill Daenerys or anything else of high standing," Jon said as they walked in. "There is really only one person that would do something like that."

"Cersei sent assassins," Gendry said and Jon nodded. If that was the case then whoever was in the godswood would want both of them dead as well. Gendry glanced at Jon and nodded as they walked into the quiet woods. The rest of the guards were busy keeping the rest of the castle safe so it was just the two of them and they were going to have to look out for each other.

+++

Jon was glad to have someone else with him as he ran into the godswood. At the moment he was too focused on making sure that everyone was safe that he couldn't think about keeping himself safe. Gendry's arm wasn't completely healed but he was carrying his hammer like a man with a purpose. Jon also couldn't think about the way that Tyrion looked with that crossbow bolt through his back. He had seen the blood on the man's chest which meant it had gone all the way through and there was a good chance they were going to have to bury another body. Jon couldn't think about the way people were screaming and that Bran and Sansa's names were brought up. That the crossbow might not be the only way this person tried to kill people. He couldn't think about the blood on Arya's hands or any of it because his mind needed to be in this fight.

"Stay close to me. I know you're still healing," Jon said because if Gendry died in this fight Jon was pretty sure Arya wouldn't ever fully recover and that was something he could focus on right now.

"I'll stay close," Gendry said as they walked into the quiet godswood. Ghost and Nymeria had scattered to the woods after the fight with the dead, no doubt to heal among their own kind, and hadn't returned since but Jon wished that they were here right now. They could use two wolves to help them track this person. There were footprints in the snow and Jon could follow them but they seemed to pause for a moment and then the next step they took was different. It was like their foot changed sizes.

"Gendry, do you see this?" Jon asked and Gendry knelt down as he looked at the prints. "Does it look like they changed to you?"

"I feel like I'm forgetting something," Gendry whispered. "Yeah, they do look like they changed. Let's keep looking." They continued into the woods until Jon saw someone moving among the shadows. He silently gestured to Gendry and the two of them followed the person who was moving far faster than Jon had ever seen a man move. Jon turned and corner and ducked before a thin blade nearly took off his head. The man that was attacking him moved strangely but it also seemed weirdly familiar. His blade was thin, it looked a little like Needle, and he had a cloak covered his head.

Gendry tried to move behind the man but he ducked out of the way from them. There was a crossbow on his belt and a small bag on his back. Jon thought he could see a little red hair peeking out from the hood.

"Who are you and why did you attack people here?" Jon asked as he slowly approached the strange fighter.

"A man was given several names and a man is here to claim them," the stranger said and Jon watched as Gendry jerked like someone had just slapped him.

"I know you," he whispered. "I remember you. You were that creepy fucker who hung around Arya at Harrenhal. You helped break us out and you gave her that coin." Jon tried to remember what Arya and Gendry had told him about Harrenhal. About the strange man with the red hair that killed anyone that Arya told him to because he thought he owed her a debt. A man that Arya swore changed his face right in front of her.

"He's an assassin," Jon said. "And I can only guess who sent him here to kill people."

"A man was given a list of names and told to kill as many as he could," the assassin said as he pulled out a second blade. "Names that included both of yours." The assassin moved incredibly quickly and Jon couldn't remember the last time he went against a swordsman that made him feel like he was constantly on his back foot. He was fighting both of them with no issues at all and when his hood fell away Jon could see his red hair with the white streak in it. Gendry bared his teeth as he struggled but Jon could see that he was tiring and already favoring one arm over the other.

"Arya still has your coin," Gendry said and the man didn't react. "You saw something in her and you're going to kill two of the people that mean the most to her."

"The lovely girl had potential but decided not to use it," the assassin said and he used the butt of his blade to knock Gendry across the temple and send him down into the snow. He didn't get up and Jon struggled to fight against the full force of this assassin. He'd been training in ice and snow his entire life but Jon still lost his footing just long enough for the assassin to knock Longclaw from his hand and send him into the snow the tip of the blade to his neck. Gendry was groaning but he wouldn't get up fast enough to save Jon's life.

"A Faceless Man," an all too familiar voice said and Jon managed to look over to see Melisandre walking out of the darkness and into the moonlight. Jon thought she was dead, she had said that she wasn't going to live through this battle, yet here she was walking back into their lives. She had that same smirk on her lips like she knew something that the rest of them didn't. "I assume you are here to collect the names of these two men?" The assassin didn't move which was a good thing because Jon got to keep his neck. "Tell me, what are the names you are here to collect?"

"A man is here to collect the names of as many people as a man can but their names are Jon Snow and Gendry Waters," the assassin said in that deadpan voice that made Jon's skin crawl.

"It's a very important part of your ritual that you collect these names. I've read about your order many times," Melisandre said and she smiled. "But you see those aren't their names anymore. You are here to collect Jon Snow but he is no longer Jon Snow but King Jon Stark. And you are here to collect Gendry Waters but he is no longer Gendry Waters but Ser Gendry Stark. You have the wrong names." Jon had no idea what she was talking about but he could see the way the assassin shifted just a little bit. "They have no direct quarrel with your order, you are a man that was given an assignment that needed to be carried out. The person they will take revenge on is the person that hired you. Is that correct, King Jon?"

"We want the woman that hired you and not your people," Jon said because that was really the only option he had.

"You have claimed a name in the name of your god, No One, so depart now and we will make sure the ire of the Dragon Queen and the North remains focused on the person that hired you and not you," Melisandre said as she folded her hands in front of her. The assassin narrowed his eyes, removed the blade from Jon's neck, and nearly vanished into thin air. Jon realized that he was lying in the snow, his good brother was barely able to sit up, and neither of them had any weapons against the madwoman that was standing before them. "I should really ask you, bastard boys, to pardon me after all of the times that I've saved your lives. If I hadn't come that man would have cut you both to pieces and maybe even cut your faces off. Imagine what an assassin could do with the faces of the former King and the face of a man that looks like he should be one."

"I told you to leave if you value your life. Apparently, you don't," Gendry muttered.

"You knew she was alive?" Jon asked as he tried to move toward Longclaw but the blade was a significant distance away.

"Of course he did. He let me go because I was the one who told him how powerful his King's blood would be and it helped save us all. My words impacted him which impacted you," Melisandre said with a small smile. "Perhaps all of this will be enough to earn me a pardon."

"It's not." Melisandre turned around to a familiar voice and a sword went through her stomach. The blood seemed to blend into the red of her dress as she looked up at Davos who had emerged from the darkness. "You burned a little girl alive, witch, no deed will ever wipe your hands clean of that." Davos ripped the sword from Melisandre's stomach and let her fall to the snow. She looked surprised like she hadn't expected this to happen just yet, but Davos didn't even spare her a second glance. He walked over to Longclaw and handed it to Jon. He helped Jon to his feet and then pulled Gendry's good arm over his shoulder to help him walk out of the godswood. Jon looked down at Melisandre as she bled out in the snow.

"The only thing I will give you, in the name of the help you've provided, is I will honor whatever you want to be done with your body," Jon said.

"No need, King Jon, there is no need." The red of Melisandre's eyes seemed to fade just as the light on her ruby died out as well. Before his eyes, Jon watched as her body faded into nothing but dust that blew away with the cold winter wind.

+++

Sam and Wolken took care of the bolt in Arya's leg but they raced off to try and help Bran and Sansa who were poisoned by something unknown. She told them to save her siblings and closed the door as she hoped Jon and Gendry would return soon. It was a terrible thing to watch Jaime hold Tyrion as the man blew out in his arms but the bolt went straight through and there was no chance that he would survive. Daenerys had lost a lot of blood and would be weak but Tyrion taking the bolt for her had saved her life. They just kept losing people.

Arya closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them Jaqen H'ghar was standing in front of her. He hadn't changed at all in the many years since he had offered her a coin and a very different life. She knew, immediately, that he was the one responsible for all of this at least on some level. Arya also remembered that he was a man that had some honor and helped her and her friends when they needed it most.

"A girl chose a very different life than the one a man once offered her," Jaqen said. Arya was confined to her bed because of this wound so she couldn't fight him off even if she wanted to.

"I did," she said carefully. "But you made me that offer because you saw something in me. I hope that maybe you could honor that now."

"A girl, who is Arya Stark, does know that a man was given her name to take," Jaqen said.

"A girl does know that. She also knows if a man wanted to kill her a man would have made the shot but didn't," Arya replied. "A girl would offer a man a trade. A girl still holds the coin that a man gave her but a girl would give up that coin for the antidote to the poison a man used on Bran and Sansa Stark." Jaqen watched her carefully as Arya reached into her bag near the bed and pulled out the coin.

"A girl's brother and husband promised a man that they would not seek revenge against a man. Can a girl make that promise as well?" Jaqen asked.

"Yes," Arya said. Jaqen took the coin and handed her two small bottles of liquid. She swore that she only looked down for a second but the moment she looked up Jaqen was gone. Arya knew she wouldn't ever see him again and even though she had no reason to trust him she knew that these were the antidotes to the poison currently killing her siblings. Jaqen mentioned Gendry and Jon which meant that they were alive. She called the guards in and told them to give the bottles to Sam and Wolken and what they were for. Arya fell back against the sheets and closed her eyes; even though there was no love lost between her and the Lannister's she knew what it was like to lose a sibling and she mourned for Tyrion Lannister.

Gendry came back to their room not long after Jaqen had vanished from sight. Arya knew that she wasn't ever going to see him again and that he had tried to kill the people she loved but she was also grateful to him. If it wasn't for him she would have been killed or worse in Harrenhal. There was a bit of blood on the side of Gendry's face but aside from that and him holding his bad arm he seemed like he wasn't hurt. Arya wanted to climb out of bed and hug him but she didn't want to make her leg worse. Gendry smiled sadly at her and climbed into bed and held her tightly.

He told her that Jon was fine as well and that Melisandre of all people was the one who saved their lives. He also told her that his cousin had finally been avenged by Davos and that she was dead. Arya told him about Jaqen coming and taking the coin in exchange for saving Sansa and Bran's lives. Sam had stopped by and told her that they were going to be okay and should be waking up soon. Arya was thankful to hear that they were going to be safe. She told Gendry that they had lost Tyrion but that Daenerys should heal fine. They were lucky that they only lost one man considering they were going up against a faceless man. The maid was likely Jaqen as well and Arya was thankful to hear that it didn't seem to be a maid from the castle.

The next morning Gendry left early to go and work in the forge for a little while. Arya was told to keep off of her leg but she managed to make her way to both Sansa and Bran's rooms. They were awake and no one thought there would be any lasting effects from the poison. Daenerys had her arm in a sling and worked with various soldiers to get a funeral pyre ready for Tyrion. She heard from various people that Jaime was very quiet about the entire thing and wasn't even talking to Brienne.

Arya could walk without any problems the next day and they all gathered outside to hold the funeral for Tyrion.

"He was my Hand," Daenerys said quietly as they stood before yet another pyre. "He pledged himself to me and I trusted his guidance. He wanted me to be better and he wanted me to be good for Westeros. I cannot begin to thank him enough for the sacrifice he made. I would not be standing here without him and for that? I can never repay my debt to you, Ser Jaime. I lost my Hand but you lost your brother and I am sorry that this happened." Jaime shifted where he stood nearby and looked like he wanted to say something.

"My sister did this," Jaime said softly. "My sister sent a faceless man here and gave him a list of names. He wouldn't have killed Tyrion unless she paid for it to happen. She didn't need to do that but she did. He was our, my, little brother and she had him killed." Jaime took a deep breath and released it slowly. "My brother pledged to see Daenerys on the throne and I also pledge to see that happen. Queen Daenerys, I will help you lead your forces south and I will help you take back the Iron Throne in the name of my brother."

"I accept," Daenerys with a small bow. She handed Jaime the torch and he lit the pyre. Brienne stood close to him but she never reached out and touched him. "Cersei Lannister is sending assassins to kill us in the night. I fear that now that one has failed only more will come. I know we are still healing but we must begin the journey south. I fear that the longer we stay here the more lives will be lost. We can finish recovering once we land on Dragonstone. Do you agree with this plan, King Jon?"

"I won't risk more people like Sansa or Bran getting caught in this violence. The sooner we leave the better I will feel," Jon replied. "The North stands with you in the fight for the Iron Throne. We begin preparations to make for Dragonstone and King's Landing as soon as possible." Everyone nodded solemnly and Arya reached over to take Gendry's hand. He squeezed it tightly as they watched the pyre burn. They might be leaving to avoid more loss of life but Arya knew that the battle for the Iron Throne could only end one way; bloody.

+++

Now that they knew they were going south it became a matter of discussion as to how they would go south. They could go by sea which would give everyone a chance to recover more but they didn't know where Euron and the Iron Fleet were. There was a chance that they could come out of nowhere and no one wanted to take that chance. They sent several ravens to Yara but so far no one had heard anything back. Now they were talking about going on foot which would take much longer. The fact that people were still wounded meant that it would take even longer and a generous guess put them at three full moons of walking. Daenerys was not exactly thrilled with this idea. They were sitting in the Great Hall having yet another meeting and Arya wished that she didn't have to attend things like this.

"Three moons is more time for Cersei to fortify the city and hire more sellswords," she said.

"If her rule was going well I'd agree with you," Jaime replied. He was the one that everyone was talking to about this march because he was the one that had the best knowledge about what they were walking into. He was also the one that knew his sister, madness and all, and what they could expect from her. "It's not though. The Crownlands and the Westerlands are only loyal because they have to be because she's queen and a Lannister. The Stormlands aren't exactly eager to come and, as far as I know, ignored her calls to war because they still don't like what she did to Robert with me. She still has Ellaria Sand so she might be able to blackmail Dorne but they would do their best not to come. The Riverlands will be under Lord Tully's rule soon. As for the Reach, well, they might be angry about House Tyrell taking Highgarden the way they did generations ago they are angrier about her executing an entire house including a Queen and Knight that they were proud of.

"This is not including the fact that anyone who worships the Seven is still angry at her for what she did to the Great Sept of Baelor," Jaime continued. "She's been using anyone she can to keep the entire city from rioting for months. I don't expect the people of King's Landing are going to get less angry as time goes on."

"Your Grace," Edmure said. "I need to take back Riverrun in your name and my family's name. If you're there it would help with your cause and make sure that I can leave the castle and my family safely."

"Of course, my lord, I would not want anything to happen to Lady Tully or your son," Daenerys said. Arya could tell that walking was the last thing that Daenerys wanted to do but she was not a stupid woman. One of her men was asking for help and she needed to make sure it was given. Winter was here and going south meant getting away from the harsher conditions of the North and Daenerys' dragons were not doing well. "Perhaps we can come to a compromise. Dragonstone is my ancestral home and I do not want to leave it unguarded. We will split our forces with half going by sea and the other will walk."

"Your Grace," Theon said. He was still far too pale but he was up and walking on the leg that Gendry managed to create for him with the help of Tyrion before he passed. "Please, wait for my sister to contact us before you sail. We don't want to be caught unaware by Euron. He won't spare anyone and after the Battle for the Dead none of us can afford to lose more people."

"She is building Scorpions," Jaime said quietly. "You saw them when you attacked outside of Highgarden and you know what they can do. There is no doubt she'll make sure all of Euron's ships has one of those bloody things mounted to it. I know she would because it's what I would do if I was leading her army."

"I understand not wanting to leave your home unguarded," Jon said. "You have no idea how much I don't want to leave Winterfell right now but going by foot is the best solution for all of us. We need to make sure that we don't lose any more men if we're going to take the throne with as little bloodshed as possible."

"Your Grace," Varys said. "I still hear from my spies in King's Landing from time to time. They say that the city is as Ser Jaime says. Cersei is a threat but she is not a threat that can move quickly. Not right now. She doesn't have the support, the manpower, or the money."

"The Scorpions would pose a risk to my children and after almost losing Rhaegal I couldn't bear it if one of them got hurt because of my rash actions," Daenerys said and she released a slow breath. "Very well, we'll be walking out. Lord Tully, I ask that you leave two weeks before the rest of us. I will send a group of my Unsullied to make sure you can take your home."

"Your Grace," Meera said. "I believe that might not be wise. Westeros can be small-minded and they might not trust Lord Tully with the backings of foreign soldiers. I would instead like to send the remaining men from the Neck to help Lord Tully take his home."

"Thank you, Lady Meera," Edmure said with a nod of his head and he very much looked like he meant it.

"The remaining Knights of Vale will also help you take back Riverrun safely, Lord Tully," Lord Royce said.

"Very well," Daenerys said. "If King Jon is amenable I would like us to leave in a sennight."

"I am," Jon said and it was decided. Even though Daenerys herself had her arm in a sling and most of them were still wounded they had less than a week to plan to march an army south 1000 miles. Arya reached over and took Gendry's hand into hers. They both knew about walking long distances and she knew that neither of them was looking forward to it.

+++

Meera sat with Bran as he continued to recover from the poisoning and was there the first time he opened his eyes. The relief she felt was unlike anything she had experienced when he looked into her eyes and smiled. Meera didn't care that he was weak and recovering; she threw her arms around Bran and held onto him for dear life. She didn't even realize that she was crying until Bran started to rub her back and told her that it was going to be okay. Meera climbed into his bed and the two of them spent a long time holding each other.

"I was worried you hated me," Bran confessed.

"It would be easier if I did," Meera confessed which was true. Sometimes she wished she hated him because then she could leave. Now, as she was lying in this bed and being held by him, she realized that she couldn't leave even if she wanted to. This man next to her bound her to Winterfell and to the North in a way she never really expected.

"When your men leave, are you going with them?" Bran asked and Meera sat up so she could look down at him. This was the first time she had ever heard Bran Stark sound so unsure about something. She thought he was sure about everything yet here he was, looking at her with big wide eyes, and she was reminded that he was younger than her by quite a few years.

"No," Meera said. "No, I'm not leaving. You need me so I'm staying." Bran's smile was like watching the sunrise and after so many years of never seeing it, there was something magical about it.

"You know what people will expect if you stay," he warned and Meera couldn't help but smile at how uncomfortable he looked at that moment. "Jon would never make us, of course, but people are going to talk. They already are."

"Are you asking me if I would like to marry you someday, Bran Stark?" Meera asked with a raised eyebrow and she could see him panicking. It was one of the most human things she had ever seen Bran do.

"I mean, I would never make you, and I wouldn't be that kind of husband," Bran stammered out and Meera continued to look at him. "I just mean that you and I, we don't know what's going to happen. And you're a lady but you're also not a lady kind of like Arya but I also mean--" He was working himself into some sort of panic attack and Meera couldn't let that happen. She leaned forward and captured Bran's lips into a soft kiss. He flailed for a moment and then seemed to finally relax. It wasn't chaste but it didn't go any further than a kiss. Meera pressed her forehead to Bran's and they both closed their eyes as they breathed softly.

"I would be honored to become a member of your family, Bran Stark, and I know it's what our fathers would have wanted," Meera whispered against his lips. He held onto her tighter and eventually, Meera rested her head on his chest. She felt Bran kiss her forehead and whisper thanks onto her skin. Somewhere inside Meera knew that she wasn't going to go back to the Neck, not right now, and despite the hole in her heart left from Jojen and her father dying this place felt like home and she felt home in this man's arms.

+++

The week went by extremely quickly and Arya didn't want to think about it too much. Bran and Sansa were going to be okay and there didn't appear to be any lasting damage from the poison. It seemed that Jaqen was many things but he was a man of his word which she was thankful for. The splint came off of Edmure's leg and she said goodbye to her uncle, aunt, and cousin as they set off the day after everyone decided that they were heading south. It was going to give him some time to try and call the banners. Arya hoped that they were going to pass by the Twins so the Frey's could see Daenerys and her dragons.

The dragons were a problem though. Rhaegal's wing was damaged and he couldn't fly no matter how hard he tried. It looked like there was a very good chance that they were going to have to leave the dragon behind which Daenerys looked heartbroken over. Sansa didn't look entirely happy about it either since Rhaegal only let Jon fly on him and answered to Daenerys. She mentioned it two days before they were set to leave how worried she was about no one being around that could control the dragon.

"He's my son and I would do anything to have him come with us," Daenerys said. "I cannot stay here to be with him though and neither can Jon."

"I'd like to meet him," Bran said out of nowhere. Everyone turned and looked at him like he had completely lost his mind but Meera was smirking like she knew something the rest of them didn't.

"Very well," Daenerys said and they took Bran out to the dragon. Rhaegal seemed to know that they were getting ready to leave and seemed on edge but he calmed down as Daenerys approached. Jon pushed Bran's chair forward and, without a moment of hesitation, Bran reached forward and touched Rhaegal's nose. Daenerys paled and looked like she was ready to try and figure out a way to save Bran's life but nothing happened. Bran closed his eyes and the two of them almost seemed like they were breathing together for a moment. Bran removed his hand and smiled at Rhaegal.

"We've come to an understanding," Bran said like he just had a conversation with a dragon and that wasn't a big deal or anything. "He knows that you need to leave but also knows that this is a place that needs protecting. I asked him if he would help protect Winterfell while Jon was away and he agreed. He'll listen to me and he won't hurt anyone but I won't be riding him anytime soon so don't worry about that."

"Not for lack of trying I'm sure," Meera muttered and Arya had to bite back the laugh from the moment because if there was anyone who would try to ride a dragon without any dragon blood in his veins it was Bran.

"Are you staying?" Arya asked because no one had since they all decided that it was time to go south.

"Yes," Meera replied and she sounded confident with the decision. "I love him and he loves me. Bran will need someone to keep him in line and I want to help make sure that the Stark line does not die. There are plenty of cousins of mine who can watch the Neck for me. Bran told me that he thinks our parents would have approved of this match and I think I agree with him. It's good politically but we also love each other and, as you know, a woman rarely gets to marry for love."

"I'm happy for you and him," Arya said as she reached forward and took Meera's hand. "He's better with you and we probably would have lost him to the Night King long before the battle had started it wasn't for you. I don't think I can ever thank you enough for what you did for my family."

"You have," Meera replied. Jon pushed Bran away from Rhaegal and he looked a bit like he had just swallowed a lemon. He wasn't happy about the idea of Bran being near a dragon, Arya could tell, but they needed someone to watch the beast.

Rhaegal and Meera weren't the only ones that were staying behind. Theon could walk now but he couldn't get very far very fast and said that he wouldn't be much help. He was going to try and get in touch with Yara and help in Winterfell with Sansa. Brienne also said that she was staying behind. They could use her in a fight but she insisted that her place was by Sansa's side. Brienne felt like she had failed when Sansa got poisoned but Jaime took her hands in his and insisted that there wasn't anything she could have done. She couldn't have known that the maid was an assassin.

Jon didn't want to leave Winterfell in the state it was in. There were too many risks and he could only leave so many men behind. As the day they were meant to leave got closer and closer he got more and more worried. He asked the Free Folk if they would stay and help guard Sansa, Bran, and anyone else who was staying in the castle. Tormund heartily agreed since they have no intention of going south to help with that war. Arya privately went up and thanked him for staying since it was going to make it a lot easier for Jon to sleep at night.

They were breaking their fast the day before they were supposed to leave when Sandor walked up to Sansa and looked down at her with that familiar look on his face.

"Your brother and sister are going south, right little bird?" he asked.

"That's correct," Sansa replied as if it wasn't a big deal that a man like Sandor was just walking up to a princess like it was no big deal. Several lords looked like they were about to fall over.

"My brother is still alive at least that's what the golden handed cunt tells me," Sandor said and several people gasped at his language. Sansa, meanwhile, just blinked once and didn't say anything. Jon was rubbing his temples like he was getting a headache and Daenerys was trying to hide her smile behind one hand as her other arm was still in a sling. "Your brother might be a good swordsman but my brother isn't even human anymore. I'm going with them so they don't die."

"Thank you, Sandor, I appreciate that you're volunteering to go," Sansa said. He grunted and eventually turned to look at her and Gendry.

"Make sure I have good weapons so I can save your life. I don't want the little bird to get hurt anymore," Sandor said to Gendry who raised an eyebrow.

"Anything for Sansa," he said. Sandor muttered a curse under his breath and walked away without another word. Theon looked a little pale but he also looked like he was about five seconds away from laughing. For some reason it made a few people smile and try to hide their laughter. It felt light like someone releasing their breath after holding it for too long. Everyone was panicking about leaving the next day but now they were talking and laughing.

"You Stark's attract the strangest company," Gendry said.

"You mean "we Stark's" since you are one," Arya reminded him. Gendry got a strange look on his face and then he smiled. Arya loved that smile and even though it broke her heart a little how much he still didn't consider himself part of the family the look on his face when he remembered was worth it. For the rest of the day, they all spent their time running around the castle to try and get ready for the journey the next day. Gendry spent most of the day in the forge as he frantically tried to mend weapons and armor as they got ready to go south. Arya saw him a few times during the day but it was only the apprentices when she went to get him for dinner.

It wasn't hard to follow his footprints out into the godswood and he was standing in front of the weirwood as the snow slowly starting to fall. Arya didn't think she would ever tire of seeing Gendry in the snow. His eyes somehow seemed ever bluer and the white snowflakes that would collect in his black took her heart away. She walked up and to join him in front of the tree.

"I want to come back when we're done," he said and Arya looked at him. "I know you were worried about whether or not I would be happy here and I want you to know that I want to come back once Daenerys takes the throne. I want to stay in Winterfell and help it rebuild. I want to help the North and I want to prove to them that I'm a man worthy of one of their princesses."

"You have nothing to prove to me," Arya reminded him but she knew what he meant. It was the same way Jon was always working himself to exhaustion because now they were seemed to think they needed to prove themselves worthy of the Stark name. Arya didn't know how to tell them that they wouldn't have the name if they weren't already worthy but she also knew that this was something that the two of them needed to sort of out for themselves.

"I was there when Davos killed Melisandre," Gendry said out of nowhere which surprised her. No one had really talked about what had happened to Melisandre in the godswood that night only that she was dead by Davos' hand. "It was strange and I don't know how I feel about it." He touched the scars on his arms that he bore from the time she took him captive. "Davos got his revenge, I guess I did too to an extent, but it feels empty. It was justice too though. She tried to kill me, she burned countless people to death including my cousin, she summoned a demon that killed my uncle."

"You think I'm going to feel the same way when Cersei dies," Arya said and Gendry nodded. She could admit that she had thought about it too and how she was going to feel when Cersei died. It was hard coming to terms with the fact that she wasn't the one who was going to kill her and Arya wasn't even sure she could even lay claim to that right. Cersei cost a lot of people everything and she wasn't the only one who lost a loved one. "I just want to come home again with you and Jon and anyone else who wants to make a home in the North."

There was a feast that everyone was attending that Arya didn't really pay attention to. She remained sober and ate the food that she barely tasted. They would be leaving at first light. Jon asked the family to come up to his solar after the food. Sansa, Bran, Meera, Theon, and Gendry were all there as they settled down near the hearth. They passed around goblets filled with wine and sat in silence for a long time.

"Sansa," Jon said after a moment of silence. "I want you to know that should something happen in the south I've asked Daenerys to name you the Queen in the North. You're my heir and I want you to know that I have complete faith that you would make our family proud with your leadership."

"Thank you, Jon, I'm honored," Sansa whispered. "But you're coming home. You have to come home. We just got our family back together and now three of you are leaving."

"If we stay here she'll just send more assassins," Arya said. "She sees Gendry and I as threats to her reign, much more so than you and Bran. If she has us to focus on then maybe she'll leave Winterfell alone while we're heading south. And I--" She cut herself off as she felt Gendry take her hand. "I need to be there when she dies or I don't know if I'll ever find real closure. I need it in a way I can't really explain."

"I understand more than you could ever know," Sansa said. "And maybe I got some of them because I was there when Joffrey died. Just, look out for each other and come home to me."

"We'll do our best," Jon replied because that was all he could promise. Despite the fact that they needed to leave at first light they all stayed up far too late talking and just being together. Bran and Meera revealed to everyone, formally, that they were planning on getting married someday and Sansa burst into happy tears. When Arya saw the two of them kiss it was like seeing her mother and father again and it made her heart hurt. Theon told them that he had no intention of returning to the Iron Islands and wanted to serve his penance for the farm boys he murdered in Winterfell. Theon's suffering was marked all over his body but he pledged to serve House Stark to the end of his days, in whatever capacity they would like him in, and would accept any punishment that Jon would give him in the future.

Arya wasn't sure if Jon would punish Theon but now wasn't the time to talk about it. There was a dragon staying behind that could protect the castle, the Free Folk, Brienne, and a small group of Northmen and the few members of the Black Brothers that had survived. Jon clearly wanted to leave more but they were already heading south with very few numbers.

It was many hours later that they all went to sleep and Arya's dreams were troubling her. She woke up three different times with a strange feeling in her stomach that she couldn't ignore. Gendry held onto her a little tighter each time that she woke up. By the time the sun began to creep over the horizon, Arya didn't feel like she slept at all but she got up nevertheless.

She held onto Sansa like a lifeline and tried to fight the tears that were threatening to fall as they hugged each other. Arya never thought she would be this close to her sister yet here they were crying over each other. Theon let her hug him and Arya whispered for him to keep Sansa and Bran safe. She ignored the fresh snow on the ground and dropped to her knees so she could hold onto Bran. It was so good to see him being himself again and to see him happy with someone like Meera. Meera hugged her tightly and handed Arya her spear to take south for the fight which she gladly accepted.

Everyone was saying goodbye to someone and it was mid-morning by the time everyone was getting ready to leave despite the intentions to leave at first light. Neither Daenerys or Jon seemed inclined to hurry people with their goodbyes. Out of the corner of her eye, Arya saw Jaime and Brienne hugging each other tightly and softly speaking to each other. Daenerys opted for riding a horse instead of a dragon with her arm still wounded. Missandei took her place at the head of the Unsullied. Everyone climbed on their horses and for the second time in her life, Arya had to say goodbye to Winterfell and her home. She didn't think it could hurt more than leaving as a child but it did only this time was different. When she left as a child Arya knew, deep down, there was a good chance she wasn't going to come home. Even if she didn't want to admit it Arya knew that she came south so her father could find her a husband. When she left Winterfell as a child there was a chance she wasn't going to come home again.

This time, as Arya climbed on her horse and looked at Gendry as he climbed on his, she was able to come home. It gave her something new to fight for. She wanted Cersei Lannister dead because she wanted to come home to Winterfell and be safe and not just for revenge and not just for justice. It made walking out of the gates harder and easier.

Arya wasn't surprised to see the wolves on the edge of the woods and she was so happy to see Nymeria and Ghost still alive. Both of them bore scars now; Ghost was missing an ear and Nymeria was missing an eye but they were both alive. Ghost broke from the much smaller now wolfpack and ran back into Winterfell. He would help guard Bran, Sansa, and the others. Nymeria howled and lead the wolves into the woods; it seemed she intended to go south with them at least part of the way.

"Looks like my mama wolf is back to make sure I don't freeze before we get south," Gendry said and for some reason that made Arya burst into laughter. The tears were streaming down her cheeks and yet she laughed as the armies marched south.

It was strange traveling with an army like this and Arya wasn't sure that she liked it. Even though they were out in the world she felt like she didn't get a moment alone at any time. No matter what she told people about how she knew how to travel they kept trying to do things for her and Arya really didn't like it. By the time they got to the Neck Arya turned to Gendry and told him that she was about to walk away from this army and head south on her own. He managed to talk her out of it but it was hard.

Nymeria being around helped and Arya was so thankful the first night the massive wolf climbed into their tent and settled along Gendry's back to help keep him warm. He didn't shiver as much now that he had spent some time in the North but he still didn't seem entirely comfortable at night. Nymeria also brought them their own food which made all of the other soldiers jealous of her fresh meat while they were living off of rations. Arya shared with Jon, Daenerys, and a few others but not many.

When they got near the Twins Arya pulled Daenerys aside and asked if she was up for a little flight. She explained that the Frey's needed to be looked after and the best way to tell them that they all meant business was to fly a dragon over the castle. Arya wasn't particularly close to Daenerys, not in the way Jon was, but the wicked smile she gave Arya was enough to make her believe that this woman understood vengeance. She climbed onto Drogon and even though everyone told her it was a bad idea she took to the skies and came back not long after. When Arya asked if Daenerys was sure that the castle saw the dragons Daenerys smirked and said that she all but landed right in front of it.

They got a raven from Yara and she told them that the rest of the Iron Fleet under the control of Euron was stationed near Dragonstone and they were waiting for her to come back to the castle. Yara also told them that there were plenty of scorpions and they needed to be careful or they would lose a dragon. They needed to keep moving and now wasn't really the time to talk about this kind of strategy.

A month into their travels and Arya couldn't take the noise of all of it anymore. She took Gendry's hand and pulled him out into the Riverlands with Nymeria following close behind.

"Let's sleep outside like we used to," Arya said as she settled down into the dirt with a bedroll and not much else.

"Your brother is going to lose his mind if he sees an empty tent in the morning," Gendry said but he settled down on the ground with her.

"We should have left before everyone else and set out on our own. We could have moved faster and we wouldn't have to deal with all of these people that keep following me around," Arya said as she fell back and looked up at the night sky. "They keep acting like I don't know how to travel when I know I've traveled more than some of them."

"You're a princess whether you like to admit it or not and we both know you don't act like a traditional princess," Gendry said as he leaned on his elbow and looked down at her. His hair was getting a little longer and, much to her surprise, she could see that he was getting older. Every day it was like his features sharpened a little more and he became more beautiful. It was getting to the point that she was beginning to think he was prettier than she was.

"Maybe I can ask Jon if we can ride ahead. He knows that we can do it and maybe he'll let us. We went south with a small group before and maybe we could do it again," Arya suggested.

"Cersei tried to put a crossbow bolt in your gut by hiring an assassin. She wants my head on a pike, do you really think Jon is going to let us out of his sight? Or should I say, do you really think he's going to let you out of his sight and by extension me?" Gendry leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

"Have you thought about what we'll do after she's dead? When we can be safe and free?" Arya whispered.

"Wherever you go? I'll follow," Gendry said without a moment of hesitation. They wrapped their arms around each other as Nymeria curled around both of them. The army was close enough that Arya could barely hear them but it was like white noise. It was quiet and she fell asleep to Gendry and Nymeria's soft breathing and the wind in the trees.

+++

They escaped to the woods for the next couple of days but when Sandor stomped into their campsite one morning and threatened to gut both of them if they didn't start sleeping in their tents Arya knew she wasn't going to get away with this anymore. They kept moving south and that feeling in her stomach like the walls were closing in just never went away. She didn't know what to do about it or how to make it go away and it made traveling even worse.

The part that made her feel guilty was that she was traveling with Jon who was probably her second favorite person ever. She was getting time with her brother and all she wanted to do was escape from all of this. The pressure of the upcoming battle seemed to follow her wherever she went and all Arya could think about what would happen if they lost. If she lost Jon she didn't know what she would do. If Daenerys fell in battle she didn't have an apparent heir and Cersei would remain queen. The first thing Cersei would do is attack the North and they didn't have the people to fight right now. If she lost Gendry Arya knew that she wouldn't stop until she found a way to put Needle through Cersei's throat in revenge. There would be no stopping her if she lost Gendry or Jon and she didn't know what kind of person she would come out of a situation like that.

Edmure and his people met them at the crossroads but they didn't stop to see Hot Pie. Arya couldn't and didn't want to think about people right now and the people she cared about. She saw him watching the armies march south but she managed to keep herself and Gendry hidden from his sight. When and if she got the chance to see Hot Pie again she wanted it under better circumstances. If Cersei had spies around and she found out that her and Gendry had a friend in the Riverlands she might send someone to burn the inn to the ground out of spite and Arya wasn't going to risk that.

Edmure looked a lot better now and he had managed to bring some bannerman from the Riverlands and, if Arya knew her houses too, maybe even a few from the Reach as well. They didn't exactly have a lot of people and they were probably still outnumbered but every man that they could get to help. Edmure told them that he needed to leave some people behind that could help guard Roslin and Riverrun which wasn't that surprising but the more people they had the better. What was surprising was that Edmure had opened the doors to the keep and brought in as many people from outlying villages as he could so they could stay safe. Arya has forgotten that for any fault that her uncle might have he cared about his people and he wanted them to be safe.

Nymeria left right after they got to the crossroads. Arya wasn't surprised and a wolf wouldn't do well in a fight like the one in King's Landing but her heart still broke a little to see a symbol of the North vanish into the night.
"You'll see her again," Gendry said and he let her crush his hand with her own without a word.

"How can you be so sure?" she whispered.

"Because she's adopted the two of us, we're her pups, and something tells me she's not done protecting us just yet," he said and Arya smiled a little. "She just can't protect us from this. We need to do this on our own." The worst part was that she agreed with him but that didn't make watching her beloved wolf walk away any easier.

The closer they got to King's Landing the more thoughts of revenge clouded Arya's thoughts. Every night she wanted to grab a horse and run ahead of everyone. If she was alone maybe she could sneak into the city. Maybe she could even sneak into the castle? There had to be a way. If she got there before Jon and Gendry she could keep them safe and that was all that mattered. If they were safe then everything else would be fine. They were less than a week from King's Landing and Arya was sitting in her tent, a packed bag by the entrance, yet when she looked at Gendry sleeping on the bedroll she couldn't let herself leave because she knew he would follow. She knew he would run after her without thinking of his own safety and he'd get caught. His head would be on a pike and part of her world would end.

Cersei had to know that she wasn't going to live through this invasion and that made her dangerous. She already blew up one building there was no telling if she would do it again. What would she do to try and save herself? What steps would she take and who would get caught up in that madness? They were going to walk for a few more days and then they were all stopping so they could strategize and figure out how they were going to win this fight.

+++

Arya didn't really want to go to another strategy meeting but they needed to figure out exactly how they were going to take the city before they invaded. It was an odd situation in that the people of King's Landing were likely going to be happy that Daenerys had arrived and had been actively trying to take care of Cersei themselves for months. Conditions in the city, according to the few people they met along the road that had escaped, were very bad. There was no getting in or out unless you were approved by the crown. The merchants in the various boats were still charging insane prices to smuggle people out of the city and there wasn't anyone that could stop them. There was also the fact that Cersei had wildfire and no one knew how much or where she was keeping it. It made the dragons something dangerous instead of an advantage.

Then there was also the fact that Euron and his men were sitting out in Blackwater Bay waiting to fire scorpions that could kill said dragons. No one wanted the city the burn but they also knew that there was a chance that they couldn't stop it from happening.

"I think they'll run if we give them a chance," Jaime said as he looked over the map with everyone else. "Conditions in the city are bad enough and if they know that they'll just get in the way they might flee the entire city or at least most of them."

"Aye, those people want that woman gone," Davos said. "The last time I was in the city all they could talk about was how Cersei killed the kind Queen Margaery and how they rightfully assumed that she had something to do with Tommen dying as well. They didn't love Tommen but they adored Margaery and they wanted revenge for the one queen that seemed to care about them even a little."

"The people of King's Landing have rebelled before and they will rebel again," Gendry said. "Some of them are old enough to remember the last time the city was sacked. They don't want to see that happen again so running would be in their best interest. I remember people talking about the last time the city fell and how bad it got. I remember them telling the younger people that you don't want to be in the city if a battle happens. The nobles don't care if we die because that throne is all that matters." Arya could see the way that Daenerys was shifting a bit as she listened to Gendry talk about the smallfolk and what they thought of these wars. It was a sentiment that she heard when they fought in the Riverlands as Wolf and Bull; the great houses were only there to let them the smallfolk die in their wars and nothing more.

"The lad isn't wrong," Davos said sadly as he looked at everyone in the tent all of whom were noble of some kind. Only Gendry and Davos knew what it really meant to mean nothing to the people that governed them.

"The Golden Company is guarding every entrance to the city," Jaime said. "If we break through those and make sure the path is clear we can tell the people to get out. That will force Cersei to pull back to the Red Keep. While that place is a fortress there are plenty of ways in that no one will know about and nothing is imperious to dragonfire."

"I worry about using my children near the city," Daenerys said. "I want the smallfolk to have a city to come back to once I take my place on the throne. The clever plans and everything else might be costing me but I will not burn that city to win. I will not become my father no matter the corner Cersei may try to back me into."

"Then perhaps the dragons can help us clear the path to the gates," Jon said. "And then you take them to Blackwater and deal with Euron's fleet. Yara just doesn't have the numbers to deal with him and while the scorpions will be risky it's also the best use of the dragons that doesn't risk the city."

"My children are important to this battle," Daenerys replied. "If I am to rule Westeros I must risk the things that mean the most to me including them."

"Once Cersei is backed into the Red Keep we can use the dragons and anything else at our disposal to take her down," Jon said as he glanced at Jaime. "Your sister, she isn't going to let us take her alive, is she."

"No," Jaime said. "She would sooner die which is why we must be very careful. She's blown up one building; I can very easily see her blowing up another." Arya clenched her fists as she listened to everyone talking about this. It seemed safer to send in someone who could kill Cersei quietly and she had to bite her tongue to insist on being the one to do it. She could do it, she killed several White Walkers and lived to tell the tale, how hard could one madwoman be? She wanted to be the one to do it and it felt like shards of broken glass were beneath her skin. Arya wanted to leave, she wanted to find a way into King's Landing, but she clenched her fists hard enough to break the skin and didn't say a word.

The strategy was set and they knew how they were going to take the city. The plan was to attack at dawn the next day which left them all mere hours before the next battle. Arya looked up and saw that everyone looked a little pale like they weren't sure they were going to make it through all of this. She wasn't sure either and now she had to say goodbye to the people she loved once again because in less than a day they could be dead.

Arya hated this and wished for peace more than anything.

+++

Arya spent the day with the people she cared about. She spent the day with Jon though they didn't get a lot of time together. He was so busy as he prepared for the fight that he just didn't have time to talk to her. He needed to talk to all of the lords, to make sure that everyone knew what they were doing the tomorrow, he needed to make sure they did everything they could to keep everyone as safe as possible. The crux of the plan was that they were trying to take the city first and the Red Keep second. That was the best and only way to keep Cersei from doing something completely insane. There was a chance she had some sort of idea that was going to make their lives difficult but they didn't have any way of knowing what it was.

"If things start to go badly tomorrow I want you to run," Jon said when they had a moment to talk alone. Gendry was off taking care of people's weapons and doing his best to fix things while not having access to a forge. Arya stared at him like her brother had completely lost his mind.

"I'm not afraid," Arya snapped and the last thing she wanted to do was fight but she was so on edge that it felt like she had to.

"I know you're not but if we lose Sansa and Bran and the North are going to be in danger. I need you to ride as fast and as hard as you can to Winterfell so you can help them prepare for war. Cersei will come for them and she'll come without mercy," Jon explained and Arya opened her mouth to argue with him but he held up a hand to silence him. "As your King and your brother, I'm ordering you to do this for me. I can't go into that city tomorrow knowing that there won't be someone to warn them if it goes wrong. You have to swear to me Arya, swear on our father's grave, that you will ride North to help protect our family and our home if it goes wrong."

"You can't ask me to leave you behind," she whispered but Jon smiled sadly.

"Then it's a good thing I'm not asking," he replied. Arya threw her arms around him and held onto Jon for a long time after that. It didn't feel long enough as someone interrupted them and Arya had to leave him to his work. She wandered to the edge of camp and sat down in the woods to try and get her head on straight. There were plenty of people that she thought would come and find her but out of all of them, Sandor was not the one she was expecting. He sat down next to her and didn't say a word as he drank out of a wineskin.

"How did you do it?" Arya whispered.

"How did I do what?" Sandor replied.

"How did you let your revenge go? You didn't come south to fight your brother and kill him out of revenge. You're here to keep me and Jon safe because you don't want Sansa to be sad anymore," Arya said. "But how did you do it? How did you let go? I don't know if I can."

"I don't have any pretty words to tell you how to let go of revenge little wolf," Sandor said and Arya blinked because he wasn't calling her a wolf bitch. "I don't even fucking know how serious I am about letting it go. I just found some other reason to fight."

"It's justice though, isn't it? Isn't killing him or killing her justice?" she asked.

"Maybe but why are you killing them? Am I killing my brother for what he did to my face or because he has the blood of two children and an innocent woman on his hands?" Sandor asked. Arya thought about how rarely people spoke about Elia Martell and her two children, how they were wiped off of the history books and rarely mentioned except for why Dorne hated the Lannister's. "If I kill him because of what he did for me that is revenge pretending to be justice. If I kill him because of what he did to the Martell woman and her children that is justice or at least a little closer to justice."

"You think motivation matters," Arya said and Sandor shrugged.

"There is no easy answer, girl, and I don't know what I'm supposed to tell you that absolve you from wanting to slit Cersei Lannister's throat," he said. "You have to ask yourself why you're doing it." Arya had a list of reasons for why she wanted Cersei dead but she couldn't find the words to the question that Sandor wasn't asking. "Your hammer-wielding twat of a husband is looking for you." Arya laughed a little and pushed herself to her feet. She offered a hand to Sandor but he smacked it aside and seemed keen to spend some more time in the woods. Arya walked back to camp and saw Gendry waiting for her near their tent. Her heart pounded as she thought about him in the thick of the battle tomorrow.

"Everything okay?" he asked even though he knew as well as she did that it wasn't.

"I'll be fine," Arya replied and she pulled him into their barely used tent. Gendry opened his mouth to say something to her but Arya didn't give him a chance to reply. She yanked him into a kiss and all but jumped into his arms. Gendry caught her, because of course he did, and smiled against her lips.

"There are people right outside this tent," Gendry whispered as she kissed along his neck and sucked a bruise into his skin. He sounded worried but that didn't stop Gendry from lying her down on their bedroll and looking down at her with his bright blue eyes. She understood what he was talking about; some people disliked the fact that they were together nearby. There was Jon who supported them being together but didn't want to see or hear anything. Arya thought about putting all of them before herself but she couldn't. She could lose Gendry tomorrow and she couldn't stand the thought of not being with him one more time.

"I don't care," Arya replied and pulled him into another kiss. In the back of her mind, she wanted to take her time and really drag this out but there wasn't time for that. Once again she was in the arms of the man she loved and they didn't have time. So she didn't hold back and Gendry didn't either. They all but ripped their clothes off of each other and when Gendry pushed into her Arya bit down on her lip hard enough to draw blood to keep from crying out. The camp was starting to settle, it was getting late, but there were plenty of people that could have heard what they were doing. When it got to be too much, when every nerve ending felt like it was lit up, she pulled Gendry into another kiss as she peaked. Gendry followed mere seconds behind and tried to ignore the tears that were threatening to fall.

Gendry settled down next to her and pulled her into his arms. He didn't comment on the tears or the fact that she was trembling because she could feel him shaking too. They had almost lost each other in the battle of the dead, it was luck that they survived, and Arya knew that they could only get lucky so many times. She knew that she should try and sleep but her mind wouldn't calm down. They could lose tomorrow and losing meant Jon or Gendry could die. It could mean Cersei declaring war on the North which didn't have the resources to fight back. It meant Sansa and Bran and Meera and Theon and so many others being put to death for treason.

Arya closed her eyes and let the tears silently fall. The battle was mere hours away and Arya knew that it was either win or die. There wasn't going to be any mercy from Cersei Lannister.

Jon knew what people would say when Daenerys came to his tent that night but he didn't really care. For all, he knew they were going to be dead in a few hours and he and Daenerys hadn't spoken as friends in weeks. There hadn't been any time with the battle and everyone was trying to get ready to leave so they could go south. Yet as the camp slowed down and everyone went to sleep Daenerys let herself in without a word. Jon looked up from the map he was staring at for the 100th time and smiled at her.

"You know what people are going to say if they see you here," Jon said and she shrugged.

"Let them," Daenerys said as if it didn't matter. The bed in his tent was a decent size and Jon smiled a little to himself when Daenerys threw herself on it and sighed heavily. "Every instinct of mine is telling me that I shouldn't hold back tomorrow even though I want to. I want to conquer Cersei with fire and blood but I also know that I'm risking the city. She's keeping the people in the city because she knows that I care for them and that makes me weaker."

"It does but conquering Cersei and what happens afterward is just as important," Jon replied. "Remember what Davos and Gendry said; the people have rebelled before and they will rebel again. If you sacrifice them they will turn on you and while you might have dragons you don't want to rule through fear." Jon walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed. Daenerys reached out and took one of his hands as she stared at the ceiling of the tent.

"If you're okay with it I'd like to stay here tonight," Daenerys said. "Missandei is panicking that she won't be able to lead the Unsullied well tomorrow and needs her sleep. I don't want to be alone and I don't have anyone else." The last person Jon had been close to was Ygritte and it felt a little weird since Daenerys was his aunt but he was also feeling afraid and nervous and didn't want to be alone. They had to move their limbs around a little to make room in the bed but they both fell asleep.

Daenerys wasn't there when Jon woke up and he was a little grateful for that since it would be a little weird. He climbed out of bed and pulled on his armor, he strapped Longclaw to his waist and looked at the map again. It was time for the battle and there wasn't anything he could do about it.

Jon walked outside and could feel everyone watching him as he made his way to the front lines. Daenerys was there with Missandei and the Unsullied continued to look at the woman as their leader. Gendry had made her two a sword similar to Needle so she wouldn't be unarmed even though she was remaining toward the back of the lines at the end of the day. She was the one who would help get people out of the city. Gendry and Arya were already on their horses and they were staring at the city with oddly blank expressions on their face. Gendry had his war hammer strapped to his back and Arya carried Needle and the blade that Gendry made for her called Thread on her hip. Sandor was nearby and Jon felt like he could trust the man to keep an eye on his little sister.

He looked over his shoulder and saw that everyone was in formation. There was a small group of men that would be staying behind to guard their camp. Drogon and Viserion were nearby and waiting for Daenerys. Jon could see the golden company waiting for them outside the city and the smell of death and destruction was already lingering in the air. There weren't any big speeches, there weren't any words he could say to these soldiers, because they all knew what was on the table. They all knew what they had to do and how they had to win.

Jon climbed on his horse and nodded to Davos who promised to stay by his side. He nodded to Arya, Gendry, Sandor, and even Jaime. He watched as Daenerys climbed on her dragons and took to the sky. Missandei called out orders to the Unsullied and the last of the Dothraki. It was time to go to war and Jon prayed to all of the old and new gods that they didn't lose everything.

He looked up as they rode forward and Jon could see Drogon and Viserion shooting through the skies. They had talked about how exactly they wanted to keep the dragons safe as possible and Jaime seemed to think the best way was to stay as high as possible for as long as possible. That meant Daenerys was going to spend a lot of time diving down, burning things to the ground, and then going up above the clouds again. She did her first drive at the scorpions on top of the walls leading into King's Landing as they approached. The Golden Company clearly didn't know what they were supposed to do with a dragon attacking from one side and an army approaching from the other.

Jon raised Longclaw in the air and looked at the soldiers around him. The Unsullied would approach on foot with the remains of the Northern forces and the men that Edmure brought to the cause. The remains of the Dothraki and a select group of knights that got horses were the frontline. It was the last place he wanted his family but Jon knew better than trying to talk Arya, Gendry, or even Edmure out of this attack. Daenerys destroyed a majority of the walls leading into the city and was coming back for a second round. The Golden Company had to run away from the city and toward the army to avoid dragonfire. They were going to get another chance. Jon knew he had to give the order; he pointed Longclaw forward and they charged.

The Dothraki, while only a handful remained, pulled ahead right away. They were amazing to see on horseback and Jon wished they had more of them in this fight. They were mostly following the orders of Daenerys and Missandei but out of all of the soldiers they had these were the ones Jon felt like he had the least control over. At least they were talented at fighting and could make things a lot easier. It also put a small barrier between himself and the other high ranking commanders and fighters on horseback. The Golden Company stood tall even as they ran from the dragonfire that had destroyed large parts of the wall. Jon could see that Daenerys was heading back into the sky to try and take out as much of Euron's fleet as she could. They were on their own.

A battle against men was both different and not much different from a battle with the dead. Jon tried not to think about the battle for Winterfell against the Bolton's but the first time hot blood splashed in his face all he could think about was nearly getting crushed. All he could think about was watching Rickon fall in the mud and being unable to save his little brother. He needed to focus because he couldn't die here and leave his family. His sisters needed him, the North needed him, and he was going to live through this for all of them.

It didn't take long for Jon to get knocked off of his horse but he fought with everything he had nevertheless. Vaguely, he could hear Missandei calling out orders to the Unsullied and the Dothraki. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sandor nearly cut a man in half with his sword. Jon was grateful to see that Arya and Gendry were fighting side by side and it was a little amazing to see his little sister fighting with her duel swords and killing men without flinching. The Golden Company fought with all they had but it wasn't enough. Jon heard one of them call a retreat into the city and this was something he was not looking forward to. They needed to push the Lannister forces back into the Red Keep and they needed to clear out the city so Daenerys could take the keep without burning the city to the ground.

"Everyone move forward!" Jon called out and began to make his way toward the broken gates and large holes in the walls so they could enter the city. "Push their forces back to the Red Keep and tell the civilians to evacuate!" He looked around and saw Arya and Gendry and knew that they were two that he could trust with this. "Arya, Gendry, I need you both to get into the city and spread the word that the gates are open and that everyone needs to get out right away. Can you do that?"

"I stayed in Westeros to protect the smallfolk; I'm not about to stop now," Arya replied. She nodded to Gendry and the two of them took off into the city fighting as they went. Jon could see Sandor following them and he felt a little better. If there was anyone who could keep Arya and Gendry from getting themselves killed it was Sandor.

Jon looked at the city in front of them and knew that moving as one group was not the best way to go about this. They needed to swarm the entire city and to do that meant breaking his army up into smaller platoons. He turned to Missandei who stood at the entrance of the city on a horse. She was the one who was going to try and guide people out of the city when she could.

"Missandei, I need you to tell the Dothraki and the Unsullied that we'll be splitting into smaller groups and moving through the city until we've pushed the entire army back to the Red Keep. They are also under strict orders not only from me, but Queen Daenerys as well, not to hurt any of the civilians. They aren't part of this."

"Yes, Your Grace," Missandei replied. "I will do my best to get people out of the city the best I can." She begins to relay the orders as Jon gathered his own group of Northmen to take into the city. He could hear Daenerys working in the Blackwater to destroy the ships but he had no way of knowing if that was going well or not. There wasn't time to think about it; they needed to move forward.

The order was given and the army began to spread out through the city as it began to push the Golden Company and the Lannister soldiers back. It seemed that they were keen to fight which Jon didn't have a problem with. The fewer people they had to deal with in the Red Keep the better. The Golden Company fought well but what they lacked was passion for the battle they were in. They wanted to win because they wanted to get paid and while greed was a great motivator Jon liked to think they had something much more important. They were fighting to get rid of a tyrant, of a woman that killed so many people and destroyed so many lives, and that was much more important than money.

Jon was proud of the way his soldiers fought and he felt better having his own men around him as they moved through the city. The people of King's Landing seemed grateful to see them and none of them fought back when he told them that he wanted people out of the city. They had seen Drogon and Viserion, they knew there were dragons in the air, and they seemed to put two and two together to realize that being in the city was not a good idea.

He was a little surprised how many young men said they wanted to stay and help fight. Jon didn't know what to say to those men so instead he told them to help others. He told them to help the elderly or the sick and help defend those that couldn't defend themselves. Jon told those men and women that wanted to fight that Missandei was waiting at the gates and she was going to need people to protect her if the soldiers got through their lines. As he pushed through the city toward the Red Keep more and more civilians ran toward the gates of the city to get out and far away some with only the clothes on their backs. They were the ones that remembered the last time this city was sacked.

Jon stabbed a Lannister soldier through the neck and felt blood on his skin and everything around him felt a little too quiet. Something wasn't right. There weren't any soldiers around him and while he could hear fighting he didn't see anything. There was movement behind them and Jon realized half a moment too late that he had led his men into a trap.

"We're surrounded, hold your ground!" Jon called out as a group of Lannister soldiers and members of the Golden Company surrounded them on all sides. They were outnumbered and for some reason, these soldiers were fighting differently. They weren't fighting to kill instead they were trying to incapacitate. Jon fought with everything he had but before long he was surrounded on all sides by soldiers.

"Drop your weapon boy or we'll start gutting each and every one of your men in front of you," a soldier warned.

"And if I surrender?" Jon asked.

"Then you and your men will live to become prisoners of war," the soldier replied. "If you don't we'll kill your men and we're still taking you prisoner, boy. Whether or not your men live is your choice." Jon looked at his men and he couldn't have the blood of more Northmen on his hands. He gritted his teeth hard and dropped Longclaw on the ground. The Lannister soldier smirked and Jon didn't fight back at the pommel of a sword smashed into his head. Jon felt a flash of pain and then nothing.

+++

Arya didn't like being in King's Landing. The entire city seemed like it was the center of all of her nightmares. This is where she lost her father and where everything started to go to hell. It was where she was beaten within an inch of her life and where Cersei made it clear that while she lived Gendry would be in danger. It was where she had to watch the man she loved to suffer beatings so terrible that he nearly died. It was where she lost her sister and didn't get her back until years later. Arya hated this city so much and there was a part of her that wanted Daenerys to burn it to the ground. There was a part of her that didn't want to try and save anything about this city because it was forever tainted in her eyes. That wasn't the plan though. Those weren't the orders that Jon gave her and Arya was going to listen to her brother.

The Lannister soldiers and the Golden Company were decent fighters but her and Gendry were experts at luring people away from large groups. It was like being Wolf and Bull again which made the entire experience a little better for her. Arya was doing the thing that she knew how to do and that made her feel a little safer. The people of King's Landing all looked like hell. They were thin and starving yet at the same time, they looked like they were ready to run her through with a sword if she looked at them funny. They had seen the dragons and when Arya told them to run they usually did. A few stayed behind and insisted they could fight.

"I want blood for the Sept of Baelor," one man told Arya as he clenched a sword tight enough that his knuckles were white. She glanced at Gendry who shrugged because who were they to deny these people the revenge they wanted. The thought of revenge made her think of Sandor and whether this man was getting revenge, justice, or some combination of both. Arya also didn't think she was the one to tell these men and women what they could and could not do. She tried to get them to leave but if they wouldn't after the first or second try she didn't try to stop them anymore.

That didn't make it any easier the first time she saw one of the civilians gutted by a Lannister soldier and left to bleed out on the streets of King's Landing.

Arya hated this so much and she hated Cersei for causing more bloodshed. She hated that Gendry got slashed on the arm and was going to have to bare another scar. Arya nearly took the head off of the man that hurt him.

"I'm okay. It's just a scratch," Gendry said but nothing was "just" anything in this city. This wasn't just a battle; this was a fight for the very future of Westeros. She didn't know if Daenerys was even still alive or winning her fight out in Blackwater. She could hear the dragons roaring but that didn't mean they were winning. Arya didn't know where Jon was or if he was okay and it made something twist in her stomach. By the gods did she hate this. Arya wished she had the skills to go and do this on her own where her family was safe. Where these civilians weren't involved and she didn't see more blood on the ground of King's Landing. She hated this and she wanted it to end.

Another group of soldiers attacked but there was something wrong. It was a small group and she could see more lingering on the edges of the battle. She thrust Needle through a man's neck and watched him fall to the ground as she looked around. There was a reason they were staying away. There was something on the street and it looked far too green. Arya looked up and watched as one of the soldiers knelt down and lit the green liquid on fire. She knew, instantly, what it was.

"Everyone get down they have wildfire!" Arya screamed. Gendry knocked a man to the ground and looked up at her. He was closer to the barrel of wildfire, she saw it now than she was. Arya wanted to yell and tell him to run but the world exploded in green before she could say a word. She thought she went into the air and everything around her immediately went silent. The ringing in her ears was so loud Arya wished she could hear screams than the ringing. Her entire body seemed to explode with pain when she hit the ground. She wasn't quite blind for a moment but it took some time for the world to come back into focus.

The men around her were all still on the ground or groaning from their wounds. They weren't paying attention to the world around them. Arya tried to force her body to move but it wouldn't. She could see Gendry lying several feet away and he wasn't moving. There wasn't blood pooling around him so there was a chance he wasn't dead but she needed to feel his heartbeat beneath her hands to prove that he wasn't dead.

The soldiers that were lingering on the edges of the fight came into view and she watched them slaughter the civilians that weren't already dead. Arya realized that she was hidden in the shadows, thrown free from the blast, but still close enough that all she could do was watch. She didn't know if she could handle watching them kill Gendry. They didn't though; instead, they put their swords away and two men picked up his limp body. They began to carry him away and even though she was half-deaf Arya could still hear a few words.

"....prisoner...orders..." but it wasn't enough. Cersei always said that Gendry would make a perfect prisoner of war and she was getting him again. Another soldier noticed her and smirked as he approached. She still couldn't get her body to move and he was saying something about taking her too. Arya blinked and one moment the soldier was alive and the next was being run through with a sword. Sandor walked into her line of sight and tossed the man aside. Arya struggled to point to Gendry, to tell Sandor to help him and not her, but he ignored her as he took her into his arms.

"I know little wolf," Sandor said or that was what Arya thought he said. "But there isn't anything we can do for him now." She wanted to argue but Sandor shifted her body just so and the pain was enough to make her blackout.

+++

Cersei watched as one of the barrels of wildfire she placed throughout the city exploded and she wondered how many of the dragon bitches men she took with it. Things weren't going as well out in Blackwater but that didn't really matter because she already knew how she was going to win this war. The people she was fighting had heart and there was nothing in the world easier to exploit than kindness. Cersei saw it in the way they tried to get the people of King's Landing out of the city like they were innocent. The thought that any of those people that flung shit at her were innocent was enough to make her stomach twist into a knot.

She watched as her men pulled back to the Red Keep and locked the doors behind them and she wondered how things were going down there. Qyburn walked into the room an hour or so later and bowed.

"Your Grace, the men have fallen back to the Red Keep," he said. "All is going according to your plan."

"Thank you, Qyburn," Cersei said with a smile. "It's time to send a raven to the Queen of Dragons."

It took longer than Arya wanted to admit for the world to come back into focus. She remembered being in someone's arms and that person was running through the city. She had flashes of someone swearing up a storm and then the world would go black again. All Arya knew was that she was not familiar with these arms and that meant the man carrying her wasn't Gendry. Then she remembered that Lannister soldiers were the last ones to handle her husband and she panicked all over again. The world tilted, went out of focus, and the next time she opened her eyes she was in a tent.

"Easy there little wolf," a familiar voice said and she turned her head to see Sandor sitting near her. "You got blown up by wildfire so you're not entirely healthy right now."

"Where is he?" Arya asked and her voice sounded like she swallowed rocked and it hurt to talk but that didn't matter because she needed to know where he was.

"Arya, you can't--" Sandor said and then she panicked again because he was calling her by her first name and he never did that. That could only mean something terrible had happened and it was clear he wasn't going to tell her what it was. She scrambled out of the bedroll she was in and stumbled to her feet. She could hear Sandor telling her to lie back down but she didn't care. She needed to find Jon because he would tell her what was going on. Jon would tell her what they were going to do to fix this.

When Arya stumbled out of the tent the sun was so bright it nearly blinded her. She hissed at the sun and even though it was clearly late in the evening it was still too bright. Arya ignored the pain and began to make her way toward Jon's tent nearby. It looked like they had set up camp right outside of King's Landing and she could see soldiers moving around but Arya ignored them. She heard a dragon in the sky but she didn't look up to see if there was one or two. She stumbled and fell into the dirt and tried to force herself to stand.

"For fuck's sake, is being a stubborn git a Stark thing?" Sandor said and before Arya could comment he swept her into his arms and carried her to the tent. Arya mumbled thanks after he set her down and she walked into the tent trying to hold her head high as possible. Her blood ran cold when she realized that Jon wasn't there. Daenerys was there and she was extremely pale. She was covered in black soot and it also looked like she might have fallen into the ocean at some point. Davos was there and one of his arms was in a sling and one side of his head was covered in blood. Missandei, Jaime, and Edmure both looked up when she entered but there was no sign of Jon or Gendry.

"Please, where are they?" she whispered and she knew she didn't have to specify who. Daenerys held a parchment in her hand and she looked very sad.

"This is from Cersei. She has Jon, Gendry, and an entire group of men held hostage. She said if I don't surrender to her she is going to kill them. My men tell me she is using the soldiers as human shields outside of the Red Keep and Jon and Gendry have not been seen."

"She knows you won't use the dragon on the Red Keep if she's holding hostages," Jaime said and Arya realized that he said "dragon" as in one. She blinked and Daenerys seemed to realize that Arya probably had no idea what was going on. She nodded to Davos who filled her in. It seemed that the battle went fairly well but as far as they could tell Jon and his men were surrounded and taken prisoner. Arya already knew what had happened to Gendry and everyone else did as well. She assumed that Sandor must have filled them in. Over in Blackwater things didn't go as well. Daenerys explained that while she destroyed a good portion of the Iron Fleet Viserion was killed. She had been knocked off of Drogon and Viserion managed to get her out of the water. However, that gave the remaining ships the shots they needed to kill the dragon. So now they were down a dragon and Cersei had two hostages that she was going to allow to live.

"I cannot surrender," Daenerys said softly. "There is more at stake here than the lives of King Jon, Ser Gendry, and those good men. We are fighting for the future of Westeros and we cannot surrender to that woman."

"If you move to attack the castle she will gut them," Davos said. "We would be condemning two good men to death."

"Two men who are my kin," Daenerys snapped. "Please do not think I make this choice easily or without thinking of the consequences. I would be losing the only family I have left but I cannot surrender to Cersei. We all know what she would do if we surrendered and how many more people would die."

"There has to be something we can do," Arya said. "Please, Daenerys, they are the two people who mean the most in the world to me. I can't lose them. I can't lose more family either."

"She won't release them without a surrender," Daenerys replied softly. "She is attempting to use the fact that I care against me and I cannot give in to that. Even if I surrender she won't let them live; we will die regardless." Arya was trying not to panic, she really was, but the idea of Jon and Gendry dying felt like it was breaking her and she would do anything to prevent them from dying.

"What if I went in alone?" Arya asked and everyone stopped to look at her. "What if I went in alone and tried to kill Cersei? If she was dead and we got everyone out we could attack the Red Keep without having to worry about it."

"You aren't an assassin, little wolf," Sandor said. "My brother guards that bitch and he wouldn't let you near her. He won't let anyone near her."

"She'll let me near her," Jaime said. "She would believe I would come back to her because I always have. It's more than believable. She would let me nearby and if I had you as a prisoner, Lady Arya, that would get you close as well."

"You're talented Lannister but my brother would split you up the fucking middle," Sandor said. "I'm the only one who can stop him so I have to go with you."

"Ser Jaime gets me close enough and I can be the one to kill her," Arya said and she was not above begging. She would do it in a heartbeat if it meant keeping Gendry and Jon alive. "Please, if we fail we're dead anyway and you can attack the Red Keep and kill her." She took a deep breath and tried to calm her racing heart. "You're right that we can't forsake all of Westeros for two men but please let me try to save them before we attack." Daenerys looked a little unsure but she glanced at Jaime and Sandor who both nodded.

"I wish you all the luck in the world, Lady Arya," Daenerys said. "The letter from Cersei says we have mere hours to surrender. I will be attacking the Red Keep at midnight and if you haven't escaped by then there is nothing I can do to help you." Arya nodded and walked out of the tent without a word. The sun was nearly down and they didn't have a lot of time before time ran out and Gendry and Jon's lives were forfeit.

+++

Jon didn't know what he was expecting when he woke up but this seemed a little odd even for him. There were chains around his wrists and ankles and he appeared to be chained to the floor. He wasn't in a cell like he thought he would be. Instead, he opened his eyes and realized that he was chained to the floor of the throne room in the Red Keep. They had taken all of his armor and weapons and there appeared to be only one other person in the room with him. Gendry was also chained to the floor and he looked like he'd been through hell. He had burns and his clothes were covered in soot and torn. Jon's vision swam a bit but he needed to make sure that his friend was still alive. He pressed a hand to Gendry's neck and breathed a sigh of relief when he felt a heartbeat.

"Wake up my friend," Jon said softly as he shook Gendry gently. "Arya will kill me if I don't bring you back in one piece."

"I think that goes double for you," Gendry mumbled as his eyes slowly opened. He blinked a few times and winced as Jon helped him sit up. Gendry looked at the shackles on his wrists, around the room they were sitting in, and groaned. "Fuck." Jon was inclined to agree with that sentiment as he looked around. The Iron Throne was both bigger and smaller than he imagined and he still couldn't believe that so many people lost their lives for a seat that didn't even look comfortable. Jon could vaguely hear the dragons outside but that didn't mean much. There was no way of knowing if they were winning or losing or what happened to the other men who were taken, prisoner.

A door opened and they both turned to see Cersei walking into the room. There was an older man with black robes following her close behind with a Hand of the Queen pin and a massive human being in armor. Jon could only assume that this man was Gregor Clegane. Cersei looked nothing like the woman he remembered from Winterfell a lifetime ago. Her long golden hair was short now and matted. She was extremely pale and had dark circles under her eyes. She looked sickly thin and when she saw the two of them her smile was nothing short of manic.

"Oh, this is even better than I thought," Cersei said as she looked the two of them over. "I wanted to get my hands on you" she gestured to Gendry and he looked like he wanted to bare his teeth at her "but I didn't think I would manage to get the bastard, King of the North, too." Cersei tilted her head to the side as she regarded both of them. "You both look so much like your father's." Jon tried not to react to that because it meant that while Cersei no doubt had spies she didn't know about Jon's real parentage. He didn't really know if that was a good thing or a bad thing because she was going to kill them both regardless.

"Are we really going to play this game again?" Gendry asked and Cersei glared at him. "Queen Daenerys knows who I am and who my father is so you can't use me as some sort of bargaining chip to her for mercy."

"Oh you dear boy," Cersei said with a smirk. "I had a little blue-eyed black hair babe like you when Robert and I first got married. I imagine he would have looked a lot like you if he had lived. You are going to die, boy, but your Queen can't attack the Red Keep if I'm holding you and the other men hostage. I've already sent her a raven telling her that she needs to surrender or I'll kill you. She cares and I will use that against her."

"She might care," Jon said. "But Daenerys isn't stupid and neither of us nor the men you're holding would ever ask her to put the good of all of Westeros ahead of our lives."

"You're going to lose," Gendry said and he was smirking. "And you're going to die and there isn't anything you can do about it." Cersei was many things but Jon didn't think she was the type to get her hands dirty. So it was a surprise when she stomped up to Gendry and backhanded him hard enough that the rings on her fingers tore skin. Gendry spat some blood onto Cersei's shoes and smiled at him with red teeth. He looked very much like a wolf at that moment and Jon was so proud to have this man as his good brother.

"Say another word bastard and I'll cut your tongue out. I never promised your Queen to keep you in one piece," Cersei threatened.

"He's not a bastard," Jon said and Cersei glared at him. "And neither am I. Queen Daenerys and I knighted Gendry and named him Ser Gendry Stark and Queen Daenerys legitimized me as Jon Stark."

"He's a threat to my rule and I will see his head mounted on a pike before the day ends," Cersei snapped. "As for your precious North once this dragon queen is dead it won't take long to kill all of you remaining Stark's. You won't be the last great house I will destroy." She stood a little taller as she looked down at the two of them. Jon could see the way she was looking at Gendry and it made his stomach twist uncomfortably. He was glaring back and Jon had heard about the infamous Baratheon fury. "Such a shame that two men so beautiful must fight against me. Your Queen has until midnight to surrender to me. Until then I believe Ser Gregor could use some entertainment while we wait." Cersei walked up the stairs to the Iron Throne and sat down with a smile on her face.

There were plenty of rumors about Ser Gregor; that he was dead but still walked like the wights. The little bit of skin and the eyes that Jon could see looked like a corpse that had been left out in the sun too long. The Mountain might be a corpse but that didn't make the punch to Jon's face hurt any less. He tasted blood and he could hear Cersei laughing as she watched. Gregor kicked Gendry hard enough in the stomach that Gendry was left gasping for breath on the floor of the Red Keep. Gregor was here to beat him and Gendry senseless for Cersei's amusement and the sun was only barely down. There were hours before Daenerys would attack and until then Jon just hoped that he and Gendry could endure the pain.

+++

They had the city under their control so getting into the Red Keep shouldn't have been a problem. That was very much not the case as Jaime pointed out. Cersei could have spies all over the city and if she got any indication that he wasn't on her side she wouldn't let him get close. Arya knew that if they were shut out of the city then they had no hope of saving Jon and Gendry. The sun was down now and the night was getting colder. Blackwater was a grave of ruined ships but Jaime said that coming in over the water was still the best way to sneak into the Keep for now. Sandor grumbled about the entire thing, said that they were both mad and going to get themselves killed, but still followed nevertheless.

"You know that even if we surrendered she wouldn't let them live," Arya said.

"She might let Jon live but she is obsessed with your husband," Jaime replied. "If she thought she could get away with legitimizing and marrying him herself to solidify a claim on the Stormlands I think she would. Then she'd probably murder him in his sleep. I know my sister, all too well, and I know how she thinks." Arya wanted to comment about how long it took Jaime to walk away from Cersei but then she thought about Sandor and how long he guarded Joffrey. She wasn't in any position to judge these two men that were helping her.

They landed on the shores of the Red Keep and the first thing Jaime did was pull out a line of rope.

"Sorry princess but you're a prisoner from now on," Jaime said. Arya really didn't want her hands bound but they couldn't risk someone running into them with her armed. If word got back to Cersei that Jaime wasn't taking her prisoner they couldn't get close. There was too much on the line. Arya offered her hands and let Jaime tightly tie the two of them together. He also helped her slip a knife up her sleeve so she could break out of the ropes at some point.

"What about Sandor?" Arya asked. "Cersei knows that he left. She can't think he's still loyal and if anyone sees him then we'll have a problem."

"I have my own job to do little wolf," Sandor said. "Like I told you my bastard brother would split the two of you in half. I need to lure him away so you can get to the throne room without any problems."

"Can you beat him?" Arya asked because that was the real question when it came to the fight between these two brothers.

"I'll buy you the time you need one way or another," Sandor said with a shrug. "Revenge, justice, or maybe a little of both, but either way my brother will not leave this Keep after tonight." Arya wanted to tell him to be careful, that he needed to come back from this because Sansa needed someone to look after her in Winterfell, but she said nothing. Sandor wouldn't appreciate something like this and even more so in front of Jaime. Sandor explained to Jaime exactly where he was going to be hiding so they could send Gregor in that direction. She nodded and the two of them split up as Arya and Jaime began to make their way through the Red Keep. Soldiers were running around everywhere but none of them seemed to be paying much attention to Jaime. They nodded or saluted him but they didn't stop him. It seemed that the people in the Lannister forces still trusted Jaime; now they needed to find out whether Cersei did.

The Queensguard let Jaime into the throne room and Arya decided it was time to put on a show. She bared her teeth and struggled against the tight hold he had on her arm. Cersei looked up when they entered the room and smirked. Arya wanted to yell but the words got stuck in her throat as she realized there were two bodies on the ground and they weren't moving. She got closer and realized that it was Jon and Gendry and they looked like they had been through hell. They were bloody and covered in bruises and Arya could see some of that blood on Gregor's armor. She was no longer faking it as she struggled to get away from Jaime so she could tear Cersei apart with her bare hands.

"You fucking bitch, how dare you touch them," Arya snapped but Cersei didn't look like she cared very much. If anything she was smiling like she was seeing the sun for the first time in a year.

"My Jaime, you returned to me," she said. Arya could see that Gregor was the only member of the Queensguard in the room and Qyburn was nearby smirking from the shadows. "I thought you were dead when you didn't come back to me."

"It was not for lack of trying on behalf of our enemies," Jaime said as he walked up to where Gendry and Jon were lying on the ground. He nudged Jon with the toe of his boot and Arya had to watch as her brother slowly woke up. He blinked when he saw her and Jaime looking down at him but she was grateful that he didn't say anything. "What happened to them?"

"Oh I let Gregor have a little fun with our prisoners of war," Cersei said flippantly.

"The Hound is here," Jaime said. "I caught him and the Stark girl trying to sneak into the keep but the dog got away."

"I'll send my men to go kill him," Cersei said but Jaime shook his head.

"No, he'll cut them all down. The only person who can kill the Hound is the Mountain," Jaime said as he gestured to Gregor.

"You're suggesting Her Grace send away her best fighter during a time of war?" Qyburn asked and Jaime raised both of his eyebrows.

"The Hound will make his way here eventually and do you really want to risk him coming along and cutting all of us down? I can still fight but I don't think I can win in a fight against Sandor Clegane."

"My brother is right. Ser Gregor, go kill your brother for me," Cersei said. The giant man nodded and walked out of the room without saying a word. His eyes, which Arya could barely see through the helmet he wore, reminded her of wight eyes. He was dangerous and she didn't know if Sandor could beat him. She was distracted which Arya used as her excuse as to why she called out when Jaime kicked the back of her legs so she fell to the ground. He tied another length of rope to her hands and attached it to the same hooks that Jon and Gendry were locked into. Gendry groaned but didn't wake up.

"I heard an interesting rumor," Jaime said as he walked up the stairs toward the Iron Throne and Cersei. "I heard our brother is dead, is that true?"

"I hope so otherwise, I paid those Faceless men for nothing," Cersei said as she smiled. "Our brother was a traitor who was working for the Queen that wants to destroy our House. He would have seen me killed for taking the Iron Throne and he needed to die."

"But if there was anyone we should have shown mercy to wasn't it him?" Jaime asked. Arya wasn't listening to the conversation as she slipped the knife out of her sleeve and began to cut the ropes from her wrists.

"Mercy?" Cersei said as if the very word tasted vile in her mouth. "He wouldn't show me mercy. He would have gutted me himself if he could. Not like you, my golden lion, you are here because you love me and only me. You are loyal." Cersei stood as Jaime finished climbing the rest of the stairs. Arya got through the first few ropes but there she felt like she was running out of time.

"Our children are gone, Cersei," Jaime said softly enough that Arya could barely hear him. "Our father is gone and now our brother is gone. What future of our House could there be?" Jaime reached forward and placed a hand on Cersei's stomach. "I feel no babe here, was that a lie?" The next rope gave away but there was something about the way that Qyburn was moving that made Arya's hair stand on end. She needed to get out of these ropes now.

"Of course it was a lie," Cersei said and she was smiling now and it was a smile that didn't look happy. If anything, it was the smile of a woman who knew she had won. In the blink of an eye, several things happened at once. The ropes around Arya's wrists gave away and she was free with a knife in her hand. Jaime pulled his sword from his hip and drove it into Cersei's stomach without a second of hesitation. Cersei pulled a knife from her own sleeve and slashed it across Jaime's face. Jaime stumbled back as he ripped Widow's Wail from her stomach. Blood spilled down Cersei’s black dress and over the stairs of the Iron Throne. Qyburn was pulling something out of his robes but Arya couldn't let that happen. She took the stairs two at a time and slashed the throat of the Hand of the Queen before he could react.

Arya took little pleasure from that as she stood over Cersei who had collapsed next to the throne as she struggled to keep herself from bleeding out. She wasn't worried about Jaime, a wound like that would scar but he wouldn't die, but Arya looked up when she heard him drop his sword.

"Dear brother," Cersei said and there was blood on her lips. "You should know by now that if one of us dies the other must follow." Arya wanted to stand over Cersei and watch the life drain from her eyes but Jaime was collapsing to the floor and needed help. She struggled, she wanted to see this woman die, she had earned that and now fate was taking the simple pleasure of watching Cersei Lannister die away from her.

"Arya, he needs your help," Jon said from the floor. Arya closed her eyes, released a breath, and walked away from Cersei as she bled out. She knelt down next to Jaime and she could see the veins near the wound on his face turning black.

"She poisoned the blade," Arya whispered and the only person who might know how to fix it was Qyburn and he was already dead.

"I can't keep a promise to that woman," Jaime said and it sounded like it hurt to speak. He was gasping for breath and Arya reached over to take his hand. "I promised Brienne that I would watch over Podrick and the boy died. I promised her I'd come back and I'm not going to do that. I need you to ask her to forgive me Stark, I need you to ask her to forgive me for breaking my promise to her."

"I already know that she'll forgive you, Ser Jaime," Arya whispered and Jaime laughed a little to himself.

"Now I'm a Kingslayer, a Queenslayer, and a Kinslayer. It sounds like a bad joke," he said and Arya could tell that it was getting harder for him to breathe.

"I see a man that saved Westeros from tyranny twice," Arya replied as she squeezed his hand. Jaime opened his mouth to say something else but the air left his lungs and he went still as Cersei's blood soaked into the stones of the Red Keep.

Arya didn't know what she was supposed to feel at that moment. Jaime was dead, Cersei was dead, Qyburn was dead, and she was sitting on the floor of the Red Keep throne room and unable to gather her thoughts. It should have felt different not to have Cersei in the world anymore. She thought that knowing that woman was dead would make her feel better but it didn't. Instead, Arya realized that she was just so tired. She was tired and wanted to go home with her husband and her brother so she could be with her family. She wanted all of this to end because she was so incredibly done with all of this.

"Arya," Jon said and Arya came back to the reality of their situation. They were in the Red Keep with the blood of a Queen on their hands and Daenerys getting ready to attack. They needed to get out of here and they needed to get out of here now. Arya scrambled over to Qyburn and found keys that she assumed were there for Jon and Gendry's shackles. Jon was bloody and looked like he was about to fall over and Gendry was slowly waking up. Arya wished that this was the first time she had seen her husband covered in his own blood and barely conscious but it wasn't.

"We need to get out of here," Arya said as she knelt down and began to unlock the shackles. Her hands were shaking and she couldn't get them to stop. There wasn't any time for her to meltdown like this; they needed to get out of this castle. "Daenerys is going to attack the Red Keep at midnight if we don't find a way to tell her that Cersei is dead."

"Then we'll do that," Jon replied and the fact that he sounded so calm made Arya's hands stop shaking. She unlocked the chains around Jon's wrists and ankles and made her way over to Gendry as his eyes slowly opened.

"Arya?" he whispered. "What happened now?"

"Cersei, Qyburn, and Jaime are all dead," Arya replied as she unlocked the chains. "Daenerys is going to attack the Red Keep with Drogon if we don't get out of here and let her know that Cersei is dead." When his wrists and ankles were free Gendry took her hands into his and looked like he wanted to ask her if she was the one who killed Cersei. "It wasn't me. Jaime was the one who killed her and she died alone with no one even looking in her eyes. She's gone snd I'm fine." Arya wasn't fine but now wasn't the time. She squeezed Gendry's hands and moved over to Jon to help him to his feet. Jon and Gendry both leaned on each other as Arya looked around the throne room. She didn't have Needle, Thread, or any of her other weapons besides a dagger on her. Window's Wail lay on the ground nearby and it was stained red with Cersei's blood. The sword was a bit too big for her but it was made with Ice and it was her family's. It was time to take it back.

"What are you doing?" Jon asked as Arya walked over and closed Jaime's eyes. She removed his swordbelt, picked up Widow's Wail, and handed both to Gendry.

"This sword was made with the steel of my father's sword and we're taking it back," Arya replied. "It's too heavy for me so I need you to carry it, Gendry." Gendry looked like he didn't know what to do about that but there wasn't time to argue. With Jon's help, Gendry got the swordbelt on and Arya found a second dagger hidden in Qyburn's robes. Jon's swordbelt and Longclaw were near the Iron Throne like Cersei was planning on keeping them as trophies and Arya made sure Jon had those as well. They were armed and even though Jon and Gendry could both barely walk it was time to leave even though they had no way of knowing if The Mountain was going to return and kill them all.

"Jaime got us in here via a secret tunnel through Blackwater Bay," Arya whispered as she pushed the door to the keep open. Guards were patrolling but not as many as she thought. Jon and Gendry had the swords in hand ready to fight even though they looked ready to fall over. Arya waited until the first group of soldiers passed by and the three of them began to make their way through the Red Keep. For half a second she thought that maybe they could get out of here without spilling any more blood but that was not the case. They turned a corner and immediately got ambushed by a group of soldiers. Jon and Gendry broke away from each other as they pulled out their swords but their movements were slow. Arya knew that they wouldn't last long in this state and that she needed to get them out of there quickly.

"Wait, what about the other men that were taken prisoner?" Jon asked as he tried to catch his breath as he leaned against a wall.

"We aren't strong enough to escape with them," Arya said. "We need to get out so we can tell Daenerys that she doesn't need to attack the Red Keep with Drogon and instead we can march on it."

"If we don't attack with the dragon fewer soldiers and servants will die," Gendry said. He was also leaning against a wall and blinking like he was trying to clear his own vision.

"We don't have time to try and free them, Jon. We need to get the two of you out here and quickly," Arya said even though she didn't want to do this. She didn't want to leave those men behind but they had a better chance of living if Daenerys didn't attack the Red Keep with Drogon. Jon looked like he wanted to argue more than anything but he also seemed to realize that they were in a dangerous place and they needed to keep moving forward. Eventually, he nodded and the three of them began to make their way through the Red Keep toward the tunnel that Jaime had shown them.

Arya turned a corner and nearly put her dagger through Sandor's throat as he took her by surprise. He was covered in blood but the blood looked almost black. He was wounded, it looked like he took a sword to the gut, but somehow Sandor was still walking and he stared at the three of them.

"The bitch must be dead, where is the golden hand cunt? Also dead?" he asked.

"Yes," Arya replied and she wanted to tell him she was glad to see him alive but there wasn't time for that. Sandor looked at Gendry and Jon and somehow managed to look very unimpressed.

"What happened to the two of you?" he asked.

"Your asshole brother happened," Gendry replied.

"Well he's dead so let's keep going," Sandor said and he turned to lead the way down through the tunnels like it was no big deal at all. Arya wished she could do something to help him but all three of these men were too tall compared to her. She couldn't take their weight even if she wanted to. All Arya could do was keep her daggers in hand and keep moving forward. "Did you kill her?" Sandor asked softly.

"No," Arya replied. "Jaime did and then she slashed him with a poison blade. I held his hand while he died so he wasn't alone instead of watching the life leave her eyes."

"You made the right choice, Arya," Sandor said so quietly she wasn't even sure he said it at all. She chose empathy over revenge, she chose to listen to a man's dying words and tell him he died with honor over revenge. It felt like something her father would be proud to hear her doing. Arya knew that she wasn't healed and the damage caused by Cersei Lannister would linger but making that choice felt like stepping in the right direction for the first time in a long time.

They ran into a few soldiers once they got to the tunnels but Sandor still fought like a man possessed even though he appeared to be bleeding out. The light appeared and Jon and Gendry were fully leaning on each other now and could barely walk. They were quickly running out of energy and it was time to go. They emerged into the moonlight only to see a man with a sword waiting for them.

"And just who do we have here?" he asked. He was wearing black clothing and his skin had a grey parlor that spoke to spending the night in Blackwater Bay. "Your dragon bitch might have destroyed my ships but that doesn't mean I'm going to let you take away my Queen's prisoners without a fight." Arya realized that this had to be Euron Greyjoy and he had a look of madness to him that Theon had told her about.

"Your Queen is dead you squid fucking twat," Sandor said as he pulled out his sword. "Wolf bitch, get those two idiots into the boat and go." He paused for a moment as he pulled out his sword and Sandor frowned. "And if you tell me you won't leave me behind--"

"I wasn't going to say a word," Arya interrupted which was a lie if there ever was one. Sandor raced forward and engaged Euron and despite his wounds, he still fought like nothing like Arya had ever seen before. She helped Gendry and Jon into the boat and then hesitated. She didn't want to leave him, she didn't want him to die, Sansa needed people looking out for her and that's what Sandor did. He looked out for her sister better than anyone. Arya didn't know how to tell him these things without insulting him so she climbed in the boat and pushed off the shore.

"Arya," Sandor said and she turned just in time to see him take a sword to the cut. Euron's throat was open in a bloody line as he fell into the sea. "Tell Sansa I'm sorry I didn't do a better job of protecting her." Arya wanted to turn the ship around but Sandor pulled the sword from his own gut, tossed it to the side, and stood before the group of Lannister soldiers that had appeared from the tunnels. Arya watched him fight as they rowed away from the cliffs and she lost sight of him in the nighttime fog of Blackwater Bay.

+++

Arya didn't know what she was supposed to do now. Jon was doing his best to get them back to shore but she couldn't get the image of Sandor standing tall and bloodied as he died for them out of her mind. She didn't want anyone else to die for them, for her, yet it never seemed to stop. She was beginning to wonder if the horror of war would ever go away. Even though it looked like Daenerys was going to take the throne, did that mean the people she loved were going to be safe? Did that mean that everyone she cared about was going to stop dying bloody deaths? It was too much to think about and Arya felt like she was going to breakdown but now wasn't the time. There wasn't time to think about any of this. Cersei might be dead but that didn't mean the danger was gone.

It felt like a lifetime before the shore came into sight and Arya breathed a sigh of relief as she saw Daenerys, Davos, Missandei, and Edmure all waiting for them. They made it which was a good thing. Arya didn't think she could live with the guilt if the captured Northmen died or finding the burnt bodies of innocent servants in the Red Keep if they had to attack with Drogon.

"You're okay," Daenerys whispered as she helped the three of them out of the boat and onto dry land.

"It's done," Arya said.

"And Ser Jaime and Sandor?" Daenerys asked.

"Ser Jaime was the one who killed Cersei but lost his life in the process. Sandor defeated The Mountain, killed Euron Greyjoy, and stayed behind at the cost of his own life so we could escape," Arya replied as she did her best to keep her voice steady.

"They still have my men," Jon said. "So we'll need to be careful when we take the Red Keep that they aren't killed out of spite."

"The Golden Company won't stay if they know the woman with the gold isn't alive," Davos said as he helped Jon stay standing.

"I'm sorry," Daenerys said suddenly as she bowed deeply. "I couldn't surrender to her even at the expense of your lives--"

"Dany," Jon said softly. "You have nothing to apologize for. There was too much at stake to surrender for the lives of a handful of men. I certainly don't resent you for it and I'm sure Gendry doesn't either."

"We're here now and that's all that matters," Gendry replied and Daenerys nodded like she was pulling herself together.

"You two look like shit," she said frankly which made a few people sputter out surprised laughter. "I believe you both could use some rest but I have a feeling if I told you both to rest instead of coming to the Red Keep with me you wouldn't listen and come anyway. So, I'm going to insist that you both remain on your horses and away from the frontlines at the very least."

"We aren't that predictable, are we?" Gendry asked Jon who at least looked like he was a little embarrassed.

"My men are there and--" but no one gave Jon the chance to continue as they all made their way back to the camps outside of the city. Arya didn't want Jon and Gendry traveling at all since it looked like they were about to fall over but Daenerys seemed to know that they were stubborn and wouldn't stay behind even if they were ordered to. Daenerys got on a horse instead of Drogon and sent the remaining dragon to the sky where he would make an effective tool to force the remaining Lannister forces to surrender. They had lost a few horses along the way so Arya shared with Gendry and smiled as she felt him holding her tightly. They began the march through the city toward the Red Keep.

"Are you okay?" she whispered as they walked.

"I feel like I could sleep for a week but I have a hard head and can take a beating. Unfortunately, you know that better than anyone," Gendry replied and Arya couldn't help but smile at that. Her husband and her brother were made of tough stuff and while she had every right to worry about them she knew they could make it through this too. The gates to the Red Keep seemed to loom over everything and Arya tried to slow down her beating heart as they approached. She didn't want another battle, she didn't, and she silently begged for these men to lay down their arms so this could be over.

"I am Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, First of Her Name, the Unburnt, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, and Mother of Dragons and I have come to claim the Iron Throne," Daenerys declared. "You will open these gates immediately and lay down your weapons if you value your lives. Your Queen is dead, her Hand is dead, and there will be no payment for the Golden Company. If you lay down your weapons and surrender to me you will walk away from this fight with your lives. If you do not I will be forced to use my dragon. If you harm the soldiers you are using as human shields I will use my dragon. This is your only warning. Open the gates." Arya listened and she could hear people talking over each other and trying to understand what was going on. She could hear someone running around.

Daenerys looked up at Drogon who was nearby and looked ready to start burning people alive when someone called.

"Wait, please," a voice said. "We surrender. We will open the gates and let you in."

"If you betray me I will not hesitate to burn you alive," Daenerys warned.

"We understand," the voice replied quickly and they sounded afraid. The gates to the Red Keep open and they began to walk in. There were soldiers on their knees with their weapons on the ground. Their hands were in the hair in surrender. The Northern soldiers that were with Jon had taken some of those weapons and were holding the soldiers hostage. There was a general who was standing in front of the Red Keep and while he wasn't kneeling he appeared to be unarmed. "My lady, I'm here to officially surrender on behalf of the Golden Company and the Lannister soldiers. Please accept this surrender so my men may live."

"The Golden Company has until the sun comes up to get out of Westeros," Daenerys ordered. Sunrise was a mere few hours away and that gave the men very little time to prepare any remaining ships. "They will be escorted by a member of my Iron Born and should they try to turn around I will personally come on my dragon and burn those ships to the ground. Do you understand?"

"Yes, my lady."

"Furthermore all remaining Lannister forces are to remain captive until they decide whether to swear allegiance to me or suffer banishment. They will not be harmed while we go through this process, do you understand?" she asked.

"Yes, my lady."

"Then I accept your surrender," Daenerys climbed off of her horse and they motioned for the rest of the soldiers to come into the Red Keep. The remaining Golden Company and Lannister soldiers were rounded up and they began to put chains on them. Arya looked around and couldn't believe it. They surrendered, Cersei was dead, and the battle for the Iron Throne was over.

+++

Arya had a hard time focusing on the next week. The first they did was go down to the black cells and free anyone who was in them including Ellaria Sand who was near mad with grief at the loss of her daughter. The woman was alive though and now under the care of maesters who said that she would recover her physical wounds someday but her mental ones would take much longer. The smallfolk were let back into the city and while they were weary of Daenerys there was a chance they could warm up to her. Davos and Gendry didn't make any promises that they would love her to Daenerys but they did tell her that putting them first would make all the difference in the world. Daenerys presented herself to the people and one of the first things she promised was to rebuild the Great Sept of Baelor.

Daenerys officially took the throne but she did not have a crown. She said she wanted Gendry to make her one when he felt ready and that was the only crown she would wear; one crafted by family and one of the best smiths in all of Westeros. Gendry looked like he didn't quite know what to do with that information but agreed. The ravens were sent out to the noble houses of Westeros and Yara Greyjoy arrived after escorting the Golden Company out of Westeros. With Yara taking the throne of the Iron Isles and Jon remaining as King in the North the three monarchs signed a treaty agreeing to trade and relatively open borders. The three of them agreed to meet in several months to work out all of the details.

Sandor and Jaime's bodies were given funeral pyres along with any other soldiers that were lost. Daenerys made sure that everyone knew that the reason they were free of tyranny was because of the sacrifices Jaime and Sandor made. They would be remembered as heroes which was the last thing either of them wanted but it was right.

The week ended and Jon and Gendry were healed enough to travel and it was time to leave. Davos helped get their things together and made sure all of the Northmen that wanted to return were ready. Daenerys told any of the men that fought if they wished to remain with her army she would accept them. A handful of the men, the ones who had nothing for them in the North, took her up on that offer and Jon couldn't tell them no. They were leaving Westeros in Daenerys' hands and going back home to rebuild their home. It felt strange to leave but Arya wasn't feeling empty anymore. If anything she felt like she could finally move forward. She was leaving King's Landing of her own free will and on her own two feet. That felt important.

As they road away from the city Arya didn't look back but forward. All that mattered to her was forward and that was where she intended to go.

The trip back to Winterfell was thankfully uneventful which is what Arya wanted more than anything. They slowly made their way North and no one bothered them. She slept with Gendry at her side and enjoyed every second of it. She got the chance to have a long conversation with Jon. They stopped at the Crossroads Inn and saw Hot Pie. He hugged the two of them so tightly that Arya thought he was going to break a rib. Jon offered him a place at Winterfell and he said he would think about it. He looked settled though, good, and Arya wasn't about to take away stability from someone who found it.

When they walked through the gates of her home Arya had to watch as Jon told Sansa and Brienne what happened to Jaime and Sandor. The two of them stood tall and tried to look strong but Arya could tell that something was breaking within both of them. Theon reached over and took Sansa's hand into his and he let her crush his fingers as she tried to hold on. Arya didn't quite understand what Sandor was to Sansa but she knew they were important to each other. She pulled her sister aside and told her what he said as they were sailing away. Arya told Brienne that Jaime apologized for breaking his promise. She hated seeing the hurt in their eyes but there wasn't anything she could do about it. Death didn't spare anyone in war, even men that were looking to be better like Jaime and Sandor, and now it was time to keep living.

It was hard, at first, because Arya couldn't get the war out of her head. She kept waking up from nightmares thinking that Cersei wasn't dead or that Daenerys decided that the North needed to be put in its place or that the dead were going to rise again. She woke up with the taste of blood in her mouth as she dreamed about the corpses of her loved ones. She dreamed that Jon and Gendry were dead in the Red Keep instead of just hurt. She dreamed that Jaime went back to Cersei and betrayed them. She dreamed Daenerys lost control and burned all of King's Landing to the ground. The nightmares wouldn't stop and no matter how hard she tried nothing stopped them.

"I thought it would be different," she said to Gendry one night after she woke up screaming again and he was holding her. "We're at peace, the North is free, my family is home and safe, so why can't I sleep?"

"You think you're the only one with nightmares?" Gendry asked. "I dream that Cersei catches me and puts my head on a pike. Or Melisandre managed to buy me from the Brotherhood and burns me alive. We all have nightmares. Listen." Arya frowned and listened to the rest of the castle until she realized that she heard someone else scream out in terror. It sounded like Sansa and moments later it was followed by a voice that sounded like Theon.

"How did you know?" she asked.

"You fall back asleep after your nightmares; I don't," Gendry said. "It's been a month since we returned to Winterfell and I guess I'm feeling anxious. I can't remember the last time I was in one place without something hanging over my shoulder. We have time to relax and I guess I don't know how to."

"Me neither," Arya confessed and they held each other a little tighter. "You have a family now and eventually we're going to have to plan for Bran and Meera's wedding."

"We could have another wedding," Gendry suggested. "Have all of our family there instead of Beric and Thoros and doing it out of spite for Cersei." He paused and Arya could tell that he wanted to talk about something else but didn't quite know how to bring it up. "Is having another wedding something you'd like to do?"

"Of course," Arya replied without hesitation. "I'm sure Sansa would relish a chance to get me into a dress."

"And I'd like family there," Gendry said. He shifted so the two of them were looking at each other and he looked so unsure. "I've been thinking about family. Melisandre and the maid in the Red Keep Alsy both said that I could have more half-siblings out there somewhere. We always talked about making the North a safe place for Baratheon's."

"You want to go out and try to find them? You want to go find your siblings?" Arya asked.

"Yeah, I think I do," Gendry said. "I think I want us to go find them, bring them back, so we can have all of our family here when we renew our wedding vows."

"That sounds perfect," Arya whispered and smiled as the two of them kissed.

+++

The problem that they were running into was that they had no idea where to even start a search like this but it turned out that the right person to ask was Sansa.

"When Baelish took me to the Vale there was a woman that guided us along the mountain trail," Sansa explained. "I remember that she was a Stone and I was currently posing as a bastard as well. I didn't realize it at the time but she looked a lot like you Gendry. She had black hair and very blue eyes."

"You think she could be one of my half-siblings?" Gendry asked.

"Your father and ours fostered at the Eyrie," Arya said. "She would be your older sister without a doubt and maybe the oldest of any of Robert's children but the timeline more or less makes sense."

"Her name was Mya," Sansa said. "And she was very kind to me which I remember was a surprise since there were so many people that weren't kind to me back then."

"So I guess we're going to the Vale then," Gendry said with a shrug but Jon looked like he just ate a lemon.

"I'm not sure this is the best idea," he said. "We have a treaty with Daenerys and she might not like the idea that we're gathering other Baratheon's. It could be seen as a threat."

"Daenerys also wants family," Arya said. "And she has referred to you and Gendry as family before. I'd like to think that she'd be open to this. Anyway, we don't need to tell her we're doing anything until we have a better idea of how she'll react."

"They're out there Jon," Gendry whispered. "And you know as much as I do that their lives haven't been easy because they're bastards. I'm in a position to help them so that's what I'm going to do."

"All right but don't tell anyone what we're doing. Not yet anyway," Jon said. "When I go down to King's Landing later this month I'll float the idea that there could be more Baratheon's out here and I'll see how she reacts."

Arya didn't see the point in waiting long so the next day they gathered their things and were on their way to the Vale. They were on two horses with their weapons for bandits and the bare amounts of things they would need for camping. Jon wanted to send them with guards or even Brienne but both Arya and Gendry insisted that they didn't need anything like that. They would be fine with what they had and they knew how to move in the wild without someone watching out for them. It took nearly a month to get to the base of the Eyrie and Arya began to ask around about a girl named Mya.

It didn't take long and the woman they found took Arya by surprise. She was just as tall as Gendry and while she wasn't nearly as strong physically as he was it was apparent that she wasn't weak either. Her black hair was twisted up in a messy black braid and she was tending to some mules nearby. When they approached she looked up and Arya knew those blue eyes better than anyone. It was almost eerie how similar Mya and Gendry looked.

"I know who you are," Mya said as she stared at Gendry. He climbed off his horse and slowly approached her. It was apparent that she didn't trust him and Gendry his hands where she could see them.

"So do I," Gendry said. "My name is Ser Gendry Stark but I was known as Gendry Waters for a time. I was born in King's Landing in the shadow of the Red Keep."

"Mya Stone," she replied and they made no move to close the distance between them. They stayed a few steps apart from each other. "I remember him. He came to see me a few times."

"I only saw him when he rode through the city and even then I had no idea that he was my father," Gendry said. "I was told by multiple people that there was a chance there were more of us out there and I wanted to find you."

"Why?" Mya asked and she narrowed her eyes.

"My wife," Gendry gestured to Arya, "is Arya Stark of Winterfell. We want to offer you somewhere safe to go in the North. You can do as you please but you'll have a warm bed to sleep in, plenty of food, and a roof over your head." Gendry paused as he stood before Mya and Arya could see how nervous he was. "You're family, Mya, and I'd like to get the chance to know you." She eyed him as if she didn't quite believe what she was hearing and judging from what Arya knew about how bastards were treated she wasn't surprised that Mya didn't believe them.

"And if I don't want to stay?" Mya asked.

"You can come and go as you please," Arya said. "My brother, the King, will make sure that you have anything you need and if that means leaving then you can leave." Mya looked between the two of them for a long time and then nodded slowly.

"Okay, I'll stop by for a time but I'm not promising to stay," she said. There was a stubborn set to her jaw that Arya knew all too well and she smiled as Mya went back to her small home to gather her things.

+++

Mya came with them back to Winterfell and settled in fairly well. She didn't seem to mind the cold much and she remembered Sansa. The two weren't exactly friends but it was nice to see a familiar face. Gendry seemed torn between wanting to go out to find more of his siblings or spending time getting to know Mya. Arya decided that it was best to split the difference. The truth was they had no idea where to go next and that meant they needed to do a little research. Gendry got to spend some time with Mya and the two of them began to bond a little.

Mya was sharp and was once betrothed to knight from a house of the Vale. She told them that she gave her maidenhead to this man but then he was forced to marry a different girl. She hadn't been close to anyone since and Arya didn't blame her. She was just as stubborn as Gendry was and the two of them had some rather spectacular fights those first few days. Arya spent a lot of time with Sansa reminiscing about what it was like when they used to fight like that. Gendry and Mya weren't children though and they settled down after a few days. It was apparent that Mya was taking to the idea of being a big sister to Gendry and they began to get along.

"I could look for you," Bran said after a week of being unable to find another lead on Gendry's siblings. "I'm not as powerful as I used to be but I still have some visions. Perhaps I could point you in the right direction."

"Just be careful not to get lost," Arya warned. Bran waved her off and spent a good portion of the afternoon in the godswood. He came back looking a little pale but did have something to tell them.

"Check the Riverlands and follow the war," Bran said like that explained anything at all. When Arya gestured for him to continue he shrugged and rolled himself out of the room. Arya sighed as Mya joined them in this search.

"The war," Mya said. "Gendry, you were born after the Rebellion so that was after Robert became king. I was born before the Rebellion while he was in the Eyrie. Maybe we're looking for someone between the two of us."

"Maybe the "war" is the rebellion," Arya said. "And we need to follow Robert's troop movements in the Riverlands during the rebellion."

"Seems like as good of a place to start," Gendry said as the three of them began to look over historical maps. Wolken came in and helped them make sure that they were tracking everything correctly and eventually they had the troop movements that were logged in the rebellion. Arya pointed to a place that sounded all too familiar.

"The Peach?" Gendry said. "Didn't the Brotherhood talk about that place? It's a brothel, isn't it?"

"Robert did love his whores if the rumors I heard were to be believed," Mya said. "It wouldn't surprise me if he left a babe in a brothel." Arya noticed how neither Mya nor Gendry referred to Robert as their father and it set her teeth on edge. She couldn't imagine never knowing her father; then she remembered how drunk Robert always was and how he acted when he was in Winterfell and she thought that maybe, on some level, they were better off never knowing him.

Mya stayed behind as Arya and Gendry packed their things and set off into the Riverlands. They made sure to try and avoid anyone who might tell Edmure that they were around but they did make one stop while on the way. Mina and Prycella were both still alive and being healers. They hugged them both tightly and told them how happy they were to see that they were still alive. They smiled at Gendry's new title and were surprised to find out who they were. Arya knew that two old women couldn't make the trip to Winterfell but she told them that they would be welcome nevertheless. Mina and Prycella thanked them and sent them on their way toward The Peach with promises to think about it. Arya thought about writing to Edmure and seeing if maybe there was a place in Riverrun for the sisters.

The Peach was a small brothel just off of the road and Arya could hear that they were fairly busy. She didn't know how Gendry would react to his sister being in a place like this and his face gave nothing away. They walked in the doors and sat down at a small table as they waited. A few women came up to them but Gendry brushed them all off. They heard stories about a woman that worked here named Bella and that she would brag to some men that King Robert was her father. It seemed they had the right place.

It took a few hours but eventually, the right woman walked up to them. Mya was right; she was a little older than Gendry and she had long black hair that curled down to her midback. She was a little shorter than Mya and Gendry but her eyes were the thing that Arya recognized. She smiled as she walked up to them.

"Hey there, I'm Bella and--" whatever Bella was about to say she stopped the second she saw Gendry. The two of them stared at each other like they didn't know what to do with the other one. Arya supposed meeting a half-sibling for the first time in a brothel was probably a little awkward. "You look like me."

"I know," Gendry said and Arya could see that this was going to be different from Mya because Bella knew how men could be.

"Bella," Arya said. "We would like to talk to you alone for a little while. I'm going to give you some coin and I'm going to be there too. We can leave the door open if that will make you more comfortable because all we're going to do it talk. I know men that probably told you that before but this is my husband and considering how alike you two look I think you know that the idea of you and him together is not something we'd like to pursue." Arya pulled out a few coins and offered them to Bella who stared at her for a long moment. She seemed to pull herself together, nodded, and gestured for them both to follow her. They went upstairs to a room with a ratty bed and not much else and Arya made sure to leave the door half-open.

"My mum told me that King Robert was my father because she was his favorite during the rebellion," Bella said as she sat down on the wood floor. Gendry kept his distance which Arya was grateful for. "I guess I should have thought there would be more of us I just didn't think one would walk in the door."

"My name is Ser Gendry Stark now but I was a Waters born in King's Landing after the rebellion," Gendry said.

"And I'm Arya Stark. It's nice to meet you, Bella," Arya said and Bella stared at Arya and then turned to Gendry.

"How did you manage to marry a princess?" she blurted and then immediately looked a little embarrassed that she said that out loud but Gendry smiled and shook his head.

"I ask myself that every day," he said and Bella seemed to relax for the first time. "My wife being a princess is part of the reason I'm here. I want to make you an offer. There is plenty of room in Winterfell and my good brother has offered his home to any of my half-siblings that want to come and stay there."

"You wouldn't have to work if you didn't want to," Arya said. "The North is cold but Winterfell is warm and there is plenty of good food and people would welcome you. We already found your older sister and she is back at Winterfell right now. We want you to come back with us."

"You want me to come with you?" Bella asked. "But...I'm a whore. Wouldn't you be ashamed to be seen with me?"

"And I was a blacksmith before King Jon knighted me and Mya used to guide mules up to the Eyrie in the Vale," Gendry said with a shrug. "And if you come with us you don't have to be a whore anymore. You can just be Bella and whoever she wants to be."

"Whoever I want to be?" Bella asked in a soft voice and Arya could see tears in those familiar blue eyes. For a woman like Bella, the idea of having control and choice in her life was not something she had ever considered.

"Even if you hate it and want to leave we'll make sure you don't have to come back here," Gendry said firmly. "You're my big sister, that much is apparent, and I take care of my family." That was enough to break down Bella's walls. She threw her arms around Gendry and hugged him as she cried into his shoulder. Arya got up to leave the two siblings alone so she could find the madame of the brothel and see what needed to be done so Bella could leave.

+++

Bella settled into Winterfell a little easier than Mya did. There were a few things that she had problems adjusting such as when she needed something she just had to ask. When they returned and people who weren't family asked where they found Bella Gendry replied without hesitation that they found her in the Riverlands and never once mentioned the Peach. Bella looked like she couldn't believe that she was in a place where no one knew she was a whore and the ones that did didn't judge her for it.

Bella and Mya got along right away and Arya had a good time watching the two of them adjust to their new life. The first time the two of them got into nice dresses that Sansa made for them Arya thought they looked like princesses. They both also loved being older sisters to Gendry and it made Arya laugh to watch the two of them gang up on him. It reminded her of when Robb, Jon, and Theon would gang up against her. It made her miss Robb more than ever but she wasn't about to ruin Gendry's enjoyment of having older siblings by bringing back bad memories.

It seemed that older siblings were coming to visit regardless since they got a raven saying that Yara wanted to come and see Theon. She hadn't been by since Theon decided to stay in Winterfell. At the moment, Jon was still trying to decide how to get justice for what Theon did to the North while also honoring the fact that he suffered under Ramsey and nearly lost his life against the dead. Theon smiled when he heard that Yara was coming and seemed excited to introduce one part of his family to the other.

Yara walked into Winterfell a moon later with her head held high and looking like the Queen she was. She looked unhappy at Theon's leg but when Theon smiled as he introduced Sansa and Yara seemed to soften. She sat near Arya, Gendry, Mya, and Bella at the feast that night and watched Theon very carefully dance with Sansa.

"I don't think I've ever seen him so happy," Yara said. "I originally came here to tell him that he's a prince and to get off of his ass and back to the Iron Isles but I don't think I can do that. I don't think that's my right."

"He wants to stay," Arya said as she glanced over at Gendry and his sisters. They all knew there were more siblings out there but they didn't have any idea how to find them.

"So, you're out on a bastard hunt?" Yara asked which got the attention of Gendry, Mya, and Bella. They looked up with the same expression on their faces and looked so alike at that moment that Arya had to cough to hide her laugh.

"We want our half-siblings to have somewhere safe to go," Gendry said. "There have to be others out there somewhere and we want to find them. We just don't know where to go look." Yara seemed to think on it for a moment as she watched Theon and Sansa stumble through their dance on the leg that Gendry made for him.

"You made my brother his leg so he can still walk," Yara said and Gendry looked up as he nodded slowly. "You made sure it was comfortable and that gave him his movement back so he could do something like this and dance with his lady. I owe you for that--"

"--you don't owe me--"

"--so I will tell you about the rumor I heard from other sailors," Yara continued like Gendry hadn't said a word. "I heard about a boat that sailed out of Shipwrecker Bay which is just a fucking insane thing to do. That bay doesn't have that name for no reason. Rumor has it that a boy was on it and he was running from something. The boy, they said, had black hair and blue eyes and looked like the former king at the time."

"You think someone smuggled one of our brothers out of Westeros?" Mya asked and Yara nodded as she smirked at Mya.

"It looks like that might be the case. The rumors said that boat was heading toward Lys so there is a chance your little brother just got sold into slavery but if you were looking for bastards that look like you three lovely beings then Lys might be the place to look."

"Thank you for that Queen Yara," Bella said with a smirk. "Whatever can we do to thank you for your help?"

"Oh, the three of you can just stay right where you are for the rest of the night," Yara said and Arya nearly choked on her wine as Gendry frowned. Yara smirked and Arya spent the rest of the night talking to Gendry about getting to Lys.

Despite being Queen of her own kingdom Yara recently agreed to be the Master of Ships for Daenerys at the last meeting. Jon had brought up that there might be more Baratheon bastards out there and it seemed like Daenerys wasn't going to burn any of them should they come out of the woodwork. Yara helped Gendry and Arya secure a ship that took them to the free city of Lys which was unlike anything she had ever seen before. While they were there to find Gendry's brother there was no telling how long that would take. For now, they had time to explore which was exactly what Arya wanted to do.

For the first week or so they just explored the city, asked around if anyone had seen someone who looked like Gendry, and took in the sights. Arya had always wanted to see the free cities and this was a good way to explore them. She sent a raven to Jon on day seven to let him know that they were alive and okay. He didn't like having them so far away but Jon knew better than to try and stop her from doing what she wanted. They were wandering the market on day eight when Arya looked up and realized that Gendry was gone. It didn't take long to find him; he was in an alley and a man had him pinned to the wall with a dagger at his throat. Arya crept up on the man, pulling out her own dagger, and she could hear them talking.

"Why are you asking about boys that look like you?" the man demanded and he sounded like he was from Westeros. "He's a boy, he doesn't deserve to die for your wars."

"Remove the dagger from my neck and we can talk about this like gentlemen," Gendry warned.

"I'll remove nothing. I've worked for years to keep him safe and I'll not let some minions of Westeros come and kill him," the man snapped. Arya moved behind him and pressed her blade to his side right over his kidney.

"Let him go and I won't stab you right here and let you bleed out," she warned. The man glared at Gendry but removed the dagger and put his hands in the air.

"I'm not here to hurt him," Gendry said. "And I'm not a son of Stannis or Rely, I'm one of Robert's. Westeros is safe for us again and my wife, the woman who was about to gut you, is a princess of Winterfell. The North has offered refuge to my half-siblings and I want to give him somewhere safe to go. I'd like to meet him and offer him a new home." The man glared at Gendry but seemed to relax a little.

"He's a good kid," he said. "His name is Edric."

"I'm Gendry and Arya is standing behind you," Gendry said. The man later introduced himself as Andrew Estermont and said that he'd been guarding Edric since Cersei ordered all of the bastards killed. Edric knew who his father was, Andrew told them, and sometimes would get gifts from him which baffled Arya. Robert seemed to barely care about his children he thought he had with Cersei let alone any of his bastards. Andrew led them through the city to a small apartment where a young man was there to greet them. His hair was longer than Gendry's and he looked more like Robert than even Gendry did. The two of them stared at each other for a moment as Edric didn't seem to trust them.

"You're my brother," Edric and Arya noted that he didn't carry himself the same way that Gendry or Mya, or Bella did. He carried himself like a noble.

"Your older brother," Gendry said. "I'm Ser Gendry Stark and this is my wife Princess Arya Stark. I'm here to make you an offer of a new home. My good brother has opened Winterfell to our half-siblings as a safe place for us to live in Westeros. You can come to the North and live happily and live well. Two of our sisters are already there as well. King Jon was raised a bastard as well and he wouldn't allow anything to happen to you because of that."

"My family is your family," Arya said. "And we would be honored if you joined us at our house." Edric glanced at Andrew who nodded.

"I believe it's time to stop running and I would like to return to my home in the Stormlands. I will accompany you to Winterfell if you want to go," Andrew said. Edric glanced around the small apartment and nodded.

"Yes, I'd like to come North with you," he said. Gendry smiled and they were on a ship leaving Lys by the end of the next day. She sat back on the deck and watched as Gendry and Edric got to know each other and she thought about Bran and Rickon and the responsibility of being an older sibling. Gendry was already fiercely protective of the people he deemed worthy of his time; she could only imagine what he would do for a little brother. He looked up at her during a break in the conversation and his smile was so bright and blinding that she had to join them. Edric asked a lot of questions and they had a long journey back North. Arya settled in and began to fill Edric in on all he had missed in Westeros as they headed home.

The first night that all four of them were in the same room was a little odd and Gendry wasn't sure what to do with it. Arya insisted that the four of them have some time together and Jon offered to give up his solar so the four of them could have a private dinner. It was a little uncomfortable but no one was yelling at each other so they took that as a good thing.

"Why did you do this, Gendry?" Mya asked after a long moment of silence. "Why did you seek us all out?"

"I was worried above all else," Gendry replied honestly. "A woman who worshiped the Red God tried to have me killed more than once because of who our father was. Something about the power of king's blood. At one point she threatened to track one of you down when it was apparent that I didn't have any ambition. Our lineage is powerful and I didn't want someone coming along and taking advantage of that." He pressed his lips together as he pushed the food around his plate. "I guess I also just wanted someone in our family to do right by us. Our father didn't, our stepmother was a lunatic, and both of our uncles let us down. There had to be someone in our family that would do right by us and because I got so insanely lucky that the girl I married ended up being a princess I wanted to be the one."

"So the North will be safe for us," Edric said and Gendry could tell that he was still extremely paranoid. Edric was one of the better-known bastards since his mother was a highborn and Cersei had sent out a soldier to try and kill him in his sleep. There was a deep scar on his shoulder from where the dagger that was supposed to slit his throat went in.

"Yes," Gendry replied. "Daenerys might have hated our father but she doesn't hold the sins of the father against the children. As the daughter of Aerys, she'd have to be a massive hypocrite to do that. We're also related to her, cousins, and there aren't a lot of Targanerns left. She wants family just like you and I do. She won't hurt us and if you don't want her to know you're here I'll figure out a way to keep that from happening."

"So what are we supposed to do while we're here?" Bella asked as she tossed her curls over her shoulder.

"Whatever you want. I still work in the forge because I enjoy it. If you find something you enjoy you can do it. I'm not your guardians and while Jon might be your king he isn't about to order family around. The Stark's are our family now because of Arya so you can do whatever pleases you," Gendry said. His siblings all look at each other lie they weren't quite sure what to make of all of this and he didn't really blame them. "Look, it took me a long time to feel like I had a place here so don't worry if it takes some time for you as well." Mya, Bella, and Edric all seemed to relax a little at that and the four of them began to share various stories about their lives. It was like the tension had been let out of the room and the first time the four of them all laughed at something it felt like home.

+++

Gendry wasn't overly surprised when each of his siblings found something else to do and he really wasn't surprised when each of them found a Stark to latch onto. The one that might have frightened him the most was the first time he caught Bella and Sansa in the same room as they looked over papers. Bella didn't feel like she belonged in the castle because of what she did before so she found the Stark the best at being a lady to learn how to be one.

Sansa loved having a girl that wanted to learn how to sew and play an instrument around. Sansa also decided that all of them needed to learn their letters and numbers. Edric tried to say that he didn't need any of them but Sansa asked him when was the last time he did his numbers or wrote a letter. When Edric admitted he hadn't since he left Westeros and that was when he was young he relented to her teaching. While Mya and Edric both knew their basics Bella admitted that she didn't know any of her letters and numbers.

While it took some time for Bella to pick up her letters she learned her numbers extremely quickly. She took to her sums so fast that Sansa was even surprised and there was just something about the way that Bella looked at the world that made the numbers come easy. After just two weeks of lessons, she found a mistake in the math for Winterfell's trades that Jon, Davos, and Sansa had all missed. When they told her that she saved them gold Bella smiled brightly.

The other skill that Bella was better at than probably anyone that Gendry had ever seen before was being able to tell what people wanted. He didn't like to think about the time that Bella spent in a brothel but she learned to read between the lines and see what someone wanted when they weren't saying the words. It was a feast and a minor lord came over and started complaining to Jon about something. Gendry watched as Bella narrowed her eyes and watched the lord carefully.

"He's lying," she said. "He wants something else and he doesn't want to tell Jon what it is." Gendry was about to ask what Bella was going to do about it when she stood up and calmly walked over to the lord. Her entire body language changed as she sat down and began to talk to him. The lord seemed hesitant but the more he spoke to her the more relaxed he seemed to come. Bella didn't flash a flirty eye or anything like that, she just talked to him, while smiling and laughing at the right times to make him open up to her. She left not ten minutes later, walked calmly up to Jon, and explained why the lord was lying.

Sansa and Bella got along extremely well and Bella took to embroidery quickly. Bella explained that she learned how to sew and mend clothes in the brothel but learning how to make something that could be considered art was new to her. She enjoyed it in a way that Arya just could not understand. She began to steal all of their clothes and sew in little designs to make them look nicer because she enjoyed it. Bella could stare down a man twice her size and find out exactly what his weakness was, share it loudly, and walk away without losing one of the perfect curls in her hair.

Edric decided that the person he would follow around the most was Jon. Bran didn't have any interest in the politics of it all but Edric was. He was raised by his mother's family to be a lord and that was what he knew. Edric felt like he needed to help earn his place in Winterfell and he would do that by becoming Jon's shadows. Davos found the entire thing extremely amusing but Jon took to it like water.

"Being a big brother was the best thing that ever happened to me," Jon said on one of the few nights he and Gendry got to share a drink and some time to relax. "So taking on another one is no big deal to me. He's a good kid and I like having him around. He knows way more about court than I ever will that's for sure."

"I like being a big brother too," Gendry admitted. The whole having siblings thing threw him for a loop sometimes but the first time Edric looked at him like someone he admired Gendry felt like his entire world changed.

"I want to learn to fight," Edric said one morning to Gendry and Jon. "I'd like to learn how to wield a sword from you King Jon and how to wield a hammer in honor of my brother."

"For the last time you don't have to call me King," Jon said with a smile as they ate their breakfast but Gendry was still a little thrown by what Edric had said.

"You know that Robert was the one who wielded a hammer, right?" Gendry said as they made their way through the castle and out to the training yards. Jon was busy and said he would come by later to start giving Edric lessons on how to use a sword.

"I looked up to Robert for a long time but he wasn't a good man. He dishonored the Baratheon name and now there aren't many of us left. He might have taken the thrown but he wasn't a good King. You though. You worked in the Riverlands and helped keep people safe during the war. You're the blacksmith that made all of the weapons that helped defeat the Night King. You helped free us from Cersei and avenge all of our siblings that didn't get away. I want to fight with a hammer in honor of you and not Robert because you are a man worthy of it." Gendry didn't know what he was supposed to say to something like that so he just stared at Edric like an idiot for a good minute. Edric didn't seem surprised when Gendry pulled him into a tight hug and didn't even try to get away when Gendry held on for a little too long.

Edric enjoyed helping people probably more than any of his siblings. There wasn't a moment that was wasted with him. If he was up and moving he was doing something. While Edric acted more like a highborn than any of them he wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty. He helped rebuild Winterfell and did everything he could to try and make things better for everyone. Edric always sided with the smallfolk when he listened in with Davos and Jon but he never overstepped himself. If he disagreed with whatever Jon and Davos were doing he would make sure to do so in a way that wasn't disrespectful to anyone involved.

Baratheon's might be known for their fury but Edric was usually the one breaking up the fights rather than causing them. When Mya and Bella would go at it Edric would act as a messenger between the two of them until they were ready to speak again. That wasn't to say he didn't possess any fury. The first time he heard a man comment on a bastard boy serving in the stables Edric knocked the man flat on his ass. Arya liked Edric a lot for that reason alone because he also punched people on behalf of any of the Stark's as well. The moment someone decided to say something that even hinted something wrong about the Stark's and Edric would be there to knock them down and tell them to mind their manners.

Mya was the one that Gendry worried the most about. She learned to read, write, and her numbers but didn't seem to have a huge interest. She learned how to sew but just the practical stuff. She learned a little about court and made sure that she knew how petitions worked and listened carefully. While Edric latched onto Jon and Bella latched onto Sansa Mya was everywhere at once. She spent time with Bran and asked him questions about history. She learned to make a spear from Meera. She learned basic water dancing moves from Arya. She learned to hold a sword from Brienne. Mya was carving her own place within the castle and it didn't seem to fit anyone else's.

It wasn't until Edric got sick that Gendry realized what Mya's place in all of this was. Unlike the rest of them that were at least a little used to the cold weather Edric was born in the Stormlands and lived on Lys. He could not have been less prepared for winter and when he caught a fever Gendry and Bella immediately panicked. They were both all too aware of what happened when people got sick, they saw it growing up, and now the little brother that they just found was sick. Gendry felt like he could hardly breathe and Arya had to talk him out of panicking more than once.

The fever spread and more and more people got sick and Edric wasn't getting better like everyone else was. Gendry was wondering if he was going to lose more family when he looked up and realized that Mya was steady. She was a rock and during her time in Winterfell, she had slowly become the most stable thing they had. Mya was older than almost everyone even Jon and it wasn't that she became everyone's mother. She was just unflappable and steady and when everyone else was panicking Mya was calm. While Gendry and Bella were running themselves into the ground to try and take of Edric, Mya was taking care of all three of them.

Gendry couldn't remember the last time he had someone in his life that made him feel calmer just by them being in the room. Mya's talent was that she could help whoever needed it. She was the one who talked Sansa out of panic one day because she thought Theon was going to leave her behind and go back to the Iron Isles. She was the one who sat with Jon one night and let him rant for an hour about the pressures of wearing a crown and offered advice. Mya was the rock of the family and that was something that Gendry hadn't experienced.

Out of all of them, Mya was the one who didn't seem to get angry. She was the one that calmed down the most and didn't lash out. That didn't stop her from yanking a man away that got into Bella's space or getting a mule to kick a knight that was saying terrible things about bastards. Gendry knew that both of his sisters were older and the last thing they needed was someone looking out for them but he couldn't help it. It was a feast to celebrate everyone getting better from the fever and Bella and Mya were both leading Edric around the floor in a silly dance to make him smile and laugh. Gendry was making his way back to his spot at a table when he heard two knights mention his sister's names.

"What a pity," one of them said. "I heard both of those bastard bitches are ruined. One of their brothers marries into royalty and no one is going to want to go anywhere near those legs. They'd be better off selling them." The other man huffed his agreement but Gendry didn't hear the words over the blood rushing to his ears. He calmly walked forward and slammed one of the men's faces into the table hard enough to break his nose. Gendry grabbed the arm of the other and painfully twisted it behind his back.

"I want you to know that no one talks about my sisters like that," Gendry said in a low voice as the knight whimpered about his arm. At this point, the girls and Edric have noticed that something is going on and are making their way across the hall. "They are my family and I would do anything for family, got it? Do you know who else considers them family? Arya Stark, the woman who killed more whitewalkers than anyone else. Sansa Stark, the woman that fed Ramsay Bolton to his own dogs. Jon Stark, the king, who could ask the dragon outside to burn you alive with a thought. Bran Stark, who could take one look at you and know your deepest secrets. Meera Reed, who could put a spear through your eye without breaking a swear. And Theon Greyjoy, who knows more about dying by water and making it look like an accident than anyone." The other man groaned as he sat up and held a hand to his bleeding nose. "Now, what are you going to say to them when they walk over here or am I going to have to break another bone?"

"Gendry, what's going on?" Mya asked with a look that said she knew exactly what was going on but wanted to be a little contrary about it.

"Nothing," Gendry replied as he released the man's arm.

"We'd like to apologize miladies," the man with the broken nose said. "We said some terrible things and we are sorry." Bella looked the man over with a look of utter disdain that Gendry had to bite his cheek to keep from laughing.

"If you said something so bad that my brother had to break your nose then you're not forgiven," Bella replied. Mya smirked but Edric looked like he wanted to throw a punch too and the only reason he didn't was because his sisters pulled him away. Gendry walked away from the two men and joined Arya back at the table.

"Do I even want to know?" she asked.

"It's taken care of," Gendry replied as he kissed her forehead. No one says anything bad about his family while there was still air in his lungs.

+++

It was two months after Edric had arrived that Arya decided it was finally time to talk about renewing their vows in the Godswood. Gendry agreed that now was probably the best time and now all of his siblings were settled. They were all in the hall breaking their fast one morning when Arya squeezed Gendry's hand and they both stood up.

"I would like all of you to know that one of the great regrets of my life and Gendry's is that we got married without any family around us. We had our reasons at the time, some of them were just because we wanted to spite Cersei Lannister, but the fact that the only people who bore witness were the Brotherhood always made us sad. So we talked about it and we've decided to have another ceremony here so all of our family is present."

"I'm making you a dress," Sansa said loudly in a tone that brokered no argument in the matter. Sansa and Bella were already talking about what exactly they are were going to make for clothing for both of them and Arya smiled. She expected all of this and while she wasn't entirely fond of dresses she didn't have a problem wearing one made her and Gendry's sisters.

"Would you like anyone else invited?" Jon asked with a smile.

"No," Gendry said. "Anyone we could want at this wedding is here minus perhaps Daenerys but there is no way she can come North right now."

"Just us it is." From there the planning went fairly quickly. Since they weren't inviting anyone they told the cooks to make a small feast and the main thing they were waiting for was for Sansa and Bella to finish the dress and the cloaks. Arya opened the door to her sister's room only for Sansa to yell at her to go away because they were working on the dress.

"I'm glad you two decided to do this," Bran said a week after Arya and Gendry made their announcement.

"Why is that? Did it not count the first time because the weirwood was barely a sapling?" Arya teased but Bran shook his head.

"When you get married in Winterfell's godswood all of our family will be here including the ones that aren't with us," Bran said and he smiled. "Can you imagine the fact that you're the one that's getting married out of all of us? Not only that but you're marrying for love."

"You're going to marry for love too," Arya said as the two of them settled near the godswood. She could hear Rhaegal moving around a little. The green dragon could glide short distances and they had guided him to a small cave not far from the castle. He still came around every now and then and seemed to be keeping an eye on Winterfell the same way that Nymeria and her pack were as well. The pack wasn't here right now but Nymeria had wandered in the gates a few days earlier and was currently sleeping at her feet. Arya was glad that the last remaining direwolves would be here with the last remaining Stark's to watch the wedding.

A fortnight after Arya and Gendry announced that they wanted to renew their vows Sansa and Bella both loudly announced that the clothes were ready. Mya, Sansa, Meera, and Bella dragged Arya off in one direction as Jon, Edric, and Davos dragged Gendry off in the other. Bran said that he was going to keep the wolves company as the proceedings went on and Brienne offered to keep him company. They were both smirking like they knew they weren't going to get caught up in this chaos.

"I hope you like what we made," Sansa said as they pulled her into her room. She was about to say that she would love whatever they made because they made it but she lost the words when she saw the dress. Sometimes, Arya forgot how well her sister knew her because while it was a dress it wasn't extravagant. It was Stark grey with fur lining the sleeves and the collars and it looked like Bella and Sansa had carefully sewed a pack of direwolves all along the skirt. As she got closer Arya realized that all of the wolves were present. Nymeria was leading the pack of Ghost, Summer, Shaggydog, Grey Wind, and Lady.

"Meera told us what Shaggydog and Summer looked like when they got bigger," Bella explained. "And we talked to the men that remembered what Grey Wind looked like to get his description but there's something else and Sansa insisted that we add this." Arya gasped when she realized that there were more wolves on the dress than she realized. As the Stark wolves were running there was another pack ahead of them. There were four black wolves with blue eyes with one larger wolf leading the pack. Sansa placed her hands on Arya's shoulders and squeezed.

"When you and Gendry got married you brought in Mya, Bella, and Edric to the family too. They're wolves now and we wanted to make sure they were represented as well," Sansa said. Arya didn't know what to say so she said nothing; she just turned around and threw her arms around her sister and held on tightly. She hugged Bella, Meera, and Mya, as well as they, helped her get dressed. She noticed some other small details hidden such as the outlines of a lizard and a squid in the furs of Summer and Lady respectively.

Jon knocked on the door after she was dressed and her hair was pulled up in a Northern braid. The cloak that they made for her was purposely made to look like a cloak that a man or a woman could wear which she appreciated. Unlike usual weddings, she would be giving the cloak to Gendry and not the other way around. Sansa, Mya, Bella, and Meera also raced down to the godswood as Jon offered her his arm and guided her through the castle.

"I know you didn't need to do this," Jon said. "But I appreciate it more than you'll ever know and I know everyone else does."

"I would have given anything to have you all there the first time," Arya said. "But I'm glad I have the opportunity to do this again with all of you here." Jon smiled and the two of them walked through the castle until they came to the godswood. The lanterns were lit and Arya could see everyone waiting as they walked toward the tree. Davos agreed that he would officiate and he already looked like he was about to cry. Gendry was dressed in dark grey clothing with a plain grey cloak around his shoulders. Edric stood behind him with Mya and Bella tightly holding hands. Sansa and Theon stood close on her side of the aisle, their hands entwined, and she could see Meera and Bran also holding hands. There was so much love in the godswood at that moment that Arya thought she was going to cry.

"Who comes before the Old Gods this night?" Davos asked.

"Arya, of the House Stark, comes here to be wed. A woman grown, trueborn and noble. She comes to beg the blessing of the Gods. Who comes to claim her?" Jon said.

"Ser Gendry Waters, a knight of the North, heir to no house. Who gives her?" Gendry said.

"Jon, of House Stark, King of the North and her brother, but Arya gives herself willingly," Jon said and by the gods did Arya love him so much for that alone. Davos and Gendry both grinned but Davos seemed to remember that he was doing something. He cleared his throat and continued.

"Princess Arya, do you take this man?" he asked.

"I take this man," Arya replied with a smile. Edric helped Gendry remove his cloak and, since Gendry was becoming a Stark, Arya placed her cloak around his shoulders as Gendry placed his around hers. They clasped hands and knelt down in front of the tree to pray. Arya closed her eyes and could feel the presence of her missing family members at her back. She could see them in her mind's eye and they were happy, they were proud, and they thought she had chosen well. They stood up and to the sound of clapping from all of the people they loved. Arya smiled as she leaned forward and kissed her husband. She never regretted marrying him the way she did but there was something special about being surrounded by family when she renewed her vows to him.

+++

Arya enjoyed the feast that the castle managed to put together. It was small and private with just the people she cared about which was just the way she wanted it. She was never a big fan of big weddings and simply being in the room with all of her family and friends was more than enough. Everyone was a little in their cups which was amusing to watch. It also meant that despite this being her wedding feast no one was paying much attention to her or Gendry. They were already married so no one was going to call for a bedding but she wanted some time with her husband alone.

"Let's get out of here while they're all distracted," Arya whispered. Gendry glanced over at her and smirked; he looked unfairly look in his nice new clothing and she wanted to get her hands on him.

"As you wish milady," Gendry said. They were both masters at not being seen when they didn't want to be and Nymeria and Ghost seemed to be on their side as they began to jump around and distract everyone. They raced up the stairs to their room and Arya could hardly contain herself. As soon as the door was closed Gendry had her pressed against the wood and was kissing the air out of her lungs. "Do you have any idea how good you look in this dress? I thought I'd have to give up a limb to see you in something like this."

"Well don't get used to it," Arya replied. "As nice as this dress is you know I prefer my breeches."

"And we both know I prefer you in nothing at all," Gendry growled against her lips. He easily lifted her up and Arya wrapped her legs around his waist. He carried the two of them to their bed and she was expecting him to rip the dress off of her. Instead, Gendry carefully placed her on her feet and turned her around so he could start working on the buttons. He kissed the skin that he slowly exposed and Arya found herself getting impatient. Her dress was only half off and he was still fully clothed.

"I thought you'd rip this off of me," Arya said and Gendry huffed a laugh against the back of her neck.

"Are you joking? Sansa and Bella would skin me alive if I tore a single piece of fabric from this dress," Gendry said. That was probably true but that didn't mean Arya was willing to wait. As soon as her dress hit the ground she turned and they both frantically moved to get Gendry out of his nice new clothes as fast as possible. As soon as they were both naked they climbed into their warm bed and slowed down a little. They wrapped themselves up together and exchange slow and wet kisses that made Arya feel breathless. "I still can't believe you agreed to wed me and we've done it twice," Gendry said as he stared down at her like she was a miracle. Arya was trying to come up with a smart remark but Gendry chose that moment to start kissing down her body.

He grinned when he got between her legs and Arya closed her eyes to the sight of Gendry placing his mouth on her. They hadn't done this many times since they decided to start sleeping together. It was something that required space and time which is something that they usually didn't have. Tonight was different and Gendry was using his extremely talented tongue to drive Arya out of her mind. She clenched a fist in his black hair and knew she was pulling it hard enough to hurt but Gendry didn't hesitate. Arya cried out so loud that she was sure the entire castle could hear her as she peaked. She pulled Gendry up for another kiss and licked the taste of herself out of his mouth.

"I need you," she whispered which was all the confirmation Gendry needed to push into her. They stayed close as he moved in and out of her, already so sensitive from the peak he gave her with his mouth, and Arya felt like she was going to go insane. Gendry kissed her hard as he began to move faster and Arya could feel herself reaching another peek soon. Gendry was close behind as he pulled her into a harsh kiss.

In all of their time together Arya couldn't remember the last time or if they had ever peaked together but maybe tonight was special. She cried out as she toppled over the edge as Gendry shouted and followed her mere seconds later. Gendry nearly collapsed onto her and Arya took the weight of him willingly. They laid together as the sweat cooled on their bodies and eventually they both climbed under the covers. Arya pressed a kiss to Gendry's mouth and smiled.

"I love you," she said because today was special and the words needed to be said again. Gendry smiled that beautiful smile of his and pressed their foreheads together.

"I love you too."

Two months after Gendry and Arya had their second wedding Bran and Meera decided that it was time for them to make it official. However, since Bran was a prince getting married officially that meant they couldn't have a small event. Instead, it became a thing that the whole North got involved in. While it wasn't what Meera and Bran wanted they both acknowledged that there wasn't much they could do about it either.

"I'm marrying a prince," Meera said when Jon told them that they couldn't have a small ceremony or it might offend any of the other houses. "I knew on some level that I couldn't have a small wedding but I guess I sort of wanted one anyway." Arya understood what she meant and the only reason why she was able to get away with it is because she was already married to Gendry when they had the second ceremony.

Gendry was working on crowns for everyone which was a good way for him to spend his free time. Arya found him hard at work on Daenerys' crown which was something he was putting all of his time into. Jon didn't want anything fancy and insisted that his crown be crafted from nothing but plain steel. Gendry agreed but also ignored Jon when it came to making the crown beautiful. He learned that if he polished dragonglass enough it could shine and while Jon didn't want any gemstones in his crown he never said Gendry couldn't use dragonglass as a replacement. Jon's crown looked like a wolf circling his head with eyes as black as night. Now Gendry was working on Daenerys' and said that he would make something for the entire family after.

He looked up when Arya walked into the forge and briefly smiled at her. She couldn't believe the difference the last half a year had had on him. Gendry looked so much lighter now. The people of the North still made snide comments about how he wasn't worthy of her even if he made the weapons that saved their lives. Gendry took to being a brother like nothing she had ever seen and it was like he was a natural at it. He let Mya and Bella look after him but he defended their honor when they weren't looking. He told her about Edric wanting to learn how to use a war hammer not because it was the weapon Robert used but because it was the weapon he used and how that blew his mind. Gendry didn't shiver from the cold anymore and he carried himself with pride.

"Working hard or hardly working?" Arya asked as she walked over to him. She knew he was working hard, he always did, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to tease him at least a little.

"Working hard of course," Gendry said as he looked over the crown. The detail he was putting into the three dragons on the crown was amazing and, much like Jon's crown, he was using dragonglass in the place of gems save for one spot in the middle where it looked like a large gem was missing. "Daenerys' colors are black and red so I sent her a raven saying I needed a ruby to finish her crown. She said that she's sending me one by courier and that she can't wait to see what I've made for her."

"It'll be the finest crown in all the lands," Arya said.

"I'm starting to get requests from people from as far away as Dorne," Gendry said. "Queen Yara even petitioned me to make something for her. Apparently, there is a crown made of driftwood that while it is the traditional crown of the Iron Isles she doesn't think it works. She asked me if I could make her a crown made of metal that just looks like driftwood. Besides, driftwood is brittle and would break. A crown made of metal could last generations."

"Optimistic of you to think the Iron Isles could remain independent for generations," Arya said and Gendry knocked his shoulder against hers. She wanted to stay and watch him work but there wasn't time for that. "Sansa and Bella are asking for you so they can prepare your clothing for the wedding."

"Can't I just wear what I wore to our wedding? Why do I have to make more clothes? Seems like a waste," Gendry said but he was wiping his hands on a rag anyway. He was helpless to the pleading eyes of Bella and Sansa and would do pretty much anything they asked of him. Arya didn't know how they did it but she should ask them one of these days. The power to get Gendry to do whatever she wanted was a power she would wield responsibly.

"I know but it'll make them happy and that's really all that matters," Arya said and Gendry sighed but let her pull him through the castle until he got to Sansa and Bella. The two of them were clearly having far too much fun making all of the clothing and dresses but that was the way of things now. They were truly a terrifying duo and Bella was one of the few people that Theon could be around for long periods of time and not get nervous. Bella dotted on Theon the same way she did to Gendry and Edric and he seemed to enjoy having a sister looking out for him again.

Daenerys said that she wanted to come to the wedding but she wasn't married herself yet and while Missandei was working as a temporary Hand to the Queen they needed someone else in the position. She sent gifts and told them all that she was looking forward to seeing them soon. Arya knew that Jon and Daenerys were friends and kept in touch often which made her smile; Jon needed more friends in his life and fewer people looking to take advantage of him.

+++

The wedding went by without any major problems. There was at least one fight that started when someone made a comment about Sansa being with Theon and ended with Mya holding Edric back as he snarled like a wild animal. Bran and Meera were both long gone by then so at least they didn't have to see the drama unfold like that. It made Arya laugh even as Jon and Davos were doing their best to hide smiles behind their hands. While people were asking when Jon was going to take a wife and there were whispers about an heir a year hadn't even gone by yet. There was still plenty of time. Jon had told Arya privately that he would marry for an alliance if he had to but he hoped to someday marry for love. If love never found him he was going to name Bran and Meera's children as his heir. When Arya pointed out that Bran might not be able to have kids he told her they would cross that bridge when they came to it.

Things in the North settled despite the fall family drama. Jon needed to ride out to deal with a group of bandits from the south that were making problems for the Free Folk who had settled in the Gift. Arya wasn't happy that Gendry went with Jon but they both returned without any new scars and the problem was dealt with. Edric kicked up his own training three times fold as he insisted on riding out the next time they needed to deal with a problem.

Gendry also took his sisters and Edric out to meet Rhaegal which was an incident that left Arya in stitches. Mya was completely against the idea and Gendry all but dragged her toward the small cave where the dragon spent most of his time. Rhaegal got stronger every day and there was a chance that he might be able to make it south someday. At the moment he wasn't strong enough and having a dragon as back-up was a nice thing for the North.

"I'm telling you it's going to be fine," Gendry said he tried to pull a resisting Mya toward the cave. Bella and Edric seemed more than happy to meet the dragon and didn't have a problem in the world about meeting a dragon.

"Those things are dangerous," Mya said. "How do we know it won't burn us alive again?"

"Well, Bran talked to him and asked him not to first of all," Gendry said.

"That is not exactly comforting me, Gendry!" Mya said her voice was getting a pitch higher than usual and now everyone was trying to contain their laughter.

"Also we have Targaryen blood in us. The dragon knows it and it won't hurt us. It didn't hurt me and I see no reason why it would hurt my kin," Gendry said. "I wouldn't do this if I thought there was any chance of you getting hurt. You must know that, Mya." She looked at him through the corner of her eye but eventually nodded. Arya stayed behind, Rhaegal was still not entirely fond of her, as the four siblings approached. Jon went with them and one by one he introduced them to the dragon. Edric was smiling so brightly Arya thought he was going to have his face freeze that way. Bella looked like she was trying to figure out a way to use the dragon to her advantage. Mya, on the other hand, looked a little stunned as she walked away from the dragon like she didn't quite believe what was happening.

Time continued to pass by and Arya knew that Gendry was finishing up the crown. That was the only thing he seemed to be focused on these days and now that the ruby was here it was time for the final piece to get put in place. Arya had enjoyed watching him work and the idea that his crown was going to be passed down to the next monarch of Westeros made Arya so proud of him. Her husband was the crafter behind the crowns held by the three monarchs of Westeros and for that, his name would never be forgotten. He earned a place in history and Arya loved him for that.

Gendry walked into dinner late with a small smile on his lips and Arya knew it was time. He had finished the crown and it was time to take the next step.

"I finished," Gendry said as he sat down. Everyone smiled and congratulated him and he glanced at her. "Daenerys wrote to me and she said that she doesn't want something so precious to be transported via courier. She requested that I travel to King's Landing and present it myself."

"Oh," Edric said as the smile faded from his face a little. "How long do you think you're going to be gone?"

"Arya and I were talking," Gendry said. "And we thought it was best for us not to take this journey alone. In fact, I spoke to Jon as well, and we all think it's time for Mya, Bella, and Edric to come south to meet Daenerys." Arya watched as the three siblings all stared at Gendry like he had completely lost his mind.

"Gendry," Mya said softly. "She hated Robert. We don't know how she would react to seeing more of his kin."

"She would react well," Jon said as everyone turned his attention to him. "I mentioned that Robert went to many kingdom's over many years and there was a chance that Gendry had half-siblings out there. She seemed to like the idea that she could have more cousins." Jon sat back in his chair and glanced at Sansa who smiled at him. "However, there is someone else who should go with you. Ser Davos?"

"Your Grace?" Davos said. "As your Hand, I'm much better off here."

"Ser Davos," Jon said with a smile. "You aren't of the North and you have a home you need to go back to. I'd like to relieve you of your duties as Hand not because you failed but because you have earned your rest at home in the south where you belong."

"Thank you," Davos whispered. "But I can't leave you with no Hand, Your Grace, I will stay until you have found someone to replace me."

"I already have," Jon said as he gestured to Sansa. "Sansa has proven to be a fine leader in her own right and there is no one I would trust more to help me keep the North safe. Please, Davos, go south with them. You've earned your rest after this war." Davos looked around the room and smiled to himself as he laughed a little.

"As if anyone can say "no" to you honorable Stark," he said. "Very well, I'll go to King's Landing with them to keep an eye on them and go back home from there."

"Gendry," Bella said. "Are you sure this is a good idea? We're safe here."

"You'll be safe," Arya said. "We've stared down the dead and Cersei Lannister. I assure you that all of those things Daenerys Targaryen is terrifying in her own right but not nearly as scary as the first two." Mya, Bella, and Edric looked at each other as if they were very unsure about this whole thing but eventually they all nodded. They were going south to deliver a crown and meet their cousin who was a Dragon Queen.

+++

It took a little time to pack all of their belongings and figure out exactly how they were going to ride south. Mya and Edric both knew how to ride but Bella was much more unsure on a horse. Mya offered to share her horse with Bella and Davos helped pack their things. It would take them three months to make it down to King's Landing since they weren't in any particular hurry. Arya didn't want to leave everyone behind but she knew that this was a trip that she needed to make with Gendry. She watched as Davos tearfully hugged everyone and Jon promised him that Davos and his family would always be welcome in the North. They climbed on their horses and began to head south.

Nymeria took off into the woods as soon as they were out of Winterfell and Arya could see her pack following them south once again. She smiled even though the wolves were making everyone but Gendry nervous. The first night they stopped to camp Nymeria came over and they all got to watch Gendry play with her. He didn't shiver at night anymore but Edric did and Nymeria apparently decided that Gendry's siblings were her pups as well. She bullied her way into the tent and pushed her way in the middle so everyone could feel her heat. Arya spent the night laughing into Gendry's shoulder and he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

As always traveling with Nymeria left Arya incredibly spoiled. The wolves provided their food for them every night and the one night bandits tried to attack they didn't even get close enough to wake anyone up. Davos was incredibly impressed by it and he very carefully placed a hand on Nymeria's head in thanks. It made the weapons they were traveling with rather useless but Arya felt incomplete if she didn't have her blades strapped her waist. Unlike the last time they traveled south, Arya didn't mind this small group of people. It didn't feel like the walls were closing in and everyone was laughing and smiling. She couldn't remember the last time she traveled and had this much fun.

Unlike the last time they traveled south, Arya decided that they would stop in the Crossroads Inn to see Hot Pie again. He greeted them with a huge smile and two very tight hugs followed by bewilderment when Mya, Bella, and Edric walked in.

"Gendry! I can't believe you didn't tell me you had siblings!" Hot Pie yelled as he guided them to a table to sit down.

"We hadn't found each other yet," Gendry replied. "Hot Pie, I'd like you to meet my older sisters Bella and Mya and my younger brother Edric."

"Did Gendry ever tell you about the time he tried to cook dirt?" Hot Pie asked and from there, there was nothing but stories of their youth as Davos watched them all fondly. They went to bed with full stomachs and Arya made sure to take advantage of the privacy they got with having their own room. She had gone far too long without getting the chance to touch the man she loved.

The closer they got to King's Landing the more nervous Mya, Bella, and Edric got. Arya didn't know how to tell them that Daenerys wasn't going to hurt them. They rode into the city in the early morning after spending the night in a small village just outside the walls. They changed into nicer clothes and rode through the gates as the people stared at them. Gendry told Mya, Bella, and Edric to keep their hoods up otherwise someone might recognize them and it was best if they got to Daenerys first.

Missandei was waiting for them at the gates to the Red Keep and while she eyed the three strangers in cloaks she didn't say anything. It seemed that the presence of Arya, Gendry, and Davos was enough to keep her from saying anything.

"Greetings Ser Gendry, Princess Arya, and Ser Davos," Missandei said with a small bow. "Her Grace has been expecting you but not expecting your guests. Will they be joining you?"

"Yes," Arya said as she channeled her mother and stood as tall as she could in her good leathers. "We trust them and Her Grace trusts us. They come with the good faith of my brother, King Jon as well. There is no danger here."

"Very well," Missandei said and she began to guide them through the castle. Gendry had the box containing the crown. Gendry quietly instructed the others to stay behind and let him introduce them to Daenerys after he presented the crown. The doors to the throne room opened and unlike the last time she was here, Arya smiled. Daenerys was sitting on the Iron Throne calmly. Her hair was in a beautiful braid and her dress was pure white like the snow. Gendry and Arya walked forward and both bowed deeply to her.

"Oh please don't do that," Daenerys said as she stood up and began to walk down to them. "You are both family and I insist that my family doesn't do those silly things." Arya wasn't expecting the hug but Daenerys seemed like she really needed it and she let the Queen hug her tightly. Gendry set down the box and also hugged her. "Now, the latest raven from Jon told me you were bringing my crown cousin. I'd love to see it."

"Of course," Gendry said as he opened the case and pulled out the crown. "I had to sand down the ruby a little to get it to fit but not by much. The crown almost seemed to glow in the sunlight from the windows in the keep. The ruby was the centerpiece and around it were three dragon heads. Each of their scales were tiny pieces of dragonglass and their three bodies intertwined to form the crown. Their eyes were also red with tiny pieces of the ruby.

"There is something otherworldly about the metal," Daenerys said as she looked at the beautiful crown.

"That's because Jon and I both added some of our blood to the mixture," Gendry explained and Arya looked at him because she didn't know that. "Now it has the blood of King's in it to make the metal strong and powerful."

"This is art," Daenerys whispered as she looked over the crown in her hands. "And it should be placed on my head by the artist that created it." Arya took a small step back so all of the guards could and anyone else in the room could witness what was happening. Gendry took the crown into his hands and Daenerys knelt down before him. A man who looked like Robert Baratheon reborn placed a crown on the head of a woman that couldn't look more like a Targaryen. It was the sort of image that got put onto tapestries and stories to be told to future generations. Daenerys stood and she smiled but then she seemed to notice the other people standing not too far away. Arya took another step back because this was Gendry's family and his decision. This was something he had to do on his own but she would remain close to support him.

"Gendry, I see Ser Davos, but who else traveled with you?" she asked.

"I'm glad you asked," Gendry said and he beckoned for his siblings to join him. They walked forward and slowly removed their hoods so Daenerys could see their faces. She gasped and Gendry smiled. "I'd like to introduce you to my siblings and your cousins, Dany. My older sisters Mya Stone and Bella Rivers and my younger brother Edric Storm." The three of them bowed down to Daenerys and got down on one knee before her.

"Gendry, you found more of them. More of you survived the purge," she whispered. "Please, the three of you, stand," Daenerys said as she turned to Gendry. "How long ago did you find them?"

"Over six moons ago," Gendry confessed. "But I wanted to make sure I was making the right decision before I brought them south. I wanted to introduce you to them because they're my family, half-siblings or not, and also because I wanted to make sure that the favor I'm about to ask you is the right decision." Now Mya, Bella, and Edric looked very confused and Arya smiled. "Queen Daenerys, I come before you asking for you to legitimize my sisters and brother as Baratheon's and ask that you name my brother as the Lord of Storm's End."

All three of Gendry's siblings began to talk over each other as they tried to get him to explain just what the hell he thought he was doing but Gendry stood tall and didn't even turn to look at them. He maintained eye contact with Daenerys and did not look away from her.

"You know how I feel about your father, Gendry," Daenerys said carefully. "And part of the reason Jon and I gave you the Stark name was to prevent more Baratheon's from appearing. So why would I legitimize three of them, one of which could be perceived as a threat to my reign?" Arya felt bad for Edric at that moment because he turned white as a sheet as Bella and Mya both moved to stand in front of him.

"Because politically it's the right thing to do," Gendry said.

"I'm afraid he's right, Your Grace," Davos said as he walked forward and joined them. He gave Gendry a very disappointed look. "This is why I traveled south, aye? This is why Jon decided it was time for me to go home?"

"I'm not saying it didn't factor--"

"Oh hush boy," Davos said as he turned to Daenerys. "Your Grace, Westeros has a long memory and the Stormlands were fiercely loyal to the Baratheon's. It would go a long way to see that House restored and even more so if that restoration came from you."

"Storm's End has been in the Baratheon family for generations. It's home for them the same way Dragonstone is to you or Winterfell to the Stark's. A Baratheon holding it is important and I can think of no one better to lead than my siblings," Gendry said.

"And how do you know they can lead?" Daenerys asked.

"Edric has spent the last half a year learning everything he could from Jon Stark and I can think of no one better to teach a young man how to run a house," Gendry explained. "My sister Bella learned how to be a lady from Sansa Stark and is better at her sums than anyone I have ever met. Mya has learned from everyone how to do everything. She was taking care of all of us and she is steady as a rock. She is calm, she's far, and she seems to lack that infamous temper everyone tells us we're supposed to have. The three of them have come from all walks of life and would look after both the nobles and the smallfolk which we both know is rare. They would do a lot of good for the Stormlands and for Westeros. As far as claims to thrones go I imagine swearing allegiance to you is an easy fix to that."

"Gendry," Edric said. "You're the eldest, you should be the heir, not me."

"Yes Gendry, the name should go to you," Daenerys said. Gendry looked over at Arya and smiled.

"I have a name and one that I intend to keep," he said and he turned to look at his siblings. "I can think of no one better to bring honor back to this name after Robert, Stannis, and Renly worked so hard to sully it. If you want this I think you should take it." Gendry took a step back so Daenerys could walk up to them. Arya walked over and took his head into hers and squeezed.

"If you decide not to do this you will always have a place in Winterfell," she said.

"The Stormlands do not trust me but they would trust the kin of Robert Baratheon," she said. "If I legitimize you, Edric Storm, would you serve your people well and swear allegiance to me?" Edric glanced at Mya and Bella and then at Daenerys.

"I'll only do it if my sisters agree to come with me," he said and he sounded so young for a moment that Arya wondered if he was ready for this. Then he stood up taller and Arya could see the Lord in him. "My kin and I would never lift a finger against you, Your Grace, if you gave us the honor to serve the lands of our forefathers. We would take this gift of a name and work hard to bring honor back to it."

"I won't let him go alone," Mya said.

"Me neither," Bella replied.

"And they won't be alone," Davos said. "This must be why Jon told me I was needed south; I've served House Baratheon before and it would be my honor to help these three lovely young people bring honor back to that name." Daenerys looked between the three of them and then at Arya and Gendry.

"I'm supposed to hold court later today," she said. "I can think of no better time to make this official." No sooner had Daenerys said those words that Mya, Bella, and Edric all ran up to Gendry and began to yell at him. Daenerys watched them fondly and then pulled Davos aside so the two of them could catch up.

"I know what I'm giving up and I know what I already have," Gendry said. "And I'm sad that you three won't be in Winterfell anymore but keeping you locked in the North was a waste. You can do so much good down here. The smallfolk need help; trust me."

"Oh, you think you're not coming with us?" Bella asked with her hands on her hips. "This was your idea and the two of you are coming to Storm's End with us for at least a little while. This isn't up for debate." Arya thought they would be heading back North but she'd never seen Storm's End before and it was made by her ancestors. She glanced at Gendry and he shrugged.

"Very well. If you insist though I do have one request for you," Gendry said. "Edric, don't let those lords bully you into marrying off your sisters for an alliance. They get to marry for love. In fact, don't let them bully you into it either. Anything a wife can do Bella and Mya can handle until you find someone you actually want to spend your life with."

"As if I could talk these two into doing that," Edric said and he winced when Bella flicked his ear. Mya smiled fondly as she looked at the two of them.

"Are you sure about this? Do you really think we can do it?" she asked.

"Jon, Sansa, Theon, Bran, Meera, they all agreed that this was a good idea," Arya said. "And you know my side of the family; if you were shit they would tell you." It broke the tension of the room and they were all laughing by the time Daenerys came over and joined them for a much less formal introduction.

+++

Arya didn't enjoy court as an adult any more than she enjoyed it as a child but being there with Gendry on her arm as Daenerys showed off the crown and personally thanked Gendry for making it. Arya didn't really pay attention until she called Mya, Bella, and Edric forward. They managed to find some black and gold cloaks hidden in various corners of the Red Keep and the three of them looked like they were made for this.

"Before me stands Mya Stone, Bella Rivers, and Edric Storm three of Robert Baratheon's children," Daenerys said and people began to murmur. "I believe that Storm's End and the Stormlands would benefit from having House Baratheon restored. Lady Mya, Lady Bella, and Lord Edric, do you swear allegiance to House Targaryen and to me? Do you swear to serve the realm with honor and to help make this world a better place?"

"We do," they all said.

"I, Daenerys Targaryen, Queen of the Five Kingdoms, hereby legitimize you as Lady Mya Baratheon, Lady Bella Baratheon, and Lord Edric Baratheon, the Lord of Storm's End. Please rise." Everyone clapped and Arya watched Gendry as he watched his siblings stand tall before the nobility of Westeros. Arya knew what the nobility was going to try and do to the Baratheon siblings but she had faith in them. Edric wouldn't let anyone touch his sisters and Mya and Bella would eat anyone alive that tried to hurt Edric. Arya was looking forward to hearing about the first time Edric punched someone or Bella made a grown man cry or Mya so perfectly outmaneuvered someone. Arya had met a lot of nobles in her life and she could tell when someone was cut out for it.

They were going to be magnificent.

There wasn't really a lot of time after court and they needed to get to Storm's End as soon as possible. Gendry also didn't think it was a good idea to have two newly minted ladies and a new lord running around the Red Keep and Daenerys agreed. They left as soon as court ended and armed with a scroll that said Storm's End now belonged to Edric they began to head further south. Arya and Gendry hadn't been to the Stormlands since they were operating as Wolf and Bull. She remembered how the smallfolk would stare at them like they were something to gawk at. That didn't change as they began to meet people this time either.

Edric leads them into Storm's End with his head held high. Arya stood back with Gendry and watched quietly. She had a hand on her sword just in case this went badly. It didn't though; the Castellan of the castle took one look at Edric, Mya, and Bella and immediately understood who they were. He smiled as he welcomed House Baratheon home again.

+++

A fortnight later Arya took Gendry's hand and began to pull him up the winding tower of Storm's End in the early morning. It seemed that the first two weeks had gone well. Edric punched a noble that tried to say that Mya and Bella weren't worth much because they were ruined. Bella found an error in the math of the coffers that said they were actually doing better than they thought. Mya took one look at the organization of pretty much the entire castle and reorganized it. It was exactly the type of chaos that she imagined they would bring but it was good.

A few of the people asked about Gendry but he mostly kept to himself and in the forge where he was helping the local smith gets everything back in working order. Davos sent for his wife to join them in Storm's End and she came willingly and left a Castellan in charge of their house for now. She was exactly the type of woman that Arya imagined a man like Davos would marry. She was kind and seemed quite taken with Gendry's siblings and Arya could see that the Seaworth's were going to make sure they were taken care of.

Right now she just wanted some alone time with Gendry and she was excited to show him what she discovered while exploring the castle.

"Arya, there are too many bloody stairs," Gendry complained.

"You're still a young man you'll be fine," she insisted and they continued to the very top of the tower where it opened up. There were battlements up here but it was the middle of the night and the sun was only just starting to come up. Arya had dragged Gendry from bed because she knew that this was something the inner artist in him would appreciate. "Look," she whispered and the sun came over the water and seemed the light the sky ablaze. He squeezed her hand and smiled. They managed to find a small bench and Arya settled between Gendry's legs and against his chest to watch the sunrise.

"It's beautiful, thank you for waking me up so I could see it," Gendry whispered and he kissed her temple.

"This view could have been yours," Arya said.

"Ours you mean," Gendry replied without hesitation. "But I think we both know we're not cut out for this. Not really anyway. We would probably do a good job and we might even be happy but Edric and my sisters are going to be better than we ever could."

"Bella told me that the room we've been staying in is ours whenever we want it," Arya said and she huffed a laugh. "When we met we had no home to go to and now we have homes in Winterfell and Storm's End."

"Three if you count Dany and King's Landing," Gendry said. "She told me there is always a place for us there too."

"I got a raven from Sansa," Arya said after some time had passed and the sun was almost completely up. "I think Theon is going to propose soon so we should probably go back to Winterfell within the next moon."

"We could do that," Gendry said but there was something about the tone of his voice that made Arya turn around so she could look at him. "I got a raven from Dany and I told her we'd be heading North soon and she told us to be careful. Apparently, some bandits are running around the Westerlands. They are former soldiers loyal to Cersei and they are proving difficult to catch. They are a small group targeting the smallfolk." Gendry looked down at her and he was smirking.

"Really, that sounds like something we'd know how to handle," Arya said and she slowly smiled at Gendry.

"I thought so too," he replied and Gendry leaned forward and kissed her softly.

"Let's go get them," Arya said as the sun rose to greet a new day.